Cheerleading....Really?!?!?!?

Since Leigh and I played sports throughout school, we always imagined that our kids would follow in our footsteps.  Leigh was the athletic one, but I had a competitive spirit.  One thing that parenthood has taught us is that it's no longer all about us.  Kids have their own likes and dislikes and that's okay.  Being a parent is all about supporting your kids, and the reward is seeing their face light up when they are doing something that they truly enjoy. 

That fact hit home loud and clear when we saw Megan out there on the floor in front of thousands of people with her cheerleading squad.  The look on her face was priceless.  Our quiet, reserved and serious little girl was our there cheering and dancing with her troop with a HUGE smile on her face.  It brought a tear to my eyes.  All of our reservations about letting her join the Niles Elite cheerleading group were gone the minute we saw her take the floor for their first routine.

The competition was all the way in Grand Rapids and although they didn't place, it was a great experience for Megan and they did a wonderful job.  There were 24 teams in her age division and only 3 teams made it onto the State finals.  Megan was thrilled with her trophy and loved the flowers she received from her cheering section.  Nana, Bumpa, Matt, Jenny, Adam and Abby all joined our family in the stands to watch our little girl grow up instantly during her 3 minute routine.

We can't wait until the next event.

All dressed and ready

Makeup too...

She looked 16

Her #1 fan

Walking out into the arena with her Starlight group

She found us and even waved (look in the middle)

They were #22 out of #24

Ring a Bell, that's our cue, it's time to try something new, we're so bright the stars will shine, NE Starlights shine brighter than the sky

Megan is in the back right and is the one that caught the flyer

Her cheering section

Look at that smile..showing off her trophy

Santa visits 4th Street

For the 5th year in a row, Santa has made a stop at the Franklin house.  This year, we were joined by the Sheltons, the Youngs, the Holloways and the Waggoners.  This may have been the first year that our kids weren't scared to sit on his lap.  The girls wanted to wear their Christmas dresses, while Jake said that Santa would want to see his Captian America costume.  We've learned to pick our battles, so Captain America it was....

Jake asked Santa for a Nintendo DS

Jake did tell Santa "Don't worry, I am still wearing my undies."

Megan asked Santa for an iPod to listen to music

She told Santa that she liked Cheerleading

Jenna wanted a DS, just like her brother...actually she said an iPad first, but chnaged it (thank goodness)

Other than that, Jenna was pretty giggly

Our kiddos

The Family

The gang (Megan, Jenna, Claire Shelton, Grant Wagonner, Carson Shelton, Lily Wagonner, Caroline Young, Eleanor Young, Jake, Emiy Wagonner, Troy Holloway..missing baby Kate and baby Hank)

Halloween

This is the first year the kids didn't go with a theme to their costumes.  Megan knew that she wanted to be a cat from the beginning.  There was little doubt that Jake was going to be a Super Hero, but the specific character changed about 10 times.  He ended up with Captain America once he saw the shield.  Jenna had a hard time deciding, yet it was the toto basket and animal that sold her.  Since she already had the red sequins shoes, it was a hit.  They were so cute!!!

We started off with Halloween parties at school on Friday.  Saturday we had Trek-or-Treat through the woods, a party at the Sheltons and finally neighborhood Trick-or-treating that night.  The kids slept good that night.

Nana and Megan at her school party

Megan, Jake, Jenna and Josie on the Trail

Darth and Dorthy

Lunch Break at the Sheltons

Shelton Party gang

Alice in Wonderland characters

Megan and her BFF Josie

Ready to hit the road

Trick-or-treating

Pumpkin Carving

Each year, we have big ambitions of carving pumpkins with the kids.  Yet each year, the kids complain about the gooey mess and Leigh and I end up carving the pumpkins on our own.  This year was no exception.   Megan didn't like to touch the gooey middle, Jake didn't like the smell and Jenna loved it all so much that she made a big mess...maybe next year.

The face says it all...

Leigh had to make Jake put his hand in the pumpkin...doesn't look good for deer hunting

He was bothered by the smell

This is as close as Megan would get to putting her hand in the pumpkin

Jenna had it all over

Megan showing off the final products

2 ghosts

The Bat Cat

Pumpkin Patch

This year, the Pumpkin Patch we've been visiting since the kids were born was closed...we were completely bummed.  However, Mini and Grumpy took the kids to another patch when they were here, and we went back as a family the next weekend with Matt, Jenny, Adam, Abbie, Nana and Bumpa.  The kids loved petting the animals (well, Jake did....) and it was our first time in a corn maze.  Megan and Nana made it out in no time, I think that Jake, Adam and Matt were next.  Leigh, Jenny, Abbie, Jenna and I brought up the rear.....

Sisters

Jake was crashed

They have the best bond...

"Miss Thang" and her daddy

Leading the Pack

Bunny Ears

It was a gigantic Goat 

Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

We had been promising Megan since the snow melted that we would go back to her favorite zoo with the Sea Lions. So, we had a free Saturday and the weather cooperated so we packed the kids in the car at 8am to head down to Fort Wayne.  We should have known it was a bad idea when we weren't even out of South Bend when Jake started asking if we were there yet.  Thank goodness for the DVD player as the kids settled into watch Annie (their new favorite movie..which is watched at least twice a week).

Half way through the movie, Jenna and Jake became restless and started picking on Megan.  I think that we were all in tears by the time we hit Fort Wayne.  I wish that I could say that it got better from there, but that wasn't the case. 

• They whined, complained and argued the whole time. 
• Jake walked around with his hands over his eyes because he didn't want to see the animals. 
• We had a double stroller and they either all wanted in (which left one kid out) or they all wanted to walk and fight over who was the leader. 
• Megan said that it was too hot (it was 65)
• Jenna ate Megan and Jake's snacks...
• Leigh was ready to go 15 minutes into the zoo, but I wasn't ready to spend another 2 hours in the car driving home.

On the way home of course everyone crashed.  I said, "When will they understand the fact that we do these things for them, not us" Leigh said, "Don't worry, they will appreciate the things we do for them when they are 40"...Sad, but true.

The pictures make it seem much more enjoyable.

Our tour guides

Crabby Jake

The Giraffe's were the best

Leigh finally takes the camera..  :)

I think that everyone ended up liking the drums..what's not to like about banging and making lots of noise.

A rare photo of me and Leigh...Megan was the photographer

The petting animals

The River ride..which everyone said was "boring"

Pretty sure that this was when Leigh reached his breaking point, and was carrying Jake off to the Exit, but the picture is one of my favorites..look at that smile.

Only because I am so immature, but this was the highlight of the trip.  Leigh and I were giggling like school kids, but we weren't the only ones.  Jake still talks about the turtles "wrestling"