Our Becker Blog

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Wed, 24 May 2017 21:32:00 +0000

My Mother's Day was very nice this year. My kids all made me lots of amazing gifts and we enjoyed a lunch downtown (after soccer, of course) and then grabbed some ice cream.

Josie answered some questions about me for her "special gift." I'm trying to figure out why my children think I drink "beard" - because I literally NEVER do. Occasionally when we are at a restaurant, but it's so rare...also wondering why Josie thinks I need "a heart" for Mother's Day. Hmmmm...

Josie and Nolan made me picture magnets of themselves at Mom's Morning Out. Apparently Nolan was timid and Josie was, well, JOSIE.

Spring

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 22 May 2017 21:20:00 +0000

Spring brings SO many activities...we STILL have soccer going on - (aka the sport that never ends) and now we have also added baseball.

Jack's team is undefeated and he's LOVING playing machine pitch this year!

This picture is call "My Parents Won't Buy My Picture for $33 - So Mom Snapped This By a Tree...For FREE." Seriously. I need a time machine to go back, open a sports photography company in a HSE community and I'll be all set. Sorry, photogs - this mama ain't playing your game.

Spring also means approx. 3465 end of the year activities. Above was Jack's Author's Cafe. He wrote a book about Snakes. Not my favorite subject - but definitely my favorite author.

Nolan ended his 2's class on a FUN note...nothing like picking your nose in the class picture. This is SO Nolan. If you don't know him - this is just how he is... "Oh, you're going to take our picture? You want us to look cute? Hmmm - I'm not down with that. But I will stick my finger in my nostril for you." Believe it or not - he's heading to PRESCHOOL next year! If I'm a bit obsessed with getting this kid potty trained - it's because I already have 26 of my 3 "free mornings"a week - planned and he needs to get to school....

And then we have sweet Josephine. She ended her gymnastics career (perhaps permanently?!?) and is in the midst of her own soccer season. She is our free spirit - happy on the soccer field or picking flowers or painting a picture. In the above picture she was NOT happy that it started pouring rain as her game was starting. Dancing in the rain? YES. Playing soccer in the rain. No.

And today Josie celebrated the END OF PRESCHOOL with a picnic in the park. She had a super awesome, small class...and she LOVED everything about her school year. We are so lucky to send her off to such a fun and loving school.

I know I say I'll be a better blogger. But every time I sit down at my computer - I'm working and hoping to be done as fast as possible...because I'm probably late to a soccer practice.

Redemption

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 17:22:00 +0000

Nolan is usually hit or miss on school days. The terrible two's are real... A few weeks ago - I removed him from class for being a jerk. (I'm allowed to call him that, I birthed him)

Last week - his regular teacher was gone and I held my breath for the Nolan backlash, but he did pretty well adjusting.

Spying on Josie in her music class. They literally fight over whose school this is... "It's MY school." "Noon, it's MY school."

Apparently Clifford was the way to his heart. Look at that eager listener!

Weekend Wrap

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 19:06:00 +0000

If you need us on ANY Friday night from now until April - we'll be at soccer games. {insert eye roll} I love soccer and that Jack plays it, but I can think of about 45 others ways to spend a Friday night. Regardless - we are a soccer family...

Josie and Nolan are good sports about giving up their movie night to watch Jack.

Saturday Tyson installed new light fixtures in our kitchen. He's handy. If you would like him to install some fixtures for you...no problem. It's just ONE year of college tuition. Let's just say - it was harder than it appeared and he will probably NEVER do it again.

Sunday we headed off to the BIG hill in Northville for some family sledding. Jack and Josie are seasoned pros...and Nolan decided it was one of his favorite things, too. Tyson was a good sport - hauling Nolan plus the sled up the giant hill a handful of times. Nolan screamed the WHOLE way down - in elation. I took him down the hill once, but I screamed in fear. Jack was being a daredevil - per usual - and smacked him face on the ground. He had a pretty nasty bloody nose...but definitely not his first, nor his last.

