Charlie the Soccer Star!

Charlie played soccer again this fall, and our season just ended. Paul and our friend Wes coached again for the second year. The kids did awesome and had a blast. Charlie was incredible. He loved every second.  Every time he would have to come out he would stand at the sidelines and yell to be put back in. :-)  He played really well and we could see a big difference from last year. His team were kids that is he good friends with and that made it even more fun!

Serious soccer player

Team pic!  Tom, Sofia, Charlie, Emmylou, Ali & Tripp

Charlie celebrating after his goal. After one goal, he slid onto his knees, arms in the air.  It was then I realized we had to have a talk, and we needed to explain to him that he can not celebrate the same way the Arsenal players do. Lol.

There he goes..

 And goes..

 GOAL!

Kate the Ballerina

We signed Kate up for a dance class this year. It is a combination ballet and tap class. She is in the class with two friends, Bela and Tate, that she has known all her life - which makes it even more fun.

She loves the class. She gets to "hold the bar," "twirl around," and "dance on my tippy-toes." Every week she looks forward to going. Seeing these little three year-old girls all dressed up is so adorable!

So excited for her first day!

Kate and Tate

Kate is a Dino!

Kate started her preschool after Labor Day.  She moved into the Dino class, which is an awesome fun class!  She was so excited to use her new princess backpack. Her class is mostly boys (just how it worked).  However, she is holding her own and having a blast. The good thing is, she has the baby dolls all to herself.

Charlie starts Kindergarten!

I can not believe my little baby boy is in kindergarten.  I tried my very hardest not to cry, but I was not successful. He, on the other hand, was so incredibly excited and did great. He had a great first week, is making tons of friends, and loves his teacher.

He got up on his first day with his alarm clock, made his bed, brushed his teeth and got himself dressed.  He was so proud, and so were we.  Its a bit of a shock getting up at 6:45, but he is doing great (as am I!).

Kisses for a very emotional Mommy

Kate was very excited too!

Kate is 3!

Kate turned 3!  She is such a sweet, independent little girl.  She is our little Minx!  She is so loving and snuggly, but at the same time so independent.  Keeping up with Charlie is what she loves more than anything.  Although, she is into princesses and her baby doll.  Pink and purple are her favorite colors.  She is trying to pick out her own clothes now and get herself dressed.  I love this age, and am enjoying every second of it - except for the potty-training.  However, its done!  Kate is so proud.  She loves her princess underwear (of course!).

She was so excited for her birthday.  All she wanted was princesses, princesses, and a "pink princess cake."  We celebrated her birthday at home, and then had a party for friends at a local pool.  The big kids got to go off the diving board, and the little kids got to play in a pool with a little water slide and all sorts of sprinklers.

So excited to be 3!

First of many princesses

 Homemade blanket for a baby from GG

Princess backpack for school from Mema

Pink princess cake!

At her birthday party

Vancouver - Family Pics

We got to spend a lot of quality time with family. So nice for us, and especially the kids! They got to spend a lot of time with family they do not get to see so much.

Swimming in Kits Pool with Tamz and Daddy

 Tamz, Nick and the kiddos

 Watching the Beluga whales at the Vancouver Aquarium with Tamz

 Crossing the streets with Mike - who may have had the kids laughing more
than I have ever heard them laugh before!

Feeding the fish with Uncle Grant

Family Picture at Deep Cove

Charlie and cousin Claire - Charlie took an immediate infatuation with his cousin

Aunt Lisa and Kate

Snuggles for Daddy

Paul and Harris

 Claire and Kate

Vancouver - Beaches & Parks

We went to Vancouver for a week this summer to visit with family.  We got to see Grandma, Tamz and Nick, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Grant, Harris and Claire, and Aunt Judy, Mike and Jane.  It was a very nice week, in a beautiful city!  The weather could not have been more beautiful.  Besides my hospital stay, it was a perfect vacation.

Here are some pictures on the beautiful beaches.

In Stanley Park

Playing in the sand at Kits Beach

 Charlie at Kits Beach

 Tamz and the kids at Kits Beach

 Kate having a rest

Cuddly kids

Tamz and Kate

Deep Cove - in West Vancouver.  Absolutely Beautiful.

 Kids playing in the water in Deep Cove

In a huge hallow tree

 Quite the backdrop for a park