holiday world picnic

daddio's work picnic was sunday at holiday world.  the kiddos woke up on their own ready to go!  daddio was a bit tiredo, but still managed to get up & go.

first stop of course, at the santa statue. 

we rode the old-time cars for the first time with the kiddos.  gracie was a bit worried about driving off the road, just like i remember as a child.  i told her though, about the track to guide the car - something nobody ever told me! you are welcome, my dear.

  oh, how i wanted so to bump them.  but didn't.

holidog's funtown was where we spent the most time.  playing in the rocks or on the playground

  i love that crooked little smile of hers.

& that smirk.

benj was havin fun, but avoided the camera as much as possible.

water is always fun, fun, fun!

  he was trying to talk momma into going over by him since he had the water sprinkler covered up - buddy i'm too smart for that..

gracie rode the train with me. ben didn't, guess he's getting too old.  she thought it was super awesome to see all the characters from her favorite nursery ryhmes. 

by the end, we were all holiday'd out.  note her prize ducky (small prize from the win everytime duck game) on the ground.

except for ben, because he won a medium prize! 

i knew it wouldn't last...

ben's folder when he got home today...

a month and a half of school & this is what we have!

nothing a little tape won't fix i'm sure!

just a sittin & a waitin...

for daddio's plane to arrive. 

signs ready!!

i remember sitting with ashley when she was a little gal waiting her mommy to get home & taking a picture just like this.

just a rockin.

the kiddos were super duper duper excited to see their daddio & haven't left his side since.  i've been fighting for a spot near him for my hug! so happy you are home, my love!

papaw's hat

we took papaw to get a haircut friday while benj was in school.  i ended up taking him to a beauty shop, which he was less than thrilled with but tough.
miss gracie was trying out his hat for size. & i, of course thought she was the cutest thang.

go phillies!!

soccer saturday & family fun

soccer, soccer, soccer the next month!
benj couldn't wait to play!  the team they played against seemed to be quite a bit younger (it is ages 4-6)& there was one little boy on the other team that sure didn't know how to control his frustrations, poor guy!  every time we'd score, he'd hit our players & stick out his tongue.  benj said his team just thought it was funny.
you can tell he was working hard out there!  & he scored a goal (or 2 - i don't know, he says 4!)

now.... onto miss g's game.  here's some shots of her practicing before the game to show she knows what's up.

now here she is during the game.

she's the one as far away from the action as can be!

this was her expression most of the time on the field.  she did entertain herself out there by doing sign language & giving me "looks" while she was supposed to be playing.

her favorite time was on the bench.

after a loong morning - afternoon at the soccer fields, we headed to the women's hospital 10th anniversary celebration near our home.  one super cool thing was that we saw the nurse we had when we benj was born.  she rocked.  i remember daddio asking her if our son's nose was swollen from the birthing process or what & she looked at daddio, his nose, smirked & said "no, i think that's just his nose."  he has his daddio's handsome nose.

& benj was tired of momma taking pictures.

the kiddos loved all the inflatables & games.

heading off for some more fun!

 

i just love it when they are getting along (which is a lot of the time)! 

got to shoot some hoops - kinda 

 

good form, buddy! 

ben wouldn't give up on anything!

 

 

gracie either, despite the fact that the vest weighed about as much as her!

 

 she looks a bit done for there!  i asked the lady to take her out at that point.

& gracie got to ride a pony!!!

 

yes, i took a picture of the horse's behind. 

this thing here kinda reminded me of the birthing process...

  see what i mean??

we enjoyed snow-cones, cotton candy & popcorn - can't beat that!

but, at this point, i knew it was time to go home... 

 

(she was begging for 1 more game, 1 more snow cone, 1 more trip through an inflatable - anything!) it was a long, fun-filled & "tired out" day like the kiddos like to say.

up to japan and start of soccer games

daddio is right now up in the air on his way to japan.  this morning, i wanted to get a picture of the kiddos with him.

 lovely.  mr. benj just loves to light up for that camera.

but, at the bus stop, they were showing their true feelings. 

 they miss & love their daddy.

& i am & do too. bunches

so glad it's a short trip.  i very much respect those single parents out there & the military families that are at home doing it every day.  some strong folks out there!

