School and Soccer Pics

The school pics turned out good I think. And best of all I didn't buy ALL of them. That package was $122.00 that is just too much for pics that will mostly end up under the cabinet. Dalton's first soccer pics turned out good too. Of course I may be biased, but I think all pics with my boys are good. The individual soccer picture is not the best quality, off center and you can see the white roll at the bottom of the backdrop. She's not our usual photographer. She's the photographer that the rec center uses for all their photos. By the way she is in pretty bad shape at a Montgomery hospital right now. She had a car accident and had to be placed in a drug induced comma to let the swelling of her brain go down. Please be in prayer for her and her family. She has a four year old son who played on the purple team against Dalton's team this year. I can't imagine that happening to anyone in my family, I know it must be devastating.

I picked up the pictures yesterday then we went to Wal Mart to get Dalton a prize for his last soccer game. When we left there it was 5 so Dalt requested to go to the mexican restaurant for dinner. He loves to eat the chips and dip. When we got home we had to go out to the sandbox to play with the excavator that Dalton got. It was FREEZING!! Mama and Daddy came by to see pics so Dalton let us go in. Praise the Lord. We then took baths, baked cookies, made hot chocolate and watched a little cartoon. We read books then the boys went to bed. I had to stay up and clean, yuck!

We have church tonight. I hope I can get everything done before church so that when we get home we can just relax a little. I have a conference out of town tomorrow and Friday, it's about a new computer program. I have just learned one I don't know how much more my brain can hold.

Yall have a great day!

Goodbye Soccer

Well it's over! Kind of Bittersweet. My baby's first team sport and it's over. He did great. He really attacked the ball and ran after it. He kicked it to the goal several times, but it didn't go in. It was so fun for him. Last night was super cold. Dylan stayed with my Mama because neither of them should be out in the windy cold weather. The funniest thing happened during the game. There was a stray dog out on the field. He grabbed someones soccer ball and ran it all the way to the goal and just had a seat. He scored!! Everyone got a kick out of that. The half time was only 3 minutes. I wish it was always only 3 minutes. Dalton does so good with constant action it's the sitting and waiting for the action that gets him. He had to sit and watch the game when they switch players. That's usually when he gets into trouble, but he didn't do too bad last night. Actually during the first half he was great! The second half he was a little more hyper. One of the little boys that he was on the sideline with goes to his school and they were crawling around chasing each other. Dalton now says he's ready for baseball. He and Michael have been outside working on his batting alot. He does pretty good but there is an awful lot of standing around in baseball, we'll see. David and Susie and my Dad were there to watch him. I sure do appreciate them for freezing to watch him. That is love:)
After the game we ate vegetable soup at Mama and Daddy's. The boys love to go there and play. Dylan ate most of his soup and I don't think he spilled one drop, he fed himself and got every bite to his mouth perfectly. The boy knows how to eat. Dalton ate a bite of a banana and that was it. We went home got baths, read books, and they went straight to sleep. They were pooped. Both were in the bed by 8:30 which is hard to do on soccer nights. It's all because we ate with my parents. I can't manage to feed them and get them bathed on time.
Tonight is nothing night, I love it! I hope we get to play outside for a while this afternoon. I am trying to order a new enclosure for our trampoline, we haven't been able to jump for a while because it has two big holes that the boys can fall out of. We'll just have to run around alot maybe we can play kickball. And we are for sure baking cookies and having hot chocolate with marshmellows!! Yummy, bring on the calories:)

