In the New Year

 

 

We have been crazy busy so far this year!! Good times and a lot of new things.  Back in January Ben started Taekwondo.  He LOVES it.  It is perfect for him, he loves strict rules and very clear instruction.  He thrives in this atmosphere.  Here he is right after he earned his white belt.

 

                                              

I wouldn't mess with him :)

 

Here are Ben and all his friends that do it with him!

 

 

Lexi started basketball and so did Benjamin.  Lexi wants to do an all girl league next year.  She can play some Defense (her offense needs a little more time to develop though) :)

 

 

She earned the first basketball medal given out for Respect.  

Playing some D 

 Point guard

 

 

After their games

 

 

Here is my Birthday cake Makenna made- it was yummy!!

 

 

Here is Ben actually receiving his white belt.  He was excited then!

 



 

Here is Lexi and her friend Riley and Sidney.  Lexi decided to enter the world of pageants.  It was so hard for me to allow it but Lexi doesn't really express much interest in many things, so when she finally decides something we normally go for it.  These girls are practicing for their first pageant!

 

After being glamorous, we threw on her uniform and played a game.  She LOVES to sit and drink :)

Here are Lexi and Sidney for party wear

 Work it Lexi!!

 

Here Lexi is getting her hair done for the gown wear

Here she is ready

 Here she is on the stage.  She did so wonderful up there.  Lexi is so shy and doesn't like to stand out, so for her to get up there and do this it made me so proud.  This pageant, she didn't win anything and was so heart broken.  That was hard for me to see, but for her to conquer some of her fears up there- that is what was wonderful!!

 

We got to see Austyn play some soccer.  Uncle Travis, Aunt Melissa, and Abby came up for the weekend and we froze watching Austyn play some good goal keeping.

 

Makenna started outdoor soccer again

Ben put in a lot of hard work and had to test for his Orange belt.  Here he is playing around before testing!! He is such a monkey!!

 Knocking down barriers!!

 He passed his test and here he is receiving his orange belt

 Here he is- he is the youngest in his class but he works hard for it!

 Part of the ceremony is your parent tying on your new belt.  He is so excited!!

 Ben got a  HUGE honor.  He was awarded TOP GUN of all the orange belts in testing.  This is voted on by the judges.  They vote for the child they felt did the best in all of their testing.  Mr. Lower said he got 4 out of 7 votes and you normally don't get that many votes!

 

 Take your bow- you deserve it!

 Basketball is done for Ben and Lexi- time for Ben to start soccer.  In his first game he scored 3 goals!!

 After being devastated at the first pageant Lexi asked us if she could do another one.  I didn't want her to but she insisted she could do better.  Here she is getting ready for Little Miss Shamrock

 Green Wear

 Here she is walking the stage for the judges

 Gown wear

 She always had to hit or pose with the Leprechaun.  I think it helped calm her nerves!

 The start of gown wear

 They had 5 special awards given out that any age group could win and Lexi got one of them!! She was given the On Fire award for "Most Graceful"  We laugh at this because at home we would never call her graceful.  But on that stage she walks tall and proud!!  Look at her delight when they said her name :)

 Here she is learning she was voted Best Smile

 

Here she is winning the crown.  You should have seen her face when they called her name!  It was ecstatic!  Here she is being crowned!

 Getting her Sash

 

Here she is Queen Little Miss Shamrock!!!!

 

One happy kid!!

 Next day was soccer- 24 had a great game with 3 awesome assists!!  I have so few pictures of her playing soccer because I love to watch her and when she is in I always forget to take pictures.

 She is the one in the middle-

 Goalie with the mouth guard- but tomorrow she gets her braces off!  She is SOOOOO excited!!!  On Wednesday she gets to go to her first Middle School function.  She was elected to represent our elementary school for youth Leadership.  So her and a couple of other 5th grade students get to go to their next year's middle school and assess their leadership style, help make some anti bullying posters, think about ways to lead next year and so on.  She also gets to tour her GIGANTIC middle school and have lunch there.  I am so proud of her.