First soccer game

Yesterday was Caroline's first soccer game!  She was so excited and even though her team didn't score a single goal and the other team scored about 10 she still had a blast.  She ran around hard and even touched the ball a few times.  Mostly she would back off or let the other person get the ball.  Not very aggressive to say the least.  After we got home we told her it was ok to go get the ball from somebody on the other team and if you push sometimes that happens in soccer.  Her comment was "I don't want to hurt anyone".  True, I guess we have spent the last 5 years trying to make sure she has manners and to be nice to people, and now we are telling her something different.  We will see how the next several games go.

So her team is the orange one and Caroline is the one standing by herself in front of the goal.  Don't know if you can tell by the picture but she is wearing hot pink shorts and light pink socks.  She was the only one on her team to choose those colors!

Here is a video of her playing "bunch" soccer.  Enjoy!

Hush-a-babies

Most folks might call it wisteria, but not my kids.  They prefer "hush-a-babies".  Not sure where they came up with that but it was shortly after we moved to MI.  The wisteria was in full bloom in mid-may when we were moving in and then I start hearing the word hush-a-babies being used a lot.

You can tell by the leaves that they are still new and haven't turned all the way green yet.  Yet we are already starting to get blooms and probably will for quite a while.  So about every time I back out of the garage I hear, "look at the hush-a-babies!" from one or both kids!

They are both growing like crazy right now and hoping for warm weather so they can play outside!  Will keeps asking me is it Spring yet because it is still so cold.  Even thought it is Spring he doesn't believe me!

Purple pancakes!

Sunday we purposely ate purple pancakes!!  Last week was pink and the week before was blue.  Next Sunday you can join us for green!  So I haven't taken any pictures of the pancakes but I just might have to start as we experiment with more colors.  Justin and the kids are in charge of breakfast on Sunday mornings.  I get to sleep in and not be on breakfast duty!!  Every now and then I will color the biscuits but Will asked for daddy to make blue pancakes one day, so why not.  Now the kids pick a different color and I need to add food coloring to my grocery list.
So if you are here on a Sunday morning you might get to pick what color you want your pancakes to be!

Too cold!

So I am going to complain just a little bit and I'm sorry about that.  I am done with Michigan!  We still have the heat on and it comes on during the day still.  I have worn my toboggan outside the past 2 days which also means the winter coats are still being worn.  The sun hasn't been out but maybe 4 days this month (or at least it feels like it).  It has also snowed twice in April.  Sun and warm weather, I NEED YOU!!
Otherwise there are some signs that spring and warmer weather are coming.  The bradford pears and weeping cherry trees are beautiful, so are the tulips and daffodils.  The trees are getting little baby leaves and the grass is green and I have had to mow.

Last Thursday we had a sneak preview or a tease of what the sun and warm would be like when it hit 80 for the first time since last September (maybe august).  We enjoyed being outside as much as we could.  Lunch and dinner we eaten on the back porch and the kids tried to enjoy a new water toy.  The water is always COLD here, which is great for drinking out of the tap but not so good for filling up pools or running through a sprinkler.  But they gave it a try!

The dog didn't mind that the water was cold and had as much fun as the kids did!

The kids loved playing in the water but it lasted about 15 minutes until they were too cold and shivering.  Hopefully we will have some warm days to enjoy playing outside again soon.

Riding a rocket

Earlier this week I had to take my van to the shop to have the oil changed and a bunch of other maintenance things done.  I asked ahead of time about how long it was going to take to get all that stuff done to my van and it was going to take about 3 hours.  I knew that I didn't want to hang out at the dealership with Will while they did the fixing.  Luckily they had a free courtesy shuttle to take us home and then pick us up again.  The shuttle was a van similar to ours and the best part for Will was getting to ride in his sisters booster (it's easier to get out of the car).  We got home and did lots of laundry and changed all the bed linens and then got a call saying the shuttle was in my driveway waiting on us.  Easy!  We get back to the dealership pay for the van and head out for lunch together.  On the way to lunch Will asked me why did the rocket take us there.  What?  I am totally confused!  Completely don't get what he is taking about.  I ask him what do you mean? He says you know the rocket that picked us up at our house.  Like duh mom!  Didn't I realize that shuttle = rocket?  But in Will's world it makes perfect sense!