A Few Things

Last soccer game tonight!! It was canceled on Thursday because of a few sprinkles and tonight it will be cold and Windy!!
We had a great weekend. I'm so glad Aunt Helen, Uncle Ben, and Donna and her family got to come for Pastor Appreciation Day. We had tons of food after church I ate way to much!! I went to find Halloween Costumes for the boys and there was nothing that we approved of at WalMart or Target. I did find a ghost costume and said that we could write Holy Ghost on the back for Dalton. (he he he) he wanted to be spiderman, but we couldn't find one he liked. He said he will just be a Christian Rock and Roller. We'll spike the hair and he can carry his electric guitar. GET THIS, Dylan said he wanted to be a footba daya (football player) and then he took it a step further and said Auburn footba daya!!Oh my gracious!! We all know I'm a HUGE Bama fan and Michael is an Auburn fan, but neither of us have pushed Auburn on him. He's 2 and already he knows how to push my buttons.
My cousin Russell is doing good as well. He doesn't have a tumor and I think the dizziness has subsided!
Oh while Donna was at Mama's she had Anna Beth doing her Subtration flash cards. Anna Beth does great on them and she is so proud. I'm so proud of her that she likes math and is so smart. She's growing up so fast!
Dylan ate 3 peices of corn on the cob at church. He ate one and then had one in each hand. He wasn't ready to stop eating! He's a little piggy. Hope yall have a good day!

Last Game

Tonight is the LAST soccer game. We are going to be so cold, but that's okay we'll just have more time to cuddle up. Last night we missed church. Dalton has been all out of sorts this week since we had the week off last week. He is craving lots of time at home. I asked him last night if he wanted to go to church or stay home and he said stay home so that's what we did. We never give the option, but I know if he didn't want to go last night then it would be a battle at church. We stayed home and he spent an hour climbing the fig and crab apple trees in the back yard. He and Dyl ate about 6 crab apples a piece and pears. We then went in ate pizza, baked cookies, took baths, and cuddled up on the pallet in the living room to watch a movie and read books. Dalton was so pooped he wanted to turn the movie off and read to go to sleep. He and I fell asleep in the floor at 9. I woke up and moved him to his bed at 10:20 Michael got home at 10:30 and Dalton was sideways on his bed. Feet on the floor on one side and head hanging off the other. I don't know how he was still asleep. I wish I had a camera that worked and I would have snapped some pics to post. Dylan had to go to bed at 8:15 because he started puching Dalton. I gave Dyl his asthma medicine and then he gets all violent. But he thinks it so funny. I guess it's just payback for Dalton. I told him he had to got to his bed for timeout and he said "Nooooo" but when I put him in bed he grabbed his paci and laid down. He was so tired too. Tonight after the game at 6 we have a bonfire at 7:30 at Reeltown for homecoming. I'm excited and the boys are too. They love fire, hmmmm, should I be worried? Long and busy day but lots of fun.

