Soccer season has finally started- Fall 2018

Soccer season started 6 weeks ago with practices. Unfortunately, all but 2 practices were rained out.  So we started games on Thursday evening knowing that our boys don't have the hours of running in preparation for the season but hoping for the best.   Thursday night's game was 0-0 draw.  Todays game was a blow out (in our favor) 7-1.   We have another game tomorrow.  We'll see how it goes, the boys were looking tired today.

 

 

 Warm ups

coach

Running for the ball- Rocket played hard today.

 

He is lengthening out again.  I think he is growing.  He says his cleats are too small, but when I check he has room. 

 

we have a few more games mid week, but most are on the weekends.  there are few conflicts with sis' dance class. Thankfully Auntie Lulu and Darrell are willing to help out.

 

I took Rocket to the symphony last night- we saw Leslie Odom Jr.  He was Aaron Burr in the musical Hamilton.  It was so cool.  Pictures from that tomorrow.

 

Love and hugs and Happy Guatemalan Independence Day!!!!

 

Deb

 

Going to Hell in a Handbasket

The title of this post is in reference to the state of American politics.   Falco and I watched the debate last night- we both agreed on who won, but today my news feed has blown up with the ugliness of this election.  I really do fear for this country no matter who wins- it feels like we are on the brink of civil war.   Rocket was going to stay up, but this is him during the debate.  He could have gone to bed, but he wanted to "rest" on the camping mat.  He said he was hot, but when I got him into bed, he complained he was cold- go figure.

On Sunday, Auntie Lulu (my sister) brought over the finished blanket for him.  She has been working on it since he came home.  I am not the only one who takes forever to finish things. 

Saturday was filled with sports- Rocket had soccer in the morning and Falco had a cross country race in the evening.  This is him having a banana.  Apparently he hates them (or strongly dislikes them), but if he has to run 3.1 miles (5K) and then needs a snack he will eat them.  This is a hint for his parents- make him run, he will eat anything!!!!!

The board shows his time- he is number 159.  At one point the board showed him in 259 place, but apparently it was 159.  There were 306 runners in his race.  According to Falco, he took 26 seconds off his personal best time.  this is AWESOME!  Only 3 more weeks of races for him and then his season is likely over.  He will go watch his team mates for the district, region and state championships if they advance- but only the Varsity runners go and he is not varsity.  He is looking forward to some extra time in his schedule.

He is the runner in front just after the finish line.

Coming down the home stretch.

this is the 306 runners taking off from the field behind the stadium.

getting ready to line up for the start.

so you see the curve of teams!

Rocket's team played hard in the morning.  They lost 1-0 (though Rocket says it was 4-0).  Rocket was a wing in this game- he is on the far left of the screen- all by himself.

 

Rocket has at least 4 more weeks of soccer.  if his team wins at least half their games, they move to the league championships- right now they have lost 3 games and won 1 game.  I think I would like to be done with soccer for this season at the end of this month instead of playing into November again this year.  Basketball will be starting soon and it really would be nice not to have to drive either of the boys around for a few weeks.

 

that's all for today.

Love and hugs,

deb

 

 

A busy week

Little man continued basketball shooting camp Monday- Wednesday last week. Tuesday - Friday he also had a sports Fundamentals camp in the morning.  We were constantly on the go. 

I have a friend, SB, who blogs her schedule on a regular basis and I read and think "I would go crazy if that was my regular schedule" but she thrives on it which goes to show everyone is different.  Well last week I thought for sure I was living her life.  This was my schedule last week

5:30 am - wake up and start work (the benefit of working from home)

8 am - get the little man up, get him dressed and fed

8:30- leave the house to drop him off at sports camp, while listening to a work meeting

9 am- home from dropping him off, back to work at my desk

1:45 pm- go pick up little man

2:15- back home and get him started on his home activities (reading, doing a chore, practicing piano, etc)

4 pm - work ends for me

4:15 pm (Tuesday) - Piano lesson for little man, I read in the car

4:45- piano lesson ends, back home to make dinner

6 pm - finish dinner, leave for basketball shoot camp

8:30- camp is over, come home, get showered and ready for bed

9:00-9:30- bed time for him

 

I was so excited for shoot camp to be over on Wednesday night, just so we had some time in the evening for him to play or just watch TV.  It was a hot and humid week last week, so he would come home exhausted after sports camp.

 

We have a rest week this week- nothing until Thursday when basketball summer league starts (only 6 days of games).  Then the week of the 20th, he will be at basketball camp all day- camp from 9-1:15 and then basketball league from 1:40-4:30 pm.  I expect he will be very tired next week.

Practicing his shooting

One night, the ice cream truck came through the neighborhood.  We both got an ice cream. 

Saturday, little man worked on an Eagle Scout project for 3 hours.  I worked on cleaning out my closet.  this is one side.  I can't find anything.  I am a pack rat.  I am trying to figure out why I have become like this, I used to be quite organized. 

While cleaning, I found this "all about me" from 1st grade.  I knew it had to be thrown away so I took a bunch of picture of it so I can put them in his memory book.

this is what the closet looked like after about an hour of work- at least the one side.

this is the other side, which I started on immediately

I found the poster board from the baby shower right after I visited for the first time.  Look at that cutie little baby.  I could not throw this away.

the timeline I had on the poster.  Look at the last line- HAHAHAHAHA, clearly I need to write a post script that it was June 2007 before he came home. 

this is closet after I cleaned- I know it looks like a mess still but it is not.  I feel much better after cleaning this.  2 garbage bags of trash, 6 bags to donate and things consolidated (like all wrapping paper downstairs with all the gift bags).   While cleaning, I culled my closet too.  I have clothes going back 10 years and they look it.  So out with them.  Sunday I was able to buy a few more summer clothes as that is what I did not have.

