Gavin is a Soccer STAR!
He truly is a natural athlete and has such a gift for the game.
When he is not playing soccer, he has a ball at his feet in the house, and is watching soccer on TV. He records and watches multiple games a week, of his favorite teams - Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid...
Last year, his rec team was the 1st place, division 1 team for U8, and Gavin was scouted out by multiple select and comp teams.
After trying out for two comp teams, and being offered spots on both, Gavin decided to play for Placer United and has already started practicing with the Gold Team.
Soccer 9 months of the year? It's his dream come true.

He is just finishing up his indoor season with the boys on his last year rec team and many of them have also made it on the Placer United Teams too, so they are a very fun and competitive bunch of boys to watch play!

Here are some shots from last week's game...

Sweet Hannah Sue

No, this is not the latest trend for 6th grade hair and clothes...
Avery was Harriet Sue Sven in the Saga of Sweet Hannah Sue at the Roseville Theater, a few weeks ago.

We put a wire hanger on her head every night for 7 days... and she was SO SICK, she lost her VOICE!

But, the show must go on, and she put a SMILE on her face, popped some Advil and went on stage and did her very best, fever and all.
I never get tired of watching Avery perform, she lights up the stage.
We are so excited to see her perform in Oakmont High School's Production of Annie, starting next week.
She has been having so much fun playing the part of the orphan, Pepper, and being part of the High School cast.
Jackson will be performing for his last time at his elementary school, as Tweedle Dum in Alice in Wonderland, JR, in the next few weeks as well.
He is very excited and we are so proud of him too!
Needless to say, we have a LOT of singing, dancing, and memorizing lines, going on around here.

Olivia Turns FIVE...

With a Hello Kitty Extravaganza!

There was pink popcorn, pink cupcakes, chocolate dipped marshmallows on sticks, chocolate dipped strawberries and Papa's AMAZING cookies, O's and 5's.
There were so many SWEETS, we didn't even get to the cake!
Olivia and her guests played pin the bow on Hello Kitty, colored, and decorated the goodie bags, opened presents and then painted Hello Kitties and animals to take home!
Daddy painted the Hello Kitty sign for Olivia to put in her room, and she loves it!
Livie told me that it was her BEST birthday party EVER!
I think she tells me that every year.

Olivia Jo...

Five years ago, on a beautiful winter day, you joined our family.
I always knew that someone was missing, and when you were born, our family was complete.

We were smitten with you.
You were a beautiful and happy baby.

And NOW, we can hardly believe our baby is FIVE years old!
Look at you NOW!

FIVE FAVORITES of OLIVIA at age FIVE :

Color: PINK
Animal: Horse
Book: Pinkalicious
Food: Dirty Rice

Favorite Toy: American Girl Doll and Barbies

You had been wanting your very own American Girl Doll for a LONG time, you even asked Santa for one. He told you that you had to be FIVE years old to get one and so...
Finally, on your 5th Birthday you got Kanani, the doll you wanted!
You were so HAPPY!

We love you so much, Livie.
xoxoxoxo

Let the Celebrations Begin!

Olivia has been talking about Build-A-Bear FOREVER!
She has come to me with sad eyes and a little sad voice asking, "When can I make a bear, like Avery, Jackson and Gavin?"
I have to admit that I have put if off for a special occasion - for expense, and also because the nearest store is not very close to us.
Sooo, when my sister called to tell me that she and Izzy were coming up a week before Olivia's Birthday and wanted to have a fun cousin day, celebrating Olivia, I knew just where we should go!
We met Kendal and Izzy at Arden Mall and our first stop was Build-A-Bear!
Izzy picked out a very cute, grey kitty, and Olivia chose Hello Kitty.

The girls had so much fun "creating" their kitties and stuffed them, put hearts in them, watched them get sewn up....

Then they brushed and "fluffed" them....

And finally, they got to look at all of the outfits
and pick a special one out for their new kitties!

Olivia was so happy to finally have her very own, Build-A-Hello-Kittty!

We had a great rest of the day at the park, playing at home with Littlest Pet Shops, and
going out to dinner.
Thanks Kendal and Izzy for a super FUN day for Olivia!!

Go Pack, Go!

It's a HAPPY Super Bowl Sunday at our house!
Jackson wrote and performed a "rap" to sum up his feelings on the Packers Big Win:

Go, Pack Go! It's now or NEVER!
Go Pack Go, we'll be watchin' you FOREVER
And you better hurry up or else this chance will SEVER
TOUCHDOWN! YEAH!
The Steelers gettin' pounded
TOUCHDOWN! YEAH! Uh, huh, the Steelers gettin' grounded!
When the Super Bowl comes around and the Pack put to the test,
Just look to the QB, cuz Rodgers knows BEST!
TOUCHDOWN! YEAH!
Go PACK Go!
TOUCHDOWN! YEAH!
Yeah, they can play in a dome or in the SNOW!
GO PACK GO!

I had to write this one down :).

Beauty and the Beast

Last May, Avery and Jackson starred as Belle and the Beast in their school production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
I love that they got to share this experience together, as this was Avery's last of three elementary school performances.
They were AWESOME!
They rehearsed for 4 MONTHS!
We were in charge of putting their costumes together, which was probably the BIGGEST challenge of all... Avery need a village dress and a Belle dress and Jackson need to look like the Beast, and Prince.

Jay made the entire Beast costume! (Yes, he sews, I am so lucky :)
It was AMAZING!

Grandma and Papa Hall made Avery's Belle gown.... THANK YOU! It was beautiful!
My job? I had the village dress made from a costume designer online :).

Here are links to YouTube Videos of the show, featuring Avery and Jackson...
Avery has a page on YouTube with more of her work... songbirdie08

Jackson's best buddy, Ben was a wonderful Lumiere!

Olivia went to every performance and knew all of Avery's lines and songs by heart! She dressed up in her Belle costume one night.
Audience members bought light up roses and lit them up at the end of the show, SO CUTE!

Jackson's BEASTLY costume!

Beautiful Belle!

I am sooo happy that my kids go to a school that supports amazing activities for the students, especially the musicals each year. Both Avery and Jackson have benefited tremendously from being apart of them for the last three years.
They spent countless hours memorizing their lines, rehearsing at home and as a cast, and I am so proud of BOTH of them for keeping straight A's at school while being apart of the musical.
Am I a STAGE MOM?? Hmm....
I am a PROUD MOM!

Avery and Jackson, I love you both and LOVE watching you in whatever you do. I am your biggest fan!
xoxo Mom