Sports, Movie & a Birthday x 5!

My life was full with two soccer teams, ballet, and flag football to accompany work and school so why not let Ryan sign up for basketball too! She wanted to play but was very nervous. She said she didn't know how to play and honestly, life has been so busy with all the other things (see list above) that I have not had a chance to even show her anything about dribbling or shooting. So, we just showed up to her first practice Friday and said "here she is, we've never played, and she is left handed" and I sat down with the other parents. I could not believe how well she did! She was able to dribble very well (especially for no experience) and almost made her first shot! I couldn't believe she could shoot it that high! She was very excited!

After practice we attempted to go to the movies to see Lego Ninjago. Ryan has had a bad cough and she also has an easy gag reflex so that is a bad combination. Let's just say we made it about 1 minute into the movie before she had another cough attack and I immediately took her to the hallway. I had to get Noah and we had to leave the movie. He was sad, he had literally been asking me when it would be September 22nd so we could see it, but he was a good brother and was also worried about Ryan. We decided to just call it an early night and watch a movie at home instead.

Attempt #1

Saturday morning we went to a 5 person birthday party for my nieces and nephew. We had it at a skating rink and the kids had a blast! Happy Birthday Christian, Madden, Emerson, Emma and Eliza!

That afternoon Meme came to the rescue and was able to take the kids to see Lego Ninjago with their cousin Paxton and then on a bike ride too. So, all was good again :)

Attempt #2 - success!

After the kids and I went to church Sunday we had the weekly soccer games. Noah was playing his best game ever, so of course, the skies opened up and poured on us! They had to call the game at halftime and Ryan didn't get to play hers at all. 

Ryan having story time with Kadence while waiting on her game time :)

The rain dried up as soon as we left the game so we managed to squeeze in Noah's football practice. Ryan is obsessed with helping at Noah's practices. She gets quite upset when she has to sit out! But, she turned the flags into pom poms and decided to be a cheerleader instead :)

Noah also had his first flag football game of the season last week. He said he had fun and almost got two flags so he was happy :)

Now for a full week of sports, work, school and it is Spirit Week at school for football homecoming so the kids are so excited to dress up every day!

Ryan is 5!

We celebrated Ryan's birthday last Sunday with a Moana themed swim party at our local indoor pool. I tried to keep the decorations simple since we would only be in the party room about 45 minutes before hitting up the pool and I was very happy with how it all turned out. So many friends and family showed up and help decorate, love on and celebrate Ryan and then undecorate and pack up. It was all so smooth and easy and Ryan said it was the best party ever :)

Love how the centerpieces turned out!

My sister Jayla came in from Tulsa to celebrate Ryan and brought 3 of her granddaughters!

Thursday was Ryan's actual birthday. I let her open a few gifts that morning - Descendants and Descendants 2 and a Descendant's Uma necklace (she is now obsessed with Descendants apparently). She took a birthday snack to daycare for all the kids to share and celebrate. I picked her up early so we could head to Toys R Us to spend her birthday cash and go to Chuck E. Cheese as soon as Noah got out of school.

Finally 5!!

Cookie party at Daycare!

Ryan has been such a blessing to my life. She taught me really quick that 2 totally different kids can come from the same parents. She is feisty, sweet, crabby, funny, beautiful, crazy, wild and amazing all in a little blue eyed blonde haired package. How my baby is already 5 is beyond me. Happy Ryan Day everyone!

House Blessings, Racing & Soccer

Friday was a first for me. My friend Alicia is building a new home and asked her friends to come by and bless the home by writing some of our favorite scriptures on the boards before they were covered. I was so honored to be able to do this. I chose to write one over their front door and one in the living room. Plus, Alicia let the kids write too. Ryan made a drawing and signed it and Noah found where the fireplace is going and drew a fire breathing dragon to go behind it - it was perfect!! After the blessings we had so much fun watching the kids dance and play together. The kids all love eachother and really love asking Alexa to play music and tell us jokes, over and over and over. (And over!)

Ryans drawing and signature :)

Noah's fire breathing dragon for the fireplace (he even wrote HOT by the flames) :)

Saturday was a busy fun day! Noah went with his Meme to run a 5K and Ryan went to her cousin Paxtons house for a play date while I went to shop and work at Rhea Lanas. I found some great things for the kids this year. I didn't find much for Noah last year, so I was so happy to see a lot of good quality stuff in his size at a good price this year. I never have trouble finding Ryan stuff - they always have a ton of cute girls stuff. 72 items later and it was off to lunch with Alicia. She is a Rhea Lana newbie so we had to have lunch and make a game plan :) I went back and worked some at Rhea Lanas before I had to head to buy party food and pick up kids.

Sunday was a long day so we will just talk about half now and the rest later. After church it was time for the kids first soccer games of the season! I am assistant coach on Noah's team (which I don't do much on the field assisting, I am more of a handling getting the kids to practice on the right day and time and doing half time devotionals kind of coach). Noah started out doing really well, but lost interest before the game was over. He hates when people yell at him from the sidelines, but he is picking grass and not paying attention, so the of course that warrants yelling, so it is just something I am trying to work on with him. Ryan did really well in her game, but then ran over crying because she just wanted to go to her birthday party :) We did have to leave early from her game for her party, but she managed to make some good plays before we did.

Love my #8

Yes, Ryan is that much taller than all the other kids her age!

Next up is Ryan's party and actual birthday with some more soccer, ballet, football and basketball thrown in between!

Birthdays, Leap! and Labor Day

We celebrated two of our favorite ladies birthdays Saturday.  First was Kadience  - she and Noah have managed to be in the same class for all 3 years of school so far! I just love that funny girl and we had a great time at her swimming party.

After that it was home to get ready to celebrate one of my best friends Amber. Amber is just one of those good people who will (and has) literally been there for everything in your life - bad or good! We started our evening with an Escape Room - which we totally rocked with zero hints! What can I say, my escape room game was strong that day ;) Then it was off to dinner at Venezia's. I had never been there before and was pleasantly surprised with how good it all was. Pasta, wine, cheesecake and laughs (so many laughs) was the perfect way to celebrate Amber!

After church Sunday the kids and I went to Cracker Barrel to eat and cash my birthday gift card get some fall candles. I am itching to decorate for fall and these cooler temperatures haven't helped much - so I think this weekend it may just happen. That afternoon the kids and I went to see Leap! Ryan has been dying to see it since it was about ballet and it was really cute. She immediately wanted to put a tutu on when we got home and danced all evening!

Monday was Labor Day and we had zero plans. My friend Alicia invited us over for a cookout and go kart rides and it was so much fun! The kids loved going fast in the go-kart and it scared me to death! An added bonus to this was once we got home I realized the only thing left on our summer bucket list was to ride go-carts - so we checked that off just in time! That evening was soccer practice. Both kids are excited to get back into the swing of soccer. Noah had a rough practice, he is just really hard on himself so I am hoping we can work through that soon and he will enjoy this season like he did last year.

Now we are starting football and waiting to hear who Ryan's basketball coach will be to add that in with ballet and soccer. Now for a weekend full of Rhea Lanas, our first soccer games and Ryan's birthday party!