Who needs toys?

My first post in a very long time and it's kids with buckets on their heads....well, it's probably more interesting to watch than reading about our packed daily schedule of work, school, classes, etc. would be!  So, on this Saturday morning, this is what's happening at our house.  I could seriously probably get rid of all their toys and they would happily play with empty buckets, jump on all the furniture and--the best "toy" of all--climb all over daddy!

Kate's new favorite words

APPARENTLY, Kate has three new favorite words which are: apparently, confident and vegetarian.  I'm not sure where she heard them, but she slips them into conversation all day long, pretty much always out of context because she doesn't really know what they mean (and, apparently, doesn't care--I've tried).  She tends to get 'apparently' correct once in awhile since she just slips it in at the beginning of most sentences.  'Confident,' however, has been used to describe a chair and the oven.  And a few days when she couldn't unbuckle her car seat, Kate exclaimed, "well, that's just a vegetarian!!"  Today, though, she has acquired a "pretend friend" named Sophie who was described as having a blue, red and purple spin-y dress that is "prettier than your wedding dress" and is--you've got it--a confident vegetarian.  Sounds like Sophie is a force to be reckoned with--kind of like someone else I know!

Kate does Taylor Swift & Katy Perry....

A friend with a pony....

...is a great friend to have!!  Kate's friend Hailey's family runs a horse boarding and shoeing business, and they've also got two ponies which the kids got a chance to ride last weekend.  Kate even started learning how to steer by herself!  Hailey's dad patiently walked Will around their whole property since he didn't want to get off.  They've also got all measure of farm machinery and Will was particularly excited that he got to operate the bucket on the tractor--Grandpa Bobby, Will is probably going to ask you to "upgrade" your tractor since he's been wondering why yours doesn't have a big bucket on it.  I think the days that we can fool him with a riding lawn mower are numbered!  They also loved feeding Hailey's chickens and collecting the eggs, although Kate is now seriously curious why some eggs turn to chicks and some don't....every time we crack an egg, she asks, "Do you think it's going to be a real chick?"  Probably just the beginning of tough questions for which I have no great, satisfactory answer!  Of course, Kate also told me that "we should just get a pony for our house."  I told her that we didn't have room in our yard, and she said "well, daddy can just make some more room!"  Hailey's parents said she came home from our house saying that they needed a new house with a playroom, so I guess we're even.

On another note, I can't quite believe it's already Friday again when I meant to put these pictures up last Sunday!  Oh well, looks like life is only going to get busier.  Someone recently suggested that maybe I should read the book "250 Ways to Say No" since I don't seem to be very good at that!  I must say, though, that it's fun to be busy when I get to do so many things that involve our fantastic kids and the amazing community we've found here.  We've definitely found "our place" in the world, which is a pretty special think to have found!

Kate's best quote of the day

"Daddy, I'm really in love with you.  Maybe when I'm the same age as you, we can get married."  How sweet!

How Kate & Will spend their day

No wonder they are tired by the end of the day!

Will's first day of soccer!

Well, not so much soccer as the games/drills/stuff (very technical term, I know) you do before soccer, I guess.  Whatever it was, he loved it!  Lots of running so I'm sure he'll sleep well tonight.  Most of all, I think, he loved that he was taking a class ("like sissy") and he proudly showed the hand stamps they gave him at the end to anyone he could!

First goal (he clapped wildly for himself)

They played a game where they got to make towers out of cones and then kick it over--PERFECT for boys! :)

Learning how to follow directions and "sit on the line"

First soccer cheer!