Soccer and Baseball

Harper has been looking forward to hear Jr. Academy soccer camp all summer long!  Not all of the girls were in town, but the ones that were got together last week Monday - Thursday to start practicing and learning a lot!

Their camp was from 5:30-8:30 and even though it was held in the evening, it was still hot!!!

I would drop Harper off each evening and then come back in time to watch their scrimmages at the end of the camp.

Her coach is great and she has already learned so much in the sort time she has been with her team.  She's excited for real practices to get started. 

Thursday evening we had bad storms so their camp was cancelled that day, but there were two make-up days that we were able to go to and Harper wanted to go to both!  

After Saturday's make-up day they were all hot and super red-faced so their coach offered them a "hose-head."  Basically that consists of putting your head under a hose and they all loved it. What a fun way to cool off and end their hard work.  She was soaked, but I'm sure it felt great. 

In other news, our baseball loving little guy has been practicing every chance he gets.  Mimi is in town and stayed with us for a few days so she played lots of ball with Hudson.

Then Harper's friend's older brother who is a super-start baseball player came over to help Hudson out, too!  He loved that and I think he learned a lot.

As much as I love summer and don't want it to end, I'm so excited about fall sports starting back up and can't wait to watch my kids do what they love and cheer them on from the sidelines!

Meet & Greet 2016

Meet and Greet for this year happened today and we couldn't be more happy with our teachers.  Last night I had to be at the school to help with PTA when the class lists were posted.  Harper ran right out to check for her name on the list and she was SO happy to learn that her BFF would also be in her class again this year!!!  They were so cute and so excited. 

Today we came with little gifts for our teachers and couldn't wait to meet them and see the girls' new classrooms.

We sort of already knew Harper's teacher.  She taught Handley in her after school yoga class last year and is so sweet. I know she will be a great fit for Harper and I'm so excited about this year for her.  In fact, while I was helping out with things today, Harper made her way back down to her classroom to help organize books, which she loved!

Handley's teacher is experienced and is such a kind soul.  I could tell from the moment we stated talking to her that she has such a caring personality and that she really loves these kids.

We are so excited about what this year holds and can't wait to dive into 2nd and 4th grade!!!

Field Trip Downtown

Last week we took a little field trip downtown so that we could visit the World of Coca-Cola and ride the Sky View ferris wheel.  We went with friends and had the best time!  With only a week left of summer we are trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible.

The kids has the best time and I did, too.  The World of Coke is such a great experience and it is also really interactive for all of the kids so everyone has fun. We were greeted with a Coke just as we walked in.

And we got to meet the famous Coke polar bear and get our picture made with him. 

They had the Olympic torch on display that will be used in the Rio Olympic Games this summer.  It was so cool to see up close. 

We watched a 4D movie with these fun glasses!  

The the kids got to sit on the Coke couch from American Idol!  

We finished up in the tasting room and they loved tasting all of the different flavors from all over the world.  Beverly made Handley make this face though!  Ha!  

Next we ate lunch at the CNN Center and then walked over to Sky View. I've been wanting to take the kids on this since it opened a few years ago and this was the day.  

The views from way up high were so pretty!  

The kids loved it and I did, too!  

As we were walking back to the car we stopped to make wishes and throw pennies in the fountain! 

Happy Birthday Hudson!!!

This weekend we celebrated Hudson turning 5!!!  I can't believe the baby of our family is now a whole hand, but he has been looking forward to his birthday for months and was on a major countdown to this day.

He had very specific plans for his special day and I was happy to deliver.  Ever since he did the baseball camp at the beginning of the summer he knew he wanted a baseball party.  He wanted to invite his closest friends and he didn't want any girls there.  Ha! We did have some sisters tag along to the party, but only the boys played the games so he was happy.

The night before the girls gave him what they had gotten him for his birthday...a new outfit for his party. He is all about the athletic clothes and he loves his "pull-up socks" so this totally made his day. He wanted to try it on that night to be sure it was going to look good and after he got dressed (including his socks and shoes) he had the biggest smile and said, "I am just happy with JOY!"  He was so happy and it was so cute.  Of course I don't love losing the wardrobe battle, but seeing my sporty little guy so happy makes me happy, no matter what he is wearing or how silly his "pull-up socks" might look to me.

All I had to do for his party was show up.  They provide the cake, the pizza, everything.  They also gave him a t-shirt and batting gloves, which he thinks is just about the coolest thing ever.

We invited his closest little buddies and he had tons of fun getting to play dodgeball, whiffle ball and kick ball.  It was perfect for our sports loving little guy.

All of the boys seemed to have a great time and Hudson said it was just the party he was hoping for.  We gave these adorable cookies as his party favors! 

We came home and let him open the rest of his gifts and he had such generous friends. He got lots of fun new toys and things to play with.  

Later that afternoon we made our way to SlingShots.  They have ninja warrior training obstacles (both for adults and kids) and Hudson loves this place!  Actually all three of the kids do.  

Gigi and Papa came along with us and we had hoped to also be able to drive the go-carts, but the wait for that was way too long.  We stopped for dinner on the way home and the brought birthday desserts for both Hudson and Papa. I thought there was no way Hudson would finish his, but he did!

I'm pretty sure he had THE best day and I'm so happy we could give him such a special day for his birthday.