It's about time, huh?

Well, it's been months now since I've posted. And, at the sometimes not so subtle hints of friends (Julie and Pam), I'm finally updating our blog!!! :) We've been crazy buzy all summer with cross country, soccer and hockey practices.

Just to catch everyone up to speed I'll give you a brief description of our summer and how our fall is shaping up. We've gone out-of-town a couple of times for inline hockey tournaments with one more trip in August. We went to Dauphin Island, Alabama for vacation with John's brother Jeremy, his wife Laura and their boys, Benjamin and Grant. Jared has been practicing with the high school cross country team. Can you believe it? He's going to be a freshman in high school in about two weeks!!! Kelsey made the soccer team at the middle school (yes, middle school already!) and has been practicing with them all summer. Aaron made the travel ice hockey team in Nashville - the Ice Tigers so practice will start soon with that. Not to mention, the weekend road trips to tournaments. Sarah has been a trooper riding to all these practices. And she finally has a friend (more like partner in crime)who lives two houses down. For the most part, I am thankful that she has someone her age to play with! Okay...I did say BRIEF didn't I? So, I'll stop there and try to do a better job of updating more often.

I've added some photos from our vacation to the beach! Hope you are all doing well and had a great summer! :)

Bad Blogger Award goes to...

ME!!! I cannot even begin to tell you how busy we have been. I've regretted not keeping the blog up-to-date but really couldn't help it. Here is a brief update on what has been going on with us:

Jared's soccer season is almost over. They played the first game of the tournament tonight and won! So, they play game 2 tomorrow night. Also, he gets his brace off on Thursday! He is beside himself with excitement. I will have to try to remember to post a picture of his new and improved smile! :)

Kelsey and Sarah are loving soccer! A total of three practices a week and games on Saturdays. April 14th marked our 2 year anniversary of Gotcha Day with Sarah. I think she has somehow known this day was coming because she's been talking a lot about how much she likes her new home and family.

Aaron is still doing ice hockey twice a week and inline practice once a week with games on Saturdays. It looks like he will soon be joining a travel inline team so that should make things interesting! :) Atleast we can't say that we're bored all the time!

Jared's birthday...a day late!

I can't believe my firstborn has turned 14!! Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday that he was preparing for kindergarten and in just a few short months he will be on his way to high school!

Here are a few pictures from his special day. Yes, as crazy as it seems, he did get a cell phone for his birthday. And we have the pictures to prove it!

Happy 14th Birthday Jared!

Birthday Pictures

Our Siberian Princess turns 8 today!

That's right...today is Sarah's birthday! She has been so excited about this day for a couple of months now. That is all she would talk about and it's finally here! Unfortunately we will not be having her party until next week due to all the soccer and hockey practices we have going on this week. She has her first soccer practice tonight so when we get home from that we will have a small party with just the 6 of us. She is having a party at Chuck E. Cheese next week with some of her friends.

We are also quickly approaching our 2 year Adoption Day (April 14th). It is so hard to believe that 2 years has already passed. We are so blessed to have her in our family and cannot imagine our lives without our spunky little Siberian Princess!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

This morning before she left for school!

Spring Break

We stayed at home for Spring Break this year. One day we went to Nashville to watch the Predators practice and get autographs of some of the players. The only one the kids were able to get a picture with was Alexander Radulov. I guess Jared was feeling camera shy that day! :) Later in the week we went to the zoo and played a round of putt-putt. For some reason I didn't feel the need to take the camera so there are no pictures of a hole in one. We were so thankful for the beautiful weather (it only rained one day) and we spent a lot of time outside.

The kids headed back to school today and we are jumping back into our crazy schedule at full speed. This week includes 6 soccer practices, 4 soccer games, 2 hockey practices, 1 hockey game, 2 Predators games, Sarah and Jared's birthday, AWANA and church. That doesn't include the trips to the grocery, tons of laundry and a couple of trips to the gas station to fill up "The Bus"!

Favorite Photo Friday

I am starting to realize that about the only time I post on the blog is for the Friday picture!!! I'll try to do better. This week was Spring Break for the kids so they played outside alot! The weather is absolutely gorgeous! Monday we went to Nashville to watch the Predators practice and get some autographs. Yesterday John took off from work and we went to the zoo and played a round of putt-putt. I will try to post pictures soon of our "trips" this week.

Anyway, here is my favorite photo for today. This was taken just a few days ago and I am so glad. Jared will be 14 soon and I figure that this may be the last time I have a "sweet" photo of us together! :)