He just grew up...

Sometimes when I pick Karrick up from school, I bring my camera with the long zoom lens, sit back and take candid shots of him. Just natural non posed pictures. I can sit clearly across the park and zoom in on his play with his buddies. I'm stalking my own kid

My toothless rag-a-muffin of a kid just grew up..

Out of the mouths of babes #406

As I came down the stairs this morning, Karrick looks at me in horror and says

"Don't buy the square band-aids, they suck the blood out of your arm for a week...THEN KILL YOU!"

What?? I ask

"Seriously mom, I'm not kidding"  he says while pointing to the TV

I look at the TV just as the

 Today show is wrapping up its segment on "Death and the Birth control patch"

Good Morning!

Homecoming week

Last week was kinda stressful for me so I'm just skipping it. 

This week is Glenbard East's Homecoming...the entire week is dedicated to it. Tonight TJ had a make-up game from Sat (storms cancelled it)  The Rams tied West Chicago. At 7pm I made my way to the school cafeteria for the weekly football booster meeting where we got a run down of the weeks events. 

Tradition has the freshman each donating a 3lb bag of candy for goody bags for all the football players. Tonight we filled 100's of bags with candy.

Wednesday at 4pm is the freshman pizza party where they will get their goody bag, a pin with their football picture on it (for each mom to wear their sons picture at the game) and a homecoming t-shirt to be worn on Thursday. Wednesday at 6 is the Powder Puff game. The varsity cheerleaders play football coached by some Varsity players. Thursday in addition to all players wearing their homecoming t-shirt, the varsity has their pasta dinner and receives their goody bag and pin. Friday all players wear their game jersey's and the Varsity plays their game Friday night. Saturday morning I need to be in the locker room at 6:30 am to decorate all the freshman lockers for their homecoming game at 10:30 against Naperville

All week long old jerseys are being sold for $5, so all GE spectators in the stands are all wearing Ram Jerseys

for Friday night's big game. It is also a fund raiser

This is a great way for me to meet new people and get more in touch with the high school that terrified me a few short months ago. I may as well meet the football moms, because I don't think this will be TJ's last year. This is the stuff TJ is going to remember many years down the road...not the B+ my freshman got on his sophomore honors Biology test (little plug, yeah TJ), but taking part in tradition by playing in his first football homecoming game, to be part of a team and represent his high school. To work hard and push himself to new levels, to meet life long friends and to savor every single moment of high school.

freshman bags

 varsity and JV                    sophomore    

            

I noticed the 80's were missing....hmmmmm

Crushed

Today the Rams played against the Wheaton Warrenville Tigers. The WWHS Varsity team is ranked  #1 in the state and #19 in the nation. I just wanted mt kid to come out alive. Look at TJ above, elbows bruised, and scraped...if you see them up close they are swollen. On his inner right calf is a giant healing bruise and that  is just the exposed trauma to his body. These are pre game injuries.

We got crushed 40-0...TJ played pretty well, being the only one to get a 1st down (I'm just learning the lingo, positions and rules...so don't judge me)

There was a time when anyone that looked cross eyed at my child would suffer the wrath of Mary...I have since calmed down and regrouped....

Mind you, my son still plays the entire game...he never walks off the field...EVER. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...I will be the strongest woman in the world....oh and so will TJ : )

This is a great shot and I wish I had it on sport mode which is continuous, because my TJ just flipped the quarterback up and freakin over. He wrapped his arms around the guys legs and pulled them towards him 

This is what I had to watch today and it happened more than once. Yes, that is my TJ carrying the ball (below)

Now it's their turn, TJ starts out fabulous...he said he really thought he was gonna make it through. Look at each frame closely

Let me blow it up for you....My freakin child, my 1st born son is under all those boys and guess what?

He had the time of his life! Very sore and beat up, but mighty proud to be a Ram!

I am seriously looking and my childs legs sticking out from a pile of football players...when did we take this turn? I never saw this coming, not in a million years did I see my kid as a football player

My toothless baby

Karrick woke up this morning minus a tooth. It is nowhere to be found. I'm thinking he swallowed it during the night. He is so cute without his two front teeth

DuPage River...Warrenville

Tim loaded the kayaks on the van and we headed west about 15 minutes to Warrenville to kayak on the DuPage River. It was a beautiful sunny, warm Sunday. What an amazing gift we have right in our own backyard. The river is amazing and full of life. I can't believe I don't take Tim up on his offer to kayak together more often. We paddled a couple miles south to Naperville. It was just a wonderful and peaceful ride.