Game Day

A little view of the chaos of game day... both kids play at the same time; Todd is the head coach of both teams; and they play on back-to-back fields! Chaos doesn't quite begin to describe it!

Kate taking a throw in

Brett taking a minute to cool off

Transforming with his buddy, Brayden

And this is how we unwind after a full day of soccer and errands :)

Firsts

Wow. For the past 5 years, 1 month, and 8 days I've sort of dreamed about *that* day when both kids are in school, full time, on the same schedule. In my dream, the house is quiet, I'm doing whatever I feel like, and it is bliss. Of course, this dream started when I had a newborn and a 1 year old in the same house! Through the last 5 years we've had many ups and downs, twists and turns, lots of laughter and a few tears, and the closer we got to *that* day, the more I realized that I'd sort of miss the chaos and the noise that came with having 2 kids in 13 months.

Well, no matter what I did, it happened. Ready or not, this funny little twosome is conquering school together. They seem so big and mature, yet still sort of little and fragile. I'm going to miss our carefree afternoons to do whatever we feel like, but I really enjoy watching them learn and grow so much every day.

So here we go, ready to start the next chapter of our lives. No more preschoolers, no more naps, and (hopefully) fewer tantrums. I'm pretty sure they're more ready than we are!

Brett's 2nd day of 1st grade... the first day was PE uniform day.  Nobody wants pictures in a PE uniform :)  Well, at least not mom!

Totally random, totally Brett... cracks.me.up.

Kate's first day of Kindergarten!  She was soooo excited!!

Cutie Patootie... loving the ginormous book bag :)

Ready to head off to school together!

A friend of mine posted this poem today, and I thought I'd share it:

She started school this morning,
And she seemed so very small.
As I walked there beside her
In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside
the others in the class,
I realized how all too soon

Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as
She first learned how to walk.
The words that we alone made out
When she began to talk.

This little girl so much absorbed
In learning how to write.
It seems as though she must have grown
To girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastily
I brushed the tears away
Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar her first big day.

Oh how I longed to stay with her
And keep her by the hand
To lead her through the places
That she couldn’t understand.

And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew she would no longer be
A baby by my side.

But she must have her chance to live,
To work her problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.

And I must share my little girl
With friends and work and play;
She’s not a baby anymore –
She’s in Kindergarten today.

Monkey Practice

A view of the Kindergarten Monkey team's first practice:

They get to take turns suggesting stretches

Working on some drills

This was the start of why they don't really speak to each other... girls!!

Yet these two don't really seem to care... go figure!

Kate, getting in the mix - it helps that she went to preschool with half the kids on the other team

Water break!

Goooooo Monkeys!

Monkeying around

Soccer season is officially underway! We were out of town for the "Meet the Coach" day, which isn't a big deal for our kids. Todd is their coach :) Brett's been playing with the same group of kids (more or less) since he was 3, and Kate seems genuinely excited this year. Unfortunately, Brett's practice got rained out on Monday, but Kate's team got to have their first practice on Tuesday... meet the Monkeys!

Doing their stretches

Showing off her gymnastics flexibility!

They get to take turns suggesting an exercise

And, of course, they have to run!

Some dribbling and scoring drills

Brett really wanted to tag along, so Todd let him help out with the Kindergarten practice for a little bit

Working on defense... take the ball away, so Kate took the ball away, and now her teammate is mad and won't talk to her.  Girls.

Taking the ball from this kid too!

Lexi gives Kate a taste of her own game, and scores!

Working hard

And being goofy

Getting ready to scrimage the other team

Taking the ball away from the other team... it helps that she went to preschool with 2 of those boys.  No fear! 

Much needed water break :)

Gooooo monkeys!!  Oh oh ah ah eh eh!

1st Annual Bubba Barbeque

Our neighbors hosted the first annual Bubba Barbeque a few weeks ago... come in your best Myrtle Beach couture (i.e., white trash). It was freakin' hilarious. Here are a few pics from the party!

 

 

 

 

 

A summer in the life of Brett & Kate (through my cell)

Modeling her new tennis shoes for PE and jumping rope on a drizzly summer morning

While he played cars - surprise!

And I pulled weeds - where's my jump rope and toy cars?!

Hanging out at the pool during break - feet in the water makes it ok

Cheese from fish #1

Really cheesing it up from fish #2

Relaxing at World Market while we shop

Engineers at work - they took Brett's balloon helicopter from Moe's kids' night and attached their Harris Teeter balloons to make it fly!  They did this just in the time it took me to unload the groceries!

Hanging out with Uncle Jeff while Erin and I went to Target for an hour... Jeff gave them snack and milk - in a Bacardi glass!  Nice!

And Uncle Jeff built them this awesome fort!

Playing Checkers with Dad at Cracker Barrel

Week with G&G

Hello out there!! We're still here, chugging along, enjoying our summer :) I realized the other day that I never posted anything about the kids' fun week with Grandma & Grandpa. The week before Kate's birthday, Grandma and Grandpa came down to spend the week with the kiddos. They were planning on coming down for Kate's birthday anyway, and my family (aka - our free babysitters) were out of town for the week, so we asked Todd's parents if they could strategically plan their trip for that week. Ta da! What great planners we are - ha ha. Anyway, they had a blast!! They went to the pool, went to the park, played at home, played at their house, and went to Marbles. Whew! I don't know who had more fun - Grandma & Grandpa or the kids?! We really appreciate them being here to help out that week. It certainly saved us a lot of headache, and the kids had a great time :)