Lucky Number Seven

I am so far behind on all my posts, but this one is important.

Today is a very important day. It's Jack's seventh birthday. I know, I know, I can't believe he is 7 either. So a lot of fun pictures and posts will have to wait. But for now, I have something to say.

I love that punk.

This has been a fun year for us.

Last December we were all settling in to the Kindergarten groove. Yes, all of us. Who among you has felt the excitement and the anxiety of going to school EVERY day. Excitement for him and extreme anxiety for me. First child, last child or both, Kindergarten is a weird and sad milestone.

He became a great reader.

He lost a bunch of teeth.

He got a "bird's eye" view of the life cycle with a pet snake, baby snakes and then no snakes. (Hopefully more about that later.)

Then began first grade. When did all day school become a welcome occasion?

Anyway, Jack turned this couple into a family.

He is loud, messy, often embarrasing, sensitive, kind, smart and loving. He's a great example of how to laugh at yourself, he is sure to make everything a little funner and stickier, and will make sure you get your money's worth at the movies. (Hint: laugh as loud as you want whenever you want and don't worry about spilling your popcorn. If it's funny, it's worth it!)

I love my son.

I'm grateful every day that I'm his Mom.

Happy Birthday.

Mommy


Dad here:

Today is Jackson's 7th birthday. Any parent reading this will understand the feelings I had when I walked through our hallway tonight and stopped to looked at several baby pictures we have of him hanging on the wall. Although every new year with Jackson brings both of us new challenges and joy, I think back on when he was younger and I wish that somehow, we could freeze time so that he wouldn't grow older and we could live in those picture moments forever.

I know that we are all placed on this earth to learn our lessons and face our challenges. Sometimes I wish I could do something to prevent Jackson from having to face his challenges. Protect him from having his heart broken, keep him from ever feeling fear, protect him from disease and illness or to suffer losing the ones he loves.

But I also know I can't do this.

His challenges are for him alone. I only hope that the lessons we teach him today can serve him when he faces them. I love him so much and hope and pray that, when he faces his most difficult challenges, he will face them with confidence and strength knowing that we love him unconditionally and that he will always have his Heavenly Father and his Spirit to guide him.

Jack, if you are reading this many years from this night, know that I love you and wish you strength when you need it most. As you sleep in the other room, cozy in your warm bed, a young feisty boy that just turned 7, I know that in the blink of an eye, you will be a grown man making your own decisions and facing the consequences that come with them. I know you will make the right choices, son.

I love you on you 7th birthday and always.

Love, Dad

Gotta Love Colorful Colorado...

So, we were lucky enough to get away up to the mountains a couple weekends ago and check out the leaves turning. I think we were a little early. We didn't see the bright reds but saw lots of amazing golds and brilliant yellows.

We headed West up to Silver Plume, which is only about 45 minutes from where we are, and stopped to check stuff out.









I think this is about where we heard Big Foot. There was some rustling in the trees and bushes and some growling noises. We were pretty freaked out and even though Jack is brave, it seemed like a good time to grab Dad's hand!



Luckily, after some investigation on Jack's part, we realized it was just Daddy being silly





We all had a lot of fun. Colorado is so beautiful. Gar and I are constantly amazed by the beauty that surrounds us and how lucky we feel to live here.

One of my favorite things...

Every week I look forward to Wednesday nights. Gar and a group of his buddies joined a city softball league. They're not too shabby, either. In fact they took second place overall in the summer.

But I do prefer fall softball to summer. The sun sets earlier, so its not as hot and we get to watch the sun set over the Rocky Mountains. And its fun to be out letting the kids play and burn off some energy before bed. Plus, all the moms get to sit and gab. I really do look forward to it, I think all of us do. Although, when they don't win, the drive home can be kind of quiet.

Q: What do you call a pig that does karate? A: Porkchop!

So Jack has been in Karate since this summer. He is a yellow belt and is getting ready to test for "high-yellow." One of the requirements is that they memorize a kata, or routine, that has about 50 moves in it. And they have to do it perfectly. Zero mistakes.



By the way, I wish I could've gotten a better picture, but for some reason I am the only Mom in there taking pictures so I feel like I have to hurry and I'm sure Jack is dying of embarrasement.

Anyway, yesterday the class had a chance to earn a stripe (which moves them closer to the test,) and Jack had worked really hard and really wanted to get this stripe. So they start the routine and I was watching him try with all his might, and just crossing all my fingers and toes that he would earn a stripe.

When they finished and sat down, the instructor had the kids stand that got their stripes. Jack was one of three who didn't earn a stripe. He did make a couple mistakes. But I could not have been prouder of him. He cheered loud for all his class mates and thanked his instructor for a fun class.

He didn't do it perfect, but he tried his hardest and was a good sport all the way. I was just bursting with pride!!

Growing up

So Jack has started first grade. (Due to a bad memory card, I've lost lots of pictures. Including his first day of school. Big bummer.) Anyway, it's been an adjustment for everybody, but probably most for me. I have been seriously missing my little sidekick and buddy.

We are lucky enough to have a neighborhood school that we can walk to (he still holds my hand, by the way, and I LOVE it). So every morning and afternoon we are outside enjoying the nice weather and chatting, and I hear it all on those walks. (In fact, that's when I learned about the little boy in his class who was calling girls "the B word" and telling them they are S-E-X-Y.)

Anyway, so after school the other day, we are talking and he says that a little girl at school is being mean to him. And I asked what she was doing and he said she keeps making this face at him:




And then he told me that her best friend came up to him and said, "she has a crush on you." I asked him what that meant and he said he wasn't sure, but did I ever have a crush on Daddy? I said yes, I had a crush on Daddy and that it just means she likes you. He thought about that for a minute and then said, "Eeew. Does that mean I have to marry her?"


It is so fun to see him learning so much and growing up. It is interesting to see him encountering different social situations and figuring out who he is and how he fits in. I love him and I love being his mom.

Tagged by Jas and Cath...

5 years ago I was:

Loving chasing baby Jack around.

Working in a salon that I HATED. The color line was awful and people stole tips.

I think 5 years ago is about when I took Jack camping for 10 days without Gar. That might also be the LAST time I took him camping.

My pet peeves:

Bad drivers

Bad breath

People who talk in movies. shhh

If I were a billionaire:

I'd have a place in Hawaii (don't worry, I'd invite you!!)

I would never shop at Old Navy or Target again.

I'd go around the world in a hot air balloon.

(Just kidding.)

My favorite foods:

Those big doughy pretzels from the mall

Nachos with tons of jalapenos

Green chile from the new Mexican joint by my house (they even deliver!!)

So, Trisha, Karen, Brittany and Aileen: Tag. You're it!!

While we're at it

Since we've been on the subject of why Jack is so weird, I would like to pose a question:



Why does he like to dress up like a fat kid?


He's had this fascination since he saw "Willy Wonka" A COUPLE YEARS AGO and became obsessed with the girl who turns into a blueberry.


For a LONG time now, he has been asking us to make him a blueberry. He has stuffed pillows, blankets, clothes and even lovey into his shirts and pants (although jammies are his favorite)to look like a blueberry. He doesn't even act out the part in the movie or anything like that. He just goes about his day. Only bigger.

See for yourself.







See. I wasn't kidding.









Sigh. Who knows...