World Cup- Spring 2011

Let me start this by saying I love my kids more than anything in the world but when I found out that we would be having three games in two days AND Ryan was going to be out of town the whole weekend. I can honestly say that I was not looking for to it. BUT, it ended up being a great weekend. My sister and niece came in town on Friday to spend the weekend with us, Uncle Joe was out of town as well so we made it a girls weekend! Having Avery at the soccer field meant that Kendall would have a great distraction. Lets just say that her favorite thing is not sitting out by the soccer field getting hot!

Saturday we had two games. We won the first one and tied the second so it went to a shoot out. After three rounds of shoot outs we lost.

Which meant we were playing on Sunday for third place in the World Cup!

And we won!!!

Taylor with her trophy!

South Japan Team

Way to go and congrats on a great season!

Taylor's Preschool Graduation

Taylor graduated from preschool!

She was super excited about the ceremony and getting her diploma.

They sang songs, recited their Bible memory verses and then got their diplomas.

She has been with the same group of kids (give or take a few) for the past three years and has developed some strong friendships with some of the kids.

The ones she talks about the most is Mr S and Miss C. S is "her boy friend not her boyfriend". They are always super excited to see each other everyday and always choose to play with each other during centers. Miss C is always smiling and is her "best friend".

Taylor, Mr S, and Miss C

Taylor has been extremely lucky to have the same teacher Mrs Solomen for the last two years. She moved up this last year with this group of kids and we all love her. She has the sweetest heart and truly loves the kids.

Mrs Solomen and Taylor

Taylor and me!

I love you and are super proud of all the you are. I can't believe that my "baby" is going to be kinder next year. Taylor is constantly asking me how many more days till she gets to go to school, she can't wait. I can!

Tap, Tap, Tap!

Saturday evening Kendall and Taylor had their 1st dance recital! All the grands were in town to share in this special event. The recital was held downtown at Ballet Austin. Before the show started the girls had to wait back stage in a room until it was their turn to go and then after they were done they had to go back to that room so they didn't get to see any of the other class perform. The whole show was really well done.

Kendall before the show backstage

Kendall during the dance

I can't tell you how proud of both of them I was. They have never done any kind of performance before in front of a big crowd and they did awesome! Neither one of them froze or forgot their dance or did anything crazy.

This is how they started their routine:

Taylor is in the back row second from the left and Kendall is right next to her, third from the left.

Afterwards, we went back to get them and to give them flowers!

Taylor and Daddy

Taylor

After the show, we picked them up backstage and went back to the stage to get a few pictures.

I love the look on Kendall's face in this one :)

On the way to car Taylor got a ride on Daddy's shoulders and held her flowers out the whole time, it was precious!

Kendall walking back

Awesome job girls, I love you!

Gymnastics Show Off

Kendall has been taking gymnastics now for about two and half years. She loves it and is good at it (I am not biased at all :)! This past Saturday her gym held a Show Off, where all the gymnasts could come and do a few tricks in each event.

Kendall stretching and warming up- the girl is Gumby!

When we got there her coach was not there so she was a little disappointment (and so was I). So she joined another coach's group and went around to each event. It was cute.

Then at the end they presented each gymnast with a trophy! She didn't know ahead of time about this and she was super excited because this is her FIRST one!

Check out my arm muscles! She is also super strong!

People always comment on how muscular she is.

Mimi and Grams went along with so she could show off!

We are super proud of all her hard work, we love you!

The night before when all the grandparents got in town we all went to have dinner close to the house on the lake and I got a great pic of the girls with them.

Poppy, Mimi, and Grams with the girls!

Kendall's Field Day

Kendall had field day on Friday at school and Ryan was able to go! Unfortunately the weather had other plans for the day, it started thundering and lighting right as field day was starting. All the volunteers quickly moved as many of the events (which wasn't many) inside for the kids.

One of the activities that they didn't get to do was the hamster balls :( You can see them in the background of the picture. The kids get to climb inside the ball and roll around.

I am not sure what activity they are doing but this is what the gym looked like with all the kinder and 1st graders in it! I am sure it was loud.

Kendall and two of her classmates

The kids were little disappointed that they didn't get to do all the water activities that they had planned for outside but she is looking forward to next year!

