Soccer Kids

Ava and Carter are signed up for soccer this fall and are loving it. Jake volunteered to coach Carter's team, just so we could make sure the buddy would play and encourage him when his nerves got the best of him. It was a good decision as the first two practices, he was like Jake's shadow and would not get into the drills or scrimmages. I took these pictures the first game and such a difference from then to now. Today was their fourth game and Carter gets out there and into the game now. He still needs to work on getting from one of the field to the other a little quicker but he will be aggressive when there is a pack around the ball and had a couple good boots of the ball today. 

Carter's team is the Sharks and while they are having a lot of fun, the team is currently 0-4. There's two games left for this season but Coach Jake has a realistic goal: just score a goal! I think the team has only scored 3-4 goals in all four games so he'd be happy with a shot just making it into the net!

The Green Limes are on fire! Their team is 4-0 and they all play really well together. Her coach is great, knows a lot about soccer and is good at getting the girls interested in the sport and into the games. Ava's first game, she scored 2 goals! I don't think she's scored one since then but she is phenomenal at getting down to the other end of the field on defense and blocking shots. She also gets in there when the kids are all packed together and will kick the ball out. Today's game, she had a couple fast breaks down the field. One time she even had the perfect assist and helped on one of the team's goals. She definitely gets the concept of the game and is good at playing.  

A friend took these pictures across the field during the first game. Coach Jake in action!

 And the paparazzi mama.

Poor Hannah and Sophia are getting a taste of what their formative years will be like: sitting in bleachers and along sidelines during their older siblings' sporting events! Poor girls! Luckily the place where the soccer fields are at is one of the same parks our family likes to play (the one with all the wooden structures). Ellie's job is to entertain Hannah during games and keep an eye on her at the playground. Hannah loves getting to play at the park so right now, it's a win for her. Sophia doesn't have much of a preference and gets to sit in my lap during games so I haven't heard her complain too much! She's also learned to take her morning nap in the stroller and ignore all the yelling and cheers.

First Day of School!

 

Ellie's first day of 5th grade. Her last year in elementary school. How did this girl grow up so quickly? Seems like yesterday I took her to her Kindergarten orientation.

The drop off crew

First on the bus!

 By his locker at orientation

 

By her locker at orientation

1st official day of Kindergarten!!

My 3 school-agers

The neighborhood bus crew

Home from their first day

Class of 2031. She's got a few years ahead of her yet!

The kids have adjusted well to school. The twins go to A.M. Kindergarten. They love going to school every day and love their teacher Mrs. Molesky. Ellie has Mrs. Curry this year and seems to enjoy her as well. One thing we have noticed is that with school every day, Ava and Carter are tired in the evenings. We've had a lot more meltdowns and temper tantrums in the last few weeks. It's hard because they both have soccer practice in the evenings too. Ava practices on Tuesday nights and Carter on Thursdays. So bedtimes are later at least two nights of the week. There are only 3 more weeks of soccer games so once that ends, we'll be able to get back into a good bedtime routine and make sure the troops are fully rested.

Sorry for the month between posts. Between school starting, soccer practice and games, and dance class, things have been a bit nuts around here. I've also added another baby to my day by watching a neighbor's little girl. She started mid-August when she was 12 weeks old so with three under 2 during the day, I've been a bit occupied! I have tried to update the blog a few times but between crying babies or my browser not working, it hasn't happened. I had to download a new browser today but it seems to be working so I should be back to being able to update the blog, provided the little ones allow me the time!

Summer Fun!

Towards the end of July, we took the twins to Canterbury to watch the races. That day, they also had camel, zebra, and ostrich races! We only saw the ostrich race but it was hilarious! The highlight for the twinks was getting their faces painted.

 

Snake and a butterfly!

Hannah and Isabella are still the best of friends! Amanda watched Hannah one day while the older 3 had swimming lessons and she said there was no work to it. These girls entertained each other. Double trouble for sure!

Sophia was usurped from her role as youngest grandbaby on the Wendorff side. Lillian Kay joined the family on July 25th. They don't know it yet, but they will also be best friends!

I put Sophia in the toy car one day just to keep her off the grass. Hannah climbed in next to her. They fought over the wheel and the space. I imagine this is what it will look like when they are 18 and 16 as well.

With the new floor, Hannah is now able to push chairs from the table into the kitchen and get up on the counters. She will do this to get anything she wants in a cupboard or on a counter. I didn't get dinner on the table quick enough this night so she came to the meal instead.

Another park night!

Sophia is now crawling. It was quite the process for her to get started though. She mastered the backwards push first and was not happy to not only not go where she wanted but to get further from her goal each time.

 

Baby loves swinging!

And sleeping with her lovey right next to her face.

 

She's also working on pulling herself up. She can do it in the crib. Anywhere else, she can get her feet planted but can't always get all the way up.

The first Tuesday in August was National Night to Unite. We walked down to another cul-de-sac in our neighborhood for some ice cream treats and to check out a police car. Ava and Carter crawled right in....

Hannah focused on her treat. I'm not sure what Ellie was doing as I didn't get a picture of her or the sleeping baby in the stroller.

The kids also had swimming lessons the last week of July and first week of August. They all passed their levels!

Hard to believe summer is almost over! I'm ready for these kids to get back to school though and get back into a routine. One more week!!!!!

Sisterly Love

It started with the two little girls playing piano together,

with a little singing added in.

Littlest one grabbed a toy wand to play with. Little sister decided she wanted it too.

So they fought over it.

{love the expression on littlest's face. she means business!}

 

Little sister {Hannah} won.

 

{side note: how awesome does our new fireplace tile look?! I love it! now we just need to get the transition strip in place and I can bring the mantle back in, paint it white and the downstairs will be finished. the end of august is my goal.}