Kibbe Sharks doo doo doo doo...

We had our first swim meet of the season last week... 

Kibbe swimmers 2019

M's BFF was getting her nails painted and I gave in and let them get their toenails painted even though we weren't at the beach. See I can be cool-mom sometimes

Birth order (plus one)... I found some super sale suits for the girls of our neighborhood (let's just say on sale and not super low cut or super showing your entire back and half of your side are... ehem.... challenging) Challenge accepted!

LOVE THEM!

Ready to swim. M swam fly, back and free and totally rocked and is only 5 which makes the month of swimming at the Y proof (to me) that it was worth it. 

Excellent dive form there M!

E swam fly, back and breast (I think) - she did well. She's freshly minted in the 9-10 group and swims against some great swimmers who can really push her to go faster

R swam back, breast and free and swam with great form... She still DQ'ed in breast stroke because they actually DQ you in summer league in 7-8. 

Pink goggles... always smiling : ) 

Until next time

The Odd Squad... Reloaded

Today in a few short hours, C will officially be 2 so technically I can still call them the Odd Squad plus this pic was taken last night so I'm good... An update to the previous and first Odd Squad edition

E9 - E is such a busy kid. She loves to stay busy and her mind is always thinking about what's coming next. This summer she's knee deep in several camps plus swim team. I joke that she'd make a perfect only child because then she'd get to do EVERYTHING - but fortunately for her God had a bigger, better plan. She's still learning about leading versus dictating over her siblings and the effectiveness of both. Fourth grade is coming up in the fall and I know that she'll be rocking Battle of the Books as well as quietly trying to conquer her fear of dogs. 

R7 - R is still very much the quietest one in our bunch - at least if all the siblings are around. I really loved and appreciate that I was able to take her on a Valentine's Day solo outing (and the others on their adventures). She really does have alot on her mind but usually can't put a word in edgewise. In some ways she is very shy but she can be extremely firm and stand her ground - like M copying her in EVERYTHING - which remains a point of extreme frustration. Second grade is coming up which means First Confession and cursive writing; E has scared her into thinking cursive is the most difficult thing in the world but I'm quite sure she will do fine - especially since she's got a lefty-partner in crime older sister who knows the ropes.  

M5 - M is the middle child but really she's not. She's the baby of the big girls and the leader of the little kids. She can happily play with either group and it is interesting to see her go between the two. M is much more competitive than I could have imagined. She loves to score goals in soccer and the thought of losing in swimming (to her BFF) can bring the tears - we are working on losing with grace : ). Trying new things and doing things differently do not come easily for this creature of habit. She is quite determined in more ways than one. I think if we could knock out reading book - all 70+ lessons she has left - she'd be thrilled. Kindergarten is coming quick and aside from being nervous about a new school and new friends, M will surely do well. 

A3 - If you haven't clicked the link you should, just so you can see As hair. To our only boy, where are the words? This boy keeps us on our toes. He can be very mechanical and he thinks about things much differently than the girls. He asks me frequently 'how is the baby coming out' - and I promise the girls maybe have asked once or twice ever over all the pregnancies. A insists that this baby is a boy and desperately wants to know why we aren't having twins? A can get very focused and emotional/passionate about some things - currently it is mowing the grass - and when things break - like a car track or Legos (hello C!) - this can be super tragic to A. He has recently taken to altar serving on Sundays (with Papa) - which is amazing (perks of being a deacon's son) and cute (he is falling out of his vestments) and a massive burden off my Sunday shoulders (because shockingly enough he CAN behave for Liturgy). This fall is going to be a game changer for A because he's going to be the oldest and he's going to be lost for a bit without M at home to play with but I think he and C will keep themselves busy. 

C1 - To the loudest member of the family. The babbler. The thrower (of all things food and toys). Two will suit you well little girl. C has really been talking up a storm and is super chatty and I'm picking out more and more things that she says - and some of what she repeats is quite amazing. Her current habits include throwing unwanted food off her tray (and suffering the consequences of losing eating privileges upon launched food) and throwing toys and the like when she isn't getting her way. If I ever thought one of our kids should play baseball - C takes the cake. C loves all her siblings and if she's thinking about it gives everyone a big HEEELLLLLOOOOOO in the morning accompanied by a hug. Her current worst habit is sticking her hand in dirty diapers and aside from keeping her in a pajama onesie all the time - we are hoping this habit will get kicked soon. C starts preschool in the fall as well as be dethroned from the family baby status so her world might get rocked for a few weeks in September BUT I have no doubt she won't get lost in our crowd. 

Spring Soccer Shenanigans

Soccer wrapped up for everyone 2-3ish weeks ago (along with just about everything else) here's how it shook for us:

Pretty standard Saturday for us 3+ hours at the field. Four players, three teams, two big sisters coaching, one ornery, snack-consuming little sister and one coach-mama who is crazy, blessed and having just as much fun as the kids she's coaching. 

A - he definitely had his moments of greatness and moments of being 3. The county mixed the 3-4 boys this year so he was the youngest as they come. Sitting and laying around the field during the game were not encouraged but did happen on more than one occasion. It was pretty easy (and funny) to spot the 3s at the last game because they were all sitting out while the 4s were still out there playing. A did somehow manage to score a goal this season and I don't think he really realized it was happening while he was doing it. Looking forward to next season - he wants his team to be named the chickens.

