Last Soccer Session

On Monday, the boys had their last session of soccer practice.  They have really enjoyed this season.  We can see definitive improvement over the past two months.  Some of the dribbling and turning with the ball is an area that both boys markedly got better.

After practice was over, there was a soccer party for all of the kids.  Jack and Mark had a good time with the party.  In fact, they were the last ones there as they had a lot of fun.

Here is the best picture I could get.  They had so much fun that they would not even look at the camera.  Ha.

Jack is listening to one of his teammates and Mark is figuring out what to eat next.

Give something to get something

On Saturday afternoon, we had to run a couple of errands that we know that the boys would not want enjoy.  We had to take some of their pants to the tailor to get altered and get some new shoes.  Since they did very good, we let them do a couple of things that they enjoy:

Riding the bulldozer at the mall

Practice time over at Golfsmith.  Mark has a good swing plane going on.

Valentine's Day shirts

On Valentine's Day, the boys showed off their new shirts for the holiday.  They were really happy to see these shirts.  One of their favorite sayings is that "I love you to the moon and back."  These shirts fit them to a tee.  Look how cute they are:

Mark

Jack

Two best friends

A bigger snow storm...a snowmageddon

Last Wednesday, the forecast was for more snow.  It was anywhere from 3 to 6 inches forecasted for Raleigh.  Well, by noon we had not seen the first snow flake.  Jack had slept in his pajamas inside out as the old wives tale said that sleeping in those pajamas inside out will bring snow.  So far, he was off.  Well, Daddy got a call around 12:40 saying that it was snowing and it would be a good idea to get the boys and get home.  That was a very good idea.  Mommy had already gotten home.

I went over to pick up the boys.  Jack was eating lunch and Mark was getting ready for nap time.  After I put the boys in the car, I saw a crash between two cars in the parking lot.  Not the best thing that I wanted to see.  No one was hurt though, just some car body damage.  Once I got out of the parking lot, I got in a long line to exit SAS.  It took me about 20 minutes to get out of SAS.  The roads were already covered and getting pretty slick.  I had decided to take the longer but larger roads home instead of taking the shorter, hillier, and less traveled way home.  It was another good idea.

Once I got onto Harrison Ave, I didn't have too many problems driving.  It was slow but as long as I was going straight the road was OK.  When I got into the left turn lane to turn onto Maynard Road, I experienced a little slipping on the ice as I was turning, but it wasn't too bad.  Then another 25 minutes later, I had to turn left onto Chapel Hill Blvd (Hwy 54) to get home.  I was glad to get past that uphill turn.  The funny thing was that during the hour long trek to go 3 miles, the boys were so relaxed that they even fell asleep for a little bit.  When I turned around and saw them sleeping, it just brought about a little smile on my face.

I didn't have nearly the issues getting home that others did, and we are very thankful that all of us got home without any problems and that it didn't take us too long with respect to other people in the area.  Here are two pictures from the area that went viral in regards of the six inches of snow that Raleigh received:

That afternoon and then on Thursday, since SAS and preschool were closed, the boys were able to go out and play some in the snow.   We all had fun out in the snow.  The boys love shoveling the driveway.  They also love throwing snowballs at Daddy and making a snowman.  Check out some of the pictures from everyone in the snow:

Mommy with her two boys.

So this is what a lot of snow looks like. I love it! - Mark

Uh, do you see Daddy in the background?  I am getting ready to hit him with a snow ball!  - Jack

Now that is a pretty site (and as of a week later...a lot of that snow still remains).

The snow shoveling brigade.  3 men who love to shovel.

Our snow man...holding hands with the Jack and Mark.

Grandpa shoveled the initials of Jack and Mark in the snow on the street.  It snowed so quickly and so hard that the letters were not visible one hour later.

NC State vs Wake Forest

Last Tuesday, NC State hosted Wake Forest.  The Wolfpack really needed a win and also needed to extract revenge on the Demon Deacons who beat the Wolfpack by 1 point in controversial fashion last month.  On this night, the Wolfpack jumped out to an early lead and never really felt threatened.  They lead by 8 at half and won by 15.  The boys had a good time.  Check out the head covers that the Pack gave out tonight.  Very cool.

We have the same hat on, and it is in the shape of the net.  

TJ Warren scored 34 points for a career high.  I am a BIG TJ fan.  - Jack

Preschool Choir

The next morning the boys were part of the preschool choir that sang in the late Sunday morning worship service.  They did a really good job.  We are so proud of them signing in the choir in front of almost 900 to 1000 people.  Very impressive.

Look at us in the green sweaters.  We are the cutest boys in the choir.  - Jack and Mark

Mommy and Daddy are not the only ones in the service taking pictures while they are singing.  

Family visit and another Birthday Party

Mama came up to visit us for a few days during the first full week of February.  Granna and Grandpa went down to Gastonia for 3 days to visit around her birthday and then they brought her up to Raleigh for the rest of the week.  They all had a good time.  We were able to go our to eat with them one night.  Granna and Grandpa took her to downtown Raleigh to show her the capital, governor's house, along with the graves of Jim Valvano and Lorenzo Charles.  They went to Knightdale to have lunch with some of her old neighbors from Gastonia.  

On Saturday, we spent the first part of the day up at Granna and Grandpa's house.  Uncle Roger, Cousin Rachel and Evi had come up for the day so we had fun playing games, eating lunch, and just hanging out.  

