Fall Soccer 2012...Spirit and Devils

    The soccer season is almost over...we have one more game on Tuesday night.  This season has been fun and busy.  Tony agreed to coach two teams this season, because there just weren't enough volunteers for this age group.  We were able to get several of our friends on the two teams, and it's been a great time.  The girls always want to suggest a team name, and in honor of one of their favorite movies, Spirit, they wanted the team to be called Spirit.  Tony named the other team, Devils.  So, it was a special night when the Spirit faced off against the Devils...

Maggie with a break a way.

Lizzie's turn

Maggie with some moves.

Lizzie throwing it out of the goalie box.

Lizzie hanging on the poles.

Maggie

Coach Tony giving instructions.

Lizzie is determined.

Maggie

Chin ups on the goal (Lizzie)

Love this picture of Tucker and his dad.

After the game...Maggie is exhausted!

Maggie's Words Worth Remembering

(Maggie and Lizzie were fussing back and forth about something)

Me:  "Girls, remember your lesson from Sparks...Jesus is watching how you treat other people, and if you are being ugly to other people, that's just like being ugly to Jesus.  Think about it..."

Maggie:  (mumbling) "I didn't come up with that."

Me:  "Didn't come up with what?"

Maggie:  "That verse!  I sure didn't come up with that one!"

Me:  "Nope, you sure didn't...that is a lesson from God's Word, so He came up with it, and we need to remember it."

Maggie:  "Well, I still didn't come up with it."

Field Trip to Family Farm Pumpkin Patch

    The Caldwell Kindergarten classes went on a field trip to the pumpkin patch at Family Farm.  Everyone had a great time.  Tony and I both took the day off from work so that we could go on the field trip.   The students rotated through eight stations and had so much fun (and were worn completely out).   Lots of pictures tell the story of our day...

Lizzie and her friend, Sarah, on the carousel swing.

Pretty sure sliding down head first

was against the rules, Maggie!

Lizzie, Casey, and Sarah

Maggie's class playing a little "Duck, Duck, Goose."

Lizzie's class counting all the pumpkins they found.

Maggie and her sweet friend, Lillie.

Lizzie and Cecily coming down the big slide.

Maggie and Lillie on the slide. 



Lizzie got two turns because Mom wanted to try. 

Tony says he "knows just how he can build this

in our back yard", but adds, "Can you get your

Dad over to take a look?"

Favorite picture of the day.  Our sweet friend, Hope,

 and her Aunt Brooke coming down the slide!

Lizzie in the petting zoo...wouldn't let

Mrs. Dawn put her down!

Maggie getting a drink from the "water trough".

Lizzie's class after the hay ride with the driver of the tractor...

a very special guest...a movie star!  More details below.

Maggie and Collin showing off their pumpkins.

Lizzie searching for "just the right one."

Lizzie's class with their pumpkins.

Yep, that's Maggie with a black eye...the only negative

thing on the trip.  She bumped into the edge of

a ping pong table when they went

inside to go to the bathroom.  She didn't let it

slow her down, though.

Tony taking his turn at the sling shot station. 

Tony and Mr. OttoThorwarth.  Otto played the

jockey (Ron Turcotte) in the movie Secretariat. 

He told us that he rode his first horse

at Mr. and Mrs. May's farm when he

was just a kid...said he got thrown off,

but he got back on.  He came back to help

them out during this very busy time of year. 

He is a super nice guy.  He has a men's Christian

ministry, and he travels the United States sharing

Christ with others.   He drove the

 tractor on the hayride, and was very

gracious to pose for many pictures. 

Of course, being the horse racing fanatic

that he is, Tony had to have his picture made with Otto. 

Lizzie's Words Worth Remembering

Lizzie:  "Daddy, why does your shirt say U-2 three six zero?"

Tony:  "It's from a concert that Mommy and I went to see of my favorite band, U2. 

 The name of the album was 360."

Lizzie:  "What songs do they sing?"

Tony:  "Oh, they have lots of great songs."

Lizzie, "Well, do they sing Shake It Up?"

(Ha...I guess if they don't sing "Shake It Up", they're not worth hearing!)



Cheering for the Panthers

     It's been a few weeks ago, but nevertheless, Lizzie and Maggie participated in the Benton Panther Cheerleader Clinic.  Monday after school, they went to the high school sports arena and learned a cheer, a dance, some jumps, and a couple of chants.   It was a very positive experience.  They had a bunch of fun at the clinic. 

