Bryce 4y 3mo

Bryce has really enjoyed having a team to call his own. He is so proud of his uniform and his team and individual soccer pictures and shiny medal. Having scored his first goal this month has motivated him to listen to his coaches more and play more at home with Daddy and Garrett. He is also enjoying tracing letters and making cards this month in school. This is by far easier for him to focus on than listening during reading time, always a work in progress. Bryce also made it to his first dental visit too and was proud to find out he had 20 teeth.

My proudest picture yet.

May I take this pumpkin home?

My potato head for Awana--gotta love the crazy green hair.

I built this train table design for Griffin to play with and I am sooo proud of it.

Sporting some crazy sunglasses with my big bro. Thanks Grandma.

This carmel apple will be a blur while I eat it.

Could you see me as a future drummer?

I got a hold of the camera and had to take a picture of my good-lookin' shadow.

One of my latest lego spaceship designs.

Garrett 6y 5mo

Garrett lost his first tooth this month. Garrett was playing outside with his brother and slipped trying to climb up the slide and banged his chin. While we were proud of this new milestone, Garrett's reaction was "Mommy, put it back!" Before bed he made sure to tell the tooth fairy that he didn't want anything for the tooth, he just wanted a new one in it's place. He wasn't even upset when 30 seconds after losing the tooth and putting it into the special tooth box, one of his brothers preceded to permanently lose the tooth for him down the bathroom drain. Brett never got to see the tooth. Well, that's the story of the first tooth.

Garrett is cruising through the first part of his first grade year. He is writing better, spelling better, and doing math problems quicker. He has enjoyed soccer season and his favorite activity with Daddy this month has been playing him in soccer in the backyard. He enjoys playing defense or scoring against Daddy. He loves to have time working on projects with Mommy, especially if it is just he and Mommy and his brothers are preoccupied with something else.

I figured out how to give a better smile when I'm asked to, just don't ask me to do too much with the positioning of my chin or shoulders, I can focus on one thing at a time.

Making a creative Star Wars dinner with Mommy. Maybe this will help my brothers eat their dinner.

Can I bring all three of these pumpkins home?

Isn't my real Mr. Potato Head cute? I made him for Awana night.

I'm proud of my patches and jewels I've earned with scripture memorization at Awana.

Grandma picked up these silly glasses at the AARP convention and just had to see what we would do with them.

Carmel apples with sprinkles...this is a healthy snack, right?

Lip syncing away with my guitar.

Use the Force Griff

Griffin discovered the power of the Force push while playing with his brothers one day. Both of his brothers were attacking him with lightsabers and he was unarmed, sort of. Kind of like in the Volkswagon commercial at last year's Super Bowl (if you haven't seen it yet, check it out on YouTube). We haven't figured out how to get video on here, but nonetheless you can get the flavor of it from these still shots.

Look out here he comes!

Ugghh, I can't resist the Force, I am on my knees to your power.

A two-hand Force push, and Bryce is on his back!

How did that happen?

MYSA- Soccer Continues

This month in soccer we had a few firsts. Garrett played goalie during the second half of one of the games. He had to learn how to drop-kick the ball or throw it when he made a save. He enjoyed practicing diving for and covering up the ball so nobody else could get it. Bryce scored his first goal this month. His team set it up nicely with a kick from the corner being deflected by one of his teammates (Aiden) to his left foot with which he kicked it into the goal from in front of the net.

Braden, Matt, Coach Dave, Tyler, Ryan(back row), Garrett, Arun, Dillon, Diego (middle row), Paul, Jake (front row)...missing Angel.

Preparing for my drop kicks as goalie and making a pass to a streaking teammate.

Standing my ground as the action comes my way.

A little perspective of the size of the goal I'm defending.

Coach Charles, Jackson, Ollie, Jorge, Noah, Coach Josh (back row), Bryce, Teegan, Aiden, Albino, Bernouli (front row)

I got my first goal...yeahhh!!

I might be the smallest guy (and youngest) on my team, but I still try to mix it up with the big guys ( alot are 2 years older than me), so I wear #2.

I think I might be a little tired after a full workout at my soccer game. Yep, you can call this my crash.

Del Osso Pumpkin Patch

We met up with Brett's sister and her family for what is becoming our annual trek to Del Osso Farms for a day of shooting pumpkins at targets, racing on tricycles, posing for pictures, and hanging out. This year we ventured into the great corn maze for the first time. Fortunately we had James and his great spatial awareness to guide us through the maze without a single wrong turn.

This is the cousin choo-choo train...the girls ride on top!

Our maze team was made complete with Haley, Rachel, Wendy, and James.

A look over the top of the corn maze that had a space theme, celebrating the 40th anniversary of NASA.

I'm not tired, Daddy, but I do want to lay my head down on the top of your soft pillow head.

Okay, which way are we supposed to go from here?

We're all trying to convince James which way we are to go, while he consults his internal GPS.

Fortunately no pumpkins were harmed in the taking of this picture...

It was good to catch up with Uncle James, Aunt Wendy, and cousins Haley and Rachel.

Do you think I can still fit my foot in my shoe with that dirt in it?

Bryce (far right) and Rachel (4th from left) get ready for the start of the tricycle race.

Is it a problem if my helmet is covering my eyes?

Garrett pedals hard, he had a score to settle with Haley after losing last year.
Daddy, I can load and aim the pumpkin blaster all by myself this year!

Alright Daddy, I can load it myself but I need a boost to aim it.
What am I aiming at? Really I just want to pull the trigger.