More old pictures.

We have recently put more old pictures on our computer and am enjoying remembering old times. This was when AJ was born...in the year 2000. I am not sure they have ever been this close again! Look how cute! Ally had the best curls ever! (she is going to kill me when she sees these photos).

2008 Soccer Season Ends!

The 2008 season it finally over. It was a great season for both kids. They had great coaches, great kids on their teams and great families that were excited to support their kids. Both teams went undefeated. This last weekend, they played in a tournament (the Turkey Jamboree). The weather turned out to be beautiful and the soccer just as great! Again, they went undefeated in the tournament. Ally's team played up an age level, so our 9/10 year old girls played against 11 year old girls. This turned out to be great competition. Our girls had to work much harder to get a goal, against girls that were heads taller than our girls. However, they were not intimidated! They were able to win all 3 games, usually just by one goal. But that is all it takes! Needless to say, soccer is over. It is such crazy time of year....I think it is the busiest sports season we are involved in; most likely because both kids are playing. AJ will move into basketball starting next week, but Ally will not be playing anything for a few months...so that makes it much easier. It was so fun to watch Ally and AJ grow, learn and develop their soccer skills. Great job, kids! We are so proud of you!! GO REVOLUTION!!!




AJ and Kolin after taking the coin toss at the beginning of the game.




Great kick, AJ!



Once again...great move! Does he score? Not sure....let's say he did!




Ally using her great speed to get past the giant girls they were competing against!



Looking good on the soccer field!

A Day off From School!

The kids had a day off today for Veteran's Day. So, my friend Jodi and I took the girls to see High School Musical 3. We loved the first two, and the girls also liked this one. ( I thought the first 2 were better). It is definitely a girl movie. Connor was at his cousins and AJ got to go to his friend, Kolin's for the afternoon. It was a good day to spend at the movies as the weather is changing.
The girls posing for a picture with the cast....hey, Where's Troy and Gabriella?!


This is what happens most afternoons at our house.....the boys are in front of the TV playing video games. What happend to being outside and playing cops and robbers or baseball? I hope we are not raising lazy kids!!

Susan turns 40!

Yikes....that dreaded day finally came! Yes, I turned 40. I was really not looking forward to it, but when I woke up that morning, I was able to get out of bed as usual. Nothing hurt, I could still see and well, no gray hairs showed up:) Well, it was a great day! I got to go to brunch with my girlfriends from church, then shopping with Steve and then dinner with the family. I thought this was it, but, much to my surprise, there was more waiting at home. After dinner, I wanted to go to Target. But, Steve made an excuse that he needed to go home (to use the bathroom:)....so I conceded. When we got home, many friends from our Care Group from church were there, waiting in the dark to surprise me! It was truly great...even though I had said I did not want a party. It was a fun night of fun and fellowship. I feel great and look forward to the 40's....which is the new 30, I think!:)

Looking Back!!

I was looking back at the pictures that were on the computer and feeling somewhat nostalgic. I just turned 40 a few days ago and wonder where the time goes. It is so great to see how things have changed, yet some things are the same. We are truly blessed to have a great family, great friends and everything we need. Thank you, Lord for always taking care of us and providing whatever we need.
Here a few pictures to share! Enjoy!!




Ally's first year of playing soccer. She was so nervous about her first practice that it took 30 minutes to get her out of the car. Here she is playing goalie....needless to say, she no longer plays that position, since she is scared of the ball hitting her:)



These are my brother's kids in 2005....Carlos, Chelsea and Derrick with Ally and AJ at Easter.


AJ's first year of soccer...they were only barely 5 years old... look how little they are. He still plays with his friends Kolin and Connor. They have come a long way! This year the team was undefeated! Way to go boys!!



It has been a yearly tradition to go trick-or-treating with our friends the Elwells. Here they kids are Halloween 2005....Those were the days when Disney characters were still cool!


Sarah, Ally, AJ and Sam. The Downey cousins--minus Brittney (where is she?) Anyway...that year it was still okay to sing in front of the video camera! How time does fly!!

Halloween 2008!

Halloween is not my favorite holiday and our kids don't even enjoy dressing up....but they love getting the candy! This year was a tough decision as to what kind of costume they wanted to wear. So, Ally decided on a "spa girl" and we found AJ a skeleton outfit. They both looked good. We couldn't talk Ally into wearing a mud mask on her face, but at least she had her sleep mask! You couldn't even tell it was AJ because of his mask...however, he did not wear it all night, claiming that "he could not breathe!"


Getting ready to leave for "trick-or-treating". I am sure there are times that AJ would love to do this to his sister! :) Luckily the weather cleared up for the night. That morning it was pouring down rain!




Ally and her friend Jordan decided to dress alike!




Here is the gang! AJ, Connor, Megan (a friend of Siera's), Brooke, a friend of Kaylee's, Kaylee, Ally and Ally's friend Jordan. Our first stop was Woodcreek Landing with our good friends the Elwells. We have been trick-or-treating with them for about 6 years...so the kids could not let that tradition die! They then went on to our neighborhood and spent about an hour going door-to-door. I got to stay home and hand out candy!

SCARY!!!! Connor and AJ looking their best.....with masks covering their faces!:)