Go Broncos! Go Cardinals!

Last weekend we finished up the boys flag football season. Not a minute too soon too! While most of the season, it was really nice outside, the last 2 weekend were so hot. Those were the playoff days. It was a double elimination tournament and both boys made it to the 2nd day. B ended up losing in the semi-finals...taking 3rd place over all. His team really showed some improvement. The lost every game for over the 1st half of the season, but really started to get better as a team. D's team was really good this season. It was a fun change for him. In the previous seasons, they really struggled to get a win. This year, there was only one team that beat them (once during the season and 2ce in the playoffs). This team was really good and recruits other players. In fact, after we lost to them the first time in the tournament, the coach approached our best player and asked him to come join their team. Anyway, D's team took 2nd place overall. We are proud of both boys; they played well, but more importantly, they had a really great time.

D (on the right)

D's team

(he is 3rd from the right when you count my cute little nephew Sam who insisted on being in the picture. My brother in law was their coach.)

B (on the right)

B (on the left, with coach Jay behind him)

Just a little side note about B's last game. They were down by 9 points when they started the last play. One of the smaller boys on the team had the ball and ran with all his heart straight into the endzone. I realized while his little legs were just going as fast as they could, the other team's players could have easily taken him. They were bigger and faster, but the other coach had told his players to let him score. When B's team went for the extra point, he did the same thing. It was so cute to see another little tiny guy weaving in and around trying to get to the endzone while the other team was trying their best to NOT pull his flag, while still acting they were. In the end, B's team only lost by 2 points. I still can't help but be grateful to that other coach. What a thing to teach you players! I loved it and I certainly hope my kids can appreciate how much more important sportsmanship is than winning.

One last picture... The games started Sat morning at 8 am and we didn't finish until 2 pm. The kids were really good through it all, but by the end KL was just so worn out. I looked over at her when we were on our last 15 minutes and this is what I saw.

Cute Girls

Here are just a couple pictures of the 2 cute girls I get to spend my days with!

A little while ago, my neighbor came over to regulate my piano. The girls were so fascinated seeing the piano taken apart and him working in it so they wanted to watch. I said they could as long as they just sat still on the couch. I was really impressed with how well they did and as long as they lasted!

Here they are just sitting and watching.

Loving each other!

I just love her in a bathing suit even if she isn't happy with me for pulling out the camera.

The girls started dancing together one day and it was so cute. It took a couple of takes to get them both doing it together, but it was fun watching them anyway!

Simple Pleasures of a 4 Year Old

Before Dave and I went to DC, I had told the kids that if they were very good while we were gone, we would bring them back a present. CK got very excited and very specifically requested that I bring her make-up. I told her we would see. Apparently, while I was gone, she told my sister over and over that she would be getting her own make-up. She was quite excited. Thankfully, I didn't disappoint. Dave had his reservations about getting it, but I couldn't resist. The next day, we were at my parents for Sunday dinner and she very graciously offered to beautify everyone.

Here she is making over my little sister, Katy.

The final product... it is hard to see because I made a point of buying very light colors, but still... you can make out the mustache on Katy's cheek.Here is KL kicking back after she had been made over.

And now it was CK's turn! This is my neice Anna putting make up on her.

Backyard Campout

Last weekend was the annual Father's and Son's campout. Unfortunately, the it was also the start of the boy's football tournament and the games started Saturday morning at 8, so going up to the mountains was not really a viable option! So, Dave came up with an alternative for the kids. He set up a tent for the kids in the backyard and bbq-ed hot dogs. The kids loved it! We let them watch a movie on the laptop. As soon as the movie was over and I said lights out, B came in the house and said he wanted to sleep in his bed. I was ok with that. I was doing the same (in case you think that was very irresponsible parenting of me to let my kids sleep out in the backyard with out me, I'll just say that they slept right outside my bedroom window so I could hear everything, including everytime they unzipped the tent or shifted in their sleeping bags). The next day, D said that the reason had wanted to come is was because he was afraid the bad guys would get him. :)

I really think these 2 enjoyed the tent the most!
KL and CK

CK

(by the way, we went swimming first, so that's why CK is still sporting her swim suit)

The next morning, we took KL out to wake up the kids. She was so excited to be out in the tent again! L had already woken up at this point so it was just D and CK left out there.

KL thought it was so fun seeing Dave on the outside. She loved grabbing his hand.

Celebration of Learning

Last week was Celebration of Learning. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the kids in their classrooms with their teachers (who were all fabulous and I am so grateful for), but I did manage to get the camera out when we went to the cafeteria where each kid in school had a piece of artwork on display.

D

B

(His is on the bottom and you can't really see it so good here, but you can see it better in the next picture of L's... her's is on top of his.)

L
(with B's picture below her's)

Dance Recital Spring '09

CK and L have been taking dance from a friend of mine for a couple of years now. She is great and the girls love it. This semester, her sister in law helped quite a bit. I really feel like the girls have learned so much and are both really improving. Unfortunately, my friend is 8 months pregnant and so she doesn't think she will be doing it again next semester. I really can't blame her, but I'm sad. It has been so nice to have such a fun place for the girls to do dance. Here are some pictures from their recital last week.

Here are some pictures from L's dances. This one was from her tap dance.

