More Soccer

Derek and Blake are playing a lot of soccer. They are both getting really good and they love it.

Just a good shot of a teammate.

They play up a level . Even though they just turned 8 they play with kids that are 10 and some of those kids are about to turn 11. However, both Blake and Derek are pretty aggressive and they totally hang with the big boys.

Another good shot of a teammate.

Labor Day Weekend.

We had a really fun Labor Day weekend. We surprised the kids with spending the night in Park City. Later we ended up spending time with our good friends the Sinemas. We spent the day at a cabin up the canyon where we did a lot of fun stuff in a short period of time. I didn't get a shot of the five snakes the kids caught.

Playing with the Caterpillar.

Blake and Derek shot a real gun for the first time.

Katelyn ran around in her bathing suit and her new sweater. She also managed to get pretty banged up. She fell and re-injured her head. The almost-healed goose egg looked really bad.

We floated down the river on tubes, starting at the cabin and then jumping out at a nearby bridge.

My Life as a Soccer Mom

I'm a soccer mom, but don't get me wrong, I'm not to the point of representing my family in soccer balls on my minivan, but I am indeed a soccer mom in so many ways.

soc·cer mom

noun soccer moms, plural A middle-class suburban mother who spends a great deal of time taking her children to play soccer or engage in other activities

Blake and Derek are playing competition soccer this year. After a very peculiar series of events they ended up on a U10 soccer team (so they are playing up a year) with a fantastic and very enthusiastic coach. They have some kind of soccer activity 3-4 times a week and it is truly a new level of intensity that is perfectly suited for Derek and Blake. They love it! They've had three games now and are 2-1.

So while I am defintely the proverbial soccer mom, I am turning into a different kind of soccer mom as well. I take the games way too serious, I can't seem to quit looking at the stats and standings on the league website and I'm sure if I actually knew anything about how to play the sport I'd be drilling my kids every extra minute. So while my lack of knowledge deters me in some areas, it does not slow my mouth down at the games. I just can't help myself. I guess my boys don't just get their extremely competitive nature from their dad.

So I was in charge of soccer treats today and they boys really wanted to do something fun and soccer-ish. The first treats were soccer sugar cookies. I was hoping to find some soccer candy or fruit snacks or hostess cupckaes or something that I could just grab and go but when I couldn't find anything in the store I got sucked in to my usual over-the-top thinking and ended up spending 2 hours making 14 of these rice krispie treats with 100 calorie Oreos and chocolate frosting. It took 2 double batches of rice krispies and all I can say is the more interesting picture would have been my kitchen after I was done.

But I was happy with them and my boys were excited and I loved the reaction of their team. In the end it was totally worth the time it took to make them. But really, is there a name for a mom who always overdoes it? Because soccer mom doesn't even cover it.

Here are some pictures of their soccer games:

Here's their team the Yellow Jackets being "inspected" by the refs.

Blake's debut as a keeper. Boy I hope that doesn't happen again soon. Sooo stressful for me!

The post-game talk after their loss.

Brandon and Katelyn playing at a park in Salem, Ut during a game.

First Day of Preschool

Brandon and Katelyn started preschool yesterday and it was soooo different from last year when I was an emotional basket case and could only be reassured by retail therapy. This year I took my mom to have her port removed (an implanted device that gives access for chemo). So the end of one phase and beginning of another for me. It was a kind of strange day to be honest. But the kids had fun and their teacher said it was like they never left. Can't wait to see what the school year brings for Brandon and Katelyn's development and growth.