Soccer and Chocolate Chip Cookies!

The kids have been growing up so fast lately and I feel so lucky to get to spend so much time with them and enjoy their developing personalities. Sarah has been quite the momma's girl lately and has been entertaining us with sweet and sassy comments.  Austin's creativity has taken off and he gets really excited and involved in creating new ways to play with his toys.  I can't believe Austin will be in full day school in the fall.  I'm going to miss having him around all day.  And Sarah will be the big sister soon!  It's crazy to think about.  I'm into week 24 and enjoying feeling my wiggly little guy squirming in my belly.  I have been totally remiss about taking belly photos like I did with the previous kiddos, but this time, my developing belly showed up while we were in the midst of busy season and life was a wee bit crazy, so I'm not going to feel too bad about that.

This week, we've had lots of fun amidst our normal schedule - random cookie baking with the kids after dinner on Monday night (just because we felt like it!), playing at the park (before the thunderstorms rolled in the last few days), swimming lessons, playtime at the library, a dentist appointment for Austin (he was really excited about it and did totally awesome!), and Austin started soccer!

Playground fun.

Sarah is now a pro at climbing up the tunnel to get to the upper parts of the playground in our neighborhood.  She still gets pretty excited about it, though.  

 Jumping for joy!

 Austin being goofy.

At the library, Austin loves to sign on to the computers in the kids library area and play games on the PBS Kids website (like Curious George, Cat in the Hat, Super Why, etc.).

Sarah wants to play on the computer as well.  The other day, when I was picking out books for the kids and Austin was on the computer, Sarah climbed up on a desk chair, got the headphones off the top of the monitor, and got down to some serious computing.  (She wasn't actually signed on to the computer, but it sure looks like she was working on something.)

Sarah also has been interested in trying out Austin's old bike, despite the fact that she hasn't quite figured out pedaling her tricycle or how to pedal the bike forward instead of hitting the brakes by pedaling backward.  She's pretty excited just to sit on it and wear a big kid helmet!

Uncle Kevin sent Nanny and Grandpa home with some Google t-shirts for the kids.  Austin now claims he works at Google.  He stated one day "Some Mondays I go to school and some Mondays I go to work." When asked where he worked, he insisted, "I work at Google!"

(I think in that photo Sarah is looking more like me these days.)

Baking with my little helpers!

On Monday evening, after we finished eating dinner, I commented that I felt like chocolate chip cookies.  We soon decided to go for it and started baking cookies.  The kiddos wanted to help, so it certainly took us a little longer, but was lots of fun!

At first, Sarah and Austin stood on the bottom step of his chair, but Sarah barely cleared the top of the counter top.  We flipped it around later, so she could stand on the seat cushion and reach the bowl to help with the mixer.

Packing the brown sugar in the measuring cup...

Very intent on dumping the ingredients into the bowl...

Very excited about the mixer!

And, of course, licking the beaters!

Double fisting the beaters...that's my girl!

Yummy cookies!

And last, but not least...Soccer!  Austin started soccer tonight.  He has practices on Saturdays and games on Thursdays. His first practice last Saturday was cancelled, so today was his first day of soccer.  They had practice, then a little time playing with another team in a little practice "game."  Austin LOVED it!  No, he ADORED it!

My little soccer player!

I'm not sure there is much that is cuter than a bunch of 5 year olds learning how to play soccer!  At first, the coach said something about following him with your ball.  The kids started following behind the coach.  Austin was right behind him and didn't see the other kids kicking their balls along...he just picked up his ball and ran with it.  He figured out pretty soon that you're not supposed to use your hands.

He was all smiles!

Little cheerleader Sarah!  She was really excited to go to Austin's soccer practice and kept pointing out Austin and saying, "That's my big brother!"

 Clapping when the kids scored a goal! 

Fun spinning with Nanny on the sidelines.

I'm not exactly sure what he was doing here (jumping on the ball?). 

Wipeout!

Still all smiles!

Austin absolutely had a blast playing soccer tonight!  As we pulled away in the car, he declared, "I want to live here! I LOVE soccer!" He's really excited for his next practice on Saturday.