More Golf and Mack's 8th Birthday

 I couldn't post anything last week because we have decided to redecorate our home office (more on that later) and we temporarily had the computer unplugged. This post will include last week's golf tournament that all 3 Bowers kids played in. It was the VCC jr. club championship, and although they didn't get the outcome they had hoped for, they all played well for the most part. Sadly, I got no pictures of Mack because I was going back and forth between the girls before he started. He only played 3 holes and I never got back around to his side before they were done. It's quite a challenge having 3 kids out on the golf course all playing at the same time. 

This week was a big one for Mack. He turned 8 yesterday, and I just can't believe it. He had another water slide birthday party this year and got to eat all his favorite foods yesterday- (Pillsbury) Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast, Chick-fil-A nuggets for lunch with cookie birthday cake, then steak and white rice for dinner. He is such a joy in our house (most of the time.) He keeps us on our toes and always laughing. Playing Legos is about the only thing he will truly sit down and focus on for hours at a time. He loves to build and create with Emma and has a blast coming up with pretend play games outside in the pool and on the playground in our yard. He loves whatever sport he is playing that season with a passion. He actually cried last Saturday after coming in 4th place in the golf tournament. He's been asking to go play or get a private lesson ever since so he can "get better so I can win that tournament next year!" Football is on the agenda now as his flag football practices have already started, and we can't wait to watch him play again this fall. 

I would love to say he has a loving, never arguing, relationship with his sisters, but he doesn't. Honestly, he and Ellie have to be separated most days. I think their personalities are so similar that it causes an explosion when they are together. They do, however, give us moments of hope that one day they will be best friends. 

Unfortunately, due to the uptick in Covid cases in our area we had the grandparents stay home and not come to Mack's party. Grandma Serita actually tested positive this week despite having had a vaccine. She was feeling really sick for about a day, but once she received her antibody infusion, took the antibiotics, and steroids, she was doing much better. We all hope she continues to get better quickly and no one else comes down with it. 

Worth went to be with Ellie when she started, and I hung back with Emma. This was her sweet group of girls. Peyton Stiefel, Emma, Caroline Smothers, and Hensley Odum. 

This group was really loving the social aspect of the game:) 

These were the only 3 girls that played in Ellie's age group: Ellie, Taylor Akins, Sarah Kathryn Stiefel 

It was a hot day, but Emma did well even if she didn't win. 

Ellie played the best she ever has on the first 9 holes (according to Worth.) The heat and loss of interest seemed to get her on the 2nd nine. 

Both girls got 3rd place, and Mack got 4th. There was a cookout and pool party after the tournament. Once all that was over, the reality of the loss hit Mack and he was NOT happy. 

Worth was featured ONCE AGAIN on Instagram for his performance at Orange Theory last week. 

We got to celebrate Mack on Saturday. We are so thankful for him and his exuberant  personality.

Mack opened gifts Saturday morning and it was kind of nice to have a little time to do it since the past few birthdays have been busy mornings before school. They don't HAVE to open their gifts first thing that morning, but none of them can wait. 

Mack loved his gifts from his sisters. Emma was anxiously anticipating what he thought about the new pop socket she bought him. 

Hugs for her! 

Ellie had one of those "I need to explain gifts." 

But Mack was over the moon about the Dude Perfect hat she ordered him. (that hasn't come in yet.) 

Mack got a watch upgrade from Mom and Dad - FitBit Ace

He has been needing a new bike so bad, and I think we made his day with this gift. 

Does he look like an 8 year old? His pool and water slide party were next up! 

Emma and Ellie helped direct traffic on the slide and "keep everyone safe."

Ellie also helped me with setting up and serving all of the boys. 

Several of Mack's closest buddies: Leland Shelley, Latham Luckey, and Gibson Freidoff

Because I always have to take a picture of the food for some reason. 

And the cake. Mack wanted a lego themed party with a football cake, so I went with it. 

The candles were so spread out, he had a little difficulty getting them blown out.  

His whole crew couldn't make it this year, but the 8 that showed up had a great time and consumed mounds of sugar. I call that a successful birthday party. 

New School Year!

 The kids started back to school this past Friday. We had a week filled with new haircuts, open houses, and bundles of nerves as they started back to new classes. Mack and Emma's school is pretty much back to pre covid protocol, but Ellie's school is still having in the classroom lunches and they are still put together in small groups for quarantining purposes. With COVID cases rising, I'm curious to see how things will pan out this year. I'm assuming if our school system never went virtual last year when there was no vaccine that it will not do that this year with a vaccine available to all her are 12 years old and older. Ellie has gotten the vaccine, and we plan to vaccinate Emma and Mack as soon as it's available for their age group. I'm over it and ready for normalcy again!

Along with school, the extracurriculars will kick back up this coming week. This past week, Emma was fitted into her first pair of pointe shoes. I was pleasantly surprised at how excited she was about this. I guess I just didn't think she was as into it as Ellie, but boy was she loving putting those shoes on. 

Fresh haircuts were also on the agenda for the girls. 

Emma always asks Ms. Lauren to curl her hair. It looks so super cute, but unfortunately her mama cannot reproduce this at home. 

Even Mack got his head cleaned up and his ears lowered a little bit this week. 

It's Emma's last year at Westside! I had to get a picture at open house because parents weren't allowed to walk them in the first day of school :(

Friday was the first day, and I still feel like we haven't checked all of the summer boxes yet! 

Even though Ellie has been at Hahira Middle for a year, she was a nervous wreck. She was not into any picture taking and we thought she was going to throw up before I got her to school. 

This was Ellie's breakfast. She didn't eat a thing that morning she was so nervous. 

Right before drop off we prayed together and she held a squishy to relieve her nerves. I finally got a smile out of her that wasn't forced. 

Mack and Emma were on the opposite end of the spectrum from Ellie. They were bouncing off the walls with excitement to get to school. They jumped out of the car so fast, I barely got their first day picture walking in together. Note the kid beside them: he stopped to pose up for his mom. Not my two. 

Froyo to end the day put smiles on everyone's faces. After all was said and done, Ellie admitted that it wasn't nearly as bad as she expected and she's now ready to tackle the 7th grade. Emma and Mack both had a great day and love their teachers so far. Emma was just glad that she was going to get 5th grade honors day (Ellie did not get it due to COVID.) Mind you, 5th grade Honors Day is in May, and we are assuming Emma will maintain honor roll for the year. 

Leonard is still rotten in case anyone was curious.