Fun Fridays with Momma's Girl

Kaitlynn attends preschool 4 days a week, Monday thru Thursday. That leaves most Fridays with some extra time we can share together, just us girls. I sure love hanging with my girl!

Love her!! Look at that sweet face!

Getting a manicure with Mom.

I wrote recently about Kaitlynn's choices and how we were struggling to make good ones at school. Since then, Kaitlynn has made HUGE strides in her school behavior. I think it was largely a matter of her testing the boundaries and then figuring out the rules. We are SO proud of her progress!

Reward for awesome school behavior: U-Swirl yogurt treat!

Proud of her coloring.

Kaitlynn says, "Let me take a selfie."

Maybe we've been listening to Top 40 music too much??

Our absolute favorite Friday activity is meeting up with Anais at reading class. We have had such a busy spring that we don't always get to attend the same class, but it sure is a special treat when it works out.

On this day, they both showed up to reading class in Hello Kitty outfits.

And an even bigger treat is when we are able to meet Anais before reading class for a playdate. Recently we have been enjoying the gorgeous spring weather, so some playtime and a picnic at the park was the perfect fun Friday activity before reading class!

Ms. Keri brought the girls some bubbles, so fun!

Enjoying their picnic on a gorgeous spring day.

Lots to chat about over lunch.

Their favorite activity of the morning was this big rope structure to climb.

Anais easily made it all the way to the top!

Look at how high she was! She was about to give me a heart attack!

Kaitlynn gave it a shot but didn't quite make it as high, ha!

Sweet smiles.

Two very special friends.

I'm trying to treasure these special Fun Fridays with Kaitlynn while I can. They will very soon be coming to an end!!

Spring Biking

Ever since the kids got their new bikes for Christmas, they have really been enjoying all the opportunities for bike rides.

Kaitlynn LOVES her bike. Dirty Baby loves it, too. I'm thankful for the basket to carry my iPhone and garage remote, ha!

So far no complaints about the bike helmets. I wonder how long that will last?

They usually love riding with Jeff, but lately with the spring weather I've been enjoying it myself.

Heading out for an early morning bike ride.

Just the girls this time.

Love the chilly spring mornings!

Don't forget the kiss goodbye!

Recently when the weather finally started to warm up, we began to let Connor ride his bike to school. He had been practicing a while to make sure we were comfortable with his bike safety and understanding the rules to/from school. He picked it up quickly and is now riding everyday when the weather allows. It's only a block or so away from our house, so it's a convenient ride. He gets home in the afternoons much quicker! 



First time riding our bikes to the elementary school.

So much fun!

One day Connor's bike chain fell off on his way home. Luckily it was a quick fix at Academy.

And the very next week, Kaitlynn's bike pedal fell off. We must be wearing out these bikes!

Little Miss Soccer Star

When Connor was younger, we started him out very early with team sports. He played soccer starting at age 3 for a couple of years and then he moved on to his true love, football. It dawned on me earlier this year that Kaitlynn is almost 5 and has never participated in organized team sports. I decided it was well past the time to get her started, so one day I asked her if she'd be interested in playing soccer this spring. She immediately lowered her eyebrows and said "Ewe, soccer? No!" I think she assumed it was a boys' sport. But given some time and a little encouragement from us, she changed her mind fairly quickly and decided that indeed, soccer sounded fun and she was ready to sign up.

The league I enrolled her in is very low-key and not very competitive, but it's a great introduction to a new sport for someone like Kaitlynn who is brand new to it. As the season approached, Jeff worked with Kaitlynn and showed her some of the rules of soccer. I started telling her about her uniform, the soccer cleats, and everything else she'd need.

The practices and games are held on the same day, and we weren't supposed to meet Kaitlynn's coach and teammates until the very first practice. On the morning of the first practice and game, I took the kids with me to the gym and then we drove from there to the soccer field. Well, at some point that morning, a very breezy cold front had blown through and by the time we were unloading at the soccer fields, we were caught completely unprepared dressed in shorts and t-shirts. That on top of not remembering Kaitlynn's new soccer cleats either. Oops! We probably would've had to just go home and miss the game, but thankfully Sweet Daddy showed up with jackets and coats to help warm us up and we just let Kaitlynn wear her old sneakers. Talk about feeling completely out of sorts and unprepared!!

The weather created all kinds of issues that morning, so by the time we got together with Kaitlynn's team and got the kids dressed in their jerseys, they had about 10 minutes of practicing before it was time for their first game. Crazy!

The referees showed up and it was game time before we knew it. I'm not sure if ANY of the kids knew the rules of the game, but when that whistle blew to signal the start of the game, the kids started running and chasing the ball. It was hilarious! I had forgotten how entertaining peewee soccer can be!

