Let the soccer season begin!

 It must be officially spring because soccer has started back up.  Bridger is on the same NCUS team coached by the wonderful Kirt and Angie.  Chase is still with the Rangers on the Academy and X-leauge team.  Bridger has soccer practices on Mondays and then games on Saturdays.  Chase stays really busy with 2-3 games and a couple of practices every week.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it!  He was so excited to pick out new cleats.  His cleats that he used last fall are too small!  He is growing so fast.  He chose some silver cleats with lime green laces.  They're awesome!!! His coaches have been wonderful too!  We're so grateful for the positive influence they've been in his life.  They're amazing how they coach him in such a positive way.  He's been able to meet a lot of fun boys.  He's excited to be with his team again.  It sure will make the time go by fast.

Chase's Amazing Load Lifter

Chase had a school assignment to build an invention using a simple machine.  He's been learning about simple machines and his class is having an Invention Fair.  Unfortunately his mom is not a creative person so we had to get some help from his teacher.  Ms. H. gave Chase the idea to build a wheel barrow.  I hate to admit but we procrastinated a little on this project.  A couple of days before it was due, we were scrambling to build a wheel barrow.  Luckily our neighbor had some small PVC pipe that we used for the handles.  The rest was pretty easy.  I had an unexpected root canal that day and was not feeling well.  By some miracle, Matt got a little break from being on call and was able to come home.  So he and Chase put the thing together.  

Bridger was a little disappointed that he was in school and couldn't come to the fair.  Matt was post call and was able to come to the Invention Fair.  Chase had to make a poster describing his invention.  He named his invention "My Amazing Load Lifter."

Bridger was very impressed with Chase's invention.  He liked pushing it around the kitchen.

Chase's 9th Birthday

Chase wanted to have pancakes for breakfast.  Every time I use the "you are special today" plate I think of Mom.  She truly would make us feel so special.  I asked Chase if he wanted me to come and eat lunch with him at school or go out to eat.  Luckily he chose to go out to eat.  Out of all the places to go, he chose Sonic.  Matt was post-call so he was able to come too.  I checked the boys out of school a little before lunch and met Matt at Sonic.  Chase just loves the cheese sandwich, tater tots, and slushes at Sonic.  What more could you want?  Unfortunately I made Chase go back to school after lunch but he was ok with that because his class sang him "happy birthday" and he passed out his treat which was air heads.  

Chase wanted to go to his x-league soccer practice.  So I made his favorite cookies (M&M cake mix cookies) and at the end of practice his team sang him "happy birthday" and then they gobbled up the cookies.  After practice, Chase really wanted to eat at Olive Garden so Shantelle, Aliyah, and Robby came with us.  We love having them be a part of our family.  They make things more exciting.

The other thing Chase desperately wanted to do was go bowling for his birthday.  So we fit in a quick game of bowling after dinner.  We have so much fun together when we go bowling.  

When we got home from bowling, Chase's primary teacher Brother Gheen stopped by to wish him a happy birthday.  He made a number 9 out of marshmallow rice krispys.  It was so thoughtful of him to think of Chase and make Chase feel so special!

Chase doesn't like cake so he requested M&M cake cookies for his birthday treat.  We put a candle in a cookie and sang him happy birthday.  He got lots of fun presents for his birthday.  He got the Mario and Sonic London Olympic games, a soccer bag, a mini futsol game, and the game Life.  Bridger picked out a couple of Star Wars Lego sets to give Chase.  Bridger wanted to have Chase open his presents on Saturday with his family party.  But then we explained that he wouldn't have any presents for his birthday.  So he wanted Chase to open them first thing in the morning on his birthday.  Matt had a crazy call night and the morning was just too busy so Chase patiently waited until nighttime to open his presents.  He seemed to smile all day long.  I think he had a great birthday!

Chase's basketball season

Chase had a great basketball season.  It was amazing to see how much he and his team improved over the months.  Coach L. has been wonderful.  She has taught them so much!  She's been very positive with the boys.  It was hard to get any "action" shots of Chase.  He's really improved on his dribbling, shots and defense.  He's a mean defender!  By the end of the season, he would take some shots on the basket, and dribble more.  It was so great to see his confidence improve.  

Chase's team had a surprising upset during the tournament.  For their quarter final game, they played a team that had beat them by 20 points.  They were ranked third and we were ranked sixth.  We were worried it was going to be another blow out but Chase's team put their skills to the test.  They stayed ahead until the last 10 minutes and then  the other team caught up to them.  But their team fought so hard and was able to pull off the win.  The other team did not have very nice players and parents on it.  They were lacking in good sportsmanship.  So it was priceless to see their shocked faces when our little team beat them.  It was awesome!!!  Our boys were ecstatic!!!  We couldn't believe that we made it to the semi-finals. It was a huge improvement over last season.  (Last season we only played one game in the tournament.)  After our exciting win, the team went to Ice Burg to celebrate our great season.  Coach L. got trophies for all the boys.  She presented them one at a time and pointed out each boys strength.  It was great!  Chase was so excited to get another trophy.  The semi-final game was the next morning and unfortunately we didn't win.  We played a team that beat us last time by 20 points so we were excited that they only beat us by 10 for the final game.  We were still on a high from our quarter final game.   We were so proud of Chase's team and how hard they fought! 

