November -- all ready?!?!

Stefan's last game was a mud-bowl! Look at his head!

Joey was working so hard during this game... he ran and ran and ran.


Easy to spot Joey with all that hair!


Practice shots at dusk.


The fall has swished passed me. It is one of our crazy-busy seasons, but we love all that we get to do and see. Soccer took up all of our time. I coached Emmi and Stefan's teams and Joey played premiere.

Emmi's Team: I was not suppose to coach this team, but the coach was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, needless to say, I took on the team. It is hard to coach 6, 6-year-old girls. I struggled with at times with the parents, but in the end, the girls improved their skills. I'm proud of them. I didn't get to take any pictures of Emmi -- I was coaching! I have some friends that took photos that I will post as soon as I figure out how to transfer them!

Stefan's Team: This is the second year I coached this team. I love these boys. 4 weeks into the season, my assistant coach (and thus one of my players, her son) moved out of town. So, I was left to coach on my own. Another Dad stepped in to help out when he could. These boys really improved. Our last game we beat the first team we played at the start of the season. The boys were very happy. One of the parents from the other team came and told me what a great job I'd done with the boys... "they REALLY improved" I just chuckled. They've always been a good team, they just needed to learn how to work with each other.


Team Juventus 98!
Only 1 loss this season... great job boys!



Joey's Team: Juventus 98-- what a great experience. We we warned when we put him on a premier team. You know, everyone always has a story (including me). Joey is on a team with two great coaches and a group of outstanding boys. He had a great season of learning... he learned a lot. He made us so proud and he made himself proud.

Miss Em and the Pumpkin Patch

Emmi and Miss Sandy (her Pre-K teacher from last year).


Playing with older siblings!

A
The hay maze...


We took a boat ride to get to the fields of pumpkins... we encountered a dragon,

pirates,

and a shark!


The boat.
Emmi listening to the lesson on wheat.




Emmi was lucky enough to get to go to the pumpkin patch with my preschool class. We happened to go on a day that she doesn't have school!

She loved being one of the oldest (there were a couple of siblings along with us).

She made her own name tag... "everyone must know my name!"

It was fun to get to be with just Emmi on an outing. She is getting so big and mature... until she doesn't get her way. Funny, eh. She wanted a huge pumpkin, but we were allowed to take a "soccer ball" sized pumpkin. I finally talked her into picking out a small pumpkin for me and promised her that we will get her a big pumpkin with her brothers.

Now, I need to fit in another trip to another pumpkin patch :)

My little six year old!

Emmi is six.... seems like just yesterday she was a tiny baby. Now, she's a big girl with ideas and thoughts and an opinion!

Emmi & Tante

New American Girl doll... it's looks just like me:)

Joe and his new artwork. It was a t-shirt of bridges that he bought for his Dad. The t-shirt had been worn and loved by Joe after Opa's passing and it had a hole in it. I turned it into something that he can, hopefully, still enjoy.

New Packer hat!

Jeep

Joe

Emmi was so excited to open her doll.

A new blanket (and doll clothes) from Oma!

Joey reading one of Emmi's cards to her.

Emmi's new ring.


Modeling the poncho that was knit by Tante.


Joey

Stefan reading one of Emmi's card to her with Tante.

New doll outfit from Grandma.

Papa and Auntie Deena

Emmi and Grandma

Friend birthday party... blowing out the candles on her HUGE cupcake cake.

Good friends... Claire, Emmi & Ariel

Sweet little girls.

Gifts for her friends... a new hairband, and a fun box with a balloon inside and a rice crispy treat.

The table before the party began.

PreK Graduation

I just downloaded almost 200 pictures off of the camera... and that was only the first 2 weeks of June. It was a very busy 2-weeks indeed.

Emmi graduated from PreK this year. She has been a student at Noah's Ark Preschool for 3 years, but has been at the school as a sibling since she was 10 days old. She loves Noah's Ark, she loves the teachers, she loves the pastors... it is her school.

Miss Em

I had to throw this in... Molly is chasing Jeep... she can still play when she wants to. Jeep gets so excited!

Emmi and I had a field trip on the Portland Spirit. We take all of the preschool kids and their families (we have just over 100 preschool kids). We go every other year. Emmi was so excited to have mommy to herself. We went to lunch after the cruise with the preschool staff and Emmi ordered shrimp! That's my girl :)



This is the new preschool sign to celebrate 20 years... it is very cute!

Teacher for a Day!

One of the greatest joys of being 'Top Banana' for the week is getting to be the teacher. Emmi had her turn last week. She did a good job, I'm told... she was a little quiet, but knew what to do.

Counting straws for each day we've been at school.


Reading the morning message and finding letters with her buddy, Claire.

Bible verse with buddy Calvin.

Flag Salute


A future teacher? We'll have to wait and see. Right now she wants to be a vet, a groomer and work at the dentist with Grandma... kids!