Joshua's Birthday and MVP

Joshua had his 8th Birthday on the 25th. Cody took him for the weekend on a man trip to Waco and they watched Baylor beat KSU. Then he got what he wanted for so long a BB/Pellet gun! Yes I know what y'all are all thinking bad choice. Wednesday I received a call from the school his stomach hurt and he needed to come home. I went picked him up and he came home and slept all afternoon. Went back to school on Thursday feeling fine. I told him Friday night I was glad he was feeling better he said "I had BB gun fever." ?What? He then said "That's why my stomach hurt all that pumping his gun made his tummy hurt."


Aidan and his teammates played in a football tournament this past weekend called the monster bowl. They lost both games. There was a small highlight, ok big one. Aidan was awarded the MVP award, one of three, for the tournament for showing sportmanship and Christian attitude. I was very proud of him. They might have not given it to him if they knew the crazy women in the stands yelling was his mom. :)

Sports

Aidan in his first tackle football game as the quarterback.

Joshua and his best buddies after his flag football game.

Aidan?

Really Aidan?

Oh dear...

Cody's cousin Bryn comes to stay very often, which we love. Maude however is constantly asking about marriage and when she can have a wedding so she can be in it. She will ask what color of dress and so on. Well last night she was chatting with Bryn about the same thing. Bryn asked Maude if she could be in her wedding when she got big. Maude said "You will be dead from smoking" (Now we be a good time to state Bryn does not smoke) Bryn said "I don't smoke" Maude then said "You will be dead because you are so Smokin' HOT" Oh dear.... Also nice time to say Bryn is very pretty and I wonder if Maude overheard someone say that, who knows?

My blue eyed boy

Joshua took a spelling test a week or so ago. He brings home his papers for us check so we can see grades. Well on this spelling test they could write two short i sound words for bonus. They had to be spelled correctly, so like most 2nd graders I would have picked two small words that were easy to spell. Joshua picked....

important and different

Amazing Day

Aidan was baptized yesterday on September 12, 2010. As parents we are thrilled for his decision to become a Christian. I think it's every parents proudest moment to watch their child take on Christ in baptism. You know the old saying 'it takes a village to raise a child' well I believe that is true in becoming a Christian. Bible class teachers, high school boys, friends, family and church family play a part in his every thought and decision. We have been blessed to be apart of a wonderful congregation that has helped him and us in every way to become more faithful.

Cody and Aidan

Brothers

First Communion

Good Friends to support

Mimi and Granddad

Cousins

Mema, GreyPa and Annie

Summer into School

Here we go recap of the summer...
First two weeks basketball camp, week in San Diego hitting Padres game Earthquake Sea World and Zoo, then going to Disneyland, July 4th, WT basketball camp, Red River and LOTS of swimming. And I wonder where our summer went? We enjoyed every minute of it and now busy with school. Aidan is playing tackle football, first game this Saturday and for the next 9! He also will be baptized this Sunday the 12th. Cody and I couldn't be more thrilled with his decision and have prayed for all of our children to know God and have a relationship with Him like we have been so fortunate to have. So if you can drop him a note of encouragement it would mean so much to him and us!

Joshua won Hot Shot award I believe that is his second time to win that award at that camp.

Maude was chosen as Most improved and the Hustler award at Nazareth basketball camp. At the first of the week she couldn't even make it up to the basket and by the end she was making it in. Also found out she is left handed when it comes to sports.

Aidan was named MVP and won layup, ball handling and free throw competition. He also attended Nazareth and WTAMU camp this summer. (and I wonder why I had no time to blog)

Aidan sported a blackeye for the whole trip to San Diego/Disneyland He was hit in the eye with a baseball bat and this time not by his brother:)

The boys took in a Padres game while Maude and I enjoyed roomservice and an EARTHQUAKE!!! 5.7 to be exact and we were on the 12th floor. She asked if I could turn on the weather and see where it touched down. Ahh my Texas girl!

Beach in San Diego

Disneyland

Joshua trying to talk her into letting him pull her tooth.

Aidan enjoying the mountain air at lunch in Taos.

Joshua (notice the tape on the chin from 4 feet fall in our front yard when a bridge gave away)

Maude enjoying the mountains (Maude lost her first tooth and second this summer! She is the only one who has not cried having a tooth pulled out of all 3)

End of summer trip to Red River

First day of school

Comparing

First day of school picture and last day of school. We survived!!! Joshua had his end of school party today and had a ton of fun. He has such a great group of boys in his class. Very happy for him. He also received the Math award this morning. So all around good day.

Ending our first school year...