Chase's team:  The Blaze (starting on the left: Dan, Luke, Coach L, Evan, Joran, ?, Chase, Reed, ? and Luke's Dad)

Coach L. presenting Chase with his trophy. She's been a wonderful coach! 

Chase's Family Birthday Party

It was Chase's year to have a family party instead of a friend party.  When I asked him what he wanted to do, he said he wanted to have a "sports party."  So we invited our families down to have a sports birthday party.  Unfortunately Ashtyn had a volleyball tournament and Amy and the other girls were out of town.  But we'll party with them later.  We played several sports drills to warm us up.  Then we played Red Rover which didn't go over so well.  Then we played baseball and kickball and threw some football passes.  Chase was in heaven!  We ate pizza with salad and breadsticks.  For his birthday cake, Chase wanted marshmallow brownies.

Chase, Bridger, and Maddy eating marshmallow brownies.

Grandma R. with Caleb and Grandma A.

Rob with Caleb

I love this picture of Robby, Rob, and Matt on our swing.  3 big guys squished together on our little swing.  

Uncle Brandon didn't realize that the marshmallow brownies were Chase's birthday cake so during the party, he cut out a little square.  It was so funny because he felt so bad about it.  It was no big deal.  We just loved teasing him about it.

Chase chilling out in the lounge chair.

Lindsey, Emily, and Michael

Yea, present time!!!!  Chase was spoiled rotten by our families.  He got a couple of lego sets, a fun dodge ball kit, a small hymn book and children's song book.  I took Chase to get his hair cut last week and the lady asked him what he wanted for his birthday.  He told her a "small hymn book and a children's song book."  The look on the lady's face was priceless.  She looked so confused.  So Chase was very excited when he opened that gift from Grandpa and Grandma A.  Charlene made the cutest card for Chase.  She does such a great job with them.  I love the pictures she chose.

Chase's Water Color

Chase painted this picture at school with water colors.  I love it because it's our backyard.  It's our swing set and our little yellow slide.  I love the bright colors.  He's really enjoyed learning how to paint with water colors.

 

Chase's first cavity

Chase had his first cavity filled today.  We went skiing today but made sure we were to the dentist by 4:00.  When we were skiing, Chase realized that we weren't going to have enough time to go home and change.  He was embarrassed and a little mad about going in his ski clothes and messed up hair.  I looked at Chase and said "Honey, look at mom.  I haven't showered, I don't have any makeup on and my hair is crazy."  His reaction was priceless.  He just looked at me and smiled and said that he was ok with it.
  He went to the dentist a couple of weeks ago.  He's had a couple of baby cavities that the dentist has been watching and they finally got big enough that they needed to be fixed.  They were between two of his front molars on the right side.  The dentist told him that flossing would help prevent cavities like this.  He has taken the dentist advice and has flossed every night since his appointment.  He did great while the dentist fixed the cavity.  He breathed in laughing gas and then had to have a couple of shots.  It took less than 10 minutes to fix the cavity, the numbing process took longer than that.  Chase said that it felt very weird to have his lip and tongue be numb.  When it was all over, Chase was able to choose a prize.  He chose a little bracelet.  Bridger was disappointed that he couldn't get a prize.  When we were walking out to the car, Bridger said "man! I wish I could have a cavity!"  It cracked me up.

Sluffers!!!

 Sluffers!!!!  On Sunday and into Monday, we had a big winter storm and got lots of snow.  So on Tuesday morning I woke up and checked the snow report at Sundance.  They had received over 3 feet of fresh snow.  So I decided to pull the boys out of school and take advantage of the fresh powder.  Plus I figured it might be our last day to ski.  The weather was incredible!!!!!  We had blue skis all day.  The snow was probably the best we've had all season.  I just giggled as I skied in the powder.  Chase loved it too! On one run, Chase was staying in the powder and he kept falling so he looked like a big snow ball.  But he loved it!  I thought the boys were ready for a black run but I quickly realized that it was too hard for Bridger to turn in so much powder.  On every turn, he would fall into the powder.  So I finally took his skis off and had him slide down the hill.  He had a great time and towards the end he started rolling down it.  He had a great attitude.  This is a picture of him at the bottom of the black.

So the boys got new goggles and Chase loved wearing them.  Then Grandpa R gave him a neck warmer so he was in heaven.  He stayed nice and warm.  You just can't tell who it is.  I'm amazed with how much the boys have improved this season.  Chase's technique is so much better.  His confidence has grown by leaps and bounds.  He is quite the snow boarder!

Bridger is our little speed demon.  He likes to just point his skis straight and head down the mountain.  He has no fear!  Today he skied mostly blues.  They don't even faze him.  He just does lots of "S's" down the hill.

It's been so fun skiing with the boys this season.  I love going as a family and I'm so glad Bridger is finally able to come with us.  My favorite part is talking on the lift.  We're creating wonderful memories.  I've got lots of videos of the boys skiing down the mountain.  I even have one of Bridger singing and dancing while he'll skis.  It's awesome!  We have such brave and daring boys.  We're hoping Matt will come with us next year.