lessons learned

A while back I was taking both dogs to get groomed.  Like always, Neo was pulling ahead and Max was cautiously hanging back.  As we got close to the door, Neo slipped out of his collar so I had to grab him and hold him (while he is fighting to get free from my hold).  This caused Max to loop around me in a panic and started pulling in the opposite direction.  So now I am fighting to walk with a leash around me, Max pulling in the wrong direction and Neo squirming in my arms.  And I had the thought, "I hope no one inside can see me.  I am so embarrassed.  Why can't my dogs just walk into a building like normal dogs?".  After dropping them off, I was driving home and I was still thinking about how embarressed I was and then I thought, "they are just dogs...no one cares...the vet understand how dogs are...they know Max and Neo and their personalities. "  And then a flood of memories came to me.  Me with my two other boys. Feeling like everyone was looking at me as I held a way too big baby while chasing a way too much energy toddler.  Wondering why they couldn't just act like normal kids and not embarress me.  I wish I knew then what I know now...no one cares, people understand how kids can be.  

the raft

Once upon a time, Carter had a dream of making a raft made from milk jugs.  So, being the supportive mom that I am, I started collecting them in the garage for him.  We saved them all winter long.  I think there were about 75 in all.  It was going to be his summer project.  Then summer came and he lost some of his enthusiasm.  We kept reminding him and he kept putting it off.  Finally Allen and Jared helped him one day to get the first layer done.  That first layer sat there for the rest of the summer.  Sad.  So un-Carter-like.  Finally, in September, he had a few friends over to finish it up.  And the next week he and his friend Konnor tried it out.  It worked!  Now it is sitting in the basement garage.  Will it see the water again?  Maybe next summer.

determination

Years ago I wrote about how Carter is a very determined boy; he doesn't give up and has all the faith in the world that he will succeed at whatever he puts his mind to.  Well, years have passed and he is still as optimistic about his abilities as ever.  I wanted to document this great trait of Carters that is surely here to stay.  As he is just around the corner from his 16th birthday, he still has all the confidence in the world that he can succeed.  In anything.  He makes lofty goals and accomplishes many.  And when he doesn't he just says he'll get it soon.  A few examples from this past year...he wanted to be able to do a muscle-up.  If you don't  know what that is, look it up-they are hard.  He accomplished this goal awhile ago and then last week he did one with just his finger tips-crazy!  The last few weeks when he goes to youth activities at church he has been trying to dunk in the gym.  He is close.  Every week announces "this is the day, I feel it, I'm going to dunk!"  And then he doesn't.  But do you know what the cool thing is?  He doesn't quit, he doesn't get discouraged.  He just tries again.  He talks about how he was better this week and he knows what he needs to do next time.  He is determined to dunk.  And I am sure he will.

What I have learned is to just take the ride of optimism with him.  In years past I would try to talk to him about how he might not accomplish something, trying to soften the blow of disappointment.  But I finally realized that he doesn't get down, he doesn't fall from his great high.  He just keeps on going.  So, now when he tells me things like how he is going to be on "American Ninja Warrior" show someday, I just say, "That's awesome".  It has been a great thing for me, the ultimate realist (pessimist), to see how it's ok to try and fail.  And if you keep at something, you will succeed.  I believe with all my heart that Carter can do anything he puts his mind to.

I am so grateful that I can rub shoulders with someone that is so positive about everything in life.  He is a great example to me.

cliff jumping

Carter has been taking lots of video with his GoPro this summer.  On his list was to go to the high cliffs and jump the approximately 40 foot cliff.  He and Jared braved the climb up and made the jump.  Carter is the one holding the blue thing that is holding his GoPro.  Jared was very nervous and we saw his famous "I want to do this but I don't know if I can make myself" face.  After about 30 minutes and four jumps from Carter, Jared finally took the plunge.  I love when a child faces a fear head on. They both loved it and we have gone back and Jared has not hesitated to jump.  Carter got some great video and was able to finally jump with out screaming.  They said they felt like they were in the air forever. I love the last picture, of Jared, as he is just about to hit the water.  You can see his reflection in the water.  I bet if we zoomed in he would have his "I'm going to die" face.

