A wolf and a soccer player...

This past Saturday was crazy for us. It started with a pack meeting, two soccer picture times, and two soccer games all before noon. We made it though and even have pictures to prove it.

We had a pack meeting pancake breakfast at the church for Drew. The theme was magic and Drew made his own wand.

 Drew also earned his Wolf badge which he's been working on since he turned 8 last summer.

 He pinned a wolf pin on me and then I got to paint yellow stripes under his eyes (like a football player) as recognition. Drew will wait until June to become a Bear. He's already looking forward to scout camp in June!

 Dilan's third game and she made it through without tears - yeah!!! The first game she got hit with the ball and it was tears from then on. The second game also landed us in tears but she did go back and finish the game. I told Dilan she could earn a pink soccer ball (like her friends have and as a sidenote she had a pink ball that got destroyed) if she could play both her quarters with no tears and all the way to the end. It happened!!!

Here are some pictures from Dilan on the Sunnybee team... buzz.... buzzzzz

 Got a picture of her kicking the ball!

 Dilan has the hardest kick on the team and is often the one kicking the ball in

 

Celebrating her team scoring

More bday pics

Dilan's bday celebration with her cousins:

 Livi giving Dilan her present

 Dilan and Aunt Wendy

 Dilan went to give Eli a hug but he missed ;)

 Dilan asked for pink, purple and green balloons for her bday morning like the movie, Frozen

 Family gifts (remember I am videotaping and taking pictures so I don't have a picture of every present but I try!)

 From MawDee:

 From MawMille and Popo:

 From Mimi:

 From us:

 I curled Dilan's hair for the first time too. And she loved her matching dress with her doll, Willow. She went to church looking so pretty!

Dilan turns 5!!!

Dilan turned 5 years old this past Sunday. She started out her celebration with Aunt Wendy and cousins coming into town Saturday afternoon. They brought birthday balloons and a Pinkie Pie My Little Pony Fashionista with them for Dilan. We had taco night and decorated in "My Little Pony" birthday décor. We had her favorite sugar cookies (from the store) that Aunt Wendy affectionately labeled "the crack cocaine cookies" because they are so addictive. And we had ice cream too which Dilan loved. Sunday morning was a time to open presents from our family and extended family. She loved everything she got from Our generation dresses (her doll Willow and Dilan now have matching dresses and Dilan wore it to church) from Mimi, Equestria dolls from MawDee, Fureal dog named Bouncy from PawDee, a new gymnastics leotard from Nannie and Uncle Lars, and a beautiful Anna costume from MawMille and Popo. We gave Dilan the Disney Frozen complete story set from us and her brothers and sister as well as her Pump It Up party. Dilan chose to eat macaroni and cheese for dinner (we made chili for us) and still enjoyed ice cream on her birthday awaiting her party the next day.

 

For months, Dilan has told me that she wanted a "jump" party so we knew we had to book it at Pump It Up. Drew had his fifth birthday at a Pump It up in Wisconsin and it was the easiest party we've ever done. However, I am only beginning to understand how different boys and girls really are because Dilan's party was not as easy even though it was a lot of fun. Let's just say I had two girls with stomach aches at some point, one in tears, the other I had to take to the bathroom, I had multiple girls in tears at different points because they got hurt and some girls even sad and sitting out because others wouldn't play with them or do what they wanted to do. Yes, seriously.

 

Dilan had a great time at the party. We played on the inflatables and then we had grapes and goldfish for snacks and then cake. My next-door neighbor made Dilan's Disney Frozen cake as no one even makes them at any bakery yet. Dilan opened up presents and did a great job telling everyone, "I love it!" as she opened each one. Dilan was offered to eat pizza at her party with her friends but she chose instead to eat afterwards at Palio's, our favorite pizza place with just our family. She had a very fun-filled day or days I should say and we can't believe she is 5 years old now and will be starting kindergarten in the fall.

 I got all four kids Disney Frozen shirts for the party. Drew and Drake both loved their Olaf t-shirts :)

 Dakota and Daddy getting in on the fun

 Drew took Dakota on the slides too

 Dakota's scowl on her face was hilarious because she pulled it off right when we wanted a picture

 The infamous and amazing-tasting cake!

 Party room

 Trying to get a family picture of all of us at the end of the party

I can't believe I forgot to take a picture but I gave each girl a pair of winter gloves (pink, purple or green) like Elsa had in the movie, Frozen. We filled them with wintergreen mints and had a tag that read, "Thanks for chillin' with Dilan today." They were a definite hit. You can see Dilan has on her green gloves in our family picture.

Picture with Santa

For our family night last night, we went to see Santa. You may think that it's too early to have this experience but with four kids and one being a baby, we didn't want to stand in line and wait. So, we didn't! We went straight up there and there was only one person in front of us. It's a family tradition to hit Bass Pro shop and do all the fun activities after we take the photo.

The picture was funny because Dakota didn't know what to think so we couldn't get a smile from her but at least there were no tears. Gotta love meeting Santa Claus. :)

Halloween and the Zoo

We went to the Southwest Airlines Halloween Party with the younger two kids. Dakota was Snow White and Drake was Thor again. :)

 Cotton candy eaten like it was an ice cream cone

 This big kid had a total blast. He loved having all the attention! :)

 Dakota was so tired by this point that she could only take a picture with her bottle in hand

 Halloween in our new neighborhood!

 David and Dakota

 Me and the boys

 Took a trip to the zoo yesterday. David had a sinus infection and so I left the baby with him and we took off!

 Dilan feeding the giraffe and Drew getting to pet him

 We saw the feeding time with the Lions. This was a great trick they would do for food!

 Penguins!

 I love how you can see the penguins swim

 Pony rides! Dilan was smitten with this pony. She smiled the entire time.

 The kids wanted to take this picture - so cute!

 We rode the carousel three times!!!

 Drake didn't like the carousel at first as he made me sit on one of those benches with him and go around and around. Then, he rode a lion that was stationary on his second try, and finally I got him to ride a monkey that went up and down on his third ride. He kept laughing and saying, "I'm riding a monkey!" Love this kid!