Signs of Fall at the Daugherty house...

AWANA is in full swing! This amazing program at church combines cool stuff like dress up nights (so far we've had pirate night and cowboy night!) and crazy games that get your kids super sweaty WITH scripture memory. What a great combo, huh?! It's a big commitment, but so far we've said the kids can play a sport if it doesn't land on a Wednesday night, and it's not felt like a sacrifice one bit. Each week consists of organizing four different books, memorizing four different sets of verses, four club shirts/vests, four Bibles, four bags, and four very excited children. We are so blessed to be a part of a church that commits to teaching God's Word in such a fabulous way! Fall means cookouts with good friends (and our husbands and thirteen kids!)! Words cannot describe what these girls mean to me. God has brought us through much joy and much heartache together, all while adding lots of kids along the way! So, so thankful that the Creator of all good things knew that we would need each other. Near or far, what an encouragement these girls are to my life and walk with God. This Fall was our first attempt at flag football. I have a feeling Trey will have us making the rounds with every sport before all is said and done! In an effort to not over-commit (uh, the ongoing story-of-our-lives effort!), we passed on Fall baseball this year and gave football a go. Practice and games all happened on just one night a week, which got big points in my book. It was a fun new adventure (besides the playing in the rain part!), but Trey ended the season saying that he thought baseball was more his passion. Suits me, since next year his only option is full-blown tackle. I like this narrowing-down thing... And... some boys are getting serious about Halloween around here! Potential costumes have been discussed for the past two weeks at least, and Chase and Trey combined efforts and entered the pumpkin decorating contest at school. Our friendly pirate now sits on display in the school hallway, with the boys anxiously awaiting the vote! I've been able to hang out with Chase's class at school twice in the past couple of weeks: once to help with the Kindergarten Apple Day, and next for their trip to the pumpkin patch. You learn a lot on days like these; things like: how a five year old all of the sudden gets clingy with his Momma around, how his little mind is soaking up so many new things with such excitement, and how this sweet bright blue-eyed girl in his class may or may not be his girlfriend...

"I'm not sayin' she is, Mom. Just maybe..."

School conferences are this week, and Jack and Trey have already had their reward "dates" for achieving their first quarter reading goals. Can't believe one-fourth of the school year is complete!

A decade.

Autumn bliss today. While all four boys headed to campus for the Purdue game, Tess and I took off for our very first girl outing - a baby shower for a dear friend. While she has some social etiquette -ahem - yet to learn, today gave me a great glimpse into some future fun with my only girl. Success overall. I think she handed half-eaten and well-licked favors to only about half a dozen strangers. And, only one food item went back onto the platter with a bite taken out of it. All things considered, that's a good showing for the three year old, folks.

Oh, and the guest of honor's mother wasn't offended one bit when Tess walked up to her, ran her chubby fingers through her perfectly salon-set hair and proclaimed loudly, "Your hair is kinda crazy, Grandma!" Thinking back to how this could have played out six months ago... not bad, girlie, not bad.

All of that snacking and uplifting conversation wore her out, so she sleeps. The boys are still gone and house is currently the quietest it's been in weeks, so I decided to use the time to take some pics off of my camera. Great September memories, especially of our new ten year old boy!

He was ten at the end of August, but because his heart was set on certain guests in attendance for his party, we had to wait until Labor Day to get everyone here.

A Pokemon party for Jack! My boys full well know my aversion to spending money on things like rocks (really?!) and Pokemon cards, but I finally came around to the fact that there are worse things in life.

Why the heart change, you ask?

I suddenly remembered Garbage Pail Kids.

For crying out loud, how we ever got away with collecting those politically incorrect things (and then trading them in the back church pew - while chomping our gum - in the middle of the sermon) is beyond me. Go ahead boys, loose three teeth, then take your bucks to buy a Pokemon pack, I say. Seems like a lot of hard work for a bunch of cardboard nonsense if you ask me, but I'd much rather have Tess going around the house repeating phrases like,

"I trade you a hundred damage, Chaser," all proud acting like she knows her stuff, instead of overhearing one liners like, "Hey, why that baby have a bomb exploding out of his head?"

Seriously. Mom? Anyone?

Oh dear, where were we?

Oh yes, the Pokemon party was planned and ready to go, with lots of games plotted out ahead of time to make sure no one was bored. Pokemon Bingo, Pin the Tail on Pikachu, Design Your Own Pokeball, plus detailed instructions on how to draw your favorite Pokemon character step by step.

Turns out, ten year olds do a fine job entertaining themselves (ahh... I knew I liked this age!). I've never hosted a quieter, simpler party. And we never played even one of the games I had planned. Eight boys escaped upstairs with their Pokemon cards in hand, and I never heard a peep out of them for the next two hours. Sweet.

At one point I got worried that Tess might be up crashing the boys' fun, so I went upstairs to check on her. This is where I found her. Reason #147 why Bjorn fits in so well around here.

He arranged (completely symmetrical to no surprise) and lit his own candles, and at that moment I realized just how much he is growing up. This boy who was once such a handful has become one of the greatest joys of my life. Ask me about that story sometime, and I'd be happy to tell you how very good God is. With God, there is much hope in parenting, and in life.

Ah, the quiet is officially over... the boys all just piled back into the house, sweaty and happy after the Purdue win and a stop afterwards at B-Dubs. Nothing like a little football and a few father/son hot wing challenges to make your Saturday complete.

They've been home for fifteen minutes and Tyler is already asleep on the couch. How men do that surrounded by such chaos I'll never know.

More to catch up on soon!