Soccer Star(s)

Following my fours years of playing high school soccer was 13 years of not playing even one organized game of soccer, but in September I came out of retirement when my friend Natalie invited me to play on a indoor team with her for an eight week season. Unable to eat prior to my first game because I was so nervous, I actually found that, though my body doesn't move like it once did, I actually still remember how to play and I really really enjoyed myself. So much so, that I hope that I get another opportunity to play again in the future. Chloe loved watching me play (as shown below) and was pleased that both of our teams wear green but after the first game she was quick to tell me that she was a much better player than I was and maybe she could teach me a few things that would help me be better. True, Chloe is the little soccer star. Yesterday marked the end of the first half of her second season play AYSO soccer. She has loved it and has shown a real natural ability to understand and play the game. We have really enjoyed watching her play and look forward to the second half of her season next spring. Here are some shots of the soccer star in "action". One of the things that has impressed me about her playing is that she also understands defense. When the other team would have the ball Chloe would run ahead to get in a position where she could either block a goal, or steal the ball. She also was good about backing off if someone on her team had the ball and trying to get to a place where she could help. Her favorite thing about playing is that when she scores a goal she gets to give the coach a high five. Her last game brought her 7 high fives!

This video makes me laugh

If she weren't getting awesome high fives, her next favorite would be the after game snack, notice how gracefully she shows it off. Noah loves when the snacks get shared

Go Green Dragons!

Leaf it To Dad

We love him. He's a great husband and a great dad, and last night he was a great family home evening planner. With the fall leaves looking beautiful and the warm days beginning to be numbered, Joe took us up into the mountains in search of leaves of all shapes, sizes and colors. There are great rocks at the base of the trial we wandered and Chloe, in a picture taking mood, insisted we couldn't begin our search without taking a picture by the rocks. So a picture we took and then off we went into the colorful mountains.

Adam didn't last in his carrier very long.

Joe brought a clip board with paper and crayons for each kid so that when they found the leaves they could do rubbings of them. They thought this was the coolest thing ever.

"I look like a supermodel" Chloe declared as she posed for several pictures that all looked similar to these:

"Well I'm impressive because I'm a superHERO" came Noah's reply as he too wanted to show his best moves. And yes, impressive is a word in his vocabulary. (My other recent favorite is when he is told something, like where a toy can be found, he replies "duly noted" Cracks me up) With notebooks full and the sun fading fast, we headed home to cut out our rubbings and make a collage and drink some hot cocoa.

As we created our collage, Joe talked to the kids about the different leaves we found and how they were all different, but they were all special in their way. He talked about how just like leaves, each of us is different, but also special and beautiful because our Heavenly Father created and loves us all. It was perfect.

When the activities were done and the cocoa cups empty, Chloe told me "Dad really planned a fun family home evening this week, huh Mom." Yes Chloe, yes he did!

Trippin'

Our life is exciting. We get up, eat breakfast, shower, play, and start school days. Then we get home do "homework" (if you can call it that in kindergarten), have snacks, play, read, eat, getting ready for bed. Throw in a little groceryshopping/errand running here and there and that about tops out our days. The funny thing is, although maybe not exciting, I LOVE these days, I love the routines, and I love the little normal things I get to do with my kids. As we settle into school days, we have also tried to take advantage of the remaining good weather days, and tried to do a few things outside of the normal, every day stuff.

We picked Chloe up from school and headed for an afternoon trip to the Hill Air Force Base Museum. Although we drive by it regularly, and the kids always shout with excitement when they see the planes outside, this was our first trip to take a look up close.

Can you see Chloe and Noah in this picture? These planes are HUGE! Adam didn't like my idea for a picture
Noah could not get from plane to plane fast enough. Joe wanted to sit and read the history on each plane and watch some of the videos played with them, but being that Noah is in a definite boy phase of train/plane/car loving mixed in with a few dinosaur obsessions, getting to see these planes up close was to exciting to stand still.

Every year, about the last week of September, the kokanee fish make their way upstream. For the last few of those years Joe's family has headed up to a campground to see the fish and spend the day together as a family. With nine children, getting all of us together doesn't happen very often (we still missed two siblings with this activity), but we got close and the day trip was beautfiul.

Grandpa McBride and cousin LukeAdam, not satisfied with the huge jar of cheese balls offered to him, preferred to snack on dirt.

With many friends, cousins are still the silly favorites. Jacob, Chloe, Aubrey, Noah, Luke

The little orange fish swimming away

Noah's preschool class went on a field trip last week to Black Island farms. Having gone there twice, (here and here) before with Chloe's class, Noah was very excited to go there for HIS field trip. Even though it poured as we were leaving to start the field trip, and again about 30 minutes after we got home, the morning was beautiful and did not disappoint.

Noah and best friend Davis

Davis, Noah, and other best friend Jaygen

Searching for the perfect pumpkin

Waiting for the pig chasing oreos races