Sunday night we watched most of the Super Bowl game...Boo Brady. But the kids really enjoyed Lady Gaga's performance at half time. She killed it. Busy week ahead for us!

6 more weeks of Winter

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 19:51:00 +0000

Earlier this week we had 3-4 inches of snow...which meant my kids just HAD to play outside in it. I have no idea where I went wrong with parenting. But these kids think snow is FUN.

Somehow the swing set becomes MORE fun in the winter than it is in the summer. I don't understand.

When she's an adult - she will believe this hill was MUCH bigger than it actually is...

I swore this kid wouldn't last 5 min outside in the cold. Wrong. He loves it. Last one inside...

I would post a video of what Jack was doing...but it was reckless and dangerous. I let him do it anyway...and hoped the snow would break his fall without breaking his bones.

Not a joke: he really tried to come in my house with this snowball. "I pay inside with snow, mom." Not how it works, two year old. I promised him if he left it on the deck - it would still be there the next day.

And today - Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow...so I guess we will keep our snow shovel handy until mid-April or so...

Weekend Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 16:25:00 +0000

Last Friday - Nolan and I enjoyed his Mommy & Me 2's class....well, we enjoyed MOST of it. He had a little issue with sitting quietly for the story. After a few outbursts - he was removed from class (by me). He can be sweet as can be...or downright ornery. Friday he was a little of both.

Friday night Tyson had promised Jack he would have a sleepover with him in the guest room. That turned into a sleepover for ALL three of them (plus Tucker). After a few attempts to get Nolan to stay in one spot - he was removed from the sleepover (lots of removal for Nolan Friday) and Josie & Jack were left to have a sleepover together. Needless to say, it was a late night for them and everyone was a tad more grumpy on Saturday.

Saturday morning we headed off to the lake for some quiet time. Nancy & Denny joined us and it was nice to just sit in the house and relax. Sunday night - when we got home - it was everyone's FAVORITE time: HOMEWORK TIME! (Totally sarcastic) No one enjoys homework time. Jack was NOT feeling it, as you can see... The struggle on Sunday nights is SO real.

Gym Rats

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 16:16:00 +0000

Last week - the flu had settled into my head - which lead to ear pain and stuffiness. By Thursday I was just ready to NOT be sick anymore. We headed off to a local Gymnastics gym for some fun. Josie has really been excited to do gymnastics and I wanted to see her in action.

She did the high beam - no problem. I don't think Olympic Gold medalist is in her future - but she has decent balance and upper body strength. It was fun to see her excited about it.

Nolan did some balancing, too.

And spent some time jumping into the foam pit.

It was a fun-filled morning! I left with two tired kids - who somehow still refused to take naps.

The Flu

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Sun, 22 Jan 2017 17:31:00 +0000

Thursday afternoon I started to feel a sore throat coming on...

By the time Tyson got home from work - I was full-on sick and heading to bed.

I ran a fever all night, body aches - absolutely MISERABLE. Friday morning - Tyson took the older two kids to school and I got to stay in bed with my buddy, Nolan. If you've ever felt like death AND been responsible for a bouncing-off-the-walls (literally) two year old...then I am TRULY sorry for you. I used the iPad as much as was humanly possible. TV? sure. Snacks in bed? fine. At some point I probably would have handed him a crayon and let him go crazy...

Again, by the time Tyson came home - I was buried in my bed. I knew it was the actual flu...because the ONE year I don't get a flu shot...I'll surely get the flu.

These two loyal boys were HAPPY as can be to spend hours in bed with me. Cooper never left my side, because he refuses to pass up any opportunity to nap. Fortunately - I am feeling a ton better today...still not 100% - but SO much better than Friday. And I'm praying that NO ONE else in the family gets it.

Happy Birthday - School is CANCELLED

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 13:00:00 +0000

So - Tuesdays are MY days. They are the ONLY day, all week, when I have a few hours alone. Not even a lot...just a few. I love Tuesdays. And I was SUPER excited that my birthday fell on a TUESDAY this year - because what says "YAY, 35!" more than a pedicure and a solo stroll through Target with a coffee? Nothing.

