Our first soccer season!

For about the last two years, I've been trying to expose Shelby to soccer to get her excited about playing when she would finally be old enough. Well, the time finally came and Shelby has at last started her first soccer season. She has a great team. Most of the kids have either been in her Sunday School class or preschool group we did last year so she knows them well and sees them often.

The first practice, the kids mostly just got used to being out on the field and trying to kick the ball when they could.


Erin and Max kept busy playing soccer while the older kids practiced. I think when the time comes for them to play on a team, they will definitely be ready. They did awesome!


The second practice went great for all the kids. They all participated really well and did the drills the coaches asked of them. I was really impressed with Shelby. Once she actually got her head in the game, she did really well. (It's just getting here there that's the problem.)


So for the first actual game Ben and I tried to psych Shelby up to she would be excited to play. We set up our little orange cones and mini pink soccer ball in the kitchen and reminded her that her team only kicks to ONE goal and to not score for the other team. We tried to toughen her up and let her know that when the ball came to her that she needed to fight for it but that sometimes when that happens kids bump into each other and it's ok, not to give up. You can read for yourself how well that went.


We even tried to bribe Shelby with a slurpee, but to no avail.




Ben was pretty frustrated by the end of the game and was ready to throw in the towel. However, I think this is good exposure for Shelby. If she doesn't play much this year, that's ok, she'll get the idea of the game, gain a little skill and hopefully come back next year with a little more enthusiasm and a bit longer of an attention span.

Lookey What I Made!!!

I made a messenger bag style diaper bag. I'm kind of proud of it.


It was really fun. I hate zippers though. I was kind of obsessed and finished it in 2 days.


By the end of the two days this pregnant body was VERY sore, with an aching back, shoulders and wrists, but worth it, I say.


I lined the inside fabric with clear vinyl. Try threading elastic through vinyl fabric; way fun! Ben called me crafty. That was cool.


I'm planning on making a diaper and wipe clutch to go inside too, and maybe a changing pad if I'm feeling so inclined. I'm going to give it a rest for a little while though. After all, I still have like 14 weeks left to go.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

I know this is a little late, considering it's over a month past due, but I thought I would still share some pictures from the fun family time we had. We get together with my side of the family, at least the ones still here in Utah, nearly every month to celebrate birthdays, a holiday or just to enjoy some good company and good food.

Last month we got together to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at my sister's house. We had yummy Mexican-style fare for dinner and dessert and then went over to a nearby park to let the kids hit a pinata. It was lots of fun to watch the kids try to hit the pinata. The little ones got so excited just to hit it. Uncle Ben (Juli's Ben) made the older kids work hard to get a hit by pulling the string up and down, thus lowering and raising the pinata with every swing. When the pinata finally broke, it was a mad dash for the booty!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

I can't tell you how many times I have walked into the girls' room at night to check on them before I go to bed only to find Erin COMPLETELY naked, wrapped up in her pink blankie. Even now in the bunk bed she still does it. I don't know what it is about that girl but she loves to be NAKED!

Just So Ya Know...

I might be looking like this in a few months, ya know, with really long hair, cause I'm trying to grow it out.

Oh, and I might have a baby bump too. Heiner baby #3 is expected to arrive somewhere in early November.

Family Motto

Our family motto has been in the works for quite a while. I've wanted to do one for a so long and have spent the last few months jotting down thoughts here and there that seemed to fit our family. I've even made Ben sit down with me to discuss what we could use in our motto.

As our children are getting older and are learning and comprehending more, I have felt a greater need and desire to instill some important principles to live by, and not only gospel principles. The words I chose I did not come up with myself (see here for original) but I kept coming back to them because they were all things that I felt would shape our lives for the better, give us a sort of code to live by, and lead us to greatness. They are five simple words that our children can understand and are broad enough to apply them in many aspects of life.



Now, I really planned on starting off the year with a bang and having our family motto written up and displayed, but as it goes, life happens and things have not slowed down much, like I was hoping, after the holidays. However, I guess it's better a little late than never right? Now that I have it displayed, I plan on taking several Family Home Evening sessions to discuss each word so that the girls can understand it and so that we can refer back to it in our every day lives as a reminder.

When I was painting this the other day and putting it together, Shelby sat at the table watching me. She is at the stage where she has just started sounding out words and reading them. It's so exciting! What was really exciting to me that night was that she sounded out the big letters that make the word LOVE. This is such an important word and I'm glad she can see it every time she walks into our kitchen and know what it says.

I am so glad to have this up finally and am looking forward to teaching my family about these important words.

Shelby Turns 4

Ok, so I know this is a little late. Shelby's birthday was the very beginning of January but it has been down right crazy around here and I've been super busy. I even had to put her party off until the middle of January and here I am finally getting around to blogging about it on almost the last day of January.

When I first started talking to Shelby about her birthday(months ago)she said she wanted a pirate princess party. I was totally dragging my feet because I just didn't think I could pull that off very well. Thankfully my friend brainstormed with me a little and helped me decide on a Toy Story/Jessie theme with a western twist. Shelby couldn't have been happier about it when I told her and I couldnt' wait to plan it. I found tons of ideas online so it was fairly easy and quick to throw together.

We had her party at our clubhouse and invited many of her wonderful friends (whom she all loves dearly). I made and served easy food, had some fun games to play then we ate green alien cupcakes. Shelby also got some great gifts from her friends, including a zhu zhu pet and zooble (which I would have never thought to get but she loved), bead making set, several toy ponies, play doh, and more.

It was a whirlwind of a morning, all over in 3 hours, but the sacrifice was small to see my baby girl happy! Love you Shelby.




Aaaaand I forgot to add this in the collage. I made these to go in the favor bags to give to Shelby's guests. I made some of Jessie, Woody and Buzz. This one turned out a little cloudy and bubbly (it was my first time using resin) but you get the idea.

Grandpa's Trick

Look familiar anyone? I'm sorry for any of you who read this that are not my sibling or parent, it's kind of a family thing.

So we were sitting at the dinner table the other night and I look over at Erin and she starts doing this (see video). I know that Shelby already knew this little trick but I don't ever remember showing Erin so it kind of surprised me. I laughed pretty hard and figured grandpa must have taught her his trick last time she was at his house. Thanks for the laugh grandpa!