Spring Soccer

With Spring always comes soccer. This year we were especially busy with four of our kids playing. At least Derek & Brynli were on the same team, so that cut down on the number of games we had.  

It was Sadie's first year playing and she did great! She got off to a slow start, but once she got the hang of it she was an animal. Her first game she was a little nervous and didn't know if she wanted to play, so she sat out the first few minutes. She had been playing for just a little bit when it starting hailing hard (gotta love Spring soccer). Everyone just grabbed their kids and their stuff and headed for their cars. Needless to say she didn't love soccer after that first game. Good thing she tried it again, because once she scored she thought it was pretty fun. She's pretty competitive and really liked to score. I think all of her time watching her big brothers and sister payed off. Most of the kids didn't really get what they were suppose to do, but Sadie kept getting the ball and scoring. She was awesome! Of course the most important part for her was the treats at the end of each game. Good thing they always had plenty of treats. 

Aubrey got to watch lots of soccer games. She is our future soccer star!

Here are Derek and Brynli playing (I even got them in the same shot). It was great having them on the same team. They both did awesome! I think Derek was the high scorer on his team and Brynli scored a few times too. They also both are getting pretty good at passing the ball, and Brynli has the best throw-in of the team, with Derek at a close 2nd. I was so impressed with both of them. Then both play very well. It is fun to watch them play and keep getting better.

 It wouldn't be complete without a picture of Kamryn's soccer. He played on the same competitive team that he has played on since he was 9. He is getting really good at his defensive position, and really knows how to use his head. He plays teams from all over the state, so we have to do a little traveling with him. His team played well and seemed to improve this year, unfortunately they played in a higher league than they have in the past and they lost all their games (except one where the other team forfeited). As Kamryn's coach said, "They were the best 0-9 team in the state".  Win or lose we still enjoy watching them play and Kamryn did great!

A day at the Farm

For a field trip we took Sadie's preschool class to a local farm. The kids had a great time. They loved seeing, petting, holding, feeding and riding the animals. 

feeding the pygmy goats

Petting the baby calf.

Sadie even got to hold a chicken.

Sadie's friend Emma taking care of Aubrey.

Sadie & Emma wanted Aubrey to be in this picture of them by the tractor. Aubrey wasn't too excited about it.

The kids even got to play on the swingset and trampoline after they ate their lunch. This was Aubrey's favorite part. She even tried climbing the ladder to the slide all by herself.

Riding the horse was Sadie's favorite part. She loved it! When she was finished she told me that she changed her mind of what she wanted to be when she grew up. Instead of a princess, she now wants to be a horse rider.

Princess Sadie

Sadie went to the fire station last week on a field rip with her preschool. The fireman was telling the kids how they need to exercise & be healthy if they want to be fire fighters when they grow up. Sadie looked at me and said, "I'm not going to be a fireman when I grow up, I'm going to be a princess."

Sadie turns 4

I was looking at some pictures the other day and realized how far behind I am with my blog. I will try to catch up a little. Last month my sweet Sadie turned 4. I can't believe how fast they grow. Sadie is acting so grown up lately. She loves her little pre-school and she is my big helper when all the other kids are at school. It's been fun to have a little more one-on-one time with Sadie. She thinks she's pretty big, and loves to "help" with Aubrey. She was so excited to have a birthday. She talked about it for weeks. Her birthday was on a Sunday and she was so excited! She couldn't sit still all day. I think she personally told everyone in primary that it was her birthday. Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Ernie came out to help celebrate. We had a party on Sunday afternoon with all 4 grandparents and all the aunts, uncles, and cousins that live close. Here are a few pictures from the birthday party.

I love how when you ask a little kid how old they are they don't say anything, just hold up their fingers.

Sadie has since had a haircut. I realize her hair is totally in her face. I had pulled it back, but she wouldn't keep anything in it. She kept telling me "I like it in my eyes".

Sadie being silly.

Aubrey copying Sadie

Sadie piled all of her new toys on grandpa, so he could guard them and not let anyone else get them.

Grandma helped her open the boxes.

And Melanie once again made a darling birthday cake. It was almost too cute to eat. She put so much detail into all of the characters. Sadie just loved it. Thanks again aunt Melanie. We are so glad to have you in our family. We really enjoy your cake decorating talent too.

Brynli loves to read

Brynli has learned to read and she loves it. This is what I found the other morning. Brynli was reading to Aubrey. I thought it was too precious to not get a picture.

And, of course, as I pull my camera out Sadie wants a picture too. Brynli was very willing to read to both of her little sisters.

Fall Play

My kids favorite thing to do in the fall is rake up all the leaves into a pile and jump in it. Good thing we don't have a shortage of leaves at our house.

My kids are also lucky to have such a fun dad that will throw them into the leaves.

If you look close on these next two pictures you can see little legs and feet sticking out of those leaves.

Oh look, somebody threw away some perfectly good kids.

The fun of being a kid.

Birthdays

We have had two birthdays that I haven't blogged about. Sadie's birthday was at the end of August, and Derek's birthday was at the end of September. For Sadie's birthday we had a family birthday party at the lake. Grandma and grandpa Koltermann came out to help us celebrate, along with the usual Mansfield gang and Amber and kids. We all had a great time at the beach.

Here Sadie is modeling one of her birthday presents.

We also had a birthday celebration at grandma Mansfield's house. Allison's birthday is 3 days after Sadie's, so they got to celebrate together.

Sadie loved all of her presents.

And Melanie, of course, make a darling cake for the girls.

For Derek's birthday he decided that he wanted to go swimming at the Rec. Center with just our little family. We had a lot of fun, but forgot to take the camera with us, so we don't have any pictures. Derek also had a birthday party at grandma Mansfield's. He got his favorite things, LEGOS. He got two video games, Lego Star Wars, and Lego Indiana Jones. And he got about 4 different lego sets to put together.

Melanie even made the cake look like it was made of legos. Grandpa had a birthday too, so part of the cake was for grandpa and the lego part was for Derek. Isn't she so creative?