season finale

We made it to the final game of tball...the season finale. While we're not jumping up & down that we've found the perfect sport for Miller, we can clearly see that he had so much fun as a beginner player. It was all about learning the fundamentals of the game. Of course, Miller's always there to make new friends. And, socially he had the game down pat!

I mean you just can't help but smile seeing all these precious players learn the game. After 30 minutes, the majority of the boys zoned out. Now that it's hot in their knickers they can only last so long before the heat wears them down. The coaches sure have to have patience with these beginner players.

The coaches made their rounds checking in with each player to make sure they knew their job in each position.

Post game, Landon led the devotion time and handed out the stars awarding each boy a sticker that matched their character trait demonstrated in the game. This task stressed Landon out until he figured out a little Excel checklist strategy of match up. Every parent is standing around circle time listening to all the great things that coach had to say...Landon figured out early on that he needed to be specific and detailed as parents hang unto every word;)
Mid season, Landon asked me why I let him volunteer himself so much...I just smiled and assured him that is he was sitting on the sidelines he'd be going stir crazy wanting to get in the game. Landon agreed...
  I'm so grateful for his commitment to assume leadership roles above and beyond our family & his daily job responsibilities. It is wearing on our family at times to have such scheduled weekends, but I know Miller notices his involvement in his life. Another reason to celebrate summer with relaxed schedules. Our family needs a break...

Trophy time came with much anticipation. I think we just might need to start a collection case. Miller was super pumped about this momento to remember the season.

He asked if his trophy was bigger than Landon's {Oscar} award from high school. It's funny the things kids pick up on. He views a bigger trophy equaling more success.

Miller's buddy Hutton (Coach Brian's son) pose after the awards ceremony.

This little sassy pants was just excited to get some bubble time in. A beautiful Saturday game-day was enjoyed by all. Nothing like spring tball Saturdays. We're hanging up our {baseball} hats on this fun weekly event for now. But, I have a feeling we'll be baaacck at the fields come spring.

the graduate

Miller's PreK 4 year is coming to a close. And, sadly his preschool days are over too. How ever did that happen? Even though part of me felt like he was attending Kindergarten this year with the classroom set-up & schedule, and eating in the lunchroom...I still knew in my head that my little man was a preschooler. He's had such a wonderful experience in PreK filled with lots of play time, academic centers, singing & dancing, puppet shows, and early literacy development. I'm just so thankful that we decided to send him to this program this year. It was exactly what he needed and I firmly believe his teacher was hand picked for him. She was our confirmation that the Lord answered our prayers for the right classroom for Miller.
At our spring conference, Ms. C blew us away with documentation or Miller's growth this year concerning mastery of quite a few sight words and color/shape patterning. While we are still working on counting objects over 30 with one to one correspondence & handwriting (a major weakness)...we were blown away that Ms. C thought that Miller was gifted. His vocabulary, comprehension, and retelling problem & solution in her words is "brilliant". It has a lot to do with his love of learning and photographic memory. And, hearing that he's able to sit in his chair for longer periods was a big relief too. I'm still convinced that we'll be battling attention issues with this one. While he's still young, I'm trying to train him in the area of self control. Woo Hoo, Miller man!

So, without further adieu...we celebrated his preschool accolades with a certificate and a graduation farewell. Both preschool classes put on a mini performance with hand motions. A proper {dressed up} goodbye to a year of hard work and lots of play;)  You know preschool is too much fun when your child cries that they can't go when they are sick.

Sweet friends on stage { Miller, Grant & Bradley}

Our little graduate, sniff, sniff!

The boys posing after the ceremony. Big brother Carter jumped in the picture celebrating with us.

Eliza Kate kept shouting "Hi Miller" with a friendly wave each time she spotted her big bro on stage.

Congrats to you Miller man. You make us so proud to call you our son.

