Our First Soccer Season

Lexie had the opportunity to play soccer for the first time this spring and she really seemed to enjoy herself.  We signed up through the YMCA and her team name was the Glory.  Luckily for her their color was purple, the only thing that could have been better was pink!  She had practice one night a week and then games on Saturday morning.  

The first game, really just a scrimmage where no one but the parents in their minds keep score, was pretty rough.  The team they played really knew what they were doing and Lexie's team didn't have a clue! They didn't seem to understand that the point was to take the ball from the other team and kick it in a goal to score a point.  Fortunately, at the next practice their coach sat down and went over the basic objects of the game and afterwards they improved with each scrimmage.

Lexie really wanted to score a goal, so much so that once the ball would get close to the goal she would take it, yes even from her teammates, and be the one to kick it in the goal!  It was pretty hilarious, so then Trey and I had to work with her on being a "team" player and what that entails.  She was so proud of herself though every time she would kick the ball into the goal.

One of the things we really loved about playing in the YMCA league was that before each game the kids would gather and pray and once the game was over each kid shook hands with the other team members.  It was a good introduction to sportsmanship.

Addie didn't seem to understand why she couldn't play soccer like her big sister so during the scrimmages she kicked around a ball on the sidelines.  I'm not going to lie, the kid has excellent hand, eye, foot coordination for a 2 year old, not to mention she is a pretty strong kicker!

And of course Lexie's favorite part of the game, snack afterwards!

Overall it was a pretty good first experience and she is already asking when she can play again.

Celebrating with Cookies & Milk

We recently helped Addie celebrate her 2nd birthday, who can believe she is already 2???? Definitely not me.  While it's sad how fast time seems to go when you're raising children it is so much fun helping them celebrate another year of life.

Neither one of my girls really like cake.  They LOVE the icing but always seem to leave the actual cake.  Addie's has two big weaknesses, cookies and chocolate candy.  I'm honestly not exaggerating, when she is offered a cookie or is happily eating one her eyes just sparkle.  It's so precious, not to mention she does a spot on Cookie Monster impression.  Needles to say we chose to celebrate her special day with a Cookies & Milk party.  While I love Cookie Monster we didn't want him to be the entire focus of the party.  I asked my very talented sister to help design the perfect invitation and this is what she came up with.

I think they came out adorable!  She surprised me with the cute return address labels, which featured Cookie Monster's face.  I totally think she out did herself, thank you Aunt Krystal! 

Here are a few pictures of the party decorations and set-up.  Since we had the party in the evening we also made dinner for everyone (bbq chicken and pork, homemade mac & cheese, fruit and chips).  For dessert we had plain milk, chocolate milk, oreos (4 flavors), chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, cyclopes cookies, chocolate rolo cookies and piroulines.  We did have a small cake just in case someone didn't want cookies and so we would have something to put candles in for Addie to blow out.

All these cute labels were also made by my sister!

Recently Addie has sort of developed her own opinion of what she wants or doesn't want to wear. The day of her birthday party was no exception.  I had this adorable new outfit for her to wear but she adamantly insisted she wear her fancy dress from Krystal and Bryan's wedding.  And since it was her party I conceded.  What you cannot see from this picture is that she is wearing this beautiful dress and a pair of jeggings underneath.   Her hat is from her birthday celebration at school, she was so proud of it!  

After dinner and cookies the real fun started, opening gifts!  At Christmas Addie was sick and didn't really get into opening her gifts, in fact Trey and I ended up opening most of them up for her.  However, since she was feeling 100% at her party she didn't want any help and loved every minute of unwrapping chaos.

Addie absolutely loves to play dress up so when she opened the gift from MacKenna (her favorite nighttime babysitter) and her family she immediately changed clothes and proceeded to wear the dress-up dress for the remainder of the night.

This is the quilt I made Addie from the fabric we used to decorate with at her first birthday party.  I'm so excited because she has been sleeping with it every night since she opened it up, which just thrills me to no end.

Her gift from Trey and me was this adorable little tikes pick-up.  It's kind of like their classic red car with yellow door, only its pink and purple, has a horn that honks, and a tailgate that lifts up and down.

It was a big hit and all the kids wanted to ride in it at once!

