Soccer Games part 2

This is How Jake cheers his Big Bro while he plays his game.. Hey guys is this wrestling or soccer? I think they were playing soccer/wrestling / mix martial arts at some point.















Jake's game was a blast, since I am coaching I don't get to have to many chances to take pictures so i asked my friend Michele to help me. Jake's is a hardcore player,(as coach i try not to overplay him i also try not to underplay him that's hard to do) i definitely already seeing him following suit playing midfield or forward. I have a great bunch of kids and feel very lucky to be coaching such nice kids, I love seeing some of the shy ones come out of there shell.. They really love playing and want to learn as well. we have are silly days too but that's what makes this age fun. Balance... Here's Jakie playing his heart out...










Here's Jake at Goalie..... (I guess it gets boring over there....)

I am guessing goalie wont be his "thing" Defense either since i saw him sitting there during one part of the game... the ball played the other side for a while, i would of loved a shot of that to share with you guys...

Soccer Games

Tanner had his first game today. They are playing as a "younger team" this year, where as last year they were more balanced. It will be good for them to be challenged. They played A great first half but the second they got tired out. (typical pattern for these guys) They did great. We lost our goalie this year but gained a new kids that has never even played soccer however He is just the most amazing natural at goalie. I got a few shots but it's always hard to get great ball handling shots. i have all season right......


Tanner has always played Midfield and is very good at it. He has the stamina to play the whole game and usually does. He has great endurance i seriously love watching him play.. I only wishes he wishes too that he could play here year round.

Taking the plunge

Jake really wanted to start riding the bus, although he really likes having our walks home too. He asked if we can do both, so i decided alright. I have always been lucky the bus picks both the boys up right in front of the house and takes them directly to school. I am sure the glamour of it all will wear off and I will be more than glad to take him to and from school again.. It's so hard to see your youngest grow up so fast...

Free Time

On my free time I have been taking advantage of our awesome weather and doing some biking. I took this with my phone to send to Dax, as you can see i am hot, sweaty and tired(I had just finished climbing Cator Road YUCK! but FUN. plus biking clothes are NOT flattering(the helmet the glasses and for sure the shorts, I do however have cute NIKE riding shoes that are pink and grey LOVE THOSE!) As very ugly the shorts are they are comfortable during a 4 hour ride. I went 40 miles yesterday and 30 on Tuesday.(my best riding season is during Sept and October being the kids are in school I try to ride at least 100 miles per week.) I do try to do a 7 hour day once a year but the kids are still young and I hate being a way from them too much. I got my bike tuned up Monday and i have been having fun since. Since i teach spinning Tuesday/Thursday i figure i might as well ride to the gym those days.. my goal is to gear up and try to ride all winter long(we'll see) even though i love cycling running will always be my number one passion.

Jake

So, the other day Jake gets home from school and says, "lookie what i have hear" an award. me, "good job what was it for buddy"
Jake, "i corrected the teacher on how to properly make the lower case "p"....
Oh i said. I guess another boy held the door for his whole class right before recess kids can be so darn sweet and funny.
He now is planning on collecting them all(awards) and not put them in a drawing (something Tanner would do and still does, he doesn't care to win prizes he just wants to collect them all. I guess whatever makes them happy...
So today when i go to pick Jake up his teacher whispers, he's a very smart boy to which i respond thank you. Then she says he's definitely a boy(meaning he loves to be rowdy is my guess.) I love his teacher( she runs a tight ship but she is also so very nice) we instantly clicked i can tell she has the same way of doing things, she's funny too. I think I really lucked out this year.....

Lucky

When Tanner went to leave this AM, Lucky our Cat wanted to come in so Tanner was letting him come in and the cat runs into the front door, this is the 3rd time this week. He's got the prettiest blue eyes but there cross eyed, it just cracks me up, but now i think he may be semi blind. poor thing. he is the sweetest cat too. I love his crooked tail.. only we would have such a silly critter...

