Part I: 2 + 2 is Chicken

Seems like I've been keeping a mental note for the last month-ish of things to document, but haven't been finding ANY time to do it! Therefore, in a rash, un-Tracy like move, I'm jumping in, in no particular order (Am I capable of this?? That sound you hear is me starting to hyperventilate), with what's left in my brain before I lose it forever. I have no idea where the list will end or what it will include...we'll just see how my memory does and if I can stick to the carefree-abstractness of it all. Aren't you intrigued?

#1. We already talked about Logan's birthday, but the other October birthday in the family is MINE! Most moms would skip over this, but I love my birthday. Even more, I love looking forward to my birthday. Don't know why, but I do. I also love that I, like my own mother, can actually forget how old I am turning. It seems like it's become a tradition to take a picture of me with my kids from year to year and I love seeing how this picture changes. Here's this year's version:


#2. Crazy Hair Day for Red Ribbon Week, always a fun day:

#3. Speaking of hair, one day Connor decided to give Logan a new look. Logan did not care for it.

#4. Cozy boys with their blankies. "Bainies" if you ask Fisher. I can't express how much they la-ove them. I can't say I blame them. I still have my blankie, you know.

#5. After a lateover with a friend one night, Maddie came home as this:

"This" was what was left of she and her friend dressing up like hippies and writing a song...about nature....lots of ellipses needed here. I wish I'd gotten it on video, it was hilarious. Imagine her swaying the peace sign and speaking in an ethereal voice... "Sway with me...Let the wind flow through your fingers..." She's a goof.

#6. Change of Calling
After I finish Young Women in Excellence next month, I'll switch gears from Personal Progress Leader to Girls Camp Director! Yikes. How perfect that I love camping SO much! Oh wait... Lucky for me (and everyone else), I was the assistant to the camp director of the universe for YW camp this year, so I've got a good example to follow. Or a hard act to follow. Or both. Definitely both.

To be continued...time to go breathe in a bag.

G-O-A-L !

Saturday marked the end of the fall soccer season (wahoo! hello, sportless November) and a good season it was! Wind, snow, rain, and shine found us on multiple fields this year, usually by about 7:45 am.

Brayden's team entered Saturday with a 6-1 record, hoping to secure a final win. We quickly discovered it'd be an easy win, the other team down 2 players and our coach holding out 2 for good sportsman's sake, and after a few goals, he sent two of our players to the other team to make a game of it. It was the most colorful game we've played (our extras were a third color, plus goalies, refs, and a dog that decided to interrupt play for a moment) and a lighthearted win to end the season. Here's Brayden scoring one of his 3 goals--high and into the net:

Can't overlook the good lookin' ref:
GREAT season, Brayden!
As for Connor's undefeated team, it came down to an epic clash between White Knights and Green Dragons:
After a hard fought game...
...the Green Dragons bested our Knights. You'd never know it, though. Six-year old spirits are hard to crush.

All in all, we walked away with two 7-1 seasons! WAY TO GO, BOYS!!

Check Me Out

Notice anything new about me? I had my birthday! I am ONE year old. Mom can hardly believe it. I can. It's been a big year.

My birthday was fun. I got to open presents. That's sure a lot of pressure.

Then I got to eat a cake!

A WHOLE cake. At first I thought it was a joke. Mom put a cake right in front of me. She scared me when I tried to touch the candle. After we blew it out, I took a little taste. Everyone cheered. So...I took another taste and you can guess the rest. I didn't eat the whole thing, but I could have. If I wanted to.

Yep, I'm really one. Two things you should know about 1-year old me:

1. Even though I can take a few steps, I think crawling makes more sense.
2. I can say a few words, but my favorite word is "Ohdthee." I know. It says so much.

Look at me just one year ago:

I can hardly tell it's me! It seems like a lifetime ago. So much has changed...but one thing hasn't. I still have my dimples. Mom is so happy.

Happy Birthday to ME!!

How Good it Feels, the Hand of a Friend

I'm realizing how easy it is to fall off the blogwagon! Suddenly it's October and my favorite time of year. Every year I ache to slow us down and soak it up, but the yearly reality is that we head into some kind of October through December tailspin instead. This year seems no different, but I'm determined to keep tabs despite the crazy busy season!

That said, here's a scene from last week that inspired my Longfellow title:

Connor made this guy at school. His name is Paper Connor. In case you're unsure, that's Paper Connor on the left and Human Connor on the right. The resemblance can be tricky.

Human Connor and Paper Connor became fast friends. Later that day Paper Connor joined us for carpool:

Paper Connor likes to read by himself,

but even more with Human Connor:

He's also quite the wrestler:

Because Paper Connor likes to get rough, Human Connor has helped him through several emergency limb replacements. All successful. I'm sure it has something to do with Paper Connor's ever-cheerful demeanor.

What an inspiration. Thanks for the laughs, Paper Connor.