Spring Sports

The spring sports have officially begun.  Molly started soccer last week and the boys started t-ball today.  The practices for both sports are twice a week, on the same days, at the same times which means we’ll be headed in different directions for awhile.  Ben’s been out of town (he comes home tonight, hooray!) so Grandma Shelley took Molly to soccer so I could take the boys to their practice.

We applied for an exception/waiver (I don’t know what it was called) so that Henry could play on William’s team to make things a lot easier on us.  The boys have been so excited and were dressed, packed and ready by 10am this morning.  Practice was at 5:30pm so it was a long wait and by the end their anticipation was driving me crazy.

While the boys practiced, Adelaide spent her time finding the most dangerous parts of the playground and doing them over and over.  No matter how much I tried she would not use the steps to get to the slide.  She much preferred the climbing wall instead.

I know it is a little crazy to have three of our kids in team sports, but I think the sacrifice is worth it.  I think it can be a real challenge to make sure homeschooled kids (at least mine) are getting enough physical play time.  I shoo them outside every day for at least 30 minutes of “recess” but it just isn’t the same.  In my opinion, physical exercise is just as important as the book learning and socialization aspects of their education.  We’ve got lots of balls, bases, cones for races, jump ropes, and a volley ball net in our backyard and someday soon I’d like to add a trampoline.

On My Birthday Eve

Produce pick up from Bountiful Baskets.  This is a double order and quite a haul for only $30.  The two bags of potatoes are not pictured.  I’m grateful Ben is willing to get up early (7:30 am pick up) on a Saturday morning to go get it all.

William had his last t-ball game and because of a shortage of players, Henry was able to play too.  The boys had a lot of fun being on the same team.

William’s learned a lot this season.  He’s developing a good swing and is just starting to be able to really whack the ball.

Henry loved getting a chance to play with the big boys (at 3 he’s still got another 2 years before he can join a team of his own).  He actually blended in skill-wise with the rest of the team and got a really got hit in.

Size-wise he was so tiny out there!

Immediately after t-ball we jumped in the car and headed to Molly’s soccer game.  It was also her last game of the season.

Unluckily for me, the field was in a grove of Cottonwood trees which gave my poor allergies quite a fit.  It literally looked like it was snowing with all the seeds in the air.

Molly played a great game and her team won.  She’s been playing defense for most of the season and she’s becoming quite the little defender.

When we got home Ben gave me one of my birthday presents.  I’m calling her Indigo or Indie for short and I’m hoping she’ll help me achieve my goal of sewing more clothes for myself.  Adjusting the dials to make her my twin was a little depressing though (the picture is Indie pre-adjustment).  Knowing your measurements is one thing.  Seeing them modeled in front of you is another.

For dinner we headed to our favorite Mexican restaurant for some Carne Asada.  William’s been doing so well with the non-gluten, non-dairy diet so we threw caution to the wind and let him have some corn tortillas with his steak and beans.  Do we live on the edge or what.

As per tradition, a little birthday embarrassment was a must.

When we got home we had a family movie night, cupcakes (gluten-free for Addy and William), and opened presents.  The kids all made me lovely homemade pictures and cards that are so sweet and Ben spoiled me with a kitchen torch (for creme brulee!) and a new lens for my camera.

It was such a nice birthday celebration.  I know that tomorrow is my actual birthday, but celebrating on a Sunday is tricky with church and whatnot.  So today was my day and it felt great.  Thank you family!

A Day of Sports

We had a day of sports today and since Ben had a meeting for the Seattle Opera Board, I was on my own.  With four kids.  I packed well and planned and organized so that everyone would have what they needed.

Which was silly because I ended up holding Addy and the boys ran amok for most of the time.  They did eat all the crackers though.  So I got that right at least.

Molly’s team had their soccer game at the muddy poo-smelling field again, but it was much better this time with warmer weather and less standing water.

Unfortunately the game didn’t improve with the field.  The Angry Cheetahs lost to the blue team which I think may have been called the Big Cats.  Or something similar.

Molly had fun which is all that really matters.  She ran right out of her shoes at one point during the game and fell flat on her back in the mud during another.  Luckily, I had packed lots of towels.

After the game we packed up and raced back home to get William’s Little League pictures taken.  We arrived with approximately 30 seconds to spare.  Woohoo!  After the pictures were snapped, we returned home for lunch and a quick nap for Addy.  Then it was off to another field for William’s first T-Ball game.  (I now understand the term “soccer mom.”)

Just as the game was about to start, Ben walked up.  We were all surprised and William was ecstatic (me too actually).  Ben had left his meeting early because he couldn’t handle not being at William’s first game. It was very sweet.

T-Ball games are a different critter.  There is no winner or loser per se.  Everyone gets a chance to hit in each inning and the last person up gets a “homerun” to force everyone through and off the bases.

William did some left-fielding.

Some batting.

Some hitting.

Some running.

Lots of standing.

A little bit of fielding.

Some high-fiving.

And lots of smiling.

He had a great game and is so excited for his next game on Monday.

A Muddy Game

The Cheetahs played the Muddy Dogs today on a very muddy field.  And it was super stinky mud too, kind of like garbage or sewage.  Ew.  Some parts of the field were actually under water.

It was the Muddy Dog’s home field and they definitely had the advantage.

Even though they lost, the Cheetahs were not gloomy.  It turns out that getting muddy can be a lot of fun.

Molly played a great game once again.  She is very fast and did an excellent job.  I loved watching her cheer on her teammates whenever she was waiting her turn to play.

It was bitter cold and I was not prepared.  I was grateful to have my boots, but next time I’m also bringing mittens, a hat, a blanket, camping chairs, several towels and some extra shoes for Molly.  One of these days I’ll get this whole soccer mom thing down.

An Afternoon at Soccer Practice

When we got to Molly’s soccer practice this evening, they were handing out pictures.  Molly is so cute and so tiny!  There are a few players not pictured, but she is the smallest of them all.

Not that I am biased, but I also think she is the cutest.  I love her hair in the two braids.  She wears those ribbons in her hair for every game and she had a near melt down when we couldn’t find them for the last game.  I don’t know if she left them at her other house or if they are just lost, but I barely escaped with my life that day.  Replacement ribbons just wouldn’t work.

With William in T-Ball, Ben and I had to divide and conquer.  In other words, he took William to T-Ball and I took everyone else to Molly’s soccer practice.  It wasn’t so bad though.  I stuck some real sneakers on Addy and let her explore the playground.  See her poor little chapped cheeks?  She’s got skin just like her big brother William.  Poor thing.

She was definitely a fan of the playground and looked oh so cute playing with Henry.

When she was tired of the playground I set her in the grass.  I don’t think I’ve set her in the grass before… and she’s nearly 15 months.  In my defense, I think it was raining for most of last year.

When Adelaide grew tired of being wrestled to the ground by Henry she took off on her own.  She looks so grown up.  How did that happen?  Wasn’t she a little baby just yesterday?

Spring Soccer

Molly’s soccer team (the Angry Cheetahs) had their first game today and they won!  Molly even scored one of the goals!  I think she seems a little more aggressive with the ball this season which is good.

This is her weekend with her other family, but the nice thing about soccer games is that I get to see her for a few minutes even when it isn’t our weekend.  I like that and I’m sure her other family does too.