 

Now it's time to venture into the land of Elementary School. We know you're ready!

being their mom

It's a bedtime story followed by a Jesus Loves Me solo.
It's a kiss on a boo-boo with a hug to make it all better.
It's a journey that is unpredictable
It's seizing teachable moments.
It's an impromptu snuggle with a smooch on the cheek.
It's when they say, "I love you, mom"
It's playing hide and seek.
It's making a fort under the sheets.
It's a bathtub filled with bubbles & soaked floors from all the splashing.
It's pancakes with syrup for breakfast with whipped cream on top.
It's packing lunches and tying shoelaces.
It's spilled milk on the kitchen table.
It's a love with no conditions.
It's a lifelong journey to do what's best.
It's teaching obedience.
It's molding character with intentional parenting.
It's time outs & spankings.
It's an apocalyptic tantrum with an audience watching.
It's taking time to connect with their hearts.
It's tripping over Lego's and a living room with scattered toys.
It's fingerprints on the glass.
It's changing diapers & wiping bottoms {Can I get an amen?}
It's taking time to play when there's a million mommy chores to do.
It's laughing hysterically at their little ways.
It's being their number one fan.
It's celebrating their milestones and achievements.
It's on your knees praying for their little lives.

It is one of life's greatest privileges.
It's a little boy & girl who call me "Mommy".
It is being their mom.
It's thanking God for entrusting them to me.

And, feeling blessed to be sharing all of it with their grandmama. No one hangs onto all the details like a grandma!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there. You are all heroes in your family!

May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice! Proverbs 23:25

proud momma cub

One of the reasons that May is so exhaustively fun is that there's always something to celebrate, a closing event to attend, lots of goodbyes and parties galore.  Cubbies Awards were just one of those closing events for Miller. He has been a Cubbie for two years now, and we've loved the deep spiritual truths and scripture memory that he's gained from the Wednesday night program. The sweet friendships are a plus too. Most of his little group have spent two years together and were promoted this year with the same teachers. We are so blessed by their faithfulness in teaching the class.

 At the end of the year, Cubbies Awards are given with a special presentation and medal. Don't they all look so handsome in their royal blue vests and honorary patches?  I always made sure to iron on Miller's patches but the few that needed to be sewn on his left chest  never made the cut. If only I could sew!

All of a sudden our little man has grown in maturity. His little bottom stayed on the taped strip for the length of the presentation. I do love just sitting back and watching him at these events. He seems to be a cut up at times getting joy from making his friends laugh. What is it about the class clown trend with teachers' kids. Oh my. Nonetheless, I am one proud momma cub;)

Then it was the Green room's turn to walk across the stage. One of our friends commented that we have Miller trained to turn and hunt for the camera. He turned, poised and ready to show us his medal. Way to memorize those verses Miller man.

The ceremony wouldn't be complete without a shout out from stage to his dear "mommy & daddy" & a dramatic waving of the hands.

 It's on to Sparks next year. We couldn't be more proud of the young man you are becoming Miller.

“My son {Miller}, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;
For length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:1-6”
― Anonymous, Holy Bible: New International Version

Tiny Tots Music Camp

My theme song of May is "I think I can, I think I can". Either that or "I will Survive". On top of all the end of the year events with school and church, I've been tutoring 5th grade students four days a week in the mornings for the month of May. My Maymester evenings are spent studying for my 5th grade Math lessons and making all the organizers while juggling dinner & baths..our normal routine{sigh}. I do love still having a little slice of my former teaching days. I feel blessed & tired all at the same time! Ok, so I do feel diva-ish with my two hour workday. It's the work that awaits me at home that can be the most wearing...Ahem, my two year old:)!   Grandmama has been so generous with her time this year which has allowed me to work some flexible hours at my former employer.  Together with Poppy, we make a great team!

