Is it Spring Already?

While David and Jasper were inside the local Rec Center, practicing for the big game tomorrow, the rest of the family decided to check out to the playground just outside. Since, it was practically hot today, we had a fun time!

Jackon has been sick with a cough the last couple of days, and we've been shut up inside the house.

It felt  SO NICE feel some sun, and breathe some fresh air!

Harper slept away in her car seat. It was a great day.

PLAYOFFS!

The Good News: Jasper's football team made it to the playoffs!

The Bad News: Their first playoff game looked like this!

Hint: I don't know what I'm taking a picture of. I see movement, I snap a pic.

Bad News:  They lost in OVERTIME.


Good News: Heather and Lori came and freezed their cabooses off just to see Jas play!

Bad News: Poor Lori had to wear this hat, because didn't bring a hat, coat, socks or gloves herself. Silly Lori.

Way to go HUSKIES! There is always next year.

2007

This was a hiking trip about 2 months after Dave and I got married.

How cute and little are Jasper and my niece Kazia?

So cute.

After the hike, Jas had a soccer game.



He has since "mastered" soccer. :)

Baby girl, Jasper wants to meet his sister, come on!

FOOTBALL!

Jasper had his first football practice today.

He looked great out there!

Jackson loved it too.

Baby sister, we want to hold you! Come soon please!

Basketball boys

Jasper and Jackson are both huge fans of basketball.

Jasper is playing in his 3rd basketball league so far this YEAR. Yes, 3rd.

We are that crazy.

Honestly it doesn't take up much time, and he really enjoys it.

He loves LeBron James, no matter how much David and I try to talk him out of it.

Jackson in the meantime is loving his new basketball potty. Although it doesn't quite work the way he wants it to.

There are worse things for a kid to love than basketball, that's for sure.

Sunday Scribbles

I gave Jasper a sheet of paper to doodle on during church last Sunday.

Here is what he came up with:

Before Jasper, I can honestly say I would never have known what this drawing was.

But now I can quickly identify a football play when I see one. I still don't know what it means. . . but at least I know what it is!

So football and basketball are on A LOT at our house this time of year - and during most of the year. I deal with it OK and mostly just tune it out.

When I do watch I'm full of questions which I think starts to annoy David after the 8th "What does a quarter back do again?" and the 245th "What just happened?"

Sometimes David will hand me the remote and tell me to "Go for it." If its a game I can tell he is really into I'll won't take the remote and let him enjoy himself. But if he's not too into it, or insists that I take charge I will try to find something we can both enjoy watching - The Walking Dead, Big Bang theory - anyone? Or a family show for all of us.

BUT - very rarely, I will turn it to something that I would normally watch when no one else is home to avoid the ridicule from my boys (America's next top model).

Saturday I was so fed up with sports I gladly took the remote when offered and turned it to a show I had been saving for my precious alone hours. A nerdy PBS Great Performances special celebrating Sondheim! Audra McDonald! Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin!! I truly was looking forward to this show, but I also wanted to torture Jasper and David. I would compare my complete disinterest and lack of understanding of all sports - with their disinterest and complete dislike of Broadway.

David was remarkably silent (and kept his mockery to himself) but Jasper was less discreet.

"WHAT in the CRAP are you making us watch this for?"

"What in the CRAP."

(I have tried for years to get Jasper to stop using the word CRAP - but is a lost cause and I get sick of hearing myself telling him to stop. So since it is better than the alternative (slightly) sometimes I choose not to hear it. Shame on me)

"He sounds like a girl!"

"Look at his HEAD, it is so BIG!"

"HA HA, his face is so UGLY when he sings, ha ha ha!"

"I did not understand a word of that - I have no clue what is going on."

"Who listens to this, oh my crap."

"Is this opera?"

"She is kind of old."

"Can I go to bed early?"

I just smiled. Next week, I'll make him watch my saved ABC Family holiday special "A Boyfriend for Christmas!"

FOOTBALL

Jasper has been playing football again this year.

He has been playing really hard and tough and we are super proud of him!

He is #76 this year.

Something about this football uniform makes him strut. You can even see the strut in a motionless picture (that's him below, standing by the 20).

While Jasper plays hard, so does Jackson on the sidelines.

Go Jasper!

Future Football Star?

Jasper registered for football and picked up his gear last weekend. He is super excited and I have to admit, so am I. Although football is the most time consuming sport that we've put Jasper in, he loves it the most, he's good at it, and he loves his teammates and coaches. I've gotten to understand it a little more too (which isn't saying much!).

Looks like Jackson is a fan as well! He drags his pads and helmet out of his room daily. I can't wait for the first game.

Mr. Delay Tactics

This guy is talented.

And not only at basketball.

He is also a very talented delayer.

He hasn't quite warmed up to his new title, "Mr. Delay Tactics," but I feel he will in time. He has definitely earned it.

