the last week at soccer

This was their last week of soccer games...

For each soccer game, we tell the kids they need to support their brothers and sisters by sitting on the side lines and watching at least one half of their games. Then they can go play... and they play so very well!!

Isaac is there by choice... He likes to feel the sand in between his fingers. I used to wonder why there was always sand in his diaper after soccer games. Now I know!!

Taylor and Autumn get right in and fight for the ball and to help their teams.

Isaac likes to be part of the group and kicks the balls around. We have had to chase him off the field once or twice. He just laughs and runs away!

Here he is chilling and listening to music...

Pictures at the park...

Gage likes to play and some times he actually will... but most of the time, he plays for the snacks. He really likes those half time snacks and sometimes, it is hard to get him back to the game after.

Autumn RoCkS!! She took a ball to the face in this game and just kept on playing. She is very tough!

Waiting for the game to get going... we enjoyed a lunch of sandwhiches and chips...yummy

Isaac fell on his bumb after he tried to kick the ball. Sometimes I think he is so cute I could gobble him up!!

Kaydee is way fun to watch. She tries so hard and has fun doing it. She likes the snacks too!!

I took a whole lot of pictures because it was their last games.

more dancing....

The kids love to dance...and dance...and dance. Taylor is miss coordinator and shows them all what to do. This was their monster mash dance... Isaac just wanted to be part of the group.. they have a good time together..

California... our Honeymoon... Finally!!!

So...let me tell you a story about a contest... One day I was listening to the radio in Snowflake and called to win a Brad Paisley CD.

I won...that entered me into a drawing for a Brad Paisley Give-a-way.

A month later, we were camping in Jackson Hole, WY with my family. I told Nate that we needed to go into town on Friday so we could have cell service. I told him that I knew I was going to win the drawing and I needed to be where they could reach me.

He LAUGHED at me... he didn't think that I would win in a million years.

We went into Jackson and while we were walking around the fun shops with the kids, they called me...!!!

I won!!! It was so cool.... Nate didn't believe me. He didn't really believe me until they called back to verify information and details. But I won.. it was going to be our honeymoon because we didn't have one when we were married.

So anyway... we got to choose where we went and then we were off on an all expense paid trip to

San Diego, California!!

We just got to sit back and relax...

We flew in Friday afternoon and checked into the hotel. We went around to some fun places and dinner and then got ready for the concert.

The concert was great! Jimmy Wayne was on stage first and he was upbeat and funny. Dierks Bentley was next and he ROCKED!!!

The entire place was on their feet and dancing.

Brad Paisley was next and he was soooooo GOOD. It was a blast!!!

After the concert, we got to go back stage and meet Brad. That was cool. He was down to earth and humble. I was impressed. and as you can tell by the picture... a little star struck....lol

The whole thing was kind of surreal... it was a night we wont soon forget.

Saturday morning, Nate and I went out to the beach and walked through all the fun shops. When we parked, there was this fun car and we had to take a picture just for Kaydee. Tinker Bell is Kaydee's favorite. She has books, clothes, blankets, pillows, and toys. She is a beautiful fairy herself so Tinker Bell is a good match for her.

At the beach, it was so beautiful. The water was kind of cold but that didn't stop the suffers and swimmers.

It was very serine to just watch the water come in and out.

The amount of sea weed on the beach was crazy.

Look....that's us walking down the beach... hummm... we like each other (a lot)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We drove down lots of little side streets and looked at neat houses. This was a picture from a dead end street.

Can you imagine walking out your front door to this view each morning? WOW

For lunch on Saturday, I made Nate take me out for Sushi. It was way good...well for me but not so much for Nate. He decided that sushi was not at all for him... to bad. He will miss out on lots of good sushi...

Sunday morning...We walked through some of the old ships that stay in port all the time so they can be toured.

All and all it was a great trip. The kids were well taken care of at home with Alysa and Molly so we were able to just enjoy ourselves.

Soccer

Taylor's first soccer game..

I was at a church activity so I was not able to go but Nate took lots of pictures. He said Taylor played really well.

She really enjoys it.

She is kind of cute in her soccer shirt too.

Madi turns 4 years old!!

Madi's birthday was a little crazy!

Nate was in Phoenix for work on Friday the 11th (her birthday) so we planned a party for Saturday.
Things were crazy that day and Ashley (Pattie's daughter) got sick right before they were to come and Madi's little friends from the ward were running late so we had a very spread out party and just opened presents and visited as people came.

Grandma Barlow sent Madi a strawberry shortcake doll that she can do her make-up and hair. Madi loves it!

Gage... "here Madi, let me help you open it, I am strong!"

Taylor had to read the instructions on how to make the make-up work with water.

Everyone was very interested!! Amber and Amy stopped by with their kids so Madi was way excited to play with her cousins. They all were interested in this doll. Even the boys.

Madi received a Dora guitar and microphone from us and the kids. She loves it!! She sang to us... "don't go waisting your emotions..."



Because of the craziness, we were not able to do cake on Saturday so we sang to her on Monday night.
She was so excited to blow out the Dora candle.


Ps... this is her new hair cute. She usually has it up but this is right out of the shower.

Isn't she the cutest little four year old girl!!

Isaac's little nap

One day, we had a long day in town and running around so I gave all the kids dinner as soon as we walked in the door.
I went upstairs for a minute and came back down to find Isaac sound asleep with a pillow and blanket.
Madi was so cute, "look mom, Isaac fell asleep so I gave him a pillow and blanket so he can sleep nice."
Madi likes to take care of Isaac, when he lets her.
While he was asleep I tried to get some pictures of his hands. We took the bandages off a week before this and he was very protective of his hand. We wouldn't let me take pictures or anything.




Now, (Sept 26th) his hand looks amazing and he has full movement of his fingers and everything.

Ok.... we have this HUGE!! spider in our front yard. I was waiting for Gage's bus one morning and I saw it. The kids are fascinated by it. It is very fat and ugly. The body itself is bigger than a quarter.

Nate went out and caught it in a big jar and I ran it around to the kid's classroom so they could all show it to the classmates.

When Gage got home from school, we let it go at the base of the tree. Gage wanted to keep it but I explained it would die because it was not going to let it in the house and the garage was too hot. After it was on the ground, Gage had this overwhelming urge to step on it. I explained it was so big it would cover his shoe with guts!!! I had to hold him back until the spider got to the tree and then Gage didn't seem so brave.