Halloween 2011 - Saban & Richardson

The boys LOVED all of the excitement their costumes received this year! Samuel counted over 20 people who called him "coach" or asked him if Bama was going to beat LSU this weekend. John Michael loved yelling "Roll Tide" and "Auburn stinks" to anyone who threw a comment his way. There were cars slowing down and rolling down their windows to talk to "Coach Saban". It was great! Samuel said he thinks he will be Nick Saban for Halloween again next year. He also said "I wonder what it's like to have someone dress up as you for halloween?". We had a wonderful time trick-or-treating with our neighbors and the boys loved the hay-ride.

Until next year.... Roll Tide!

more Halloween tid-bits

Halloween is one of our favorite Holidays! So here's a little bit more of what's been going on around our house. Last night we attended the Fall Festival at our church. The boys enjoyed bouncing, playing games, winning prizes, and a hot-dog chili supper. Last Friday, JM's school had their Fall Festival. Below is a picture of he and his best friend, Cash.After the Fall Festival we carved pumpkins and made Halloween cupcakes for the Trick-or-Treat hayride we host at our house each year. We are excited about that tonight!

Samuel enjoyed being able to carve his pumpkin completely on his own this year.

The cupcakes (a few of them, anyway) ready for the party tonight. We didn't get very creative... just some orange icing and halloween sprinkles. Samuel's masterpiece... designed by himself.

John Michael's idea... "just a plain jack-0-lantern".

I cherish these memories as they will soon be just that... memories and the boys will be too old for such activities.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Early Halloween Happenings

Last night we kicked off our Halloween activities with Spooky Story Hour & Costume Party at the library and by attending the Alabama Athletics Halloween Extravaganza and then going out to dinner. The Spooky Story Hour at the library was, of course, geared more for John Michael's age but Samuel was a great sport about it and sat and read his book while his brother enjoyed the stories and other activities. Samuel dressed up as Nick Saban and John Michael was an Alabama football player (Trent Richardson).

John Michael with his werewolf teeth he got as his treat at story hour.

The master story-teller at the Library... She did a great job just telling the stories rather than reading them. The Alabama Athletics Halloween Extravaganza hosted at the indoor practice arena.

Lamichael Fanning - Defensive Lineman

Nico Johnson - Linebacker

First Day of School

August is here again and with that we begin a new school year and for us a couple of 'lasts'. This year Samuel begins his 5th grade year which will be his last year of elementary school and John Michael begins Pre-K which is his last year of preschool. Both boys were excited to get started with this new chapter of their lives.

Samuel with his brother on the first day of 5th grade - August 10th

John Michael on his first day of Pre-K - August 8th.

Samuel loves his teacher, Mrs. Weeks, and we are so excited to have her. We have heard great things and are looking forward to a great year. John Michael got Mrs. Jackie and I can't even begin to describe how excited I was when I heard this. She is awesome and he adores her! It's going to be an awesome year for both of our boys and I can't wait to see how they learn and grow this year. We spent the final day of summer vacation at the lake swimming and tubing.

The first few weeks of school have been great. We have enjoyed getting back in a routine. Samuel is playing flag football and his baseball team played and WON a tournament a couple of weekends ago. We made a trip to Kentucky last weekend for Labor Day and had a fabulous time catching up with some wonderful friends. We had a final summer hoo-rah at Holiday World/Splashin Safari in Santa Clause, Indiana and went Apple-picken at Reids Orchard on a nice windy, cool, Fall-like day. More on that later.

"Keep in your heart the wonders of the seashore"

"The Last Song" House on Tybee Island