Jack's 12th Birthday

 Jack turned 12!  It was a Monday, so he had school.  He chose french toast casserole for breakfast, I brought him a Chick-fil-a sandwich, fries and a chocolate shake for lunch and we went out to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner!  Friends put post it notes on his locker wishing him a happy birthday.  The waiter at BW3 sang him happy birthday (to Jake - whoops!) and brought him a chocolate cake - AND brought him Lemonade refills before he was even done with his yet, which was like a HUGE gift in and of itself :)  I think he had a great day!

 Early morning celebration before school and work!

 Presents and cards

 Looking at his birthday blog post 

 French toast casserole!

 Being sung to :)

 Reading cards

 Opening presents

 With his Dog

Me and Jack

Out to dinner with his chocolate cake!

So fun

And our family with the Birthday Boy!

Hi, My Name is Jack vol. 8

...And I'm the Birthday Boy because today I turn 12!!!

Here's a little bit about me:

Job:  I'm in 6th grade.  It's okay.  My favorite subject is English because my teacher is the best.  I'm in band, I play the trumpet and am currently 1st chair.  

Books that I love:  Pendragon series, The Percy Jackson series, The Seven Realms series, Rangers Apprentice series, Brotherband Chronicles series.

Favorite things to do:  play Destiny (and the xBox), play outside with friends in the neighborhood, play sports, read, take Beau on a mile run.

Least favorite things to do:  Do homework, go to school.

Favorite Foods:  Noodles, tacos, pizza, spaghetti and meatballs.  

Favorite TV shows/movies:  American Ninja Warrior, Girl Meets World, Kickin It, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Xmen, Stan Lee's Superheros.

Favorite Sayings:  I'm a Nertha, You're a Bertha, You shrimp!, Cream Peen, Berthica, Ugh School, It's a B-day, Ugh Homework, I have school tomorrow (said with dread), Mammy and Pops, Parkour Baby, Brochacho. 

Closest Friends:  Alec, Angel, Andrew, Austin, Blake, Riley, Ben, Cole and Josh.

What I want to do when I grow up:  My Dad's job

Things I did when I was 11:  Played flag football, mowed the lawn, did a bible study with boys and went to Camp Highroads with my Dad and all the other Dad's, went canoeing with cousins, learned to catch quarters off my elbow, learned how to set off fireworks, ran the skeet throwing machine at Sam's wedding, climbed to the top of the silo at the Gran and Pop's farm, memorized Grandpop's ABC's, went paddle boating, started middle school, went bear hunting, shot a .22, played volleyball, learned to play the trumpet, got into a car accident.

Why my Mammy loves me:  Because you are such a smart, sweet, kind, funny guy!  You don't argue with me (for the most part) when I ask you to help out around the house or take Beau on a walk, you're willing to go with me if I take Beau on a long walk, you are a natural athlete and are good at every sport you play, you love playing xBox with Dad, Uncle Matt and Josh, you still have fun with your sisters, you're fun to talk to and funny when you joke with me (especially if I don't get it and get upset with you), you do a great job of helping out with little kids at church and in our family and I love how God is shaping you to be the man He created you to be!  We love you Jack!!!
Love, Pops and Mammy

His pic from 5th grade end of the year

Megan and Jack reciting Grandpop's ABC's

Playing with his cousin in Nashville

Driving a 4-wheeler with Dan

 On the Bear Hunt

And our Family at the Gazebo at the Duck Pond at Virginia Tech!

1st Annual Young Life Fundraising Barn Dance

We helped to host the 1st Annual Young Life Fundraising Barn Dance for our area!  It was an amazing night and so much fun!  A couple on the Committee hosted it in their barn and it looked amazing with many people's help!  

 So pretty!

 Getting ready to do the Virginia Reel - with Ryan calling it in the background!

 New River Valley YL leaders reunited!  

Me, Dan, Nathaniel, Amanda, Ryan and Megan

 Me and my Tweeter

 Jake and the Burtones - sooooo good!

 Me and my Tweeter listening to them!

 Carving pumpkins to get ready for the Barn Dance!

 Great set up

 Drink Station

 Area to sit and relax

 So pretty

 YL pumpkins and mums outside!

 More YL pumpkins and mums

 Magical

And my favorite person!

Beau

If you read this and don't know Beau, you'd think he was such a sweet, calm dog.  We don't have any pics of him barking at nothing, woofing out the window as people or dogs go by, stealing stuffed animals from the kid's rooms, tearing up tissues because he's bored...but we have these!

Snuggling in Moo's room while she got things done

Snuggling while I folded laundry

Snuggling his new Seahorse

And later that same day

Snuggling Moo

Snuggling on the sofa with Jack

And with Jack again

And hiding under the chair to sleep while Daddy checks up on him

Random events

I had the opportunity to attend a film festival and screening of a movie with a friend of mine!  Her friends were the producers and directors of the film, Partu, which is the first Marathi film made by American producers!  After the film, which was excellent, the producers and actors answered questions from the audience.  It was wonderful to be there, see my friend in her element there and be a part of it all!  It will open in India in theaters in December and then in the US sometime after that.  

So amazing, taking questions from the audience

And the cast and crew after the event

I got to go in with Kylie for Mornings with Moms and eat some yummy donuts!

No idea what this is, but they're cute!

Friends in our neighborhood got married the other week and we decorated their parking spots as an inside joke (since there are no reserved spots in our neighborhood)!  Kylie wrote Bride and Groom, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife and hearts with her friend.

Dan spoke recently at church and did a wonderful job discussing that Sin bring death, both physical and spiritual. 

We went over to our friend's house for dinner!  She made make your own pizzas, got pumpkins for the kids to paint and made cheesecake!  We introduced them to Around the World ping pong and had a blast hanging out with them!

And Miss Abby turned 18!  We turned out to celebrate her :)

Kylie at the Waterford School House

Kylie got to go on a field trip to the Waterford Second Street Schoolhouse!  It's a one room school house where they recreated a school day in 1880 by taking on the roles of the African-American children who actually attended the school at that time!  She got to be a third grader and loved being a part of it all - the pledge of allegiance, doing work in your primer, wearing the clothes from back then, taking your lunch with you in a bandanna (roll, cheese, cookie, apple, jam sandwich)!

Reading her poem aloud

And playing fun games at recess!

Kylie's Skating Adventure

Kylie got to go to a skate party for her friend, but had never skated before!  She tried the regular 4 wheel roller skates and then switched to the inline skates :)  After much trying and holding the wall, she did great and was skating around the rink!

Holding the wall for support

2 thumbs up for being able to skate by herself

And her cutie friends with her!