It's almost Easter.

We all have bunnies on our mind.

The kids talk excitedly of delicious solid chocolate Easter bunnies.

I have been collecting items for Easter baskets as I prepare to be the Easter bunny.

And Sara the cat...

*sigh*

Sara the cat has been killing, gutting, and eating the ears off of real live baby bunnies.

Yup...spring has sprung

Christ conquered the grave

 and Sara cat has been quarantined to the house.

Happy Easter.

I have the bird flu...no...seriously...I do.  My Kindergartner "shared" it with me.  That's what I get for teaching her to share.  Sheesh.

But...if you'll bare with me, I'd like to share with you our first experience with Youth6 soccer.  Grace is on the Bluejays.  Hence the blue jersey.

 And Earl's the coach.  No...really...he is.  They gave him a "coach's bag" and everything.  I think I mentioned in an earlier post that Earl has this freaky ability to understand and play any sport you present before him.  This theory holds true on a soccer field full of 6 year olds as well.  Any sane person would run screaming the other direction...well, at least I would run screaming the other direction.  But not Earl...I'd venture to say he enjoys it.

Maybe it's because he's been wrapped around Grace's finger since the moment they met and he would do anything she asks of him...or maybe it's because he is genetically programmed to delight in all things athletic.  It's probably a healthy combination of the two.  Whatever it is...I'm glad it's him and not me.  I am content to bring snacks and cheer, loudly, from the sidelines.

The first game was 2 weeks ago.  That very same morning I was 30 minutes south running in a 10K run with a dear friend of mine.  (We had a great time...just in case you were wondering)  So when I finished up the run, I went straight to the soccer fields to meet my little Bluejay and her handsome coach.  Because I was not home to help with getting the kids dressed, Earl had his very-first-ever-in-a-lifetime experience of putting hair in a ponytail.  He didn't do too shabby.  I was quite impressed.

 Warming up before the game.

 Practicing kicking the ball in...

 And throwing it in...

 And then the game begins.  5 minute quarters.  4 quarters.

 We played the Orioles.  They were bigger.  And badder.  And more experienced.  Oh...and they were all boys.  Girls and boys are two amazingly different creatures.  And nowhere is it more obvious than on the soccer field.  Earl called the "little" boy on the far right of the picture above a "man among boys"...and he was right.  The kid was a machine.  He kicked soccer butt...I think he may have been taking names. 

Let's not talk about the score (which was something like 0-8, we'll never really know...there is no score keeping in Youth6 soccer) and instead, we'll talk about how much fun Grace (and Earl) had.  It was nice to be outside in the warm air and only worry about which direction a size 3 soccer ball was going.  Those two were truly living in the moment. 

And then as quickly and chaotically as it began, it ended.  There was Gatorade and oranges and pretzels.  The girls were thrilled to have a sort of post game "picnic". The boys sat around grumbling about the score...or really the lack thereof.   I can tell you that at the next game the Bluejays were able to rally and score 3 goals.  Morale is rising.

Before I stop here...I want to show you a few more pictures.  These were taken by Sam.  He sat on the sidelines with me. He hasn't really gotten the hang of cheering for his sister.  He was more focused on getting the hang of using my camera.

I just love the view point of a three year old.  Earl must seem like a giant to him! 

We have 6 more games before the season is up. 

Here's hoping for more goals, good snacks, and lots of "living in the moment"

Oh yes...and a quick recovery from the bird flu.

The goofball turns 3

This is the post when I show you what exactly can happen in 3 very short, very hectic, very crazy, very wonderful years.

In 3 years...Sam-O Whammo went from this floppy little baby....

To this crazy little boy....

We always knew he was a goof-ball.  But he seems to become more of a goof-ball everyday.  We don't blame him...he comes by it honestly....it's the name.  Sam.  Every Sam I have met since my Sam was born is a self-proclaimed goof-ball.  They affirm my curiosities with a pride. 

Me:  "So you're name is Sam too?  Are you an easy going, goof-ball like my Sam?" Random person named Sam: *big grin* "Yeh...I am."

Everyone needs a Sam in their life.

So...my tiny goofball turned 3 this month.  And I'll say it again...I've said it before...I have NO idea where the time goes.  Seriously...it flies out. the. window.  I look at him at night--every night--asleep in his bed...all stretched out...and I wonder when exactly his legs got so long.

This year we celebrated long 3 year old legs with a ridiculous amount of Spiderman themed items.  Spiderman socks. Spiderman bubbles.  Spiderman shoes.  Spiderman clothes.  Spiderman figurines in various sizes.  Like I said...Ri-di-cu-lous.

Oh and a green light saber...you know, for variety.

We did deviate from the Spiderman mania with the "toy" in the below picture.

Little plastic dirt-movers and beans.

You laugh...but seriously, the child loves it.  He can sit for 20+ minutes pushing those beans around, making dirt-mover noises that only boys know how to make. 20+ minutes in 3 year old time is an eternity... 

Disclaimer for photo below: My sister is a cake decorator.  She makes jaw-dropping cakes.  Here's her site.  I think I missed that gene...or maybe she got all of the "cake decorator" gene that was available....whatever.  And then she had the GALL to up and move 8 hours away.  So here I am...with these kids that keep having birthdays and no one to make them a cake except me.  I made the cake below...and stuck a Spiderman on the top of it with some red sprinkles.  Do I get an A for the effort?...

(It did taste AMAZING if I do say so myself!  I can cook a mean cake...just can't decorate it...)

and Emily...stop laughing...

Sam enjoyed the red sprinkles.  Even going so far as to pick them directly off the top of the cake when there were no more left on the slice on his plate.

It's nice to have a child that appreciates your food.  I feel like I spend the majority of my days convincing the kids that carrots and green veges are in fact not poison.

(Can't get the picture turned.  Oiy)

And in this picture above, you see Sam throwing "fireballs"...his superpower.  Yes, it's new.  I know you're jealous.  I am.  I wish I could throw fireballs.  It comes in very handy when your mama sends you to time out....

Again...unable to turn this pic in blogger's photo editor.  But seriously...I love this boy...love love love him.  Goofball.

And then this series of pictures below melts my heart.  I give you "Earl and Sam"...am I a blessed woman or am I a blessed woman!?!?!

Sam got a Spiderman toy from our friend Kristy for his birthday.  You push a button in the middle of his chest and he says phrases like "My spidey sense is tingling"...Who thinks of this stuff anyway??  Are there freaky toy makers in dark backrooms somewhere chuckling to themselves and thinking "Oh the parents will really get a kick outta this one"... (And by the way....Thanks Kristy...I'll be handing that one back when baby P goes through the Spiderman phase.  It's not a question of "if"...it's "when *insert evil laugh here*)nKay...so this Spiderman (and his tingling spidey sense) comes with suction cup webs.  I told the kids if they stuck one suction cup to their head and the other suction cup to someone elses head, they could hear each others thoughts.  They totally bought it...Bwhahahahhaha!!!  OH how I love messing with their little minds.

Happy Birthday my little goofball. 

Mama loves you...mama loves you...mama loves you.