First Soccer Game

Yesterday I realized I never posted about Kayden's first soccer game like I said I was!  Oops.  So, here it is.

Kayden loved playing.  He wasn't aggressive with the ball at all, rather lagging behind and smiling all over the field instead.  When I asked why he didn't try and get the ball he told me, "The black team keeps taking it from me."  I told him he needed to protect the ball and keep it away from the black team, to which he replied, "but then they kick me."  It was then I realized I had never explained the purpose to shin guards, so I took the opportunity then to explain.  He was then satisfied, but still didn't really go after the ball.  And I suppose it has to be a bit intimidating, a group on kids surrounding a ball and all their feet kicking about in hopes of making contact with the ball and getting it away from everyone else.  So I can't really blame the little guy for parading around the field with a perma-grin on his face just because, to him, it is fun being out there.

It was a fun game, loved watching Kayden prance around and having a great time, with no intent on kicking the ball or even getting a true understanding of the game.  And that is fine, I'm content with him having fun.  Score isn't kept at this level and there isn't even a goalie guarding the goal, so it is really an easy going game with fun as the main objective and I love that. 

Here is to a great soccer season.

 Kayden is the crouching on the ground, number four.  He really had an awesome time, I loved watching him!

Ok, I think I am officially caught up on the blog for now.  Kayden has a field trip coming up in the middle of October, so I'll have a post together for that. 

Fishing Birthday Party

We celebrated Kayden's fourth birthday with a Fishing Theme Party!  I am a tad bit crazy when it comes to his parties and literally start planning them a year in advance, so I had plenty of time to work on all the details, minor and major ones. 

I am extremely thrilled with the way the weather cooperated.  We had a fairly decent week with mostly sunshine and a few rain showers here and there.  I would check my phone every day, sometimes a couple times a day, to see if they changed their forecast prediction for saturday, with no success.  It was expected to rain, rain, rain and I was not happy about it.  We love being able to let the kids run around outside and the adults hanging out there as well, but I was preparing to have the whole party inside.  I stayed up way late Friday night decorating, hanging the "fishing poles" and "goldfish" from the ceiling and getting all the non-refrigerated food prepared. 

Then Saturday, we woke up to SUN.  I was ready to call everyone on our guest list to come over right then and there just so we could take advantage of the sunshine.  Around 10:30 (party was at 1:00) I started prepping to have this party OUTSIDE!  YAHOO.  I hoped and wished that the sun would stick around long enough for the party.  What happened from about 4:00 on was fine with me, I just wanted the sun to stay, and it DID and it was actually a fairly warm day.  I loved it.

For the party we played a couple games, a fishing game where kids had to fish in the pool of balloons for goldfish with different numbers on them.  Then they got to pick a prize based on that number.  Then we played the oh-so-popular ping pong ball toss into goldfish bowls.  The kids loved that one.  It was really fun. 

Then the rest of the day was filled with playing, opening gifts and eating cake!  Couldn't have asked for a better party.

Hard to believe my little guys if four!  Crazy, Crazy, I tell ya.

I wish I would have gotten better, individual pictures of the decorations.  Live and learn, I suppose.

These were the party favors.  The ones in the brown bag were the ones for the kids who weren't taking a fish home and the ones on the table were filled with fish food to take home with their goldfish.

Prize table.

Goldfish doubled as ping pong game and party favors.

Present time!

 

My best friend from high school gave Kayden a treasure map to follow around our yard that led him to the pirate booty.  It was filled with all of their favorite things, marshmallows, books, cowboy boots, skittles, and much, much more.  It was such a great idea and a huge hit!

The oh-so-talented Christy made Kaydens cake and it was AMAZING.  Loved it.

Kayden liked and didn't like all the singing.  But I think the grin on his face says he liked it more than not. 

 

The birthday party was a huge hit, and I think Kayden loved it.  I'm so excited to see what the fourth year brings us.  I'm optimistic that it'll be the best year yet.  We struggled through three, but I have faith that four will prove to be an amazing year.

Kayden Is Four!

I officially have 12 minutes left before Kayden's birthday is over, so I am getting this birthday post in just under the wire, but that's ok, better late than never, right?

Today Kayden turned four, and although this blog post won't be accompanied with many pictures, rest assured that his pictures from his party tomorrow will make up for the lack of them tonight.

Kayden and I had a busy day today.  Went and met daddy for lunch this afternoon, followed by a trip to the pet store to get fish for his party, then back home for a bit before soccer practice and finally ending it with dinner at Red Robin with Christy and Dean! A busy, but fun day!

