Rapids Soccer

This has been Ashlee's first year playing soccer, and she has really loved it! She doesn't really like being goalie, but does a great job in the goalie box! She loves to play defense and offense.

Each year the have a Jamboree, she missed the first game for a church activity, and was able to be at the last two games.

Here are a few pics:

I had to leave after the next game and one of the other parents brought Ashlee home. (Darrell was at a tournament with Lexi) When they dropped her off they told me how awesome Ashlee played, and he also emailed Darrell to let him know. He said she was diving and blocking balls like crazy in the goalie box, and then on the field wasn't letting anything passed her.

Ashlee has played so many different sports and loves all of them, it will be fun to see what she chooses to play as she keeps getting older!



Lexi Is Finally A Teenager!

It's so weird to think Lexi is 13, and that no matter what- we can't stop time! Lexi has always been easy and mellow. She just goes with the flow. On the rare occasions she is not so easy going, we can usually point it out to her and she will change her attitude and all will be well again.

She was completely surprised by her cell phone, and on her birthday she got a new shirt and sunglasses. We had eaten out the day before after dentist appointments and then were eating out again with friends over the weekend- so she asked me to make homemade pizza for dinner on her birthday.

She was suppose to have softball practice that night, but it was POURING rain. Earlier in the day I bought a bunch of cupcakes and ice cream bars to take to her practice- but since it was canceled we all had a cupcake and then shared the others over the next few days.

After dinner we went over to a friends house to watch her kids so she could run a few errands. This friend has a 2 1/2 year old and 7 month old triplets- and her husband had been out of town all week. We played with kids, picked up, fixed all the bottles for the next day- and then shared cupcakes with them!

Lexi- we love you kiddo! You are an amazing girl who has been blessed with a lot of talents and skills. You are very self motivated, you don't just complete tasks given to you- you usually go above and beyond. We have enjoyed watching you grow up and discover all your talents. None of us- including you, had any idea that you could sing as well as you do. You have had to step out of you comfort zone in choir, and you have done so well! In school you push yourself and have done such a great job keeping straight A's. Band.... Even though you haven't liked it much this year- you've stuck with it and we've loved watching you play. Piano has seemed natural to  you, you seem to pick up quickly on songs. Being a friend- we've tried to teach you to "Always be the nice friend" and you have definitely done that. You aren't perfect, but you are always trying to be kind and loving to others. People are drawn to you because of your smile and your kindness.

We love you Lex! We are so thankful to have you in our family! You set such a great example to your younger sisters, they all look up to you. Thanks for being a great example to us as parents- you make your Dad and I scratch our heads quite often wondering how we got such a great daughter!!:)

We love you bunches!

 

 Lunch at Mimi's Cafe



Baylee's Dance Costume

Baylee has been so excited to finally get to see what her dance costume looks like- her class is dancing to the song Wings- from Barbie Swan Lake.

I have paid for pictures for all of my girls, until this year. I could not believe how over priced the pictures were! I did pay for the class picture, but then ran home and got my home camera. I took pictures of Baylee and her friend London.

They aren't professional, but they were a whole lot cheaper- and it's fun because they were outside.

 

Such little cuties!!

A Few Trips To Kansas City

I am struggling keeping up with the blog! I feel like no matter what season it is we are busy, just part of having 4 kids who participate in many activities I suppose!

We went to Kansas City a few weeks ago to visit my brother Kevin, his wife Amy and their daughter's Brooke and Kristina. Brooke and Kristina had a cheer competition and we were excited to watch. They've done competitive cheer for over 5 years and this is their last year doing it.

Darrell and I were also able to do a session in the Kansas City Temple. It's gorgeous!! When we went to the Open House Baylee was a mess, like a crazy mess! She was exhausted and freaked out when they put the slippers over her shoes. When we got to the Endowment Room one of the volunteers told Baylee there was a lady bug hiding on the painting on the wall. It calmed her right down- but Darrell and I were frazzled messes already.

Doing the session with Darrell it was so nice to be able to look around and I even saw the little lady bug in the painting. The Sealing room was beautiful- so incredibly peaceful!

 

The next weekend Lexi's choir was competing at World's of Fun and I was able to go as a chaperon. Lexi hung out with her friends and all the Mom's hung out- it was a really fun day. When it came time to perform Lexi's dress wouldn't zip all the way in the back. Luckily she wears a cami so no one could see bra straps, but we had to rig her dress for the 5 minute performance.

Her choir is amazing- they sound so much older then they are.

They sang 2 songs and then a judge comes and critiques them and gives them pointers. The judge came down and asked if they were Freshman and Sophomores! Their director told her they were 7th and 8th grade. She was blown away and had only positive things to say. She did remind them to show more expressions on their faces- but they say that to all of them.