Maggie learning her cheer.

Lizzie practicing the dance.

Maggie

Lizzie



Then, on Thursday night, they were able to cheer in the community pep rally at the park.  Maggie had a super time, but Lizzie was so afraid of the Panther mascots, that she wouldn't even go on stage.  She spotted them when we were walking up to the amphitheater, and she almost lost her mind.  I told her that I would ask them NOT to come up to her.  She liked that idea, so I went up to the mascots and explained that she was scared of them, and asked if they could stay away from her, of course, they agreed and even gave Lizzie a "thumbs up sign".  As soon as the pep rally started, she crouched down behind me and never moved.    Karen Hilborn (cheerleader sponsor) sat beside me, and when it was time for the little girls to cheer,  she tried to get Lizzie to go up on stage, but she wasn't moving.  I actually found out that one of the students inside the panther attire was a lifeguard all summer at Longhills...so the girls know him and would recognize him anywhere...just not behind the furry costume!

Part of the crowd.  Maggie is sitting with her friend, Lillie.

Karen got a picture of Lizzie "hiding".

Future cheerleaders...if one of them can get over her

fear of mascots (or ANYTHING in costume, for that matter).



  It poured down rain Friday night, so we didn't go to the football game and let the girls perform in the pre-game show on the field.  Maggie cried when I told her that it was raining too hard to go, and Lizzie cheered, "Whoo Hoo."  Yep, story of my life!  I'm sure there will come a day when I will HAVE to sit out in the rain and support whatever activities the girls are involved in, but this event, at five years old, didn't qualify as "mandatory", so we stayed home and stayed dry!

Maggie's Words Worth Remembering

Maggie:  "Mommy, me and Cache are gonna get married.  We really are."

Me:  "Does Cache know about this?"

Maggie:  "Yes, he wants to!"

Me:  "Ok, you and Cache can get married when you are thirty years old."

Maggie:  "We were thinking more like twelve."

Catching Up...Long Overdue...And A Very Special Party

Life has been really busy since my last post.  Here is a brief re-cap of what we’ve been up to lately…

                        **Went to the Benton vs. Bryant Salt Bowl football game.  It was Tony’s inauguration to Benton football…he was impressed that over 22,000 fans showed up to support high school football teams!  The girls had a blast during the game.  While watching the cheerleaders perform stunts, Lizzie leans over to me and whispers, “I’ve gotta do that.”  I love it!  During the Pep Steppers half time routine, Lizzie, Maggie, Hope, and Lillie form their own high kick line and perform their own routine, complete with the traditional Pep Stepper march.  Hope’s mom (my friend, Faith), sent me a message later saying that she really hoped our girls remained friends, that way we could tag team keeping an eye on them.  I totally agree!    

                        **Went to our cousin Eva’s birthday party at Build A Bear.  All the girls had a marvelous time!

                        **We’re still playing soccer, and I must say, Team Spirit is improving.  They are so fun to watch!

           

            Our biggest event was celebrating Granny’s 90^th birthday.  We had a big party at in the church fellowship hall, and our best estimate was that about 250 came to wish Granny a “Happy Birthday.”  My aunts and cousins did a wonderful job decorating with lots of fall decorations, but the main decorations were so many quilts that Granny had actually made.  The pictures really do not do them justice.  Someone at the party was walking around admiring the quilts, and asked me, “Do you think any of these are missing a stitch.”  “Ummmmm NO!”   It was so nice to have every single family member present for the party…along with a couple of hundred friends.  

The gang's all there...literally!

Granny is the personification of  Proverbs 31…

10 A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.

(A very special lady)

¹³ She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family

(Granny with her children and their spouses)

  
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

(Granny and her grandchilden)

²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.

(Grandchildren and spouses)

²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

(Granny and her great grandchldren)

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:

(Granny and her children)

²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Maggie’s Words Worth Remembering

One day in Discovery class, the teacher was sharing the book Beatrice’s Goat.  In the story, a little girl’s family receives a goat that provides resources which will, eventually, allow the girl to finally attend school.  At one point in the class discussion, the teacher comments, “…because all children need to go to….where do all children need to go?”    Maggie raises her hand and very matter of factly answers, “Church.”  Not exactly the answer the teacher was looking for in this context!