I didn't worry too much about Joshua and Maude when we moved. They both are very social. I had concern with Aidan, he is very shy and takes a while to warm up. He also has had the same best friend for the 3 years. I have been very excited to see him grow and fit right in. He had his award ceremony yesterday and did very well. He received A honors, high Honors, Student Council, High AR Pts and was commended on both TAKS test. Yeah for Aidan!!
Maude had her end of school party today and had a blast. I can not believe she just finished kindergarten. They are growing up way too fast!!
We have one more award assembly tomorrow and one more party... Then it's SUMMER TIME!!

Aidan's track meet

Aidan had his first Baker Elementary track meet this past Thursday. He was soo nervous that morning. Their P.E. teacher had worked with them and they all did so well. Aidan won long jump, the football throw and the 200. He got second in the 400 and the hurdles. Aidan has always been somewhat calm and level headed. We rarely see him go crazy like some other kids in the house. Maude and I had gone down on the track for the football throw to watch and take pictures. When they announced that he had won he threw his arms up and yelled 'yes'. Then quickly realized what he had done and got embarrassed. It was good to see him excited! Love that boy!

Joshuaism

This afternoon Maude was giving me details about recess activity. There was a girl that was not nice at recess. Maude was going on and on about it and she said "I don't know why she is so grouchy?" Joshua was sitting close by and said "She is grouchy because she is the last born..."

Chocolate Cake

Very few times I get serious when I write. Today is one of those days.

My Grandmother made the best Chocolate cake ever! One of my most vivid memories I have over and over of my Grandmother is in her kitchen. Her sitting me up on the kitchen cabinet and cooking. She could clean a batter bowl like no one I have ever seen. There was rarely a drop to lick. I can close my eyes and rush back to that moment. Everyone has those memories that make you smile and miss someone dearly in the same moment. Well I have only attempted to make her famous cake once before. Just never thought it would be the same. The past two weeks I have made it twice. The kids and Cody have gladly participated on my attempts. So for two weeks I have thought nonstop about Maude (my grandmother) and my Maude and how to pass down those memories and talk about them with my children. I have always wanted that thing that you bake and everyone knows it is yours. Strange I know but I guess that comes from to many pot lucks at church. You know a perfect comfort food. Cody said last night I had nailed it this week and it was perfect. What a supportive husband. The chocolate cake would be and hopefully will be my thing.

And every time I make it I am sure I will drift away into her arms for a moment on the kitchen counter...

Track meet!

Joshua and Maude had their track meet today. They both did really well and had a ton of fun. We were proud of Maude for actually competing in an athletic event. She was surprisingly fast and determined. Joshua was not so surprising he makes everything a competition and loves to compete. The group of boys are in Joshua's class. They are going to be a fast and talented group of boys. Finally was a perfect day to be outside.
Aidan went to the one room school house in Oklahoma. (wish I had a picture) They had to dress in period clothing. They also had to take a bucket lunch and the menu had to be from that time. Wax paper to wrap sandwich, tin cup to drink water, no tennis shoes or lunchables. Aidan has been looking forward to this day for a month and I don't think he was disappointed. He couldn't stop talking about all the stuff they did from writing on slates to playing marbles. I think he will remember this day for a long time. So a very eventful and fun day for the family. Looking forward to SUMMER after a great day outside!

Birthday and Basketball...

We finished basketball today. Aidan was able to play the past two tournaments. Today he was able to score several points and seems to be getting back on his feet. Joshua also tagged along and played with the 3rd and 4th graders. He cracks me up, he doesn't miss a beat and never backs down. I guess having an older brother helps you get tough! However, he sat on the bench part of the game and called the other teams pickles the whole time. (Still some youth in him.)He also reported at halftime that Cody had said a bad word and he took a book to read in the huddle about sharks. We won the Wellington tournament last weekend and the Follett tournament this weekend. Very good way to end the season.

Maude celebrated her 6th birthday this past week. The years are passing way to quick!! We celebrated with friends from school getting nails done and eating pizza!

May seems to be completely full already!! All 3 have a ton of stuff going on at school. Before we know summer will be here!! Yeah! I can't wait.

Wow it's been a while....

I thought I would never let my blog slip but the past year has made a lot of things happen. Let's see if I can catch you up to speed. Aidan finally came out of his boot. He was able to play the last tournament. We had 3 basketball teams the past few months! They were a ton of fun but a ton of time as well. We had two YMCA teams, one for Joshua's age and one for Aidan's age. Then we had a 3rd and 4th grade travel team that would go to towns around this area for tournaments on the weekend. We did well especially for some who had never played!! (Brag time real quick Joshua scored 12 points in 3 minutes in one of his Y games. He loves the game.) The Y is having a tournament here in town this weekend that Joshua's age is going to play in and then we are off to baseball.
This past weekend we went to the Women's Final Four in San Antonio to watch Baylor!! We had a great time on such a short trip. Wish our Lady Bears had won but it looks like they have a good chance of building with all the freshman on the team. The bluebonnet picture the kids were sound asleep after late Sunday night when we pulled off to take it. So their eyes are a little swollen. Makes me a little sad the kids have really changed and growing up! Aidan turned 9 in March and Maude will be 6 in a couple of weeks. (Joshua will be 7 1/2 on the 25 of this month as well.)