pole vault

Back in 8th grade, Carter started talking about pole vault.  He has a friend who has been doing it for a few years outside of school.  So, when Carter joined the high school track team, he wanted to try pole vault.  Little did we realize what was involved.  The high school coaches were not equipped to teach this difficult event.  So besides going to track practice every day after school for the 800 and high jump; twice a week Carter went to pole vault practice, along with a hand full of kids in town, with his coach, Tim Mack.  Does he sound familiar?  He might if you watched the Summer Olympics in Athens where he won gold in the pole vault.

It was a great freshman year on the track team for Carter.  We enjoyed watching him learn and improve in pole vault along with the high jump  and the 800m.  He even did the 300 hurdles a few times. He scored for his team in high jump and pole vault which led to him lettering in track.  We were excited for Carter for accomplishing this his freshman year.  He is such a great athlete who works hard to improve.  He is so good at setting goals for himself.  I'm excited to see what the next three years hold in store for him.

carter compared

Three years ago, while we were out playing in the snow, I took a picture of Carter because he looked old to me at that moment and I wanted to capture it-this older version of Carter that gave me a glimpse of what he might look like some day.  Well, we were back in the snow a few weeks back (post to come) and I thought about it and snapped another one.  I don't think I captured an older version of Carter this time; he looks his age of 15.  But I love to compare the two.

lucky number 13

There is something magical about turning 13 for Langford boys.  Not only do they start to really notice girls, but the girls start noticing them.....in droves.  This happened to Carter two years ago, when in the month of December, according to one of his friends, he broke a school record by having 12 girls liking him at the same time.  That Christmas he got 3 Christmas presents from girls.

We seem to be repeating history with Jared.  Every day it seems that some new girl is texting him and asking who he likes, either for a friend or herself.  The other day I picked him up from school and he was already on his phone, when I questioned why, he said he just got a text from a friend that heard that two girls that liked Jared were talking about him and when one found out that he didn't like her the same way she liked him, she began to cry.  He is such a heart breaker.  Then last night I was at the mall food court with him and a friend and two cute girls came up to them and started talking to Jared.  When he came over to the table I asked who they were, he said he had no idea.  They just came up and said, "Hey Langford" and started talking to them.  Jared's soccer hoodie had his name on it.

Thankfully things calmed down with Carter in the 8th grade, so we assume we only have half a year left of it with Jared.

court of honor

 Carter finally had his eagle scout court of honor this past summer.  He was waiting so he could have it with six other boys in his troop.  It was a great night and I was a proud mama.  Allen was the conducting the court of honor and also did a great job.  His mom said afterwards, "I am so proud of Carter, but I think I'm more proud of Allen tonight." She loves her boy.

my three scouts; Jared will be working on his eagle project soon

Carter showing Congressman Duncan his project

I was these four boys cub scout leader their first two years in scouts-love them all!

So proud of Carter and this accomplishment!

climbing kids

The boys have added another new feature to our work-out room.  First Allen, Carter and Jared built the peg board (on right); now they have added a climbing wall.  It's been a fun addition for everyone.  I love that this is something that Allen has been able to do with his boys.  They love to design and build things together.  And then play on them.

Carter's obsessions

Carter and his obsessions.  He has had many.  Now that he is older, he is finally following through with his grand ideas.  His latest:  Uncle Maddio's Pizza.  It just opened across the way from us.  For some unknown reason Carter became obsessed with it while we waited for it to open.  He was on their Facebook page almost daily the last month or so trying to find out when exactly they were opening.  Why, do you ask? Because he he got the idea in his head that he needed to be the first customer.  Then he started talking about it obsessively to his friends and got some takers.  By May they had decided that they were going to camp out the night before to make sure they would be the first in line.  They also agreed that Carter would be the first in line because he was the ring leader.  We tried to explain to Carter that this wasn't something you camped out for.  The week of the grand opening none of the boy's parents were willing to camp out with them somewhere where we were pretty sure they wouldn't actually be allowed.  Allen and I compromised and said they could "camp out" at our place and walk over the next morning.  And so they did.  They headed over at 9am for a 11am opening.  As it turns out the pizza place was giving away free pizza's from 11-2, so there was a line and sure enough the boys were first, with Carter at the front, proud as can be.  The pizza place loved them and their enthusiasm and posted pictures of them on their Facebook page.  Here are some pictures from the fun day:

heading off in the morning

they were there about an hour before the next people showed up

first in line!

