schedule is crazy, but life is fun

Our spring schedule is starting in full force now...

We have a girl in dance, 3 kids in soccer, a boy playing baseball too, on top of our "normal" schedule of school, preschool, gym, MOPS, storytime, church, youth group, my latest very part time nannying job...

April will definitely keep us busy, but we enjoy it!

I will try to update here as much as possible, but life keeps getting in the way ;).  Here's a look at our fun weekend!

I will warn you now...be prepared for too many soccer pictures to be posted here the next several weeks!!  We {love} soccer in our family! 

This season my boys are actually playing together!  We switched leagues and our new league has kindergartners and first graders playing together...I know, Evan's not a kindergartner either, but since there were other 5 year olds on the team I figured it was time to move Evan up...he was definitely ready for it!  Ryan is coaching again, which makes it even more fun!  We are called the Silver Knights this season {Avery's idea}.  Our first game was on Saturday morning...and our team did great!!  The score was 3-0 {no we're not supposed to keep score...;)}!  Avery got his first goal of the season and Evan was very close at making a goal!  Great job Silver Knights!!

I love these pictures of my boys playing together...this will probably be the only time it will happen...is there anything cuter than this...well, maybe not after I show you Ellie's soccer pictures that will start in a week!

{Evan's on the left and Avery's on the right}

{Evan's got the ball!}

{This is Avery's goal winning shot!}

Then we had some fun with friends celebrating Ellie's husband's birthday!  Yes, if you haven't hear she is married {according to her and her husband}.

There they are now...

Sunday after church we enjoyed the beautiful weather by going on a nature walk with some friends!

Then we planted fifty, that's right 5-0 strawberry plants.  Ryan has even bigger and better plans this year for our gardening...at some point I think we are going to run out of yard space :)!  Don't worry I will let you know when we open up our vegetable/fruit stand because if this all comes up we are going to have enough to feed 100 people!  That is if Bella doesn't eat it all up first!  {Love you Ryan and your crazy plans :)!}

Finally, there was a little bit of baseball practice to gear up for baseball season that is right around the corner too!

A great weekend!

spring break 2014

And spring break 2014 has officially came to an end.  

No, we didn't go off to a warm and sunny place...actually it had to snow a few times here during break...ugh!...but we did have a good time doing fun stuff around home with our friends!  

We had some great times and I am so ready for summer vacation to be here now!

Here's a peek of what else we did during break.

We took our first trip to play on the playgrounds at Rainbow Play Systems...I think the rest of the city had the same idea!  It was crazy busy, but fun playing on the expensive playgrounds we'll never own :)!

Then we had some friends over to play on our playground. 

And of course time on the trampoline!

My kiddos decided to use up some of their money they have been saving from birthdays and chores...this boy chose Skylanders...a four pack!  I don't know how much Evan enjoys playing the game...he's more just a collector to see how many they can get!  Avery was able to buy our old iPad off of us!  He's very proud of his accomplishment!  Ellie...well, she bought some shoes...that girl makes me proud :)!

On Thursday, while the boys were off at the gym and getting a boot camp lesson from "real army guys" {according to Evan} and a chance to swim....

Ellie & I took some girl time!

Ellie had her first pedicure!

She loved it!  Aren't those toes the cutest thing you have ever seen?!

Friday we planned a trip to the zoo!  The kids always love it...it would have been nicer if it was a bit warmer...

Over the weekend we took a family bike ride, with Avery on his own {detached} bike, to the park. {No one wanted to take their picture!}  Please no more hats and coats...we are done with you!!!

We also watched Frozen several times...once with Aunt Kelsey!

We ended the break with Ellie's favorite day of the week...dance class day.  Ryan took off work to come watch her, which made her very happy!  

Then Bella got her first invite to a doggie birthday party!  She {loved} playing with all her new doggie friends!!

It was a great break with lots of good memories. 

Now back to the regularly scheduled program...

a fire station & a tooth & a team

Wow two blog posts actually happening back-to-back...I must be on a roll!

Today on our second day of spring break...

We got to visit the fire station with our MOPS friends!

Evan loved it since he wants to be a fireman himself.  He even got to stand on the fireman's foot to show that it doesn't hurt him with his steel toe shoes on :).

They all got to hold onto the hose together!

Then these two had a very shy, awkward conversation together... sweet young love...or is it old married couple conversation where there's not much really to say?!  They are both adamant that they are married already.  The Mr. said that he plans on telling the Mrs. tomorrow that he loves her ;).

After a fun lunch and a trip to the park, we came home and put together a fire truck Avery got for his birthday...appropriate for the day!

We also fit in some board games together.  I {love} that they ask to play board games with me still.

Avery lost his 3rd tooth today!  This one he pulled all by himself!  Two more are also wiggly right now...

And lastly, the boys had their first soccer practice of the season and their first practice playing together on the same team!  Ellie also thought she was on their team tonight too.  It's going to be a great soccer season!

spring has sprung

Lots of life has been happening.  

The weather has gotten warmer...well except for the crazy snow on Sunday...please, please be the last...

We are transitioning over to the spring season around here, which means Ellie is dancing, all 3 are starting up their soccer seasons, and Avery's baseball season will going too before we know it.  It will be crazy busy again around here...but we do {love} it.

Ryan officially got released from his crutches today!!!  Wahoo!!  No running for 6 months, but at least this is progress.  This also means he will be back to riding his bike to work...well only on nice weather days...right Ryan :)?!

Here's a look at what else has been going on.

These two have been practicing their soccer skills!

The original plan was for E&E to play soccer together this spring, but now the plan is for Evan to play on Avery's team with 5-7 year olds.  It will be a good change...Evan was ready for more of a challenge!  Ryan is excited to be able to coach the boys on the same team and Ellie is excited to be able to play with all her little friends!

Bella is enjoying the warmer weather, but has already been panting from the heat...poor girl may not survive the summer ;).

We finally got to be able to picnic outside!

It was also nice enough to walk to pick up Avery from school.  They like to stop and do their exercises at the park on our way home.

Every second that it has been nice out we try to spend outside!

They {love} this tree.

Avery had fun at a Cub Scout night where they had a Kansas Bureau of Investigation officer come in.

Let me tell you the best investment...comfortable outdoor furniture.  I am telling you it's a must!!  At least for the times that the kids actually let me sit down outside.

Evan was sooooo excited about us going to Fine Arts Night at his school.  His favorite part = buying a book about dogs from the book fair.

Ryan has started our garden for the season!  There are big plans with new vegetables for us coming this year.  I think every year this project doubles in size!

Princess Ellie helps Ryan with all his vegetable sprouts inside.

These boys decide to have another camp-out on their bedroom floor.  {love}

And finally we celebrated St. Pat's day today!  The leprechaun visited us again this year and brought some special Lucky Charms and some green milk!  No, it wasn't as big of a surprise this year as last year was, but I told the kids he might have just been busier this year to do too much ;).

They still loved it.

Then I surprised them with a green dinner tonight!

Happy St. Pat's Day!

And we are off to have lots more fun during spring break!