Flag Football 10/2014

Last Fall - Jackson decided that he wanted to try out Flag football. He seemed to have fun. He can play for one more year before he is too old for the league. We would really rather he not play tackle. It was fun for us to go watch his games too. The younger kids usually had friends there that they could play with while we watched..... until the mosquitoes started to get terrible - then it wasn't all that much fun to go anymore :)

Aviary

We went to an aviary - the kids had a lot of fun playing and occasionally looking at birds :) I am constantly forgetting and remembering how hands on and very into active play this bunch is. Creating, moving, playing - those are the times that we are all at our best in this family. When we try to go for quiet, observant and sitting everyone is miserable.

Summer concert

We went to one of the free city concerts that the city puts on. It was pretty fun. The kids liked dancing around for awhile. We will have to try a few more next year.

Battling the sprinklers

Matt was working on the sprinklers one day after Hailey's birthday so the girls were out there with her helmet and umbrella............ It was pretty funny watching them use the umbrella as a shield.

Hailey is 6

Hailey wanted a unicorn in a forest cake and when the time came I really only had neon colors and she was perfectly happy with a rainbow forest :)

Maggie giving her funny suggestions :)

She really wanted a picture with her cake showing that she was 6. She likes to put her own spin on things :) She is such a fun little girl. It's amazing to watch them grow and see the things that they are interested in. She loves to make little projects out of paper, tape, glue, and coloring stuff. She is always giving me little notes and pictures and constantly wants to give notes to other people (but her handwriting could use some work so they are very hard to read!) She loves to ride bikes, play with dolls, play outside and definitely play with friends.

She loves 1st grade and is starting to read fairly well. She likes to help me out - especially with cooking. She used to ask me for money whenever she helped with a job but I told that sometimes we help because we are a team and it's nice, for those jobs she will get paid with a hug and a kiss :) 

I need to take more pics of their presents - it's fun to look back and see what we gave them because it reminds of their interests at that time. I know she got a unicorn bike helmet, a bike basket and an umbrella.

Boys room - city wall

This is the city outline that I painted on the wall in the boys room. I just taped it off and painted in the different colors..... I finally painted on some windows so I guess I should take another pic. It goes with Caleb's superhero stage right now. The boys share a room - so I have tried to give them each a portion of the decorating that is directed towards their particular interest. Jackson has some Minecraft decorations, a robot sign and I have plans for a robot clock :) I guess I need to take pics of his part and add that too.

WA trip 3

We stayed with my parents for a week after the ocean part of the trip and did a lot of river swimming :) The water was pretty cold but once they got in and started playing they didn't really mind. We try to time our visits so we are there at the same time as some of my high school friends. It usually works out well and all of kids play while we get to visit. Especially now that the kids are getting bigger.

And look a picture of me..... that doesn't happen often..... but still no pics of the grandparents. Hopefully, this will help me remember to make sure I start to do that more often!

Jackson stayed behind for an extra week on his own with the grandparents this year. I think they all enjoyed it :) He loves to play video games with the older cousins - who are 15 -23 ish. They are great and make sure they play games that he can play too - like Minecraft. He had a good time with my parents and wants to do it again this year but maybe Maggie will take a turn...... we will see. My parents drove him all the way back down to us and we got to visit with them for a little while here in Utah.