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.

First Day of School and HGH Update

Blake and Derek started 3rd grade yesterday. They were so excited to get back to school (I guess they've had enough of me!). They had a great day and they love their new teacher. I can't believe how fast they're growing up and how fast the summer flew by. Its always so bitter sweet for me to send them back to school but I will say that I'm very proud that I got them through the summer without killing each other. Not even an ER visit! Amazing! Those of you who didn't spend any time with us this summer may think I'm joking. I'm not.

Blake and Derek on their way out the door.

Blake

Derek

Blake walking out of school.

We got some exciting news on Monday about Brandon and Katelyn's growth. They have both reached the 33rd percentile for height. Since they started taking growth hormones in April 2008 they have made up a lot of ground. It took them more than a year to even be on the growth chart. So the good news is we can be done with these nightly injections as soon as we use up the medication we have. I can't tell you what a relief that is! They are so good about them but it definitely complicates our bedtime routine and, well, just sucks. The doctor expects them to drop down on the charts a bit but she says she rarely has to restart and that she won't even consider restarting until a year from now. Let's hope they just grow on their own now!

A Few Summer Happenings

Derek petting the foal in the field next to Brent's work.

Brandon playing at Chuck E Cheese on his birthday.

Derek showing him how its done!

Our first family bike ride - all six of us. Its been really fun having a bike trailer. I wish we could have used it more, but there's still fall.

Katelyn after getting her face painted at our dentists' summer party. Its always something my kids look forward to because for some weird reason, they always win prizes. They aren't small events, and my kids aren't usually lucky but they have an amazing track record with these parties!

Brandon has a football.

Derek kept his for the next day and was surprised how many people stared at him in Costco. Blake washed his off as soon as we got to the restaurant. It was irritating his skin.

We've had an unusual number of snakes in our backyard this year. In this picture Derek's wearing a glove because this snake had just bitten Blake. I wasn't there but I heard that if we'd had a video going we could've made bank!

Katelyn holding a trophy she got a soccer clinic. A wonderful young Eagle Scout candidate organized a really fun soccer clinic for Now I Can kids. It was really fun and I just loved that he had come up with such a wonderful project. I wish I had gotten a picture of the kids with him. They felt so special because of his efforts.

Brandon practicing at the clinic.

This is a terrible phone picture but its Katelyn and Brandon standing with our friend Saylor after the "scrimmage" - another event I wish I'd had a video camera going for. It was so funny but the kids had a blast.

Blake during his yellow stripe belt test. He loves Karate (and so does Brandon who

regularly tells people that he and Blake take karate).

Blake with his teacher - Sensei Beau