Soccer Festival

The soccer season finally ended today. It was supposed to be over before Easter, but the rain and thunderstorms kept canceling our games. We would schedule a time to make-up a game and that game would get canceled due to the weather. The league decided to just forgive the unplayed games, end the season, and host the festival for Jackson's age group. We had some pretty hard rains last night and were expecting them to cancel the two games we were supposed to play today. It was looking like we were not meant to play soccer this season! Our theory was that it was the end of the season, and they felt there was no reason to "save the fields" and so let's play some soccer. Jackson played one game this morning and one game this afternoon. The afternoon game was a little warmer and somewhat sunnier than the morning game, but the rain didn't hold off. It started pouring at half time, and by the time we all put our chairs away, it stopped. Unfortunately, it started again and we ended up watching the second half under the umbrella. Adam, Sarah, and I sat in the car while Kevin and Jackson met the team under the shelter of the concession stand for the end of season team "party".

Sarah was not happy about having to stay in the stroller to watch the game, but it was way too muddy to let her run and play.

Adam entertains himself during the games by playing on Kevin's iPod. He cannot, however, wait to play soccer. In fact he thinks that when he "changes four", he can play. We are going to have a hard time explaining that he has to wait until August.

The rare occasions he sits in my lap are at soccer games.

Jackson and his teammates eat their party foods.

Instead of a trophy, he got a small soccer ball used for training.

Big group hug!

Mother's Day Weekend

Our church hosted a fishing trip last weekend at the Atlantic Beach Pier. We (well, the boys) signed right up and took advantage of the weekend at the beach to visit Grandma and Papa Jack. They were kind enough to watch the kiddos Friday night so Kevin and I could go eat with the church group at Captain Bill's in Morehead City. The boys headed to the pier on Saturday morning while Jan, Sarah, and I headed to downtown Swansboro to do a little shopping. We met the boys in Morehead City for dinner that night and were able to walk on the water front and watch all the fishing boats come in. We all enjoyed a lazy Sunday morning and then Kevin, the boys, and I went for a stroll on the beach while Jan and Jacky stayed with Sarah while she napped. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend. The weather was perfect- not too hot and not too cool!

One of the many sharks Jackson caught. He said he caught 11 fish in all!

Adam holding one of his catches- another shark I believe.

I was told that Adam's favorite part was throwing them back.

Fishing is hard work- can't you tell!?!?

Kevin and I strolled along the beach- the boys chose to run the whole way. We finally got them to stop to snap a few pictures.

Miss Kim's Showcase

Adam takes "dance" lessons from Miss Kim at his daycare. He looks forward to every Wednesday because that is Miss Kim day. She really just teaches the boys gross motor skills through stories she reads and has them act it out. She let them pick what they wanted to do for this parent showcase. The boys chose to do "Going on a Bear Hunt". Then they wanted to show off their cartwheels. Miss Kim said they'd only been working on them for a few weeks. The last part of the movie is her Mother's Day treat. She had each kid skip to their mother and give them a hug and a flower. I had to take the hug from Adam and then he wanted to keep the flower. By the time we got to home, the stem was on the floor of the van and there were only a few petals left on the flower. He claimed the van was too jiggly and made them fall off. He by no means pulled them off himself! Hmm... Enjoy the movie!

More Easter

Jackson and I concluded our Spring Break with a trip to Gramma and Granddad's. Sarah went to her 18 month check-up (she weighed 26 pounds and was 33 1/2 inches long) and then we went to pick up Adam and headed towards the lake. Kevin stayed home to work on the porch steps. On Saturday, everyone came down for an Easter lunch. After lunch we all headed out to find Easter eggs. We had to come home on Saturday night so the Easter bunny could find our Easter baskets and fill them with goodies.

Bedtime stories with Gramma.

Dying Easter Eggs at Gramma's. Adam and Sarah are taking their naps or they might have been dyed themselves!

Adam's job was to put stickers on the dyed eggs. Gramma used the dyed eggs to make deviled eggs for Easter lunch. Yum!

"First of all, Granddad, why are you holding Ivey and not me? Second, Ivey, why don't you have much hair on your head?"

Don't you just wish the two of them could talk so you'd know what they were thinking?

Sarah's favorite place: in Grandad's arms (as long as he is standing and walking around!).

