I'm officially a Soccer Mom!

Let me first start out by saying that Mae insisted that her shin guards show, so since it was cold we got this cool fashion statement above...

Today was Mae's first soccer game, and it was a lot of fun watching the complete chaos. Kids were picking the ball up and rolling it down the field, and Mae spent most of the first half watching the game; she did take a moment to do some twirling in the exact opposite corner of the field where the play was going on. Brad worked with her a little at half time, and her playing improved immensely...so much in fact that she scored a goal!!!! I actually go it on video below. A quick disclaimer about the video--it was my first time using our camera as a video and I didn't know that you couldn't turn it sideways like I do when I am taking pictures with it...so sorry, but it does turn right side up for the most important part.

It was driving Ian crazy to have to sit and watch the game, so at half time we let him out of his stroller to play with the ball(strapped in the stroller is the only way we can get him to sit anywhere and not run off or get into things) . We were completely impressed when he ran up the the ball dribbled it almost the entire length of the field and kicked it in the goal...all without any encouragement from us. He picked all this up by watching the first half; we have never played soccer with him before. Just when you think your child doesn't absorb anything you say....Well at least now I know that he does pick up on things quite easily, he just chooses to ignore ME 99% of time. Well anyway...we may have a soccer star in our family. We will definitely start him in soccer next summer.

The Pregnancy...

Alright, I have had many people ask for me to post pictures of my growing belly...so these are the pictures I have that were taken this weekend. It looks much like the other two times...




So this growing belly will hopefully be drastically reduced in 4 1/2 weeks, replacing it's pictures on this blog will be much cuter pictures of a little Noah.

Happy Easter everyone!

Here is our Easter weekend.

Luckily Brad had the entire week off for spring break, so I put him to work on our back yard to continue the work that he, Wendell, my mom, Ashlie, the kids, and I began last week (we will post more later). Brad was able to completely finish off our play area and the kids are absolutely loving it right now--as am I because now I have a place to send them during the day.

Here is the almost-finished project.

But Ian and Mae love it all the same!

Easter Sunday--Why is everything always yellow on Easter?

Mae--Guarding the hoard.

Forget guarding--I will just eat it all.

Mae's new Haircut...

6 inches gone! Though she wanted to grow her hair to Rapunzel's length, I decided that it would be better to be able to get through one hair brushing episode without tears--so far, it has been a great decision!

We think she looks very cute with her new "do".

A quick response...

to any of those in my extended family who assume too much. I will just let a few pictures do the talking:

This is called "Austin 4:18". I can't believe the yewts
let him get sooooooo open.

This is our FRESHMEN MWC player of the year running
OVER two of the best yewt players (that is Tate diving--and missing)

I think you all recognize this one.

This collage depicts the FOUR outright conference
championships in the two major men's sports--what I
am saying is...we haven't lost to the yewts for two years running.

That includes games in Lavell Edwards Stadium,
Rice-chex Stadium, the Mariott Center, and the Huntsman center.

Maybe we should just change the name "U of U" to BYU north--cause we own you!

Funny...

...how the box is always more fun that whatever is in it. In this case it it is definately true because in this box all I got was a new mop!

At least the kids got to have some fun.

Foster Weekend Update...

Kids are...

Feeling fine, thank goodness--even though Mae repeatedly "threw-up in a bowl" after waking up at 5:00 am with vomit on her sheets (sorry to paint such a vivid picture for you all).

Lindsay is...

Stuck with the kids because...

Brad is...

Eating this:

This is a Philadelphia Cheese Steak sandwich. Due to proximity
I had to "settle" for the famous "Ricks" rather than
eating at one of the two most prominent venues.

In Philadelphia! Yes, yes, I get to have more fun than my wife--at least she thinks so.

Actually I have spent the last two days listening to paper presentations and conference panels on various film topics, not to mention the particularly enlightening workshop on the future outlook of our profession (actually quite bright--especially when compared to other academic fields) and what kind of things I need to do in order to get hired by an University--completely depressing, I have to say (though very helpful as I am only a first-year PhD student and most of those in attendance were actually on the job market).

In case you couldn't tell, this is the Liberty Bell
It was a lot bigger than I had imagined it.

When I did my undergrad at BYU there was a replica
of this sculpture on campus--I always thought it was cool,
and now I have seen the real thing!

However, it was fun to run in to old colleagues from Oregon State, to get a gist of what kind of scholarship is expected of me in my profession, to see the liberty bell, Liberty Hall, and sleep just south of "Love Park" in a hotel that actually had a doorman.

This is Liberty Hall--where both the Declaration of Independence
and Constitution of the United States were signed.

This is the room the documents were signed in, and the chair
the back of the room (near center) is the same chair
George Washington sat on--the one Ben Franklin commented on.