'tis the Season

Soccer season that is.

Anyone wonder how we spend our Saturdays?

It's like this . . .

Watching this . . .

and this . . .

and this . . .

and this . . .

Four soccer players mean four soccer games mean many hours on the soccer fields.

Soccer is Over!

Yeah!

The soccer season is OVER!!

The girls did great and played their little hearts out.

Madison's team almost went to playoffs, but didn't have as many ref points as the other teams (oh darn!). With lots of rain -- it rained 3 Saturdays -- postponing and canceling games made for an interesting season.

Serious Soccer Stuff Goin' On

Soccer has started.

The games have begun.

Three teams: U6 boys, U8 girls, U12 girls - two different parks now.

Practice has been underway for over a month now, but last week the season opened.

Good-bye Saturdays.

Hello Peppertree and Dos Vientos Parks.

We know you well.

This was today:

7am - John takes Madison to her field at Dos Vientos (with Ashlyn) for her 8:00 game. She needs to be there by 7:15 for warm-up and practice; he needs to help set up the field.

8:15 - I take Christian (with Brooke) to Peppertree for his 8:30 game. We are in charge of snacks. Because it's an early game, I'm able to get front row parking (miraculous). We arrive at the field, set up a chair and realize the cooler of snacks is still in the garage where it was set down in order to find his soccer ball. Ooops.

Run (I mean drive fast) back home, get the cooler, come back to Peppertree in record-breaking 11 minutes later only to find the parking lot and overflow is completely filled and need to find parking up the hill, across the street, in some business lot.

Christian plays his game, blocks 2 goals, feels really good about himself, team enjoys snacks (grapes at half time and chocolate-chip zucchini muffins with a juice box after the game).

9:45 - stop by the church on the way home to see if we can help with our cleaning assignment. Everyone is exiting the building as we get there, all the cleaning is done. Do we get credit for trying? We are hoping so. Something about Pathways and Good Intentions nag me though.

Drop Christian and Brooke off at home, see how Madison's game went. Go to the gym.

10:20 - start work out, but don't have much energy

11:00 - Discover piano lessons are at 11:30 today. Go home to get the girls.

11:30 - Piano lessons (back to Dos Vientos)

12:00 - Grocery shop at Trader Joe's

12:30 - Pick up girls from piano lessons (back to Dos Vientos)

Go home to unload groceries and get the rest of the family.

1:00 - Back to Peppertree for Brooke's 1:30 game

2:30 - Brooke plays an awesome game. She played all four quarters.

Great throw in, Brooke!

We are grateful for a wonderful big sister who can take the little one to the bathroom. Ashlyn is lucky she has someone like Madison she can 'look up' to!

3:00 - home from soccer games and hurry to take showers.

4:00 - Back to the church for baptisms. Brooke and I enjoy the baptisms of her good friends Tiffany, Heather and Chip. She was supposed to be in with this group, but her birthday is just 2 days past the day. She has to wait for next month.

Meanwhile, John and the other three take Cole for a walk, he fixes a broken sprinkler, patches some things on the roof, repairs other home-related things while the kids build forts and do art projects.

5:30 - Go to Party City and Target to look for birthday party stuff for Brooke's party that's in 6 days.

6:30 - Stop by Fresh and Easy on the way home to get some burgers to go with the buns that I've been meaning to do something with all week.

6:45 - throw the burgers on the grill, inhale dinner, get ready for a wedding reception.

7:00 - oops, forgot I haven't wrapped the present yet (but at least I have it!).

7:30 - arrive at wedding reception. Enjoy food, dancing and friends.

9:00 - home to put extremely tired and sugar-fried children to bed.

The fun never stops!

Brooke is on the left with the ball.

They tied, by the way.