Soccer!!!!

 It's one of those things where at the time you think, 3 kids in soccer, I can handle it. 3 nights  of practice, I can handle it. Games all day on Saturday, I can handle it. and then after the first week of practice I realize, "What was I THINKING???" It's been a whirlwind of pure, awesome, Crazy funness, kind of.

 and a bit of this... apparently babies can't handle funness like the rest of us.

 We'll start with Dallin, because that's how my pictures downloaded, and he's in the middle so I never start with him.

 Dallin is a Soccer rock star.  seriously, he is amazing, he totally gets the game and he's good at it.  He also has the Smith tongue that usually hangs out when he's concentrating.

 Dallin with a few of his teammates. Tommy, whose in the middle with him, is one of Dallin's best friends, He use to live about 4 house down from us and they played soccer together last year and were in the same primary class. He moved across town but they still have a lot of fun together.

 Grant is one of the happiest, smiliest, most excited little boys. He LOVED soccer! He loved the practices, he loved the games, he loved everything about it except touching the ball.  He would race down the field then stay just our of reach of the ball.

 Grant got to play on the same team as one of his best friends, Bryson.  Cameron and Bryson's dad coached their team.

Cameron loves making kids laugh, he always has a lot of fun with them.

I love watching Grant's face when he is focused. He's got the Smith tongue that sticks out whenever he is concentrating on anything... so far all my kids have it, must be a pretty strong gene.

Katelyn was excited about soccer when we started but as the season went on she lost some of her enthusiasm. She still had fun with her team though.

Katelyn with her coach. Last year he coached a high school boys team so it was quite an adjustment to coach the 8 year old girls team. 

Katelyn's team.

Lilly had a lot of fun running away from us and out into the field. she also had fun kicking the ball with her tiny little feet.

Peter is such a good natured cheerful little guy. He was mostly happy to be with everyone as long as there was food, he was good.

YaY for one more season down!!!

My little helpers

switching out baby clothes is a never ending process.  it seems as soon as I a get out the next size it's already time to change it again.  This time The babies would not be left out of the fun.  Lilly is especially good at emptying things but to give her credit she also liking putting things back, if only the clothes could fold themselves back up...

Peter was in a mood, he wanted to be held... like all day... if you haven't experienced it yet, it's hard to get anything done while holding a baby... although I am getting better at it. so we decided to compromise, he could sit in the sink while I finished the dishes, He loved it!! and I got the dishes done.

Baptism Day

 Katelyn couldn't stop smiling.  She was so excited for her baptism.  It was fun to have family come in to participate in this wonderful day. Cameron's parents flew in from Florida and my parents drove from Georgia. and my sister Amy flew in from DC 

 The water was so cold. They filled the fount early so that it wouldn't disrupt the other ward's meeting, and by the time she was baptized it was COLD.  We had so many people come that we had to move to the chapel to accommodate everyone. we were overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from  our ward family.   Katelyn is such a friendly loving person, she makes friends easily and has no problem playing with kids much older and much younger then she is.  

Katelyn loves her Aunt Amy.  She's always so much fun, plus it doesn't hurt that Amy usually comes baring gifts...

Katelyn with my parents. Nanna Net and Papa Bob.

Katelyn with Cameron's parents, Grandpa Bill and Grandma Louise.

I love this little girl, she is such a wonderful sister and daughter.   She is so helpful especially with the babies.  she loves taking care of them

This was the best picture we could get as a family, sometimes kids cooperate and sometimes they don't.

I can't believe how grown up she is.  It's bitter sweet watching this little girl grow, she is such an amazing person

Katelyn's Baptism

I cant believe how fast she's growing. She is getting baptized this Sunday, one week. I remember when 8 year olds were HUGE! and now here she is, my little girl... who also happens to be 8... almost.   She has gotten to be so responsible and caring.  She loves helping me take care of Lilly and Peter.  We still have issues when it comes to hair brushing but it's' definitely getting better... I think.  she is super social, I know big surprise.  She is always asking to have friends over and planning parties, dinners and game nights.  We love having her in our family and are so excited for her big day!

All grown up and saving China...

 Why do kids have to grow so fast?  This year all three of these cuties are going to school. Katelyn is starting 2nd grade, Dallin is starting first and Grant is most excited to be in Pre K. and when I say most excited I mean waking up at 6am, dressed from head to toe, can hardly sit through breakfest jumping out of his seat excited. 

After we get ready we usually head down to the end of our street and wait for my friend Robyn to pick up the kids.  Walking isn't usually involved. racing at full speed to see who can get there first is more like it.

Katelyn is starting 2nd grade... I totally remember 2nd grade... that's weird. She had grown so much this year. She reads like a maniac and is actually very helpful around the house especially when it comes to watching Lilly and Peter.

I'm not sure how it's possible but Dallin has actually become even more silly.  He also has about 3 teeth left in his mouth... ok not really but the tooth fairy has become very familiar with our house... she even almost always remembers before the kids wake up... now that's skills.

One last shot before they go into the school.  Why do they have to grow so fast?

Grant's in an afternoon Pre-K program so he got to have a brunch with mommy and a few friends before heading to school.   Ms McDaniel was Katelyn and Dallin's teacher when they were each in Pre-K She is pretty much amazing!

I was running late so I decided to drop Grant off in the car line rather then walk him in... silly, I know, but in my mind I just didn't want him to be late on his first day.  Anyways, as I pulled up to drop him off he burst into uncontrollable tears.  He kept going on about how he didn't want to go to that school he wanted to go to the other school.  Thinking that he meant he wanted to go to the same school as Katelyn and Dallin I kept trying to reassure him that he would go to their school next year. still, uncontrollable tears so I decided to circle around the school so I could park and walk him in.  As we approached the front entrance he looked up and said. "oh, this is the school I was talking about!"  apparently he didn't recognize his school at the drop off line and thought i was dropping him off to some random school rather then the school he went to when he met his teacher.  After he figured all that out, he was all smiles.

Love that sweet little boy. I'm going to miss hanging out with my little buddy all day but at least I still get him in the morning. 

Pintrest has become my new best friend... not really all you real best friends out there...  anyways I  got the idea for these teacher gifts from pintrest and the kids were so excited about it.

It seems we're off to a great year.

Something New

We had some friends over to play our angry bird game... that's not what's new... They were having a great time, I looked around and noticed Katelyn on our couch completely engaged in one of the fairy books we got at the library

Katelyn was completely content to sit and read while everyone else played. Looks like we could be entering a new phase in our life. we've already had to make multiple trips to the library because our library only lets you check out 6 book from the same series and Katelyn reads through them too fast. when she finishes them she begs me to take her to the library... how can you say no to that?

also newish, Peter thinks he is the expert dish washer emptier... and he is... if only he could put the dishes away instead of in his mouth and on the floor...

Lilly also enjoys emptying the dishwasher... and eating anything she can find on the floor... it's hard when you're so good at so many things.