Dec 14 & 15: Shootin' again!

I cheated on the past few days...its been a busy weekend, and getting pictures was tough, so I doubled up.

Today, we did a little shooting. Travis with the .22

Next up, 9mm #1

 After that, 9mm #2

 My turn!

Dec 12 & 13: Brothers

Riley and Travis, hanging out on Trav's bed, watching TV together.

Dec 11: shootin

This picture is from Thanksgiving. But since I've been a terrible blogger lately, I figured it doesn't matter. Its still a previously unshared pic, right?

Travis shooting the .38 special. He loved it! We shot up our pumpkins. They took it pretty well until Travis brought out his 243. Then, they blew apart!

Dec 7: Basketball season

Today was Travis' first basketball game of the season. This season, we chose to play with Topsail Basketball, instead of Upward. That means he is now playing full-court basketball. I did not get a picture of him before we left the house, as he didn't have his basketball shoes on then (cannot wear them, except on the court), so I thought I would get a picture when we got there. Wrong! He was not on board with that plan. It's tough being a cool sixth grader, image to uphold and whatnot. So, I snuck a picture with my phone during the game.

You can't tell in this picture, but he is wearing Breast Cancer awareness Nike Elite socks in honor of Riley's nurse Brigit who is fighting breast cancer.

Travis is #5, in the yellow.

Moving Up! The class of 2020.

Today was Travis' last day of Elementary school, which meant a moving up ceremony and awards day. Today also was a day that tropical storm Andrea passed through, so school started on a 1 hour delay and it was a windy and rainy day. We were very thankful when we got to school, and the sun was shining for a brief moment. That meant we could get inside before the next torrential downpour hit!

It seems this brief sunny moment was blinding to Travis.

Yesterday, Travis had the thought to go around to all of his former teachers, and have them sign his yearbook. He was only missing one (with the exception of the one teacher that is no longer at this school), and he caught up with her this morning and asked her to sign. They all wrote such nice things in his book.

The gym was decorated in such a cute Dr. Seuss theme.

After the 5th graders took their final walk through the hallways (high fiving the younger students along the way), they entered the gym and took their seats.

Here he is, getting his honor roll award.

And here he is getting his moving up certificate.

I love this...Mr. Paschall said something to Travis that made Travis react with some odd crazy look just after I took this picture. I knew it was something teasing from his expression. Turns out, Mr. Paschall said "Go Heels". Hahahaha

The ceremony ended with the entire 5th grade class singing a song, with a solo by a very talented girl in the class who also played her ukelele. The song is Count on Me by Bruno Mars and it was such a cute and appropriate, not too heavy song for a 5th grade ceremony.

Here is a video of the song. The first verse isn't included. Jay was videoing it, and just assumed the girl doing the solo was the only one that was going to sing. Then the entire class joined in, and he started a 2nd video. Oops!
You can count of me from Lindsey Souza on Vimeo.

Here he is with his awards and medals. Notice the citizenship certificate. Travis' peers voted him to receive the citizenship award. This one is my very favorite and nearly made me cry. I always tell Travis when he is telling me about someone being rude, or obnoxious or bragging or gloating about something, to always respond with kindness. That it is more important in life, to have good character and react with kindness, than to stoop to the level of others who are acting poorly, no matter how hard that may be. He must be listening, because this isn't the first time he has gotten the citizenship award. I am so proud of him for this!

Travis and his buddy Holden.

Travis and his buddy Will.

Each year, the 5th grade class takes up a collection to present the school with a class gift. Travis' class paid to have a mural painted in the 5th grade hall of stingrays. His schools mascot is the Stingrays. Some really cool things about this mural. The spots on the stingrays (which would make them spotted eagle rays) were made with the students thumbprints. Every 5th grade student, dipped their thumb in white paint and made a spot. Travis did one on the small stingray above his head. Also, every student wrote their name alongside the Class of 2013. One day, Riley will walk that hall, and see his brother's name. I think that is very very cool!

I love South Topsail Elementary School. Travis has had such a wonderful experience there. Moving to Hampstead so Travis could attend the Topsail schools was certainly one of the best, if not the best, choices we have ever made. Part of the reason I am sad he is going to Middle school, is because he will no longer be at STES. But, we are not done for good. In the fall of 2014, Riley will begin Kindergarten here. And it will all start over again.

Dec 22

Christmas is almost here! And that means it was time to make some Christmas goodies. Jay helped Debbie and Gary move into their new house today, so the boys and I spent the day cooking. Well, Riley and I did, Travis had to go be a big boy and hunt this afternoon. More on that below.

This morning, Travis, Riley and I made some chex mix. (Which I may have nibbled on all.day.long afterwards).


Later, after Travis had left with Granddaddy, Riley and I worked on Butterballs (which I may have also nibbled on all.day.long)

Does this happen to anyone else?!


Riley enjoyed lining the cookies up


And rolling them in sugar


He was a very big helper today!


While Riley and I were making a mess with the Kitchenaid, Travis was working to stock the freezer. Sitting for hours in the cold paid off today, as he killed a doe. Granddaddy was extremely proud of him, as Travis made a "perfect" shot. A heart shot that dropped her where she stood. That was good news, because then they didn't have to go looking for her!

Dec 19

Someone lost another tooth!

Dec 17

Today was a Cobie lovin' kind of day.

This dog LOVES that boy. She loves us all, but wow does she love Rileybear. She is always with him, which aggravates him a lot, but he loves her too!


My goal was to get pictures of just the boys, but someone wouldn't stay away. Notice the guilty look on her face.


Riley wouldn't sit still so it was a challenge trying to get anything half way decent.


Travis wanted a picture like this. Riley hopped right into it.


Did I already mention it was a challenge tonight?


How about another last year/this year comparison?
Last year:

This year:


One more!

December 2nd

Jay and Travis are home from their trip to Charleston, SC. They had a great time. While there, they got to tour (and sleep on!) an aircraft carrier, tour a submarine, tour a Destroyer (Trav's favorite), and visit Fort Sumter.

They also got to watch the Charleston flotilla, and had prime seats on top of the aircraft carrier!