Finally good news, kind of...

The results are in! Yeah! Aidan does NOT have Subtalar Coalition. We are happy about that and thank everyone for the prayers our way. However, Aidan has to go back in a boot for another 6 weeks. His ankle has not healed as quickly as we had hoped. He will get a new boot that will help keep weight off the ankle. He also had blood drawn to rule out juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Just to be sure that is not why it is not healing as quick. He cried over not getting to play basketball and having to go back in the boot. He didn't shed a tear over the blood getting drawn. Joshua played in his spot tonight for his basketball team. We thought we weren't going to have enough players, so we had him suit up. He played really well for a 1st grader with 3rd/4th graders, and scored 2 points. They are all super excited about Valentine Parties tomorrow. So life is good in the Culwell House tonight.

Of Course...

Aidan broke his growth plate in his ankle over 2 months ago. He came out of the boot a couple of weeks ago and still continues to be in pain and limp. We thought it was just stiff for the first few days. He doesn't want to go back in the boot so he won't tell us it hurts but we can see by his face when he puts any weight on it. He has figured out how to run on his toes and walk without putting weight on it. Last week Cody took him to see an orthopedic. The X-ray showed something called Subtalar Coalition in BOTH ankles and may have been the reason he broke it in the first place. He had a CT scan the same day and still has not ruled it out. So on Wednesday we will be taking him for a MRI. This condition is very rare, of course, less then 1% of the population has it, of course. So like a true Culwell he will probably have it. Still praying that we don't but it would explain not being able to heal. He may have to have surgery to fix or brace of some sort. Thanks for all those who have been praying and continue to pray. Aidan feels very special that so many people care and gets a little grin every time someone lets him know they are praying. I will hopefully have an update the end of this week.

Sledding

So from my last blog were there any of you that thought 'What are the chances of the Culwell's sledding and playing in the snow without getting hurt?" Sunday afternoon we sledded at Jackson park we took a friend of Joshua's with us. They were doing great, until Aidan had a little mental lapse... Joshua was walking up the hill and Aidan wanted to go down that path he kept yelling for Joshua to move. When Joshua wouldn't being the typical MEAN brother, Aidan took off towards Joshua's legs. He knocked the legs out from under him and flipped him in the air! They survived and were fine. We came home and the boys hadn't had enough so they went to our alley hill behind our house. They built a ramp out of snow that had been pushed off the road. (By the way right now would be a good time to tell you they had been watching the Xtreme winter sports on ESPN for the past two nights.) I was watching thinking coming off the ramp onto cement is probably not a good idea! They would hit the ramp and then coast 3 or 4 feet into the alley. Safe enough, right? Well, Joshua hit the ramp a little to the right and got really good AIR, flipped and landed on the back of his noggin! He had his hood on (really wishing helmet) but it still cut the back of his head open. This is one of his smaller cuts and just required, his always preferred, dermabond. On the way over to the ER to meet Dad, who by the way didn't even bat a eye or ask what happened, Joshua said "I got higher than anybody else, didn't I?" Blood running down his neck... When we got home and were sitting on the couch Joshua reached up and pulled out a tooth!!
Loving life...

Snow!

Our first snow in Canadian has been very eventful. We have been snowed in for a couple of days now. School was suppose to start at 10:00am yesterday morning. We are use to snow but the hills have not helped us! Yesterday morning we got our kids up to take to school bundled them up and off they tried to go. The suburban got stuck right off the bat. The pickup wouldn't start on Wednesday and still wouldn't start on Friday morning. So we went to the Ranger for help and it wouldn't start!!! So I called Aidan's school to let them know he would be extremely late or wouldn't make it. I was going to walk the two youngest since we are only 2 blocks away. It took us a little bit to get to the top of the street the drifts and steps to the top of our yard took a while. Then we started walking the drifts were waist deep for Maude in some parts and the cars started sliding towards us and we hadn't even made it to the house next door!! So we turned around and stayed home. Today we were pulled out of the field, the pickup and ranger got jumped! We are back in business. I took the kids to a park to sled after they got bored with our alley. Then when we got back to house we pulled them around in the ranger dragging them on their sleds. Someone said "Why does this stuff always happen to you?" I think God and I get along really well and we have a good sense of humor. He would only joke with those of us who take it really well ;)

The picture of Maude is how close she came to sledding into a bench!