Sports, Sports, Sports!

Both of the kiddos played sports this spring, and did an outstanding job!  It took a while for me to get around to pulling all of the highlight footage together, but here are the long-awaited highlight clips.

Kylee played soccer again, and really stepped up her game, especially when it came to playing goalie.  It was a position she didn't initially want to play, but one at which she also became very, very good!  Coach Dave did a great job of helping the team to play as a team, and it was a very fun experience for everyone.  Check her out:

Connor played flag football again, and also made good strides.  One of the best parts was that his coach and most of the players returned from the last team, so they were able to skip over most of the fundamental work and team building and go right into more complex concepts.  By the end of the season, Coach Jason was calling the plays via audible from the line of scrimmage, and the boys all knew exactly what they were doing.  Amazing stuff:

Way to go, kiddos!  We're so proud of you!

PS - if you want to download higher resolution versions, click here for Kylee and here for Connor.

The Con-Man Turns 10

Sheesh.  Even as I type it, it doesn't seem possible.

Connor James Carlson is a decade old.  Double digits.

We are so lucky to have Connor in our family.  He is the most patient, loving, kind-hearted, perceptive kid around.  Day after day, he shows love to his sisters and is willing to lend a helping hand when needed.  He cares deeply about the thoughts and feelings and will do whatever he can to bring happiness to the soul of another.  He watches faces carefully and can sense disappointment or heartache...and is quick to try to mend whatever hurt exists.  He is amazing with younger kids, often a favorite amongst the little people in our lives.  Brandon and I are continually amazed at our son's spirit.

What a joy it is to watch Connor's personality continue to evolve.  He is a social creature, loving time with friends and family and always asking what we have planned for the next day.  But he is also reserved...hesitant in new situations and fearful when trying new things.  To watch him conquer something that is unknown is incredible.  Connor is respected by his teachers and peers and loves to learn.  His smile is legendary and his eyes light up when something amuses him.  His whole body moves when he's excited about something, and he speaks with his hands, just like his Daddy does.  His vocabulary has expanded to include words like "technically", "amazingly", and "surprisingly".  We joke that he is the adverb king. :)  Connor has started to grasp what sarcasm is and it is so fun to joke with him.  "Yeah right, Mom!" is heard often around our house as we banter back and forth.

Connor's interests have changed from Thomas the Train to Nintendo DS (he saved all his birthday money to buy a new 3DS) and from Transformers to Legos.  While he's crossing the bridge from boy to young man, we still catch precious glimpses an imaginative soul in our son.  Listening to him animate his Lego minifigures as he builds new creations brings smiles to our faces.  Hearing him "cast" an imaginary football game is quite a riot.  He shares his Daddy's love of football and is a Green Bay Packers fan.

We watch him run like the wind on the football field as he continues to grow as an athlete.  He loves being outdoors and all things that come along with that.  He is agile and skilled in his movements.  It is a blessing to watch his talents evolve.

Our blonde-haired little man with an unforgettable smile is now 10 years old.  We celebrated Connor's birthday with a birthday dinner, an evening of Lasertag, and then a family trip to Chuck E. Cheese's.

Birthday gifts from Mommy, Daddy, and Sisters

Birthday dinner capped off with cake and make your own sundaes

Ready for some serious LaserTag

The birthday boy is captured!

The birthday man and Chuck E. Cheese

We had a great time celebrating and Mommy is trying hard not to think how fast the next 10 years will go.  Thanks for being who you are, Connor James.  We love you very, very much!

Daddies and their Daughters

Many of you who know my husband well are aware of his true love and affection for dancing.  If you understand this about Brandon, then you understand why he literally cringed when the word began to spread regarding the fact that our Church hosts an annual Father-Daughter Dance.  As soon as Kylee got wind of this event, her eyes lit up and a huge smile spread across her face.

Daddy was done for.

We took Kylee shopping for a special dress.  The black dress with the white polka dots was an instant sell.  My hubby, being the amazing father that he is, got all dressed up in a collared shirt and tie (in 100 degree weather), bought our girl a corsage, and took our daughter to the dance.

Before the dance, we gathered with friends for a light dinner and pictures.  It was fun seeing the girls and their Daddies all dressed up.

It was a night she'll never forget.

I am so grateful for a husband who recognizes that sometimes, you just have to take one for the team.  Brandon has always been more than willing to do that for the good of our kids, but this example stands out (he HATES dancing).  Brandon was assured by friends who go to the annual event that the Daddies just get to stand around and chat among themselves while the girls twirl around the dance floor.  As luck would have it, and as personality dictates, Kylee insisted that Brandon dance with her on almost every dance.  And he did it.  Entirely out of his comfort zone, he made our daughter's night by being her dance partner.