As we cheered for Kaitlynn's team, we began to notice that Kaitlynn was ALL OVER that soccer field! She had forgotten all about the weather and her hodgepodge soccer uniform (with tights, a jacket under her jersey, and old sneakers) and she was just out to get that ball! Jeff and I were cracking up and definitely caught off guard. Some of the kids were standing around looking confused, others were off to the side crying and upset; but not Kaitlynn--she was right in the middle of the pack the entire game with a big smile on her face, loving every second. Connor later told us, "I think Kaitlynn is WAY better at soccer than me. Everytime I looked up to find the ball, there was Kaitlynn right next to it." Ha!

Despite the lack of preparation for their first game, Kaitlynn's team actually won their first game. It was such an unexpected fun morning for Kaitlynn (and us!) to learn more about soccer and get a glimpse of how the season would progress.

At the end of the game, the coach huddled all of the players together and awarded the very first team medal for sportsmanship. To our complete surprise and delight, he awarded the medal to Kaitlynn for being "all over that soccer field!" Oh my goodness, did that ever make her day!!

Caught her reaction when she was awarded the very first team medal. Wow, what a fun moment!!

Jeff's favorite part of the soccer experience with Kaitlynn is how, every time she gets a big kick or manages to take the ball away from her opponent, she has to look up towards her Daddy with a huge smile to make sure he noticed her accomplishment. And sometimes she even has to run off the field to give Coach Sweet Daddy, as she calls him, a big hug. Oh my!

For Kaitlynn's 2nd soccer game, we were much more prepared. The weather was great, her soccer uniform and cleats were ready, and we knew what to expect for the short practice followed by the game. We showed up a little early to let Kaitlynn get some practice time, and Connor was more than happy to act as her "coach" and pass along some soccer tips for her. (Ha!)

Action shot -- Kaitlynn running and kicking the ball down the field.

Love this! Coach Connor passing along his "expertise" to little sis. Ha!

She actually listened to his advice. Big kick with a determined smile!

When the tongue is a-wagging, she must be serious!

Assistant Coach Jeff gives the kids a pep talk before their 2nd game.

Lined up and ready to start.

She must've worn herself out BEFORE the game. Here she takes a little break.

Go Tigers!

Kaitlynn, little miss soccer star!

Morning with Mom

Last month, Connor's elementary school hosted their annual Morning with Mom event. Moms, Grandmas, and other special women in the kids' lives are encouraged to join their kiddos before school for a breakfast treat of coffee, juice, doughnuts, and fruit. I remember attending last year when we were still commuting to the school, and I was surprised at the incredible turnout of Moms for such an early morning event. This year was no different -- we had to park a block away despite arriving early! The PTA did such a great job of organizing many of the Dads to help out so that the Moms were able to sit back and relax with their kids.

Arriving at the school for Morning with Mom

I was told that the WoodCreek PTA bought 1700 doughnuts for the event, and by morning's end they were all gone. I know where many of them went!

My little doughnut-lovers!

After breakfast in the cafeteria, we walked with the kids outside to the playground for them to play before school. Unfortunately the weather was dreary and drizzly so we ended up not staying long.

Finishing up our breakfast.

Outside under the awning.

Humidity = Bad Hair Day! At least the kids look cute! ;-)

Bruticus

When Collin stayed with us during his Christmas break a few months ago, he brought along the newest member of the family, his pet chameleon. He bought him sometime last fall and has been quite the caretaker ever since.

I had to ask Collin how to spell his name because I wasn't sure. Collin's reply: "His full name is Bruticus Lord of The Chameleons but it's Bruticus for short." Ha!

Collin with his pet Bruticus.

When Collin travels for an extended period of time, he has to bring Bruticus in his cage along with him. It's quite the elaborate setup, kind of like an aquarium without water. It has a heat lamp that attaches to the cage to keep Bruticus at the right temperature. And every week or so, Collin has to go to the pet store to purchase a bunch of crickets for Bruticus to eat. He just dumps them in the cage and Bruticus takes care of the rest. And we've since learned that there are 2 kinds of crickets: those that chirp and those that do not. I'll let you guess as to which one is preferable for when Bruticus is staying for an extended period in your home.

Baby Bruticus, aww!

Bruticus getting bigger in his cage.

Wonder if this pic was taken after a big meal??

Connor and Kaitlynn are quite fascinated with Bruticus. They love it when Collin takes him out to "play." Bruticus prefers being up high, so if you put him on your hand, he'll immediately crawl up to your shoulder to perch there. In his cage, he can sometimes be so difficult to spot (he IS a chameleon after all), but you can usually find him at the top of the plants in his cage.

Collin gently places Bruticus on Kaitlynn's arm.

Connor looked a litle unsure at first.

Now he's much more relaxed with Bruticus.

Closeup of Bruticus in Collin's hand. I noticed how he started blending with the aqua couch pillows!

Kaitlynn finally got up the nerve to let Bruticus hang out on her shoulder.