Somebody got a new Camera!

 Cordelle playing around with his new SLR camera he bought himself for his birthday.

Its fall soccer season!!

 This year Cordelle switched from coaching Seth and he and I kind of tag teamed coaching Jaq's.  It was fun and the girls did great.  Jaquelle is getting very fast and starting to cut and get around people without much coaching.  We need to start working with her more but she is doing really well all on her own.

 Mom and Collin watching our fair share from the sidelines in a camping chair. (I think Collin's look of concern here is the playground next to the field that he really wants to go play at, but can't find Jaq to go with him).

 Seth has started playing for a soccer academy.  Fewer games but more practices. Its been really good and he's learned A TON from the coach.  His interests are kind of shifting more to football so we'll see how much longer he decides to play soccer.  Which is sad, because he is actually quite good.  But you can tell he doesn't love it like he used to.  We will miss watching all the soccer games if he does.

Happy Birthday Cordelle!!

Well he spent his birthday sick at home, but since it was a Sunday that meant no meetings for him.  A plus! It was a chill day needless to say, but we did get a round or two of Monopoly Empire in. And I gotta say, 35 looks pretty good on him! Happy birthday hunk!  I love you.

hApPy BiRtHdAy JaQ!!!

She has patiently waited through all the boys summer birthday and now finally her day has come!  Today Jaq turned 7!!!

 Highlights were her own MP3 player, rollerblades and Monopoloy Empire.

She loved these hand made dolls from Grandma Morris.  They are so awesome!

 

 She's going to love me for posting this picture of her with her cake (above), but it was so funny. The day was filled with her soccer game, going out to eat, and spending the day trying out her new blades.  This year she even got to cut her own cake (below). 

Jaquelle at 7!  

She loves school and is so smart.  She reads so well and understands what she reads.  She loves soccer and playing football with her dad and brother.  But she also loves learning how to do backbends, cartwheels or anything else like her favorite cousin Alexa. She has recently learned the piano and is catching on so well.  Thanks to her grandma sending her music in the mail, she has learned quite a few primary songs!  She is ALL girl, and loves cute outfits, good smelling things, and crafts!  She is the sweetest, most sensitive girl.  She can sense when people are sad or alone and goes out of her way to include them.  Matter of fact her teacher in Kindergarten once told me a story of a new kid that moved in that was pretty chubby and didn't have any friends, but from the first day he came, Jaq took him under her wing and showed him all the centers and where everything was.  He is still her good friend to this day.  She always has friends around her because she is a great friend.  I have told her many times that this is a gift for her and that she needs to make sure she looks outside of her friends and include those who are outsiders.  She totally does that. She understands what a good friend is and what that looks like and tries to include others.  I hope she continues this non-drama friendships through out her teen years.  I have been so blessed to have a girl in my family and I am so glad she has been sent to me.  She is definitely a Ham and super silly at times but it totally makes her, Jaq!  Love you Jaquelle!

Quick trip to Las Vegas

 Cordelle had a wedding invitation conference that took him to Las Vegas for a couple of days, so we decided to pull the kids out of school and see what fun we could have with him there.  We stayed in a hotel and spent the morning swimming at the pool.  Next we discovered the Shark Aquarium! It was a little overpriced but my kids enjoyed seeing the komodo dragons, petting the de-stinged sting rays, and of course seeing all the cool sharks!

 Our last day there Cordelle had one last class he wanted to attend and we didn't know what more to do than go to the M&M factory but not wanting to find parking, Cordelle dropped us of and we discovered the fascinating (or not so fascinating) life of M&M world.  The older kids got a blanket and Collin made out with a candy star wars M&M fan.  We then realized our mistake of being stranded on the strip and quickly tried to fill it with something to do in a very unkid friendly place.  We checked out the Nike store.  Found some shoes for Jaq at Ross and then spent a great deal of time waiting in line to check out, but the kids were remarkably good and all was going well.  Right before we left Collin had to go to the bathroom and we raced to the nearest food court we could find only to end up getting pee all over as we tried to carefully have him go in the gross bathroom.  Needless to say by that time my attitude shifted and between Collin and his pee ridden clothes and the endless porn I had to advert my childrens eyes from....I felt gross and wanted to go home.  Lucky for us Cordelle came and rescued us not long after.  Loved the family time, but I'd be ok never going to downtown Las Vegas ever again...Especially with my kiddos.

September happenings around the house

 Not sure what was going on here.  But isn't he cute?

 Haha!  I loved this.  One night we were going to go out as a family to dinner but Jaq and I wanted IHOP and the boys wanted Cafe Rio, so instead of dashing someone's dinner dreams, we split up.  Cordelle dropped Jaq and I off at IHOP took the boys to Cafe Rio and then came and picked us up!  Melt downs avoided!

 Getting further on the bball court!

 One weekend in September I went back up north to attend another class from Kim Watts.  So Cordelle took the kids over to his parents house for the day and had a big water fight and played outside. This darling picture was soon after they all got soaked.

 Someone found my phone and this is what I get.  Love it.

So uh, this happened!  Cordelle's parents decided randomly to purchase us an early birthday/Christmas gift over Labor Day.  Isn't that AMAZING? Who does that?  These mini rocket ships are incredible!  They hold like twice what our old washer did.  We were so grateful!  Who knew doing laundry would be so much fun! Now onto shelves....

 

 

 

 

 Of course as  I was taking pictures of the new washer and dryer, Collin couldn't help but feel left out and want his picture taken too......not sure what he is doing in any of these pictures.