Monday, December 29, 2014

Brynnie's INDOOR SOCCER SEASON

***Sorry these pictures are sideways or upside down (especially you Mom!  HA!)  I guess I took them the wrong way with my phone, and I can't figure out how to turn them.  In the future, I'm just not going to turn my phone at all when I take pictures!  

So Brynn's older cousin Ansley has been playing soccer for awhile, and Brynn loved watching her play.  She kept asking me when she could play soccer too, and I kept telling her she had to be older...I thought 4 (in March).  I was talking about soccer with some parents from Brynn's class at school, and one of them said he wouldn't start her in spring soccer, especially if she hasn't played before.  They start in February, and they practice outside, and it's cold.  He said if it's her first time, it might not be the best conditions.  He suggested she start playing "indoor"  soccer, which is super low-key.  The kids show up, they don't have any practices, there are no out of bounds (because it's in Houck Fieldhouse), it's inside so it's comfortable, etc.  Technically the team she's on is for Pre-K, but I asked the director about it, and he said she was fine to start a year early.  She's a lot smaller than most of the other kids, but she doesn't care.

Tonight is actually her last game (they played 8 games throughout December) and she has had a BLAST.  She has come a long way...it seems like every game she does better and better.  Honestly, I was just proud of her for getting out there the first game and playing because half of the team just stood on the wall crying and she ran right over to her coach (who she didn't know) and starting "playing."

The first several games she would run around like crazy and not kick the ball very much.  My Dad joked "she probably runs more than anyone on her team because she doesn't really run straight to the ball, she runs circles around it!" HA!  And of course she played goalie once the first game or two and just stood there and they scored like 4 goals in 5 minutes, but she was still pretty proud of herself.  

But over the last couple of games she's started really kicking a lot more and Ryan helped "coach" her at goalie and she did SO good.  She would run out to get the ball and stop it and move around.  I think she's just getting more and more used to what's going on and getting more comfortable getting in there.  Obviously, the bigger kids on her team (most are boys) know how to play a lot more, but I am so impressed with how much she runs and tries.  GO GIRL!








Sorry Mom...these are all upside down!













Some of the things I want to remember this year are how she runs around the court, when she gets tired during the second half how she would do this hilarious head shaking thing with her pig-tails, getting Simply Swirled after some of her games, watching her play goalie, seeing her huge smile looking up at all of us cheering for her, watching her high-five the other kids after the games,   Houck is kind of like a "pit" and you look down on the "court."  After the games she will look up at us and say "don't move guys...I"m going to run up all by myself."  Then she would come up by herself to where we always sit and we would all cheer like crazy and she would get this funny smile.  We've had so much fun watching her, and of course Grandma and Grandpa and Pamaw and Papaw have come to all the games they can and it's been fun cheering her on with everyone.


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The most fun game to watch was when my extended family was in town over Christmas and we all watched her and had the loudest, most hilarious cheering section in the history of Pre-K indoor soccer (thanks Ty! HA!)  

Love my little soccer star to pieces!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Saint Francis - Milk and Cookies with Santa

A Saturday morning in early December we took our girls to see Santa and Mrs. Claus at "Milk and Cookies with Santa" at Saint Francis.  The kids can sit on Santa's lap and drink hot chocolate and have little snacks.  It's a fun little event at Ryan's work, and we had a lot of fun taking the girls!

I took these pictures on my phone and I don't know how to turn them...anyone know how?



Emory wasn't a fan this year...




Sarah was out of town with Charli and Hollyn, but Jason and Ansley met us there.


Mrs. Claus read the girls a story...it was so cute.  They got to pick it out and I think they picked the longest one...I'm sure she was glad when it was finally over!  HA!







Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Early December Traditions

At the very beginning of December our town has a special "Parade of Lights" and this year was awesome.  The weather was so nice...like 50's and low 60's, so it was really pleasant to be outside (the weather was also really nice because when we got to the parade we realized Brynn didn't have any shoes on...HA!)  The girls had fun watching the lights and trying to get candy.  =)








Starting in early December we also went to look at lights several times.  Brynn wants everyone to put on their Christmas pajamas and hop in the car and drive around to look at lights.  We took hot chocolate the first time, and it was so fun!



