Best. Video. Ever!

One of my favorite parts on WDW was seeing my kids let loose in the middle of Main street during shows and parades! Woody (of Toy Story fame) also liked it. Here's the proof:

Isn't Armour awesome!!

Disney World according to Armour

I liked the "Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki room" (Note from mom-he is singing this over and over). There were lots of beautiful birds!! I loved Splash Mountain but Test Track was my favorite ride. I love both those rides because they go fast. Splash mountain goes fast when it goes down and Test Track goes fast around the building.

I am glad I got to go to Disney World. You should go some time because I KNOW you will LOVE it!

Tower of Terror...staring Solace, Ender & Armour

As I mentioned in one of my earlier Disney posts, Kindle is 40 inches tall and thus barely tall enough for a lot of the big rides. At first we got her to go on a few, then she decided she only likes flat, slow, non scary rides. Yeah-she's a real dare devil! So, by the time we got to Tower of Terror, we were pretty sure it was not for her as it falls (not flat), is fast and scary. However, we got to the line, got a rider swap, and Kindle measured herself and walked over to Wes to go in. We told her it was scary, it drops, and was fast, and she insisted she wanted to go on it with Wes. INSISTED. We didn't think she would like it but we had decided before we left that we were willing to let them try the rides and form their own opinions. So, Wes entered the line with Solace, Ender, Armour and Kindle. I went to a shady spot to wait.

About 5-10 minutes passed then I saw Wes and Kindle coming out the front. I assumed he was bringing her to me, then running back in line with the others. But he told me that right at the point it takes you into another room, at the point of no return, Kindle refused to go through the door. The other kids were already in the room, so Wes yelled to them to go on and we would meet them at the exit. Solace tried to bail and go with Wes but he told her she needed to stay with the the boys.

They were on their own on the Tower of Terror...an 8 year old, a 7 year old and a 5 year old...interesting...I went into the exit and talked to a very nice lady about what had happened and she told me they would come out this way whether they went on or got too scared. She let Wes, Kindle, Everest and I wait in the area where you can buy pictures. I got more and more anxious as I waited and after what seemed to me like an eternity, the 3 of them walked out holding hands with Solace in the middle. All with fake grins. We asked how it was...Ender and Solace started reciting a rehearsed answer about how good it was and how they were hardly scared at all. Armour said "It was terrible. I did not like it." We asked them all 3 who wanted to go use the rider swap with me...they all refused!
We were glad to have our crew back and were grabbing the stroller to go when a lady-a random stranger came over and handed us a card and said "This is their picture number-you will want this one!"

Our curiosity peaked and although we had vowed not to purchase any Photo pass pictures at the outrageous prices, we went to the counter to see the picture (how could we resist with the strangers recommendation). We bought the download...Have you ever seem sheer terror before? Well, check out this picture:

Well-we managed to test out their fear level and scare them sufficiently. And they got to be big kids and do this all on their own! How grown up are they?!

Soccer and Football LAST year

Well, as we are about to begin a new fall season of sports ina couple of weeks, I thought I better get the pictures from LAST year up here. How did it get a YEAR behind?! (Hey at least I did get huge events like Solace's baptism and Everest's birth in here)

Anyway, Armour played soccer and Ender opted for flag football for the first time last year. Solace was also going to play soccer but here team was cancelled due to a lack of a coach.

So, first about Armour's soccer...Armour is our natural athlete, and he is ubercompetative. He was on a team with his friend from church, Romey, and she is equally competative. They were playing against each other more than against the other teams most of the time-each of them trying to keep the ball to themselves. Armour was a great player and got lots of goals through the season and had one game where he got 10 goals. Here are a few pictures:

Now about Ender...that kids is a goofball, but he is also very talented. The very first practice was hot and he was in a mood. He kept trying to leave practice and was having major breakdowns. I kept making him go back in over and over and ignored his fit. It got MUCH better after that and he was a star quarterback on the team by the end of the season. He says he got 3 touchdowns on one game (I do not remember, but I think he did not actually run those td's in...he passed them to the guys that did). Wes was on a rotation where he could not attend many games and he could not go to any practices, so I had to take the kids on my own.

Here's a little story about football...One of the techs that Wes was working with at the time had a son on Ender's team. I never thought I would be a yeller mom on the sidelines, but as it turns out, I have a lot to say to the refs adn coaches already-high school should be interesting...

Anyway-after the first practice and first game, Wes was going to be able to come to the 2nd game. So, Wes asked the Tech, Peter, about how it had been going (before he went to the game). Peter said "Oh man-there is a mom that is so awesome-she was making her kids get back in the game and did not put up with any crap from him, the refs or the coach. I will have to point her out to you at the game." Of course at the game Peter came over to Wes who was obviously with me and said "um...I guess the lady is your wife." HAHAHA I am SOOO "THAT" mom...

Here are some of the pictures of football:

And here is a bonus pic of Wes and Kindle on the sidelines:

The boys had a lot of fun and will be returning to the sports they each played last year. This year we will add in a third sport with Solace playing Volleyball for the first time! That will be fun and busy! :)

Armour and Wes the models!!

Yesterday was a big day for Armour!! Not only did he get a baby brother, but his (and dad's) "modeling shoot" magazine came out. Could not let the day pass without including that as well! Here's a pic of the cover and the inside pics:

Didn't it turn out cute!!

Armour's 4th Birthday July 26, 2010 at Worlds of Fun!!!

Well, Army could not have been more spoiled on his birthday last summer...my parents and Spence came into town and we decided to take a trip down to Kansas to check out Worlds of Fun...Boy did we have fun!! Armour was in heaven! Sadly, no other birthday will live up...

Looks like a blast, no? (BTW-the last picture was taken at Liberty Jail)

Kindergarten round up=Ender home!!

Here in Omaha, they have a thing called Kindergarten Round up each year. On that day current kindergartners stay home while the kindergartners for next year go to part of the school day with the teachers. With Ender home for Kindergarten round up, we wanted to do something special so we walked over to the park and had a picnic. Above is us eating our picnic, and below are a few more pics:

Kindle trying her hand at playing on her own

Here is the school boy in a variety of fun playtime activities!

This is Armour being the grumpy old troll (from Dora)...he did crack a smile and lose character a few times...

What fun it was to have one of our school kids home!!! We did miss Solace that day...