The Jedis

Game #1: Ethan needed to be carried  coaxed out of the car. He was assigned a defender position on the field, but ran off crying when the start whistle blew. Ethan was subbed out the entire game.

Game #2: Ethan gets out of the car willingly, but requests to not play in the soccer game. In fact, he asks why I signed him up for soccer in the first place.

Game #3: The coach asks Ethan if he will try playing one quarter and "help out the team". Ethan agrees, and is posted as a midfielder. The coach shows Ethan where this general area is on the field and when the start whistle blows, he will not move from this area. He remains like a reed that won't break against the tide of boys that whoosh back and forth past him.

Game #4: Ethan decides that soccer isn't so bad after all, and asks to be in the game. As a midfielder, he actually runs around the entire field with the swell of kids. Ethan avoids touching the ball, and actually moves aside when it whizzes past him. I begin to ask myself why I signed him up for soccer in the first place.

Game #5: Position assigned. Attitude good. Whistle blows. Ethan runs! Ethan kicks the ball! Ethan is proud and looks at me, giving a thumbs up. Off he goes running again. * We are moving in the right direction with a little perseverance, and a very tolerant coach.

*I have since offered Ethan $1.00 for every goal he can score

Quest

Claire, now being in 6th grade, was able to attend her first youth retreat with our church. She was COMPLETELY excited to go and I admired her confidence. She has never been away at such an event, and there was only kids she is acquainted with (not bff's).
Claire started doing sleepovers around first grade without any homesickness or fears, so I wasn't too worried. She has been on a week-long cruise with her grandparents and loved the adventure. It is a blessing to have a confident and risk-taking child! Especially one that has so many God-given gifts and isn't afraid to use them.
At the end of the weekend, Claire made friends and memories. Another cool thing was to see Julian and Claire talking about all the cool things at Quest, since he had gone three times during his middle school years. Loved to see that bond happen.

Camping at Alder Lake near Mt. Rainier

She Just Keeps Growing Up!

I downloaded this from Picasa after creating a rough movie of the pictures...it seems that you need to click on the little icon right there to view the movie.

Ethan's 5th Birthday

The Bday Crew: Audrey, Molly, Lily, Samuel, Ethan, Daniel, and Griffin

This year was a much more successful party for Ethan. For his 4th birthday he really wanted a party so I planned an extremely informal party gathering for 2 of his only closest friends. I had a few simple games ready, yet the kids basically sat around and ate from the large bowl of Goldfish crackers I had set out. Not one of them was interested in games. Gift-opening lasted all of 5 minutes since their was only two kids and Ethan shredded the wrapping and tossed them aside so quickly...maybe it was only 3 minutes?  I mentally cancelled his next year's party.
What a difference a year makes--both for Ethan and Mom. I said yes to a party, and was brave enough to call it a party.  Still keeping it low key, I set out squirt guns and had some backyard games planned. The pinata was to be the highlight of the whole thing, barring any injuries. (Isn't their always one kid who excitedly steps into the swinging area accidentally and gets clocked?)

 I had painted and hung up targets for the kids to squirt but they squirted almost everything BUT the targets!! Nothing was safe from their sprays!

We came, we saw, we squirted

 Red light, Green light was a great game even though everyone cheated 

and they would arbitrarily change the rules.

 Ok, everybody wins.

Claire and Timmy surveying the games and observing that the rules were not being followed. (They also supervised the snack area well, I see.)

Learning from my mistakes, I set the snacks out after the games were finished 

and before the pinata candy was snatched up.

Isn't it always funny when the child wildly swings in the wrong direction of the pinata? I laughed every time one of the kids swiped the empty air with gusto, thinking they were going to collapse the pinata from their crushing blow. 

The Drum Cake

Happy Birthday Ethan!!

Ethan outside the next morning
playing with his new shooter

Ladies' Spring Friendship Brunch

I decided to hostess a table for our church's annual spring brunch, much to my initial reluctance.  I was getting back from a week in California the day I was to decorate my table and I felt overwhelmed at the task. Often I have a vision, or a feeling, in mind and I want to create that exact thing on the outside. Whether it is rearranging a room, setting a table, or gardening, I want to create what's in my mind's eye. It is a process that requires LOTS of practice because I am nowhere near what I want!
My table at the brunch looked pretty and spring-y, and it was filled with sweet women who were appreciative at the details that went into putting the setting together. Secretly inside I had hoped to win the "Best Looking Table" award, but alas I did not.  Someone who had recreated an entire beachscape on their table won the top votes. **sigh** A lesson in humility!

 These are 4 posters one of the women designed for the brunch, as the theme was about the seasons of our lives as women.

(Did they both have food in their teeth or what?)

Ethan has learned to pump himself on the swings!
That is a childhood milestone...

Always the comedian