I wasn't wearing any make-up...yikes!  Cape County Park is nearby, and we drove through and let the girls "help drive."  HA!






"Whoa, look at that!  Look at that baby Jesus!  Look at Santa!  Wow...look at those snowmen!"  And on and on...so sweet!


A couple of nights later we put together our Gingerbread House.  We've learned our lesson...assemble the house before supper, and let it dry while we eat, and then decorate it afterward.  =)  It stayed together MUCH better this year.  Emory wanted to get in on the action.



Eating candy and decorating with Daddy!



HI EMORY!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Thanksgiving Day 2014

On Thanksgiving morning we got up and got to work making our annual "Chocolate monkey bread." Coffee, Macy's parade on, baking with our family...it was a great morning!


Brynn always loves to help mix and stir things in the kitchen (insert me getting out the vacuum cleaner).  =)


I know everyone is laughing at Ryan's picture (and no one is shocked, least of all you Erika), but if I never took pictures because his shirt was off, I'd probably never get a real life moment.  =)  So...you get Ryan in all his glory helping bake.



Messy messy...basically it's like my mom's monkey bread recipe but you add Hershey kisses in each little biscuit "ball"...it is SOOOOO GOOD!


Then we got to work making our "grape and cheese appetizer turkey."  HA!





Emory woke up around 9 and these two girls were having lots of fun being silly together...so thankful for these two!



SISTER KISSES!



Our masterpieces...TA DA!


We headed to Oran to go to my grandparents for the "Hency" Thanksgiving.  My parents were in Knoxville with Linz, and my Aunt Tina's whole clan was in Dallas visiting Erika.  But my Aunt Gina and Uncle Tim, and me, Ryan, Brynn, and Emory were representing Grandma's Hency's.  =)

Since my mom was gone, I made her overnight salad.  I have to say, it tasted almost exactly like my mom made it...good job to me!


We had such a yummy lunch and had such a great time with everyone.  After lunch, Brynn provided some entertainment...HILARIOUS!  Granny, if you are missing any of your scarves, you know who to call!


If you can't read this note, we put Emory in her pack in play in a spare room, and I put up a sign that said "Emory sleeping."  Brynn was hanging out with the older men =) and I had a glorious hour of drinking coffee and having some adult time!


Brynn was a HOOT!  She walked in to the "old man's room" and kept saying "well, HEY guys!"  HA!


I had to snap a picture when I peeked in to check on Emory.  So sweet!


I have no clue how to turn this picture around (thanks Ryan for taking it this way???) but this was my glorious coffee time in the afternoon!


Ryan and Brynn headed down to watch some TV...


And then it was time for one of my FAVORITE Thanksgiving traditions...we all sit around the piano and sing Christmas songs.  We always start with the 12 Days of Christmas and get our special part to sing...you know I must love this if I'm willing to sing a SOLO (or duet) in front of everyone.  Actually, Brynn, Ryan and I all sang together...hilarious!



Brynn's not always the most affectionate when we leave places (you know, when you are leaving and you want your kids to walk around and give everyone a hug).  Well the spirit of Thanksgiving must have come over her because she was hugging everyone left and right.  She was so funny...she was repeating all these things she heard the grown-ups saying, like "well, we're losing daylight pilgrim!" And hugging people and saying "see ya, darlin!" I could not stop laughing!

We left around 4:30 or 5 and Brynn was ZONKED! I don't think she made it two minutes before konking out.


We drove to Ryan's Aunt Soni's house for supper.  We had already celebrated Thanksgiving with Ryan's family the weekend before, but some of us got together and had a YUMMY supper and visited.



Fun with the cousins...







HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The next night my best friends from high-school got together (except Kelly was still in Texas).  LOVE THESE GIRLS!  We face-timed Lauren so she was with us in spirit.  =)