Bethany - In Sept of '07 B became an only child M-F from 8:50-3:50. As Hope headed off to Kindergarten Bethany's world shook. Being the youngest of 3 children less than 4 years apart in age, we expected her to react heavily to this enormous change, but true to her natural born independent streak, she worked it out just fine. Bethany quickly learned that she loved the one on one time and has just thrived over the last several months. Her personality, large as it was, has literally exploded this year. She is still a bit devilish, always up to no good. She loves to sing and dance, must be the center of the universe and quite the entertainer. She is still sucking those fingers and still leaving a trail of hair everywhere she goes (My Little Pony hair for quite sometime now). Recently she cut her own hair (see picture). A large hunk out of the front of her head. While it was not a devastating cut, it did shorten her hair from more than midway down her back to about chin length! As usually her hair is growing like weeds and after barely a months time is about down to her shoulders already! Her favorite place to go right now is Build a Bear Workshop.
Hope - This past Sept our Hopey headed off to Kindergarten! But a stroke of last minute good fortune she was placed with our all time most favorite K teacher, Ms. Neal!!!! We are thrilled to have her back in our lives. Most kids when you ask them, "What happened at school today?" just shrugs and says, "Nothing" or "How was school today?" *shrugs* "Fine" or at least this has always been life with Roman. Not Hope! LOL Day 1 she came home. "Hope, what happened at school today?" "One kid cried ALL DAY LONG! One girl got in trouble already. And I got fussed at during carpet time." "YOU?? What did Ms. Neal have to fuss at you for?" .... fully expecting to hear how she was running her mouth to a new best friend.... "I kept taking my shoes off and apparently that's not appropriate!" Mainly throughout the last 100+ days to date of school, Hope has excelled wonderfully. With this exception of PE... another "shoe thing".... she pulled straight E's on her last report card. She continues to be the sweetest, most kind hearted child ever. Yes, still a bit of blonde in that head of hers, but truly just a heart of gold and a complete joy! When she says, "Mama, I got $10 for my birthday, can you take me to the store to pick out new toys for Roman and Bethany?" how can my heart not melt?? 
Roman - August of 2007 gave Roman a YES to a question that has plagued me for years now. "Can I pleeeeeeeeeeeease play football!" With his growing interest in the game and knowing that it would be his last year to play flag football, I caved. This is something I have been adamantly against since the day he was born. I did NOT want my child playing football. And now.... I'm stuck for life! The boy is completely addicted. And I must admit, I was in no way prepared for the drastic change in this kid either. And I'm not talking about pounds that seemed to melt off him from 4 day a week 2 hour practices in the hot late summer, early fall temps. I was not prepared for the discipline and structure of football, the pride and team spirit of 5-7 year olds. It was crazy! We have had Roman in team sports since he was 3 years old. He played 7 seasons of soccer and 3 seasons of teeball prior to joining sports. I know about team sports and what to expect of this age group... I did not know about football! It is like a completely different mentality of hard, near military structure. The coaches are gruff, they bark orders.... and the kids LISTEN! They stress healthy living, healthy eating habits, fitness and hold nothing back on the seriousness of the game and how easily someone can get hurt who is not properly prepared and in shape. They preach about respect of parents, coaches, teachers, and community leaders. They demand excellence in and off the field and poor grades and trouble in school will get a child benched. YES, Roman is only in second grade, but in the football world, flag to pro's, they train and learn the game all the same. It was the craziest most all-consuming thing we've ever done as a family. The 5-6 day a week commitment alone is insane. I mean practices start the first week of August in the middle of summer, for 4 hours a day M-F for an entire month before school ever starts. Crazy, I tell you! The coaches, the staff, the parents, the kids have to give 110% of total dedication for 4 solid months. And you know what? My boy THRIVED!!!! His attitude at home improved, his manners improved, and he had the best ever start to school this year (I also attribute that to the fabulous Mrs. Gregory who seems to just know him inside and out!). Roman has always done well in school. He's an E/S student and rarely ever causes any trouble, but even that has IMPROVED. This last report card Roman pulled straight E's with the exception of handwriting... we'll give him slack on that one, it was always my worst subject too! Aside from football, he is totally into SPORTS! LOL I took him too his first hockey game a few weeks ago and we had a fantastic time. Can't wait to take the whole family in the near future. Coming into spring he had a big decision to make... soccer or baseball through RRAA. He chose to go with his school and we look forward to the kick off of