Since we decided to host Addie's party the weekend after her actual birthday she got to somewhat celebrate all week.  On Sunday, March 3rd, her actual birthday she got to open a couple small gifts.  One in particular was from her big sister Lexie.  For the last several months Addie had been intrigued with Lexie's pillow pets (yes, that is plural, and yes she does actually have 3 of them!).  Anyways, she always wanted to lay on or play with them, so we thought it would be a fun idea for Lexie to pick one out that she could give as a gift, one that could be just Addie's.  I pulled up the pillow pet website and Lexie scrolled through all the options before settling on a pink and purple ladybug.  Obviously she chose right because Addie was so excited when she opened the gift and she has slept on her pillow pet every night since her birthday.

The downside of making such a great gift choice was the realization that the pillow pet wasn't Lexie's to keep....I think deep down inside she thought she was going to get to keep it for herself.  

I love this picture, because Addie is telling Lexie "thank-you" and trying to console her because she doesn't want her to cry.  It's a hard lesson to learn but we think its so important that both kids know how important it is to be special and to help others feel special.  I will have to confess that once Lexie calmed down she asked Addie to get her a pink and purple unicorn pillow pet for her birthday in October!

On, Monday the 4th, Addie got to celebrate with her friends at school.  We took in decorated sugar cookies and each kid got to take home a favor bag with a bag of cookies and a chocolate milk.

Krystal also designed the favor stickers!

The next day she discovered the gift shipped from Aunt Krystal and Uncle Bryan, and of course she needed to open it immediately.

Addie had a great "Birthday Week" we are so blessed to have her in our lives and cannot wait to see what the next year holds.

Viva Las Vegas

In February, Trey and I were fortunate enough to get to travel to Las Vegas for work.  It was Trey's first time and my second.  We were in town for the Varco Pruden Builder's Convention (our company's metal building supplier).  We were pretty excited for the trip because it was adults only.  The girls stayed behind with some really good friends...thank you so much Laura and Melissa for all your help, this trip wouldn't have been possible without you!

A picture of Trey and I at the Venetian.  What an awesome hotel, you can actually take a gondola ride through the hotel!  Honestly there are so many places to stay and they are all so enormous you can spend days and days just walking through them, admiring the extravagance of each individual themed hotel.

Our last night in Vegas I decided to try my hand with a little gambling.  I was so excited because there was an actual table there where you can play War.  Yes, this is exactly what you are thinking you get a card and the dealer gets a card if you have the high card you win and if the dealer does you loose.  So basically your odds are 50/50.  Not bad.  I started with $25 and was able to play for close to 2 hours.  I was up for a while and then ended the game with $0, but what is most important is that I had FUN.  I love that War was a real casino game!

All in all it was a really fun trip.  We were able to bond and have fun as a family, I was able to shop, relax, sight see and we even had time for 2 shows (Jersey Boys was one of them and let me tell you if you ever have the opportunity to see it, take it.  You won't be sorry it is one of the best I have seen in a while)!

The Road to a First Place Finish

We took our 3rd annual trip to Grandad's Apples a couple weekends ago.  Every year while there we pick out our pumpkins for the carving party, the kids ride the infamous "Cow Train" and we get another chance to enjoy an apple cider slushy.  Who could ask for more?  

Our trip to Grandad's this year was especially important for two reasons.  #1, Lexie was finally old enough to ride the Cow Train without an adult and #2, Trey needed to find the perfect pumpkin to carve because he really wanted the 1st place win at our annual carving party.

 

Both Lexie and Addie searched hard for the two best pumpkins they could find.  With our choices made Trey reserved the right to my pumpkin if his pattern fit it best.  Being the great wife I am, I of course agreed!

It's important to know that Trey and I have been carving pumpkins every year since we started dating.  Even in college we would come home for a weekend in October just to do a pumpkin carving party.  Now, back in the day, it would consist of just us two, my sister and parents.  However, over the years it is grown into a much bigger affair with lots more competition.

Here you can see last year's winner, Kendal Maybin hard at work trying for a repeat performance.

Above, Trey intensely working, trying his best to finish before the deadline.  Years ago we never had a time limit, but then we all started having kids, and those kids have nap times and bedtimes, so the party has to start, pumpkins be carved, judged and finished all after naps but before they start getting cranky and need to go to bed.  Last year was our first time using a deadline and Trey's pumpkin didn't make it in time.  He was so upset, he claims he didn't know about the time limit rule.

Addie didn't care a thing about pumpkins she was much more interested in getting Pop to give her more candy.

Here is a look at this year's entries.....

And the winners are:

4th Place - Katie Easler

 

3rd Place - Kendal Maybin

2nd Place - Lindsay Veazey

1st Place - Trey Ford

While I didn't place I was still pretty proud of my pumpkin and I felt it deserved a place in this blog entry.  My claim...first one finished!