family update

Since I'm not blogging with much regularity these days, I decided to give you all an update on what's going on with our family. Don't get too excited, it's not really that interesting. It's mostly because my memory already stinks, and I want to be able to remember something in the years to come, so I'm trying to at least document a few things. :)
We'll start with Avery...he's doing well in school. Some days I still can't believe he's in the 7th grade! We're not that far from high school, which terrifies me more than middle school! He seems to enjoy school, even though he'll tell you he doesn't like it. It doesn't seem that hard for him, and he really likes the social part of it. He's a teenager, but he still talks to us at this point. We'll see how long that lasts!! :) He loves the youth group at church, and wants to be involved in everything they do. That makes us happy, and frustrated, only because we're about a 20-30 minute drive from anywhere he needs to be. I'm starting to understand why parents of 15 year olds can't wait until their kids are able to drive themselves places!! He's growing like a weed, literally! He's 5'5" (and 1/4)! He won't let you forget that quarter inch either! He's been taller than me since the summer, but it's still strange to look up to him. He, of course, loves it! He can't stand when I wear shoes that make me taller, which encourages me to wear them more often!! It's really quite handy to have him around these days, because I just ask him to reach the stuff I can't, instead of getting out my step ladder! He seems to think this is funny still, but at some point in the near future I'm sure he'll get tired of it. He's getting ready to try out for the track team. He had to decide between that and soccer this year. I'm a little sad because I enjoy watching him play soccer, but I can tell that running is what he loves. Avery definitely cares about what he wears, and how he looks. He's constantly fixing his hair, and he now gets up early so he can shower in the morning. Apparently the only way he likes his hair is if it's washed in the morning. It makes me giggle sometimes. :)

Now to Brady...he's also doing well in school, but unlike his brother, he would be fine if he never went to school again. He's not miserable, and enjoys the social part, but he definitely lives for recess! Thankfully, he has a great teacher that I believe understands his need for recess and physical activity. I really think Brady(maybe more than some kids) NEEDS that! She's also a Gators fan, so that helps too! He's in his last year of elementary school, which hasn't quite hit me yet. I'm so thankful that he was there for Chloe's first year. She loves seeing him during school, and I feel better knowing he's there too. He's looking forward to archery starting back next week. He's also going to be playing baseball this spring. He struggled with deciding between soccer and baseball, but I think he likes the pace of baseball better. Brady seems to love anything and everything he plays, so it's always fun to watch. He has high hopes for middle school sports, but I'm not ready to think about that. :) With the move to middle school, he gets to join the youth group this summer. He's very excited about that, and I'm hoping that he loves it as much as Avery. There aren't many boys his age at church, so he's always kind of looking to fit in somewhere. I'm curious as to how he and Avery will get along. Brady likes hanging out with Avery and his friends, but I really want him to find his own group of friends too. Brady is also growing like crazy, but he's still waiting on that growth spurt. It's killing him that Avery is so much taller. He's used to being just a few inches shorter, but it's much more lately. He thinks that he should be growing faster, but he's really right where he should be. The boy lives in under armour clothes, and anything sporty looking. It's rare that he wears jeans, I really don't know why I still buy them for him! He's been asking to wear shorts since the beginning of the year, as if somehow, now that Christmas is over, spring is here. It's a daily battle.

And finally Chloe...she is doing well in school also. She's reading, and getting better at it every day. She isn't the most patient reader though, and can get frustrated quickly if she can't figure out a word on the first try. She can still be quiet and shy at times, but she's completely comfortable at school, and loves her friends. Since Christmas, we've been having an issue about getting her to stay at school. We've been out so many days for snow, and she's been sick on and off, so I'm sure that doesn't help. I know she loves school, but I think she might be homesick. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm hoping we can find a fix soon. Other than that, she's good. She's signed up for soccer this spring. It's her first time playing anything, and she's very excited! It's going to be interesting to see how she does. She doesn't like to lose. I mean, she really doesn't like to lose, so I'm hoping that this will help her realize you can just play to have fun. Her brothers have already helped her practice some, which she loved. I can't wait to get some actions shots of her!

I think that's about it for the kiddos. There's really nothing new going on with Keith or myself. Same ole' same ole'. We've enjoyed the break from the crazy sports schedule, but I think we're ready to jump back in. Ready or not, it'll be here quickly!