Jackson's soccer, Spring 2013

Onalaska Park & Rec soccer for 1st graders went from mid-April to mid-May (about 5 weeks). Due to the rainy weather, they were only able to have three practices...followed by 10 games.

Highlights of this season:
- Jason was the coach for Jackson's team!
- Jackson was aggressive and confident out on the field; he played very well!
- A few of the boys on Jackson's team were his friends from school, including his best friend, Brennan.
- Blue Moon bar & grill sponsored Jackson's team, so naturally, we had to treat all the players to blue moon ice cream at the end of the last game. :)

"Go Jackson, GO!"





Jackson and Brennan



It was pretty fun having Dad coach!





Few of Jackson's fans...




We're all proud of you, Jackson! Glad you had so much fun this soccer season.

Lia turns 3!

Dear Lia:

Your birthday was on a Monday this year. We celebrated with our daycare friends Monday afternoon, eating cupcakes and singing Happy Birthday to you!...





Later that evening, we celebrated your birthday as a family. You chose pizza for your birthday dinner, then we enjoyed cake and ice cream together.





New DORA stickers and toys!...just what you like!





On your third birthday, we find you to be an independent young lady, with a tendency to "hoard" toys and objects that are important to you. Stacking books and stuffed animals onto your table in your room, and creating piles of books and toys in the corner of your room, are a few pasttimes you find enjoyment in doing right now.

Sweet & Sour...about 90% sweet, 10% sour!
Although it is your naturally easy-going, quiet disposition we all see, every now and then, you give us a glimpse of the more difficult side of Lia. A few days without a nap, not having your words understood, and having objects of importance taken away from you tend to set off your not-so-happy mood.

During daycare, you play nicely with your friends, Cooper and Rylan. The three of you like to stuff toys and animals into your backpacks and pretend you are going to school. Dressing up in costumes for our dance parties and riding big wheel bikes are other activities you enjoy doing with your daycare friends.

'Under-dogs' at the park, playing hide and seek, DORA, sucking your two fingers while playing with earlobes (yours or ours)...all things you enjoy right now.
You are a witty and funny little girl! Your sweet laughter and warm smile melt the hearts of everyone around you...



We love you Lia. Happy birthday!
Love, Mom & Dad

The girls' birthday party

For Jessica's 5th, and Lia's 3rd birthday celebration, we hosted a family gathering at our place.

Great-Grandparents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins all came together to help us celebrate on this Saturday, April 13th. The party went from about 4-7 p.m..

We had Rainbow Unicorn decorations per request of Jessica. And, of course, Lia wanted Dora the Explorer.

The cupcake towers:





I had this banner printed from Walmart.
"Happy birthday Jessica (5) & Lia (3)!"
All the guests at the party signed it, made it a special keepsake for the girls.


Mmmmm! Yummy.


What a fun day it was!! Happy birthday to our two sweet girls!

Easter 2013

!WARNING! The following post contains way too many pictures! My apologies. But, I hope you enjoy them. :P


Easter 2013, for our family, can best be summed up as follows:
Snow!...Water park!...Umpteen egg hunts!!!


Here are a few pictures of the kids during their first egg hunt of the season...







Thanks for the fun egg hunt, Grandma Chris and Grandpa Bob.
It was so much fun!


And later, that very same day, another egg hunt!

This one, outside in the snow.
Brrr, for the grown-ups. Awesome, for all the kiddos!




The following weekend (Easter weekend), we had some fun at the Depot Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, with...surprise, surprise -another egg hunt!
This one was in the hotel suite.







It was a bit long, yet always entertaining, stroll down to the water park... :)




Wheee!!!





Nothing beats a nice, warm bath after a long day playing at a water park!



Afterwards, we went straight to Grandma Barb's and Grandpa Terry's for Easter dinner. Uncle Zach and Emily were there, as were Uncle Ryan and Maddy and Logan. Harold, Kristy, Cortney, and Cade were also there for the Easter celebration.
Grandma Barb prepared a delicious meal, and we had a fun time visiting with family.

Jessica turns 5!

Dear Jessica:

Your birthday was on a Friday this year. You two girls helped me make a cake and cupcakes while the other children napped at daycare that day.



We had to mix, pour, and frost downstairs in our family room because there were daycare children taking naps upstairs next to the kitchen. It worked out pretty well. And, it was fun too!




