Vision Advocate

In some kind of amazing twist, Anderson has become a little spokesman for vision.

First up, he was interviewed by UAB as the pediatric candidate for their yearly promotional.

Here is the video:

Anderson's UAB video

Then, we were contacted by WVLT & asked if he could be interviewed for a story on the importance of early vision screening. We promptly took over GG's house which is much more "tv worthy" than our own house and proceeded to answer all kinds of questions about patching, vision and football.

A few side notes on this story: it was POURING rain during those cute little outside shots, I had been puking about an hour before the reporter showed up and she interviewed him for WAY longer than this short little video clip. But, most importantly, she knows Eric Berry! That became a pretty central point of the conversation, actually.

Anderson's WVLT video

I want to include a few still shots from the video so they can print in my blog book. Someone sent me this as it was airing and it was creepy to see my face in multiple places. 

Actually, quite a few people texted me during the news and Anderson was SO happy that he had so many "followers."

I remember this day: it was the first time he put it on himself and I was so proud of him.

I remember this day: we were at the beach and it has been the only day in the last 7 years where we only used 1 patch. 

I was really happy that they included Max because he wanted a news story, too. 

As always, we are beyond grateful that we have made it to this point after 7 years. I just cannot believe it and I will never take his success for granted.

Anderson: 7u Tackle Football...the final post

A sport season that requires 2 separate posts is a new thing around here. Football lasted almost 5 months and they were some pretty intense months. Anderson has loved every single minute of being on this team: playing with friends, learning about teamwork, getting tackled, getting back up again, running into the end zone, learning from mistakes, making more mistakes, playing in every kind of weather possible and focusing all of his intensity into his favorite thing in the world. 

I have, of course, loved every minute of watching this kid become a part of his team. Anderson does have a natural athletic ability which paid off well, but tackle football is not a sport that you can just fall into excelling. He stayed incredibly committed and held himself to very high expectations. I am fully aware that it was a youth sport season and their season does not dictate success in life, but the skills of perseverance, utilizing your strengths, working with a team and holding yourself to the highest standard will help him in life and I am grateful that there might some kind of long term effect from our empty bank account and exhaustion. 

In addition to all of those positives, we.are.exhausted. Multiple weeks of 3 nights a week practice & weekend games in all of those aforementioned weathers, trying to keep up with the immediate need for laundry at 9pm so he can have it for practice the next day, driving all over creation and dragging the 4 year old* through it all has left me ready for a indoor sport season with a shorter equipment list. 

*Shout out to the grandmas for assisting quite a bit with Max so that his life was not completely tied up in his older brother's obsession. 

By default, I became the mom who organized all of the things. (I am my mother; there is no denying it.)  Because let's be honest, adding the creation of snack lists and the coordination of matching socks was exactly what I needed on my to-do list. I did actually enjoy it, though.

We all got matching hoodies and to say Anderson loves his is the understatement of the year. It is a good thing I do laundry daily because that thing has already been washed a dozen times. 

A mom took some awesome pics at one of their bowl games. 

In addition to running back, Anderson also played safety. There were a few times where a player would get break away and watching Anderson catch up and bring him down took all of my vocal cords from the cheering. 

On that note, I am that Mom. I mean, no surprises there, I realize. I lost my voice at almost every game because I was either cheering for the Admirals on every play or yelling passive aggressive things at the other team's parents who BROUGHT COW BELLS TO THE GAME. Anyone who has ever met me is not surprised at any of these statements. 

I love all of these. 

I just want to yell, THAT IS MY BABY!!!!

His little team. I mean, I just cannot get enough. 

They played in a bowl one Saturday and we sat there all day in the mud. 

These are the moments of my new parenting world, I realize. 

He was filthy.

His team worked so, so hard this season. They learned about positions, plays, how to tackle, how to be tackled, how to play kids twice your size and, most importantly, how to not give up. They ended up 2nd place in their league, losing to a travel team of kids that are taller than me. Watching those babies play against those grown men definitely made me lose my voice again. It basically took their entire team to bring down one player, but they hung in there longer than any other team had and I was proud of them. 

Anderson was incredibly disappointed about 2nd place and I think that bittersweet feeling of 2nd place has officially confirmed his continued commitment to playing football next year. 

I cannot stress enough what an amazing Football Dad I married. The details, the equipment, the understanding of the game, the high expectations, the driving to practices and games....all of the things that I never, ever knew to look for on our first date are 100% with this guy and I am so grateful. 

Somehow we ended up in a tournament AFTER the regular season ended. It sounds crazy, I know. We merged teams with Oak Ridge so it was a new group of kids. 

