The Crafts

Happy birthday to our little caboose. She's the daughter who wrapped up our family of six. The grand finale! Maddie has grown a lot in these three short years. Three reasons I love Maddie on her third birthday... 1. Maddie is fun and never shies away from something that could potentially become wild...and dangerous. 2. Maddie always entertains her audience. 3. Maddie fiercely loves coloring, reading, Where's Waldo books, dancing, iPads, her sisters, and desserts of all kinds. You may sometimes drive us bananas but we love you, Maddie, with all of our heart. I can't imagine our family without you!

I am going to cheat a little bit and include some of December in my January catch-up post. I hope you'll forgive me. Our days have been spent mostly indoors. We've had a few warmer-ish days where we've ventured outside but for the most part, my little girls don't last long outdoors when it's chilly. We're all a bunch of summer loving softies, I tell ya.  Our evenings and weekends have been packed with sports- primarily all for Kate. Matt coaches Kate's basketball team and they have practice two evenings a week and tournaments nearly every weekend. Matt also plays basketball one night a week. Volleyball has also started for Kate, and CJ started basketball a couple of weeks ago, which Matt also coaches. The little girls and I are home together a lot but I thoroughly enjoy watching the girls play their various sports. I see many, many years to come sitting court side or field side. Speaking of Kate, she turned 11 this month! She is a supe...

As we countdown to Christmas 2017 I can't help but reflect on all the changes brought on by this year. I lost both of my grandpas. Last Christmas they were with us and I truly didn't think that by this Christmas we'd have lost them both. But with sadness comes blessings and 2017 wasn't filled only with tears. Matt played another season, and has since retired, from the Cedar Valley CourtKings. He continues to succeed as an attorney. Speaking of basketball, Matt is coaching Kate's 5th grade girls basketball team. He clearly has a passion for basketball at all levels. Matt also plans to start an informal team for CJ and second grade girls this coming winter/spring. This year Kate has been involved in basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and, at recess only, lots of football. She'd love to play organized football but we said no...about 34 times. Kate has also had a lot of fun learning to draw from YouTube tutorials and has put together some really great dra...

I'm doing my best to pretend to love our cooler weather. I've been running outside, even when the thermostat says its in the 20s. I have taken the girls outside even when my feet beg for slippers. 9 out of 10 of my meals is soup and bread. I'm not factoring in breakfast. And I guess that's all I've tried. But dang it, I'm trying. Truly though, doesn't this look so much more fun than being cold... Yep.

Fall has treated us well this year. Kate and CJ are a few days from closing out the fall soccer season. Kate has primarily served as goalie and occasionally defender for her team, Knight Force. I am coaching CJ's team, Mini Union, this season. We only have five girls but the five we have are terrific. I have really enjoyed coaching them. And much to my surprise, I have really fallen for watching my kids play sports. I think I was less enthusiastic about it in years past because I always had a baby to keep happy while attempting to watch the big girls. Now Maddie is by no means independent or self sufficient but its a little less work this year with the prospect of things getting easier as the months pass...in theory, of course. I am clearly behind on my blog which has been pretty standard for the past couple of years but here are a few other things that have gone on this fall.  Shortly after Labor Day Natalie started four year old preschool. She attends in the afternoon, ...