Remember The First Time..........................

The boys and I went to the Alleghany wrestling tournament last Saturday and we had a great time.
I was a basketball coach for most of my life so doing wrestling has been a great experience for me as well as the boys.
We set a land speed record driving to Sparta elementary school. Route 88 between Jefferson and Sparta was crooked but we flew across it.
The boys did a great job and had a lot of fun. Measured in wins and losses it wasn't a good day. The Combs boys went a combined 0-9 but it was  a great experience.

Will went 0-5 on the day(he is on the right in the picture on the right.). This is his first match of all time. He flopped on to his back quickly to go 0-1 for the day.
Will is still only 4 and doesn't really understand this whole wrestling thing. He came up to me after one match and said "Dad I'm not very good at this wrestling match thing, I lose all the time."  I told him that this was his first time and when I asked him if he had fun he said yes.
Will, is going to get better. He has done a great job for his first athletic experience. I am very proud of him.

I know they were supposed to have weight classes at this tournament but Raleigh wound up wrestling kids that were older and more experienced.  They also  weighed more. Here is Raleigh wrestlinsing a 'beach ball with arms.'. The other two kids in the division were huge.

Raleigh lost to the kid that he beat for his first victory back in Boone. They almost threw down and started fighting on the mat. Raleigh was crying after the first period but the other kid was crying at the end of the 2nd. Raleigh was on the bottom the whole match it seemed like but he kept fighting. I was very proud of his effort.

Raleigh lost his matches but he got a really nice compliment. The head wrestling coach at App. State who runs the wrestling club called Raleigh over and told him, "Raleigh, I can teach anybody wrestling moves but you have something I can't teach, you've got a lot of heart and fight about you."

I don't know if Raleigh will continue wrestling or not but it was worth driving to the bright shining center of nowhere just to hear that.

I had them do wrestling for a very simple reason and that is coaching. We could have done pee wee basketball and had somebodies daddy  let them run wild and cutesie around. Or I can have a college wrestling coach teach them wrestling. It definitely was an easy decision. It was I am convinced the right decision.

I will be glad to get the time back when wrestling ends. I will be sorry to see the season end. It has been a good first season of athletics for the boys

Breaking up is hard to do.....

Mike called me tonight when I was on the way home - - far, far away from civilization. I said a few times, "You're breaking up Mike...you're breaking up!"
The phone went dead and I put the phone down while I continued to drive home.

Will pipes up and says, "Mama, when you break up with him will you get a new one?"
I was thinking he meant breaking a phone and getting a new one. When I asked for clarification I got it (and almost died laughing).
"Mama, when you break up with our daddy will you get a new husband?"

I guess I have a new example to use with my students about figurative language!!

Cracks me up!!!

Will is absolutely hilarious lately. Some random examples...

• He spent the night at ME's house last night. He told me that at 8:30 they have snack at ME school. After that he "watched a program on how to behave at school." Then, it was field trip time! According to Will they went to the pool and then took a trip to Florida where they enjoyed Disney and the Florida beaches. (Next week, I'M going to Me School!)
• We had "pa-sketti" tonight with "Parma John's" cheese.
• He was so proud of himself for "Brushing 3 times. I used Crust toothpaste!" I asked him what that was and he said, "You know, its gooey toothpaste and has crust." We later figured out that it was CREST he was referring to.
• A little while ago he asked me, "Mom, want to see me hop with no hands?" He then put his arms behind his back and showed me his mad jumping skills.
• When I was on the phone the other day he started yelling, "Mom..I'm done" Which is his standard comment whenever he finishes on the potty and needs my help to wipe. When I walked in the bathroom he asked, "How did you find me, Mom?" Ummm...maybe it was the fact that we only have 2 bathrooms, Will!
• At dinner the other night I have him the last of our chunky kid plates - a Power Rangers plate that I was going to put in the pile of giveaways until Will told me, "After you die - when I have kids, I'll let my kids use this plate and it will remind me of you." I guess that plate is going in the "save" drawer somewhere.
• Mike is playing a football game on the XBOX right now. After assuring Will after a zillion questions that he was NOT Michigan, Mike said that his team is a good team. Will said, "A good team? Do they hold hands, Dad?" I guess that is what being "good" is about..holding hands!
• Will thinks he can do everything when he is 18. If I tell him no to something he immediately asks if he can do it, "When I'm 18 and Im A DULT", I will do so and so. Tonight he said that when he is A DULT and 18, he's going to have me over for dinner because he will know how to cook when he's 18. He's also going to take care of his dad when he old by giving him some stuff like "football movies...but I'm never ever going to buy a Michigan episode of it."
• When I was looking at the DVR list today he said, "Mom, if there is anything with Michigan on it, make sure to erase it." Yes. My children have been fully taught of the Ohio State ways :)

More llater....glad I have a blog so I can remember these precious times!

new house

Master bathroom

Boys Bathroom

Laundry/utility room - right off from kitchen. Yes, our fridge is in there b/c it was too big for the correct spot for it in the kitchen. A new one is on the list of things to get.

Boys bedroom. Yes,there is a blanket over the windows. That will change soon I hope!

Will is the biggest Buzz Lightyear fan ever!!!

SNOW!!!

Its been another Winter with way too much snow and way too many missed days of school.

Christmas Pictures

Raleigh put apples out for the reindeer and they both put cookies/milk for Santa.

Gifts for both boys and then for Ral and Will individually that Santa left. I think Will got everything with Toy Story 3 that the elves made this season.

2 boys + 1 jacuzzi + lots of bubbles=

Fun at the beach house in Wilmington during Christmas.

Christmas decorations at the new house

Our first Christmas at the new house. One funny story about the stockings is that at one point there were SEVEN stockings there. Ral had collected all of the stockings in the Christmas decorations and hung them up. When I asked him why, he said, "You know, I wanted it to be like that story that says the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...."

Obviously he doesn't understand that each person is suppose to only get one stocking!