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Two Weeks in a Row!!!

I have to say, I LOVE our new family tradition.    The boys have done the dishes for two Sundays in a row!  Thanks guys!

Ok, I can't help it.  I have just decided that I have the cutest baby ever, clogged tear duct gunk, messy face and all.  (I have to add a disclaimer.   The tub pictured above was scrubbed clean the day before this picture was taken, yes it needs some caulk, paint, completely new tub, whatever.)   And, maybe you can't tell he is sporting a sleek new hairstyle, but Laurie gets credit.    Goodbye mullet.

Yeah! We are finally up and running! More posts to come.

Just a Bunch of Pictures

Nick is 7

As I may have already mentioned.  I was in California on Nick's birthday.  I am posting the pictures that Erik was good enough to take.  

Notice the fun day at Boondock's and opening presents.   

The picture below is very blurry, but you get the idea.  If you walk away with a sword and an eye patch you know it was a good day.

I didn't even think about the cake.  So Erik improvised with a Hostess Cupcake he found in the freezer.  Nick does love them.  (Don't worry Nick I will be making you an official birthday cake on Sunday.)  This birthday just keeps on going.   

He had a very fun day.  His dad even got to spotlight him at school.   (For some reason, Dad doing this is so much more exciting than Mom???)  I love you Nick, and I am glad you had such a great day!

For Nicholas

This post is short but sweet and dedicated to Nicholas.   He turns 7 on Friday!!  I can't believe it.  Time flies when you are having fun I guess.   He is sweet a great member of our family.   He is a true first born and a big helper to me.   He loves his brothers and will do anything for them.  I couldn't ask for a better son.  

There will be more to came for this tribute to my first born, but my Grandmother has passed away and I will be gone for his birthday  (not to mention I am borrowing a computer to post this).

Just one more in a long list

It hasn't been the best month for us, with car accidents (no one injured, thankfully) and a bunch of other things going wrong, but our computer has died, so no posts for awhile.   Hopefully, we will remedy the situation soon.   Bye, for now.

We went to the Hogle Zoo awhile ago, I just realized I haven't posted about our day.  We went with some cousins on Erik's side.   Melanie and Erik, Katie and Zach and me and the three boys.  We missed Anna and Jocelyn (they weren't able to make it).  I didn't take many pictures but here are a few.

We loved the bird show.  (Last time we went, an owl touched Ben and my heads, we were not so lucky this time, although Ben won a little pack of crayons and Nick and Ben both got braclets.)   Thanks for inviting us Melanie and Katie!  We had a great time.

Need I Say More?

Ben's first day of Preschool

Ben has finally started school!  

He wasn't thrilled about me taking his picture, and then he tucked his shirt in (since first tucking in his soccer shirt, this has become a trend), and told me to get one from the side??

He seems to really like it despite the earlier worries about what exactly would be happening to him there.  I asked him how it was and he said "I eat school lunch now!"  that would be snack time served around 10:30 or so.  I guess he can ask his teacher for food.   He said that Miss Kathryn "talked nice" but one girl was so RUDE.  He told me he has lots of friends and was quite upset that I couldn't name them all for him.  I will have to work on that.  I was looking forward to five hours a week with only Zach, but silly me, I am tending Olivia during that time.  It is a good thing that I adore her.

Soccer (Again) !

Well, it is soccer time again.   Ben is thrilled to be playing this year and Nick is an old pro.  Nick and Ben happened to get the same color this year.  (I wish I only had to pay for one jersey since it drowns them both, and they are sharing shin guards anyway).  I am glad that both coaches decided to hold practices half an hour before games.  Otherwise, this would be a four night a week commitment.  Thank Goodness for only two.  They both play most games at 5, so Erik shows up as soon as he can, I am always glad to have another parent there.

Nick's eyes are dialated and he can't see without the glasses, hence two pair.

Ben's games are hilarious.  His coach is the 15 year old sister of one of the boys.  She is great.  She has the energy to keep up with them.  She is actually teaching them.  Ben said he needs to work on his "skills"  :)  They don't really know what they are doing.   Every three minutes one of them runs off the field crying, (he said "no hands", he kicked me, I want the ball, I was going to kick it, etc).  Ben has held it together so far, no tears.  He loves it and wants to be on the field the entire time.  Which is fortunate because out of eight team members only three will play.  Occasionally one of the other dads will drag their crying kid out onto the field and demand they play.  Doesn't usually work.  

Nick has a few people from last year and a few new, which is good.  Lots of friends to make.  He is doing great.  He scored a goal in his first game and plays the second tomorrow.  I got a great picture of him kicking the ball.   Unfortunately, waiting 2 seconds, would have gotten me a great picture of him scoring a goal.  He tells Ben that he already learned all his "skills."   

I thought Nick was calling someone.  He says sticking his tongue out at someone.  (Thanks for teaching him that one, Erik!

I am destined to spend much of my life attending sporting events.  So I am learning to enjoy them.  Both these boys are athletic and good natured about the games, I feel bad for the dads, making their kids "have fun."

An interesting side note:  At Ben's last game, they played a team with five players.  Two were named Erik (probably Eric, but it makes the story better), one was named Zach and the other two, sure enough Nick and Ben.  Pretty weird.   I bet that won't happen again.

1st day of 1st Grade

School is underway again!  I am so glad.  Summer has been very fun for us, and now I am ready for fall.  It is hard to believe that I have a first grader.  He seems so young to send off every morning and to be gone all day long.  I hate it and love it all at the same time.  Nick likes his teacher and loves! school lunch (although he now thinks that Trix yogurt is a main dish, why is that a choice?).  He wishes that his kindergarten friends were in his class.  He isn't having a hard time making new friends, so I think he will be okay.  Ben is missing him.  He starts preschool in one more week.  Since Nick told him he can't ask his teacher for food, he has decided that preschool is not the place for him.  We will see.