Soccer days

We just started Aaron's third season of soccer. There are big differences between this new league and the old one.

I'll just say that I liked the old one better.

Aaron still likes it though so I guess that's all that matters.

getting some after practice, practice with dad

I just love this baby

31

Nick turned 31 last week. Have you ever had an idea in your head and planned and prepared and thought it would be perfect? And then it turned out completely different?

After my brother's farewell party, which I really enjoyed, I decided I should have a party with our friends for Nick's birthday.

I don't think I will be doing that again.

At least not on such a large scale.

There were a few glitches that we couldn't prepare for......like Nick coming home late and not getting the BBQ started on time, and like my oven catching on fire and needing to use my neighbors oven (about 10 doors down) to bake the french bread. But over all I just miscalculated how many people (aka children) I can reasonably handle in my house at one time. I didn't even take out my camera.

I think everyone else had fun..... but I did not. Way too stressful. There were children running through the house, swinging swords, breaking toys, .....creating chaos.

Next time (if there ever is a next time) it will be ADULTS ONLY.

(Ahhhhhh........that sounds nice.)

Since I have no pictures of the night I will share our own little celebration at home with just the 6 of us.

I took the kids to pick out presents for Nick and they all picked the same thing....CANDY. I also picked up some Henry Weinhard's Rootbeer.

The kids hid his presents all around the living room and Elsie got SUPER EXCITED when ever he found one! (Probably because her favorite food was in each one of them)









After each present was opened Nick was attacked by candy hungry children. Nevermind the naked skin....it was hot that day.

Happy 31st Nick. I love you.

moments

There are times when I feel like my children have a monster for a mother.

I've been having those feelings a lot lately

then I spy them being so sweet to eachother in moments like this and am instantly filled with guilt


and a determination

to be a better mother.

He's Flown the Coop

My little brother has gone away to school. The first one to leave us. We had this party on a Monday. The Monday before he was attending the community college here in town, no idea that he would be moving across the country in just 10 days.

We still don't know how they got ahold of his name, but Southern Virginia University tracked Nick down and offered him a scholarship. How could he refuse.
(I'm sure it helped that his girlfriend is attending a school just 7 miles away)

We had a last minute going away party for him at our house 2 days before he left.



(so glad to report that the teal is officially GONE)



(can you see the new wall color that is on half of the wall?)





Nick's friends brought him a Snuggie and took the time to personalize the gift. So thoughtful.






The next day Nick got a manditory hair cut and we had dinner with just the immediate fam one last time.



Quite a difference.



This is the last picture I took of my brother. We went to say goodbye before they left.



See you at Christmas.

Can we fix it?

Yes We Can















We went to the Met on Aaron's first week of school. We really should have gone sooner so he could have come with us. We'll probably go again. The girls had a great time. Lots of hands on fun. We got there before they even opened so for the first 20 minutes we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We met up with Kandice and her 3 kids (who are very close in age to our girls). It was fun, until it got super crowded. Especially when Bob showed up. Kandice's kids ran to Bob and mine ran AWAY!





They didn't want to leave when it was time to go. Where else can they run wild playing with and inspecting everything they see, and even being encouraged to do so?

(this little girl did not like to share)




Bob will be here through the middle of October, then a Dr. Suess exhibit will open on Halloween! Anyone care to join us?

bells are ringing

The Christmas bug bit my in July this year. A bit earlier than normal. I think it was the week of cooler weather we had, or maybe being excited to decorate a new house, but what ever the reason I have been planning Christmas presents for a while now. I started an advent calendar quilt that I am in love with and I even pulled out Lila's stocking that I started too late to finish by Christmas last year.




I'm not sure what happened. I used the same pattern but Lila's is so much bigger than Elsie's. I did add 4 extra stripes because it was a little hard to stuff all of the goodies in Elsie's stocking last Christmas, but the feet of the stockings aren't even the same size. The heels are completely different, but now I know that I did the first one wrong, though I kind of like it better. Maybe the purple yarn was bigger than the pink and green.

Either way I like them both and already have yarn ready to go for Charlotte's.

Nick's birthday is very soon and his starts off the birthday line up.

The fair is coming soon.

Halloween costumes are being planned out.



Oh, I love this time of year

13 panties

Last week I was lying in bed one morning The kids filtered in and out while getting ready for the day. Amid all the chatter I heard "I got all my panties! That's cool!"


A few minutes later I was coerced out of bed to make breakfast and I found Elsie running in to show off her hard work.



and work hard she did.


those are 13 pairs of panties you are looking at. All layered up on her tiny little bottom.



I can just picture her with this grand idea in her head. Sitting down to slip them over her feet, then standing to pull then up.........over......and over......and over again.

we laughed for hours.