Spring Soccer Starts

Spring soccer starts off cold!

Lexi has been wanting to play soccer like her brother for a couple years. But she wasn't so eager in the cold Saturday morning air. And to top off the cold, cold air... she had the normal fear of getting out there that first day.


I tried to help make it fun. But alas she spend the entire practice and game on my lap.
Maybe next week.


She cheered up at Nicolas' game... still COLD... but now she gets to play with her pal, Chase!

And Nicolas makes a goal. One of three goals his team made. Five very determined players who had to play the entire hour! We had only five players thanks to our vacationing friends who all seemed to be in much warmer places then our dear Edwardsville. Since we play five on five... and we have five players when the other team had twelve...all five little players had to play non-stop! And even with a tired, over played team....

We won!!!! (notice the use of the word "we" ... hee, hee)

Spring Is Springing!

After a cold winter... heck, after a cold summer... finally a day to ride Nicolas' birthday present.


He had a blast spinning and pedaling!

And then caught a moment of his mom taking a spin.

Warm day was great for the classes third trip to the Watershed. Grant pokes his smile in on a photo with Nicolas and his "girlfriend" Hannah.

Lexi takes advantage of the warm weather to dress up in a sun dress and put together the hardest puzzle she ever did. Scooby Doo and its 100 pieces!

Friends Help Dance Lexi to Four

Lexi had fun dancing her way into her fourth birthday!


Lexi was so excited to have so many friends to dance with!

(click on the photo to see a closer look at all the fun)



The kids have a blast!

And then a slice of pizza and rainbow cupcake before just one more dance!

Thanks everyone for making this one birthday Lexi will never forget!

It's A Rainbow Day!

Well, after a lot of thought and planning... a lot of internet research for ideas... we are finally here. Lexi's Rainbow Birthday! My baby girl celebrates turning four years old! She has turned into one wonderful four year old! And her choice of a rainbow theme seemed very fitting! She is quite colorful in her personality, her appearance and the life she brings to us!


I planned her menu which included a rainbow of food (lower left) of fruit and veggies. Rainbow of jello (lower right). Now those were a hit!
Friday I worked on her rainbow cake. It is not fancy... although it was very time consuming! She wanted a rainbow cake. But not an actual rainbow. But tiers of the rainbow colors. There are six colors in our rainbow. But I do think a six tier cake is better fitting a wedding then a four year old birthday party! So, each of our tieers were only one layer instead of two. Shew! That cut down some cake. But still! That is enough cake to feed a small wedding too! SO!

Grandpa Jim made us a circle of wood for the bottom purple layer which I covered in fondant.
I made a rainbow colored HUGE rice krispies treat for the blue layer... and covered it in fondant.
The green layer was a cake that I divided the batter, colored and then poured it into a rainbow cake and covered in fondant.
The orange layer was confetti cake covered in fondant.
The orange and pink layer (okay she wanted hot pink instead of red) were pink cake covered in fondant.
Um... that was a LOT of fondant to make from scratch and roll and roll and roll. Boy did my arms hurt.
but.....


It was SO worth it! 10+ hours of work was so rewarding to see all the ways she smiled at this cake!

And she had so much fun with her family. I will post the video from one of the most entertaining highlights of the night later.
Then she collapsed all bundled up with her stuffed friends and her new baby, Lila, tucked in next to her. Lila has kept her company ever since!

Last Game

After a full season of Upward Basketball, Nicolas and Shawn get their last game in on Lexi's birthday weekend. Pause the party! Pause the cake! Nicolas has a basket to make!


He loves sports and basketball is no exception!

He also loves his daddy! What a team they are!