Saturdays in the Fall.

Parenting is hard sometimes.  I had to have a meeting with Pacen's teacher this morning and it just set my day off in a negative direction.  He's not quite where he needs to be with reading comprehension and sometimes I just want to be like....AHHHHH! What the heck are we not doing with him!?!?!  Apparently not enough and so now my goal is to read ahead of him in what he's reading so I can know that he knows what he's reading.  Because it's not like he throws a fit about reading.  He'll actually read for quite awhile in his room and enjoy it but at the same time, he doesn't just dive into one book, finish it, and then move to the next one.  He sort of book hops but it's not like that all the time.  Anyway,  he is going to go to a little reading recovery group during Language arts time and it makes me frustrated for him.  I know it'll be good for him and his teacher is doing what is best but you just don't want your kids to struggle but hopefully this will help.  And then you start to feel this guilt about not spending enough time with your kids on academic things and then you feel like oh great I just don't have enough time because of all these other kids we have and on and on and on.  He'll be fine.  All the other kids will be fine.  We'll be fine.  I just hate when things like this happen and make me feel bad but it's a good wake up call to get our priorities more correct. 

But while our priorities are not correct, we have a lot of fun playing sports on Saturdays!  

Pacen is in Flag Football right now and loving it.  He's scored three touch downs already!  He's been wide receiver and running back and has caught two touchdowns and ran one in as running back.  It's actually quite fun to watch and I'm glad that we've made the switch from soccer.  

This was his first touchdown.  

 I felt bad because I had my camera all out and ready and then I thought he was doing something wrong because he wasn't by any other players and so I put my camera down to tell him to do something and then all of a sudden he had the ball and was running down the field.  That's when I said...shut up, Erica.  You don't know flag football as well as you think you do. (Even though I was a two time intramural flag football champion at BYU.  I do have to mention that as many times as possible until I die.)  

 Watching the games is a little long for the girls, but they seem to find ways to entertain themselves. 

His second touchdown! 

 All these busy Saturdays wear this little Gentry Pie out. 

But there is no rest for the weary...we have two soccer games to go to every Saturday.  I actually have not seen one of Claira's games yet but I'm hopeful for this weekend.  Than has to coach so I take Camry and Pacen where they need to be.  

Cam is doing great this year.  She's all over the place and telling girls where they should be and doing cool ball moves and has a killer leg.  She told me the she thinks she's a good kicker but needs to work on her dribbling.  True.  She's so funny that she's analyzing what she needs to do better on.  She is a natural leader on the field and I love to see that.  

 The poor thing inherited my red face.  My face gets so red it looks like I"m going to pass out and Camry has it too.  But she's the cutest little red face out there. 

 Gentry loves to be adored by the older siblings.  She rules the field and has every ten year old girl wrapped around her finger.  

Saturdays really are the best.  

This past Saturday we worked in the yard, had Claira and Camry's games, then had Pacen's game, and then I headed out to the Relief Society broadcast while Than held down the fort at home.  I still wasn't feeling well but it was nice to sit and listen to the General RS presidency talk about making and keeping covenants.  It really gave me a lot of ideas of things that I need to teach my kids about covenants.  And they talked a lot about bearing each other's burdens.  And the fact that we do not know  what Heavenly Father has in store for us and we don't know exactly what we are to be but Heavenly Father knows and we need to be able to move forward with faith knowing that He has a great plan for us.  I love that thought.  

Right now Than is in New York but will be home tomorrow night.  Wednesday is Gentry's birthday and I can hardly believe it.  She's going to be THREE!  I curled her hair for church and she looked so old.  She's getting so tall and is still so full of energy and spunk.  She is just her own person and life would be so dull without her.  She decided that she wanted a rapunzel party so we are doing a little smaller version of Claira's party for three year olds.  She really does love her 'punzel.  I loved shopping for her because she just wants anything and will be so excited to open her presents.  I just love her personality.  Today we were talking about her birthday and she got this big smile on her face and jumped at me and wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me this big kiss because she was just so excited and happy about her birthday.  How can you not love that!?!?!  I can't wait until she wakes up and her birthday is all decorated and presents are out.  She'll be so happy.  

Now it's midnight.  Yikes.  I have to be up early and have everyone up so that I can work in the classroom.  Having everyone up and dressed by 7:55 is not my favorite thing in the world.  And that would be for two days in a row.  Bleh.