Scary Face

Summer 2011  ~ Random Photos with Connor

Here's a random photo from this summer.  I asked Elijah to tell me something about this photo and he said he and Connor were taking pictures of each other.   I like this photo...~Daddy

Spring Training

Oh this sweet little boy is growing up...!  The photo properties say this photo was taken March 20, 2011. The date of this blog post is nearly seven months since the photo above was taken, but  I remember the day disctinctly.  It was a Sunday afternoon and I had just bought you a Big Plastic Baseball Bat from Wal Mart  and we were conducting batting practice with wiffel balls and tennis balls.  The weather was gorgeous.  It was a really nice spring day.

I told you a story about how my brother John and I used to play tennis baseball for hours in our back yard when we were kids.  Ahhh...  That brought back fond memories for me, too.   That's the cool thing about getting married and having children, Elijah.  ~We parents get a chance to re live our childhood all over again...!

I want to start playing baseball with you more...  Especially to work on your throwing.  There's nothing more fun than a father and son playing catch.  Well, except playing tennis, of course...!

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Elijah, one family tradition I am sure you will always look back on with fond memories is our Sunday morning family breakfasts.   Most Sunday mornings Daddy will get up early before the rest of the family and make fresh coffee and prepare some delicious nutrition to get our day off to a good start.  

This morning I made mommy and myself a delicious spinach and tomato omelet and I made you a BIG breakfast taco.   Your taco consisted of scrambled egg whites, baked tator tots, a little grated cheese, and of course: Ketchup...!    You said it was delicious.   ~Mommy and I enjoyed our omelets, too...!

Of course, the reason it tastes so good is because of the 'secret' ingredient I put into every recipe... (love)

As I close this latest post I am looking out the window at a gorgeous morning...!  What a beautiful day the Lord has made...!  I am rejoicing at how blessed this family is to have each other, and to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior...!   God is Good.

Love,

Daddy

MASTER YODA SAYS...

Regretfully, I haven't posted on this blog since April, 2011, and I was quite infrequent in my postings prior to that, as well.  Hoping to get caught up going forward and will try to be more diligent in my efforts to chronicle significant moments from Elijah's childhood.

Where should I begin?  Well, everyone is sure to be remarking about the 2011 weather patterns for some time.  So far this has been the warmest, driest year I have seen in my entire life! 

One of the big events of the summer was transitioning Elijah's brother Connor from high school to college.  Much of the family's focus this summer was on Connor and getting him settled in to Texas A & M by the end of August.    Life at home is very different without Connor.  Elijah misses him.  Now we eagerly anticipate Connor's occasional visits home from College Station.

Elijah's summer consisted of lots of tennis, and lots of Star Wars activities.  We watched Star Wars movies and Clone Wars videos.  We played with Star Wars Legos and Star Wars Action Figures,  We also enjoyed some Star Wars Video Games, and colored in Star Wars coloring books.  Daddy's personal  favorite activity was re enacting famous Star Wars Light Saber Battles.

This fall Monica is Elijah's first grade teacher at the 'Chadwell Home School'. She is also teaching a lite schedule of art classes.  Daddy is busy with coaching tennis and trying to get fit enough to play some tournaments by the spring of 2012.  Daddy is also looking forward to the day when he and Elijah can begin playing 'Father~Son' Doubles Tournaments together...!

Over all, It was a good summer.  Going forward, I will toggle between recalling a summer memory or reporting a current event.  Hope this blog is a blessing to all Elijah's family and friends as I chronicle the Life and Times of the Days of Elijah...!

Note to Elijah:    Mommy and Daddy love you very much.  We consider you to be one of God's biggest blessings in our lives.  I hope when you are grown up you will remember all the times we talked about the importance of  'family',  and how a family sticks together, loves each other, and helps each other.  I hope that you remember Mommy and Daddy always talking about how much we love Jesus and how we want our family and our lives to honor Him. 

Elijah, you are a shining star that brightens everyone's day...!  It is an awesome pleasure and privilege to be your Daddy...!  And as Master Yoda says:  May the Force be with YOU...!

Love, Daddy

Elijah's 'Creation'

Elijah has several passions and one of them is building LEGO sets. This particular model is from a 'creator' series and can actually be made into three different creations...

I love how creative Elijah is with toys like these. He can work on these things for hours...!

Elijah at Thanksgiving Tennis Camp

Elijah passed the time during the Thanksgiving holiday by playing tennis every day. Here he is hitting a one handed forehand because he did not want to put his trail mix down.

Here is another photo of 'Smiley Boy' still holding his trail mix. Elijah plays tennis about three or four times a week in various home school classes. He has many friends that play tennis including his best friend: Eli Lintleman. Tennis is more of a social thing and father - son activity for him at the moment. But at five years old he is 'pretty good' for his age...!

I am very proud of him...! ~(Daddy)

Elijah absolutely loves this scripture verse and video... We listened to it for hours yesterday... It was a good Thanksgiving.

This was our first Thanksgiving as a Vegan family. We went to FBC West Columbia for their first annual Community Thanksgiving dinner. It was all delicious. It was difficult for me to pass up the Turkey and gravy but I was 'good'... except when it came to desserts... I'm sure the small piece of pecan pie I consumed had real egg in it but Monica and I decided it's ok to splurge on dessert once in a while...!

The rest of the day we just hung out home and enjoyed each other's company.

