Monday, October 19, 2015

The season has changed, but life stays busy

We have moved into fall.  Passing pumpkin patches, getting dark earlier, raking and jumping into leaf piles.  But life has not slowed down for any of us.  Staying busy can be fun and crazy too.

 Caleb is still very busy with soccer.  And he is doing so good!  We have had the hard games but we have had the great saves and wins.  It is so great to see him succeed with his team and then feel the accomplishment when he is named one of the top keepers in the league!  Good job, Caleb.
 All that success does not leave him much time for play though.  Peter put it well a year ago, "Soccer is fun work."  And because of all that "fun work" Caleb has to spend a lot of time doing homework when he can and getting caught up.  But, as I have told him lately, he as a winners heart and he can do the hard things, even when he does not want to.
 Haley has celebrated some fun things lately.  Heartland Elementary started a "mommy and me preschool" in October and we signed Haley up.  Twice a week she and I go to the school and spend time with 5 others kids her age.  They learn letters, center time, story time and snack time.  She is the oldest and most advanced, but it will teach her what school is like, and how to get along with those around her.
 She also celebrated a birthday and is now 5!!!!  She was so excited for the big day.  Rob took the day off and we went to Gardner Village.
 Fed the ducks and enjoyed the sunshine.
 She requested salad and corn for dinner.  And she and William love to shuck the corn for me.
 Her birthday flowers.  Nothing but beautiful for the sweet girl.
 Caleb had keeper training that night so we picked up two of Haley's friends and the three cute girls played at the park while Caleb practiced.   They had so much fun together.
 Haley and I had made cupcakes to take to her mini-party.  I frosted them to say her name, 5 and flowers.  It was cute and pretty and fun.  And when we got to the park, someone's foot forgot about the birthday cupcakes......and we ended up with "smash cake" instead.  Hilarious.
 UEA weekend gave Caleb the opportunity to go to the temple early in the morning.  This photo documents the fastest temple trip to date.  I dropped him off at 8, came home, he called me at 8:15 telling me he was the only kid there and he was done.  Wow, I guess no one else wanted to rise early on a vacation day.  He is a great kid and loves the temple and it's spirit.  Good place to be.
 One last trip to the cabin to close it up and see some pretty colors along the way.
We were privileged to see a bald eagle on the beach.  The boys were able to watch if for several minutes before some grown up thought they could get too close and it flew away.  No, I was not the grown up that got too close.  I was the one telling the kids to get low and stay back so the eagle would remain longer.  Such a fun surprise to see at the lake!