He has earned this nickname by being a champion delayer, of all things not-fun. These things include (but are not limited to):

• Getting ready for bed. Jasper delays this nightly. We say, "okay, time to get ready for bed" at least 3 times before he moves his legs.
• Doing the dishes. Mr. Delay has been known to take 3 hours to load and unload a dish washer. Now that is some serious delaying talent.

• Mowing the lawn. This is understandable - and not his best talent since he has gotten much better at it lately and also mows our neighbor's lawn. He is still good at not getting out the door to mow until after several pleadings from his parents.
• Homework (yes I'm mean and make him do some summertime homework). This is accompanied by moans and groans! Two pages of sums and grammar and the kid can take 2 hours. He has such a gift!
• Brushing his teeth. Now this one is special, since he delays only the getting to the bathroom to brush his teeth part. The actual brushing, shockingly, is done with record speed! The kid can pick up the brush, load on the paste, brush and rinse all in 10 seconds flat. Unbelievable!

• Taking a shower. Until Jasper, I never knew anyone who hated getting clean this much. Sometimes he manages to delay it even a day or two - depending on how stinky he is, and how good he is at convincing us that he'll just take it in the morning.
• Putting anything away. I think most kids are good at this - even most adults! I'll even put his shoes on his dinner plate as a gentle reminder that they need to be put away, and even still - it is delayed. I'm just in awe.

Way to go Mr. Delay Tactics!

My Kind of Basketball

Jackson got this wonderful basketball stand for Christmas last year. He is still a little too short for it, so he has since created a new way to play.

He knocks the hoop down to his level. If this were the way it was really played - I might even make a basket or two!

His other method is to just stand underneath the hoop and touch the ball to the bottom of the net.

I think he's got the right idea.

Junior Jazz

Jasper had his last basketball game with the Jr. Jazz on Saturday. I haven't posted any pictures before this because my camera stinks. I used my mom's camera this time.

This year they were undefeated! What a season.

One thing I love about the Jr. Jazz is that it is really short. One practice a week, one game a week, and I think there were only 8 games. Plus they get two Jazz tickets!

 

I snapped this right before he made 2 points. Go Jasper!

Posing with Jackson during halftime.

There he is in the front. Go 47!

Jackson loves the games too.

You know, I never would have thought I would be going to games and practices year round. Some people only have their kids in one sport, but this works for us. He loves it. Being involved in sports really boosts Jasper's confidence and it is a fun family activity every game. It teaches him time management, good sportsmanship - and that sometimes you lose, even when you play hard. So far I think football is his true love, so in the future we may just cut it back to that, we'll see.

Now, on to baseball. . .

Jasper turns 11!

Jasper turned 11 on Sunday. I just can't believe it - he is 11! When he came to live with us he was 9, and 11 just is so much bigger, and older. He had two birthday celebrations, one on Saturday (Halloween) after his last football game of the season. The McKinnon side celebrated with cake, presents and spankings.

Then Jasper got to have a sleepover at his Grandma Bennett's house where he trick or treated with friends, and on his birthday we celebrated with cake, presents and spankings. And as a very special treat his mom was there for most of the festivities. We all had such a fun time!

Sadly pictures were taken by my mom - so I'll post them when I get them.

Can you believe he is already 11?

Happy Birthday Jasper!!

Football Win!

After losing the first three games of the season, Jasper's team had its first win last Saturday! Go Jasper! They played great. We have had so much fun going and watching and cheering. The games are every Saturday at 9am which is exactly when Jackson usually takes his first nap of the day. He is exhausted but has so much fun watching and clapping and saying "Hi!" to everyone.

Jasper is a lineman again this year and he is playing so well! He LOVES football, and is such a good sport - never complaining about going to practice. He loves all the new bruises he gets every week.

And yes, in the picture below he is sporting a mohawk (story to follow).

This is what Jackson looks like on the way home every week, after 1 minute in his car seat.

Long Day

Jackson and I went all over today. We went to Magna this morning to watch Jasper's football game against Cyprus. He fought hard and they lost, but it was an a good game! Then from Magna to Clinton where we met up with my mom and sisters Anne-Marie and Staci to go house hunting. Staci is looking to buy her first home. We looked at 8 houses! Then back to Clinton, back to Sandy, to the store and finally home. I think I counted at least 20 times putting Jackson in and taking him out of his car seat. He was such a good sport. And now he is making a mess in the living room. What a day. Glad to be home.

Football season again!

Jasper started football practice a couple of weeks ago, I can't believe how fast the summer flew by. Last week we all decided to go and watch him practice from the sidelines.

Jasper is playing lineman again and is doing great.

They really work hard at practices - I wonder why they voluntarily put themselves through this!

Meanwhile, we had fun on the grass watching and cheering. Go Bennett!