4th Grade Boys Bible Club

Eating breakfast and learning...over 25 boys!

Around the end of 3rd grade, a couple of us were discussing how we would like to start a Bible Club for our boys.  Since I was just wrapping up the Bible Club I helped with for Bennett in 4th and 5th grade, I had the time.  After three phone calls, we had two teachers, a house within walking distance to the school, a curriculum and an organizer!  It was definitely meant to be! Praise be to God!

After a few weeks of school, we decided to get started.  We sent an invitation home with every 4th grade boy, and on our first week we had 27 boys!  Since then our roster has grown to 30, and we have maintained an average of 25-30 boys every

Walking to school after Bible Club

week!  We start at 7am, with parents bringing in breakfast each week, and then Shannon Hicks or Cecily Lowe lead the lesson for the boys.  About 7:45, we wrap up with prayer and walk the boys to school.  I then send out a weekly summary to all of the parents.  It has all gone so smoothly, and the boys seem to really be enjoying it and learning a lot....thanks to the curriculum.  I love that Preston has memorized a couple of Bible verses and seems to recall lots of what we have learned since the beginning.

Walking to school after Bible Club

Only 3 weeks in....so much more to learn!

Look at all of those boys learning about Jesus!

Double Birthday Celebration!

HBD Christian and Preston

2018 has been dedicated to spending more time with my brother's family.  Being in two different school districts, having Henley in competitive cheer and with Brian and Steve traveling for work makes it tough.  However, we have tried REALLY hard to see each other monthly, and have been pretty successful.

Since the kids can't always celebrate birthdays together due to conflicting sports or other plans, we decided to celebrate Christian and Preston's birthday at our September gathering.  The kids have loved getting to hang out more often, because many of the times they lead to sleepovers.  There are lots of laughs, and usually only a little fighting.

In addition, it has really helped all of us become closer.  I feel like I am getting to really know my nieces and nephew.

Parents Beach Getaway!

Though our family has had some great trips away this year, with one additional one still ahead....they are all family trips.  We love our kids, but this mama needs a break.  Unlike Steve who at least gets away with various work trips, I get to be with the kids every day.  So when Shanon Jarmon asked if we wanted to accompany them to the beach for Labor Day weekend sans kids, I was all over it!

We struggled to find a sitter for the long holiday weekend, but we finally found someone that teaches at Walker's preschool.  Friday morning, after we got all of the children to their respective schools, we hit the road!  Though we hit traffic, we finally made it for a late lunch at Great Southern Café!  We enjoyed some fresh seafood and pina coladas, and kicked our weekend off right!  We hit Publix, the liquor store and Buddy's seafood for a few essentials, and finally made it to the beach for the sunset. 

The next morning we went for a walk, before eating some food and drinking mimosas.  We made it the beach for the afternoon, and came back in early so we could grab Dusty's for an early dinner before watching the Bama game that night.

Sunday it was more of the same....lunch and drinks at Red Bar while listening to Dread Clampit, and then the beach for the afternoon.  Without children, we didn't have to adhere to strict dining times.  We snacked a lot, and had one or two meals a days.  

Sadly we left on Monday morning to head back to reality.  It was a great break, and the four of us had so much fun together.  We don't have a ton of pictures to document our fun, but take my word for it....it was FUN!!

6th Grade Party

It has been a tradition for years at the middle school to have a back to school party for all of the 6th graders.  It is a short, casual party right after school about a week after school starts.  Coach Sills (the Trendsetters leader) is the DJ, they have light snacks, a photo booth and an hour to just socialize and mingle with old and new friends.  I was recruited to chair the event, but had a great co-chair, Nicole Alberson as well as several others mothers.

Though our budget was quite small, we were able to pull off a fun party for these kids.  The memories of HMS are starting, and I loved being apart of one of the first ones for these kids.

Quick overview before all of the children arrived!

Caroline Crigger, Emerson Buck and Bennett

DJ Sills has a way to get every kid dancing!

Ella Serotsky, MC Alberson, Audrey Biggs and Bennett

They obviously LOVED the photo booth and all of the props!

Back to School They Go!

4th Grade and 6th Grade

Summers always go quickly with a month of it spent at the ballfields, a trip or two, some time at the lake and a few lazy days of just hanging with friends and being kids.  Sadly our children return to school in early August!  This year is our first year having each of our children at different schools.  I was a little nervous how it would all work out.