So at 5:45AM - when I got a phone call...(and then no one was there)...followed by a SECOND phone call at 5:50 tell me that school was CANCELLED - I felt a tinge of "SERIOUSLY, UNIVERSE?!?!?"

We had freezing rain. Yes, the roads were slick...but...ugh. Don't get me wrong - I love my kids. I do. But we had a 3 day weekend. And...well, solo shopping...

I decided I would still go to Target - because I had limited choices. So we ALL went and it was NOT peaceful or enjoyable. But Jack & Josie had some gift cards to use...and I may have found a couple things for myself. Not all bad.

For dinner - we used a Christmas gift from my parents - and ate out as a family at Center Street Grill. We are always the "party" table...and often NOT in a good way. But we had plenty of cheers-ing (yes, I made that a verb) and my kitchen - at home - remained clean.

After dinner - we picked up some mini cupcakes for everyone...including two "pupcakes" for the dogs.

Thankful for this beautiful life or 35 years. Planning on CRUSHING the next 35! Watch out, world.

Ice Walking

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 04:48:00 +0000

We had a 3 day weekend (that turned into a 4 day weekend) this past week and we took that opportunity to head to the lake for some R&R. The lake is 1hr 40ish minutes - door to door - which makes it a perfect weekend get away. We feel like it's a vacation - even in the dead of winter.

Things started off rough - when I realized we left BOTH Josie & Nolan's coats at home. Who does that? Rookies. I remedied the situation with a trip to the outlets. I may have also done some personal shopping for MYSELF - but whatever... Above you can see Josie acting like a dog. Not sure.

We didn't have sleds, so we used a float and some dog leashes... You do what you gotta do.

Tyson didn't enjoy the ice walking as much as the rest of us. Maybe it's because he forgot his boots.

See Tucker's pouty face? He's thinking: "Damnit - where did the water go? I wanna swim. The lake is NO FUN in the winter." {Cooper & Tucker cuss a lot - in case you're wondering.}

After dinner - we had some leftover birthday cake and these two got CRAZY! Why we have so many wig options at the lake - is a mystery...but I renamed them Willie & Wanda. Everyone slept well that night.

It's SNOW...no, It's RAIN...No, It's ICE.

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 16:17:00 +0000

A few days ago we woke up to a few inches of snow. Tyson had to be at work early for a meeting - so I trusted Jack to "babysit" and ran out to shovel the driveway.

By the time school was out - the temps had melted quite a bit of the snow...but my kids still wanted to play in it. Good thing they got their fix! We've had SO much rain and now it's starting to ice. This is PURE MICHIGAN.

Nolan tried on Jack's fake glasses the other morning and thought he looked pretty smart. He's a funny kid. Ask him to tell you a knock-knock joke.

Tyson was traveling for work this week...and it was our turn to carpool for soccer. I filled the Suburban up! And also reminded myself that I'm OKAY with my 3 kids. I believe carpool is a great form of birth control. We were a walking circus.

Happy 7th Birthday, Jack!

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 22:19:00 +0000

Dear Jack,
Yesterday you turned 7! And I need to be honest...we did not come through with a party...or even a cake...and this morning you told me that we forgot to sing "happy birthday" to you. I felt like a terrible mom. Holy cow. Who does that?

First of all, I am sorry that you were born so close to the holidays. I feel your pain. January birthdays get the raw end of the deal...mainly because everyone is on a "holiday hangover" and no one wants to have yet ANOTHER party. :(

But - we did celebrate you! We went to see the movie SING! as a family...then for dinner we took everyone, plus your friend, Connor, to Dave & Busters. You guys played games, ate dinner, and drank the most sugary drink EVER. We also had presents for you...so I wasn't a COMPLETE parent failure. And I'm making up for it tonight with your favorite meal: Chicken tacos & a guilt-cake from Costco. We.Will.Sing.

