Loving my kids

I have been reflecting a little bit on life lately as my oldest gets ready to graduate high school.  Parenthood is a long road, very enjoyable at times and very trying at others, but I would not my give up kids for anything.  It is tough at times when I think of the wide, wide world and how they are at an age where they are ready to enter into it...have we done a good enough job getting them ready to enter a world that we don't fully understand ourselves?  I hope so.
I have some pretty special souls in my care and I just hope and pray that they are learning everything that they will need!

Soccer season over...

As  the soccer season comes to a close, I am relieved and somewhat sad that these days are quickly fading...it is an interesting phenomenon. Life is still busy, but less running around, so for that I am grateful.   At the sametime I think about the many great memories that we have made as a family and see how quickly time is moving!
A side from that, the kids have had a wonderful season.  They each accomplished some kind of goal and learned something new!  The biggest changes have been on our two youngest. 
Natalia had a hard season last year, with so many losses and feeling a little over worked (you have to watch her, she is an awesome soccer player!)  This season she decided to go back to the same team, mostly because of friendships, but we emphasised that she needed to just trust her team to play their positions and if they lost, they lost.  As hard as that was for her, she did.  The start of the season was rough, they began to work together and it was exciting to watch. They ended in first place for their age group!
Lorenzo too had a rough season last year, but was excited to come back to it again.  The boys, some new some old, came together from the beginning.  They also ended the season in first for their age division with only one loss and one tied game!  It was a great season to watch!

Update

Well...it's been a while since I had the opportunity of blogging and I miss it.  I feel like so much has happened, of course, in the few years since my last entry.

For one the kids are all very much grown...

Sophia is a senior at Columbia River high school this year, and has done much growing up these last two years.  She is doing great in school and is hopping of heading off to BYUI this next school year.  She is very beautiful and a very sweet and caring person.  She still loves to laugh and have fun, and again, can't let a day go by without a crush on some guy.

Samuel is a freshman this year at Skyview high school, her sister's rival school.  He is doing the SMT(Science, Math and Technology) program there and seems to be liking it.  He has a group of really good friends that decided to stay together through high school and are all doing the program.  He is very tall, smart and is quite a cutie!  He is starting the whole girl thing and it is scary...girls can be very aggressive!

Natalia is a middle schooler this year at Thomas Jefferson!  Can't believe it!  She is beautiful and quite the little spit fire.   She is sassier than anyone I know and comes back with some pretty good stuff!  She loves to stay active and has loads of energy.  She  loves soccer and it loves her! She is quite the preteen, 11 going on 16!  She loves  being with her friends, and is enjoying the middle school scene. 

Lorenzo is in fourth grade at Sarah J Anderson Elementary,  where both Travis and I both work.  He has terrific teacher and is doing well.  He is also in the dual language program and is really doing good with his Spanish!  He is a very sweet and loving boy.  He comes up to me at recess and gives me kisses and tells me he loves me...I love that he is still my sweet little guy.  He is also pretty girl crazy!  Watch out!

Travis and I are going on 20 years of marriage and it doesn't feel like it's real!  We bare both working at the same school, he is a 1st grade teacher and I as teacher's aid.  We love our jobs and the opportunity to have lunch together.

OMSI

We had the opportunity to go to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) about a week ago, down in Portland. We got to see the Da Vinci: The Genius exhibit. It was a fun experience for all the adults and Samuel. He was totally intrigued by all his invetions. They do have several other places that are directed more for kids. They had a large area that was hands-on that you could probably explore for a couple of days and still not fully get through...the kids didn't want to leave! It's a great place and we all had a fun time.

August 4, 2009 pixs

These are some picture of recent events that I wanted to share.
A sunny January day at the beach. Obviously warmer than some of us thought!

August 4, 2009

Well, it's been a long time dear friend!

Life has been busy for us lately and I haven't had a chance to update my blog!! Our Holidays were great and the start of the new years was fast and furious!

The kids are doing very well in school and are enjoying having consistency. They are growing like weeds and my -pit---Natalia keeps getting taller and staying stick thin! They are also more entertaining. They have a lot to say and are very open about their business and opinions...I guess that's good, right?

Travis right now is coaching Track at Fort High School. He really enjoys it. He coaches the pole vaulters and the javelin throwers. Travis did pole vaulting when he was in High School so he decided that 40 Lbs. heavier and twenty years after having done it the last time he would try it again. He cleared 10' on his first try...pretty good for an old guy!!!
He is also getting ready to start a program in May for his Masters in teaching, and though it's exciting it is also going to be hard to balance all that he's got to do.

The weather has been getting nicer and we are anxiously awaiting to have some hot months ahead!


Lorenzo moment:

While eating dinner the other night Samuel was talking about what he wanted to become when he's an adult: an Architect, a pro soccer player, or a Lego builder.
So Lorenzo says, "When I grow up I want to be.." and takes a pause, finger on lip, eyes to the ceiling, " a clown!" What great relief! To think he is already pretty good at being a little goof! Hopefully he doesn't find it necessary to practice it at school where there is larger audience.

After School Encounter

So the other day Samuel walks in the door from school to be received by a very adamant five year old.
I heard, "Samuel you need to tell mom about that bad song you were singing yesterday!" this interested me, so as I was coming around the corner I could see Sam's panicked reaction.
Lorenzo, "Samuel Heavenly Father knows what you are doing and if you don't tell mom, He is going to come to our house and tell mom and then you are going to be in big trouble!"

QUICK NOTE: The song had to do with fourth grade boys favorite topic...poop.

Sam started to laugh and before his now fuming five year old brother could have a chance to get even more agitated, I stepped in and pointed out what great wisdom his little brother had just shared with him. I got to listen to the silly song and our five year old was victorious in his quest for righteousness.

We have used this very tactic to get the truth out...well learned.