SPORTS!

We definitely have a house full of boys who LOVE sports! Any kind!

SOCCER: Cooper played soccer (indoor) for the first time this Spring. His team was the FIREBALLS. And, I got to be his coach! It was so fun, especially to see the kids improve and do things in the games that we would practice. What fun, energetic, kids! Cooper is such a natural athlete, and he even had a hat-trick one game! (3 goals) One super cute thing, is they don't keep official score, but Cooper always knows the score! The other thing I loved is when he would score a goal, he'd run back with is "rock on" hands in the air. He definitely isn't very humble! One time, we were winning by a lot, and he asked me why no one is cheering anymore when we'd continue to score goals. :)

Coach Chad Farris, Kovy, Sawyer, Taylor, Ethan, Eric "Q", Coach Cassie Larson

Tyler, Madison, Sterling, Cooper

Here we are at the post-season party. The Youth Center rents out the bowling alley, and each team has a few lanes. They give them pizza too! 

Cooper loved being the #1. Below he's pictured with his buddy Taylor. We've been able to get to know Taylor, and his mom, Roxanne, really well. She recently took lessons from the missionaries at our house and joined our church!
BASEBALL: The town close by has a college, University of Central Missouri. We went to a handful of their games this year, and the boys LOVED it. They loved chasing foul balls, and rolling balls off the roof of the equipment shed to catch. One player once asked Cooper if he was a Mules fan, and Cooper said, "Yes!". For days he talked about how a "real baseball player" talked to him! Cooper always made sure to have his baseball pants on too. :)

Coop hasn't played any organized baseball yet (we are sort of an anti-tee-ball family... Andrew is afraid it can put a bad taste in kids' mouths). But next year, if Andrew coaches, he can do coach-pitch on-base. We have hit the batting cages, and play LOTS of wiffle ball! 

We just love this little guys open-mouthed kisses!

BASKETBALL: UCM also has a pretty good basketball team. We went to one of their games on military night... and, it was nationally televised!  It was pretty cute to see Cooper really watching the game, and cheering at the right times. I guess he did learn something from playing basketball. We sat by our friends, the Bells.

Gunner got to play "Smart Start Basketball" for 3-5 year olds. They bring a parent, and do lots of drills and fun games to learn the sport. He loved having something that was all about him!

Cooper did great at basketball this year! He was the point guard, and a good little ball handler!
Again, the end-of-the-year party was at the bowling alley. He LOVES his trophy! 
He is pictured above with his two buddies Sawyer and Ethan. 

FOOTBALL: All winter the boys LOVED playing tackle football in the basement with Dad! It's always ok to tackle and wrestle with Dad, right?! I try to tell him it'll go beyond the field!