Shark tales

As I was laying in bed this morning trying to get a couple minutes of much needed sleep I hear the following conversation between Kevin and Kadin.

 "What happened to your elbow Kadin?"  Asked Kevin as he looked at a scab on Kadin's arm.

 "I fell.  In the water. And a shark bit me.  I told it not to.  But it did anyway."  Answered Kadin as if that is something that happens every day.

 The funny thing is that Kevin didn't continue listening after he said that he fell.  So after Kadin was done with his story Daddy didn't respond.  So as I'm in bed under the covers I start laughing.

 "What is so funny?" Asked Kevin

 "Did you just hear what Kadin just said?"  I respond.

"No, what?"

"He said he got bit by a shark..."

Kevin just started laughing

Soccer!

We signed Austin and Emma up for soccer a couple of months ago.  I didn't even ask them if they wanted to play...just assumed that they would.  When I told them that I had signed them up I had a bit of a mixed response. 

Austin was thrilled...Emma not so much.

I told her that she had to at least try and she got really upset.  Austin has spent the last couple of weeks trying to convince her how cool soccer is but no dice.  When she found out that today was her first practice she got just a little hysterical.  I know it sounds mean but I knew that she would love it once she tried it so I just told her that she didn't have a choice, she had to go and try it as least once.

Well, you tell me...do you think she loves it???

Yep, She certainly does!!!  Way to go EMMA!

This year is a little tricky with practices because Austin and Emma have their practices on the same night at the same time at different schools about 10 minutes apart.   Emma's is from 5:00 to 6:00 and Austin's is from 5:30 to 6:30.  We are fortunate because our friends the Finnestad's are on the same teams with us.  Josiah is on  Emma's team and James is on Austins.  That means that we can do some creative child swapping and get each child to the correct location at the correct times.  YEA! 

I was able to get to Austin's practice with about 10 minutes to spare.  It was great to see him playing but I was sad to miss so much of it.  Next time I will be able to spend more time at his practice but less at Emma's.  Bummer.

Meet the teacher

At the end of last year Austin was able to meet his teacher for third grade.   I love that their school makes it a priority for the kids to know who their next teacher is and where the class is located before they leave for summer break.  They don't have to spend the summer worried about what to expect or be scared on the first day of school because they don't know where their class room is.

Austin is thrilled with the teacher he has this year and he is excited because he gets to move up to Building B.  Building A is for kindergartners through second grade and Building B is for the big kids, third grade through fifth grade.  Once he is in sixth grade he will be moving up to middle school.  Scary, and not something I'm ready to think about yet. He is halfway done with elementary school already!

The school opened up it's doors today for all of the students and their parents to come in and meet the teacher.  Austin was excited to show me his class room and it was nice to get to meet his teacher.  She is very kind and I think it will be a great year for him.  I was able to get a couple of pictures of him in the class room but he is getting too old and shy to get a picture with his teacher.  Oh well, maybe later this year...

 Emma was lucky to have been able to meet her teacher in the past too.  She has the same teacher that Austin had for Kindergarten.  Emma was thrilled because the teacher remembered her from a couple of years ago when she was visiting Austin. 

At lease she isn't too big to get a picture with her teacher!

Happy First Birthday Mayla!

Dear Mayla,

Happy Birthday sweet girl. It's hard to believe that you are already 1 year old. You amaze me everyday.

I love how much you are learning. You love eating rocks and can stick an entire handful in your mouth at once. But you know what "spit it out" means and all I have to do is say it in a really low tone of voice and you empty the contents of your cheeks. But it only takes about 5 seconds before they are full again...

You know how to sit down, lay down, turn around, and come. You know how to climb the stairs and how to go down them. You can say mom, dad, do (dog) and uh oh. I think that you have also said Emma and bye bye. I love it when I ask you to give me a kiss and you come at me with that big open mouth...

You have the most beautiful smile, and it captures and melts my heart every moment. My love for you is unending.

Your brothers and sister can't get enough of you. They began fighting over you the day you were born and it hasn't stopped yet. I thought by the time you were big enough to run around the house they would give you some space but I was wrong! You have had to start fighting for your space. My little fighter has learned to run away, scream and even bite occasionally...but who can blame you?? You also really love your siblings. Austin is like a little daddy and carries you around the house. Emma is like a little mommy and takes great care of you and Kadin loves to play with you and make you smile. You are loved very much.

And then there is your Daddy. You have him wrapped around your little finger. When he gets home from work you run to him, flash your smile and stare into his eyes when he picks you up.  You cling to him, and he loves it.  Some of his favorite moments with you are the nights that he gets to put you to bed.  He cuddles you until you are asleep and then continues to hold you tight.   

Happy birthday sweet girl!

4th of July

Aunt Laura returned just in time to celebrate 4th of July with us!  We spent time at the park together, a fun BBQ at Uncle Raymond and Aunt Desiree's house (without them), then off to the fireworks on the beach.   I think that the firework show may have been the best we have ever watched.  It was amazing!  I think that everyone that lives on the island goes to the beach to set off their fireworks.  I love that the emergency vehicles are parked right on the road and ready to help if anything happens and that they are watching to make sure that everyone is safe.  I definitely want to go back again!