Speeding through April

Hello family and friends! We are holding onto our hats as April has flown by. We didn't enjoy snow this week (it's spring for goodness sakes!) but did enjoy lots of outdoor activities this week. The kids are starting to countdown to the end of school - 4 weeks left!

I went to find soccer socks for Brenner's practice (I was picking him up from track and heading to soccer). The drawer couldn't close - so I pulled out all the socks with holes.....and I still had trouble closing it. #teenageboys

Brenner's 4x200 relay took the bronze on Thursday's meet. Great job! 

Aunt Theresa says I am never in the blog. Hi - Aunt Theresa - I am here - working from home, playing mom, and being a wife! 

I find really interesting pictures on my phone thanks to Nola. 

And another one! She is a total Harry Potter geek! Nola also enjoys reading the books with Aunt Theresa via FaceTime! 

A surprise visit from the Bynums on Friday. Aunt Lynnie's birthday buddy has almost caught her!

The clouds left Saturday afternoon so I was able to get my pots filled! 

Brenner asking me to play soccer (he obliterated me!). However, I got a great goal (complete with a meg) just as our neighbor drove by. He later told me "I saw you clean up on Brenner!" I came clean - only that one goal!

A quick visit to Grandma Val's house on Sunday. I LOVE this picture. 

This is a keeper too! 

Brenner later claimed that the limb kept moving in to his way.....it doesn't quite work that way!

 This was a crazy clearance purchase at the store - and it was fun and tasty! The popping is so loud that others around can hear it! The spice was nice!

Spring weather

We all know the saying for Missouri weather - if you don't like, just wait five minutes! We have been having some spectacular skies. Some pleasant hours, some unpleasant hours - but it is great to see plants blooming and the sun setting later in the evening. We are inching our way closer to summer and no school - which the kids are excited about! (Matt too!). Matt and I both got our first covid shot this week. Each of us were kind of yucky for a day but then bounced back. I was mostly tired. My mom was shocked when I texted her that I needed a nap!!!!! (Naps are in my repertoire!)

A gorgeous sunrise one morning....note the redbud in the foreground is blooming!

I learned from the school facebook page that Brenner won a pirate award (again so soon!). I asked him about why he got it. His response "I don't know". I questioned "Where is it?" Brenner said "We pretended to smoke them and then threw them away." This kid....you can imagine my response. I also noted how disrespectful his actions were to the teacher. Thirteen year old boy brain is something not to be proud of.....at least on the social level. His academic skills are stellar. 

I was feeling better on Saturday so Nola and I went shopping. New Chacos found for Nola, and fancy hand soaps from Marshalls for me! 

Gorgeous rainbow in the Saturday night sky!

We wrapped up our family viewing of Andy Stanley's Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets (check out all six sessions for free - Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets, Part 1: Deciding Our Way Forward // Andy Stanley - YouTube). The last session seemed to hit home for Brenner - well for all of us really. If you watch it - let me know what you think! 

Sunday afternoon we headed to the soccer park. Nola and Brenner had games - first ones were in the miserable cold, cold rain. I had my rain pants in the car and didn't put them on....now who has adolescent brain!? 

Nola enjoyed game two much more! 

She played defender and loved it - said "I love booting it down the field". 

Their team went 0-2 for the day but showed much improvement on reading the field. 

Waiting for Brenner's last game....nice sunny sky right.....

...until you turn the camera the other direction! The clouds were amazing! 

Brenner's team won their first game - he played keeper the second half in that pouring rain. He is ready for game two with a smile on his face. 

Grandma Val and Matt bundled up! Photo credit: Nola. 

I look pretty intense! Photo credit: Nola

This red team was all freshman so we knew it would be a tough game. They were super mouthy and got in our boys heads a bit. I do love this image where all three are airborne! 

They weren't happy went the 7th grade blonde mullet scored on them. Good job Brenner!
 

Game faces

Lots of games this week - keeping us in the car a bit. The weather cooperated so that was a huge blessing!

Brenner's 4x200 relay team took the bronze. 

Brenner's 4/100 team took the gold - good job boys!

This cat is so weird - caught him sleeping in the trash can......there was a Sonic bag in there!

Video game faces - or perhaps glaze. It was raining so I didn't say too much about the screen time. Nola seemed to enjoy just watching them!

Basketball tournament. The girls played up in a 5/6th grade bracket. 

The first team was amazing....we lost but the girls had some good moves. 

Nola went between wing and post - kept her on her toes and she did well. 

