Hoopster

Grant decided to step out this winter and give a new sport a try. He was our lone child playing basketball and I'll be honest....it was SO nice only having to keep up with one kid in a sport's season! Grant actually did really well considering that he'd never played organized basketball. 

He was a point guard of sorts. Our team basically had one play: Grant dribbles down the court, gets a screen sometimes, and dribbles to the right and in for a basket. It worked 25% of the time.

He scored several baskets this season but if I had to give him an award it would be for the kid that had the most almost baskets. I'm serious that the ball would actually roll around the goal, touch the net and then pop right back out. Unbelievable. He was a pretty good dribbler though.

I caught this free throw in sequence and thought I'd include it for memory's sake. If you scroll through the pics really quickly it's just like a flip book:) 

Grant's little team struggled this season only winning one game (and that was in tournament play). But, all in all, we had a great relaxing season just trying something new. Way to step out, Grant! 

Niner, Niner

Once again, here we are at another child's birthday and I cannot even believe my ears when I say "nine". It's the last year of single digits and oh, how it makes me sad on most days! Our birthday crown has fallen by the wayside....mostly because I'm a slacker. Well, entirely because I'm a slacker :/ I did bake Grant some chocolate chip bread for his birthday morning breakfast of champions.

We headed out to Logan's for dinner with grandparents and then topped off the evening with Sweet CeCe's. I'll take any excuse to head out for some froyo!

My birthday boy and me:

Grant's party was the weekend following his actual birthday. He requested "grandma's chocolate cake" (as everyone usually does because it can't be topped!) and she went all crafty and tried a MineCraft design. MineCraft....the game that makes no sense to me but is dominating the minds of young boys everywhere. He thought it was pretty cool!

We invited all his buds over for the usual sleepover, movie, play hard party. 

His bud Tanner had written a "Grant Morgan Biography" and it was the cutest thing EVER.

 G thought it was pretty funny!

 All of these crazy boys made for some interesting conversation at the dinner table over pizza. I usually just stand by all ears and soak it in. I love to hear what these kids are thinking because it usually gives me a good belly laugh:)

 We ended the night settling down with a movie. 

All were tucked in and sleeping by 1030 or 11. I think that counts as a win! It was a great night celebrating Grant and his 9th year of life. I pray the Lord blesses him with 90 more!! Happy Birthday, Grant! 

Down Goes Ducky

Cade made his duck hunting debut in the wee hours of the morning (as duck hunting usually is) with his dad somewhere in the hills of west Tennessee. 

 While I was sleeping soundly in my bed, he was popping up out of a duck blind in the freezing cold to pop a cap in some flying birds.

Rumor has it that he thought it was awesome!

 Bobby captured a picture of his first kill. 

What makes dressing in camo and hiding out and shooting things even better? Sharing the experience with one of your best buds. Lifelong memories!!

Cade had a blast hunting and can't wait to go again. I think he's now third in line since he has 2 brothers just as anxious to get in on the fun. It will be a few more years before Bobby can safely wrangle all of them wielding weapons. I'd prefer that everyone always come home with all of their appendages and be alive. The only dead thing after duck hunting should be, well, ducks:

We're not a duck eating family but I did eat a duck taco at a fancy restaurant one time and I found it pleasing to my palate. There's no way I could turn the above ducks into duck tacos though. Too close to the original source for me to do without vomiting. So, for the Morgan family, we'll just show up and shoot them and send the carcases to the Jones's to be used in some duck gumbo. Happy Hunting! 

And the Digging Begins!

Today was an exciting day in the life of our back yard! Orange lines were drawn and the backhoe started digging! It will be swimming time before we know it! 

Boogie Time!

The rec center hosted the first annual Mother/Son Masquerade Ball so my little Princes and I decided to make a date night out of it! We started with dinner with some of our friends and then headed to the Ball ready to bootscoot and boogie! 

The boys got with their buds and started a dance routine with the balloons that were scattered on the floor. 

 I was only able to get a couple pictures before I was quickly reminded that trying to take pictures in a dark gymnasium is near impossible for a photographer of my caliber. I did snag this one of Rhett and Silas and I don't know why it strikes me as so funny but it does:) Maybe it's the seriousness in the eyes...

I cornered Grant and Cavin for a millisecond and grabbed a shot of them. 

Let me just say that all three of my boys and all of their friends were cutting a rug the entire two hours. Rhett won a little prize from the dj for his dancing skillz. He was cracking me up all night! (What's new?? :)) The dj played some song called Wobble Baby which I had never heard but apparently there's a dance that goes along with it. It was a hoot watching Cade "wobble". My phone captured this lone poor image of "wobbling". So hilarious! 

I snagged a sweaty G for one pic with me. 

We really had a great time dancing and making memories. I hope to be lucky enough to get to do this again next year with all three. 

 The boys said they had a great time, too. My favorite quotes from afterwards: Rhett: "Mom, I guarantee you this has been one of the best Saturday nights of my whole life!" and from Cade: "Mom, most of my friends said a mother/son dance would be lame but that was SO fun!" Score: Mom 1 Friends 0. Wonder how long I'll stay on top?? :)

Pearly Whites

One month shy of one year with silvers, Cade's pearly whites got to shine at full effect today! He was super excited to get his braces off! Here's the after shot with Dr. Kemp. His staff took one with their camera and I fully expect to see it in a 16x20 full color and framed right next to Miss Tennessee and Carrie Underwood. He's no less important!!

I'm not sure if he was more excited about the braces or the fact that he was missing the entire first half of school. Both are super rewards at his age! Nice straight teeth Cade! Let's be in full prayer mode for the teeth yet to come in. I would like Cade to be the poster child for early preventative brace intervention:)

Guns a Blazin'!

My girl and I went outside to enjoy the warmer January weather and get in some good swinging/sliding time before her nap. It's good to expend a bit of energy anytime we can make it outside. 

We also became witnesses to the first airsoft gunfight of 2013. As the photojournalist, I was just hoping that I didn't get pegged in the eyeball or the earhole. Neither of which sound pleasant. I did get hit once and promptly blamed it on Brent but something tells me that it was Bobby that nearly shot off my pinkie finger. Anyway, it was fun watching all the boys scatter and take cover. 

I think it was the biggest boys (Brent and Bobby) on a team with the littlest boys and all the middles were teamed up. At one point there was a man down....

 but he wasn't a POW for long.

 I'm still trying to decide who was most excited that Tracie and Jared got the boys airsoft guns....the boys? or Bobby?

Luckily there is a grove of trees that provided a little bit of hiding coverage.

I loved seeing all the serious shooting faces as I downloaded the pictures. This was an intense game!

 Time for a reload (which was usually what was yelled out when someone realized that they were pretty much dead meat).

After getting shot in the cheek a couple times Silas and Rhett figured that it served them best to hang out in the fort and shoot from the cover of 4 walls and a ceiling. 

 Every now and then Silas would venture out on the porch to shoot off a few rounds.

Lanie spent most of her time running for her life:) 

Good times starting the year off with our buds. Nothing better!