Next to Last Soccer Game

Or as Dylan says "gocca mame". He loves soccer and he wants to play so badly, but he's just not quiet big enough yet. Dalton however digressed last night. He has been improving a little each night. However, last night was an exception. He attacked the ball nicely. He almost scored a goal or two, but he was in EVERYONE'S personal space. He likes to make funny faces and squeeze other people. I told him if he kept his hands to himself he would get a prize, needless to say we didn't get a prize! Maybe one day he will learn the value of personal space. Yesterday was his first day back at school and he didn't get a nap. He was so pooped he fell asleep in the car on the way home from the game. He did get a trophy for participating this year. Dalton loved the trophy it is really cool and heavy too! His coach is really good with the children. He deserves the award. His children go to school with Dalton so we may just leave a little gift in their locker for him. When we got home I had to wake Dalton up we got baths they ate quickly and I let them watch a little of the Good Night Show on a pallet in the living room. We turned off the lights though so it was more relaxing. Dylan requested to go on to bed and I read to Dalton and we both fell asleep in the living room floor by 9. Busy night. Tonight will be more relaxed and the last soccer game is Thursday. Dalton is sad about that. He is asking when will he get to play again already. We will have to see what sport is next, and if I'm ready to engage in something else right now.
Dylan has to take asthma medicine right now. On my break we went to Pump it Up in Montgomery and he had a coughing spell then wouldn't do anything. He just wanted to be held. He's had a few of these before and I just thought it was due to a cold. But his activity has been decreasing. Dalton asks him to chase him and Dyl just sits and says No. The medicine seems to be working. We haven't really had any coughing since Sunday. And he chased Dalton under and around the tables at church on Sunday! Maybe it's just a seasonal thing and he'll grow out of it!
Our Sunday School lesson talked about how we all sin and how our lives are a tug of war between doing what we know is right according to the Bible and doing what we want as humans. Even Paul struggled with this. He had a problem with coveting. However once we know that it's wrong we tend to want to do it even more! Why is that...don't touch that stove it's hot, what do we want to do?? Touch the stove!! The law lets us know that things are wrong, it brings about our death. Not necessarily physical but most assuredly spiritual. The Bible says that the wages of sin are DEATH. If we steal (borrowing something and forgetting to return it that's stealing!!) the wage for that sin is DEATH! Sin separates us from God therefore producing a spiritual death. We do have to obey the 10 commandments (there are only 10 and we fail to obey those few) but if we just Love the Lord Our God with all our heart soul and mind and our neighbor as ourself, we wouldn't have a problem obeying the 10 commandments. Notice that they're not suggestions or good ideas they are COMMANDMENTS!! Given to Moses by GOD Himself! WOW! Every Sunday I teach and every week when I study I feel like such a sorry good for nothing sinner. I step all over my own toes every week. In God's eyes my righteousness is as filthy rags! I am no good without God. I pray each day that I will realize that and that I will fall at His feet daily and thank him for His Mercy and Grace! Think of this, we should have no other God's before Him and We should not have idols. What do we put before God if we spend more time doing other things than we do studying our Bible and in prayer then that thing becomes our "idol". That one is really hard to come to grips with. If we put things before Him we can't really truely enjoy that thing that God has blessed us with....Things to ponder><>
I hope your day is great! Mine should be:)

More Pics

These are the brothers! From left to right it's Don, Benny Ray, Larry, Bruce, Stephens (Larry's grandson) Charles, and Gerald. There was a lot of football watching going on that day. I think they watched three games. I only have two boys and I know they are a handful. Can you imagine these 6 there were 7? Uncle Randy passed years ago and a daughter Betty Carol who passed as a child. I'm proud of my family! I love you and am glad that I got to spend the day with all of you. I've already said it, but I can't wait 'til next year!

Wild Dalton, all day long!

There of course was no shortage of food, there never is at a Stephens' gathering!

Wow, how our family has grown. These are most of Herbert and Pauline's grandchildren. We missed Rachel and fam, Mike, David and Fam, Donna and fam, Leigh Ann and fam, Teri and fam, and Brian, Bryant and fam, and Brent and fam and of course the absent spouses. Next year I hope that everyone gets to come then we will all HAVE to be outside! Most of the great grands are in here that were in attendance, Frances got in the room after the picture taken and it was way to hectic to line back up! I am amazed at how much Stephens (yellow stripe shirt) has grown! He was the first great grand and he's almost seventeen.

By the way I need to thank Jennifer for the pics. She posted them on her blog and I stole them! My expensive digital camera is broken at the present. This pic shows just how much fun Dalt and Luke have together. They got tired of jumping in the inflatable so the hid under it! They are a mess.

Some pics from the reunion. Russell and Jennifer brought the inflatable jumper to Uncle Ben's and Aunt Helen's. Dalton and Luke (Russell and Jennifers oldest) played and played. Staci's little boy Braxton played while they were there too. They all had an awesome time. We should all get together much more often. The boys play so well together but they are all so rough! It was fun I have alot more pics that I got from Jennifer. I'll post some more later. I need to get Daddy's pics up here too. I will just keep checking back.

Long Time No Type!

