Happy 13th Birthday, Sade!

Another teenager

Sade turned 13 yesterday! Wow! I can hardly believe it! Time goes by much too fast! She, too, was just born yesterday shortly after my dad rushed me to the hospital. Born at 7 lbs 6 oz and 22 1/2 long, she's now 5'8" and 109 lbs. Before I know it she'll be taller than me! I'm so proud of Sade!!! She works hard, gets good grades, is talented and loving! 13???

Sade had a very eventful birthday weekend. The fun began Friday night when four of her friends helped celebrate. We had pizza, went to the mall for a scavenger hunt, ate cake, the girls took turns at the piano, played Rock Band and they stayed up until about 5am watching movies. The girls she invited were all from the musical at church, so on the way home from the scavenger hunt, they sang songs from the musical... what fun! When they woke up, they had tons of pancakes and then their families picked them up! I think they all had a good time, I know Sade did!


Sunday was her true birthday. We went to church where she voluteers every Sunday in Children's Church and then stopped on our way home for her FREE Cold Stone ice cream treat. She got lots of phone calls from family wishing her a very happy birthday. She opened her presents and then we ate her most favorite meal.... tacos! After dinner I had to finish her cake so we could sing again to her! We finished the evening with a movie, which is the only time she's put down her new book, Twilight, that she got as a gift from her grandma and papa. Did I mention she's 13?

Happy Birthday, Sade!!! I love you!

UGH!

So, I picked up Ayodele and Sade from school today and when I got home I parked in the front of our complex since I had to leave right away to get to Derek's football game! I ran into the house with the kids, picked up my music for rehearsal, got some water - much needed to watch a football game when it's 98 degrees outside, grabbed the video camera and showed Sade what was for dinner. I strolled out to the car, got comfy and BAM.... my car would not start! UGH!!! Thank goodness for AAA... they came in less than 30 minutes & got me started right away and off I went to good-ole Walmart to buy a new battery. Once they were done, I had to get off to rehearsal for Sunday's service. Unfortunately, I didn't get to Derek's game. When I talked to him after rehearsal, he didn't seem to mind that I didn't make it... he was more excited that they won big 32-14. I also found out that I wouldn't have seen him play anyway since the team was mostly on the offensive. He played the last 8 minutes. Then I felt a little better! I hate not being where I say I'm going to be... even when it's out of my control! There are a few good things about the battery dying when it did: 1) I was at home, 2) I didn't have a car full of girls - Friday night is Sade's B-day and we're all going to the mall for a scavenger hunt & 3) I was alone, 4) it wasn't dark, and 5) I didn't miss Derek playing football! I thank God for watching out for me!

We love Grandma!

We love Grandma!
Derek and Grandma...

Derek stayed home the whole time Grandma was here!

Not once did he ask to skate with his friends!

Sade and Grandma...

Grandma got to see Sade in the musical at church.

Sade tried not hugging grandma good-bye to see if she'd stay.

Ayodele and Grandma...

Ayodele was the first one to play poker with Grandma.

He's going to miss her!

Kayode and Grandma...

Kayode fell asleep 5 minutes before Grandma arrived Friday.

We had a "picnic" lunch at her hotel and Kayode played Hide-and-go-Seek.

Grandma (my mom) came and stayed with us Friday until Tuesday. We hadn't seen her since last December. We are so thankful that she was able to squeeze in a visit with us. She and Dick are leaving on a 50 day trip across the USA on Monday. We (my mom and I) even got to spend Monday night alone... we went to her hotel, played "Wheel of Fortune" for a while, went up to her room to watch the opening of "Dancing with the Stars," went back downstairs when it was over and played video poker for a while, went to TGI Fridays for some happy hour nachos, then played a few more slot machines until I realized it was about 1:30am and I had to be getting up again at 5:45 to wake up Derek for school. How wonderful for us to be able to get out so we could visit without little ears hearing everything we were talking about, as well as getting me out of the house for some "adult" time without the kids! -- Love the kids, but even mom's need time away on occasion. We can't wait to see her again. We are one of the last stops on their 50 day trip. Thank you for everything, Grandma (Mom)!

Lifesong... the musical

Our church Youth Choir put on the most wonderful musical this weekend. Sade had one of the 8 lead roles, Abby. I ended up helping more than planned, but what a wonderful experience! It was a challenging musical due to the fact that most of the 8 cast members were double casted (Sat night cast/Sunday night cast) and rehearsals began in July while most families were on vacation. Even though we never had a rehearsal with all cast members in attendance, the musical went off without a hitch! The kids did a fantastic job and the message was conveyed... We can all be leaders, we just have to act like Jesus! Here's a little clip of Sade during her "big" solo... the song is called "Voice of Truth." She did a great job... all of the kids did!

Poker with Grandma...

When my children were very small, they learned how to play poker...