Jack - at 7 - you are funny and kind. You love being with family and friends...yet you definitely crave some quiet time to recharge alone. You love a good joke or a prank. Your favorite shows are America's Funniest Home Videos or any prank show that we deem "age appropriate." You are SUPER creative. You love drawing and singing...but you especially love RAPPING. Straight up, Detroit style. For Christmas you got a microphone and you use your iPad to create beats...and then make up songs. You have talent and I hope you keep working hard.

On the soccer field you are the BEST teammate! You are encouraging and upbeat...although we've had to tone down the "bossiness" in your voice. You just really LOVE TO WIN. You play hard and you never give up...which is my favorite part of watching you play. You are a natural athlete, but you will be successful because of your innate WANT to do your best. You love ALL sports...especially soccer, baseball, football, and basketball (because deep down you're a Hoosier).

You love your dad SO much. And you watch out for your little sister and your little brother. You are becoming more responsible...and I appreciate your help.

Jack, you have a HUGE heart and a love for animals. I love your inquisitive nature...even though I sometimes feel like the questions will never end. I hope you always have a need to find out new information and learn new things. It's one of the BEST qualities you can possess as a person.

Happy birthday to the boy who made me a mom. I love you more than words.

XOXO,
Mom

Are you still here?

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 19:29:00 +0000

I've been a terrible blogger. Apologies. Things got CRAZY at the end of 2016. We have 3 busy kids and I'm running a side-business that feels like a full-time job {at times}. So - I swear, this time I mean it - I will do a better job! Nolan is going to have a huge gap in his "life events" and it's all my fault.

Recap of the end of 2016:

Teeth were lost! Jack has now lost 4 and Josie has lost 2. Nolan has come close to getting a few knocked out...

Fall happened and it was unseasonably warm...which made all of us HAPPY!

For Halloween we had a Kylo Ren, a Snow White, and her side-kick Dopey (sorry, teenage Nolan...I thought it was cute).

After a low-key Thanksgiving - we helped Josie celebrate her 5th birthday! She's a WHOLE HAND now! She had a Tea Party with some friends and it was a very fun time! (See previous post)

For our 11th Anniversary - Tyson and I took a parental time out and flew down to Key West for a long weekend. We had SO much fun...eating, drinking, and honestly, sleeping!!! Yes, I took many naps and slept past 9am. Uncle Bill has a few condos down there and was gracious enough to let us stay in one. He also took us on a bar-hopping tour of Key West and it took me a full day to recover. Our friends, Jeff & Jaime, came down from Miami too! It was SO much fun! Oh, and we took a very adventurous jet ski tour.

We prepped for Christmas with Josie's Live Nativity program and then SANTA came! His BIG gift this year was a bounce house for our basement! Nolan is one happy kid.

For Christmas we spent time in Fort Wayne, with Agnes (visiting from Idaho) and in Warsaw with Uncle Jon, Cassie, Uncle Joe, Aunt Gina, and all the cousins. Too much fun was had! It is always great to see the kids playing and spending time with their cousins. We wish we were closer to everyone!

So - that's the wrap on 2016. Lame, I know. But I really will be better. 2017 will be an EXCITING year in the Becker house!

Happy 5th birthday, Josie!

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 19:41:00 +0000

Dear Josie,

On November 30, 2016 you turned 5! You are a funny, happy (usually), opinionated girl. You have a mind of your own and you aren't afraid to tell us exactly how you feel...especially when it comes to your outfits. You are SO sweet...so caring with your brothers. Sometimes when I frustrated with Jack - you actually say what I want to say BETTER than I could. You have a calm and rational side that has started to emerge over the past few months. You are a great friend. You take people under your wing and you truly find FUN in life's littlest moments. You love Jack and Nolan SO incredibly much! I feel like you are the BIG sister to both of them sometimes. Actually, if we're being honest, I'd leave you in charge of them in a heartbeat. You also LOVE your dad. Every night when he comes home from work - you run and hide so he has to find you. You are an old soul, Josie. I see you interact with your brothers and your cousins and your friends - people are drawn to you and you give them your full attention.