Hey Everyone! Well, the first, second and third soccer games have gone well. Dalton has gone from doing flips on the field and being way distracted to no flips and only mildly distracted. He's four and this is his first team sport so he's doing okay! Last week was fall break from school and I loved every second of being home with my boys. I have no doubt in my mind that God has called me to be a mother. I love my children and not only that but I like them as well. That's out of the ordinary these days. We're rocking and rolling on Bible verses and Books of the Bible we're all the way to Ezekiel and we know about 26 verses. Praise God from whom all Blessings flow. We also attended a Stephens family reunion. It was awesome. All of the brothers were there. The 3 that won championships at Alabama and the one who played at Auburn were all side by side for the first time in a while. There are photos that I will attach. It was very nostalgic to watch my children play like I did when I was little. I love my family and am proud that we are so close despite the miles between us all. I think my grandparents would be proud too. There is alot more to update I'll post as I remember. I am going to try to get the pics up too.

Update on the Fam

Family Reunion on Sat!! So excited. Dalton has soccer pics at 8:30 that morning so we'll be getting a late start. Next Tuesday they have school pics. We're out for fall break so I will just take them to the school for the pics then home again. I can't wait for a break with my boys.

Yesterday we got a good report from school. They decided that Dalton does better without trying to take a nap, hello, we told them that already. He is so loud soothing himself to sleep, he usually sings or bangs his head on the pillow or kicks his feet. We told him he couldn't be loud at school nap time. Even the director said "well maybe he can just sing quietly" however, the teacher at naptime wants no noise. So the other day he was making a little rythym by blowing out of his nose. He had to stand in the corner. So when he got home he had to stand in the corner. The next day they gave him a book and let him color and do activities-he was quiet the whole time! So after school yesterday we played outside. It was fun and relaxing! They were both pooped at 7. They got baths, we read and they were in bed and asleep at 8:30. I wasn't too far behind. They both woke up several times during the night so none of us got much rest.

AnnaBeth got Star Student this week! I'm so proud of her, great job! She got to present a poster of her life to the class on Monday! That was their weekend project. she also has strep throat again. She is having her tonsils removed over Thanksgiving, say prayers now. Eli's soccer team won their game on Saturday. 8-3!! They are pretty awesome. Eli pretty much plays the entire game! They won't be at the reunion on Saturday because Eli has a tournament. I'm a very proud aunt!

Remember soccer game on Thursday. Dalton's practice Monday was humorous. He did handstands and ran then rolled on the ground! I was angry that he just wasted all of his time. But I made him go grocery shopping before and he didn't have anytime to get out energy and play before practice. I asked Daddy to take him to practice and I met them at 6:15 after Dyl got a bath. He's been on an antibiotic for a week and last week he was on a milder antibiotic so his poops usually require a bath now. Tomorrow's the last day of the antibiotic maybe the ear infections are gone!! Let's pray that they are!

Weekend News

Well, Friday the boys went to school since Michael worked. I got good reports when I picked them up. Dalton didn't make one trip to the office, so he got his prize (an .88 cent stingray from the DG, it grows when you put it in water). He was so excited! We played outside that afternoon. Saturday we played outside all day. Michael got home at 2:30am so I got the boys out as soon as they got up at 6:30. We got breakfast from Hardees at 8:30 then I wanted to go to the zoo. Dalton didn't. We stayed home and drove the remote control monster truck. We picked pears, Dalton climbed the crab apple tree, they laid in the hammock on a pillow and got their blankets from inside, I wish I had pics, they were precious! We watched the games!! Yeah Alabama and Vandy! An Auburn loss always makes a Bama win sweeter!! ROLL TIDE. (sorry honey) Sunday we went to see BOB AND LARRY from VeggieTales in concert. I thought the boys would just love it, not so much. They were ready to go at the intermission. Dylan said "yets doe" (let's go). I spent $25.00 on a LarryBoy hat with super suction ears and a VeggieTales flashlight wand. Oh well. We got home and it was time for baths and bed. The weekend seemed to fly by.

