Thankful

It's a bit silly, but honestly, I have not updated my blog because I haven't had time to create a new header and change the design.  Silly, I know, but I just can't  bring myself to update when things are not "current".

This morning I decided to just push that aside and hop back on.

I haven't updated since spring.  Life with Team Irving has been fast and furious and there is no possible way that I could catch you up on all the happenings.  The highlights go like this:

• School ended and Samuel finished his 3rd year of school with straight As (again!)
• Jacob graduated kindergarten and had an amazing year!
• Hannah performed in her first dance recital, and brought the house down with a late entrance, that she did with such flare that it seemed planned
• We spent the summer swimming and sweltering from the heat
• Samuel played the role of Pumba in CYT's showcase summer performance of The Lion King (not the full show - edited summer camp version)
• Hannah got really sick this summer, and had us pretty worried
• I took the Two Tykes and the Princess on a road trip through the Texas hill country, and we had an amazing time.  We stayed in a train caboose, swam in the lakes, visited caverns, went to a water park, met up with cousins Jack and Emma, shopped, explored, hiked, sang songs, played games and had an amazing time
• On our trip, Jacob prayed to accept Jesus into his heart
• Hannah started preK, Jacob started 1st grade and Samuel started 4th grade
• Samuel was cast in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• Jacob and Hannah started CYT classes and Jacob was cast as John Smith in his class' performance of Pocahontas
• I started teaching a theatre class through CYT
• Samuel was selected to be a part of a leadership team at his school for the 4th grade
• The boys made it onto swim team and competed in their first meet, bringing home lots of nice ribbons
• Jacob and Samuel attended their first live NFL football game as we watched the Houston Texans take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.  We got to enjoy it with Auntie Liz, Jack and Emma which made it even more fun
• Kevin and I attended the World Series, game 3 (yes, yes that is when the Rangers got spanked)
• Samuel got pneumonia, and we had to pull him out of Tom Sawyer
• I completed a 5K and obstacle course and figured out how out of shape I am!  But, I had a great time with some sweet friends, so it was all worth it

Those are the highlights!  Now you are all caught up! 

Jacob is having an amazing first grade year, in large part due to his awesome teacher, Mrs. Ford.  He is loving school and by all accounts is a fantastic student.  He's a straight A student, but we're not surprised!

Samuel is again, getting straight As and having a good year.  Getting sick heaped up the disappointment, but he's handling it like a trouper and I'm very proud of his ability to pull himself up by his bootstraps and keep on keeping on!

Hannah is having a fun time in preschool, but I'm not sure she's all that enthralled by it.  We've been teaching her how to read, but I suppose, in typical "3rd child" fashion, we're not spending nearly as much time with her on the basics as we did with the boys.  Guilt ridden, I'm trying to find more time to work with her.  She is doing an amazing job with her reading, and I expect her to be leaps ahead of her classmates, just like the boys were.

We're heading into a season of thankfulness and giving and I'm overwhelmingly thankful for the family I have been blessed with.  We're pulling back on some activities for the next couple of months, and it couldn't come at a better time as we step back, and enjoy this season with family and friends.  We'll have a full house for Thanksgiving and are already planning our Christmas holiday activities.  I expect it to be a season filled with laughter, love and the company of friends and family.

Right now, I'm listening to the footsteps and laughter of Jacob and Hannah as they are playing a game of make believe upstairs, and feeling so blessed that they love each other so much...that will likely change soon when Hannah starts screaming at Jacob in frustration, but for now, it's bliss.  :)

I'm also waiting for the surprise arrival of Grammy and Pop Pop, who are coming down to soothe Samuel's disappointment at not being in the show.  I'm so thankful for the love and compassion of my parents and their thoughtfulness to come and surprise the kids.

So, maybe, I'll get time to keep up with this blog a bit better. No promises, but I miss it, so I'll sure try.