Right now you love coloring and your American Girl doll, Lea. You like playing with Barbies, too. You are a girlie girl. That being said - you can also wrestle Jack to the ground if you have to... You can hold your own on the soccer field and play video games with the boys. You LOVE school and I know you will be SO ready for Kindergarten next fall.

We may butt heads on clothes - but you are a mini-me. I think the world of you and I'm so proud to call you my little girl.

Happy {belated} birthday!
I love you!
Mom

IU's Secret Weapon

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 01:09:00 +0000

In case you missed it - BUT HOW COULD YOU??!?! Our INDIANA HOOSIERS beat Michigan State this past weekend. AND.IT.WAS.GLORIOUS.

If you're wondering who the new mastermind is behind our sudden ability to play defense...well, I have some news for you. The IU staff is consulting with Nolan. I know what you're thinking: "A TWO YEAR OLD?" But he seems to have an innate knack for defense.

Above you can see him discussing some coverage options with his mentor, Papa Denny. So - there you have it - the Hoosiers' secret weapon wears diapers and sleeps with a stuffed dog.

GOOOOO HOOSIERS!

I should add...my excitement for the win over the weekend was ELEVATED when I was standing in line at Target today and overheard two girls talking about the game. They were both wearing Spartan gear (the SHAME) and I just smiled (like a creepy person who is eavesdropping on a conversation in the checkout line.) ZERO CARES. "Ugh, I can't believe we lost that game...blah blah...we were winning by SO much...blah...I didn't even know IU was that good..." Well, we might just be! We've waited TEN long years for that win. We've lived in Michigan for (roughly) 8 of those years! This win was a BIG deal. UUUUGE.

Snapshots

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Fri, 30 Sep 2016 13:45:00 +0000

Here are a few snapshots from the second half of our summer:

We got to spend a couple weekends with Aunt Kim at the lake. Here she is with Nolan - hugging his "dog" that she gave him for Christmas last year. It's his fave.

Idaho came to the lake in JULY. It was so fun to spend time with Agnes (and Devin & Kristin).

Nolan went to his first movie! The Secret Life of Pets. He ate plenty of popcorn...but couldn't quite make it through the whole movie.

This is Josie's reaction to her pre-Kindergarten shots at the pediatrician's office. When my dad saw this...it took him back to ME at 13. I literally did this.

We had an AMAZING summer with Mia and were sad to send her off to MSU for her sophomore year. We miss her already.

Oh - hey Uncle Joe.

The Carsten family came up from FW to visit one weekend. Made Jack's summer. We all took in (half) a Tigers game.

Bedtime antics. Crazies.

We spent Labor Day enjoying the lake! What a fun summer. So many great memories made at the new lake house! Already looking forward to next year.

Sorry. But when did my baby get so big. {tears} Napping with "Dog."

IU soccer played at UofM. We had to take the kids over for the game. IU is ranked #3 in the country right now...so we witnessed a really great game! Hoosiers won 2-0.

It's beginning to LOOK a lot like fall in Michigan. (not so much FEELING like fall yet) If you've never visited Michigan in the fall...you're missing out. It's beautiful! Oh, and we have amazing CIDER mills with Cider Donuts. Nothing better.

Back to School Blues

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 12:52:00 +0000

Jack started 1st grade the Tuesday after labor Day. We are SO excited for an exciting year ahead. He has lots of friends in his class and has been VERY positive coming home every day after school. He has Mrs. Harris this year.

Miss Josie started her year in Pre-K with Mrs. Bugar. She has a super small class - but equal number of boys vs girls. If you know Josie - you know that the start of the school year means we are now having fights every morning about clothes. So every MWF - you can just send up a patience prayer for me around 8am. Because Lord knows - we're fighting.

Oh and then this happened. NOLAN is going to school, too. He's doing the 2's program with Mrs. Laux. He's actually repeating this class because he already did it once as a newborn (with Josie). I can say - when Josie did it she turned 3 soon after the start. She was totally independent. TOTALLY different experience this time! {patience prayer, again} Nolan is personable and funny...but he's also STUBBORN and ORNERY.