Later that night, we celebrated with a family dinner of your choice --chicken nuggets (your favorite), followed by birthday cake and presents.




The weekend after your birthday was filled with fun at a water park with some family (which I will post on the blog later).

The following Monday, you brought Oreo cookies (one of your favorites) to share with your class as school.

On this birthday, we find you to be a very independent young lady who likes to 'have a say in the matter.' You enjoy helping out with the younger children at daycare, teaching Lia how to play "big girl" games, and hanging out with big brother and his friends.

School has come very naturally for you. This was a big year for you, starting Pre-K! Your teacher, Mrs. Lang, enjoys having you in class, and says you are advanced in your writing and reading skills.

You are very creative in both your play, as well as, your art projects. It is fun to discuss make-believe with you because you can think up unique thoughts and ideas to add some fun to the conversation.

We love you Jessica. Happy birthday!
Love, Mom & Dad

Things I don't ever want to forget...

When life gets busy, it is sometimes the smaller, more important, things that get over-looked (or purposefully ignored due to exhaustion).

As much as we remind ourselves to slow down, and take time to enjoy the present moments with our kids, there are times we still struggle to find that balance.

While I'm quite certain the broader picture of our kids' childhoods will forever be engrained in my memory, I worry about forgetting the smaller stuff.

LIKE..


I want to always remember...

The way Jessica sneaks her way into our bed at night, always approaching from Dad's side of the bed (because I'm not a very patient person to greet in the middle of the night). :) No longer does it upset me to wake up with our sweet Jess asleep beside me (given it's only happening once or twice a week, and not on a nightly basis); I've chosen to appreciate it as a special moment and to embrace it while I still can.

I want to always remember...

The way Lia greets me whenever I return home, after a few hours, or even just a few minutes, "Mommy's home!" and she runs to meet me at the top of the stairs with open arms, waiting for a hug. Melts my heart! <3

I want to always remember...

How the smell of fruit fills the air after the kids take a bath or shower. It seems like we always have strawberry or mango scented shampoos and conditioners for the kids.

The way Jessica enjoys writing notes and drawing pictures for her friends at school. She carefully folds them up, and places them in her back pack to give to her friends when she goes to school.

I want to always remember...

How Jackson took such pride in speaking his line, "The railroad took us many places, to and from our homes." He spoke this sentence into a microphone in front of all 80+ 1st graders and their parents during the 1st grade music show last week. And, then he looked out at me in the crowd, during applause, and he smiled!

The way our home, specifically the kitchen, is always decorated with artwork made on a daily basis (either at school or with me at daycare), and interchanged with new artwork, or added to daily. It's a never-ending process! :)

I want to always remember...

The way all three kids love to dance and sing with me. I know there will probably come a day when this will be an embarrassing thing to do with Mom, so I'm enjoying our daily dance parties while I still can!

The sounds of laughter that fill our house when we play the 'witch game' or any other game involving a chase or the 'tickle monster.'

I want to always remember...

The way Jackson can't leave for school without one last kiss from me just before he goes out the door. And, the way he still touches his heart and then points to me when he leaves (a symbolic way to say I love you that Jason and I taught him when he was only 3 years old). He still remembers and uses it! <3

And how Lia always wants me to carry her upstairs when she wakes up from her nap ...just because.

I want to always remember...

The excitement in Jessica's eyes whenever she talks about school. I love how she sings all her school songs, and most recently, all the nursery rhymes she has learned.

Seeing Jackson and Jason sitting on the couch together watching and discussing sports. It's also fun to see the two of them sitting on Jackson's bed together, looking through binders of sports cards.

I want to always remember...

How much Jessica likes to go through my closet and try on my boots; and, then she proceeds to sashay around the house, swaying her hips side to side. Does she get this from me? ;)

How excited Lia gets when she is the "ducker" for the game duck-duck-goose, and how her uncontrollable laughter will sometimes cause her to crumble to the ground.

I want to always remember...

The way Jackson likes to have me lay with him in his bed at night so we can discuss important matters about the planets such as, "why is Uranus lying on its side?" or "how many moons does Jupiter have?" Ha! He always surprises me with what he comes up with.


I want to always remember this feeling I have as a parent with young children. It is an incredible, yet terrifying, feeling to know that your children view you as a superhero in their worlds. It is every parent's dream to hope these feelings can withstand the test of time. But just in case, I don't want to ever forget.

Love, Mom