Adam and Jackson looking for the hidden eggs.

Chillin' out in the shade.

Look what the Easter bunny left us!

Adam loves his Peeps!

Sarah got some new barrettes.

Adam got a book with a dry erase marker that teaches him all about colors which he has yet to put down!

Easter Egg Hunt at CDC!

YAHOO! This week is Spring Break for me and Jackson. We have waited a looooong time for this week, and it is finally here! I've been staying home and getting some closets cleaned out without a three year old and toddler underfoot. It's been wonderful! Today Jackson and I ventured out to Sarah and Adam's daycare to help out with the Easter Egg Hunt. We hid more eggs than I have ever seen in one place for Adam's class. It took us about 30 minutes to hide them all (with the help of two other moms) and only about 5 for the kids to find them all. They made these cute little bunny baskets out of milk cartons. They would fill the baskets and then dump the eggs in a shopping bag and start all over again. Those eggs that I thought I was getting rid of by sending them to the daycare multiplied and then came back home with my children. We will definitely be having our own Egg Hunts here at home over the next few days!

Sarah never smiled but got the hang of picking up eggs and putting then in her teacher's bag.

I got lucky. I hid the eggs for Adam's class, ran down to Sarah's playground, watched her egg hunt, and then ran back up to the front of the church for Adam's egg hunt. I didn't miss a thing!

After Sunday's practice, Adam knew exactly what to do!

He would pick up all the eggs in one area and leave one laying on the ground. Jackson would try and get him to pick it up but he would say he wanted to leave it there!

This was his third time filling the basket.

Adam's class sitting down waiting to go inside.

Home Alone

If you asked Kevin, he would tell you I keep leaving him. It just so happens that two very important events happened two weekends in a row. Last weekend I headed to New Bern with three of my girlfriends. We went to the Home and Garden show to look at old houses and beautiful gardens. This past weekend I headed to Ridgecrest for the WINGS (Women IN God's Scriptures) Retreat.
If you asked me, I would tell you Kevin doesn't like to stay home. He packed all three kids up and headed to the beach to see his parents last weekend. He helped his dad build another section to their storage building. The boys were excited because they got to sit on the roof. If you asked Jackson about his weekend at the beach, all they did was sit on the porch the whole time. The weather wasn't the best but it did warm up for them on Sunday.
This past Saturday Kevin took them to the Natural Science Center in Raleigh. They had a great time until a tornado went through and forced them to head down to the lower level of the museum. I'm sure that was much more than he bargained for! I was innocently shopping for antiques in Black Mountain when the text came through that they were seeking shelter around 4:00 that afternoon. Thank God they all returned safely. They even made it to church the next day. It has been our church's tradition to have a hot dog lunch and Easter Egg hunt after church on Palm Sunday. Jackson and Adam also sang in the choir at the Worship service.

I really want to know what they are all looking at. Every picture has them facing in the same direction looking at the same thing.

Look! I found something in this egg!

This is the best picture of all three of them. Kevin only took about six. This was actually the first. It all went downhill after this!

And Yet Another Trip Around the Sun

I do hope that sun keeps going round and round although this getting old business is for the birds! My birthday fell on a Sunday this year and started out pretty good. We sat down to a yummy pancake breakfast. Kevin even made me some gluten-free ones which turned out to be not so desirable. I ate a few and everyone tried them just to see if any of us could actually stand them. So far, Maple Grove Farms (which I had high hopes for) does not make good Gluten-free pancakes. No worries- there are two other brands waiting in our pantry for their day to be tasted. I don't really have high hopes for them at all though!
After blowing out my candles on the pancakes (close enough to a cake, huh?) I quickly opened my gifts which consisted of popcorn and Cokes, and we headed to church. This was pretty much the highlight of my day. Jackson proceeded to get sick in between Sunday School and Worship. He was supposed to sing during worship, too. I was looking forward to a yummy lunch at our favorite after church restaurant, La Cocina. Obviously, none of this happened. We (well, Kevin) cleaned up the mess and loaded the troops in the van for the quick ride home. And home we stayed where Jackson rested and then seemed fine for the rest of the day. I was then showered again with gifts- more of my favorite things. Purple M&M's and Sugar Babies. Thanks goodness those are Gluten-free! It wasn't quite what I was expecting for a birthday, but it ended up being a pretty good one after all!