 

Little Man came home exhausted from working - they having a car wash to raise money for the new landscaping they were putting in.  I went up to pick him up and got my car washed.  Best car wash team in the city.

 

 

Sunday, Bug went back to help for 2 hours putting in the new landscaping. He volunteered 5 hours over the weekend and was pretty worn out on Sunday.  Of course he refused to rest/nap on Sunday, so his behavior got worse and worse as the day went on. 

 

One benefit of sports camp and the eagle projects he is helping on, he is getting stronger.  Yesterday we mowed the lawn and he had no trouble with the lawn mower.  He and almost finished at the same time!!!  I love it.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Summer camps starting up

Monday, I took a vacation day so Bug and I could have some time together.  He slept until 9 am!  I had one thing to do in the morning for PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) and then we  headed out to the main library downtown.  Originally I thought we would go to the zoo, but it was kind of warm, so we decided to see the library.  I have not been to the downtown library since I was in high school.  Bug went when he was kindergarten, but he does not remember being there.  Our library is huge! It covers 2 city blocks.  When we arrived, there was a display of Star Trek memorabilia and he had a good time looking at everything. We have decided that we need to start watching the old TV show (yeah!). 

There was a used book sale going on when we arrived, but he refused to allow me to shop. That could be a good thing, but I think I missed picking up some books for the house.

 

As we went upstairs, there was this stained glass display and he wanted a picture for his teacher.  We had to go up stairs to take the bridge to the other building- for the fun of being on a bridge.  We also saw the "maker space" where you can reserve different machines to work on projects- like a sewing machine, a button making machine, template cutter, laminate sign making machine and a 3-D printer!  We are going to think of some crafts to make there and come back later this year.

Outside the library is this wonderful waterfall.  I love this statue/waterfall display.  I think I need a small replica in my backyard

He is happy, just tired.  We had lunch downtown and then headed back home. We did check out some books in the library, so we are set for reading this month.  We had to stop at a friend's house to drop off something for the mom and while there, Bug was invited to stay for a few hours to play.  I went home and finished up his Quilt top (pictures later this week).  I do need to add an extra border to make it big enough for his bed.  He is very excited about the quilt and so am I.

Monday night started summer camps.  Bug is doing some sports camps at one of the local high schools to start the summer.  Monday night was basketball shooting skills camp.  He was unsure at first, but he warmed up quickly when he found some kids he knew.  I was sitting at the opposite end of the gym, so the pictures are pretty blurry.

The guy in the red shirt is the head basketball coach at the school.  He was working with the older players down me most of the night.  it was interesting to see him taking notes on players (all are not in high school yet).

Bug was closer to me here, waiting to be part of the P-I-G game.  If you make a shot, the other person has to make it too, if they miss, they get a letter. Once you miss shots to spell the word, you are out of the game.  In this case, based on the number of kids, the first night took out half the kids and the game will continue on nights 2 and 3 with the overall winner announced on the 3rd night.  Bug went out in the first round/night.

 

But, he was practicing his shooting on Tuesday after the morning camp- Sports FUNdamentals. The emphasis on FUN. 

The morning camp runs through Friday and they try different sports each day.  On the first day, they did track and basketball.  Bug was not too happy with track but he liked the camp.  In the morning camp, he will get to try football (north American football).  It will be no tackling and no pads, so I am ok with it. He is super excited for football.

 

He has some more camps through out the month- a basketball league and a basketball skills camp.  After this month he is back to YMCA summer camp with one week off for Boy Scout camp.

 

he has a busy summer.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Basketball weekend and last pack meeting for scouts

Rocket has basketball practice 2 times a week, so pictures during the week are few and far between.  I usually sit and answer work emails during practice and talk to a few other parents.

 

This week, he was making baskets left and right during warm ups and then when I started taking pictures, he started missing the baskets.

Friday night was the last regular pack meeting for these Senior Weblos.  We have pinewood derby in February and then Blue and Gold banquet in March.  At Blue and Gold, Rocket will move up to Boy Scouts.  The Weblos held their last flag ceremony.  I can not believe there are 2 more months of cub scouts, that 5 years of cub scouting adventures are coming to an end. 

In boy scouts, it is all boy led and I will really not be needed (though there are things I can do for the scout troop).   Rocket knows which troop he wants to go to and I think he will be joining a hew of his friends in the same troop.

I will continue to work with the cub scouts for rechartering each fall and I will help the boy scouts with badge review (or something like that).

Rocket has one more award this year- the Arrow of Light.  I am so proud of his work and effort in scouting.

these boys have formed life long friendships through school, sports and scouting.

the first of 2 games this weekend.  We played the team we played in week 1. the other team won, but we held them close in scoring.

Rocket was in bounding the ball for the first and 3rd quarters. I usually do the score book for the coaches (our team), so I sit up higher and usually have a great view of the game. The boys have put in lots of work this year and you can see the progress they have made from the first practices until now.  I love their coaches.

 

Have a great day, love and hugs,

Deb