Happy Valentine's Day!

We continued our annual photo shoot, a tradition that started on Emmy's very first Valentine's Day. To think that back in 2017, the sign was the same size as she was! That precious baby has grown into a beautiful little girl who sure loves her Daddy!

  

The kids dressed in their red and pink today, and they came home with a haul of treats and trinkets. I received some gifts too: flowers from Boomer and my favorite candy from Emmy and Eli. Boomer surprised me yet again this year, and I was extra impressed that he delivered the flowers to the correct school. Since I bounce back and forth between Forbush and Starmount, it can be tricky to keep up with my location. He sure is a keeper!

Over the weekend on Saturday, the 10th, Emmy and Boomer went to the Kernersville Daddy Daughter Dance. Earlier that day, Emmy had a basketball game and score two baskets, plus had several rebounds and defensive steals. After a little bit of rest time, she swapped her jersey for a pretty pink dress. Whether she is hustling on the court or dancing to Taylor Swift, this girl can do it all! Emmy loved wearing eyeliner and "spider eyes" aka mascara. The dance was at Legacy Stables in Winston, and the theme was Barbieland. Of course that meant all the pink! Emmy and Boomer saw several friends they knew and got a lot of neat swag in their goodie bags. It sure is sweet to see them dressed up and going out on a 'date.' Daddy has set the bar high for any future suitors!

Hello, February!

We've moved along into February! During the first few days of the new month, Boomer went to Pinehurst for the annual NCASCD Conference. After almost ten years of attending, I finally asked what all the letters stand for: North Carolina Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. In the past, Boomer has presented sessions at this conference, and this year he interviewed and was chosen to serve on the NCASCD Board of Directors. What an honor! His superintendent Dr. Martin will be resigning from his seat on the Board when he retires in March, and he nominated Boomer to apply for the open spot. There were a few other nominated candidates with impressive resumes from other districts, and I was so excited to hear that he was selected. I am always so proud of him and his work ethic and unwavering commitment to his profession. We missed Daddy while he was away, but Mommy kept the ship afloat at home and still managed the morning drop-offs and two nights of extra-curricular activities.

The kids are continuing to get good reports at school. Eli's class has learned through the letter O, and he is practicing writing his name. He is doing better each day with gripping and holding a pencil. He doesn't color or write as much as Emmy was at this age; he would prefer playing with his race cars or practicing his basketball shot, which are also excellent activities for fine motor skills. I have no doubt that with another year of preschool, he will be right on track for starting kindergarten. Emmy was recognized for Honor Roll at her school's mid-year Awards Program. I sadly was not able to attend, but Grammy had a great spot for photos on the front row. We are so thankful for Grammy standing in as Emmy's fan club.

Emmy's artwork from Art Class

There are still a few more weeks in the basketball season. Eli will be wrapping up his Thursday practices soon, and Emmy's last game is on February 24th. Boomer got to watch Trivett in his final middle school game, where he and his team had a perfect, undefeated season and won the conference championship. Trivett had a great game with several 3-pointers. In a few more weeks, we will shift to spring sports. We are planning to sign up both kids for t-ball/little league, and I am curious to see how both kids take to this new sport. Stay tuned! 

My sweet Emmy during the pre-game prayer

The kids are excited for Valentine's Day. Grammy made special messages to put up on their doors each night, and they have been counting down with the heart-shaped stickers she gave them. Even Mommy and Daddy got hearts on their door! Emmy decided we needed the countdown calendar too, and so she made one to look just like the one from Grammy. We are all feeling the love this month! <3

Basketball and Monster Jam

Usually in January we hope for a snow day. Much to our surprise, our wishes were granted in the form of a RAIN day. Last Tuesday, there was the threat of a big thunderstorm with flooding and high winds. All the schools in the area closed, and in Yadkin we had an Optional Teacher Workday. I opted to go in, and I brought along my two sidekicks to Forbush. Mommy got a little bit of work done, while the kiddos passed the time with some schoolwork, fidget toys, games, and lots of snacks. We've had a couple of two-hour delays since, which are always my favorite, but so far no actual snow. We'll see what the rest of winter brings! 

We enjoyed our 3-day weekend for the MLK Holiday. On Friday, Emmy was invited to a "sleep-under" for her friend, Casey. I was unfamiliar with the term, but it's a mini-sleepover, where the girls come dressed in their pajamas and do lots of fun girly things until it is time for bedtime. Boomer picked her up at 9:30PM, and Emmy couldn't believe that she was out so late. On Saturday, Emmy had her second basketball game, and Granny and Paw Paw came to watch. The Cardinals got a second win, with Emmy playing great defense and having several assists. After a short time at home to rest, we went to Monster Jam at the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday evening. We had purchased our tickets shortly after Thanksgiving, and we went along with Grammy and Grandpa. We were all first-time Monster Jammers. There were four events where the drivers showed off their skills, tricks, and speed, and then an all-around winner was announced. We especially enjoyed the motorcycle show at halftime. It was a fun activity for the long weekend. The only downside of the weekend was starting back with a new semester of grad school. My weekly meetings this semester are on Mondays, and even though it was a holiday, I still had to be online and in front of my computer for an hour. The countdown is on until May 9th and graduation!

Emmy's team played again today and unfortunately had their first loss. But Emmy scored her first basket! Mommy may have been a little too excited! The Cardinals are now 2-1 and will hopefully come back stronger next week. Eli continues to enjoy playing basketball on Thursdays, so much so that he even wants to wear his jersey to bed at night. Have you ever seen anything cuter?  

Happy 2024!

Our 2024 is off to a quick start. We rang in the new year with our usual group at the Houstons'. We gathered around 5PM, and Zack did a low country boil. Just like on Thanksgiving, Zack proved himself to be a master in the kitchen, and we all enjoyed his cooking - it was delicious! And for the younger pickier eaters in our group, there were chicken tenders available, along with a spread of post-Christmas treats and desserts. After eating and playing some games, we arrived home around 9PM. I was the only Kennedy that stayed awake until the ball dropped, and right before midnight, I looked on the video monitor and noticed that Eli's bed was empty. When I went in to check on him, he was asleep practically standing up in his rocking chair. This is the first time that has ever happened. He must have been pretty tired, because he didn't even stir as I carefully moved him back to his bed. On New Years Day, after resisting his nap, he fell asleep briefly on my chest. And I certainly loved that! His naps are getting less and less; it seems that we are moving beyond that season of life. 

 

Basketball is in full swing now, with both kiddos having practices on different days during the week. Eli is so excited to finally get to play like his big sister. His first practice was this past Thursday, and he is playing in a "parent-and-me" league for 3- and 4-year olds. Boomer is his designated "parent," although there is one practice later in the month when Boomer will be out of town and I will have to stand in. For the first practice, apparently the first 15 minutes were a little rocky, when Eli became frustrated with not making any baskets. However, after finally making a shot, he was pumped and excited to play again. Is there anything cuter than a little boy in an oversized jersey?

Emmy's team had their first game on Saturday, and the Lady Cardinals looked good! Before her game, we watched Zander and Maddox play their games too. All three cousins had wins to kick off the season - yay! After watching the boys play, it confirmed for us that an all-girls league was a good idea. The girls are still learning the game and aren't as wired for aggressiveness. However, I was proud to see the growth in Emmy over the last three years. She was following the action down the court and had several rebounds and assists. No baskets for this first game, but hopefully she will score soon. Not every little girl is so lucky to be coached by her Daddy and Grandpa!

Coach Boomer, Assistant Coach Buzz, Raelyn, Bri, Avery, Emerson P., Emerson K., Brinkley