Horseback riding and four wheel fun

This weekend we had sooo much fun at one of Byron's co-workers place about 45mins from us. They have 4 horses and four wheelers that the kids had a blast on.
Zach did not want to get off the heeeehaaa (his word for horse) we just kept walking him around and around.
Kenzie also did not want to get off.
Mikayla actually got a mini riding lesson for the daughter, and cantered all by herself.

Soccer time

After some of the soccer games we would go to a nearby park to let the kids play...Mikayla always wants to climb something.
Mikayla really seemed to enjoy playing soccer this last season.
Mikayla making a save...she was really good at playing goalie.
Kenzie and Buddy loved to practice and play with the goals too!

Pumpkin Carving and Halloween

We have Belle, Aeriel, and a little surfer boy. Zach was suppose to be a bat but it was 80 degrees and the bat costume was a full fleece hooded outfit so we found something a little cooler.


Everybody is dressed in coats because it got cold for like 3 days (and we just got back from a bike ride) but then it went back to the 80s.

No use mom

"well then you're of no use to me any more!" as she storms out of the room in search of her shin guards. This was Mikayla today after she kept asking me where all her soccer stuff was. I have decided she is old enough now to keep track of her own things. She seems to think that this is my job. So this is what she said to me after I said, "I don't know where your shin guards are, they are not mine to keep track of." I was dying laughing. well at least I know I was of some use to her at some point in the last 8.5 years!

A few things that I learned after 3 kids

1. kids in pre-k and kindergarden spend a lot of time sitting on the ground sitting indian-style (criss cross applesauce)...so i started only buying skorts, or putting shorts underneath their skirts. This info was learned after kenzie said the boys were looking at her panties.

2. save yourself hundereds of dollars a year shopping garage sales, goodwill and consignment stores for used kids clothes and toys. There are tons of nice stuff out there for super cheap and kids clothes don't resell for very much. I got Mikayla a bunch of Gap clothes, .50 cents for shirts, 2.00 for a super nice jacket at a garage sale a few weeks ago. Only worn thru one kid. My other new thing is to buy the kids Christmas toys at garage sales, then I don't feel so bad WHEN (not if) they don't use them very much. I just bought buddy a big matchbox toy set for only $5 that originally cost $90.

3. the teachers at school tend to keep the rooms really warm during the winter, so wearing a sweater and or turtleneck is useless and always shed within the first hour of class. What works better is a heavy coat and a long sleeve shirt underneath. During the summer the rooms also tend to be cold, so send a hoodie for them to wear. ASK your kids how the rooms feel obviously each school may be different.

4. giving strongwilled kids a clear choice (2) "do you want to do this or that?" works better than commanding them to do something, this gives them a sense of empowerment, instead of making them feel controlled. Zach gets to choose which potty he gets to go in, not if he gets to go.

5. CROCS ROCK (but feet get real dirty from them, and they probably are not so great for feet)

6. Avoid buttons on pants/shorts for 3,4,5 yr olds. Why do they put buttons on 3,4, and 5 year old pants? It is really hard/impossible for their little fingers to undo them when they are frantically (since they tend to wait till the last minute to go) trying to go potty.

Seaweed soup

Zach and I went to the beach with a few friends the other day. It was a beautiful day at the beach. There was lots of seaweed for the kids to play with, the tide was low and there was a nice breeze.

Mikayla the Goalie

Byron gave Mikayla a choice: swimming or soccer. She choose soccer, much to Byrons disappointment, he so badly wants a swimmer in the family. Mikayla is doing great at soccer. She is not afraid to go after the ball, she started out as defense, but the last 2 games they moved her to goalie and it is a perfect fit for her. She loves to dive on the ball and wrap herself around it. I think she may have actually found something that she likes to do. Kenzie wants to play soccer this spring, so does buddy of course but he will have to wait until he is four. Mikayla said she wants to play spring ball too. (Mikayla is the one in the top picture with the cool sweatband)