Well Done

We have been celebrating a job well done!  Christian's first report card was excellent but his second report card he got last week was even better than the first!  I did not think it was possible for his grades to go up but somehow they all did! Of course he was immediately negotiating a trip to Game Stop for his good work!!

Last Friday Christian got to take his first limo ride in a Hummer Limousine for being a top seller in his school's fundraiser!  Unfortunately right before he and his friends got to pile in, the skies opened up and it poured!  However, that did not stop the fun.  Instead of a pizza party in the park the limo took the long way around to the gym at the Admin building.  I got to ride in the limo too and snap a few shots.

 The kids were so excited to see the limo finally pull up out front to pick them up.

 Checking it all out

 He can not contain his excitement.  Pre-Sugar

 Christian, Justin and Hunter

The Girls!

Next came Christian's Football party at Bill Bates Cowboy Ranch.  There were 36 players, 36 cheerleaders and their families that all came together Monday night for pizza, trophies, awards and to watch the much anticipated slide shows.  It was chaos but it was very cute to see the cheerleaders cheer on the boys when they were getting their awards and then watch the football players and cheerleaders pair up to exchange gifts.

 Table of football boys chanting

 Waiting on the pizza

Wyatt exchanging gifts

 Jake

 Brock

 Christian and Bella (wish I would have gotten a better pic)

Listen to what Coach Mark had to say about our #40

Look at that face

Last but not least we had Carson's Soccer Party last night.  He is so excited to now have a collection of trophies - 2!!  We braved the cold and went to the park for a quick celebration!  Here Carson and his buddies are after they got their trophies.  They were all very excited to get them but not so excited to take a few pictures.  After this was all done the boys all went back to play for a few more minutes while the grown-ups had our usual gab sessions.  

Celina Storm - minus Ben

Next thing I know one of the boys ran up to us and says "Mr. Cunningham, Christian just got in a fight on the playground".  Are you kidding me?  As I am walking over I find a dad bent down between Christian and the other boy giving the boys what appeared to be a stern talking to.  However as I got closer I don't think that was the case at all.  After assessing the situation to see that everything appeared to be o.k., I stepped out of the way and let Chad take over from here.  Clearly this was out of mommy territory. After talking to the dad, the other boys and Christian it appears that my young son had had enough and after several kicks to the shin and receiving a slap on the face he took matters in his own hands and threw the boy down flat on his back and proceeded to punch him...more than once.  When Chad got Christian over to the bench to have a talk, Christian immediately started crying.  Chad told him to relax and listen to what he had to say and they proceeded to have a daddy/son heart to heart.  Evidently Christian made quite an impression because Mason kept saying how proud of Christian he was.  Lesson Learned: Defending yourself is o.k and will not get you in trouble but picking on someone and starting the fight will get you in a world of hurt.  Needless to say Chad was secretly a proud pop.

Special Morning Time

The Cunningham Fam has a new morning routine! Chad now drops Christian off at school on his way to work!  STOP THE PRESS!  Yes, most days Chad and Christian are out the door together to start their day.  Christian loves having Chad take him to school and I do too as it is now much more relaxed in the morning not having to get Christian up, bathed, fed, lunches packed and at school by 8, return home to then rush to get Carson and I ready and him to school by 9.

This morning after Chad and Christian left for school, Carson and I were left to get ready for the day.  As I was getting him dressed I asked him what he was thankful for and this was his response.  "I am thankful for God, (pause) my brother's hermit crab, (pause) my family, and Uncle Ross in Heaven".  

SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS

What a proud day!! After an undefeated season the 2nd Grade Bobcats won the Superbowl against Bonham 26-0!

Christian was so nervous this morning on the way to the game.  We kept telling him that this was just like any other game and there was no reason to be nervous, he should be excited because we had been looking forward to this day for a long time! He sat in the back seat staring out the window the entire way as we listened to our theme song of the year, Boys of Fall.  We listened to it over and over  and over again.   Christian would sing a few lines here and there until we got on the other side of McKinney and it was then time for "bone crushing" music!

As we made our way to the seats we noticed that the entire middle section of the stands (the seats with the sun shining on them) was roped off.  We finally settled in our seats for the game to begin!  It was 6-0 Bobcats in the first quarter and the Bonham fans were letting us know it.  In the second quarter it quickly became evident that the stands were roped off with good reason! If the two sides could have sat any closer together...we may have had a rumble and this momma would have been right in the middle of it!  The Bonham fans were stomping their feet and shaking their rock filled milk jugs like you would not believe.  It was maddening, seriously, these are 7-8 year old boys and grown adults are doing everything in their power so that our team can not hear the play calls.  After a few times outs to regroup and some serious noise from our fans we ended the half with another touchdown and never to hear from the Bonham fans again!