baseball season next week, though I am a bit sad that he will not be playing soccer. Outside of sports the big 8 year old things right now are Transformers, still some Star Wars, and Halo, okay, anything Xbox 360, or gameboy, or even Leapster... so video games! LOL Roman is 100% all boy, but he does have a sensitive side. He is very sweet with his sisters, and I have enjoyed watching him evolve into his own person with his own mind who's not afraid to stand up for what he believes in and put his own unique stamp on what has become his style. There is no more baby, or even little kid left of him and I couldn't be prouder of the boy he's become!James - Well, he's still James! LOL His Star Wars geek status took a bit of a back seat to football season. James enjoyed football every bit as much as Roman and plans to get more involved in RRAA for this coming fall. We actually have a meeting on that this Friday. Just before Christmas, on December 23rd to be exact, we were coming back from a visit in Baltimore and swung off to mom's for a brief visit as Gloria, Ashley, Joel and John were in town. Well, it was rainy outside and the entrance way into mom's apartment is all tile with 3 steps to go down to get to her door. James took a slip on the top step and came down hard landing on the three stairs with his arm wedged into the railing. Took me and 3 guys to get him up and I thought for sure he'd broken something. It's been a long recovery. Took 2 weeks to get him up without 100% assistance. Was able to then transition him to a walker and eventually a cane. He is out and about now. He is driving, but not comfortably enough to do so with just the kids in the car, unless in an emergency. He is even starting to venture around the house some without his cane now. The back spasms are still bothering him often, but overall he is doing awesome right now! That has certainly put a damper on things lately. With the exception of scouts, we have cut out all activities for all of us. Honestly, it's been good for us. Barbara moved out in the midst of it all and we have been working hard at adjusting to life as 5 again, settling into our house, and spending a lot more quality time together as a family!
Trooper is doing well too. He spent way too much time being cooped up in the crate while James was recovering. I think 3 adults in the house all with different rules and commands was more than a little confusing too. After Barbara moved out James and I sat down and worked out a training plan for the boy and he is just thriving on it! What an amazing difference in such a short time. The chewing is a LOT better now, he is 100% housebroken, almost completely leash trained, and after spending a bit to properly dog proof the first floor, he is one happy pup and very much the family dog we had hoped for!
As for me, well, my part of life hasn't been without drama either. LOL Last August was a nightmare, but worthy of it's own post, so you'll have to keep looking for that one! Just before Thanksgiving I was "laid off". There was a helpdesk opening that offered to me in place of termination with a pathetic severance package that would not have gotten us through the end of the year. So, for my family, I begrudgingly accepted it. With a turn of good luck, 2 guys announced they were leaving the week I started on the helpdesk. I applied for the new opening (that otherwise wouldn't have come as we are in a hiring freeze here thanks to the real estate market taking such a hard hit lately) and the day after Christmas was offered and accepted it. It took a stressful month and a half to get me fully transitioned over to the new job. I've been here, working on the server team for about 3 weeks now and I absolutely love it! Funny thing is, this position was open once before, about a year ago and I didn't apply because I was in comfortable misery where I was... meaning I didn't care for my job or the management changes occurring with it, but it was a job, paid well, and I stuck around without motivation to move on. In that way the lay off has been a true blessing as I probably would not have bothered to apply for this one had I not been downgraded to helpdesk! Outside of work I am making a conscious effort to work on ME. I have taken to going to the gym M-F, getting up at 4:45 to hit the gym at 5am. What am I thinking?!?! I feel really good when I make it and don't beat myself up too bad if I don't. I haven't been dieting, but have been watching what I eat and managing proper portion control for everyone at home. Must be doing something right, cause people I don't see everyday are starting to take notice and I've had a few people this week that I do see nearly every day stop and ask what I've been doing to drop the weight. In truth I've only lost about 4 lbs in the last month, but I have dropped a full pants size and things are just shifting I guess, probably due to the exercise. I am feeling great though, loving my new job, and life just seems to be going right for once!
Baseball season starts next week. The girls were supposed to be playing soccer this spring, but we have pretty much decided to continue on our easy path. They both have dance still anyway, so it's not like they are without or anything. Hopefully the rest of the school year will remain relatively calm, stress free and NORMAL for once!
