Off-Track Activities #1

The kids have been out of school for the last three weeks, so things have been busy here.  Let me tell you a little about it....

Well, okay, they're not ALWAYS busy!  Sometimes we relax enough that someone takes an impromptu nap.

Carson started asking about soccer a couple of months ago.  I thought it was just a passing fancy and he would soon forget about it.  Nope, he kept after me until I signed him up.  We are not athletes in this family.  None of us are very coordinated.  Carson spent the first couple of practices admiring his new uniform and shoes.  He still runs with his elbows out--lots of movement, not so much efficiency.  But that's okay.  He got some good exercise and obeyed the "Stingers'" number one rule:  have fun!

He spent a fair amount of game time hanging back with his pal, Maddie.  I have no idea what they talked about (thought I'd love to).  They just seemed to stick together a lot.

See what I mean??

Whew!  A thirsty little athlete.  The post-game snacks were a big bonus too.  Spencer was Carson's personal cheerleader.  He found a couple of friends at the soccer field and made a sign that said "Go Stingers  #6 Carson Sherman!  Run!"  He would hold the sign up and run from one end of the field to the other, cheering all the way. 

Spencer is just a funny, funny kid.  I don't know what he was doing dressed up like this, but it sure made me laugh, especially the look on his face!

Spencer is quite the little entrepreneur.  He began his own business called "Jobs Around the House."  Here is the advertisement:  "We can (1) Take out the trash for 10 cents (2) Clean the baseboards for $3 (3) Dust the house for $2.  Thank you!  Open Friday at 4:30 and Saturday 10:00 to 2:00 or call us at..."  My mom called that day and he picked up the phone and in his most professional voice greeted her "Jobs Around the House, this is Spencer."  Since he's been out of school he hasn't done much business though.  He's too busy playing! 

Once again, Parker is not easy to read with.  He was sitting there playing with Spencer's hair, but as soon as I tried to take a picture he decided to try and roll off the couch--yikes!

Parker

I've been a terrible blogger lately. A brief update on Parker: He LOVES puppies! He started making high-pitched meowing sounds at every animal he saw, so I tried to teach him to bark like a dog. Now he says, "Arf! Arf!" We had a little stuffed puppy that my grandma gave Spencer. Neither of the other kids showed much interest in it, but I got it out for Parker and he gave it lots of wet, open-mouthed kisses on the nose and hugged it to his chest. He gets excited about pictures of dogs and of course, he loves Dakota and laughs at her all the time.

He holds his play phone on the back of his neck and says, "Ha-wo!" He learned the word "ball" shortly before I got a bushel of peaches to can. He discovered the peaches and said, "Ball!" again and again as he tossed them across the floor. (I stopped him before he bruised more than 4 or 5!)

Anyway, here are some pictures from quite a while ago that were just too cute not to post.

This was at a restaurant called Kneaders. They have delicious sandwiches, soups, and salads. And Parker thoroughly enjoyed the raspberry cream cheese pie!

Perfectly pink, round baby cheeks are the best!

His brothers got a real hee-haw putting these glasses on him!

Too many boys in the tub again! Parker didn't want to be left out, so he went in and started throwing stuff in the water.

It's complicated to try to read with Parker. He wants to be too involved in the story!

He's very short!