Jared's Birthday, October 6th

I missed blogging about Jared's birthday so I am catching-up now. Jared celebrated his 9th birthday on October 6th and Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen were here to celebrate with us. We had a great time with them and we are so happy they were here for his birthday.

I took the day off from work and made pancakes for breakfast before the kids went to school. Jared is putting candles in his pancake with Grandma.

Half the fun is lighting the the candles.

The other half is blowing them out.

Since I took the day off from work, Jared was able to open his gifts in the morning before school.

He was excited to see what was in the big box!

He was excited to get a rip stick. He is really good at riding it.

He enjoyed opening all his gifts.

We all went to lunch at school with Jared, which is a rare thing for our kids.

It is not often we can all go to lunch with the kids. Lori and Ryan go have lunch with Jared and Brett on occasion, but have Grandma and Grandpa there was a real treat.

Jared enjoyed the cupcakes that we brought for his class.

In the evening we went to Incredible Pizza for dinner, but we did not go for the food. This is something Jared has wanted to do for a long time. This is Brett on the bumper cars.

Jared figuring out how to steer the bumper car.

Ryan also enjoyed the bumper cars.

Here Grandpa and I are ramming Jared.

Jared at the miniature golf course. He was born in Amarillo so we thought the Amarillo section of the course was an appropriate place to take his picture on his birthday. This is a replica of the Cadillac Ranch, which is one of the two place we took those few visitors that came to see us when we lived there. There is not much to see in the Panhandle of Texas.

Grandma and Ryan playing some golf.

Grandpa playing Brett in a game of air hockey.

Lori and Grandma watching all the fun.

Ryan riding on the little train.

Ryan on a little airplane.

After playing at Incredible Pizza we had an ice cream cake and Jared blew out some more candles.

Jared blowing out the candles.

Everyone enjoying some ice cream cake.

Ryan with Grandma.

We all had a great time celebrating Jared's birthday and it was extra-special to have Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen here with us to celebrate.

Jared's Soccer Season

Jared played soccer this fall instead of football. After breaking his collarbone and football practice last year he has decided football is not the sport for him. So this fall Jared returned to the soccer field and played with the YMCA.

Jared is playing goalie and is ready for some action.

Jared out in the field going after the ball. It was good to see Jared get aggressive this year and go for the ball. He was one of the best players on his team.

Jared doing a goalie kick.

Jared going after the ball with some powerful legs and sticking his tongue out. The key to a good kick is holding your tongue just right.

And away it goes!

Jared defending the goal and keeping his tongue in proper position in order to get a good kick.

Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen came to visit us in October over General Conference Weekend and they had the chance to attend some soccer games. We were really happy to have them there with us. The kids were glad they could watch them play their games. Since we had 3 of them on both the Saturdays they were here, they got to see plenty of soccer and football.

Jared kicking the ball away.

Jared going for the big kick with his coach encouraging him in the background.

Jared doing some battle for the ball.

Jared running with his tongue in proper position.

Jared keeping his eye on the ball.

Jared doing another goalie kick.

Jared kicking the ball away.

Jared playing goalie.

Jared playing goalie being sure to keep his tongue in the proper position.

Jared getting ready to give the ball a huge kick.

The players on the opposing team should know better than to get in front of the ball when Jared lets the ball have it with his powerful legs. Here the ball hit the kid.

Jared going after the ball.

Jared receiving his trophy from the coach after his final game.

Jared's School Christmas Program

Jared had a Christmas Program at school where he was a narrator/snowflake. It was quite an entertaining production except for the one father that was in the middle of the chairs that stood-up the whole time video taping. It is not that we minded him video taping because we did that too, it was that he was in the center of the chairs and he stood-up in front of everyone totally oblivious to the fact that he was blocking everyone’s view. Everyone else that was video taping went to the back of the classroom where they could stand-up without blocking everyone. Other than that lame dork, the program was good. Here are a few dark photos (they got darker when I uploaded them, I am not sure why) of the program.

Jared the snowflake narrating the story.

Jared the snowflake being blown by the wind. The storyline of the program was Christmas around the World and so the snowflake narrators were blown around the world. Jared going around the classroom singing a song.

The whole group of snowflakes narrating the program.

The snowflakes are now off to the side joining in the song.

Jared doing his part at the grand finale.

Jared whole class doing the grand finale.