Using Her Noggin

We couldn't be more proud of Savannah and her academic accomplishments this year. Each quarter in 4th and 5th grade she has made the Honor Roll! Way to go, Savannah!

Orioles!

Since MLB Opening Day we have had the Orioles games on non-stop in our house and have turned into massive fans! I know it's crazy because I have always felt like baseball is one of the most boring sports around but there is a certain excitement about the game when you love the players and they're playing well. Davis, Machado, Markakis...we love 'em all! We decided we need to attend more Orioles games and one of the best ways to do that is sign the kids up for the Dugout Club. For a little over $20 a kid, Savannah, Xander, and Noah each receive a hat, a backpack, and tickets to 10 Orioles games. The tickets for David and I are only $6 and at the stadium hot dogs, chips, and drinks are only $1! A few Saturdays ago we went to our first game as Dugout Club members and we made a bunch of rookie mistakes. We went too late, hit massive stadium traffic and had difficulties with the parking, faced long, LONG lines to get David's and my tickets, and then couldn't find any seats! We hadn't eaten dinner because we figured we would just eat there but the hot dogs turned out to be less than appetizing or filling. We finally just found some seats somewhere in the stadium but I spent the 6 innings we were there worried that the ticket holders for those seats would show up and kick us out. It was bitterly cold that night so we headed home before the game was over, determined that next time we would know exactly what to do to make it a more enjoyable experience for us all.

Not a bad picture considering we were all freezing our cans off in the cold wind and the kids hated the food.

It's funny to look at this picture because although Savannah and Xander did have fun once we found some seats, Noah, who looks grumpy here, actually enjoyed the game more than any of us. He loved dancing with the other fans, cheering, yelling "Charge", and watching the fun videos on the big screen.

Noah's Opening Day Parade

The past few years that Noah has played T-Ball we have avoided the Opening Day Parade because we usually have other things going on and, let's face it, a parade of a bunch of rec league T-Ball teams just doesn't sound like the best way to spend my Saturday morning. This year, however, Noah and I got up bright and early so he could participate with his team in this "grand" event. All that week the weather had been extremely hot, upper 80's hot, so most of us at the parade had not adequately prepared for the freezing cold and biting wind that the rainstorm on Friday night had brought in. I was lucky that I had grabbed the two of us some sweatshirts! I was miserable and cold and I can honestly say that this might be the only baseball parade Noah ever participates in.

Noah plays for the Pirates!

Noah with his buddy Cael and the team mascot Squawky. Coach Shane was so sweet and brought pirate patches for the boys to wear.

Noah was thrilled to get a chance to hold the team banner.

And finally, after standing around for 40 minutes, the parade finally started. That's Noah to the far left of the picture, hunkering down into his sweatshirt, trying to keep warm. The kids would stop every few feet, wave at the crowd of parents, and yell, "Argh!"

Even more exciting than the parade are the T-Ball games, where all the kids get a hit, there are no outs, kids are running all over the field to get each ball that is hit, kids are grabbing balls away from teammates, and players are running to 3rd instead of first.  The fun never stops with errant throws, temper tantrums, crying, leaving the field whenever you feel like it, playing in the dirt, kicking the dirt, outrunning teammates while running bases, and every child having to go to the bathroom when it's his or her turn to bat. Does it get any better than t-ball?

But Noah loves it so we endure it and cheer him on!

Although Noah is technically left handed there are many things he does right handed, including hitting the ball. He goes up to the plate and hits it from whatever side happens to strike his fancy at that moment. He's our little switch hitter!

Go Pirates! Argh!

Softball

Although Savannah's soccer team practices year round there were no games planned for the spring so we talked Savannah into giving softball a try. She was a little nervous to play since this would be her first time playing but she has really enjoyed it. She has 3 great coaches and some very nice teammates. True, softball is not the most exciting game in the world to watch but we always enjoy cheering for Savannah no matter what she is doing.

She looks so cute in her jersey!

Batter up! Savannah admits to being extremely scared whenever it's her turn to bat but thank goodness most of the pitchers aren't that accurate so she has been walked a number of times.

Made it to first,

rounding third,

and scoring!

Noah Turns Six!

Yes, it's hard to believe but Noah turned 6 in April! As we have reflected back on the six years that Noah has been part of our family, David and I can't help but ask ourselves, "Where did Noah come from?" He is so extremely different than the rest of us that if he didn't look so much like he belongs in our family I might question whether or not a little switcheroo took place at the hospital. It is Noah's differences, however, that have blessed our lives these past six years and definitely kept us on our toes, shaking our heads one moment and laughing the next.

