Sam had to do a project for science class on the planet Venus.  The teacher gave some specific directions on the size of the planet/project, but the rest of was up to him based on what he learned… or at least up to Mom and Sam on how to decorate.  The duo combined for a 99% on the project with a little construction consultation from Dad.  🙂

Alex and Mom attended the TCS Junior Varsity and Varsity Sports Banquet on Saturday night.  Alex didn’t win any awards as the seniors took all of them, but he did get up for the Soccer, Basketball and Tennis presentations.

Alex and Mom before the banquet

Soccer Presentation

Tennis Presentation

  Sam’s team won in a decisive victory on Saturday.  Sam played keeper and had one stop for the whole  game – literally just one shot on goal for the other team.  He did a good job of calling the shot and clearing everyone out of the box and then had a good kick down field.  The kick was so good that it took a couple of fortuitous bounces and a player on his team won the ball and scored a goal – Sam actually got an assist off the play.  Final Score 9-nil.
  Alex’s team lost a tough one a couple of hours later as his team only had 7 players and the other team had 11.  The other team chose to play all 9 players and then sub when needed which meant Alex’s team was exhausted by the end of the game.  Even being down 2 players, Alex’s team kept it close until the final minute when the other team pulled ahead 3-2.  The ensuing kick-off resulted in a very quick goal for Alex’s team but the whistle had just been called and it was ruled a no-kick.

We didn’t get ta photo of the goal save or  the goal kick and this was just about all he was doing the rest of the game. 🙂

Alex breaking some ankles

A nice corner kick – put it in excellent position, but the keeper made the save.

Sam received his Fine Arts award today with 2 of his friends….

Wow– here the 3 stooges getting their fine arts awards. Sam on the left, tiny Makena in the middle and Logan on the right. Larry, Curly and Moe?

Ok – it wasn’t really a dance because they aren’t allowed to dance or to even touch each other… in fact we’re not even sure they had music?   We are sure there was at least a few prayers said and maybe even a sermon delivered, but they still had fun.

Zac looking very Southern?   and Alex looking very conservative Midwestern?

A couple of oldies from the archives….

Alex in Providence, 1999

Sam in Preschool June 2006

So Dad, Gung Gung, Alex and Sam all went to Golden Corral today to see if the breakfast buffet was better than the traditional Cracker Barrel breakfast.  The final decision was that it was quicker and cheaper but maybe not better quality – at least not on this day.  The bacon, the main course for the boys, was quite overcooked.  On the other hand, Cracker Barrel does not have a chocolate fountain. Alex and Sam had a chocolate covered marshmallow and then completely shish kabob’d several gummy bears and then drowned them in chocolate.  We must say it must have been a painful and slow death for those poor guys, and the resulting taste was quite disgusting.  🙂  

Nana and Gung Gung came down for the weekend and we all went to Raleigh to celebrate Dad and Gung Gung’s birthday and of course Mother’s Day which is next week.  We made it to the Crabtree Valley Mall, the Arboretum (not quite as nice as the one in Richmond, jcra.ncsu.edu/ ) and then had dinner back at the mall at a very nice little restaurant called the Tomato Pie.  Everyone had a great time and of course we got a few photos….

Alex and Sam are getting almost as tall as Gung Gung

Sam went to Defy Gravity in Raleigh with his friends for Logan’s birthday party.  Unfortunately we didn’t get there in time to get any photos of Sam and his friends, but we did get a couple of shots of the complex. Sam was their for 1 1/2 hours and was pretty hot and sweaty when it was all over.

Christy posted this for us on her Facebook wall.

On game day, the boys all need to dress up and wear ties to school.  In this case it wasn’t a game but a Tennis Match.  Alex wore the new tie from Aunt Emma and Uncle Rupert and it was apparently a big hit with all of his friends.  The boys do clean up well and can actually look quite handsome when they try… now if we can just get them to smile for the camera.