Poker is something that has always been played in our family. I remember spending Friday and Saturday nights at my grandparents house watching my mom, dad, grandma and grandpa playing poker when I was younger. I would sit with them and watch, mostly because that's where the good snacks were! You'd think I'd be a professional poker player with as much as I've watched it, but it didn't interest me enough to remember the rules to the game. So, each time I'd ask again what they were playing and how to play. Now, every time we see grandma , the poker chips and playing cards come out! Ayodele was the first to ask this time, and too bad he's only 7, he was HOT! Every hand was either two pair or three of a kind... he even got a full house. Sade joined in after completing some of her homework, Derek decided to play as long as he could play in the chair without chips and Kayode even started learning how to play this visit! I helped him while I made dinner, he wasn't doing too bad himself! Ayodele can't get enough poker... first thing Saturday morning, before anyone was dressed, he had grandma playing again! It really is much too cute!

My funny kids...

Okay... I'm so thankful for my kids!

They put a smile on my face every day!

Here are a few pictures that the kids took of each other being silly!

I praise God everyday that they are happy and healthy!

Happy Birthday, Derek!

Happy 15th Birthday!

Derek turned 15 today! It seems like just yesterday he was born... 9lbs 10oz and 22 1/2 inches long. Now he's 130lbs and 6'1-1/2" tall. I'm so proud of him... he works hard, gets good grades, has high ambitions and works hard to achieve his goals. I just can't get over him being 15... am I really that old?

His birthday was quite eventful! Friday night he and several friends went to the local Italian food festival and rode carnival rides until 11pm. They had a terrific time! Then, Saturday, I took him and 3 friends to a huge skatepark in Henderson... they skated for about 2 hours before pizza showed up. After eating, they skated another hour before we left and I dropped them off at their "home" skatepark, "Breeze."

Today, Derek slept in, opened his cards in bed and when we got home from church, he got a ride back to Breeze so he could skate again. He arrived home at 6pm on the dot (like I asked) and then we ate dinner. He requested home made chicken noodle soup. Thank goodness... since I'm sick, it tasted so good! :)

Around 7pm we sang "Happy Birthday" and ate birthday cake! Again... I can't believe he's 15! He was so cute putting his candles on the cake and lighting the candles... I had to help him with the lighting... he started to burn himself... I guess they'll always need their mom!

I love you, Derek! Happy Birthday!

I knew she would...

Sade auditioned for a part in the school musical yesterday and found out today she got a part! Sade will be performing the part of Mayzie La Bird in the upcoming production of Seussical, Jr. at her school the first week of December. She called me just to tell me... she's very excited! I'm so proud of you, Sade!!!

Poor little guy...

sprained his foot yesterday playing football in PE. Ayodele came home from school yesterday limping and complaining that his foot hurt. We iced it and tried to keep him off of it. This morning when he woke up he immediately started complaining again that it was bothering him and that it hurt to walk. I tried to get him to go to school and just "walk it off." Then he complained that he couldn't even put his socks on without it hurting too badly. Finally I decided we'd better go see a doctor...especially since a few years ago we had Sade "walk off" her painful foot then found out she'd fractured it and was in a boot for 6 months. The nurse took Ayodele back for X-rays and the Doctor found no fracture... Yeah... but he said he probably sprained it really good and to keep off of it as much as possible, and no PE for 2 weeks. So, here's Ayodele today, keeping off his foot and icing it like the doctor said! Poor little guy! He'll be fine, and I think once he gets over the extra attention, he'll probably forget about the pain! Back to school tomorrow, but for today, he enjoyed a day off relaxing and healing his foot!

First Football Game

Well, Thursday, September 4 was Derek's first football game. On Wednesday, he left for school in a dress shirt, tie and slacks... WOW! I couldn't get to my camera in time before he skated off to school. Yes, he rode his skateboard to school all dressed up... that would have been a great picture! Maybe one of these days I'll be able to catch him! Anyway, once I got through the gates for the game, the score was Home 7 - Visitors 8. Unfortunately I have rehearsal on Thursday nights so I was only able to stay through the end of the third quarter. Derek didn't play until the fourth, of course! So the video is just of his back to show he's part of the team! He wears number 94 for games. I'm so proud of him. His team lost 33-14, but he's ready to go out and get the next team. Hopefully his teammates are ready too!

Labor Day 2008

Labor Day

Gosh... where did the summer go? We officially did NOTHING!!!! The kids did survive the heat and small condo and we tried to find things to keep busy. (Free movies, Library, park, church activities) Thank goodness school's back in session! On Labor Day Sade, Ayodele, Kayode & I went to a new water park by our house to try and stay cool. It's times like this that family and friends are truly missed. The kids got really wet and then they played football for a while before we headed back home for dinner and prep for school. I've definitely got the greatest kids!

Football Scrimmage on August 30

Well... it took me a while, but here's a little footage from the first scrimmage Derek let me attend. His practice jersey is number 96 for Durango. He's standing center field and shortly after the clip starts, you'll see him talking to the coach. What a great tackle!!! Hopefully the Huskies will be watching for him in a few years!