During the second half the boys continued to play some incredible Bobcat Football.  Christian made some awesome tackles back to back and one for a twelve yard loss!  The boys ended up winning the game 26-0!  I am so proud of all the boys!  Their hard work, sweat and occasional tears truly paid off.   It was a wonderful feeling to see the boys huddled up jumping up and down after their big win!  

 Shot of the Final Score!  

 Receiving their Super Bowl Trophy!

 #1

 Super Bowl Champs (I have a feeling we will see a lot more of these!)

 Chad with a few of the other coaches!  A very proud moment!

 We bleed orange and white!

 The next cover of Sports Illustrated

 Christian's Fan Club - The boys ask me before each and every game if they are going to have any family there to watch them play!  I think they do o.k!  Ettie had already made his exit but he was here to cheer on his grandson too!

Christian and Ta Ta

 Christian and Pa Pa

Happy Halloween

The kids had a spooktacular Halloween weekend.  Chad and Christian had come up with a wonderful costume idea for him.....Tom Landry.  Christian was very excited about being Tom Landry.  A trip to the store to pick out Carson's costume did not even change his mind.  Friday morning they were having a costume parade at school.  This was the only time he hesitated for a bit and said "I don't want to be Tom Landry because none of the kids will know who I am and everyone will laugh at me".  I quickly calmed his nerves and told him how cool Mr. Pasqua would think his costume was and that all the teachers would know immediately who he was and that was most important.  I think it worked.  Chad showed him how Tom Landry used to stand on the sidelines and here he is all decked out Friday morning....

Sure enough, when Mr. Pasqua put Christian in the car that afternoon he went on and on about how that was the most original costume of the day and he laughed knowing Chad had shown him the Landry pose of yester year.


We went to a Halloween/Birthday party Friday night complete with a pumpkin seed spitting contest, face painting, a ghost pinata, a haunted hay ride, a campfire to tell ghost stories around and more.  When it came time for the hay ride, Carson and his little buddies decided they were not going to sit out so I decided I had better grab my coat and go along for the ride.  The trailer full of boys, 5 moms and one dad were off on our adventure.  Jim, the lone dad on the trailer, entertained us all by narrating the ride and trying to prepare the boys for the spooky things we might come across on the way, while ducking from attacking bats, and trying to get the boys "quiet as a church mouse" so that we did not scare the leopard out of hiding.  It was really funny.  My camera was acting up all weekend and I was having trouble getting night shots, but here are some pics from the hay ride.

Here the boys are on the hay ride before we took off.  I had tried to take the pic several times but could not get my flash to act right.  Anyway, most of the pics I took showed all the boys giving me very evil glares.

 I think this was Chad coming out of the little cemetary back there.  The planning and staging that went into this hay ride was quite impressive.  Most of the boys were laughing along and commenting about the fake or plastic props but there were a couple that got really spooked.  Surprisingly enough it was not Carson or his little buds.  At one point Carson let out a belly laugh that got everyone to laughing.

 Attack of the silly string spraying ghouls.

The man behind this skeleton is Chad Kennemer.  He slid down the hay bales and right when he jumped off to head toward the boys, he had a small wardrobe malfunction and his ribs fell down which revealed the clothes he had already been spotted in earlier in the evening.  The boys new instantly who it was and started giving him a hard time.  Carson just came in here and said "Remember what Justin said at the end of the hay ride.  That was awesome but that was fake"!

I have a feeling this is what Halloween is going to consist of over the next few years.  

Saturday was game day.  Christian's team had a bye but Carson had a three o'clock soccer game in Frisco.  After the game we came home, Jenn, Misti and the kids came over and we all watched the Ranger WIN and the #25 at the time ranked Baylor Bears beat the Longhorns in Austin and move up to #21!  It was a fun night.  

Sunday evening was trick or treating time.  We went to another Halloween party at the Lacy's so all the kids could then trick-or-treat together.  Not sure what the neighbors thought but we all had a great time together. 

Carson has been in full on Iron Man mode lately so he knew well in advance exactly who he wanted to dress up as for Halloween this year.  He is obviously my child too, because he has already planned out his next two years worth of costumes, in order!  I think Carson was shooting a web in the picture above so I quickly reminded him that Iron Man used the force, so he quickly re-posed.

Iron Man and Tom Landry.  What a combination.  A few of the boys asked if Christian was a business manager or a mob guy.  

 Landry with an injured Tony Romo

 Justin was the scariest

 Cutie Pies!!

 Carson was so excited when the Thomas family jumped out of the car and joined us trick-or-treating.  He and Ben were so happy to see they both chose to be Iron Man.  One of them said "you are just like me".  

Christian and the older boys had quickly taken off so our group was broken in to the big kids and the younger kids.  Or maybe the boys and the girls + Carson.  It was late, the kids were tired and tripping but once these two got together, there was no stopping them.  They ran from house to house.