Thankfully, it has gone quite well!  Bennett absolutely loves middle school.  She has three primary teachers, and she rotates between them, in addition to PE and Band.  She has joined the Trendsetters which is a group of kids that do service work in the community.  It could be sorting donated items, cheering on special needs kids while they play sports, or anything in between.  Though she is still partial to some of her elementary school friends, she has made several new friends and feels very comfortable at her new school  Barring no extreme weather, she walks down to our church parking lot after school each day, and she likes to arrive early enough to go to her locker before homeroom.

Excited for her 1st day!

Preston on the other hand, likes to get to school just in time for the bell.  Since I drop him off at the Piggly Wiggly, and pick him up there after school, we don't have the long carpool lines to deal with this year.  Therefore, I can take Bennett to school, then Preston, before coming home for an hour to get Walker ready.  Preston has a newer, young teacher, Miss Lyon who seems to be unique and innovative with her teaching style.

Fingers crossed for great school years for these two big kids!

Meanwhile, Walker got an extra week of summer before starting his final year of preschool.  When his first day came though, he was thrilled!  He was ready to have a routine like his siblings, instead of running errands with me every day.  Walker has two seasoned teachers, Paula and Michelle, who have taught together for years.  Their room is called "yellow door," and Walker had several of his buddies in his class, so he was excited.

"Meet the Teacher" Day

1st Day of School

So long baby boy, next year it gets real!

Tween Friendships

When I look back on my life, I can recall handful of friends over my lifetime who have made an impact on my life.  They stand out in my memories of growing up (which says a lot because my memory is turning to mush).  Some were friends from my early elementary school days, which lasted through grade school, high school, and adulthood.  Others were friends I made in college, or in my early 20s, who are still friends of mine.  These relationships formed me!  Of course I continue to make new friends, but it is these old, endearing friendships that I want to focus on here.  When you are young, and growing up, you learn who to trust, who you get along with best, and how to be a good friend to others.

As a parent, I am now watching Bennett (and the boys) establish friendships.  Some have been cultivated by my relationship with the mother, and a few were initiated by my child.  This blog is about Bennett and her sweet friendship with Mary Caroline.  This sweet little girl transferred into Shades Cahaba in the 4th grade from Atlanta and Bennett found her.  They formed an instant friendship!

In Auburn for a Auburn-Mercer Football Game, Sept 2017

My sweet Bible Club from SCE - Dec 2017

During the 4th grade, I formed a Bible Club for the all of the g
irls of the grade.  Mary Caroline and Bennett were there weekly, and sat with her each always (all the way through 5th grade Bible Club).  These girls introduced us parents, and formed such a sweet and endearing friendship.  Bennett has always been a kind-hearted, thoughtful person, and she met her match with MC.  They always thought of each other on vacations, coming home with little tokens, never forgetting a birthday, and face-timing each other often.

Edgewood Creamery - Jan 2018

Their friendship is one that never seems to tire, and they can spend days together without fighting.  In fact, Bennett even went on a long weekend trip to MC's grandparent's lake house this past memorial day.  As they get ready to enter middle school together, they have planned to show up at the same time, so they can get lockers near one another.  They don't have everything in common, but they certainly have enough....a love for cooking, shopping, American Girl dolls, and making slime!

In the Fall of 5th grade, they had a little "incident" where there was a misunderstanding.  They both came home from school in tears, and didn't know how to handle it.  When Bennett couldn't fall asleep at night, I encouraged her to call Mary Caroline to discuss things.  They both apologized to each other, and have not had another issue since.

Camp Cosby Field Trip - May 17, 2018

SCE Spirit Day - May 22, 2018

SCE 5th Grade Graduation - May 23, 2018

Bennett's birthday dinner at Gian Marcos

At MC's grandparent's lake house in GA - May 2018

slime, slime and more slime!

Lockers across from one another at HMS-6th grade

I love this sweet friendship, and hope that it is one that spans Bennett's life.  She has a few other friends that have hung around throughout the years, and it will be fun to watch them through middle and high school.  They are sweet girls and ones that I think would leave a stamp on Bennett's heart when she is old and reflects back on her early years.  Cheers to sweet and kind friends, and tough skin for the mean ones.