Hard to believe my little guy is four. I am eager to see what four has to offer, but am sad that he is growing up so fast!

Ok, onto the pictures from today!

A new dino jacket w/ help from Cindy.

Opening Auntie, Uncle Dean and Charlie's gift.

Yahoo, a fish tank! So exciting.

Lunch w/ daddy! This was Kaydens face while being sung to at Red Robin.

Ok, more to come in a few days!

Katie and Ashlie's First Day of School

The same day Charlie started school, my nieces, Ashlie and Katie did too.  And thankfully, I was able to get to pictures of all three kids before they went to their designated schools. 

Ashlie started first grade this year and Katie third.  And so far, the school year is starting off well!

Here is to a great school year for these two!

Charlie's First Day of Fifth Grade

Charlie has officially started fifth grade!  Next year will be middle school, eek!

The night before school started she asked me to straighten her hair, she always look so grown up when her hair is straightened. 

And here she is on her first day of school.

Charlie looked awesome on her first day.  And I am happy to hear that it went well also!  Here's to a great year!

Kayden's First Soccer Practice 2013

I am a little late posting this!  Oops.

So, Kayden started soccer a few weeks ago, (on Uncle Charlie's birthday to be specific and thankfully he was in town to watch) and he is LOVING it.  His first game is his Saturday and it is going to be adorable.  Most of the kids on his team are around three and four with a few five year olds thrown in, so most of them are still trying to get the hang of it.  Not using their hands is tough for them and understanding you have to pass/share the ball is difficult too, they'll eventually get it, just a few things to learn is all.  I can't wait to share pictures of his first game!

Here are a few from his first practice a couple weeks ago.

The little kid with Kayden in the above picture is his friend, Evan, who we met when we were doing soccer at the Federal Way Community Center.

 

It's going to be a great season!

Kayden's First Day of Preschool 2013

Kayden is getting way too big way too fast.  As we approach four and leave three behind there are lots of things I am looking forward to.  One of those things is his new preschool, Steel Lake Presbyterian Preschool.  He has been really looking forward to it all summer.  One of the offerings of this school is Vacation Bible School (VBS) during the summer and it is something we took advantage of over the summer.  My hope with VBS was it would be a good, familiar start to preschool.  That when the time came, he would be more comfortable with being dropped off and that he might see some additional, familiar faces and, overall, I think it helped. 

A week or two ago I was prepping Kayden for preschool, letting him know it would be starting soon and feeling him out for his feelings.  I was happy to hear he was excited for school, his response was, "At VBS"?  And when I answered with a "yes", he said, "That's so awesome!"  So, I had good feelings about it.

At Open House last week he really enjoyed it.  We met his teachers, Mrs. Conklin and Mrs. Earlywine, along with some of his other classmates.  Never once did he show any concern or apprehensions about going to a new school, and that made me happy.

We made kids in his class little goldfish goodie bags with a paper fishbowl saying, "We are O-fish-ally in the same school" and made his teachers cookies with a tag saying, "This year is going to be sweet with you as my teacher!"  He was so happy to help make all the goodie bags and to pass them out to his friends and teachers.  It was such a good feeling seeing him happy about going to school. 

Here are some pictures of his first day.  Tomorrow will be a regular school day, today was a short day with parent orientation being done while the kids became more familiar with their classrooms, classmates and teachers.  And a perfect opportunity to go to the fair!  Kyle took the day off work to take Kayden to his first day and then to go to the fair afterwards.  It was a day full of firsts, Kayden's first day of preschool, Kyle and My first time to the fair together and Kayden's first time ever! 

Today has been awesome!

Last night while giving Kayden a bath I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up, he looked at me a little confused by my question, so I said, where do you want to work when you grow up.  He answered with, "I want to work at daddy's work."  How cute is that?

Here is Blake, Emily and Kayden goofing off before school.  Emily was upset because her backpack was accidentally forgotten.  Thankfully dad was to the rescue and brought it before class started!

 Kayden and Emily are in the same class and Blake is in the other class.  Good times and years ahead with these three kids. 

The first thing the kids do while waiting for others to show up and before they start their school day is to do puzzles.  Kayden might get bored with this, we'll see.

And the last shot of the day with these three. 

 

I have other posts to catch up on and I will get to them soon.  Lots to catch you up on, zoo, Kayden's first soccer practice of the season and all the nieces first days of school.