I'm sure this will be a fond memory for Elijah...!

Five Years Old....

We celebrated Elijah's fifth Birthday yesterday. I took a cool video of him opening his presents but it is just slightly too long to post here on blogger. I will post it some where else later today and just provide a link later.

All in all it was a wonderful day. At dinner last night Elijah asked if we could schedule another birthday for him today...!

Dear Elijah,

As you look back on these blog posts I hope these photos remind you of what a cool day yesterday was. Turning five years old is a very significant event and it was a huge blessing to be able to share that day and those precious moments with you. Your Mommy, Connor, and I love you very much. And you have many, many other friends and family who love you, too.

Happy Birthday my sweet boy...!

Love, Daddy

The Jedi Days....

Here are a few photos of Elijah practicing his Jedi Light Saber moves. Notice he is also wearing one of his favorite Clone Wars t-shirts... Elijah really does have a huge passion for Star Wars.

We also have a few Red 'Sith' light sabers too fo Elijah to practice against...

Gardening 2010

We took a break in our gardening to enjoy some ice cold watermelon... We hope to be harvesting our own watermelon in about three months...!

We have started our Garden... Wish we would have started a month earlier but the car accident put us a little behind schedule...

Random Photos from Spring 2010

Elijah is working on his groundstrokes; primarily his forehand. At this point he does not care for backhands although he hits his backhand pretty well, too.

I love this photo with Elijah and his shadow... Elijah hits 'The Modern Forehand'

Elijah and his buddy Bryce O'Quinn have a lesson together every week.

Bryce loves tennis as much as Elijah. I have had reports that he sometimes takes his racquet to bed with him.

Bryce is a right hander and is just now transitioning to a one handed forehand, although he is showing a 2 handed follow through here...

Message to Elijah...

Dear Elijah... I have been thinking about you a lot today. Then a scripture verse passage, Matt 18:1-6 came to my mind...

Jesus said we need to be humble like little children to get to heaven. I was thinking that your example will be a light to us all... “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:3..... And then in verse 18:4 Jesus says: Whoever humbles himself like this child shall be the greatest in Heaven!

Elijah, I don't think we are going to see any proud, arrogant people in heaven.

Here is my prayer for you this morning, my son.

Please Lord, give Sam Chadwell a heavy dose of humility today! Help me to model for my precious son what he models for me know... Childlike faith, hope, and love. Innocence. Humility. Bless Elijah. Guard his heart, my King I thank you for my sweet family. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray... Amen...!

The Perfect Bounce of the Ball...

Here's a funny photo that was taken in November of 2007... Juast came across it as I was reorganizing the desktop on my computer... The ball bounced up right as this phot was taken. It kind of reminds me of the old Jack in the box commercials... -Elijah will have no clue what I'm talking about but everyone else will...

By the way, I realize it's been way too long since I last posted on this blog... But I'm back into a regular routine trying to capture memories for Elijah so he will always know what his childhood was like and how very much he is loved...!

Elijah's Tennis 2007-2009

.

I was clearing out my photo albums on my computer and came across some older pics of Elijah when he was just getting interested in tennis. Wow... It's amazing how much he's grown in just a couple of years. The past few weeks he's wanted to come to tennis classes with me alot.

At first it didn't go very well and he was a distraction to the class. Tonight, he played in a group class with the 'BIG KIDS' in Bay City and had a fantastic time... He did a pretty good job waiting his turn in line and picking up balls, too... GOOD JOB, ELIJAH...!

.

November 2009 -He wants to play all the time...!

January 2007

January 2007



December 2007


October 2007

October 2007

2009 County Fair Photos

Here's a Big Boy with a BIG BOY BURGER...! Elijah ate almost the whole thing!

The Petting Zoo is always a fun thing to do...

And of course the rides are one of the most fun things to do...!

Elijah got to ride boats, trains, cars, motorcycles, you name it...!

For more photos visit this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2038687&id=1504181661&l=9578a51df5

Tennis with Elijah

Gotta keep the hydration up...

Sneaking up on 'Puggy'

Ball Collection

Nice Concentration, Elijah... Your Daddy wishes he could watch the ball like that!

Catching up With Elijah Oct 2009

Mommy and Daddy, Oct 2009 -Working on converting the garage into Monica's art studio...!


Connor snapped this photo of Elijah wearing one of his favorite Star Wars shirts.

Here's Elijah at the 2009 Brazoria County Fair Petting Zoo

Another Summer Time Photo

Elijah likes to ride his tricycle during ball collections....

Some Random Photos of Elijah -Summer Fun...!

Making eggrolls was one of daddy's fondest childhood memories. We introduced this activity to our family schedule of events recently and had a great time. The result was delicious, too...!

It was fun teaching Elijah how to make eggrolls. He has eggroll making talent, that's for sure. We all enjoy eating them afterwards...!

This fun photo was taken at the end of July following a tennis camp moring at Rustic Oaks Park in League City. There were some older children in the camp who had never fished before and Elijah was teaching them how to cast...! It was a very fun morning...!

Elijah has very good casting skills for a 4 year old. We already have many fond memories of fun fishing trips and quality father-son time...!

Star Wars

Here's a photo from Padawan Jedi Training Camp at Space Center Houston in July 09

Elijah was a little nervous to be so close to Darth Vader. At least we had a light saber for protection...!