Soccer Season is among us

We spent the morning at the baseball field and the afternoon at the soccer fields.  Ella Catherine had 2 games this afternoon.  She decided that she wanted to try out for a club soccer team this year, the same team that she played indoor soccer with last year.  She made the team and we have enjoyed watching her strengthen her skills and learn more about the sport she loves.  Club soccer is definitely a different level of play and it has been fun watching her rise to the challenge.  She prefers to play defense and so that is where she mainly plays.  Although on occasion she gets the itch to play offense and try to score.  All in all, It was a gorgeous day to be outside watching your children enjoy organized sports.

Warm -ups: Calling for the ball

Warm-ups: Trapping the ball

warm-ups: stretches

Getting muscles warm and game ready

While sister was warming up, Carter and dad got in a little batting practice

Doesn't everyone use a soccer net as a batting box?

Game Time

And she is off

Getting the ball down field

Big boot: Love how she puts her whole body into it

Taking the penalty kick

Her approach

Again putting her whole body into a big kick down field.  Crazy is it almost went in the goal but the keeper got it.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Carter decided that this fall he wanted to play baseball instead of soccer.  We are so fortunate that he was able to get on a team with his best friends, coached by their fathers.  Today was his first official game and we are so proud of him.  He hit 3 out of his 4 times at bat.  Unfortunately, we have to work a little on his speed to first base as he was thrown out all 3 times.  He played 3 innings as catcher and 3 innings as pitcher.  He threw 2 players out at first and caught a pop up fly ball.  A great effort and although they didn't win, we couldn't be prouder of his first game as a baseball player.

Getting a few catching pointers and warm up from dad before the game

Had to get a picture of him in his catching gear

First inning as a baseball player.  All geared up and Ready!

The Braves in the dugout cheering on their teammates

Love him!  

Sweet little sister, his biggest fan.  but lets be serious, she is in it for the snacks!

And the Big Sister, his biggest critic.  But also one to cheer him on and be super proud when he plays well.  

Loved that after the game both teams met on the pitchers mound and prayed

Carter and his best buddies, Max and Clayton

First at Bat.

Landon, Carter, Max and Clayton.  They may have lost the game but their spirits were still high.  Love the memories he is making.

First Day of School 2016

Its hard to believe that it is time for another school year to begin.  The Summer flew by but it was great.  

Ella Catherine will be in the 4th grade this year. At 9 she is starting some tween behavior and it is challenging to say the very least but also fun to watch her grow up and be independent.  She loves soccer, video games, geology and her favorite subject in school is Math.

Carter will be in the first grade.  At 7 he is all boy!  He hasn't quite found his sport yet but has enjoyed trying new things.  He still loves Legos, StarWars and over the past year a new love for all that is PokeMon.  While he likes to read, Math is also his favorite subject.

Cassidy is moving up to the PreK 3-4 classroom.  She continues to be our more spirited child. :)  She loves puzzles, to dance, she is learning to write her name and she still loves trying to hang with the big kids.  Especially Carter's friends...she thinks they are Cute! :)  we are in trouble with this one.

First Day of 4th Grade, Mrs. Hearn's class at Rock Springs Elementary

Love

First Day of 1st Grade, Mrs. Dillard's class at Rock Springs Elementary

Love

First Day as  FireFly at Ms. Nichols Inc.  (PreK)  With Ms. Clarissa and Ms. Alexis

So excited

So, honestly I was inside while Matt was taking these photos.  So, I can't 100% say what was going on but just that it was normal Shenanigans for Sassy and I love her expression

Whatever it was it had Carter tickled

And this my friends are what normal days are like and the trials and tribulations of trying to take pictures at our house.  

Room Makeover

Ever since Cassidy was born, Ella Catherine has been talking about the day that they would share a room.  Matt and I wanted to wait until Cassidy was out of a crib and potty trained for that to happen.  Well, she has been out of the crib and potty trained for quite some time.  So, while the kids were away at Grams and Grandpa for their grandparents week at the lake.  Matt and I transformed Ella Catherine's room.  I wish I had taken before pictures with the furniture but, we are very happy with the results and the girls were thrilled with their surprise.  Wonder how many years we have before big sister isn't going to want to have little sister in the same room?  Until then, we will enjoy it.

Before- walls were a dark sage green

After- walls are a tiffany blue.  Brightened up the room a lot

They each have their own closet

A dresser to share

And what they are most excited about, bunk beds!!!