A highlight of their Grandmama and me mornings was attending a music camp at East Cobb Park the first week of May. I casually popped out from the tree and snapped a few suprise photos of our girly the last few minutes of class. I knew that if she spotted me, she would be Miss Clingy and not leave my side for one minute.
 I love how the above photo shows EK's classic finger grasping hand hold. She will have it no other way without a full fledged battle. Our miss is particular about such things as hand holding.

I popped out from behind a tree to snap this one. I couldn't let our girly spot me spying on the last few moments of camp. It's fun to sometimes be a fly on the wall. Mamarazzi in action. Well, she did notice me afterall...before I could get a decent shot of the darling with her sugar mom. Have you heard the saying, "Grandmas are moms with sugar on top?"

. The highlight for me was to witness Eliza Kate singing "Jesus Loves Me". Nothing like that sweet, sweet song rolling off her lips. Praise music from toddlers is one amazing experience.

Oh the fun of shaking eggs, parachute games, and singing the morning away. More music camp fun to follow this summer! Now, if I can just get through May...and enjoy all of it along the way.

pops

Pops on the patio...fudge pops that is. This is our new after dinner indulgence. I know the neighbors must be wide eyed with disdain as they see my shirtless duo enjoying dessert on their backyard picnic table. Really, there's no other way to eat a fudgsicle in my book since those messy chocolate drips are a killer to get out. I loved watching my pair checking out eachother's chocolate moustaches with curiosity. I'm teaching these two how to "Popsicle toast" by touching their pops end to end before eating...too cute!


The best part of outdoor Popsicle eating is that it's ok to make a big mess. We just wash down the patio with our garden hose afterwards which usually leads to pressured washed hosed down kiddos.

Sometimes, it's just more fun to make a mess. Eliza Kate likes to finger paint as her pop melts on the table.

Here's to more Popsicle dates this summer..drips and all!

choir performance

 Miller's been involved in 4 year old choir on Wednesday evenings at our church this year. Really, he's been going strong since the 3's program last year. The highlight to Miller man is playing instruments and getting to move around the room.
 As the year wore on this year, he definitely lost some interest in warming up his vocal chords for corporate singing every week. But, it was a great teaching opportunity this year to let our guy know that when you make a commitment to get involved in something, you stick it out until the end no matter what your emotions feel like on the day of practice. Stick-to-it- tiveness is an important character quality that I hope we are instilling in Miller. Teaching him to be faithful in the little things carry over to much BIGGER decisions later in life. I could get carried away on this one.....Anyhoo-I'm thankful that these little situations come about to help us mold him into one faithful man who is able to  be counted on.

The highlight of the 4's program is the May choir performance during a Sunday evening service. It was Miller's first experience singing on the stage of our church. For the dress rehearsal, he was gobsmacked and in shock of his surroundings.This was my opportunity to grab some oh-so-precious pictures while he was singing his sincere best.  As you can imagine, he was too busy taking everything in and participating to goof off up there. My momma heart melted listening to him sing the song, "Promises Promises...God Keeps His Promises". An awesome truth that I needed to be reminded of, for sure.

One of my friend's commented that I've got this boy trained to pose. He sure has had some practice;)

See what I mean about poised? His uncontrollable hands were stuffed into his shorts to help him with self control.
 We learned a valuable lesson about our young 5 year old on this night. It turns out that our Miller man doesn't need a warm up period. Since he had 30 minutes to soak in the lime light, our guy was really feeling at home & cozy on stage. For the actual performance during the service he discovered the jumbo tron screen behind the risers and all we viewed was the back on his mop head of hair while he sang away. He commented that he was staring at himself singing on the big screen but all he could see was his hair. OH MY!! Landon calmly explained that if you face the camera, it will project your face. The camera can only capture what is directly in front of it....
Big ah-ha's for Miller on the car ride home!
I am hanging on the fact that at least he wasn't the kid turned around making large hand motions to the screen or funny faces for that matter.

I'm just one happy momma, that I have fond dress rehearsal memories to hang onto. I foresee many more  adorable performances in this little guy's future....