Mother's Day Cards

Owen's card for Mommy

Chase's card for Mommy.

They worked so hard gluing these shapes on in rows on all 4 sides!  I was so excited!

Memorial Day Weekend on the Lake

We had a great time on the Lake with Jeff's parents, brother and Chase and Owen's cousins. We went out after church on Sunday (of Memorial Day weekend) and spent the entire day with his family. The boys love to play with their cousins and the kids had a blast running, yelling, bumping their heads on the footboard of Nana and Papa's bed (Owen). We went out on the boat for awhile and fished and drove around. We stopped and the beach and despite the cold cold water, the kids all got right in and acted like it didn't bother them at all! It was very hot and humid out that day. We went back and the kids had a nap and we went to dinner. As we were heading home the tornado sirens were going off, so we headed back to Berger's house to wait out the storm. We were all exhausted from the fun day we had.

Owen's "serious face" as he drives the boat.

Chase and Papa

Nana and Chase

Nana, Owen and Chase in the bright sunlight.

First Soccer Game

Chase and Owen's team picture.  Don't you love how they are the shortest and look at how long their little shorts are! :)  Owen is on the right, Chase is looking down at the boy's shoes.

Well, this wasn't really our first soccer game.  It was our second.  Our first soccer game was sleeting so we opted out of bringing the camera.

Chase kicks the ball away from his teammate. (this is how it goes at this age, I've learned)

After each kick Chase would do this happy dance, it was so funny, all the parents were giggling.

My happy soccer player.

Owen's turn to chase town the ball with his teammate.

Chase enjoying his time on the "bench".

Owen brings the ball down the field.

Nice kick Owen!

Run Owen Run!

Owen again.

Now it's Chase's turn to bring the ball down the field.

Chase is up against an opponent.

Chase and his soccer buddy Ethan.

Owen scores a goal!!! Yipeeee

At 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday this is about as good as we all look.

I wonder what they are talking about here.

Owen outsmarts the opponent. 

Tackling always occurs at these game.

Shaking hands at the end of the game.

It was a fun game.  I have no idea what the score was, but I'm pretty sure we didn't win.  Our team of boys is pretty timid and there are only 2 girls who are pretty into the game.  It's very cute and funny to watch the little personalities of the kids.  The boys don't like it when they don't get the ball all to themselves and then give up, sometimes.  We are working on stamina.

Soccer With Nana and Papa

 Nana and Papa Anderson are here for a few days watching the boys while I go to work.  They got to experience soccer practice last night and even got to participate!

 The boys tackle Nana after practice.

 Papa and Owen, Chase and Nana

Chase posing for Mommy

Owen giving a big smile to Daddy

This is how Chase spends most of practice-in the net rolling around.

Married

Yesterday at Target I heard the sweetest words.  "Mommy, I want to marry you,"  said Chase.  Ahhhh, how cute!

Camping in Numbers

2 hours on the road getting to Maple Grove (lost our way)
1 mattress with a hole in it
2 new cots
0 jammies for Jeff
0 pillows for Jeff
3 pairs of muddy boots
14 hours of camping
30 minute ride home
7 loads of laundry
1.5 hours in the bath


Last weekend we decided to camp.  Not being avid campers we didn't realize to get a camping spot we would have had to book our site months in advance.  We ended up at the KOA in Maple Grove, which was quite nice, although muddy.  Jeff got some interesting directions of how to get there and it took us 2+ hours, rather than 1 hour in traffic.  It was a good laugh.  Our site was very muddy, which made for good playing for C & O.  We walked around the site, played at the playground, had dogs on the fire and s'moores.  When bed time came, the water rafts we borrowed (well just 1 because Jeff left one at home) had a hole in it.  So, Jeff went to Target at 9:15 and got two new cots for us.  Chase and Owen were sleeping on their crib mattresses.  We didn't get to bed until about 10:30 and the boys were up at 5:45.  How did that happen? It rained only lightly in the night, thank goodness, given that thunderstorms were predicted.  Because of the mud we packed up and were on the road by 7:30.  It's a good thing too, because it rained all day long!  Even though it was brief, it was a fun family adventure.

Chase and Owen have fun trying to get the plastic wrap off the fire wood.  I think they were pretty unsuccessful with their sticks.

Being silly at dinner time

The camp had great toys for the boys to borrow.  Of course they choose the big Tonka trucks and luckily they had two. What a great toy for camping.  Owen, above, is soooo happy. 

Chase gets dirty and freezes for a picture.

Daddy is happy to be camping in the mud!

 

Mommy hugs a not so willing Owen.

By the camp fire with my rain boots (thank goodness) and head lamp.

Thank you Aunt Kate and Uncle Lane for our head lamps!  We love them!

Chase takes a big bite of his s'moore.

Owen loves his s'moore!

Owen Said

At bedtime last night Owen said, "Mommy and Daddy got married." I said, "Yes, do you want to get married someday?"  He said, "OwenChase scared to get married."  I just smiled and giggled on the inside and told him that he didn't have to get married for a long long time and he would live with Mommy and Daddy for a long time.  He smiled and seemed ok with that. 

Chase and Owen refer to the themselves as "OwenChase".  It's not "Owen and Chase", it's just "OwenChase". 

A Knight

Owen played dress up a few days ago.  Isn't he cute? I think he looks like a drawing of an old knight.

Super Super Cute

Chase says to me this morning, "Am I super super cute?" with a very super super cute look on his face.  Would I say anything but, "yes!"?

A Visor

This piece of paper was left stuck on the wall from Jeff's birthday banner. He pulled it off the other day and taped it on Chase and it became a visor. 

Mother's Day 2012

Last weekend I had a lovely Mother's Day with my family.  After church we went to brunch with Jim and Sandy and had a nice time.  In following with tradition, I planted my garden and flower pots.  The weather was gorgeous so we were outside most of the day-it felt so good.  Jeff made a wonderful fish dinner!  I had to make my weekly grocery run and when I got home the door was locked.  I thought it was strange until the door opened and two little loveys ran to me with their creations just for me!  They made me the most wonderful Mother's Day cards!  I could tell they had worked a very long time on them because of the straight lines and lots and lots of shapes! Thank you Chase, Owen and Jeff for making my day so special!

 The night before this we went to a wedding of a friend of mine from work.  It was nice to get out-just the two of us.  Jeff drove me by his old house in Bloomington on our way to the reception and I got to hear about his childhood memories. 

Caterpillars

This year we have found so many caterpillars in our yard!  The boys love them to pieces.  They love to have them crawl on their hands and arms and giggle as they tickle.  They wanted to put them in their bug barns but I felt really bad about doing this. I want them to turn into butterflies and not die!  The boys won out.  They each have 2 caterpillars and last night we checked on them.  They were gone, and guess what?!  There were cocoons in their place!!! We were amazed.  I truly didn't think they would be able to survive.  Just last night we found 3 more caterpillars in the dogwoods. Those got to stay. 

Owen holds out his fuzzy friend.

Chasey holds out his caterpillar for me to see.

The boys and their bug barns with just a caterpillar in it.  We needed to add some leaves.  Thanks Aunty Kate and Uncle Lane for the bug barns!

Putting foliage in the barns.

Chase runs to the garden to look for more bugs.

Owen is off!

They each got to add one of these beauties from our arbor.  Aren't they lovely?

I love to watch nature unfold its beauty and this bud is evidence of that beauty.