disappointed

That's just the beginning to how I feel right now.  I am so disappointed.  Angry.  Frustrated.  Defeated.  Relieved even.  Alex refused to get dressed for football practice today.  C and I decided as much as we were excited and wanted Alex to play football and finish what he started, we just don't have it in us to physically make him play when he doesn't want to.  I know we should teach him a lesson about finishing what you start, and make him play, but if he's not going to practice, he could really get hurt trying to play a game.  I don't know how he would have handled practicing football three nights a week and kept up with his school work either.  So, for now, I am a bit relieved that he decided now, and not half way into the season, that he's not going to play football.  But, I hope that he realizes that he's not going to play any sports any time soon.  I am still so angry because I told him what kind of commitment it would be, and he still said he wanted to play.  And now, one week later, he is a quitter.  Right or wrong, we told him so.  He is a quitter.  And I want him to remember how disappointed he made us.  We invested a lot of money in him playing football, and thankfully we did get some of it back.  Alex will learn a lesson from this.  It may not be finishing what you start, but he will learn something.  I'll be sure of that.

5 days

I guess 5 days in a row of football practice are just too many for a 6 year old.  Alex didn't want to practice yesterday either.  He did so well on Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday he was just too tired to practice.  He wore his full uniform, but I just couldn't get him to go out there and practice.  Next week they'll start their normal practice schedule: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.  I'm hoping since he practiced three days last week, he'll do great on this three day practice schedule.  It's a lot to expect a 6 year to practice 5 days in a row in 90 plus degree heat.  That's all there is to it.  I'm proud of him for what he did do last week considering this is his first time playing football and given the temperatures he had to practice in.

The soccer coaches will be meeting next Saturday for Isaac's soccer season.  So, we should know soon what team Isaac will be on.  Then we'll get to add Isaac's soccer practice into our weekly routine.  I'm hoping his practice falls on Wednesday or Friday.  That way, we're not juggling two practices on the same day.  But, given how things usually fall, that's what will happen; Isaac will practice on one of the days Alex does.

Oh, and to add to all that's going on, school starts in 5 days.  Thank goodness I planned enough ahead and got all of the boys' back to school stuff (except supplies) last weekend.  So, this weekend, I'm not out in the crowds trying to get everything.  Next weekend all we'll have to do is get the school supplies after we get the teachers' lists.

Our summer has flown by as it always does.  These lyrics from Zac Brown Band's new CD ring especially true right now:

"And as time goes by,
Oh it's funny how time can make you realize,
We're running out of it."

from their song - The Day That I Die

much better

I am so proud of Alex!  He was so excited to go to practice yesterday.  As soon as I picked him up from Fun Company, he put his helmet and cleats on since we had them in the van already.  He wore his helmet all the way home.  Then, he put it back on and wore it all the way to practice.  He wore it for a long time yesterday which is good as it should prepare him for how long he'll have to wear it on game day.  Today is day 4 of practice and he has to wear full pads.  It should be fun considering we have a heat advisory right now.  Daddy is taking him to practice today and I'm staying home with Isaac.  It seems that he does better when it's just him and and one of us.  I can't wait to hear how practice goes today!

yesterday before practice



day three

Today is day 3 of football practice.  We are all hoping that today goes better than yesterday.  Alex was supposed to start wearing his helmet to practice yesterday, and that just didn't happen.  He wouldn't put it on or go on the field.  It was quite embarassing.  We ended up leaving without him practicing.  We thought about just giving up but then we decided we're not going to let Alex quit.  He signed up for this, and he's going to finish.  If he still doesn't like it at the end of the season, then he just won't have to play again.  We've tried everything we know of to get him out on the field in his helmet today.  He did put it on this morning, so I'm hoping he'll put it on again this afternoon and run out on that field like he's ready to play.  I know he is; he just needs to get out there and do it!  Today it's just me and him going to practice and I hope that helps.  I'm planning to have some good news this evening and maybe some pictures.  Gotta get Alex fired up for football.  He is a Bulldog,  it's time to act like one!

I can't believe

he's growing up so fast!

purple and gold

Our lives are about to get a whole lot busier!  We had talked about signing the boys up to play football this fall.  We even took the boys to watch their cousin play football last fall.  Our intention was for both boys to play football this fall.  Well, as it turns out, Isaac doesn't want to play football because he's afraid of being tackled.  Alex, on the other hand, is very excited about it and can't wait to play.  Since Isaac isn't playing football, and he wanted to play a sport, we signed him up for fall soccer.  This will be the first time he has played in the fall.  This will also be the first time that they have played separate sports at separate locations.  For the last two seasons, their spring soccer games have overlapped, so we and they have adjusted to not having both of us at every game.  So, we're going to tackle our new sporting adventures head on and enjoy watching each of our boys doing what they enjoy!  I'm just hoping Alex's enthusiasm continues once he's practicing three days a week and playing a game too.  That's quite a bit more practice than he's used to, and practice starts tomorrow.  Let the fun begin!

Happy Birthday Independence Day

June was a whirlwind month for us between vacation and everything else going on.  Although my mother and I went to the Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw Brothers of the Sun concert the weekend before her birthday, we didn't plan to do anything special for her birthday.  At the last minute, I decided that we were going to surprise her and show up for dinner on her birthday. I had let my daddy know so he could have enough dinner for all of us, but I wasn't going to tell my mother.  Well, she and I emailed earlier in the day and when she told me she was having a not-so-good day, I decided to go ahead and tell her that we were coming for dinner.  I think she liked my surprise.

at Brothers of the Sun concert

at LP Field in the scorching heat

Happy Birthday Granny!

The Saturday after my mother's birthday was my nephew, Jay's birthday.  He had a party planned for his birthday, but then he ended up getting really sick.  The party was postponed, but since he was feeling much better on his actual birthday, and a cake had been ordered, just a few of us got together to celebrate on his actual birthday.

the day before this picture was taken, Jay was very sick.  It is amazing how quickly children recover.

his 4th of July themed cake

he had cake and ice cream with his cousins

On the 4th of July this year, we really wanted to go to Holiday World with Nana and the boys' cousins.  But, since we had to work on the 5th, we decided it would be too much to try to make that trip and work the next day.  So, we took the boys to the Adventure Science Center instead.  We also had my parents over for grilled hamburgers, but I didn't think to take any pictures.



We are only 11 days into July, and the boys will start back to school 3 short weeks from today.  The summer is flying by as time always does!

I'm ready to go back!

We've been home from the beach for a little over a week now, and I'm already ready to go back!  This post has pictures from the rest of our week.  We spent most of our days at the beach and the pool. Most nights Pops and C grilled and we played corn hole while the kids had fun playing in the courtyard and the condo.  One night we all went to a place that had zip lines and spider jumps.  Everyone had a great time!  I took pictures, but none of them turned out very good.  On the last night the boys went to ride go carts.  C and I didn't go since we were packing everything up to get ready to come home; so I don't have pictures from that night either.

Camden

Donevyn

Devin

Jaylen

Alex

just beautiful

me and my love

three generations of Miller men

Chris, Donevyn, Devin and Parris

not the best quality, but Isaac, Donevyn and Jaylen in the back.  Alex, Devin, Parris and Camden in the front.

Nana, Pops, Jay and Cam

siblings: C, Brandy and Chris

Us

While I was ready to come home from the beach, now I'm ready to go back.