Cooper's 2nd Soccer Game...

Cooper told us he was going to play soccer when it was warm...well, this particular Saturday morning it was warm and beautiful...we had high hopes of a lil boy playing soccer!

We started the morning with team pictures...

Not sure why he felt the need to cover his face the whole time they were taking pictures...

This picture cracks me up...look at the coaches...they are probably thinking, what in the world are we doing with these crazy kids?

Cooper was all excited...Nanna and Bently were at this soccer game.  So excited that he stood right beside them.  Matt, Nanna, and I were all shocked...we just knew he would play...but no, he was completely happy right beside Nanna and Bently.

It is hard work watching your friends play...need a little Gatorade from time to time.

Matt and Cooper having a little discussion about actually going on the field and playing...

Oh wait...someone left a toy on the soccer field...

Finally he decided he would go on the field with his Daddy...

He and his Daddy ran down the field once...

Then he grabbed his Daddy's leg and said he was done...this is way more interesting than we expected.  He has really surprised us, but we take it for what it is...when he is ready, he will play.  

Anna Lauren's 7th Birthday...

Anna Lauren turned 7 on March 20th, and we celebrated from 6 AM until 9 PM...we had the best time celebrating her special day!

Anna Lauren decided she wanted to take cupcakes to share with her friends at school and cupcakes to share with her friends at cheer.  She is very specific these days and knows exactly what she wants...she picked chocolate homemade cupcakes with pink icing. Forty-eight cupcakes later, I think they turned out pretty good for me and my not so good baking/decorating skills.

Table set for breakfast...we have the donut tradition on birthday mornings.  Anna Lauren was sure to ask if she would have donuts for her birthday...so yep, I was at the donut shop at 5:30 AM!

Headband she picked out to wear on her special day...

She prefers a "twist" over a donut...spoiled, I know!

Since we were not going to get home until late, we let her open presents before school...

She also asked if we would wake her up by throwing balloons at her...another one of my birthday morning traditions.

Trying real hard to wake up...and bless her heart, my camera flash is so bright...

Think Cooper may have been more excited about the balloons than Anna Lauren...and yes, he slept in his football uniform...silly boy!

She didn't waste any time...went quickly down the stairs and straight to her presents.  Only thing she really asked for was an electric pencil sharpener.

"Cheer" shirt and shorts, which didn't fit...no worries, she returned one outfit and came home with four.  Hmm...funny how that works!

She was sweet to let Cooper open a present...he got her a karaoke DVD that will show words on the TV...

She saw this one day and really wanted it but never really said anything else about it...she was surprised and excited when she opened it!

Happy Birthday singing time...

Cooper thought she needed a birthday spanking...

Our big "7" year old ready for school with her new backpack!

Anna Lauren and McKenna at lunch.  Matt had lunch at school with her not too long ago so she said it was my turn to have lunch with her.  Kind of worked out because Matt had something going on at work.

Anna Lauren and Ana Campbell...

Anna Lauren and Ms. Currie, her assistant teacher.  Oh how she is going to miss Ms. Currie...she has had two years with her and loves, loves, loves her!  Ms. Currie's husband is finishing med school and they are moving to Georgia at the end of this school year...tear, tear!

Anna Lauren and Ms. Burkhalter, her awesome 1st grade teacher!

Silly girls just being girls...

Paxton and Luke...this is her first year with Paxton, but she and Luke have been together two years.  They are best of friends, and from what I hear, quite a mess in speech together!

This is one kid who hasn't forgotten her kindergarten teacher...they have a special little relationship.  Let's just say Anna Lauren ended up in her room on her birthday getting a treat!

I think she may have been most excited about this...going through the birthday tunnel at cheer getting birthday spankings!

Since it was her birthday, we stopped at Mexican for supper on the way home from cheer.  These three...there are no words to describe them other than a big ole hot mess!

And we ended this big day with a cup of ice cream from Baskin Robbins and taking her friends home.  She was smiles the whole day, which makes this mommy happy!  My mom always made our birthdays special, and I enjoy doing the same thing for my kids!

Cooper's 1st Soccer Game...

Matt and I were not going to let Cooper play soccer until this fall when he was four...we just think three is too young.  But...the girls I run with had children playing and their husbands were coaching so they twisted my arm (not very hard), and we decided to let Cooper play this spring.  

We asked him if he wanted to play, and he excitedly said yes and cried several Saturdays because he wanted to go to his soccer game before it had started.

Dressed and ready for his very first soccer game.  While we were on our cruise, his little team had a practice and a game...so...he just got thrown into it on a game day.

He was excited to be at the soccer field and having fun kicking his ball around before the game.  In my opinion, it was too cold for 3/4 year old soccer...it was 30 degrees this particular Monday night. Made me thankful for Anna Lauren's indoor sport!

It was his turn to go onto the field and play...he wouldn't go without Matt.

Not letting go of his Daddy...

Thinking about playing a little soccer...

After umm...2 minutes...he came off the field and never stepped back on the field.  

But we didn't really think much of it...3 of his teammates sat right here the entire game.  I'm telling you...it was too cold for lil kid soccer.

By the end, he was crying to go home because he was cold. After the game, he told us he would play next time...it was just too cold to play...we were hopeful!

EXHAUSTED...

When I did my "Happy New Year" post in January, I said we were going to have a crazy busy January through April.  Well, let me just say...I wasn't lying.  And honestly, I've been able to keep up until now...this is the first time in a long time that I would say I am on EMPTY and EXHAUSTED!  Hoping to refuel/recharge this weekend...and...get my blog up to date!