Fall Birthday Celebration

As often happens at certain times of the year, we got a little behind on some of our birthday celebrating.  So Cathy invited us over for dinner to celebrate the fall and summer birthdays.

After a delicious dinner, we moved on to the cake and ice cream.  Mmmm.

We were apparently fascinated with the eating pictures or must have left the camera at the table, because  despite the fact that there were also gifts involved, we don't have a single picture of that portion of the celebrating.

No big deal, everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themseleves at the table.

What the Other Kids Have Been Doing

Since school started, I feel like it has just been a non-stop whirlwind and I just can't seem to catch my breath.  I have never had a year like this.  The kids are all so busy, plus the new swim team, plus all of the activities with the Young Single Adult ward, plus PTA, plus community council... Individually, each of these things seemed like a good idea, but all together, it's feeling like a bit much.  Oh well, you do what you have to do, I guess.

So the big kids have been busy, busy.  Samantha has put a lot of time into this school project.

And a lot of time into practicing the harp for her recent recital.

And Jonas, who I guess doesn't feel like he spends enough time playing the bass at school and with his other band, invited Robbie, and his friend Tanner to join a band, too.  (I'm just thrilled that they aren't inside playing video games to be honest.)  Anyway, I think they're having fun.  Although, I think they spent the first 2 weeks just trying to come up with a name.

Amelia has been mastering the pogo stick and wanted me to be sure to take a video.

And this is Audible.

More Soccer

So as not to be a poor example to my kids, we are not quitting soccer despite the antics of Peter's first game.  Plus, Shawn was out of town and hasn't had the joy of watching him "play" soccer yet.

There is something very entertaining about watching 4 year-olds play soccer anyway.  Although, there are a couple of them that really get the game.  They make the others look bad.

They look like they are taking this whole soccer thing very seriously here.

He did do better this week.  He still ran in slow motion - always several feet behind everyone else, but still better.  No shirt over his head, no sitting in the nets, no sitting on the ball.  Definitely an improvement.

Here he is taking some practice shots before the game.

The team cheer.

Getting some inspiring words from the coach, I'm sure.

I guess Amelia wasn't exactly riveted by the action.

Oh, look how close he is to the ball.

He enjoyed his downtime - not in my lap.

We were a rowdy crowd.

You know, at this age soccer is really all about the snacks.

He even kicked the ball to his teammates.

Smiling and waving to his adoring fans.

And then he kind of "petered" out and spent some of the game sitting down on the field. 

I guess ther are worse ways to spend a Saturday morning.

Peter Breinholt and Big Parade Concert

When Peter Breinholt announced that he would be playing a 20 year anniversary concert of his first album - with the original band members, we decided we had to be there.  So much of the music on this album makes up the soundtrack of our dating and early marriage years.

It was a fantastic concert, so fun to listen to the songs as they were originally recorded, and lots of fun to run into old friends and hang out with current ones.

Crazy Hair Day 2013 - Part 2

I forgot to add these photos, but crazy hair day was the same day as the school walk-a-thon and at the end of the festivities, Amelia asked if she could go in the dunking booth.  Crazy, if you ask me, but why not?

She didn't sit there for long before she got dunked.

She thought it was great fun, but them it was time to go home.

The Zoo

Since Peter and I find ourselves with a little time on our own again, we, of course, headed to the zoo.  Peter had a very specific list of the animals he wanted to see on this trip, and we probably picked up a couple of extras that were on the way from one animal to the next.  It was a beautiful day to be at the zoo and not too crowded.

We started with his favorite: the elephants. 

And stopped at the rhinos on our way to the polar bear.

And since we were there. we stopped to watch the seals and sea lions.

I love the look of these pictures with all of the reflections in the water.

Finally, the polar bear.  He didn't swim for us today, though.  He just paced all around his cage the whole time.

A quick look at the brown bears before moving on.

Peter wanted to stop and pose on the tiger statue.

He is so well trained.

One of the actual tigers.

And his final request - the giraffes.

A quick seat on the elephants trunk. He plugged his ears in anticipation of the loud sneeze or trumpeting sound that the elephant makes.

And to finish up the trip to the zoo -  a ride on the  carousel.

A happy kid and another successful trip to Hogle Zoo.