So - there you have it - back to school...

Soccer Mom

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 13:30:00 +0000

It's official. I'm a Soccer Mom. Jack is playing on the U7 Rush travel team this year. They travel around Metro Detroit playing other U7 teams. It's a big commitment - BUT he actually does LOVE it and it feeds his competitive nature. He's a pretty loud voice on the field (and from the sidelines). We've had to remind him to be more encouraging...but the kid HATES losing. Because of that - he's a pretty badass defender. Don't get me wrong...he also loves scoring. But his competitive nature makes him protective of the goal and coaches love kids who hate losing. He's aggressive and focused on the field. We've had fun watching him develop as a player. That being said - we will also continue baseball and possibly add basketball to his line-up. People can say what they want about kids being "over-scheduled" - I get it - but I also know that a BUSY kid stays out of trouble. We're keeping them busy.

And then there is Josephine. She's playing on a U6 Rush Academy team this fall. She practices once a week and plays a game every Saturday. She LOVES it and is really improving. The biggest positive for her is self-confidence. She is always following in Jack's footsteps - so having her moment to shine is really fun to watch. Here's a story from her first game:

Tyson took her to the field for the pre-game practice. Her coach (who is Jack's full-time coach) was on duty to coach the girls. He asked is she wanted to be called Josephine, Josie, or a different name. Tyson told him we call her Josie or Jojo. He was like "Great! I'll call her Jojo." So the ENTIRE game he's yelling "JOJO!" from the sidelines and she is totally oblivious that he's talking to her. Needless to say - we are switching her "soccer name" back to Josie for all future games.

Nolan TURNED Two!

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Sat, 24 Sep 2016 13:11:00 +0000

Well - in an effort to document my third child's life...I have failed. I'm a terrible blogger lately. A million excuses...work, crazy schedules, lack of sleep, etc. Regardless - I owe Nolan a birthday post.

Somehow my BABY turned TWO on August 20. He's such a little man. We celebrated in Warsaw with my parents, grandparents, Joe, Gina, and the cousins.

Uncle Jon and Cassie called in via FaceTime to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY (or Happy You You) to Nolan. I think that might have been the highlight of his day. The singing.

While we were in Indiana - we had a chance to visit a few of my great-aunts. Aunt Kate (top left) is 101 and Aunt Mary (top right) is going to be 100 next month. Of course, Gigi and Grandpa Gigi came over to celebrate their youngest great grandchild. Nolan felt preeeettttty special.

Some info on the two year old:
Nolan weighs 30lb and is 33in tall. So basically he's a future running back. He is a snacker. Meals? No thanks...he'll just snack all day. Nolan is a talker! He has a lot to say and he will talk non-stop. Unfortunately, there are only a select few of us who speak his language. He's SO friendly and outgoing. He can make someone's day at Target or the grocery store...with his happy wave and "hello!" I literally see people brighten up in his presence. His favorite people are Jack, Josie, and both of his "papas." Nolan is funny and also very opinionated. We are so thankful he's part of our family.

Summer Days

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Summer is flying by! We try to make the most of these hot, sunny days. We've had plenty of sprinkler days with popsicle snacks.

LOTS of visits to the lake this summer. Just making up for not being able to go last summer... Boy is it a fun place to spend a weekend!

An occasional nap. Cooper is the King of Naps. Nolan is, too. Jack and Josie could use some work on their napping skills.

And plenty of side walk chalk, too. I try to keep them busy - but we also enjoy our down time. The school year is right around the corner and that brings LONG days and LONG nights. Soccer will be starting and both, Jack & Josie, have full schedules. (which means so do mom & dad...and Nolan) These are the days.

Clevenger Family Lake Time

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 18:10:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago we were able to have my family at the lake for some family fun. Nolan was in heaven because his Papa Jerry was there. My dad and Tyson's dad are celebrity status in Nolan's world.

