Ivy's Gymnastics

As soon as Ivy was old enough (In our minds) we let her join gymnastics. With brother going three days a week it was very hard for her to understand why she only went once a week. In the beginning we would have tears whenever she asked where brother was and the answer was "gymnastics". At the end of each semester the classes do a "show". Family gets to join the students in the gym to take pictures and see what they have been learning. Unfortunately the lighting is pretty bad, or maybe its the camera, but the pictures did not turn out too well.

Happy girl!

Not quite sure what this face is. But she was very happy to stand on the block and get her award. She seems to enjoy it, so I hope she wants to stick with it.

First Gymnastics Meet

So this past Friday was Izaac's first gymnastics meet since joining the team this summer. Going into this meet, we had no idea what to expect and I have to admit I was very taken aback with the enormity of this event. This meet was a learning experience for all of us. We now know what to pack in Izaac's bag, that we need to bring something to write his scores down on and to be prepared to be there for a verrrrry loooong time.



We had to be there at 3:30pm on a Friday afternoon...so there were a few problems with that as you can imagine, for example work and school. But we have been reassured by fellow parents that this is not normal (we can always hope). This picture is of team warm-up and stretch. After this the teams got to rotate though all of the apparatuses for timed warm-up.

Here the teams are lined up waiting to be introduced. It looked like, but I did not pay too much attention, that there were at least 10 teams competing. There were about 85 competing in Izaac's level and about half of those were 7 year olds.

You can see from this picture how big the building is. I count 8 teams here and I know there are more to the right that are not shown in this picture, so there could have been more than 10 teams. We were amazed that at least two of the teams came from Louisiana.

There was a lot of waiting. Izaac with Coach David

Izaac on the high bar.

This was the first time that we got to see all of his routines. We have seen bits and pieces of each one, but you never really get to see them in their entirety. Turns out that if you go to YouTube and search "level 4 gymnastics routines" you will see the exact same thing that Izaac did. Nation wide, all level 4's do the same thing...who knew...we didn't. Did I say we were learning;-) Tobie played soccer, I swam, we are not gymnastics people. Now we need to figure out how they score...

Floor routine.

Waiting for his turn on the floor.

My hope is that on Monday, Izaac will go to practice and find out from his coaches what he needs to work on for his next meet...Which is next Sunday at 2pm. So starts the gymnastics season:-) And as long as Izaac is having fun and is enjoying it, we will let him continue.

Santa

Warning!Santa spoiler alert!!!

This year my kids are VERY excited about Santa!

Izaac has been dreaming up Santa traps...we even had a bubble wrap floor for awhile.

He has been analyzing all of the Christmas specials and you can see his brain working. At one point he turned and looked at us and said "Is that how it happens?" Tobie and I only managed that parent head bob we all know to well. The only saving grace is that he believes in magic, and truly believes that Santa is magic. I don't have a problem letting him believe that because the memory and true spirit of Santa is truly magical. When the time comes, and he asks "THE" question, I will tell him. Tobie and I had this discussion the other night and we decided that the correct answer is "In the spirit, memory and love of Santa, your Dad and I put the gifts under the tree". I will cry that day...

Ivy was all worked up before we saw Santa, because she really did not know what to ask him for. She was in tears, not because she was frightened, but because she did not know an answer to the questions "What do you want for Christmas?" Of course we provided her with answers;-) We also told her is was OK to tell Santa to bring her what ever he thought she might want...see how we did that...


Just seeing this picture makes me get teary eyed. I hope it is not the last one where Izaac "believes". Luckily Ivy had calmed down by this time.

Both my kids understand that this is Jesus' day. Izaac came back from the children's mass last Sunday and whispered in my ear that he wants to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus on Christmas. And Ivy is fascinated with babies's, so baby Jesus is very interesting to her.

A healthy mix of God and Santa is what I am shooting for.

Gingerbread House

Every year the cousins get together at Gran and Papa's house to make a gingerbread house. This year Kyle missed because he was sick. So this time it was just the three younger cousins. We never partake in the eating of said gingerbread house...there are always waaaaay too many germs floating around on the thing. The kids have been known to put on a piece of candy, lick fingers and continue...there is a bit of an ick factor to the whole thing.

This year the base structure of the house was a chocloate cookie insead to the typical gingerbread...but I still will refrain.

Needless to say, they always turn out to be master pieces, and they are so proud of their creation.

Yummy!

Happy Birthday Ivy

It seems just like yesterday that Ivy came into our world. Now she is 4!!! Time is moving way to fast! From an infant in our arms...

to a big girl blowing out her candles.

Lalaloopsy doll happiness!

Monster House

This is a video taken one night before Tobie had the whole show ready.

Halloween 2010

Halloween is always a big decoration event at our house. This year Tobie stepped it up even further with a mouth that "moved" with the music. Tobie gathered some of the neighborhood kids to take a few photos before he took down all of the decorations.

The house in mid-song.

The kids could not resist getting in a morbid picture. Their idea, not Tobies:-)

Ivy was Jessie this year. She fell in love with the boots that I bought her to go with the outfit, and now she wears them all the time!