Mother's Day!

On Sunday I was woken up by two precious little girls with orange juice and egg whites and fruit for me in bed! They were so excited that they got to help Daddy make it.

Then I was showered with hugs, kisses, cards, and new Keurig!

My girls know how much I love coffee!

Taylor also presented me with a pink silk Gerber Daisy flower that she had purchased herself when she went with Daddy to get the coffee brewer. She was so proud of herself (and Ryan and I) that she had spend her own money and paid for it by herself at the store. She was just smiling ear to ear when she told me the story. Love her!

Then we headed to church for a great message and afterwards we went at Kona Grill and had sushi! YUMMY

My girls at lunch

After lunch we walked around The Domain and did a little shopping. It was a beautiful day.

Yes I know it looks like a Christmas tree but I promise we took this picture on Sunday, the girls just really liked the shiny tree.

I am so thankful that I was chosen to be their Mom and they were chosen for me. I am incredibly blessed with my family. They (Ryan and the girls) made sure that I had a great Mother's Day and I did!

Last Regular Soccer Game

Taylor had her last regular season soccer game on Saturday. Don't worry in two weeks we have the World Cup and that consist of any where between 3 to 6 games!!!

Taylor played her best that she has played all season! We all were super proud of how well she did and how much fun she had playing.

South Japan won!

She is on a great team this season with some really fun kids and parents, it has been alot of fun.

Mother's Day Tea and Spa

Friday I was invited to a Mother's Day Tea and Spa at Kendall's school. She was super excited about the whole thing and she kept telling me that "I had to look my finest". To funny.

When I got to her school on Friday all the Moms waited in the hallway and the kids came out with a coffee filter flower that they had painted and escourted us to their classrooms.

When we got there the tables were covered in bright colored table clothes with cookie "flower" arrangements. The Moms got to sit in the kids seat while they went and made us a plate of grapes, cheese, chocolate covered strawberries (that they had made earlier in the day), pretzels and apple juice to drink.

This was one page of a book she made me and it says "My mom and I like to go shopping".

After we were done eating we got to open our cards and presents they had made for us.

Then it was on to the "spa" part of it. First up was a make over! We were told to bring our make-up bag with us. I know a bit scary but she did a really good job!

Next, was a manicure! Kendall choose bright red for me!

And last was an arm and neck massage!

It was so much fun and the kids had a great time pampering their Moms. The teacher did an amazing job getting ready for this and preparing all the gifts.

Ladybugs!

For Christmas, Aunt Jennifer gave the girls a Ladybug Land kit. So it was finally good weather so I sent off for the ladybug larvae. This is what came in the mail about 2 weeks later!

It is hard to see but there are about 10-14 ladybug larvae crawling around in there.

You drop all of them into this Ladybug Land and give them a few drops of water every other day for about 2 weeks and watch them form their cocoons and then emerge into ladybugs!

We had about 8 larvae make it to ladybugs. We kept them in the Ladybug Land for a few days to watch them get their spots (it takes about 12 hours after they come out of their cocoons for their spots to appear) and crawl around.

I know the picture is blurry but I was trying to get an up close of the ladybugs (they are fast!).

Then one day when the weather was perfect we decide to let them go and hopefully eat the aphids around our tomato plants (that is another post coming soon).

Kendall with one ladybug on her forehead! Goof ball!

Taylor letting one crawl up her arm!

Thanks Aunt Jennifer for a fun learning experience!

I am not sure who learned the most the girls or me :)

Water Weekend

This Saturday after a soccer game (of course) we were invited over some friends house for a BBQ/swim party. The girls have been dying to go swimming and to wear their new "makinis" or as everyone else knows them as bikinis! They have not had "makinis" before.

They swim/played around the pool/hot tub area for 4HOURS! They were in heaven.

Daddy got in the pool with them but I am way to big of a weenie to get in when the temperature is that cold!

Sunday afternoon we headed out on the boat for the first time this year!

We didn't pick a great day because the winds were really strong and as the day continued the clouds came in and it was to windy and cool to get in the water or go tubing. But we had a nice time riding around for awhile.

Taylor and me enjoying the view!