Spring Basketball

NO Baseball for us this summer.....Just More BASKETBALL!!!

The boys were given the choice---to play baseball this summer or play Spring basketball.  They both chose Spring Basketball!  We were pretty excited about that choice because last summer we spent 4-5 nights A WEEK at the baseball field!

For Spring Ball Steve made a team of 1st graders AND 3rd graders. 

They are playing in the 2nd/3rd grade league!  So far, it's worked well. 

 Jaden is a bit intimidated, but getting better each week. 

Aren't they the cutest little basketball studs!!



Tyler and Ethan

Jaden and Carson

Celebrating!  WE WON!!





More Easter

Easter at Grandma and Grandpa Roth's

Grandma and THE GIRLS

Tradition at the Roth's is  A MAP to show where the Easter baskets are hidden!

Checking out the map---where could it be??

The boys got these NEW SHIRTS in their baskets and Paige got her NEW OUTFIT!



THE BOYS!!

THE GIRLS!!

                                                          MOM AND DAD!!   AHH!!! 

And... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!!! 

12 wonderful years TODAY!!!



Easter pictures

Easter 2012

Seriously....our family does not take good pictures!!  But , this is simply adorable!!  (Jaden is usually our "troublesome one" when it comes to pictures!!  And look how cute he smiled!!)  YEA US!!!

Tradition at GMA and GPA Balzer's is always dying Easter Eggs.

I think I have only dyed Easter eggs 1, maybe 2, times with my kids at our house!  I just know Gma will take care of it so I don't have to hassle with it!! 

Jaden---the man of many expressions!

The BOYS!

Jaden--6         Paige-5         Tyler-9

Gma and Gpa Balzer with the kids!

We are just missing Jeremy and Sydney!!!  We miss them back in Michigan.

2 wheeled riding

Paige-- 5 years, 8 months and riding with NO TRAINING WHEELS!

To Paige---this is BIG GIRL STUFF!!!

Steve taught the boys to ride their 2-wheel bikes!  I taught Paige!

 I think it took Paige quite a bit longer than the boys to learn.

Stopping was tricky!

Starting was trickier!

Turning and curves were scary!

The "mountain" (hill) in our neighborhood--SUPER challenging!

But she DID IT!!!!

 As hard as it was and as much time as it took---I am glad I got to teach her, since I didn't with the boys!  And, when I say "hard" and "long time"---I mean maybe a week practicing before or after school.  SO, not really THAT LONG....

just not 15 min. like the boys!

And, now she thinks she OWNS the neighborhood!  She wants to ride her bike EVERY SINGLE DAY!  EVERYWHERE!  She is begging to ride around "the loop" (basically our block) with her friend Leah and without an adult!  YIKES!!!  I haven't said yes yet....but I think she could do it!

Slumber Parties

Tyler wanted a friend to stay the night, Jaden wanted a friend, and then of course....

so does Paige!  We have always said you had to be in 1st grade to spend the night with someone or have someone spend the night with you!  WELL, lucky for Paige, we broke that "rule".  So---all 3 kids got a friend to stay over the same night!  We figured just get it all done and over with in one night.  It actually worked well.

Paige and Leah

Jaden and Caleb

Tyler and Ethan

Jaden and Caleb barricaded themselves under the bed to play their IPod Touches.  Probably because I said "NO TOUCHES" when your friends are over!

The little BOYS also wrote NOTES to the GIRLS!

"You Steank"  HA HA!!  "You Stink"

Hilarious!!!

The girls had movie night in OUR BED and YES---

they got popcorn ALL OVER our sheets!  UCK!

A little basketball...

And then NIGHT NIGHT!

2 boys in a TWIN BED!  Really?!!!

And the BIG BOYS!  Who knows what time they went to bed.  Tyler's at the age where he thinks it's "cool" to stay up til 2 or 3am. 

 (not so cool the next day though....at least to mom and dad!)

We are thankful we have lots of friends and lots of "good friends".

Spelling Bee FUN!!!

Jaden made it to the SPELLING BEE!!!!

30 students from Explorer made it to the spelling bee

2 students from each class

1st grade through 4th grade

There were not many smiles from J-Man while he waited (I'm guessing nervously) his turn!

Numbers were drawn to determine the order in which the kids went

What are the odds that our neighbor HALLIE would get the number in front of Jaden....

which meant they sat next to each other!

Hallie did a great job of talking to Jaden in the back row and helping him not be nervous!

What a BLESSING to be by her!!

I did not know that the students would walk from their seat, to the front of the stage, stand in front of the ENTIRE SCHOOL and families, to spell their words in a microphone!

OH MY!!!! 

Here's Jaden....making his way to the front. 

He looks a bit nervous!!!

(This was the practice round---we didn't take pictures during the "Real" spelling bee!)

PROUD PARENTS!!

How'd he do?

Practice round--- Rooster--- he missed it---but it was just practice!

Round 1-- JACKET--- spelled correctly

Round 2 -- UMPIRE-- spelled correctly!!!

Round 3 -- SUSPICIOUS -- missed it! 

He finished 7th out of 30 kids and was the last 1st grader left in

YEA JADEN!!!

Balloons, cards, a stuffed BEE, money, candy, ...

That was worth all the extra time he spent studying those hard words!!

FINALLY a SMILE!!!

Great Job Jaden!  We are so proud of you!  You are doing so well in school! 

You worked hard on those extra hard spelling words the past few months and spending extra time practicing those super hard words---that mom couldn't even spell!

love ya buddy!

So proud!

Tyler had his first REAL school presentation today!

He had to read an BIOGRAPHY and then present the person to the class!

We choose TIM TEBOW!

I say "WE" because the girls in my bible study had been talking a lot about Tim Tebow and his Faith, etc.  The girls were talking about how awesome his book was.  Bible study is on Thursday mornings.  I wrote it in my notes to buy the book.  That next Monday Tyler brought home a paper telling about his book presentation!  I immediately knew I wanted him to read Tim Tebow!  I knew he would go for it---since it was about FOOTBALL!!!

So, we are now BRONCO'S fans at our house!

We WILL be watching the BRONCO's next year, for sure!!

I read the book too, so I could help Tyler with the presentation.  It was AWESOME!

Jaden is actually getting ready to read it too. 

I suggest EVERY boy read it!  It is intertwined with scripture, throughout the ENTIRE book and talks about Tim's relationship with God, throughout the entire book as well.

Awesome book!!

The entire class!

I know I'm "the mom"---but Tyler really was THE BEST!!!!