M - I think I had coached about 75% of the girls on M's team at one point in time so we had a pretty firm basis to go on. The county threw everyone for a loop and moved us up to the big field which I wasn't thrilled about but it turned out to be okay. Games were good but trying to coach girls to play on that size field at practice was difficult. M refused to play goalie - which was fine we had plenty of volunteer/victims : ) M scored a handful of goals and was one of the younger players out there - with her BFF of course. Defense is something we'll work on for next season and not going too far forward - but when you are 5 and the ball is way on the other side of the field it is hard to not follow it.

R - For having not played soccer in 5 seasons, I'd say it was a good season for R. Soccer doesn't really fit her personality but I'm so glad we did not do softball - I don't think I'm softball mom material. R played forward for the season and if we could just focus her into the ball when it was close to her she'd be pretty good I think.

E - She was definitely one of the oldest in her age group. She begged to play up so she and R would not be on the same team BUT I'm glad that didn't happen. E played mostly forward and a bit of mid. She shook off a bit of her timidness and I actually told her to stop pushing people in the second to last game they played. If we could get a locked ankle that would make a world of a difference.

Coach MOI - Even though I know I could easily not coach, I really do enjoy it. I mean sometimes the kids will drive to absolutely nuts at practice but what I 'get out of it' - the teaching and the fun and the moments of - of my goodness they really get it - make the time put in totally worth it. I will say coaching a group of boys is challenging compared to girls. Boys are really busy and girls just love to chat. Having M's team on the big field is the first time I've actually written out subs and who is playing where - which in the end was a huge help because juggling subs and equal playing time is not my forte. With E&R's team, I am ever so glad I did not coach them. I was the assistant but they definitely benefitted from being responsible to someone else - which I knew it would be. They couldn't have asked for a better coach.

Overall - A's team lost a game and won the rest - they were a motivated groups of little guys to watch. M's team remained undefeated for the second season in a row. M scored the winning goal in our closest game thanks to our faithful assistant who reminded me and everyone on the team we HAD to score and we only had 4 minutes to do so. E&R's team didn't lose a game in the regular season and tied the eventual tournament champions during the regular season. Their team was probably a lower barrel team to start with but their coach really brought them together as a team and pushed them to be runners up in the tournament.

MayFIies, May Flies, May's Flown

Well May has come and gone. In some ways it flew by and others I didn't know if it'd ever be over. I really tried to be present this May and not wish it away. My goal was to take at least a picture a day - and I did that for every day except two. We made it through the craziest part of pool season with alot of asking for and receiving help. It was a fast month. It was a fun month. Here they are with a quick description... 

Quick trip

Soccer snacks

Insta-beach

Goal scorer

PAPA!!!!!!!

Twining 

Bookworm

Accessorizing

Mother's Day breakfast

NINE!

Pom-posting

Reminders...

Character Day

A plane!

Nerves

BUS!

Game time prep

Great church behavior celebration

Dinner mess

The first last

Rock selecting

A really big water gun

Opening Weekend

First popsicle of the summer

Sweet celebrations

Runners Up

EOY Party Ham

The second end sadness

Holy Week and Bright Week

Linking up with Kelly ... we survived and writing about it a month later

---1---

Soccer FINALLY began the Tuesday of Holy Week. It has rained and rained and rained here and the first two weekends of soccer were canceled. 

A's team is the Tigers and A is intent on scoring a goal so he can go out for his first goal ice cream treat. He thinks he scores goals in warm ups but I keep telling him it has to be DURING the game. We are working on that concept.

---2---

Our crew survived Holy Week... 

Good Friday vespers and PB and jelly or honeys was our simple meal of choice. I remain quite proud of the kids powering through 5 of 8 days at church services and all the travel time that went along with that. 

---3---

Holy Saturday is a strange day, no? Not solemn like Good Friday but not celebratory like Pascha. Lee cooked all day. The girls and I made cupcakes to go along with a meal Lee was cooking: 

They worked on their Cake Decorating badge for AHG. 

We learned about different frosting dyes and piping with the star tip. That was interesting to say the least. 

M and A decorated a few remaining cupcakes with sprinkles which was waaaaaaaaaay more up my alley. 

Their flower and butterfly cupcakes with piping!

Sprinklers!

We dropped all of them off knowing there were lots of sweets to be had at church and at Grammy's the next day but there was lots of bowl, and knife and spatula licking :  )

---4---

It was a late and colder Pascha than normal

As in I had to swap out the sandals for tights and closed toed shoes late Saturday night. Pascha Matins and DL is a LONG service and the kids gave it their best. 

Then we went to my parents for dinner and basket hunting. Pringles and cereal are also a huge hit and I am still looking for about half of the peg dolls I gave them (which does not make me a happy mama). 

---5---

The last week of April aka Spring Break - I decided that M needed to giving swimming a whirl - just so she could feel good about it going into the summer season. Soccer was off that week and they were out of school so it seemed like a good idea. 

Which meant lots of park time for A and C

Which they loved

Forever with shoes on the wrong feet... 

---6---

So there was lots of swimming and one tired M who powered through most of it

She couldn't decide if she loved it or hated it because she always said she wanted to go to swim practice but then while she was there she got really nervous (spoiler - we ended up swimming in May and she's been doing much better)

---7---

The Friday of Bright Week it rained

So A and C and me were stuck inside while the big girls did yoga during their swim. I realize there are some questionable breathing and noising and intentions that cane be made during some yoga classes but I trust that is not being taught at our Y. E even said she wanted to go to yoga class so maybe there will be a kids yoga class in the works? 

Then we all headed home to enjoy some super meaty pizza on a Friday which is basically unheard of around these parts : )