Unfortunate Accident

I got a call at about 11:40am yesterday, when I looked at my phone it was Cassidy's Daycare.  It is never good to get a call from the daycare.  However, I was not prepared for the reason for the call.  I thought I was getting the " your child is sick" call.  Unfortunately instead, I received the "your child has had an accident" call.  I was then informed that Cassidy had fallen and chipped her teeth.  My first thought was ok no big deal just a little chipped tooth.  Oh No, she then preceded to tell me that one tooth was 50% gone and the other was about 25% gone in her estimation and that at least 1 of the teeth was loose.  

My next call was to the dentist and then to Matt.  His reaction was much like my initial reaction, no big deal.  That is until I sent him the pictures below.  His reaction to the pictures was the same as my reaction when I saw my sweet little girl as I arrived at the daycare.  Oh My Goodness!  How in the WORLD did that happen.?  WOW.  Apparently, one unfortunate face plant that hit things just so that it broke them.  She was a trooper and didn't appear to be in pain.  I got a hold of the dentist office and we had an appointment later that afternoon.  So, i took her home for a nap.  She woke up from her nap stating her teeth hurt, so I gave her a little Motrin to take the edge off.  We watched Sophia the first and then off to the dentist we went.  

I was NOT prepared for what the dentist had to say.  Or the news I was going to receive about my precious baby girls teeth.  What I learned was that when she fell and her teeth broke, she damaged the nerves and that the nerves were exposed on both teeth.  Both teeth were loose but one worse than the other.  He gave us two options.  We could try and salvage the teeth, in what he described as a type of mini root canal.  The pulp in her teeth would be removed and replaced with an artificial substance and then they would have to stabilize and rebuild her teeth.  There was no guarantee it would work and she had an increased risk of having abscesses in 6month-1 year.  Which if that happened they would either have to repeat the procedure or extract the teeth.  Our other option, extract her teeth.  

Let me tell you, this was not an easy decision.  However, after discussion with the dentist and talking things over with Matt, our decision was to have her teeth pulled.  So, at approximately 10:40 today Cassidy had her front two top teeth removed.   Throughout the whole ordeal she has been amazing!  She cooperated with both dentists fabulously.  She was such a trooper.  Thank goodness for treasure boxes and wonderful care providers.  However, as I sit here and type this and my sweet little one is sleeping off the anesthesia I am still filled with the anxiety and sadness.  Doing the right thing for our children is not always easy.  Parenthood comes with some tough decisions.  One thing is for certain.  Front teeth or not, this little spit fire will still be able to light up a room with her smile. 

Cassidy Making her bulldog face with her broken top teeth

Closer picture of the extent of the damage

Sweet girl waiting on the dentist yesterday

Such a little girl in a big chair, keeping her eye out for the dentist

Matt and our sweet Sassy Cassidy playing in the waiting room this morning waiting on the medicine to start working

Dentist putting on her "princess mask" AKA the good stuff

Precious girl watching TV in the ceiling and being soooo good.

Soccer Saturday

Spring soccer season has begun.  Today was our third weekend of play, but the first weekend it actually felt like spring.  It is so fun watching our kids get into the game and enjoy themselves.  Guess I have officially become a soccer mom!  Ella Catherine has a new coach this year.  She was a little nervous because she was playing her old team this morning.  They tied 3-3.

Carter is on a whole new team too.  I think he coach is the cutest!  :)  His team fought hard but couldn't ever quite get in their groove.  They lost 3-1.

Getting some last minute guidance from coach

Ready for kick off

What you can't see in the picture is that Ella Catherine was using her body to block the ball.  Super proud of her aggressiveness.

Making a run at it.  She got so close to a goal on this one that I might have yelled shoot it a bit too loud and broken my promise not to yell.

Keeping her eye on the ball

LOVE her hustle

See, I told you Carter's coach was a cutie!  Matt giving carter's team some last minute instructions

Although it makes me a nervous wreck, I do love watching him play goalie.  He really has been practicing hard and shown some great progress

See that kid on the ground blocking that goal kick?  That is Carter!!  Way to go Bud

Goal Kick!!!

I was too quick with the camera on this one!  but right after this Coach and player/Father and son shared a high five.

Love this pic because Matt has been working with both kids on their throw ins.  It paid off.