Our Week in Review.

We were grateful to have Grandpa Beard in town for a week and a half and got some little projects done while he was here. The kids love it when he comes to visit and enjoy spending time with their grandpa. I feel bad that we put him to work every time he comes out but he does such good work and there is always something to do. I just hope that he doesn't mind and that he keeps coming. We just wish he didn't live so far away.


Grandpa with all the grandkids and a couple extras.


Nolan riding on top of grandpas shoulders.


Just hanging on to grandpa.


Hanging out playing with Grandpa.


Payton smiling at Grandpa.


Grandpa and Payton.


Grandpa with his girls.

Brooklyn's team has gotten so much better with her new coach and I think the girls are having a lot more fun. They did lose again this weekend but scored three goals and played a close game. It is fun to watch them score goals because everyone on the team jumps up when they score. Brooklyn was playing goalie and jumped up and down dancing after the goals. You can tell that they are having a better time and really enjoying themselves. Brooklyn is turning into quite the defensive player and quite the goalie. She will go and take the ball away from the other player and has become very good at picking up the ball and throwing it to a teammate to get it out of the goalie box. We still have to work on the offensive side but she has progressed very nicely over the last 3 weeks. I am kind of sad because I think they only have 2 more games and it will be over. The season is going to end just as the girls are getting into their groove. Anyways it has been a pleasure watching them grow and get better during the season. I am looking forward to Fall soccer and seeing what Brooklyn and her team can do.


Brooklyn in one of her favorite spots, goalie. I love this picture.


She has been doing a good job of moving while the ball is moving to make sure that she is in position if they try and score. I don't think they scored a goal on her last week.


Here she is tracking a girl down from behind and she gets the ball away and to her teammate. Not quite the chase-down speed that Maddux has but she can hold her own.


She has been working on kicking with the inside of her foot and likes to wind up before the kick.

Maddux skipped his soccer game for his karate tournament this weekend. He was moved up into the advanced class this week and seems to be doing very well. I think he was getting a little bored in the other class and would goof off from time to time so his Shihan moved him up. He is doing some different type of combinations and other moves he wouldn't do in the other class. He has picked up nicely and fit right in. He tested Saturday to move up in rank and received another stripe on his belt. His next test will get him the orange and white belt and he is very excited. It was kind of funny because the only reason he skipped soccer was because he thought he was going to get a different belt. But since they moved him into the advanced class they are going to make him wait until next time to get it. He told Jennie that he would rather have done soccer instead but if he would have changed belts he wanted to do karate. I am hoping that he sticks with karate as I have seen a huge change in him over the last year. I just look at other kids his same age and he is some much more mature and disciplined compared to them. He is my little man.


Maddux waiting for his turn.


Being congratulated by his Shihan (or master).


Here he is working on his self-defense techniques with one of the black belts.


Maddux practicing his cat stance and blocks.

Well as always we stay very busy during the week with all the sports going on but the kids are having a blast and Jennie and I love to watch them. Nolan is very excited and can't wait until he can play and be on a team. We are looking forward to the summer and being able to get outside every day. Baseball games start in a week and I can't wait to see how Maddux does. We are going to have to get Brooklyn into a softball league to see what she has. We did sign her up for a basketball camp in June to see how she likes that. With her being one of the tallest girls in her class we need to see if there is any talent to go with that height. We will keep you posted.