enjoying their free pizza

Carter has a knack of getting others caught up in his excitement.  A few years ago he and a friend came up with USPU (United States Parkour University)-because Carter was currently obsessed with Parkour and soon he made a website- uspu.webs.com.  (I'll let you check it out if you care-it hasn't been touched in over a year).  He also designed a t-shirt.  This was a long process because Carter has trouble making decisions and he had lots of input from lots of friends with all different opinions.  Allen and I just sat back and let him figure it all out himself.  He did it all-designed the shirt, took orders from friends, collected money and distributed the shirts (I think he ended up ordering 30 shirts).  Two years later I still see kids wearing that shirt and all 8th graders use the acronym USPU (us poo) in conversation like it's as common as IKEA.

So, my question is...how does Carter translate this talent for obsessing about things (and getting others to get on board with his ideas) into a career later in life?  What job is best fit for this?

Jared even bought one

soccer x 2 + track = where did April go?

Where did April go?  It flew by!  Probably because we have spent it going to watch these guys playing on the 6th and 8th grade soccer teams.  Two games a week each.  They are both having great seasons.

Carter also decided to try out for the track team this year to see if he would like to do it in High School-he made it. Practice every day, one meet a week.  I went to my first track meet and discovered I don't like them.  They are longer than swim meet if you can believe it.  I did enjoy watching Carter.  Events he participated in:  long jump, 1600, 4X800, 4X200, and 4X100.  He loves relays.  His last meet is this week, thank goodness.

referee

Carter and Jared recently got certified to be soccer referees.  This entailed a full weekend of sitting in a class room learning all about soccer then passing a test.  They both did great.  Jared is not ready to actually ref yet (he is on the young side), but Carter was anxious to get started.  He was mainly ready to start earning some money (and show Claire she isn't the only one who can earn money around here).  Refs get paid well.  He gets $20 a game (one hour).  Last Saturday Carter refereed his first, second, third, forth, and fifth game.  All in a row!  Allen went with him and earned the father of the year award for sitting out in the sun for 5 hours watching his son work.  Carter was quite nervous and Allen wanted to be there just in case a parent got ugly (didn't happen).  Allen said it was neat to see Carter progress throughout the day.  His first game he rarely blew his whistle and when he did it was quiet and he spoke timidly.  But each game he gained confidence and by game 5 he was blowing that whistle left and right with all the confidence a 14 year old boy can have.

mustache

 It's real....and has to be shaved at least twice a month.

one year later

 the difference a year can make

 May 2011 and 2012

eagle scout

Carter had his Eagle Scout Project last month. He decided he wanted to do something at his old elementary school, Tate's. They have a school garden and the planter boxes were falling apart. So, they cleared the space to make room for Carter to make 8 new boxes, a huge compost bin, a gravel walk way lined with rail road ties, and mulch for the shed. The next week we went back to fill the boxes with dirt. We had great weather and a great turn out. The school wanted him to put his name, date, troop and hand prints in some cement. Pretty cool day.

he did it

It's official. Carter is taller than me. I am sad and happy at the same time. I'm sappy.

changed

It wasn't that long ago that I did a post about how my tweener had little need for a phone except to text me and his cousin. Well, things have changed. Is it because he is now an official teenager? I don't know, but now he never leaves the house without it and is texting more than I thought possible. And yes, the majority of the conversations are with girls. That's a whole other post. We even caught him texting while blowing the leaves. He is great with following the rule of us reading his texts and sometimes even suggests it.