The Soccer Mom

Okay, I admit it...I am a TOTAL soccer mom (minus the minivan). From August to October and March through May there is little else I think about. Both girls had really fun seasons. They worked hard and improved quite a bit. We even discovered that Anna is an amazing goalie...much to her dismay, as she would rather run around on the field colliding with anyone who tries to get near the goal.

This year Anna played on a AA competition team called the Jaguars. It was a newly formed team so it was a rough start, but by the end they were beginning to play like a team. They are such cute girls. I can't wait until next season.

On Saturday, Sophia tried out for a U-10 AA competition league and made it. She was is so excited and she is really looking forward for soccer season to begin.

I am so glad the girls enjoy playing so much. I totally love the game so it has been really fun coaching them and seeing them grow. However, I am also looking forward to next season as I will not be coaching either Anna or Sophia's team. I really look forward to sitting back in the cheering section...of course James might need a coach :).

Over spring break (yes I know that was two months ago) we made a visit to the farm at Thanksgiving Point.


There we discovered how to be Cow Pokes (or cow "sits" as the case may be).


We fed the ducks.


We (minus E) took a pony ride including the obligatory photos... whether they were wanted or not.

And finally concluded our visit with a brief stay in the village jail.

It was a fun afternoon.

Little E

My initial name-writing guilt arrived one morning at the public library. We were standing in line at the children's circulation desk, waiting to get a name tag for story time. Ellie's turn comes up. The librarian looks at Ellie and asks for her name. In a minute whisper Ellie replies. Then comes the guilt inducing question.... "How do you spell that sweetie?" Obviously, this question is not directed to me. I look at the librarian incredulously and intervene with a "she doesn't know how to spell her name yet." "Oh," the librarian says. That settled it. There may be moments when I cannot even get the child to do something as pleasant as eat candy cheerfully, but I am going to get this child to write her name....even the small "e" at the end. And you know what? It wasn't even half as painful as I thought it would be. In fact, it was kind of fun.

See that smile? That's a I-just-wrote-my-name-and-I-am-so-happy-about-it-I-will-condesend-to-have-my-picture-taken smile.

Here's the close up view. Check out that lower case e. I am so impressed.

Karate Chop!

James came home from karate a couple weeks ago with a board that he had split in half...with his bare hand. He was very casual about it and reported, "You only have to hit it three times, mom. The first two you hit it soft with concentration. The third hit you hit it hard and it breaks." He was very anxious to try it again. So far, he has kept those lethal hands to himself and my furniture remains in tact.