Happy Mother's Day!

I love being a mom and I have the 4 best kids any mom could ask for. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Some of the cute art the kids made me for Mother's Day.

End of Soccer

Both the girls finished up their soccer season this weekend. Its been fun watching them get into the game but will be nice to have our Friday nights and Saturday mornings back.

The Green Goblins

Natalya after scoring a goal

Natalya, her teammates and coaches
(Joel, Aiden, Mak, Donovan, Natalya & Zak)

Natalya & her trophy

Natalya had a great soccer season. She had fun playing with her friend Joel and getting snacks after the games.  She really new how to hustle down the field and even played her last game in the rain. She scored 2 goals at her last game and loved getting her own soccer trophy.

 The Blue Lightening

Raquel and her teammates
(Paul Wyatt, Paige, Zach, Hazem, Luke)
Javier, Mary, Raquel, Charlie & Hayden

Raquel really grew as a soccer player this season. She has loved her team and coach she has played with for the last 3 seasons and will be sad to move.  Raquel has learned to love being in goal and how to be a little bit more aggressive with the ball. Its always fun watching her play and enjoy the game.

Erik's Swim

Erik has been taking survival swim lessons.  He didn't like it at first and screamed the whole time. We was really relaxed in the water and would do everything the teacher asked him to do but would just scream.  It took him about 12 lessons before he stopped screaming. He is half way through his lessons and can flip over from him front to back and float. He is now learning to kick his legs and move his arms so he can reach the edge of the pool.  Its lots of fun watching him and amazing that a barely 2 year old can do this.

This is an ad on facebook for the place Erik swims.
Erik is at the top left middle

It's a little fuzzy but you can see a video of Erik doing his swim

End of Year Chinese Celebration

The kids have finished Chinese for the semester and we attended their End of Year Chinese Celebration. We tried some new foods, watched the kids video they made and played a game. I don't have a copy of the video yet so I had the girls do a few of the songs they learned this year for me.  The kids really enjoyed taking Chinese and they had the best teachers, we will really miss them.  Raquel said she already missed Chinese and its only been 2 days.  We hope we can find a good teacher for them in Yorktown, Va.

The girls got key chains, fans and a t-shirt from their teachers

Field trip

Raquel's class took a walking field trip to the YMCA where they were having a small garden show. The kids in Raquel's class have been making and planting little projects to show off at the show.  They made stepping stones, planted and decorated grass heads, and lots of other projects.  On our way back to school we got to stop for slurpees. 

Raquel's stepping stone

Enjoying Slurpees

Easter in Yorktown

We headed to Yorktown for Easter.  It was cold and rainy but we found some fun things to do.  Jessica, Nick and Luke met us at the Virginia Living Museum where the kids had fun exploring.  We also headed to the Yorktown beach and Victory Center for a little bit of a history lesson.  

The Easter Bunny found the kids at Mike's apartment and they had fun hunting eggs, playing with new toys and eating candy.  I truly think all Erik ate that day was candy.

Virginia Living Museum

Yorktown Beach

Yorktown Victory Center

Enjoying some Easter Candy

When we arrived back home our tulips were all in bloom.
Erik wanted to get in the picture too.

Grandparent visit

Both sets of grandparents came to visit in April.  The kids had so much fun and loved all the attention.  We got to watch the girls play soccer, swim, celebrate Erik's 2nd birthday and Raquel's Baptism. It was a fun filled week.

SOCCER

Watching Natalya play soccer

Grandma & Grandpa Clinger with Marcus

Dad got to come home for the weekend too!

Raquel on the field

Raquel as goalie. Her coaches call her "The Wall"
She is a little more timid on the field but when she gets in goal she
dives for the ball and doesn't let anything get past her.

Raquel, Natalya, Luke, Nick and Marcus after the game

RAQUEL'S BAPTISM

Raquel is a beautiful girl both on the inside and out. I'm so proud that she made the decision to be baptized.  Her Papa Clinger was able to baptize her and her Grandpa Kennedy was able to do the conformation and give a talk on Baptism.  Grandma Clinger talked on the Holy Ghost and Grandma Kennedy helped out with the music and prayer.  It was a beautiful day!

Papa Clinger, Raquel and Grandpa Kennedy

The family

Raquel and her best friend Gracie

ERIK'S 2nd BIRTHDAY!

Our little Erik turned two! He wasn't feeling too well on his birthday day but we celebrated with friends anyways.  Jessica, Nick, Luke and Ann and Wes joined the rest of the family for dinner and a snake cake.  

Erik keeps us on our toes. He is full of energy and loves to explore. He is a climber and can get pretty much anything on a top shelf.  He likes to color on the walls if he finds a marker. Painting with toothpaste is a favorite past time.  He is taking swim lessons, loves to ride bikes and play outside.  Erik loves cars, trucks and buses.  He is starting to talk a little more and everything he says has an "a" in front of it,  a ba (bus), a nana (banana), etc.  Erik has his own little personality and isn't afraid to tell you what or how he wants something. He is a sensitive little boy but also our biggest tantrum thrower.  We love our little guy!

Another trip to Yorktown

It was another beautiful weekend in Yorktown. We hit up Buckroe Beach and meet one of Mike's friends, Matt. Enjoyed yummy Thai and Italian food and spent a day at Busch Gardens. I think we are going to enjoy living near the beach!