I like to call Noah the sparkle of our family. While the rest of us are a little shy and quiet, Noah is the exact opposite. He is loud, full of life, and a bundle of energy. He runs all over the house and outside, sword fighting, light saber fighting, boxing, kicking and throwing balls, jumping off furniture, and any other fun and rambunctious thing he can think of doing.

Since Noah was quite young he has loved to dress up and that love continues to this day. He loves to throw on his knights tunic, put on his belt (to hold his weapons, of course) and grabs whatever weapon might be available. He has a whole stash of light sabers, swords, daggers, and guns stashed under his bed.  All plastic, of course. Other favorite costumes include his astronaut jumper, the swamp monster, and this cool beard.

Noah is a social butterfly. He loves people and people are naturally drawn to him. I think I've written about this incidence before but when Noah was about 18 months old we were at the grocery story and this old man was in line in front of us. He was completely taken in by Noah and spent a few minutes talking to him. This man eventually traded his hat with Noah's and I still wish to this day that I had gotten a picture of this adorable old man with Noah. And that's just one story; I have a bunch more just like it. People just like Noah! He has lots of friends at school and anytime we go to a park or playground within minutes he has kids trailing after him, wanting to play with him. We have to keep a close eye on him too - the past few times at the playground we can see little girls chasing him around and then giving him lots of hugs!

Noah loves to make people laugh and will do anything to ham it up. He has great facial expressions and can be very dramatic, in both good and bad ways.

Noah is very, very strong.  He's a stocky little guy and loves to show off his muscles!

Noah LOVES to draw! One of the gifts we got him for his birthday was a pack of computer paper and markers and he was thrilled! He goes through so much paper and, although I love all his drawings, the mounds and mounds of paper can get quite overwhelming. He draws everything from houses to knights to dragons to monsters to pictures of friends and family.

Noah was very excited to receive his birthday balloons, especially the Orioles baseball one.

Since David was heading out of town on Noah's birthday and wouldn't be at home for the family party that evening we decided to take Noah to a birthday breakfast at Bob Evan's.

All the waitresses and the majority of the old people eating breakfast (we were the youngest in the restaurant by a good 30 years) sang Happy Birthday to him and brought him this huge cookie with a birthday candle. It was so cute!

Dinner was a hurried affair on Noah's part because I had promised him he could open presents right after dinner...and that boy sure loves presents!

His new monkey, Ooka. He's from Scentsy and smells DIVINE!

Stocking up early on our 49ers gear with a new Vernon Davis jersey.

And what kind of birthday would it be without Legos?

He got right to work putting them together.

Since Noah would be getting a cake for his birthday party we all settled for some yummy cupcakes.

Such cute kids!

Noah's Favorites at Age 6:
     Color:  Green
     Food:  Panera's Mac and Cheese
     Movie:  any Scooby Doo movie
     Book:  any book about knights
     Toy:  Lego knights
     Animal:  monkey
     Sport to Play:  Baseball
     Sport to Watch:  Football
     Favorite Team:  49ers, Carolina Panthers, and  the Utah Utes
     Thing to Do:  play knights
     Fruit:  Banana
     Vegetable:  Broccoli
     Song:  Seize the Day (Newsies)
     Holiday:  Christmas
     Candy:  Cookies and Cream Hersheys bar
     Dessert:  Cake
     Season:  Summer
     Restaurant:  Bob Evans (pretty sure this is just because of his birthday breakfast)
     Temple:  Salt Lake City
     Place to Go:  Dutch Wonderland
     Scripture Hero:  Samuel the Lamanite
     What he wants to be when he grows up:  Policeman
     Best Friends:  Aubrey, Brody, and Finn

Easter and that Bunny!

While in Cincinnati we got to celebrate Easter! Our festivities began with a Passover meal which included a discussion of the Last Supper.

On Friday night the kids got busy dyeing Easter eggs.

Wow! That's a lot of eggs! Good thing we all like to eat them.

You can't dye Easter eggs without making a dragon egg!

Saturday morning the kids hurried into the family room to see what the Easter Bunny left them.

Legos,

Les Miserables,

and some more Legos!

The best way to get Easter Bunny Day started is with a little chocolate for breakfast.

Ciarra was all ready to start the Easter egg hunt, finding the first egg.

And the rest of the kids were ready to go as well!

Beautiful Easter morning. A special day to reflect on all our Savior has done for us. We started the day by watching some wonderful videos of the Resurrection.  We also enjoyed the uplifting messages of the Atonement and the Resurrection taught at church. A delicious meal was a fitting end to our special Easter celebration.

Three beautiful girls in their Easter dresses.