When it came time for the awards ceremony they got 1st place!

Lexi and her friend with the trophy

 



Snow In May?!

We here in Arkansas were feeling a little ripped off this winter- we never got a snow day, just some FREEZING cold days instead! I decided to take the kids to school late so they could play in the snow for a little while.

I should add- I had already packed away all winter gear, this is what we could scrounge up to wear! We went from upper 70's to snow in one week.

Ashlee and Carly doing cartwheels in the snow

Baylee making her first snowball of the year

Snowball fight!

Lexi getting ready to throw one at Carly

Ashlee getting her stock pile of snowballs

Carly..... This girly makes me laugh!

Ashlee made a basket with her snowball!



Spring Orchestra Concert

Ashlee has worked hard all year practicing and learning the viola. I'll be honest- some days were very painful to our ears, but she pushed through! Her teacher stopped me many times to let me know how great she's doing, and what a good kid she is.

Ashlee always pushed herself to learn and pass off her songs and then go on to learn the advanced parts and then pass those off too.

In the final concert she was first chair viola, and she was also awarded her gold medal for passing off all the "gold medal" songs.

Ashlee not only has loved playing the viola, but it has also carried over into her piano playing. She has wanted to quit piano for quite sometime, but I refuse to let her quit since she's been doing it for 4 years! Her orchestra teacher mentioned that to get music scholarships you need to be able to play two instruments and Ashlee hasn't complained since!

I love at the end of this video, there are only a few that are playing the advanced part to this song- and you can tell Ashlee knows she did a great job by her grin at the end!:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIz4U_ZG518&feature=youtu.be

 

Here is Ashlee with a couple friends and their Gold Medals



Softball Tourney- with a little help from the sister..

Lexi had a softball tournament in Tulsa- their catcher had just tron her MCL, and another girl on her team didn't come because she was sick. Lexi's coach has been awesome with understanding why we choose not to play sports on Sunday's, but when the team is down so many players we've told him Lexi will stay and play.

This particular tournament was a little trickier with the other teammate being sick, it took the team to 8 players which means they had to start with an automatic out unless they could come up with another softball player.

Ashlee stopped playing softball years ago for a few different reasons, one of them being the ball always hit her- seriously in the weirdest plays she'd get nailed by a ball in the back, head, arm, leg.. She switched to karate and then to tumbling.

We asked Ashlee if she'd play this one game so the team didn't have to start with an out- it took a little convincing, but she agreed.

I loved watching Lexi take the "Big Sister" roll very serious and was very encouraging to Ashlee, and be a great motivator to Ash so she knew the whole team appreciated what she was doing.

Even though I have never really enjoyed playing sports- I LOVE watcing my girls play! Lexi has very specific things she does when she gets up to bat right before getting in her hitting position. She has to move all the dirt around because all her teammates are so much taller their footprints are too wide for her so she has to fill them in. She also does a few swings while holding her hand up signaling to the pitcher she's not ready.

 Lexi crossing home plate after scoring

 

The team was awesome with Ash too, she's not very tall, and definitely not used to playing against girls this size. She got up to bat and was told not to worry about hitting anything- we all anticipated her striking out. She surprised us when she hit a couple foul tips, and then got a walk.

She got to third base and then while starting to run to home the girl batting hit a foul ball that nailed Ashlee in the thigh! They called her out, which was frustrating because she wasn't out- she was in foul territory so she should have been safe. Later the 2nd ump told us she really was safe, but because our coach forgot to ask for a 2nd opinion he couldn't say anything.

 The next time she was up to bat she had a few foul tips and then on the third strike amazed us when she took off running because she remembered the dropped third strike rule. If the catcher drops the pitch on the third strike the runner can try and make it to first base. While Ash was running the catcher grabbed the ball. The catcher was really off balance which caused her throw to be off. I could see what was about to happen, and Ashlee knew what was coming too- you could see her scrunch her head in a little. The ball hit her right in the head! But because of that ball to the head we got a run and won the game!

The Sunday games they had another girl come up to play, so Ash was able to watch instead of playing.:)

Lexi has gotten really good at bunting this year!

 

Lexi's team played really well, but after two losses came in third place for the tournament. It was such a fun weekend, aside from needing to play on a Sunday. With Ashlee and Lexi playing soccer and softball, their practices and games end up over lapping and Darrell and I split up taking them. I haven't gotten to know many of the girls or parents of Lexi's team and was able to get to know them over the weekend. I think a lot of the parents think we are crazy for not playing Sunday's but for the most part they are understanding. Lexi's coach always tells us as we leave on a Saturday night, "You know, you guys are the ones making the right decision- you are right to choose to go to church and not play." I'm so thankful we found a coach that understands!!

Here is team Nitro with their trophy!