Colton Dixon / Third Day Concert

Lawson has a new phrase she uses a lot..."I didn't see THAT coming!"
 And this afternoon...was definitely one those of times!  I picked up the kids from school as usual...they were eating a snack...and Rob called me to see if we wanted to go to the Josh Wilson/Colton Dixon/Third Day concert at Verizon Arena THAT night.  The concert promoters had contacted Rock Creek looking for an Emcee and Rob was available.  So, that meant free 7th Row tickets for us AND back stage access to meet the bands!  We had to be there early...so I  got off the phone...asked the kids if they wanted to finish their snacks, put their shoes back on and go to a Colton Dixon concert!  They were like...WHAT???!!!

Our kids love music and always enjoy live music.  But, because we don't miss American Idol they know who Colton Dixon is and are big fans of his.  So, this unexpected treat was HUGE to them!

Rob did a great job kicking off the concert!




Colton was really good.  The kids loved him.  He is really talented and I love how he is using his gift to point the next generation and this one...to the Lord!

Third Day is forever cool and forever young!  Love them! And their heart! We had to leave about halfway through their performance to get the kids in bed before 10pm!  Yikes!

Colton's sister, Skylar, who also auditioned for AI...but didn't make it to the top 10 sang a song with Colton.  She was sitting out in the crowd a few seats down from us after she sang...Lawson spotted her.  She wanted to go meet her and ask for her autograph during intermission. 

Hudson ONLY wanted her autograph...not his pic made with her!  Funny!     
 I'll leave you with a few video clips to enjoy!

  

 
 

Preseason Baseball Tournament

Hudson has been playing in a preseason baseball tournament that has been going on the last 2 weeks! (the rain has REALLY stretched the tournament out!)  Tonight he played in a game at 6:00...if they won they advanced to the championship game immediately afterwards!  Big night!   The weather was crazy...dark clouds and crazy wind all around.  People were checking their phones and it showed we should be sitting in the middle of huge rain.  It sprinkled on us once. I can't believe we didn't get rained out.  It was if God had put a bubble over the ball fields! 

We got behind 1-4 pretty quick at the beginning of the first game...but came back and won!  It was really exciting.  Our team started out the season slow and doesn't really have any super stars to speak of...but plays with a lot of heart just keeps on coming at you.  I have had SO much fun watching them play! Coach Brad is REALLY good to use every opportunity as a teaching moment with them.  He is super calm and patient.  He is perfect for this age group.

We got behind early in the championship game to...but couldn't quite come back.  The other team was has really good infielders and were getting us out at first like crazy.  But, we gave it a good try.  And we came in 2nd place in the tournament out of 12 teams!  Not too bad!  And the season hasn't even begun!

 

 

 There was a little awards ceremony after the game.

Our team got 2nd place medals and a big 2nd place team trophy.  Coach Brad is giving every kid a turn to take the trophy home and then bring it back at the next game to pass on to the next player.  The boys were really excited about that!

Way to go Hudson!

Way to go Braves!

Here are some clips from Hudson batting.  He got a hit every time he was up except once.  He got out a few times at first...but that usually advanced or scored a runner!

 

 

 

 

 

Hudson at Rise-N-Shine

The kids school starts every morning with their Rise-N-Shine pep rally.  They say the pledge, recognize birthdays, give announcements, etc.  Each class in the school gets assigned a week to help with all the recognitions.  The kids get to stand up in front of the whole school and speak into the mic. They all love it...and are excited when it is their turn.

Hudson's class helped this week.  Their teacher has been practicing all their parts with them for the past week. She has been telling them to speak slow and clear.  Hudson has been so excited!  Rob and I came to watch!

On the way to school before this, he was kinda quiet and I asked him if he was excited.  He said, "yeah...but I'm starting to get a little nervous!"  I told him he would do great and it would be fun!

SO cute...that he cared enough to be nervous about it!

He rocked his part!

Lawson's 9th Birthday Party

It's always a big decision to decide what type of birthday party to have!  Lawson has had so many fun parties.  One day when her and I were kicking around ideas...we came up with a game night party!  We held the party at our apartment clubhouse and I think all the kids loved it!

 

  Our décor was board game colored...green, blue, yellow and red.  Think Sorry and Twister!  So, of course, we had to come up with the matching outfit! 

 We made the cupcakes and Lawson helped Mimi ice them!  I can't even do that!

  We ordered the birthday banner off of etsy...and Lawson cut it out and helped assemble it!  With her getting older, these arties are getting easier and easier for me!

  I thought everything turned out really cute! Lawson loves lots of bright colors...so this color scheme was right up her alley!

 

 

 

  We set up a photo booth and had a lot fun snapping pics with all of the guests!

  We had a prize table.  If you won a game, you got to go pick a prize.

  We played life sized candy land...which might have been the biggest hit of the party.  Lawson used construction paper and we printed out the special Candy Land squares (like the candy cane, gingerbread man, gumdrop, etc.) to lay out a Candy Land game board around the room.  The kids themselves were the playing pieces.  I drew the cards and told them where they would advance to.  Life sized Candy Land was Lawson's idea and it was SO cute!  Her and her cousin Morgan were in charge of  setting it up before the party! Way to go girls!

  We ate pizza to kick things off!

  (Note my dice:  4 + 5=9 and 6+3=9)

 After pizza, we played the life sized Candy Land.  Hudson won first and Lawson won second place.  It didn't look rigged at all!

  Then we divided into groups and played Twister, Hungry Hippos, Hi Ho Cherry-Io, Tick Tack Toe, Break the Ice, etc.

 

 

  I could hardly pull everyone away from the games for cupcakes and ice cream!

  Then there was a round of Headbands played.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The girls are trying to help the last few that had not guessed their card on their headband.  Love La's expression in these!

 Next up presents!

 

  Then to a ball and cup game!

  And a few minutes to go back to whatever game was your favorite!  The kids did not want to leave when their parents came back!  Playing games for prizes is the best!

 

A HUGE thank you to Mom, Judy and Turner for helping serve Pizza, Drinks, Cake, Ice Cream, running games, setting up and cleaning up! Could not have made it with out your help!

After the party I was vacuuming, Lawson called my name and showed me what she had written on her new marker board prize.  SO sweet!  As she was watching everyone clean up her party afterwards...her little heart was filled with gratitude...and a little truth!  There was a little unexpected incident  at the beginning of the party...that could not have been avoided...and was no big deal...just a part of life!  But, for those there...it is definitely part of the evening memory! Ha!

 (Too soon?! Is it funny yet?!)

Happy 9th Birthday Lawson!