Evi and Jack

Good lunch time discussions over a big pot of soup. 

Later that afternoon, after watching State beat Miami 56-55, Daddy took Mark to a birthday party.  One of his classmates, Drew, was having a birthday party at MVP Sports Factory up in Wake Forest.  The party was basketball themed.  Just up Mark's alley.  The party consisted of some basketball drills and a scrimmage.  Mark was showing off some of his dribbling prowess.  Some of the parents were commenting how good Mark was.  He had a really good time with his friends.  Here are a couple of photos from the party:

Warmup time for Mark.

No one can steal the ball from me.  I dribble very well.  - Mark

After I make the shot, I need to pass the ball to a teammate.  It is make it take it, right?  - Mark

We all had a fun day.

Hockey time

Last Friday, we went to the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers hockey game.  The boys have been so excited over the past couple of weeks.  They went to a game last year but wanted this time to sit downstairs.  We got tickets to sit downstairs.  Before the game started, we walked down to the ice and watched the Panthers warm up (the Hurricanes were warming up on the other end of the ice).  Jack and Mark were shocked how big the players were.  They loved it.  Here are a couple of pictures from pregame:

The boys are THISCLOSE to an NHL player.

You think the boys are mesmerized?  I think so.  

Let's pound on the ice like everyone else does.  - Jack and  Mark

Then when the game started, the boys wanted to wear their new shirts they got at the Eye Store.

Having a good time with Daddy.  - Mark

Having a good time with Mommy.  - Jack

Wearing my new Jordan Staal shirt.  - Jack 

Wearing my new Eric Staal shirt.  - Mark

Jack and Mark had a great time.  We all did.  The boys were so excited when the Canes scored.  They scored early and often.  The Hurricanes won 5-1 tonight.

Latest pictures from Children's House

Here are a couple of pictures that show some of the work that has been done lately at Children's House by Jack and Mark:

Visiting his brother, Mark helps Jack work on some sorting exercise.  The boys can visit their brother one day a week.  Lately, Mark has visited Jack more.  But they love seeing each other during the day.  Both of their teachers tell us how well they work and play together.

Here is the map of North America that I just finished.  Next up, South America.  - Mark

More Soccer Practice

As we continue this soccer season, the boys have increasingly shown more capabilities with the soccer ball.  They are getting better passing, dribbling, and shooting.  One of their favorite areas of soccer is to play goalie.  When it is scrimmage time, they are always the first people to ask to play goalie.  And lately it feels as if Mark gets to be goalie more than Jack...but that is OK.

Mark has made some very good goalie saves.  Jack has been showing off his Thunderfoot with some great passing and solid defense.  Jack almost has had some goals.  Mark has also scored three goals.  They are playing so well.  We only have a couple of more weeks of soccer left.

Here are a couple of pictures from soccer practice:

Mark is practicing dribbling with the outside of his foot.

Getting ready for a scrimmage, Mark is relaxing in goal while Jack gets ready to play the midfield (halfback).

Jack, catch this.  I just made a save.  Now go score.  - Mark

The kids listen intently, for the most part, to hear the next drill they are going to perform.

Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl XLVIII was held in New York (please don't ever do that again.  The NFL got way lucky with the weather).  The two teams were the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks.  The boys were pulling for the Seahawks as the quarterback was Russell Wilson, who used to be the QB at NC State.  So, with that, we got a chocolate chip cookie cake from Harris Teeter that was decorated for the Seahawks.  But, one thing was missing.  The number 3, Wilson's jersey number, was not on the cookie.  So Mommy and the boys added a 3 to finish off the cake.

The boys were very happy that Wilson and the Seahawks easily won the Super Bowl, beating Peyton Manning and the Broncos 43-8.

Here are some pictures of the boys and the cookie cake:

Brothers ready for the big game.

What did you say Mark?  You want to pull for Manning and the Broncos, like Daddy is going to do?  I don't think so!  - Jack

OK, Mark was just joking.  All is well. - Jack

The cookie cake with the jersey number of Russell Wilson.

School work

Here are some pictures that were sent to us that show what the boys have been doing lately at Children's House:

Mark has been working on learning the calendar.  He wrote out the entire month of January.  Good work Mark!

Jack spent some of his craft time making a hole that imitates a ground hog.  Above, we see the groundhog still in the ground.

In this picture, the ground hog is up out of the hole and loving life.

Occasionally, the boys can go see each other in the other's classroom.  Here, Mark has gone to Jack's room for a little work time.  As Jack's teacher said "  These boys sure do like to work together!"

Birthday Party at Dave and Buster's

After we finished shoveling the sidewalk, we took the boys to Dave and Buster's for a birthday party for one of Jack's friends from school.  Darin was turning 5 and he wanted to have his party at Dave and Buster's, which is a more modern version of Chuck E. Cheese (ala Showbiz Pizza)--- well without the creepy music by the "band."

As a family, we got a free arcade card for the day.  That was fun.  The boys had never been in an arcade before (they still haven't really started playing game systems yet...although they like some of the games on the iPad and iPhone).

They had a good time spending the time with Darin and all of their friends.

Here are some pictures from the party:

A new way to play Pop-A-Shot.

I can't reach the accelerator but I can steer well.  - Jack and Mark

The first time I have ever seen a 4-way air hockey machine.

The kids wait somewhat patiently for the cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Darin!  (in Superman shirt)