Tweens are Hard!

I used to think that night feedings and teething were the worst but now we have tweens and this just might be harder! I felt more in control of the situation when they were little! They might wake up at night or be crabby but I could "fix" those issues. Now the issues are bigger and harder and out of my control and I hate it! I really just want my kids to be happy, nice, respectful kids and I don't think that is too much to ask for. However, you deal with them being left out, not making teams, getting teased, or on the flip side of that you have to worry about are they being a good friend, are they a bully, are there kids that they leave out? There is also the issue of activities and sports. As it turns out by the time that your child enters school you more or less have to have picked which sport or activity that you want them to excel at, have a club team lined up and possibly private lessons. Okay,so maybe that is extreme but some of it is true. You have to pick a sport that you are willing to dedicate time, energy and money to and you have to help your child do that when they are young enough that you are still trying to figure out what they like the most or what they have the most potential at. It is always a game of who you are or who you know not necessarily how well you perform . I will always have a hard time with this but as it turns out none of my opinions will change any of this and I still have to help my kids navigate this when I can't figure it out for myself. I just pray that we make good decisions with the information we have and that through all of this we teach our kids the lessons of always trying your hardest, be a good sport and team player and most of all be a good person!

Jr Titans Football

Bryce and Caleb played football for the Jr.Titans again this year. Bryce always seems to forget how much he enjoys football because he is never very excited to start the season but by the time the season is done he doesn't want it to end. He had a rough few weeks at the beginning of the season. The doctors have always said that Bryce has reactive airway issues and have never went as far as to call it asthma but every year at this time whatever allergen triggers him, he goes into a full blown asthma crisis. He spent the first 2 weeks of practice using his inhaler 3-4 times and coughing uncontrollably. His coach would yell "Lutz take off your pads so you can breathe"! We went to appointments with Dr. David to try to figure it out. He was on allergy meds, nose sprays and steroids, steroid inhalers and breathing treatments. He continued to have a horrible cough that made him short of breath throughout the day and made it so he wasn't able to run at practice. Finally, after exhausting all his ideas Dr.David sent us to Omaha to see the pediatric pulmonologist. We didn't really get that much information from seeing him but he did start him on a couple different medications that seem to be helping. Bryce had a great year. He played middle linebacker and continues to be really fast and he does really love to tackle people.

Football is Caleb's sport. Not just his favorite sport but truly a sport that is made for this kid! It involves hitting people as hard as you can over and over again. Caleb never complained about going to practice. He is the kid that welcomed extra practice and practice in the heat and in the rain. Caleb plays on the line and does a great job. He really enjoyed Zec the lineman coach and worked hard to do everything that he could to be the best player he could be. 

This year they were on the Varsity team since they were 6th graders. They were both starters for their position on varsity. Their team was really fun to watch this year. They worked hard and played well together. The JV team this year struggled and their games were painful to watch! I felt bad for them because they never won a game the entire season. 

The boys and coach Zec

Grady, Levi, Bryce and Caleb

15 years

This year we celebrated our 15 anniversary. Hard to believe we are that old! It is funny in the fact that I have now been in love with you for more than half of my life at this point. Who would have thought that a drive in movie and flirting at school would have lead us to the life we have made together. We were high school sweethearts which means we have know each other through awkward stages, bad haircuts, poor decisions, college, first jobs, being completely broke, purchasing a house, getting real jobs, infertility, becoming new parents, finding our relationship with kids and everything else. We have seen each other through good and bad and easy and hard. That is what happens when you grow up together. I'm not sure what I would say to my kids if they told me they were getting married at 21.I think I would caution them against it because were we really old enough to know what we wanted at that point? But at the same time it has worked out for us. Did we know what we wanted at that point? I'm not sure we did but we have at least grown up together and have found our way together. I think there is something to be said for that. I don't think anyone should ever go into marriage assuming it would be easy. I think I can safely say that neither of us would say that it has always been easy but it has always been worth it. Happy Anniversary to the guy that I have grown up with and want to grow old with!

Baby Ruby

Karen, Robb's Aunt gave Abby this baby doll a couple years ago. It is an antique doll and it evidently was very special to her and quite a doll for its time. She really wanted Abby to have it as a keepsake of her as she grew up. Robb's Grandma Carol made the dress so Abby would also have something homemade from her as well. The thing is, Abby was terrified of the doll! It admittedly is a crazy looking doll! It resembles one of those dolls on horror movies but she graciously accepted it and had put it up in our closet for safe keeping. Emmy found it one day and fell in love with her! She decided to name her Ruby, ironic since Ruby was Karen's grandma. Emmy seems to look past the cloudy glass eyes, crazy hair and old fashioned outfit. She loves baby Ruby more than any other baby. I even have to admit after seeing how much Emmy loves her I have found a soft spot in my heart for Ruby too. This doll has got her second chance at being loved by a little girl!

First Week of Dance

The girls both started their first week of dance at Aimee's Dance Studio in Hickman this week. It was a hard decision to make to switch studios but I am hoping we made the right choice. It is much more convenient to get them to and from and I am hoping that it involves less drama than last year. Emmy is in the Preschool 2 class that is a Ballet and Tap class on Fridays. Abby is taking a Hip Hop class on Mondays that looks really fun and upbeat and she is also taking Ballet, Jazz and Lyrical on Thursday nights.