A win 18-16 for our second game!  We lost the third game - but third place isn't bad! 

Lots of smiles at the end for all the hard work. 

A little bit of work with the horses......

....while we headed to the soccer park. The weather was gorgeous! 

Brenner's team is playing up into a U16 league. They won their first game 5-2. Brenner was goalie first half and didn't allow any goals. Good job, B!

The second game was against the other Raven's team (who are actually U16!). The boys held their own and played a great game losing 7-5. Here Brenner is battling the nephew of one of my best friends in high school. Oh how time flies! 

Steller kids and mini-vacation to the bayou

Not sure if we could have squeezed more into last week - but we had a ball! Track, soccer, school, work, vacation - to name a few. I have also been smelling burned/singed hair when cooking at home - it is so weird/frustrating. This has been going on for weeks, and when a friend mentioned "tumor" I freaked a bit and called the doctor. She instructed me to ride it out for a couple of weeks after asking me about other covid symptoms (I had none). I thought it was something in our house, so I was surprised that the smell followed me to the cabin on vacation! Once back home, doctor instructed me to get a covid test and sure enough it was positive. But no further requirement to quarantine as I was likely exposed a month ago (smell issues generally hit 7-10 post infection, but you can test positive for up to 30 days). So - if you smell something burnt and you know it isn't your cooking, talk with your doctor! No one else had symptoms and I am glad that I mask up when I am out and about in buildings other than my home!

Brenner earning a pirate award - way to go, B! 

Nola earned an empathy award - check it out at Facebook. 

Great smile, Nolie! 

Thanks to Aunt Theresa for sending some new books! 

We jumped in the car at 4 am in Thursday to drive to Caddo Lake, TX/LA. We were all glad to get out of the car! The kids got to mark Louisiana off of their state list! 

Me and my mini-me checking out the fishing dock! We spent the first afternoon/evening relaxing. 

I woke up early enough to catch this beautiful sunrise on Friday morning. 

I loved the steam coming off the water. 

Some early morning fishing for Nola in Buzzard Bay. A couple of nibbles but no fish. 

Dad showing Nola how to tie on the lure. 

We then headed to Caddo Lake State Park for a hike. 

The weather was perfect - cool and sunny but no mosquitos! 

I was really glad about the no mosquito part! 

Love Nola's face! 

He could be on Duck Dynasty or Swamp People....I guess....because I haven't watched either of those shows! 

Mom and Dad - telling the kids - we want a picture without you!

Nola in a cyprus tree. 

Next we headed to Jefferson for some ice cream and antiquing. Matt is on a mission for the cabin!

We found big foot. There have apparently been a lot of sightings around Caddo Lake. Hmm.....

Fried, fried, fried was the meal joke. River Bend Restaurant where Brenner got all you can eat catfish (and didn't finish the first plate!). Nola will give you the stink eye if you even look at her chicken fried steak! 

We had to work off that dinner by doing some kayaking. This is one of my favorite pictures of the entire trip!

The boys in their rides. Nola wanted out as she was a bit nervous about alligators (but we were told it was a bit too cold for them after recent rain events). 

Nola did enjoy holding the mallard duckling at the bait shop. 

Saturday led us to Shreveport. Nola voted for the aquarium and Brenner consented. Here we are learning about 4 different kinds of starfish. 

It was a neat place - lots of interactive displays! There were lots of sharks in this tank (not interactive!).

NOla getting an up close look at a shark.

Shrimp that will clean your skin!!! Brenner opted out of this! 

The stingray pool was cool. The spotted one was HUGE! 

These were my favorite! 

Nola liked the stingray so used her money to purchase "Asher". 

We had to have the kids experience cajun food in Louisiana so went to Crawdaddy's Kitchen. Brenner wish he had opted for the steam crawfish but he seemed to devour his fried ones (fried, fried, friend remember!). I enjoyed some gumbo. 

Nola being in two places at once - Texas and Louisiana. She got this idea after we watched A Walk to Remember recently. 

Late Saturday we headed out on a boat tour of Caddo Lake. 

It was cold zipping across the lake. With many water and pipe lines, there were marked water trails throughout the lake. Russell was a great captain!

He smiles! You know it was a good time if Brenner is smiling! 

My second favorite picture from the trip. This is in a water way that was dug out by slaves and prisoners to allow the steamboats passage across the lake. 

A pretty image to end the trip. We jumped in the car on Sunday morning, thanked the good lord for Eater Sunday, and headed home. A great trip - and Caddo Lake was a nice gem that we found!