Griffin Times: 2015

Saturday, November 21, 2015

May 2015 Gymnastics Showcase

Marching in...Luke was supposed to have a soccer game, but it got rained out, so he joined in on the showcase instead! He was so excited, and Isaac was thrilled to have Luke with him.

It also happened to be Luke's birthday!

Every participant got to stand on the podium and get a medal. Since it was Luke's birthday they sang Happy Birthday to him.

The boys with their coach, Michael.

Oma and Opa were in town to visit for Luke's birthday and for the showcase.

Vault (handstand flatback)

This picture sums up the day...Isaac was focused and doing his best on everything. Luke was just having a blast! Luke stole the show with his excitement, joy, and ability.

Pommel Horse

High bar!

Rings

Floor

Parallel Bars

Floor

It was a super fun day and a great introduction to a gymnastics meet. We've got some gymnasts in the family!

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Hannah started preschool (two days a week) this fall and she was beyond excited about this new adventure! She had to wait two weeks after the boys' first day before her first day, and gosh that was tough. But we made it, and by day 1 she was more than ready! She woke up that morning ready to go! She ate her breakfast super fast, and then immediately after she put her backpack on with her pajamas. It was so cute! I walked her in to school that morning because I wasn't ready to just leave her in carline. She walked right into her room, hung up her bag, and went off to play. She was not a bit sad or hesitant. I'm so thankful that she was so excited and ready to go!

When I picked her up after her first day she was so happy and told me all about it with a HUGE smile on her face. Our baby girl is not a baby any more. *tear*

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Update...

Since I'm so far behind on blogging I figured I'd just update how she's been doing. She is still loving school! She would go everyday if we let her! She has made some friends, she loves all of her teachers, and she is learning a lot. Her teacher is the sweetest and Hannah adores her. We had a conference last week, she was very happy with how Hannah's been doing. She said she is one of the youngest in the class, but you'd never guess that by her behavior or ability to follow along with the lessons. She said Hannah is a helpful friend, and she shares well with her peers. What more could a mama ask for from a 3 year old?

I am thankful Hannah is loving school, I pray she always finds joy in learning and going to school.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Isaac is 7!

Isaac...our big Isaac is now 7! What!?! I know you're thinking that can't be right...I'm thinking the same thing. Gosh, where have the years gone?
Isaac is an incredible boy...he continues to have a sweet and gentle spirit, he is observant, he is loud and talkative, and he is fun! Isaac is a funny boy, he is completely different at home than he is out and about. At home he is loud, crazy, outspoken, and talkative. But at school or really almost any public place; he is calm, timid, quiet, and obedient. Funny how he has two sides to him. I love both sides equally...although there are times at home that I wish he'd be a little quieter. Heehee! Isaac is an amazing big brother! I'm not sure if his little bro and sis realize it, but he is a blessing to them. He takes such great care of Hannah, with a sweet loving approach. He will meet her every need when he's alone with her. He also takes great care of Luke. This school year has shown us that even more. He sits with him on the bus, walks in with him daily, and often checks to make sure he is doing okay during the day at school.

This year was hard for him, I think the move to North Texas was harder on him than anyone. Moving schools is not easy for a shy student, but he handled it so well! The fall semester he stayed in his shell, he enjoyed school and made some friends. Isaac branched out this year, he started out on a dirt bike, which he loved! Then after the move he did stroke lessons with a swim club and soccer. He enjoyed both, but didn't love them. In January he decided he wanted to get back into gymnastics. So we started him in a class, but he quickly moved to the next, then onto preteam! He was doing very well with the skills, but his success was mainly due to his focus, obedience, and work ethic. These characters are a big part of who Isaac is, but we never saw them this intense as we did this past year. Last spring as he continued on in gymnastics we noticed changes in him that carried over into school. He blossomed as a student academically and socially! It was amazing, we could see his self confidence grow before our very eyes! He matured a lot from 6-7 years old, he gained a new confidence in himself, and found a passion for something like never before. 6 was a fun year with our boy, but I have a feeling 7 will be full of even more adventures and growth.

We are so thankful for our precious Isaac...he keeps us laughing, challenges us daily, and loves well. I see so much of myself in Isaac, so I have learned more about me than I thought possible. Heehee. (This isn't always a good thing.) We often laugh about the similarities between me and Isaac and between Carl and Luke.

Isaac's birthday cupcakes at the party.

Showing off his rope climbing skills.

Handprints for the handprint wall!

The boys got a slot car track for their birthday...the racing fun was a hit! It took some patience, from everyone, but the boys were determined and they learned quickly.

Our big 7 year old!

Birthday present on his birthday! Notice his sprained arm...a bad fall from the monkey bars put him in a splint for 3 weeks.

A new truck and trailer for our car loving 7 year old!

Isaac's 7 year old questionnaire...

Favorite Toy: Slot cars

Favorite thing to learn: reading

Favorite snack: Graham crackers

Favorite TV Show: The 7D

Food I dislike: green beans

Favorite Food: Fried Shrimp

Favorite Color: Orange

I love to go outside to...bike!

Favorite Song: Yankee Doodle

Best Friend: Jack

Favorite Animal: dogs

When I grow up I want to be: a firefighter

My Peanut is 5!

Obviously, I am way behind on my blog posts. But I cannot let the year go by without a post highlighting each boy for their birthdays. I know, just a few months late. I'll start with Luke! The boys had a combined birthday party again this year. We had it at their gymnastics gym, and they had a blast! They both had a few friends from school plus some family friends. It was perfect!

I cannot believe that Luke is 5! 5 is a big milestone, I feel like so much changes once kids turn 5...and Luke has proven that to be true. Luke matured and changed so much over the year from 4-5, it was a joy to see that happen. He continues to be our strong willed child, but with that comes a passion and determination like I've never seen. It can be challenging to handle at times, but I know that as he grows this will be the characteristic that carries him far in life. I am excited to see how The Lord uses that in his life. Luke is also sensitive, he feels big and he loves big. I see that more and more as the years go by. He has become such a sweet big brother, he takes great care of Hannah, and plays so sweetly with her. Of course they fight and argue, but his love for her is precious. He continues to be a cuddlebug, but ssshhh, he might not like me sharing that bit about him. Luke has a huge imagination, we've seen that in his playing for a while, but now he's showing it in writing and art as well. He is very interested in reading and writing, and is doing great with both! One thing that we saw in Luke from a young age and continue to see is that we cannot push him to do things, he will do it when he's ready. This continues to be a huge part of who he is, so sometimes we must plant an idea, encourage him, and then wait for him to decide. For example, when we started swimming again in May he was very cautious and a bit scared. But after some time he warmed up to it and before long he was swimming like a fish again.
Luke is a true blessing to us. He is so different from me, so I learn a lot from him, but he is so similar to Carl, which is neat to see. I love this little peanut with all my heart and am so thankful he's ours!