spirit week!

we were a little bit behind on getting things together for spirit week.  (seriously, coaching soccer has taken a few extra brain cells.)  i took no other pictures of the week.  but really, i think i captured the best of the week. 

Nerd Day. 

this is my little nerd in all her awesomeness.

i loved the cropped jeans with Hello Kitty socks, mis-buttoned shirt, Bubba's tie, crazy pony tails, and the best part, my old glasses with the glass poked out!  this is one cute nerd!

ostrich festival

each year our family eagerly anticipates the arrival of Chandler's Ostrich Festival!  i have always loved a fair, the rides, the animals, the food!  what's not to love?  this was Bubba's first time at the fair, and he loved it!

 this year we smartened up and bought ride bracelets for the kids rather than buy individual tickets per ride.  this made it much more fun since we could just say "yes" to every ride every kid wanted to go on. 

 one of the best  parts of the ostrich festival is the ostrich races!  this year we went straight there to watch the whole race from the front road. 

 Bubba was a good sport all night!

 and the girls got much braver about all the rides this year.  although, Avery the daredevil was still stymied by her size and not able to ride everything yet. 

on a sad note, some of my delicious fair food was spilled  on the ground!  oh well, there's always next year!

Hello Kitty birthday party for Madeline!

this Hello Kitty fan had a party for the ages!  she and 16 of her closest friends painted their nails, played pin the bow on Hello Kitty, Hello Kitty pinata, cake and ice cream, and much, much more!

it was a fun day for everyone.  Aunt Kiki was there, Grandma and Grandpa!  who could ask for anything more! 

and just for journaling purposes i'd like to review the schedule of my events today: 8 mile run, coach 1 soccer game, watch another, newborn session, birthday party for Madeline, birthday party for mom and me!  it was a great day!

go Green Dragons!

i learned a few seasons ago that cute team snapshots are way better than the formal team pics the league sets up.  so at practice today i brought the camera and did some fun team pics. 

here's my little all star:

 we set up kind of the traditional team pic:

 and then just had fun:

even though i feel i'm in way over my head with this coaching gig, i am having so much fun with these little cuties!  everyone except Maddie is new to soccer.  so, i am their first coach, the first one to teach them anything about the sport.  it's a little daunting, but so thrilling to see them get it and improve.  go Green Dragons!

good morning big 5 year old girl!

her official birthday party is Saturday, but for her "real" birthday she invited the neighbors out for a cupcake treat on the lawn!

we really got to see who the chocolate lovers vs. vanilla fans were.

 all of my girls opted for vanilla.  they are so their father's children!

goodnight little four year old girl!

the eve of a birthday is always a little bitter sweet for me.  it's so strange to look at the sweet little face of your 4 year old and think how much she has grown, and how you are helpless at stopping time!  i think it's the one part of parenting no one ever warned me about, how you love all the new stages and growth, yet still mourn the passage of time and all the loss of all the little baby and toddler things.

 but this girl is ready to move on.  up until now, she has been my little mommy's girl.  she chose not to go to pre-school this year in favor of a homeschool program.  she prefers home to a playdate and loves that i am her soccer coach.  but recently she has blossomed.  she's fierce on the field.  she's braver in social situations.  and she's desperate for kindergarten to get going.  this girl is ready for 5!

so, goodnight 4, it's been a really great year. 

(here's to hoping her nose rug-burn heals up for her birthday photoshoot!  like i said, she's become braver, getting this injury surfing down the stairs at Leila's house!)

February = soccer time!

soccer season is upon us.  this year, we couldn't get away with having the girls on the same team.  so Anna is on the Angry Birds.

 and Madeline is on the Green Dragons. 

soccer season brings 2 practices, and 2 games a week.  and many an interrupted nap for little Bubba.  oh, and i'm on the Green Dragons too!  they did not have enough coaches for Maddie's division, so i volunteered.  it's an adventure!