On the way  home from the first game (loss) Anderson fell asleep with a Bojangles biscuit in his hand and I found it hilarious. 

Another pic of these 2 people that I love. 

Some videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpSP2z2W8WQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4H2_OI-SEU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbxHOLBYYJQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F41yFQIclpk

TD at HV Playoff game

2nd TD HV Playoff game

Max-Soccer

Max played his first season of soccer at the Y and he was so stinking cute out there every week!

To be honest, he did not love going and needed water constantly during the games. He lived for the after game snack.

You know that I am not going to buy the picture package, but am just going to take my own. 

The water, again.

Love this one. 

Also, GG & Noni/Bop were at every game, but I have zero pics of them. So sorry, guys!

Just loving that after game snack. 

I am not sure anyone on his team scored a goal the entire season, but Max did have fun running around out there with them. Other than occasionally acting like it was tackle football, he actually did a really good job and held his own with the bigger/older kids. 

We attended the End of Year party at the Y for swimming and pizza!

Max looks like such a little surfer here. 

He was SO proud of his trophy!!!

Some videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUnBjqTjab8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L7-YblwwYE

School Pics

I mean, this is just the cutest kid in the school right here. 

Max's fall pics were done a little differently this year with some inside and some outside. 

I preferred the outside ones. 

I mean, I clearly preferred this one above all of them 

Followed closely by this one...

I love this kid so much.

Fall Festivities in October, including Halloween

I am calling this "festivities" but what I really mean is "here is a bunch of stuff that does not have a theme. 

I traveled to Nashville to do a presentation at a conference and, while I do enjoy some time to work in the hotel room, I just do not love traveling away from my people. Plus, each day of missed work equals 17 days of make up work when I return.

Noni went to eat lunch with Anderson at school, which he, of course, loved. 

We went to a super fun party at Pump-it-up where the kid's mom totally splurged on the extra long party WITH the glow time. I love when other  parents spoil my kids while I sit on a bench.

Anderson & I went for a 1 mile run one evening and I literally could not keep up with him. He cut his finger on a thorn and had to take his shirt off to stop the bleeding (spoiler alert: it was not bleeding that much.)

I  loved those few moments of just the two of us. 

Because they are AMAZING, GG, Eden & Austin took the boys to a pumpkin patch one night when I was at work. 

I was especially grateful for this because we have not had a chance to go to a pumpkin patch yet* and I was a little sad about them missing a year. Also, I was supposed to send in a pumpkin to Max's school for him to paint and, I am not even kidding, I had zero time to pick one up that week. 

*See: the never ending 7u football season

This one=the best. 

So, so grateful!

I love this picture! 

I really love that someone kept up with Anderson's glasses (My money is on GG...)

Boys at McFee

Anderson no longer has real parties but he did have something called an "Apple/Pumpkin" party and Noni went to volunteer so I did not miss work. Apparently they rolled mushy pumpkins and did some kind of addition with it. Bring back the candy!

Max had an entire day of fun at school before Halloween and he was PUMPED. They painted pumpkins, played games and ate pizza!

His school also had a little festival after school!

Levi joined in on the fun!

Anderson has not been able to attend AE games with me because he has games so early on Saturday mornings, so when he finally had a bye week, we were all over it. He asked one friend to spend the night and then they made a new friend (the son of one of my co-workers) at the game. Watching these 3 play football was so much FUN!)

Max the Scuba Diver and I made a ghost cake that turned out sort of like a ghost. 

The Fall Festival at Anderson's school was moved inside because of rain, but we still got our money's worth....on about 43 packages of sour worms that dip in sour powder. 

Also, we got to spend some time with out girls and Lily shared her new skill of face painting with everyone. 

I am an assistant teacher in Max's church class and, while I do not love missing mass, I do sort of love hanging out with Max & Lucy! One week we added Reese to the mix!

On the Sunday before Halloween, we hit up a church Trunk or Treat and FROZE! 

Also, this kid who has 56 costumes, went with a dive suit/snow boot mix for the occasion. 

Some of the cousins joined us for the cold fun!

Anderson is not pictured because he did not want to go. He is officially growing up on me. 

Some of the trunks were super elaborate. 

Nobody speak of this and maybe it will happen again....

We (Brandon) carved our pumpkin on the night before Halloween because I am pretty sure that football has taken over our lives and we just did not have time before then. 

He did a pretty awesome job. 

On Halloween, I had to basically BEG the boys to go to at least a few houses to Trick or Treat. 

All that they wanted to do was hand out candy, so they were pumped when we made it home. 

Noni came over for the fun!

We did actually have a really fun time hanging out on the porch, handing out candy!