Occasions like these result in a great deal of reflection for me.  We are often struck by how important a father's role is in the life of his daughters.  It is continually impressed upon us that as parents, we need to build our girls up, telling them often how intelligent, beautiful, and worthy they are....and most importantly, how much Jesus loves them.  We want them to know that they are created perfectly and don't need to seek love in unhealthy places to fill a void.  Brandon is always aware of his role in showing our girls what a Godly man acts like and what kind of character traits they will want to have in their own husbands someday.  Words simply cannot express how grateful I am for that.  Our girls are so blessed to have a Daddy like Brandon.

While the disdain for dancing remains strong, I have to believe that, deep down, the time with our girl made Daddy's night, too. :)

Worlds and Oceans of Fun

We took the leap this year and purchased Gold Passes to Worlds and Oceans of Fun.  We have gotten our money's worth already as we've enjoyed both parks several times.  Being able to come and go at a leisurely pace is so nice.

The carousel is one of Hadley's favorites

Enjoying the park with friends

Ready to swing!

We love us some beetles!

Connor and I reside in the same (not too adventurous) camp.  Camp Snoopy is about our speed.  A couple trips ago, Connor and I attempted one of the more moderate coasters, Spinning Dragons, together.  It took me a week to recover and Connor spent the whole ride looking terrified.  So, he and I stick to what we're good at...kiddie rides and being on stroller duty while the more adventurous folk (Brandon) enjoy the major attractions.  We have all enjoyed the Viking Voyager and the Fury of the Nile.  The drive your own car attraction has also been a family favorite, along with bumper cars.

Daddy and Hadley on the Camp Snoopy Bus

A wild family adventure!

At Oceans of Fun, the kids really like the wave pool and the lazy river.  It is so nice to have two older kids who are such strong swimmers.

Good times.  A summer staple for years to come, I am sure. :)

Adventures in Piano

So, Brandon and I are two card-carrying members of the "I quit taking piano lessons even though my parents told me I'd regret it someday" club.  We are both very musical, having been raised in families who are musical.  We dabbled in piano in our youth, sang in choir, and both played (very successfully, I might add) in both band and orchestra in our high school years.  Brandon went on to play trumpet in college and I played in the band my freshman year at Jewell as well.  We're not too proud to admit that despite these experiences, maybe, just MAYBE, we wish we'd stuck with the piano gig.

In looking at the official list of what good parents do (wink, wink), we decided that it would be prudent to enroll both the kids in piano lessons a year ago.  Little did we know that when a kid signs up for lessons, the parents are along for the ride in a BIG way.  We have spent the last year fighting over practice time, wiping away years (both mine and the kids') when frustration grew too much, haggling over theory exercises, and continually proclaiming the importance of this effort to kids who weren't all that excited about it (insert an apology to our parents here for all the kicking and screaming we did.  You know what they say about paybacks...).  We are only minimally ashamed to admit this experience culminated in Brandon and I initiating a MAJOR act of bribery.  The kids were promised a big reward for practicing a certain number of times without complaining or whining.  The money we spent on their reward was far worth maintaining what precious little of our sanity was left.  Hello, iPads.

We found a good teacher and survived the year.  In the process, we learned a lot about music and the challenge of having to be responsible for practicing along with the accountability of lessons proved to be a growth experience for us all.  The kids were able to progress well throughout the year and we really enjoyed their performances at the end of the year recital.   Connor played two pieces ("Pop Goes the Weasel" and "You and Me"), and Kylee performed "Zoo on Saturday" for her recital piece.  It was evident that the kids were excited to share their talent and result of their hard work with those who were on hand to listen.

This was the kids' first experience with solo performance and I think I was just as nervous as they were.  They both played their pieces from memorization and did a great job.  I was sitting over on the sidelines, holding their music just in case they needed it (shaking like a leaf, I might add), but they both made it through without needing help.  We were so proud of them!

Three little monkeys on recital day

Grandma Carlson

Grandpa and Grandma McKinney

Mrs. Kennedy, teacher

This experience was more than learning to play an instrument...it was about seeing hard work and discipline pay off, and conquering something that was new and intimidating to them.  They handled it like champs.

Will we take lessons again this year?  Probably not.  Do we hope the kids will continue playing on their own terms?  Absolutely.  The memory of our journey with piano will be tucked into our minds as a reflection of what hard work and dedication can blossom into.

The Scoop on Spring

Our spring was filled with lots of fun.  Connor played another round of flag football and Kylee hit the soccer fields in spring sports.  It was a blast to watch both of them play.  We've never been much into competitive sports, so the Parks and Rec teams are just our speed.

Connor's flag football team has played together for a few years now, so it is fun to watch them learn and grow together.  This year, the Coach added audibles (calling plays from the sidelines) and it was fun to watch the boys learn that dimension of the game.  Connor contributed to the team through his offensive plays and really grew into his role as a defensive player during the spring season, too.



Connor and Coach Jason



The Packers

Kylee's team started out a bit rough, but really blossomed as the season went on. Kylee scored a goal in the team's last game, which was the highlight of the season for us! We are so proud of her for the way that she plays hard and supports her team.

Running hard

Raise the Roof!

Daddy is working on highlight videos that will be posted soon. :)