In church we talked about sins and how ALL have sinned and even judging others is a sin, not tithing (giving back to God what is rightfully His, is a SIN) . The lessons always seem to really speak to me. No one will come up to us and ask us why we believe what we believe unless we tell them what we believe. so let's tell people the worst we face is rejection not crucifixion like our Jesus did! Let's not be ashamed on judgement day. Let's live our life today as if this is the day we will meet our Saviour!

Dalton has soccer practice tonight. His first game is Thursday at 6. He will have a game every Monday and Thurday of this month starting Thursday all games will be at 6. If anyone wants to come, they will be at the softball complex in Tallassee. He's on the gold team. I really hate by the way that we are on a Tallassee team, but Reeltown doesn't have soccer. It's okay though we all know we're Rebels at heart! By the way Reeltown won again this weekend. Go Rebels!

Better but not Best

Yesterday was better but not the best day, we had to go to the doctor!! =( Dylan has double ear infections. He's running a temp of 102 with his ears. I had to take him to the doctor yesterday evening. I went grocery shopping for FCA, with the boys (an adventure in itself), when we got home Dyl was running a temp and his eyes were puffy and red. Pitiful!! Anyway we got home got baths then headed out to the doc. Mama and Daddy took Dalton out to dinner with them. Then when they got home Dalton stopped in their room and curled up in their bed and told them he wanted to watch a movie. When I got there at 9 Mama and Dalt were curled up in the bed watching scooby doo. Dyl was asleep in the car. We got home and I took them straight in to bed. Sweet boys I just hope Dyl feels better today. He always arranges him teddy bear and puppy dog in his bed at night, not last night he just plopped. Maybe we will get to play outside today since our ballgame is away we will be home all night! First time all week! You all know I love to be at home. Pray for Dalt to have a good day at school. He will get a prize if he has been. He had to go to the owners office 2 days in a row. Once was all the boys in the class and yesterday was because he got in someone's face and didn't stop when the teacher said stop. Going to the office is BAD in our family. He thinks it's cool to hang out with Ms. Pat and get candy corn. Nope not flying here. I really want to read books tonight with him so let's all pray that he has a great day!We've only gotten to read one Bible story each night because he's gotten in trouble at school. Tonight will be better, I'm confident in that. Jesus says pray and believe and that's what I'm doing! Hope yall have a great weekend!
By the way, I asked Dalt what his favorite part about yesterday was and he said the most fun thing he did was going on a date with Grammy and Poppa. Thank y'all for being the bright spot in his day!

So glad it's Thursday!

Yesterday was pretty terrible. Well not the entire day. Dalton was quiet at nap so he got a prize at the dollar store. Then we had to go straight to church and that's when things got UGLY! He was tired I guess, we'll just use that as an excuse for his wild tantrum. The Stephens really came out in him. I took him home and put him in his room until I calmed down. I do find that time out really is more for me sometimes. He finally calmed down got a bath and went to bed. Dylan cried the entire time we were at church which is VERY out of the ordinary. He loves the nursery and going outside to the playground. Not last night though. Anyway they both got to bed about 8:45. Too late, but it was just a rough night. Michael didn't get home til 2. I slept with the lamp on so I didn't really sleep. I dont sleep good without him at home. Then after he got home I thought I would sleep better, but I think I woke up every hour. Dyl coughed on and off all night but Dalt slept all night. I took them to school this morning. We left the house at 6:45 and I didn't get to work til 7:25 because I had to stop and get them breakfast too. I should have gotten up before 6:10. I had to shower and get them ready in 30 minutes. I did it! My hair was wet when I left the house and because it's short it was dry when I got to school. At least I dried my bangs before I left. Anyway, a bad day with my children is better than any day without them. I have so much to be thankful for. I know that this afternoon is going to be better! I can't wait to see my boys! Pray for us as Michael is working 12 hours a day for a while on second shift. 2-2 is odd and we don't see him at all really. But it's only for a couple of days. We just miss him. He keeps us sane=)
Visit http://thegrayspolliwogs.blogspot.com and be in prayer for Hannah please. Pray for Steven to be able to help them.