This is Will's first real drawing.  Not a scribble that he says is daddy and him.  It is a picture of Will, Justin, and Caroline holding hands.  So cute!

Caroline dressed for her first soccer practice!  She had the pink shorts, pink water bottle, pink shin guards, and not pictured a pink ball!  She loved it!  She had just finished dinner hence the belly sticking out.

Computer geek....me!

Justin got a new laptop back in January and got the one to one training that you can get with a new mac.  I have been the lucky one to go and take advantage of this and increase my computer geekiness!  I have learned how to edit movies, create DVD's, how to make mobile me work, and then friday learned how to create my own website.  Upped the geek level!!  It is still a work in progress but my hope is to have a place where I can put photos, movies, and link my blog all in one convenient spot.
I will keep you informed of when I can be viewed.  Hopefully sooner rather than later, but you never can tell.

Also wanted to pass on the good news that a few weeks ago Justin found out that he was on the list for being promoted to Major.  We find out (hopefully) this week when exactly this will take place but we are tentatively planning for May 24.  If you want to come see the ceremony you are more that welcome but my house is already full of guests that week!
Also we should find out this month if we will be moving in June.  Justin has applied for a job with the NC national guard for a teaching position at Appalachian!  As of last week the people reviewing the applications hadn't picked them up for the HR office yet.  SOOOO more waiting!  June is only 2 months away and if I am moving in 2 months there are lots of things that need to be done!  But I can't do any of them since we don't know anything yet.  So hard to have so much patience!  I pray for more every day!

Putt-putt course Easter sunday afternoon.

Sand time!

Friday late morning we headed out to the beach.  I packed a picnic lunch and we drove the 10 minutes to the beach.  It was great!!  There was hardly any wind, the ocean was so calm it was practically lake-like, and the best part was it was warm!!  The kids had a blast playing in the sand and the super cold water.  At one point Caroline's legs were beet red because they were so cold.  She didn't complain or say anything about the water being cold.

She was actually yelling for her dad to come in the water with her not that it was cold.

That was about as far as Justin went.  It was cold!

I could say I meant to get Caroline's reflection but I didn't.  That girl is a bucket head!!

Caroline, Will, and Brandon (4 months younger than will) sitting in the cold water.

This one was actually the morning we left.  Justin and Christian went golfing and I took the kids to the beach!

You can tell in this picture what a lovely day it was.

We LOVE playing at the beach!

Easter morning

We drove 14 hours to Myrtle Beach to spend a long weekend with our friends the Schroeders.  We had a great time playing at the beach, playing putt-putt, and just hanging out.  I have tons of pictures but will start with the ones from Easter morning.
We went to a sunrise service on the beach and it was incredible!  There is nothing like celebrating He Is Risen while enjoying a beautiful sunrise.  The service started while it was still dark and then we were having communion as the sun was coming up.  AMAZING!

I took this while I was in line for communion.

It would have been nice if that couple had moved out of my way but I understand they were enjoying the moment too.

The kids did great through out the service considering there wasn't a children's church for them to go to.  Nothing like sitting on a blanket and putting your toes in the sand as a substitute for children's church!

After church we went back to the house and had breakfast.  Then outside to play with sidewalk chalk then we needed something to do before lunch so we washed pollen off cars and the kids had fun in the hose and splashing bubbles on each other.  After everyone in the house took naps we went to play putt-putt.  Caroline and Will love putt-putt.  Then we went to Margaritaville for dinner.  While we were waiting for our table the dads took the kids and did some fair kind of rides.  After dinner it was off to bed.  

We had a great day!!