Basketball

 Ella and Tyler both played basketball this winter, and had a great time.  Ella played for the first time with a group of friends from her soccer team and the neighborhood.  One of the moms coached, and Ella loved it.  She was not a real fan of having to play against boys, however, and as a result was VERY timid.  She started to come out of her shell toward the end of the season, and she even made a basket in her last game.  She was so overcome with emotion after scoring, that she burst into tears into my shoulder.  It was very sweet.  I don't know that she's got a career in basketball ahead of her, but I am so proud of her for giving it a try and never giving up.  (I also want to point out that she played against a retired San Antonio Spur's son in her first game.  Yes.  For real.  And who was she responsible for guarding, in her first basketball game ever???  You guessed it!  Spur's kid! I even took a picture of the back of the former Spur, for proof!)  

Next up, Tyler!  Tyler played on a team of his friends from school, and their team name was The Flaming Slugs.  "Slugs" for short.  Next year they're planning to be called The Dancing Princesses.  (I guess that is ten year old boy humor.) Boy did they have fun playing together, too!  They lost every game, but who's counting??  Tyler had a blast, and played hard each game.  He almost fouled out his last game, but in my opinion - at least he was getting in there and playing hard!  I love to watch my kids play their sports! 

Tyler turns 10!

 Tyler had a great 10th birthday, and he was so happy with all of his presents (except for the gift of underwear from Spencer).  :)  He had a great day being spoiled at school, and after a fun party a few days before, his birthday was officially over!!  Happy Birthday Tutu!!!

Tyler's Backwards Party

 

Tyler had a Backwards Party to celebrate his birthday this year.  When Spencer turned 10, three years ago, we did the same thing.  It was so much fun, and such a perfect fit for a group of 10 year old boys, that I've been planning since then to duplicate it for Tyler's 10th birthday.  And that's just what we did!  Starting with the backwards invitations (printed in "mirror image mode"), the boys were already planning and scheming about what they would wear.  Everywhere we went, a ten year old boy would accost us, telling us some of the things they were planning for the party.  It was pretty funny.  Finally it was party day!  As the boys entered the house (usually walking backwards) we said "Goodbye" to them and gave them a nametag with their name spelled backwards on it.  This is what they were referred to as for the rest of the party.  And it was all the ice-breaker we needed, too, because the boys just ran around checking out each others names and laughing about them.  Once everybody arrived we went straight to the cake - which in this case was upside down cupcakes.  I printed out the words to "Happy Birthday" backwards ("You to birthday happy...") for all the kids, and they laughed their way through singing that to Ty.  Of course the tablecloth was on the floor underneath the table, which is where the boys all ate.  After the cupcakes we had a little lunch - inside out hotdogs (hotdog split in half with half a bun down the center), twisty Cheetos poured out of a pitcher, ketchup and mustard in alternating bottles, and (the hit!) 7-Down to drink (upside down 7-Up can, poked with a hold, having a straw).  The kids enjoyed eating and being crazy!  Now on to the games.  We went with a backwards or crazy twist on classic party games, starting with blindfolded Pictionary.  Each of the boys had a turn to draw, and they had a fun time.  Next came backwards hide-and-seek (aka, Sardines).  Instead of one person counting while the rest of the kids hide, all the kids counted while just one went to hide.  If one of the counters found the hider, then they would squeeze into the hiding spot with them.  It wasn't long before there were 15 boys hiding in our coat closet, which I never would have believed possible.  We opened presents next, and then drew faces on chins while waiting for parents to come.  I thought I'd just draw a face on Tyler, and let them all ask him questions, but they all scrambled to have me draw a face on their chin.  In the end, they all went home with chin faces!  We sent them on their way with a can of Silly String as a party favor (not to be used at our house!), and we said "hello" to them as they headed out the door.  It was a lot of fun!! 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Bryan was out of town for Valentine's Day this year, so the kids and I had to go on without him.  (Haven't all holidays turned into kid's celebrations anyway?  Even the "couples holiday" - Valentine's Day???)  Anyway, we started the day off with pink eggs, pink juice, and pink cereal.  The kids all took their Valentines in to school that day, and came home with boxes full of cards and candy.  My Valentine's Day tradition for Bryan and for the kids is that I always make Bryan a giant heart shaped chocolate chip cookie, with smaller ones for each of the kids.  Since Bryan was gone this year, we made sugar cookies instead (with a new recipe I was dying to try - and it was awesome!!!!).  Just as we were finishing the cookies, there was a knock at the door.  A little boy named Maddox, Ruby's friend, was standing at the door with a bouquet of flowers for little Ru.  Boy was she happy to get flowers on Valentine's Day!!  (Who isn't?)  I wish I had taken a picture of her smile.  Spencer was especially intrigued by this idea of delivering a Valentine, and without any prompting he found a blank Valentine and wrote out a note to his current crush.  He filled a plate up with cookies, and asked me if I'd drive him over to make the delivery.  (Are you sure you don't want to ring and run, Spencer???  Nope.  Hand delivered to the girl.  Brave boy!!)  It was very nice.  And who wouldn't want to get a Valentine that says, "I think you're very nice and pretty"?  The kids also spent the evening making Valentines for each other, and I thought they were just darling.  So even without my sweetie, it was a pretty sweet day!

 (Says: Dad, I hope you can be here next time!)