She loved this costume the best. I have to agree that it certainly passed the spin test... just look at how wonderfully it spreads out!

During the ballet dance

Just showing off her beautiful dress!

With the whole class and Ms. Ashley:

(Don't you love how L has taken center stage?)

(FYI: she got to be in this class with 2 of her cousins... Kaileigha is right behind her on the right and Anna behind that on the right)

Here are some from CK's beautiful exhibition. This is her with her whole class lined up for their big dance number.

On the bar

Leaping across the room.

With the whole class and Ms. Crystal and Ms. Ashley

(My other niece Kaligh was in the class too. She is the 2nd from the left...bf was also in the class 4th from the left. CK is 3rd from the right)

David's Bday

I realized just how behind I have gotten on my posts when I went to download the pictures of my camera. Actually this time of year, it doesn't take much to get behind! Anyway, I'm going to get caught up over the next couple of days.

We'll start with D's birthday last week. It happened to be the same day as the big FHE with all my dad's family. It was the last time my grandparents were going to be here before heading up north for the summer.

I decided to take the kids over early so they could go swimming. I just had to take this one of KL because her little body is so cute in the swimming suit!

Here is the birthday boy while he was waiting for dinner after swimming... doing his favorite thing... reading SI!

Blowing out his candles.Always such a happy kid!

Getting a cool new football Dave and I picked up in MD.
(my boys have been trained to be big UofM Terp fans)

A Happy Mother's Day

I hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day! The best present I got was a Sunday afternoon nap! Yea!!! I really loved it.

I also got a bunch of flowers, so I thought I would take some pictures of them.

Look at all these beautiful tulips! The yellow ones were from Dave and the colored ones were from my sister.

This little bouquet was from D. He got dressed for church nice and early then went outside and picked all these for me.

This little potted plant was from CK. She painted to pot in preschool and then potted it. She brought it home on Thursday and was just too excited for me to wait to open it on Sunday so I got it early. It also came with a coupon book that has things like a bubble bath and free hugs... which she has been very religious in giving me!I just love being a mom and these sweet little things my kids do make me love it more. It may be true that nothing makes me crazier than my kids, but it is even more true that nothing makes me happier! I feel so blessed to be a mother and I feel equally blessed that I have the mom and mother in law that I do. I love you both! Hope you had a great day too!

You Know You've Made It Big...

Dave came home this week and showed me this. The Supreme Court was nothing compared to this. He is pretty pleased! I mean, Colbert? Colbert?! He has long been a hero around here and Dave is honored to have made it to this point. What a high point in his career!

You have to skip to 4:15...

Unfortunately, some of you, my faithful viewers ;) have been unable to get this to load. Just in case you find yourself in that boat, here is a link to it.

D Turns 11!

As hard as it for me to believe, today marks the 11th year since I've been a mom.
That's right... D turns 11 today. He has been such a blessing in our lives and we love him so much. He is such a wonderful son. He always is there to help me. This weekend, I wasn't feeling so well. He was so concerned about me. I asked if he was going to help me make his birthday cake and his response was, "Well, Mom, do you feel up for that?" I really do rely on him quite a bit. I often have to remind myself just how old he really is because I have a tendency to expect to much out of him sometimes and he hates to let anyone one down.
Here he is hanging out on his bed. He loves to lay down there and read, or rearranged his football cards.
He is an absolute sports fanatic---especially football. He has been a football player for the past 3 Halloweens and I know he has no plans to be anything different this year. (he's in the middle. B on the left, and Josh on the right)

This is when he lost his first tooth.

Something that always makes me feel so good is that he always wants me around. This is at his school field trip last year to the zoo (inside the sting ray exhibit). It really makes me feel good that he still wants me to come to these things at school
His little sisters really love him (well... L is a little too close in age. They still have more of a rivalry going on). This is him with CK when she was a baby. He is so sweet with her and KL. He loves them and he loves to show them off to his friends. It's not hard to understand why they love him so much in return.
This was 1st grade. We have always teased him a little about how he got his daddy's ears. He has such a cute sense of humor about it. One day last year, he came home and announced that he was the smallest kid in 4th grade. I asked if he meant among the boys, and he said no. The WHOLE 4th grade. I guess they lined everybody up from tallest to shortest and he was at the end of the line. He started out sounding a little dejected, but then I said, "Well, I'll bed no one has bigger ears than you!" He laughed and laughed. He loves to compare them to Dave to see whose are bigger.
B and D really get along pretty well. They naturally have their moments, but he is a good big brother and is always willing to let his little brother tag along and play ball with him and his friends.

This is a picture of him and one of our neighbors (Cole) when they were about 5 or 6. He is such a social little kid and is friendly to all.This is in 1st grade at a soccer game. This is one of his best friends, Shawn. He moved last year, but D is still so unwaveringly faithful to him. We were trying to think of what to do for his birthday and I mentioned some suggestions, among them possibly going out to visit Shawn, but if we did this, he wouldn't be able to have a birthday party. He said, "I don't care about a party. I just want to go and see him."

Obviously, as his mom, I am a little biased, but I can't help it. I'm so grateful for him. He is the perfect oldest child and such a great example to his younger brother and sisters. We love him! Happy Birthday, Buddy!