Halloween 2022

The week leading up to Halloween, the boy's schools celebrate Red Ribbon Week and have different dress up days. Camden has zero desire to participate, however Casen enjoys participating. On Wednesday, Casen was rockin' his best self! LOL.

For pink out day, Casen made himself a pink rubber band head-band as well as several pink rubber band bracelets to wear. He was all decked out!

Today was Halloween and both boys ended up going with their friends, so Shane and I were home by ourselves sitting in the dark with no trick-or-treaters - how exciting are we????? I generally buy candy every year, but since I normally take the boys out trick or treating, we always have so much left over so decided this year not to even buy any. Had I realized the boys were going to go and do their own thing, I could have enjoyed handing out candy to all the trick-or-treaters. Next year . . . .

I dropped Casen off at his friend, Grayson's house and he went trick-or-treating with he and some of his neighborhood friends. He came back with quite the haul of candy.

I dropped Camden off at his friend, Lucas' house and he headed out trick-or-treating with a group of his guy friends. Prior to dropping him off, I asked him to please make sure and get a good picture of himself in his costume. These are what I got:

Once the boys got home, they both dumped their candy out of their pillow cases (since they both decided that their buckets don't hold enough candy) to see what all exciting they had.

Since I wasn't around to take pictures of them, they appeased my by posing for pics in the back yard.

Dancing, Serving and Playing

Since Casen was sick and unable to play in the flag football playoffs, his teammates saved a shirt for him so of course I made him pose for a pic with it on.

Camden's school had a Harvest Moon dance and when I had heard about it weeks ago I asked him if he was going to attend. I received an adamant "NO!" so never brought it up again. The dance was this past Friday and on Wednesday evening I was informed by Camden that he now wanted to go. How exciting, his first dance! So I asked him what he was to wear and I tell you what, he is worse than a girl. :) He whipped out his phone and showed me a group text of his friends that included pics of what they were all wearing, which was dress clothes. If you know my child, you know he does not like pants much less dress shoes, and I basically had a day to get him something to wear. Luckily, his cousin had passed down some dress shirts and pants several year ago and luckily they fit! However, as far as shoes, we had nothing. Since Camden has soccer practice on Thursdays, Casen and I went shopping for him some shoes and a new tie. He is currently in a size 7 which is right between boys and mens so we struggled finding shoes, but eventually did find some black dress shoes as well as a tie.

Friday after school, we dropped Camden off at his friend Brecken's house with his clothes in hand. A group of the guys went and ate at Chic-Fil-A prior to heading to the dance. Luckily his mom and dad snapped some pics for me. Camden said he had fun and wished it would have lasted longer. He apparently did dance a little, however did not dance with any girls.

Shane's parents came into town for the weekend to watch the boys play their sports. While Camden was dancing the night away, we all went and watched Casen play two flag football games, which they won. Casen scored several touch downs and played very well.

Yesterday morning, Shane, the boys and myself participated in Kingdom Saturday and headed to make Houston a little more like Heaven by  going with a group from our church to an apartment complex in Houston where refugees from Afghanistan reside. We played with the kids, talked with the adults, painted pumpkins and gave out snacks, clothes and books. 

Today, all of us headed to College Station to watch Camden and his team play soccer. It was a windy, but pretty day. His team lost, but we are unfortunately getting used to that. :( 

A House Plagued with Illness

The past week or so illness has wreaked havoc on our home. It all started with Mollie, the cat, who started vomiting multiple times a day and then quit eating over the matter of a week or so. She finally threw up a hairball (which she had not done in quite some time) and after giving her hairball medication and treats as well as soft food, she finally seems more back to herself. Who knew that a hairball could cause enough of an obstruction to cause such distress??  I'm  not going to lie, I was not sure she was going to make it since she basically quit eating and drinking . . . and as much as I am not a huge fan of hers since she is not nice to Casen, I didn't want Camden to loose his cat. Luckily, crisis averted.

Sunday evening Camden started feeling bad and by Monday morning he woke up in tears (which he hardly ever cries) and said he was miserable. His temperature verified he was definitely sick and thus began the week of the flu plaguing our house. So many of the boys friends had already missed school due to the flu so I guess it was our turn. Camden stayed home from school Monday and Tuesday and was finally able to return Wednesday. By Tuesday evening, Casen started with fever and he stayed home Wednesday and Thursday. 

When Casen calls
me bored LOL

Apparently Nina, the dog, did not want to be left off of the illness train. Thursday, while at work, Casen called me because Nina vomited several times and had a decreased appetite. Fortunately, whatever upset her stomach was all straightened out by today.

Thursday was Shane's birthday and we were definitely low key. We had Raising Cane's for dinner (which by the way can I just say how expensive they are now!?!??! $40 to feed our family of four - ridiculous for chicken fingers). Then Shane blew out a few candles on his 'cake' - AKA unbaked chocolate cookies made into bars. 

Luckily, since it was the end of the first nine weeks, the boys did not have school yesterday, so Camden slept until 11:00 am and they both rested and relaxed all day. They both are still snotty and coughing, but luckily the fever is mostly gone. This evening was the end of season flag football tournament and unfortunately, we had to stay at home and watch them play on-line. His team ended up playing two games, both games with only 4 players, and ended up losing in the championship game. So exciting! While we watched the game, Camden and his own excitement by pulling one of his molars. 

Casen's football buddies

This morning when Camden woke up, he seemed to be OK, but did not seem to be feeling as good as he was yesterday. He pretty much relaxed on the couch all day. By the time this evening came, I noticed his face was flush and his cough was getting worse. I checked his temp, and he had fever again! So we headed to the urgent care where he was diagnosed with bronchitis. The PA gave him a breathing treatment in the office then called in steroids, an inhaler, and Albuterol for the nebulizer.

Since it is a Saturday night, there are not that many pharmacies opened, so she called in his medication to a pharmacy across town from us. We went and picked up Chic-Fil-A, ate in the car while watching Alabama football and waited a few hours to pick up the medicine. Once we got it, we headed home and got him in bed. Hopefully, this will kick it for good. We will keep our fingers crossed, because up to this point, Shane and I have not contracted the flu yet. This week reminded me of when they were little guys and sick, except me being 10 years older definitely affected me differently.  I set my alarm each night to medicate their fevers during the middle of the night and once I would get back to bed, it would take several hours to fall back to sleep (thank you old age and menopause). Good times . . .  LOL.

Sports Synopsis

The past several weekends have consisted of cross country races, flag football and soccer. Camden qualified for each cross country meet, however the first one was rained out, the second he could not run in due to a soccer conflict, he ran in the next two and the one yesterday he ended up not running in because he had not been feeling well all day. Unfortunately we drove all the way to the Woodlands to pick him up and take him home. 

XC meet at White Oak MS in Porter, TX

XC meet at Grand Lakes JH in Tomball

Casen's flag football team has been doing well. They have lost a few games, but have been playing well and having a good time playing. Their championship tournament for the fall season is coming up next weekend and Casen is already signed up to play the winter season which starts the next weekend.

As for Camden and his soccer team, I don't know what to say, except perhaps we are in a growing  year. Dynamos made it into the ECNL league this year and with more than half of our team having 2011 birthdays' and playing up a year, oue team is struggling being able to keep up since this is around the age some kids start going through puberty and with 1/2 our team being younger, they are being beat on size and speed.  It is extremely frustrating for the parents of the boys who are 2010's. At this point we are all wondering if/when our team will ever be competitive. . . all but one game we have been completely shut out, with the worse score being 0-11. Despite their coach giving them pep talks after the game and pointing out their positives, it is taking its toll. A month  and in it has already felt like a very long season . . .