Uncle Jon and Cassie were visiting from Naples! They volunteered to go tubing with Jack and he had a BLAST!

My grandparents also came over for the day. My grandpa had a total hip replacement in June and is doing awesome! It was fun having them there with us. Joe, Gina, and their kiddos were there too...which would be why I have zero pictures of Josie on here. Her cousins are her BFFs and there wasn't one picture I took all day that didn't have Millie or Emma in it with her. She's a lucky girl.

Thankful for time together and a fun place to spend a weekend!

ALSO - this is my 2,000 published blog post. Which is crazy. I haven't been the best blogger lately...but I definitely want this running timeline for the kids - so I will be better.

Soccer Goals

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Mid-June marked the end of Josie's 2nd soccer season. She played on Team Chile or as she said "GO TEAM CHILL-WE!" She must have picked up a lot from her older brother - because the girl is on a mission on the soccer field, beast-mode.

In her last game, with only a couple minutes left - she was working hard to get the ball in front of the goal so her teammates could score. She got the ball in scoring position...and a little boy kicked it away. Again, worked to get it to the goal - same boy (opposite team) kicked it away. Third time, gets it back toward the goal...the little boy comes up and Josie straight put him in a headlock and took him to the ground. She'd had enough of him. Obviously - I was SO embarrassed - but also SHOCKED. I called her off the field. Other parents were laughing, because, well, it was kind of funny...but just NOT when it's your child. I made her apologize to the boy and to his parents. His mom was very sweet and we shared a laugh together. Someday, when she's 17 and comes home talking about a cute boy named Ethan...I will be able to tell her she once took him to the ground in a headlock on a soccer field. Something tells me that this story - in 13 years - will still be 100% Josie.

The End of Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 13:45:00 +0000

June 16th marked the end of the school year in Michigan! Jack made some great friends and was sad to say goodbye to his teacher. But - he was REALLY pumped for summer break...and looking forward to lots of time spent at the pool and in the lake.

This is Jack's "girlfriend" Victoria. She is - not only adorable, but super smart and hilarious. She always had me laughing when I volunteered in the classroom. When I asked Jack what it means to call her his girlfriend he told me "it just means we know each other, mom." (and then he walked away)

And finally - our favorite 5th grader is moving on to the middle school. This is our neighbor Chase. He's one of Jack's favorite people, so I had to snap a picture of them on the last day. It's the only time they will ever be under the same roof in school and we will miss him next year...although he is just steps away from us...

Summer Mode...almost

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 12:00:00 +0000

I've been spending lots of time with these two. Josie is out of school and our days are filled with...well, each other. Lots of time with each other.

I've been keeping some crafts around for Josie. She's a crafty girl...must be in the blood.

The pool opened - which means we are ALL happy. Nolan is quite the swimmer! Swim lessons for everyone this summer!

Oh - and Snapchat...when we're bored. It's so ridiculous, but so funny.

Josie is realizing how boring my "day to day" life is while she's at school I'm pretty sure she thinks I have dance parties at Chuck-E-Cheese... False. It's grocery shopping, and Costco, and laundry. Never grow up.

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (The Beckers) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 12:00:00 +0000

We spent Memorial Day at the lake and it was AMAZING. Everything. We got to spend the whole weekend with family and friends...which is pretty much the best case scenario. There were a couple games of chess...

Lots of swimming in the {just a tad cool} lake. Both Jack & Josie will pretty much be fish this summer.

We took plenty of boat rides. Nolan decided he likes the boat.

...and taking baths in the sink.

...and reading the newspaper with Papa Denny.

We got to hang out and play with the Dixon/Wright clan. Jack is the oldest at 6...Maddie is two weeks older than Josie (peas in a pod) and Will is two weeks older than Nolan. This is a crazy crew.

Grandma Shirlee and Grandpa Jerry stopped by Sunday for a boat ride, lunch, and the Indy 500.

Oh - and there was plenty of desserts. Cake & ice cream. Jack was in heaven. Looking forward to MANY more weekends at the lake!