Lava Tigers flag football

Nick and Sam are playing flag football for the first time and they are loving it!  They are playing on the same team- The Lava Tigers, a name chosen by 5 and 6 year old boys!  So far they have had two games.  They don't keep score and the coaches are the referees.  All of the players take turns playing all of the positions.  What better way to spend a Saturday morning! 

Last Saturday Nick was one of the captains for the team.  

Nick is pretty aggressive on the field and has scored a touchdown in both games!

Post touchdown smile!

Sam, on the line.  

Sam, taking the handoff.

And scoring his first touchdown!

Ben is his brother's biggest fan! (while the tree behind Nick is giving him bunny ears :)

First day of school!

Nick is in first grade and Sam is in kindergarten!  Here they are, all ready to catch the bus for the first day on August 14th.

Nick, first grade!

Sam, showing his K-sign for kindergarten.  Sam was so happy to be going to kindergarten.  He has been so ready to join his big brother in riding the school bus, attending the elementary school and participating in all of the school activities.

The bus pulled up and they both ran onto the bus and never looked back!  I was lucky to snap these 2 quick pictures!

Ben is in Pre-K this year.  He was very excited to start his class! 

A visit with our friends!

My friend Meg and her daughter Sarah came to visit us on what happened to be my birthday!  We spent the day together at the Children's Museum!

Nick and Sarah having playing Jenga. 

Future paleontologists.

Nick was turning the baby dino eggs into footballs.

Meg and Sarah.  Meg and I were college roommates.  Sarah and Nick are just 3 months apart in age.  It's been fun watching them growing up together!

Young artists at work!

No one else I'd rather spend my birthday with!

Wonderlab

A few days before school began we took a road trip with 2 of our favorite families to Bloomington, IN to the Wonderlab children's science museum.  We had a fun filled day of exploring the museum and lunch out, too.  

There was a special construction exhibit.  Nick was hard at work creating - something!

The window front to this hamburger joint will never be the same!

Water is such an attraction to all kids!

The Indiana State Fair 2013

The summer isn't complete without a trip to the State Fair!

The boys all had a pony ride.

Next up, the go-cart races.  Eric was a good sport and took each boy individually around the track.

Ben, giving a thumbs up!

Little hands on the farm exhibit.  

The kids all carry a basket and collect vegetables and other items as they visit a farm.  At the end they sell those items at the market.  With their profits they "buy" a treat, aka a juice box!

The boys got to experience school in the "olden days" at the fair.  They sat at desks and listened to the teacher in the one room school house.  She taught a lesson on how to write the alphabet.  I'm not sure Nick and Sam were too impressed, at this point of the day all they wanted to do was hit the midway to ride some rides!

Playing putt putt golf in the FFA building.

We saw some animals as well!  This alpaca was very friendly and let the boys pet her super soft coat.

 And finally, the Midway!  This year the fair had a mini-midway designed for smaller kids.  There were only rides and one game just for the little ones and it was not crowded!  

The boys and their winnings!