Fall Basketball

 Annabelle started playing Dallas Elite.  Here's a pic of her shooting a free throw.

The kids had anxiously been awaiting Bear meeting their friends and neighbors' dog Rocky.  Adam brought him over, and Rocky was so scared.

The boys decided to hold them to get a good sniff.

Laura has been doing all her work from the kitchen island to keep an eye on Bear.  Sometimes he wants in her lap, though.

Annabelle had her planet project at school this week.  She had Venus, and she did a great job.

We love so many things about being close to school, but one thing is it is definitely easier to go watch rhetoric sports.  We have been to several Friday night football games, and Annabelle has wanted to go watch the volleyball team.  Here's a pic of some 4th grade girls at the "Pink Out" volleyball game: Stella Stimson, Liv Larson, Annabelle, Audrey Thomason, Laura Darley, Lilly Stueve, Khloe Jensen, Lily Stewart, Presley Bass, and Anais Arcucci.

The new boys basketball coach is trying to get the whole school more involved with basketball.  So they organized a 3v3 basketball tournament night for 3rd-8th graders.  Annabelle, Audrey, Makenna Cleary, and Hadley Sullivan ready to play.

There were only 4 girls teams that signed up.  Laura was coaching the girls and Brian was coaching Caden's team, so we didn't get very many pictures.  The girls beat a 5th grade team to start, and then they played the other 4th grade team.  Here's a pic of the two 4th grade girls teams together: Audrey, Annabelle, Hadley, Makenna, Zoey Seale, Lily Thompson, and Hannah Ratliff.

The girls easily won all three of their games.  Here's a pic of them with their medals.

And a picture with the Varsity girls coach.

Here's an action shot from Caden's first game.

Caden's team also went undefeated.  They played some 6th grade friends in the finals; left to right: Garrett Tilger, Andrew Collins, Cade Crane, Cooper Dow, Caden, Adam Thomason, Levi Webb, and Jax Farrell.

And Caden's team with their medals.

Fall Break: State Fair of Texas

Another bath for Bear after being in Broken Bow.  I bath him in the sink in the laundry room, and he doesn't fight it too much.

Bear likes to go riding in the car to pick up kids, etc.  Here he is waiting in the line for gas.

Another weight check, and Bear is up to 7 lbs.

A family pic in front of Big Tex.

We met up with a friend at the fair.  Annabelle and Hadley Sullivan.

The girls wanted to ride the log ride twice.

Some silly pics while we were waiting in line for our corny dog.

The calf in the background had just been born about an hour before we were there.  The kids thought it was pretty gross.

Fall Break: Broken Bow

Fall break was extra long this year.  Due to the completion of the new rhetoric school building coming after the start of the school year, they needed extra time to move classrooms around.  With Rhetoric moving to their new building, Caden is moving from the Logic deck to the Logic Building, which is the old Rhetoric building.  The 4th and 5th grade classes will move to the old Logic deck during Christmas break after they do some repair and renovations to that area.  

With Bear being too young to board, we were somewhat limited on where we could go.  We decided to rent a house in Broken Bow, OK with a few friends.  Annabelle and Hadley Tilger in our hot tub.

Jax Farrell, Caden, and Garrett Tilger playing football.

The kids enjoyed the fire pit and s'mores each night.  Hadley, Caden, Garrett, Angie Buja, and Henry Buja.

Annabelle and Laura by the fire.

We headed to go hiking the next morning.  A Jolly pic in front of the Totum pole.

A pic of all the kids before the hike; back row: Tripp Rector, Bennett Walker; middle row: Ainsley Walker, Annabelle, Hadley Tilger, Caden, and Knox Walker; front row: Garrett Tilger, Henry Buja, and Jax Farrell.

A pic along the creek on the hike.

We came across this funny shaped tree.

Later in the day, Angie and Laura took the kids kayaking.  Annabelle and Laura were the last to push off, and everyone else headed off without us (much to Annabelle's dismay).

Caden and Henry in their kayak.

A quick selfie right after we got in the water.

Annabelle was super upset that everyone else left us in their dust.  And she was super mad that I wanted to take a picture.  Fun times!

We worked through our disappointment and really enjoyed the trip.  There were trees growing in the water.

There ended up being 13 Covenant families staying in the same neighborhood.  A pic of the kids playing touch football.

The next day we did another hike.  I went with the girls and some younger kids.  Left to right: Hadley, Sam Jeffries, Knox, Tripp, Bauer Farrell, Dorothy Grace Rector, Lee Robertson, Claire Robertson, James Lang, James Robertson, Beckham Farrell, Bowen Jeffries, and Annabelle.

This hike was better than the trail we did the day before.  It went down along the river, and it was beautiful!

Angie went to another area with the big boys.  Harrison Lang, Bass Lang, Garrett, Clive Rowland, Caden, Henry, Levi Webb, and Jax.

Later that afternoon, Angie wanted to have all the 6th graders over to our cabin for some games.  Starting with a boys against girls water balloon fight.

A group kid picture before we headed home the next day.

Start of Nutcracker Rehearsals

Our schedule has freed up a little bit, as of the last two weeks both kids have decided to quit swim team.  With the transition to middle school, which brought on increased daily homework, and then Dallas Elite basketball, Caden just didn't have the time.  Then Annabelle decided with her adding Dallas Elite basketball this year plus ballet class twice a week, and now Nutcracker rehearsals once a week, she doesn't have time for it, either.

Annabelle was cast as a Soldier this year, and her preschool buddy Belle Hartgrove is one, as well.  Here's a pic of them before their first rehearsal.

Ads in the Nutcracker program are a big thing, so I put together the Covenant girls' one this year.

And then one for just Annabelle.

Bear just got another round of shots, and he weighed in at 6lbs. 

I got him this cocoon bed at Costco.

Annabelle loves Bear!

Bear loves it when we give him a little freedom to roam around, but we have to watch him like a hawk because he will go potty in the house.

Bear being mischievous getting into things in the pantry.

Annabelle getting some Bear hugs.

Bear likes to play with the tennis ball.

He's not too sure about taking pictures.

Field trips are back this year.  Here's a pic of Annabelle's class at their service project.  Far back row: Riley Loftin, Audrey Thomason, Blake Morton, and Cohen Pace.  Middle row: Beckham Farrell, Odin Elkinatanani, Katherine Kingsriter, Jonny Klienfelter, David Roberts, Stella Stimson, Presley Bass, and Liv Larson.  And then Annabelle in front.

Just the girls.

Some perspective on size to see how big he is getting in comparison to our shoes.