******************************************************************************************

& now- dum da dum dum.....game 1 for beano, future soccer phenom!!!

he said the kids on his team (2 of the much younger ones) are calling him "mastermind."  do you think they mean "megamind" the movie because of his head shape - or is that just momma worrying?  anyways, he thinks it's hilarious. & i'm glad he does!

hands up!

the team did a great job & he was attacking that ball.  though he didn't score any goals himself, he did get lots of assists (if there is such a thing in soccer) & blocked a lot of goals. 

some action shots of my boy:

 he had 2 kids on him for the throw in, he was such a threat!

 he was a hustlin too!  i was very proud of my soccer star!

we will be at the soccer fields almost every day till mid october with at least 1 of the kiddos having games (except for sundays & fridays).  i have a feeling this will be what the next month of posts will be about. 

it's been a rough couple of weeks...

for benjo's red folder.  it looks like it's been through an entire school year instead of just 3 or 4 weeks. 

i can't help but think his daddy's folder looked the same way, all bunched up in the backpack. :)

he had his first homework assignment today & couldn't wait to start it when we got home.  i hope that enthusiasm continues.  on 1 of the pages, he had to draw 2 birdies.  he asked me to draw him an example.  umm, momma is no artist.  & he copied exactly the birdies i made.

  momma needs some art class.  i think we'll let daddio help with the artwork for now.

poor boy has an ear infection & yucky cough (like the rest of us).  last night, when we were all in bed  the worries started getting him.  he is table leader this week & he was worried about letting his table down if he had to miss school (he didn't, momma sent him anyway).  he survived through the day & was wanting to have a play date with another bus buddy.  this boy has quite a social life for a kindergartner.  who knew so many kiddos (sweet kiddos too) lived in our neighborhood.  we are quite blessed!

the schoolwork he brings home is a piling up!  they have already made it through the alphabet & onto bigger things.  our artwork display is running out of room.  (i'm going to use melissa's idea & put all of his kindergarten work in a binder since there is so much - thanks, melissa!)

for momma, it's been a rough couple of weeks too.  i haven't gotten into the best routine yet.  i'm always setting a timer to make sure we or i are where we need to be.  but there's been times (today) when i'm downstairs & don't hear it.  gotta get out that old watch i guess...

& not to leave out miss gracie faye... she's loving preK - it's just the leaving annabelle part we have a hard time with.  she cried for a looong time today when we went home because she didn't get to go home with her.  she thinks everyday should be annabelle playdate day!  (& alaina after school)

s'more soccer

soccer pictures were last saturday.  i tried to get a picture of the kiddos together.  guess who wouldn't cooperate??

little sis will always smile for the camera.

i still did get a picture of him. ha! score 1 for mama!

after pictures, the boys had a practice & scrimmaged against another team.  ben's buddy's kip's team.  they were pysched!  & ben scored a goal. 

when he scored it, his shoelace was untied (momma tied it - thank you to my mom & dad for not teaching me the correct way to tie shoes!!).  ben now thinks that was good luck & he must play that way.  superstitions already!!

this soccer season is going to be quite an adventure for both the kiddos' teams. gracie loses interest about 1/2 way through practice & is begging me to take her off the field.  ben's team is coached by daddio & well, he is doing his best & i am very proud of him.  he has much paitience (he must, he did marry me!). 

back to school, back to school

i wonder if everyone my age thinks of that adam sandler song whenever this time of year rolls around.  i can't get it out of my head!  well, miss g started prek tuesday.  & yes, i think i shed a tear or 2.  thank goodness i had volunteered to help make copies at ben's school while she was in prek so there weren't buckets full of tears.  it's hard to believe my baby is this old! 

yes, she wore a dress with gnomes on it the first day.  that's my girl!!

striking a pose in her room.

when i picked her up, she raised up her arms & shouted "i loved it!  it was totally cool!" (for the record, "totally" is totally gracie's favorite descriptive word in the world right now & i think it is totally cute.  but, that's just me.

i have yet to have the few hours just at home alone while she's in preK, but tomorrow i will.  what to do, what to do?? i pretty sure it involves decluttering. where to start, where to start- that's the question!  (i would show a picture but i'm too embarrased!)