Ethan Runs His First 5K!!

 Thanksgiving was a fun day for the Hoots' family! We kicked off the day with a 5K! John and Ethan ran in the Gobbler's Run in Downtown Wake Forest. John is training for a half marathon and Ethan wanted to train with him, so they both signed up for the 5K.

It was a cold morning, but all the Hoots and Hardestys came out to watch!

Before the race.

Getting excited! You should have seen all the crazy people that dressed up like turkeys, pilgrims, Indians, etc for the race. And, yes John is wearing tights under his shorts!

At the starting line!

See him coming???

About to finish.

John is right behind him. Ethan had a burst of energy right at the end!

Exhausted, but so happy to have run the race!

Happy Halloween!

Well, Halloween of 2012 was a fun and cold night of trick - or - treating and  going to a local Fall Festival for rides, cotton candy, and games. This is the first year I have let the kids dress up without matching. They chose their own costumes this year and helped me make some of the parts of each one.

Frankenstein.

Olivia the Pig.

Mad Scientist.

A little pumpkin action from the night before. They all loved getting their hands dirty!

Broken Elbow!

 So... we encountered our first broken bone in the Hoots' household. We had a good long stretch of being break free - 8 and a half years of castless bliss. But, Isaac ended all that at the end of September when he fell off our bed and broke his elbow. He has been a cast for almost four weeks and is scheduled to get it off this Friday!! Wahoo!! 

He has handled the cast very well, but we are all ready to have it off!! 

 (Like the neon green? He got it to match his Halloween costume, Stay tuned to see the costume!!)

Camp Willow Run!!

Well, I have been procrastinating posting about the best part of our summer. But, after coming back and back to these pictures which were waiting for words, I have decided there really are no good words to describe this place... so here goes... 

In college, John and I were privileged and blessed to spend our summers at Camp Willow Run. We worked as counselors, ski boat drivers, and co - head counselor. I am not exaggerating when I say the nine collective months I have spent there were the most spiritually influential of my life. It was fun and exhausting and stretching and formative. I learned that I like papayas. I learned what I would be if I were not a counselor. And, I learned that you can goosh louder than you can splash. 

I am so thankful I was able to serve at CWR.

My time there shaped me as a teacher, wife and mother. 

The last summer we worked there was 2000. We were married the next summer and started our "real" life. But, every summer part of me has longed for this place. I  enjoyed where ever I was, but I missed CWR. 

This summer something incredible happened... our eldest was old enough to join the "Good Ole Gospel Train" himself. It was surreal to drop him off...to be on the "parent- side" of camp instead of the "staff" side. 

Buying a minivan really didn't make me feel old, but dropping Ethan off this summer made me feel ancient!

Checking out the lake and the dock before registration. We chose to look around on the hottest day of summer!

Ethan was fortunate to have his all - time best bud join him at camp and in the boxcar this summer. In the picture above the two tallest boys stayed and their siblings all wished they could. 

At the climbing wall. The boys were not old enough for this rec area yet - Ethan choose canoeing, archery/ riflery, and basketball as his three rec areas for the week.

A little time in low ropes before checking in and finding out his boxcar.

Ethan all moved in and ready for the swim test! He chose a bottom bunk - his best bud was on the top bunk.

CWR doesn't have any cabins! Instead, they have old boxcars that have been fully renovated.  So thankful for his great counselor, Chris, and all that he taught Ethan this summer. So many people asked if we were nervous to drop Ethan off at over night camp for the week. Honestly, anywhere else I would have been. But, I think I have already established how great this place is- I trust the full time staff completely and they always hire awesome summer staff! My only nervous point was that he would put on sunscreen everyday- and he did!

"On the Right Track"

Excited for the week. Two minutes later they were begging us to leave...

Ethan loved camp, he still maintains that it was the best part of the summer (and we went to Disney folks!).

He was heartbroken to leave (just like we always were!) and is counting down the days until the Father/ Son Retreat in April! 

Truly, one of the things I am the most thankful for in this life is that God allowed me to work at CWR. And, even though it makes me feel so old, I am so happy to pass it on to my children. 

