Soccer

Our first venture into the child sporting world: Noah played U5 soccer in our city league. 

And the lucky guy even got to have his mom be his first coach.  If you know me well, you may think that is funny, because I don't have many athletic abilities and actually I have never played a game of soccer before. In our family, Kyle is the coach, not me.  But he gave me some good tips and it was a pretty low pressure atmosphere.  And so Noah, with coach for a mom and Kyle Campbell for a dad went into the season with a few expectations and lots of support.  The First Campbell Participant on an Organized Athletic Team!  How did Noah carry the weight of such an awesome responsibility?  See the pictures for a summary:  

He spent much of the games on the ground or in my arms or trudging begrudgingly across the field. What was the problem?  I'm still not really sure.   Maybe he didn't like trying to keep up with the other kids.  And that he just wanted to kick the ball and didn't like when other kids kicked it away from him.  Or that he was just too tired and didn't care enough about the whole thing to put forth much effort.  But having an  awesome coach (ha) and the world's greatest soccer dad must have got to him :) because by the end of the season, Noah actually ran around the field a bit and kicked the ball at a few different times.  At one of our last games, he even got control of the ball and started running with it towards the goal. The look on his face was PRICELESS.  He was shocked and nervous and proud and giddy all at once, and I was so incredibly happy for him and I remember cheering "Yay Noah!  Go Noah!  Take it to the goal!" and other coach/mommy-like things.  BUT, then some kid on the other team came along and stole the ball, and ohhhhh the look on Noah's face was just heartbreaking.  He looked at me and then that sweet little happy face completely crumpled and his eyes started watering.  Like the saddest moment I have had for my kids to date (does that sound silly?  you had to have seen it! beyond disappointment.  aghh It kind of makes me want to cry just thinking about it).   If a stolen ball on the soccer field can bring a mother such angst, I can't imagine the feelings that will come with the deeper disappointments in a child's life.

But thanks to soccer for teaching us many good life lessons.  Sports are so good for kids.  and parents.  I am happy Noah played this year.  As hard as it got during game time, on the car rides home he always gushed about how much fun he was having and how much he loved soccer.  So that is it until next year.  We'll see how Noah feels about it then. Go Blue Sharks!  

pieper almost 6 months

These six months of Pieper have been a delight!

I mean just look at this little face.  What a doll.

One day I was changing her diaper on the floor of her room, when the doorbell rang.  I went to the door, spoke with the visitor and then forgot what I had been doing (typical mom mush brain).  I remembered and then went back to Pieper, but when I walked into her room, I was a little confused because she wasn't there where I had left her.  Then I heard a little noise and looked down and this is what I saw:

She was more mobile than I had realized (rolling is her current form of locomotion).  And she is still diaperless in the picture, and she didn't even pee on the floor (what remarkable bladder control). Funny little Pieper.  

This is the hat that Uncle Andrew gave Jake for his birthday.  I think it kind of freaked the boys out, but Pieper liked it.  I say it fits her quite nicely and really goes with that little dress.
And here she goes again, with her favorite hiding place.

She is a fun girl to have rolling around on our floors.

Jake's Birthday Carousel Ride

wearing the soccer outfit that he picked out on his shopping spree with Grammy.  He had to have a soccer outfit like big brother's!  

even Daddy rode!

And I made the birthday boy get in a picture with me.  He is the sweetest kid.  Hugs like this make life worth living.  Happy birthday to our lovable Jakers.

easter pictures

Getting five people to look normal in a picture is pretty much impossible, but oh well, you get the idea. 

the 2 piepers...love that girl.

General Conference

General Conference was a big hit.  

thanks to the conference board (idea from jen here)

another picture (even after conference the boys ask to play with it)
they kept begging for L Tom Perry because he was attached to the popsicles

and the superhero quorum.
go figure.

Blessed

Pieper was blessed on Sunday. It was a beautiful blessing given in the middle of a "3-ring circus" (according to Kyle). We got to church and realized we were without a pacifier, and I knew that trouble was ahead! But our friends lent us one, and I gave it to Uncle Christian with the instructions to plug her up as soon as she got a little fussy. Well she got a LOT fussy. The crying began the minute I handed her over to Uncle Andrew as they walked to the front of the chapel for the blessing. The pacifier didn't help either--she just kept spitting/ pulling it out. And to complicate things, she is at the stage where she locks her legs and arches her back. So the men in the circle were trying to juggle her and the pacifier. But between all the crying and the stiffening and the pacifying and re-pacifying...Kyle gave her a very nice blessing. This is not the face of a little stinker, is it?

2 piepers

uncle Andrew. The picture doesn't capture it, but that boy sure is good at making her smile.

Auntie Lars

Uncle Christian

grammy and papa, with pieper in her party sash version of the blessing dress (we joked about having one of the uncles make the switcheroo in the middle of the blessing and then holding her up with her new look, but considering the way the blessing went, it's probably best we didn't add to the crazy!)

under the supervision of my competent mother and mother-in-law (and consultation from sister and sister-in-law) i made the dress. it turned out just about how i wanted. And i have fun memories of sitting around my kitchen table with the sewing machine talking to those women while i tried not to botch up the whole thing! Gramma did the beautiful flowers.

gramma and pieper (man this girl's got chubby cheeks, doesn't she?...pieper, not gramma)

The Campbell cousin representative: cute Abbey

uncle ryan and aunt kari, with perplexed pieper

4 generations: pieper, daddy, papa, and grandma campbell

Thanks to everyone who came for the occasion. We had a wonderful time with you all and missed those of you who weren't with us. I feel happy we were finally able to get the blessing done. She feels like a more official person :) It was a happy weekend. I feel grateful for family and that this little one was sent to ours.

Granny Pie

We spent last week with Granny Pie. Our time with her is precious, and we loved being with her again. She got to meet little Pieper. I'm happy that when Pieper thinks of her name, she can remember my grandma Pieper.

Jake also enjoyed his time at Granny Pie's house. I wasn't sure that he would based on his reaction the first night that we arrived. When we pulled in to Rigby at 2:00 in the morning, he woke up. Commence tantrum. He wanted to go home. After a good 30 minutes of de-escalating, we talked him into going in to see Granny Pie. The room was dark and the setting was unfamiliar, and you can imagine a child's reaction to all that. But when Granny Pie reached out her hand to shake Jake's, he sweetly took her hand and kissed it. There's just something so lovable about that Mary Pieper! I'm happy that Jake recognized it!

Jake did end up having a great time, despite the fact he missed Dad and Noah. But without Noah there to direct all activities, Jake was free to do his own thing. And he even got to be the Incredible Hulk (the real green one) instead of the Orange Hulk (who Noah always tells him to be). Jake in his Hulk attire:

On our last night there, he made a superhero picture museum. He worked so hard on each of the drawings and wouldn't let us look until he was finished. He was excited to show the display to Chief and Granny Pie. It was very impressive!

And here are a few pictures with Chief and Pieper (aka Bald Eagle and Bald Eaglet). They are two peas in a pod.

I am happy that my kids have such love from extended family. During the week, I was reminded of the importance of family and the influence that we all have on each other. My grandma has meant a lot to me throughout my life. She is a faithful woman, and it is a real blessing to be a part of her family!