Eli's ABCs book

I've been wanting to make Eli a personalized ABCs photo book for awhile now, and just got around to doing it (hooray for summer and checking stuff off that to-do list!).

Click here to view this photo book larger

Eli's ABCs photo book 

I had a coupon that was about to expire, so I had to make do with the pictures I could find since we're still on vacation.  Eli loves looking at pictures and our other Shutterfly photo books, so hopefully he will love this!

June 15

Every so often, my birthday falls on Fathers Day, and this year happened to be one of those years.  It was fun to be able to share "my special day"!

We actually celebrated my birthday in Dothan on Friday night.  Eli wanted to dine in the backyard, which was lots of fun!

I forsaked (forsook...it was forsaken) the traditional Rolens cake (gasp, I know!) this year and opted for a cookie cake.

Eli (or "Peli" as he signed my birthday card?!...) was proud of the book he picked out for me from himself and Landon boy!

We were able to spend the day with Nana and Puddin at the beach for Fathers Day/my birthday.  We spent the morning on the beach, and then had a late afternoon lunch/dinner at the Back Porch.  We then walked around Pier Park and got ice cream.

To top off the afternoon we went to the go-cart track, which was a blast!

Eli has already asked about 132x when we're going back to race go-carts, and has also decided Ginny and Pops need to take him.  He has learned, and is quickly mastering, that he can ask the grandparents for things that he doesn't think mom and dad will go for.  : )  He's not rotten at all!

Here's to one last year in my 20s!

Bowling

Many towns offer free bowling for kids over the summer.  Our town is one, but we also noticed Nana and Puddin's town offered it too, so we signed Eli up for that too, thinking it'd be something good (free = good) to do while he was visiting them.

Last week Eli earned another rite into childhood when he went bowling for the first time.

Can't handle the cuteness!

He was sooo excited to have his very own ball.

Watching the ball roll towards the pins (it took a very longgg time!).

So much anticipation - check out those hands over the mouth!

Thank goodness for bumpers! I wish I could bowl with those things every time (not that we bowl all that often....).

Eli also learned a valuable lesson while bowling; do not cross the line at the top of the lanes!

Please watch! HAHA!!

Hooray!  A strike!

Scores at the end of the first game...

By the time we got to the second game, Eli was getting very tired.  It took longer and longer for the ball to roll down the lane.

So we got a little help!

Puddin giving Eli pointers on getting the spare!

The final from game 2.  Go Nana!  Obviously everyone was feeling the fatigue.  Game 2 scores were lower than the first game.

We had a great time, and Eli's already asking to go back again!

Eli's Soccer Camp

Last week Eli went to soccer camp!

His girlfriend Abigail did soccer camp again too!

Look at these two!  Sweet friends!

Eli loved this game.  When coach said go, the kids would dribble the ball around until he called out a body part, then they'd have to stop and put that body part (like the head...see below) on the ball.

These two; oh my!

Eli coaching Abigail on toe taps.

We took LOTS of water breaks every day!

We love sweet Abigail!

Eli loved working on his toe taps.  His age group didn't do too much of this, but Eli always had a watchful eye on the bigger kids and would copy a lot of the stuff they were doing.

Team talk with Coach Matthew

Eli's group playing freeze tag to warm up...except the little girl in the back.  She stood like that all week long.

Eli and Coach Matthew playing a Zombie game!

Playing with friends on the soccer field!

This game involved having to dribble your soccer ball through the cones and then turn around and kick the ball, knocking all of the cones down.

An action shot!

On Friday, Ginny, Pops, and Katie were able to come watch Eli's last day of soccer.

The last day involved an actual soccer game!  Go Abigail, go!

Gooo Eli!

It's not always fun and games.  Sometimes it's tough being 3; especially when you're hot and tired!

The day 5 Eli/Abigail picture wasn't nearly as cute as days 1-4.  Eli was pitiful and Abigail didn't quite know what to think of him so upset.

Team picture with Coach Matthew...notice Abigail and Eli-holding hands, but she's bewildered and Eli's still screaming! : )

Despite how day 5 ended.  Eli had a BLAST!  He has improved so much since last summer.  I think we're ready for soccer this fall!