There's a sweet sweet spirit in that place.

The Third Day of Third Grade

So this week we not only had two Kindergartners start school, but we also had a 3rd grader start school! I really can't believe that he is in 3rd grade! 

We are so proud of Ethan- he is kind, intelligent, and regularly displays integrity. I know he is going to have a great 3rd grade year!

Ethan on the first day. He wanted a new "plain" lunch box this year. He informed me that he was too big for character lunch boxes anymore. So, good- bye spider-man!

These pictures were really taken on the first day of school. Just think the title "third day of third grade" sounds catchier. And, it is also part of a VeggieTales tune- can you name that movie?!

The First Day of Kindergarten!

Even though it is trite I keep thinking this week, "Where did the time go?". In some ways it seems like just yesterday that we brought these chubby and beautiful twins home from the hospital. But, it was not yesterday it was five years and four months ago. And, now we enter a new phase. A phase I often thought would never arrive, because the days were soooooooo long. But, it is here and I have been thinking many long thoughts this week about life and how fast it happens.

Right after delivery.

The first time I held them. I had no idea what I was in for.

Our first photo shoot... the whole thing pretty much went like this.  For that matter the next four months pretty much went like this!

Finally starting to get happy about 3 months in!

People ask John and I all the time how we did it, how we made it with twins. The answer is- I really have no idea! It was hard. We did it one day at a time, just like you would have to. My mom stayed with us for almost 6 weeks and was incredibly helpful and encouraging. John's mom played with Ethan many afternoons that first summer when I was too tired and emotionally worn out. We are grateful for both of them, they helped a lot. But, really I barely remember that first year. It was hard. 

But, I would do it all again. 

Olivia and Isaac were (are) our special blessing from the LORD. They reminded me that prayer works and God blesses his people. 

It was hard, but it was worth it. 

And, it still is! Isaac and Olivia are such fun, kind, and energetic kids! I am blessed that they are mine! 

And now for the first day of this whole new phase of life...

At her desk the first morning of school. So confident and excited to learn.

At his desk on the first day. He was ready to push us out the door. No nerves or tears at all. He told me he was ready to learn and make new friends.

Busy with morning work as John and I slipped out. As you can see from the pic- Yes, they are in the same class!

Week one of school has gone well so far. The really love playing on the play ground, going to PE, eating in the cafeteria, and centers in their classroom. They are tired, but have nothing but good things to say about school.

Bowling Birthday Bash!

So we have had a couple of birthdays around here... and although it is still hard for me to believe we now have an eight year old and two five year olds! 

This year we decided to have a party that was not at our house. (At the request of the kids and the husband). So the kids (the boys really, Liv just went along with it) picked a bowling party.  

Here are the pics to prove how fun the party was! 

Bowling Birthday Cake. Yes I bought a special pan to make a perfectly spherical ball... if you want to borrow it let me know!!

The birthday cuties. Made the shirts myself with printable iron - on transfers. Thought they turned out cute. Wish I would have invented that!

 

Bowling cutie. Sort of looks like she is standing in front of a walker, but it is actually a ramp that little ones can use to roll their bowling ball down the lane. made bowling a lot easier for the smallest among us.

Watching his ball... hoping it will make it all the way down the lane!!

The older crowd. Definitely the most into the actual game.

Goofy cousins.

Now for the best part... singing and eating cake!

Awards Ceremony!

Ethan recently received two awards at the 2nd Grade Awards Ceremony. This is the first grade that his school has awards ceremonies and he was so happy to receive two awards.
We could not be more proud of our smart and kind 2nd grader.

Receiving his award for Academic Achievement.

Holding up his award for Perfect Attendance.

The Final Year of Preschool

And, so the final chapter of the preschool years begins.
Isaac and Liv were thrilled to start school last week after a very long Christmas break!
Here they are before the headed off to out wit and out last all the other preschoolers.

Why won't my kids smile normally?

Here they are being "Goofy Balls" as Livy says.