soccer season starts...

C is playing with a league that has them play 3v3 with no goalies. He hasn't scored (for his team) but he does get to kick the ball more frequently. This guy is a natural defender!!!

B is coaching him again. They are both really enjoying this season!!
AM is also playing this season at the Y, but her season isn't going as smoothly. I wish I knew when this cute picture was taken, but it could have been during a quarter when AM was suppose to be playing, but she didn't want to...
That's right, I had no idea where she was because I was begging other 3 and 4 yr olds to stay on the field. I have teamed up with my old coaching buddy Tbone to coach our 3 yr old daughters...As you can see...I am not coaching my daughter all that much, but she sure is cute in that uniform!!
AC is a GREAT fan!!!

I know I put these on FB, but

I wanted to go ahead an blog about S's wedding shower that we gave her. Who knows how long that facebook thing will last anyways. Blogging is forever...right?

Some tears were shed and some jokes were told, all to honor a young girl we all saw grown up into a beautiful woman. Everyone there was so happy for her, none more than me:)

T bone brought her little one:)

The new kitchen is perfect for entertaining:) (It's almost 2 yrs old now?)

B worked so hard to get the bookshelves in the living room painted and the bathroom redone, but he got sooo sick he couldn't finish the bathroom. He slept while the kids watched movies in our bedroom all during the shower.

A little adventure

If I had my way, I would take my kids to a park everyday. Sadly, when I get home from work, most days, I am just looking forward to laying all my angels in their beds so I can relax in peace and quiet.

I have found that when I tell them..."We are going on an adventure!" They are all in and like the element of surprise. This adventure was to a small park with nature trails about 20 min from our house. We went on a hike first...I am not sure you could really call it a hike because it is so flat here, but we looked for maps and trail markers...

We went on the boardwalk loop...through the swamp...there were sooo many banana spiders!

We had a GREAT time and AC was an angel, just sitting in her stroller observing:)

There was also a play ground!! That was a nice end to the "hike"!! There was this grasshopper and two people could ride it at once... I KNOW!! That is awesome!

C and AM play so well together. They usually are on the same team and have to save each other when they create imaginary situations. I love seeing what they come up with and especially love when they do it together!!

AC is in her own little world. She LOVES climbing. She is all over playgrounds and loves climbing up the slides, then sliding down. She is a little too fearless for me, but I am glad she is so adventuresome!!

Labor Day Weekend

So B went out of town to Park City Utah for a Mancation with some buddies. I was left alone for 5 days...by myself...not even in-laws!

I did what any normal, sane mother would do. I went to Toys R Us to buy some toys to pass the time. I got the kids a slinky per C's request. They LOVED them! Even AC loved hers...

On Sunday morning, I thought I could get away with taking them to a popular, fun spot to avoid some labor day crowds. Other than all the people pushing me off my picnic table, the random man that borrowed my phone and the afternoon of calls from his friends that commenced...We had a GREAT time!!

After AC's lack of nap, we had snack outside because the weather was AMAZING!!

I also bought the kids some bubbles and some activity books. The bubbles were a hit for all of 5 minutes, but...again...the weather...

It warranted a group hug!! I mean, it wasn't really that humid!!

Monday was a different story. It rained on and off all day so we were couped up indoors, but we still had fun. AC really wanted to put on the Male's in her life's clothes...

Back to school...

C is entering "Transitional Kindergarten". His birthday is so close we decided to wait one more year for Kindergarten:) This is his first day of school last week...It was also AM's first day of dance:) AC just doesn't want her siblings t touch her:)

All the kids were excited for AM and AC's first day of school...especially C!!! I made them pose in the back yard like two years ago:)

Initially, AC's back pack might have been too heavy!!

AC just walked in to her room and never looked back!!

Here is AM by her new cubby!! She literally jumped right into her class and LITERALLY did NOT look back for me! She loves school so far!!

But, when the girls walked in and C was at another school, I was reminded of last year when the older two stared at different school :) It is tough for drop off, but we know now that was the BEST decision to ensure that C got into the competitive "Transitional Kindergarten" and we just LOVE everyone at AC and AM's school!!! Next year should be interesting when C goes to school for real...

Holy Cow! C is 5!!!

C's birthday was on a Thursday so we just went out to eat for a small celebration.

We opened his present from the family at home. He was probably most excited about his whoopee cushion. They each took turns making it "toot".

I have to begin C's birthday party with a brief discussion on the invitations. I, of course, didn't PPP(prior proper plan) and was in a pinch to get the invitations in the mail in a hurry. We ended up just ordering them online and having them printed at our local Walgreens. This is what we wore to go pick them up... I think its time we hand down these jammies and boots!

C wanted a water slide like last year. This one had a jump house that you had to go through to get up the slide.

C was so sweet and made sure that we invited some of AM's friends so that she would have someone to play with.

This was mainly for me, but I covered the mantle with pictures of C...from pregnancy to the present. I don't know if its just me, but 5 seems so old...like a milestone. I officially have a boy, not a baby boy :(

We got him this sweet Mario cake...I know, you're impressed right? I know. The cake was delicious also!!

4th Annual Aggie BBQ

It's that time of year again!! I was trying to figure out where all the previous year BBQs were held and it turns out the first annual was in 2007...at my house...I probably don't remember because Annemarie was a baby baby and I was functioning on very little sleep:)

2008, 2009 and 2010 have all been in Pearland. The house really does lend itself to this sort of thing!!! Here is the group picture...

The kids are really maturing...I didn't even have to bribe anyone with cupcakes. I think they know the drill now:)

This year we got to have some over night company as well. This is such a treat because thing can be chaotic with all the kids running around. I feel like I am trying to prevent and redirect meltdowns...
The boys even played a little Wii in the morning...reliving their college days. All we were missing were 2 more recliners.
The kids played pretty well together too... C is all about putting his arms around the people around him :)