Who says the kids get to have all the fun

We were invited to an adults Halloween/Birthday party for a friend. The invitation encouraged us to wear costumes which I haven't done since I was probably 11 years old. It took a few trips to several costume stores to find something that was approptiate to wear in public. As the pictures show I was a witch along with my sis-in-law. Justin was DOG the Bounty Hunter and Scott was Officer Dangle from the show Reno 911. We played pictionary, and a few other games and munched on goodies before retuning home to our little goblins.

Justin and Jenessa

Jusitn, Jenessa, LeAnn, Scott

Playing catch up

Time is something that gets away from all of us but lately it seems it is sprinting by and I can't catch up!!! I am the first counselor in the primary so I am over the primary program for the year. I am NOT complaining because my other choice is scouts which, let's face it, is not for me. Our program was last week so the last four weeks have been a blur of parts, seating charts, name tags, pizza, ice cream, soccer , school and the thing that helps keep me sane, Jazzercise. I am happy to have this years over and will start working on next years much sooner. That is me.

The kids are still playing soccer and loving it. Justin has started bribing them to play harder with money. Tanner gets $5 for every assist to a goal and $25 for every goal. While Madisen gets a dollar for an assist and $5 a goal. We have had to pay Tanner $5 and Madisen is trying really hard but has yet to "profit" from her game. We will see what happens next week.

Tanner is so cute on the field! He is playing so well this season. It is so fun to watch him and the rest of the boys as they really "get it." Madisen had team pictures this week which turned out super cute. The girls all had their hair done and were so excited thinking we had no practice that night. Of course their coach had them practicing after pictures but they managed to have a great time. Below is a picture of Madiesn with her BFF on the team. They both lost their teeth the same week and were so happy to share that magical moment.I posted a couple of weeks ago that Madisen lost her first tooth. A few days later she wanted me to check her other teeth to see if any more were loose and they were not. She got sad because she likes the tooth fairy to come. The very next day she came running an screaming down the stairs that her "tooth was coming out and there is so much blood!!!" I was sure she had just bit her tongue or her lip but as I got closer and checked it was true her tooth was coming out. After twisting and pulling and more screaming it was out. When I asked her how it got so loose in one day she said, "it wasn't loose. I fell and hit my face on the desk in the toy room and then there was a lot of blood and my tooth was turned backwards!!!"
Last but not least, I love the fall. The decorations are out and so are the jeans and boots!!! WE took the kids to the pumpkin patch/carnival on Friday night. It was way ghetto but the kids had so much fun so I guess that is what counts. I HATE Halloween so costume shopping is not fun for me. I put on a happy face and get dragged from store to store as we search out the perfect costume. Tanner's is super cute and so is Madisen's. I will post pictures after Halloween!!!

Simple Math

Picture 1 +

Picture 2 =

her first visit from the tooth fairy!!!

Fall Soccer 2009

Well the weather has finally cooled off here in our part of the desert and we are thrilled. The heat is always welcomed being it is how we make a living but when there is not as much work to be done we are happy to see the heat go and pull out our jeans and boots for a while. With this cooler weather come soccer Saturday's for us. This year Tanner is playing on the Stingers U9 boys team and Madisen is once again a Ruff Ryder. They are both doing well but something lit a fire under Tanner's cute behind and he has really stepped it up this season. Being on of the smallest on the team he has to run faster just to keep up but he is proving week after week to be determined to be good at this. This year they have gone from playing on a small field with only defenders near the goal to a larger field playing with a goalie. It is really fun to watch them learn to stay in their positions as well as try and

determine when to break away from their position and help out a teammate.

I love this picture because Tanner is smiling so big!!!

Madisen, as I stated above, is playing on a U7 girls team the Ruff Ryder's. She is only five but wanted to play with her friend Brinley who is older so we chose to play up a couple of levels so they could be together. She has really good games and then there are games like yesterday where she is more concerned with other things than soccer. When she is on her game she is awesome but she is easily distracted. Yesterday we brought snacks and that is all she could think about. She skipped down the field or danced her way to the kick off line more than she ran. Those games are hard for me to watch. I find myself yelling for her to get her head in the game which leads to her sings the "Get Your Head in the Game" song from the movie High School Musical which leads to more distraction and dancing and less soccer playing. How did I end up raising Erin? She is a delight to have around and her mission in life is very simple SPREAD JOY. Side note...the first game she played this season was against another team who wore purple jersey's and they had matching hair bows. This was a distraction for a few of the girls on the team. They asked why we didn't have matching hair ties. So Brinleys' mom and I decided that we would not be shown up in the accessories department another game. That week at both practices we made these hair bows which our coach gave us grief about. This week two of the girls lost their hair ties during the game and unlike the boys who continue to play if they loose a shoe they both turned around and picked it up causing us to loose possession of the ball. OOPS!! At least they looked cute!!! Next game I will bring bobby pins to secure those tighter.