Halloween Sneak Peak

Saturday started with a little soccer and ended with some good Halloween fun. Once again Brooklyn and Maddux played at the same time but I finally got to watch Brooklyn for a whole game and she has really improved. In the last entry I mentioned that Jennie was upset that all Brooklyn played was defense and wouldn't you know if this game she played offense for three quarters and played goalie for the other. Her team actually played very well and had their closest game of the year, losing 4-3. We need to work with Brooklyn on her offensive skills as she will get the ball and start dribbling down the field but once she gets close she will let up and just kick the ball away. She has really improved with her dribbling and can get up and down but just needs to finish the play and try to score. She also did a very good job of taking the ball away from the other players when they got close to her. It is nice to see her gain a little aggressiveness and get in there and mix it up a little.

Here she is playing goalie which she actually likes. She gave up 2 goals but had some really nice saves and has finally figured out that she can pick up the ball with her hands in this position. Now we just need to work or what she does after she picks it up. One time she threw it right to the other team and the girl kicked it right in. I guess the important thing is that she seems to be having a lot of fun. Her best quote of the day, "Dad, I am sweaty again."

I didn't get to watch much of Maddux's game but his team won again and Maddux had 2 goals. I like this picture because most of the kids can't and don't throw the ball in and here is Maddux launching it across the field. You can see him also taking off to go and get it while the other kids stand their and look. He also is having a blast and loves being on a "Team" and being a "Team Player".

From soccer we went straight to Jennie's parents to visit with some of her family. Her sister, Rachel, and her kids, Abe and Tess, are in town from Arizona visiting. Also, her Aunts, Kathy and Karolyn were in town for a couple of days and it was nice to get to see them all. They also surprised the kids with their Halloween costumes, which was very nice and thoughtful of them. They took all the kids out to various stores and let them pick out their Halloween costumes. I know the kids were very excited to be able to do this. We can't thank the both of you enough for your kindness and generosity.

Here is Nolan who just can't wait for the food to get there. He is a big eater and will eat just about anything. We had enchiladas and jello with ice cream sundaes for desert. And yes Connie, I could taste the sour cream in the enchiladas. What was funny was that Brooklyn said she would never touch or eat what was for dinner but after she actually tasted it ended up liking it. She is a very picky eater and if she would just try stuff would find out that she actually likes quite a bit. I think she takes after her father who is also pretty picky.

Kathy and Karolyn painted all the girls fingernails which they absolutely loved. One of the first things that Brooklyn showed me this morning was her fingernails and the polish on them. They all had a blast getting their nails done. That was very nice of them to take the time to do everyone's fingernails and I think they may have even done some toenails.
I think some of the adults may have even tried to get in line but with no luck.

Here is Karolyn doing Brooklyn's fingernails. While the girls were doing nails inside Bill and I were taking Maddux and Cannon on in a game of whiffle ball. I think it was close until Maddux and Cannon had last bats and hit a couple of homers over the fence. Towards the end we got Abe, Nolan, Brynnley, Addysen, and Brooklyn in the game. To mine and Bill's defense I think they got a lot more than 3 outs that last inning. Some of those kids can really hit.

There were also some games of Freeze Tag in the dark. In this picture Jennie is being frozen by Cannon as she can't quite avoid the tag. She blamed it on her shoes but for those of us who have seen her run we know better. This is one of the kids favorite games to plat when they are all together.

This is what Nolan was doing while the other kids were playing outside. He is addicted to The Wiggles. Connie was nice enough to pick up some Wiggles DVD's that she found on sale and keep them at her house for when the kids come over. I don't know if she is regretting that yet as Nolan will watch them over and over. All of our kids have been into the Wiggles but none more than Nolan. He can watch the same one over and over and over again. He doesn't know it yet but I am taking him to their concert at the end of October her in Cleveland. I have taken the other two over the last two years and I think Nolan will absolutely love it. It will be a very big surprise for him. The last two years I have just told the kids that we are going to a surprise and not told them where. Then we show up and they have a blast. The first time the kids were able to shake hands with a couple of the Wiggles as they came by. We have 7th row tickets from the stage and are on the aisle so should be a lot of fun.

These last pictures are a sneak peak of what the kids will be this year for Halloween. It was funny when we were doing the group pictures of all the kids in their costumes because Cannon said, "Maddux and I are lucky because we don't have to smile in our costumes," (They both have masks).

Brooklyn as the Snow Queen.

















Maddux as the Black Spiderman.


















Nolan as a Tiger.



















And the cutest of them all, Payton as a Goldfish.

Thank you again Kathy and Karolyn for taking them all out and buying them their own costumes. I am sure that I speak for all of us when I say that was very nice of you and we greatly appreciate that.