Fall/Halloween 2010

Trick or Treating

Each year we do a neighborhood hay ride with all the neighborhood kids.  Somehow I managed not to get a picture this year of everyone together but we had 12 kids and twice that in adults.  After trick or treating we complete the evening back at our house with lots off good food and treats. 

This year John Michael chose to be a cowboy and Samuel was a Ninja Mummy.  The ninja mummy costume ended up being a little more scarey than we usually go with but I think it was fine and Samuel thought it was "cool".  His trick or treating days are numbered so I'm enjoying these last few memories.

 For our Fall Festival at church the boys decided to go as Alabama football players since it was earlier in the afternoon and warmer than the night before.

 John Michael as a cowboy at his preschool halloween party.

 Halloween Extravaganza

This event is hosted each year at the Alabama indoor practice facility.  John Michael's soccer awards ceremony was immediately before this event so he went as a soccer player and Samuel was, once again, a football player, Julio Jones to be exact.  Fun! 

Decorating pumpkins at home on  a nice cool Fall evening.

It was a great Halloween with lots of fun memories!

Cooper

Cooper - The newest addition to the Jennings family.

And yes he is just as sweet and loveable as he appears in this picture.  He and his brother were abandoned and found later by a neighbor who brought them to the Vet's office in Fayette where my sister lives.  My sister and her kids adopted one and named him Cruiser and we got his brother and named him Cooper.  The Vet described him as the laziest, most unmotivated puppy she had ever seen.  We immediately decided he was the dog for us!  It has been about a month now and he is adjusting to his new home & family very well.  The boys just adore him and they love playing with him in the yard and hiking with him in the woods.  It is very sad that people just abandon puppies and he was really pitiful when we first got him.  Very skinny and afraid but grateful to be fed and loved.  We had him for about 3 days before we even heard him bark.  Finally he barked in excitement to see the boys one afternoon.  He loves going to the farm with the boys and he even gets to spend time with his brother from time to time.  After many months and talks and trips to the shelter just to "look" we are all glad we waited for Cooper.

Fall Sports.. Football & Soccer

Football is well underway for Samuel and John Michael has had a great initiation to his first organized sport, soccer.  Of course, Samuel is well accustomed to the idea of organized sports but was not so sure what to do with himself while at a practice that did not involve HIM being the one on the practice field.  He has grown accustomed to the idea and always keeps busy while John Michael practices soccer, or doesn't practice soccer.  We never know which it will be!  Some days he's all about it, other days, not so much.  However come game time he is ready to go.  

A typical soccer game lasts for 30 minutes and they play 3 on 3.  Let me remind you that JM turned 3 in June and some of the kids on his team will soon be turning 5.  So, he is the youngest and the smallest kid out there!  He might be small but he is tough!  During a soccer game, JM is likely to become MIA at any given moment and the coach/referee never knows where he is or how long he will be there.  Any time a goal is scored, for either team, he comes running off the field mad and upset that a goal was made and he wasn't the one to make it.  So far, at least one cleat, if not both, has come off during every game!  Time has to be called to reassemble the appropriate attire for any soccer player.  Never mind the fact that the smallest size in which cleats are availble is a size 10 and he technically wears a size 8.  Fold the, also too big, soccer socks down at the toe inside the shoe and its good for a little while anyway.  Every person on the Dolphins sidelines is cheering for John Michael to score.  "Let that baby score a goal" I hear from the sidelines!  So funny!

Football!  Samuel had his first touchdown of the season at his game this week.  He was so proud!

Samuel absolutely loves playing flag football & eagerly awaits being able to completely "suit-up" for a football game.  I am  just fine with the flag version of this sport for now.

Happy 10th Birthday

It really is unbelievable to me that a complete decade has passed!  Samuel has grown into such an amazing young man.  We celebrated his 10th birthday at home with family, his favorite dinner, and a homemake cream cheese frosted birthday cake.  On Friday night he invited a few of his closest buddies over for a spend the night party, video games, cake, & dinner at Kobe Japanese Steak House - one of his favorite places to eat. 

A few random things about Samuel and the young man he has become:

He loves sports, particulary baseball and football

Loves Alabama football

Loves baseball in general

Plays 3rd base, 1st base, and is learning to pitch

Plays wide-receiver

Loves to read - Mysteries and Non-Fiction in particular

Enjoys school and his favorite subjects are Sciece & Social Studies

Enjoys his piano lessons but does not enjoy the recitals... AT ALL

Does not like to be the center of attention

Still loves to sleep with his parents if he ever gets the chance

Is a Straight A student and getting a B on a paper truly upsets him

Loves to go to "the Farm" with his Dad and brother

Enjoys hunting & fishing

Has never drank a carbonated soda of any kind!

Loves going to the Quad and getting BBQ nachos on Friday nights

Loves to ride his 4-wheeler

Loves his new puppy Cooper

Recently saved over $200 to buy something he really wanted

Is not a picky eater at all

Cautious

Enjoys hanging out with his parents and is quite content to do so

Enjoys playing Video Games - Football & Baseball - with his Dad

Loyal to his friends

Loves his little brother & says he is his best friend

Loves that he & his brother are so different yet still so alike

Loves that his brother gets into so much mischief & does things he would never do himself

Has a very gentle spirit

Has to make himself get out of his comfort zone & is pretty good about pushing himself

Expects alot from himself

Does not like fruit - AT ALL (not even grapes)

Can memorize anything he sets his mind to

Scored in the 99 percentile nationally in reading on his SAT's

Hardworking

Says that his favorite restaurant is Tumbleweed - a restaurant we used to go alot when we lived in Kentucky

He was born in Kentucky and lived there the first 4 years of his life

He is 7 years older than his brother

His favorite place to visit is the beach, the mountains, and Kentucky

Loves to hike, canoe, and camp

Everyone loves his hair color but he wishes it was....

"just a regular color"

Loves God & is such a blessing to us!

Back to School

Each year when August rolls around I start to get excited.  Don't get me wrong, I love Spring and Summer but I LOVE Fall and once August arrives, I know Fall is just around the corner.  And the fun begins with going back to school.  So, we now have a 4th grader and a 3-year old preschooler in our house!  John Michael started on Monday and Samuel started on Tuesday and they both had a great day and are excited about the upcoming year.

Samuel has the same teacher that he had for third grade and he is excited to have another year with her.  He will also be changing classes for Math, Science, and Social Studies which he is thrilled about.  He will begin piano again next week and had his first football practice this week.  John Michael will also have his first music class at school next week and he will begin soccer in a couple of weeks.  He is signed up and READY to go.  Joseph has been working with him and he loves it. 

We had a back to school BBQ at our house last night with some friends and neighbors and are getting back in the routine.  It's going to be a great year!

Summer Fun

A few random highlights of our summer!

Art Camp...

Sports Camp at Church...

Lake Tuscaloosa...

Pool Party!

Random...

Back to school camping trip.

Each year Joseph takes Samuel camping just before school starts back.  This year they went to Mt. Chehaw where they camped, fished, went hiking and canoeing, and had a great time.  Of course the only pictures I have are the ones I took before they left.  When Joseph goes camping he does it right.  He cooks full meals over an open fire including eggs, biscuits, fried potatoes with smoked sausage and onions.  Samuel loves this and thinks it is so cool that you can cook this way while camping. 

This past Saturday was John Michael's turn to spend the day with daddy and he wanted to go to the farm in Fayette County and play in the creek and ride the 4-wheeler and tractor.  So they spent the day doing just what he wanted to do.  Samuel & I had a back to school day with shopping, shopping and shopping. 

Great times and wonderful memories!