Soccer and Dance

Well, the regular soccer season has come to an end.  We have been with this team since practice began in July.  It was a very long season with quite a bit of drama.  We were the 2nd place U10 (under 10) team and went to a tournament 2 hours away with other teams from our district.  We knew it would be a tough weekend but our boys did very well.  We won our first game 5-0 and then lost 5-1 and 6-3.  The second team played dirty and called our kids names the whole game and even said stuff about our parents and coach.  The kids got very beat up physically during that game and David almost got a red card because he was so mad about no calls being made when our kids were getting hurt.  7 of 9 kids came off the field at the end of the game crying because they were either hurt or called a name or both.  I am so proud of them for going back out there today and keeping it together to play a really tough team.  Here is the collage I made for Andrew. Each player will get his own collage this week at our team party.  I did this in the spring and everyone loved getting one.

It was a busy weekend as Grace also had her winter dance recital today.  Grace and I left early this morning to drive home and relax and take our time getting ready. She doesn't really like being at the soccer games which makes it not very much fun for me (and the other parents I'm sure) so we skipped today's game and came home.  David and Andrew drove home after the game and went straight to the school to sit and wait to save our seats for the recital. It was a long day for them away from home.  Here is Grace in her tap outfit.  I didn't get a picture of her in her tumbling outfit.  We had plenty of time I just didn't even think of it.  I'm going to see if I can figure out how to get the routines on here so you can watch them.  They all did such a great job and Grace has improved so much!

School is out for Christmas break on Thursday, Grannylou gets here in a couple days, and Andrew starts practice Wednesday for All Stars for soccer. David is going to be the assistant coach for all stars and I am proud of both of them for being chosen.  So we leave one team and join another.....no breaks!  We then go straight into basketball and back to soccer in the spring.

1st Day of School 2013

Well, we all survived the first day of school!  The picture of Andrew makes Andrew look like he grew a lot from last year but it is actually the angle of the picture.  The kids are very happy in their new classrooms and I think it's going to be a great year!  I'm a week late posting these pictures....we started school on the 12th.   I already worked 2 days this week and still have a half day tomorrow.  I'm enjoying being at home getting the house cleaned up and organized.  I missed getting the kiddos ready and off to school last year.  I'm getting some much needed organizing done while I have the house to myself and it is making me a happier person.  I am also running 3-4 times a week and am up to 3 miles at a time.  I've never been a "runner" and someone recently accused me of not being a "real" runner whatever that means.  I'm thinking that getting up at 5:30 a.m. to go out and complete 3 miles would make me a real runner.  I don't love doing it but I feel great when I'm done.  Anyway, here's what the kids looked like the first week.

 I didn't get as many pictures of Andrew.  Apparently he is "too cool" for pictures now that he is 3rd grade.

Week 2 Grace was chosen as the Star of the week.  She was super excited!!!

I'm back!!!!! with a LOT of pictures

Computer is fixed and almost all of my files were saved!  A few pictures here and there didn't copy but I'm sure I'll never miss them!  So here is some of our summer in pictures.

 Swim lessons (first session) Grace level 2, Andrew level 3

 Andrew working on diving

 Grace swimming across pool

 Daddy's birthday

 They passed!

 Huntington Beach

 Father's Day at Chili's

 Silverwood Lake with Papa Wayne

 Skipping rocks and giving Papa a high five!

 Minecraft with friends

 dressing up for the movies

 dance recital

 summer reading program at the library

 swimming with friends

 bbq with new friends and neighbors

 Andrew's birthday

 learning how to rollerblade in a swim suit

 lots of lego building

 4th of July

 painting (like Rapunzel)

 movie day at home with mommy (watched Dolphin Tale) 89 cent icees from the gas station and popcorn

 another session of swim lessons and the both passed

 dance competition

 dinosaur exhibit on the way home from competition

 bowling day with lots of friends (about 20 actually)

 reading books at barnes and noble

This is a little of what we've done this summer.  We've had such a great time with friends and family.  I've started running with a friend and getting ready for my first 5k in September and trying to work out and improve my diet.  The kids have been playing and reading and enjoying their time off from school.  This is probably one of the best summers we've had in a long time.  Only a few more weeks until school starts.  Andrew started soccer practice a couple weeks ago and Grace starts her new dance season the first week in August.  She has added tap and ballet to her tumbling that she already takes.  We will have 4 practices a week between the 2 kids and Saturday games start the 2nd Saturday in August.  Life is about to get really busy so I am trying to take in the last couple week with nothing on the calendar!

Swimming

The kids finished swim lessons today.  It was a little heart breaking because Grace didn't pass level 2.  She can swim all over the place under water but just can't get it all together with her legs and arms and side breathing.  She came to me devastated but determined not to cry in front of everyone.  I felt so bad.  She was already going to repeat level 2 anyway so it works out fine but it was still very sad.  Andrew on the other hand sailed through level 3.  Technically the instructor said it was a level 4 class because he challenged them.  He was swimming the whole length of the pool every day and they only had to swim the width of the pool.  He did really well and although he passed, I had already signed him up for level 3 again in 2 weeks so he'll be taking it again.  His instructor said he thought Andrew had already taken level 3 because he did so well and followed along so well.  He just figured it wasn't new to him.  This kid pushes himself to be able to do what is asked of him even if it's hard.  He doesn't want to disappoint.  It's been a fun 2 weeks with friends and swimming and now we get a break for 2 weeks and then we'll start again. 

We've also been busy with friends this week.  We've played at the park after swim lessons at least 3 days this week and played with friends a couple days at home also.  In fact, as I type this the kids are with their friends and I'm home alone!!!  I cleaned the floors and am doing some laundry....fun!  Of course I figured I could update here as well.  No pics on my computer yet (I'm sure no one is surprised by that) but I will be downloading pics very soon.  Well, I'm off to go finish up the laundry I started and then to meet up with my kids.  It's very strange to have such a quiet house and not feel like I'm missing out on the fun.  This usually only happens when they are out doing something with David.