Look Out, The Weagants are Playing Soccer

We got a call from Avery's soccer coach this week, so we are all really excited about soccer starting up. We have been talking about it since May. Austin is the most excited. He just enjoys life in a whole different way. Lets just say that I can't get him to stop talking about soccer this, soccer that, soccer everything. So we went soccer shopping and spend a good hour at Big 5 trying on cleats and shin guards. Nolan spent a good hour trying on all of the baseball helmets and carrying around baseballs. He was surprisingly good. Ever since the shopping trip, the kids have been stomping around the house in their soccer apparal. Austin wants to wear it 24-7. Avery is o.k. with wearing it once and having fun and moving onto dress-up clothes. Nolan is all about wearing Avery's cleats all day, I mean hours, and showing us how fast he can run in them. I don't know how he does it in shoes that are way too big for him. We are still awaiting a phone call from Austin's coach to find out what color his team is. AVery's is gold. I really wish this coach would call. Poor Austin. Here are some fun pictures we took today. They are kind of out of order, but I didn't want to deal with moving them. I ended up just buying a pack of hanes t-shirts for the kids to wear to soccer practice and I had to buy Avery some boy shorts. I have never seen athletic clothes in the girls section. If anybody has, enlighten me. So here Austin and Avery are in their practice outfits. Avery being crazy as usual, and Austin pretending to not know what is going on, as usual. And I had to throw a picture in of my cute little baby boy. He was putting grapes in his cheek and showing me how big his cheek was. Oh, the things these kids do. I love 'em.

Little Surprises!

So these last few weeks of vacation has been full of little surprises. We went to visit some friends the other day and found out that they could swim. So Avery, being like her mother, shows everyone that she can swim too. Avery and Heidi had a blast swimming together. No floating devices needed.

Avery is so head strong when she finds something she wants to do. She will just keep trying until her goal is accomplished. She reminds me so much of me, it is crazy. Except for the girly girl stuff (see picture with crown and ear rings). She tries hard at everything she does, she worries about everything and everyone, and she is determined to get her way. Avery is such a gift to this family. She has such a giving heart and outgoing personality. We love watching her grow everyday. We have decided though, that high school is out of the question. Alternatives unkown.

Anyways, back to what I was saying. So Avery swimming surprised me. She has been off and on, but now it is full on swim chic. Another surprise, Nolan is finally pulling out of the terrible two's phase, I think. He has been so good lately, we are surprised only because I feel like he was saying no to everything. Here's to Nolan and no more no's.

Another surprise. Old friends have been getting in touch with me, it is so cool. Weird too because it seems like I just think about them and then I get a message from them on facebook or something. It is so fun to hear from them and see what they have been up to for the past ___ years. It is cool too that we can jump right back into that friend mode and enjoy each others words and company.

It has been a great summer vacation. Another one down. I can't believe it. Some things to look forward to: Nolan being potty trained, signing up for kindergarten in November, first year of soccer, mommy playing on a CARD basketball team (something I have been wanting to do for quite some time), Disneyland birthday trip, and whatever other excitement comes our way. Yahoo!!!

My Hard Workin' Kids

Of course I didn't think to take a picture, but I wanted to document that Avery is a cleaning fool when she wants to be. Sometimes I get so sick of the house being messy, I announce that today is "cleaning day", so we devote a couple hours to cleaning. AVery, luckily, was in a cleaning mood and jumped right in and helped. She did most of the play room and cleaned both bathrooms, including toilet and floor. What a girl! Thank you princess! Austin started out telling me he was tired. He told me he didn't have any energy to clean. So full of it. Garrett says he's a con artist. I say he is too smart for his own good. He did get to it though and did some of the play room and mopped the kitchen floor. They thought it was to coolest thing to mop. Nolan did the best thing he could do. He stayed out of the way and didn't follow us around making messes where we just cleaned up, like he usually does. When the vaccum came out, Nolan took over. He loves the vaccum. I can hardly get it away from him long enough to vaccum. So we cleaned for a good hour, maybe a little more, and took a break with a intention to clean some more. Didn't happen of course, but Avery said she would get up and do lots of cleaning tomorrow. Yahoo! Actually, I promised the kids swimming tomorrow somewhere. They deserve a fun time at the pool!

Vacation Finale!!!

Well, we had so much fun at Lake Almanor, we had to play one more trip before it was back to work we go. I actually took pictures this time! (That's a big one for me.) And I'm glad I did. It was a great time. Maggie can't believe that we just pack up all the kids and take off. It is hard, but it is so worth it. And I want my kids to have great childhood memories. Even if we didn't go do Disneyland or anywhere fancy. I want them to know what it is like to do things as a family and how awesome it is to be able to enjoy our time together. Pictures: We hit up Big Thunder Mountain Railroad first. Austin's first favorite. Nolan and I sat out for that one, but we did find out that he was tall enough to go on Matterhorn, or as Nolan calls it, the "Monster Ride." Garrett or I have to cover Austin's eyes on Matterhorn the whole time, and if we let him opt out of it, he does. Nolan just says, "I'm done," even if the ride isn't over. Nolan and Dad on Matterhorn. Austin was tall enough to go on The Grizzly, which he loved. We all loved going on the Grizzly and talked about the next time we would go on it all the time. We did get soaked about every time. What was nice was that it was right outside our hotel. Garrett and Austin got hit by a gyser the last time on the Griz and were wet down to the skin, if you know what I mean. All in all, it was a great trip. Nolan especially had a great time. He is understanding and remembering rides. He put in many requests, "I want to go on Small World, I want to go on Pirates, I want to go on Small World, I want to go on Pirates." He went on Pirates the first time a little scared in the dark , but did o.k. Then the second time, he screamed his head off and tried to climb out, then he was fine again and ended the trip with Pirates one last time. He loved Small World and yelled at the top of his lungs when he saw it. He loved the castle being lit up and wanted me to "turn it on" when it wasn't lit up. We saw the Fantasmic show which was awesome and Nolan wanted to know where the characters went when it was over.

Some more highlights: Avery, Austin, and I hit Splash Mountain one morning and rode it three times. Once we went around and we got to sit on for another ride without having to get back in line. Austin finally rode with no one holding onto him. Avery got her backpack which she begged for the whole trip because I got one. She carried that thing everywhere with every random toy in there she could think of. Nolan go a Buzz Lightyear toy that he carried around everywhere and Austin got a pirates gun and sword. I actually went on the Rockets and Dumbo which I swore I would never go on, and surprisingly I didn't get sick. Yah Mommy!

To end the trip we went to an Angels game. The kids first baseball game. Garrett was the proud daddy taking his kids to the game. He would do anything for his kids, they are so blessed to have such a good dad. He stayed with Nolan one morning to let him sleep in and he took care of Avery when she got sick the last night at Disneyland. Poor Avery was throwing up and Garrett stayed with her and made he feel like a princess. Anyways, we had such a good time and so many things I want to remember. I will stop for now. Here's to many more fun family times together!!