Kid Update

Jocelyn, against her will, has participated in soccer and swim lessons.  The first day of swim lessons I literally had to call Jared to throw her in the pool because I could not talk her into it and she was speed walking around the pool to avoid lessons.  I had to get the other three into their classes so Jared came and forced her into the pool.  She was amazing.  A very graceful and coordinated swimmer and even enjoyed it by the end but her anxiety gets the best of her and she does not like to try anything "new."  She passed butterfly and back stroke schools with flying colors.  And practiced her diving and flip turn skills in private lessons.  Jocelyn has also been baking up a storm this summer!  She is getting pretty good.  She enjoys watching Kids cooking shows and her favorite things to cook are desserts and breakfast.  Here she is making waffles for breakfast one morning (inspired by Grandpa Kevin, no doubt!). 

Jocelyn at a swim lesson

Jocelyn making waffles for breakfast

All three older kids participated in a soccer league that finished slightly after we moved to the new house.  It was perfect! Only a little over a month long, one practice and one game a week, they all had a cousin and/or friend on their teams and they all played games at the same park.  They all worked hard and did well!  Emma and I had a fun time cheering them on.  Jared came to a lot of the games and Kelsey and Josh even supported them one Saturday.

Cheering kids on at a soccer game

Emma and I at a soccer game

Jocelyn finishing up gymnastics class

Jocelyn after a soccer game

Jocelyn Soccer Team

We luckily live right around the corner from the Draper pool so we are trying to capitalize on that.  I signed the kids up for morning lessons, evening lessons and private lessons, even more than one session so we could really increase their swimming skills!

Lillian was on the bananas soccer team. She and her cousin Tessa were totally mortified that that name had won over their preferred team name "stars" so Katie and I made sure to cheer extra loud at their games: "Go Bananas, Go, Go Bananas!"  and B-a-n-a-n-a-s to embarrass them!!  What else are soccer moms for, right?  Lillian was also brave enough to let me sign her up for a golf class at the elementary school before school ended and I, unfortunately, did not capture any pictures, but she was the only girl with a ton of boys and stuck it out to the end even though it was hot and not quite how she pictured it in her mind.  I was so proud of her for trying.  She passed back stroke, freestyle and butterfly schools and worked on her flip turns and diving!  Lillian also finished up her gymnastics class with flying colors.

Lillian at Swim Lessons

Lillian before a soccer game

Lillian at gymnastics class

4 kids playing after swim lessons

When Nate and Tausha were visiting last weekend, Tausha took Lillian's baptism pictures and made this cute invitation.  Tausha is super talented and as I was watching Lillian during the photo session I just started crying thinking about this beautiful, innocent, kind girl and how this first 8 years with her happened in a flash.  I was thinking about the changes coming our way in the next 8 years and part of me wants to keep her young and innocent forever, but I know that is selfish and she has so much to do and be in the future!  We are excited about her baptism coming up next month!

Lillian's baptism invite

Jonas is now proficient on two wheels with his bike! He and Jared have been practicing for a while and he is really steady now.  He LOVED playing soccer and doing swim lessons and kept begging for more!

Jonas before a soccer game

Playing in a game

Jonas before swim lessons

Riding his bike with no training wheels!

Last month we surprised Jonas and Emma one morning when they found their two besties from CA (also brother and sister) sleeping in the guest room.  They had come with their dad on business and we kept them for a night and day while he was working.  The older girls actually found them first and we worked together to have his friend Robbie hide in his closet and I asked Jonas to go get dressed so that he would find Robbie.  Jonas acted completely un-surprised, as if he finds his friend who lives 2 states away in his closet every morning.  Little stinker. He may be related to his Dad.  They had a blast playing action figures and weapons all day!

Emma has been doing really well at dressing herself. You may be able to tell from the pictures below, but she comes up with some good ones (like the all-white outfit or the all-floral outfit).  She has also really enjoyed riding the trike around now that her legs are long enough to fit!  Emma loves the water and did pretty well at swim lessons.  She, unfortunately enough with the timing, had to miss a couple lessons and stay out of the pool this week as her stitches are healing.  That's right!  She is the first of our kiddos to get stitches and she was really brave.  She has had a nevus on her arm for a little over a year, well, at least that is what we think it was.  We got three different diagnoses (plural??) from three different doctors but they were all in agreement that it should be cut off, so off it came!  The doctor who removed it told her if she gave the doctor her "bump" then the doctor would give her a voucher for free ice cream at sonic so Emma was in.

We scheduled doctors and dentist appointments for all the kids before they start school now that we are in Draper and on new health insurance.  They have all been champs and I am glad to report that nobody had a cavity!!  Emma, especially, did awesome on her very first visit to the dentist.

Emma has been really funny with time lately as well.  She doesn't accurately understand or portray time but she references it constantly.  For instance, when we were coloring together during church she pointed to the tip of her crayon and told me if I wanted the tip of my crayon to be pointy like hers, it would take me 14 hours because that is how long it took her!  Or she'll tell the other kids "I am coming in two minutes!" When really it is nowhere near 2 minutes or "I just went to the bathroom yesterday!" if I am telling her to go to the bathroom because we are trying to get out the door to go somewhere. 

Emma with the bandage over her stitches.  Not really in the mood for a picture

Emma being a champ at her first dentist visit

Emma riding her tricycle (wearing all white-her creative outfit)

Emma in an outfit devised by herself. You could tell she felt very beautiful in it!

Emma and Jane when she visited from CA

Emma at swim lessons

 She is still our little monster and can scream at the top of her lungs and has an opinion about everything, but she sure is cute.  She stood up in front of the primary and read the scripture of the month (really, just repeating what was whispered in her ear) which actually had a lot of difficult words in it!  She didn't even flinch which is progress because she cried the first 3 weeks we came to church here because she was nervous and did not want me to leave her.

Our cute little monster