It was a great night and a late night.  Happy Halloween!

While they were "sleeping"

Wednesday night Chad had to go to a CRA Meeting.  So, when bedtime came around, the boys and I went through our typical night time routine.  I was shocked on this particular Wednesday that they both decided to sleep in their own beds in their own rooms.  This does not happen very often!  So after our talks, prayers and hugs and kisses, it was lights out.  By my estimation I had about 90 minutes of Hettie time, also known as tv time where I had full control of the remote!  This too does not happen very often.

The dogs and I cozied up on the couch and then I proceeded to "rot my brain",as my husband so often likes to tell me, with my tv shows.....Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Private Practice, LA Ink, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and Bret Michael's new show on VH1.  I had some serious television to watch which is why I guess I was ignoring all the sound coming from the boys rooms.  

A little while later I heard the sound of a bedroom door opening.  Which child would it be and what would they need?  My guess, Carson was thirsty.  Nope, I was wrong.  Christian appeared first with Carson right behind both with huge grins on their face.  "Mom, we need to show you something", Christian said.  "Close your eyes".  At this point I get home so both boys can hold my hands and lead me to the bedroom with my eyes close.  Upon opening my eyes, what did I see?

The boys had taken all of the stuffed animals out of both their rooms and piled them on top of Christian's bottom bunk.  They were so proud of their crafty little plan as you can see by the size of their smiles!  It was funny.  After a few pictures I insisted that it truly was bedtime and that they now needed to go to bed.  Later that night when Chad got home,  I told him to go give the boys a kiss because they missed him not being home.

Sure enough they had fallen asleep amongst all of their stuffed animal friends.  It obviously was not that comfortable because when the alarm went off the next morning both boys were in bed with us!

October

It has almost been one month since I added a new post to this blog.  I don't quite have blogging down yet but do hope to get better about posting.  I used to be so good about scrapbooking and writing in my journal but I can not tell you the last time I had pictures developed, scrapbooked, or even wrote in a journal.  How shameful is that?  I must cherish every minute of every day with my family.  I wish at the end of the year I could take everything from here and have it made into a book.  Anyway, I am playing catch up tonight. 


This month has been super busy and I feel like I have lived at the Elementary School the last week or two with four big events and each of them a great success....our Fundraiser, Book Fair, Donuts with Dad, and Fall Festival.  Truth of the matter is I love every minute of it...to see Christian's face light up when he sees me at school (I know it won't be that way for long), or to have kids wave and say "Hi Mrs. Cunningham" or "that's Christian's mom", to have Christian ask me what a perk is when I pick him up from school because he got a perk in P.E or to see the wonderful impact PTA is making in our school.  It inspires me.

So let's see.  What has the Cunningham Fam been up to?  There was the annual homecoming parade...

 Our "Boy of Fall"

 I love this pic of these goofballs....Brock, Wyatt and Christian.  It was classic.

One more pic before the parade.  Which leads me to my next point.  

I really think Carson is going to be a rock star when he grows up.  The boy is so funny and absolutely LOVES music.  Is it bad that he can sing "So What" by Pink, loves the beginning of "Cowboy" by Kid Rock, sings "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker and many, many more.  Any time the kid hears music he instantly stops what ever he is doing to listen, sing, head bang or dance.  He has already asked for a piano and wants to learn to play the drums. In church the past two weeks, he has asked me to help find each hymn we sing in the songbook and proceeds to sing right along with us.  At the homecoming parade there was a dj playing music before the parade started.  The next thing I know, Carson is out there learning and doing the Cuban Shuffle and Electric Slide with his friends.  It was priceless to watch and funny to see the people around us watching. Which reminds me....I must get the video from Misti.

Carson's preschool went on a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch and he was so excited to have Daddy go with him.  Unfortunately they did not come home with any pics of the two of them together but Daddy and Carson both came home with a lot of good stories to tell.  Carson told me all about Farmer Rick being lost and finding him stuck in the hay, and the goat taking his cup of food.  Chad laughed about Carson picking a triangle shaped pumpkin (and the inclination to have him turn around and pick out a more traditional looking pumpkin but then saying to himself if that is the pumpkin he picked then that is the pumpkin he will bring home) and Carson asking if they should tell a lady when walking out that they found Farmer Rick in the hay.  They had a wonderful day together and it was fun to meet them for lunch after.  Here are a few pics...

 Which gets me to thinking that this little child of mine, my baby, is about to turn 5 years old.  (He told me last night to make sure for his birthday we put 5 candles on his cake).  I am not sure why he thought we needed the reminder but o.k.  He will go to Kindergarten next Fall and I absolutely CAN NOT believe it.  I already joke that he is a Kindergartener in training as much time as he spends up at the school with me.   How we got from this...

to this so fast, I will never know.