SAUVIES ISLAND

One of my favorite Fall things is going to Sauvie's Island with the kiddos and also on my bike for a 50mile ride

from home to Linton back to Sauvie and around.. I am soo excited for Harvest season and pumpkins, hay rides, candy apples, and tacos, hay mazes, corn mazes fun fun fun!!!! here we are hiking to to light house,finding a football and playing football( my sons favorite beach thing to do), and eating massive amounts of black berries, we ended the day at Sunshine Pizza for dinner, fun times....

BACK TO SCHOOL WEEK

It's a week late but I think I am finally caught up yeah!!!!!

Tanner is in 7th grade now. He's a middle school er. (it makes me so sad and proud at the same time) i actually love having my boys home and i think it will take me some time to be adjusted to the all day school thing..(i guess i can ride my bike allot until the rain comes)
He does have the teenie attitude and I am just playing along, trying not to be that over bearing parent. He asked me not to volunteer at his this year. I am okay with that. He loved his 1st week. I saw his teachers and I am pretty sure he'll be challenged this year, I have prepared him letting him know that you will have homework everyday and just do your best, thats all we ask from him. He's always been a straight A student and hasn't missed a day of school in 2 years now. I think that usually changes come middle school, it did for me anyways.We all decided that he wouldn't do cross country this year being I just got his feet back in shape from the track season last year(his heals were in bad shape) got him "Asics" for his flat feet plus between Rec Soccer, Confirmation Classes, Tae Kwon Do tournament team and school work which is number one on our priorities plus he wants to do guitar once a week, I feel his plate is over flowed and I stepped up and said no more....
These preteen years I am a little worried about, we are going to have to do the best we can. There are so many growing pains, and allot of his friends are a little more spoiled than what we allow. He has limited Tex ting, I know of a kid that gets 1000 texts a month. In my opinion If I was the parent I wouldn't allow that or think it was CUTE or FUNNY. I feel like we are forgetting to teach our children values and more worried on whether they are cool or not. I always hope we are doing right with them. he has a cell but he pays for the minutes and texting himself(that's why he did the lawn mowing business) he doesn't use his phone because he sees the value in it. The kids also think having boyfriends/ girlfriends is cool too. I know I can't stop it but I can set down boundaries. He's still pretty open with us and I want that to continue, I feel we are good about talking about things. he also has expressed pressures to me about being accepted. football over soccer(his sport is soccer and he's good at it but not the cool sport as they say) how many girlfriends do you have, etc etc. anyways I'll quit while i am ahead. I remember going through this stuff in high school not middle school. Middle School everyone was friends any sport was cool and band was cool...

I unplug the boys all week from TV and video games and Fri.through Sun. they can play limited. I think we are to a good start of scheduling our weekly lives. they have followed the rules pretty well this week they have gotten themsleves ready each morning even Jake has made his own lunch(they hate the hot lunch or Tanner does anyway Jake just mimics Tanner he doesn't know any better.) Tanner has been pretty responsible and helpful..



On To JAKE now......
Jake is in his 1st year of public school, he feels so grown up and I forget how FUN these days were with Tanner.. I am happy with my choice to do Mc Bride/Berry Bright over the Charter(weve been there done that with Tanner) These 1st few weeks i am driving him in and then i run to the school to pick him up and we walk home together.. I love the talks we have been having.. one of them is this."mom, I wonder how ants feel?, you know, they have to get there own food, do they get tired carrying crumbs do they get hot on the sidewalk. Other talks are about what he did all day from start to finish, his new friends, his awesome nice teacher he calls her. This is bonding time I love it takes about 20min to walk home and I love it...I think his teacher and i are off to a good start she seems nice and allot of moms are saying i got a Good one.. guess that good.. i guess.
Jake loves being older and he cannot wait to start riding the bus. I am planning on vollunteering allot there this year... Jake may start Tae Kwon Do in a month, right now I coach his U-8 team ( a great bunch of kids) Even though jake is playing a year up with second graders we are having fun. the kids seem like they want to learn so much that i am trying to be creative, they want to know positions and play them and they all love trying goalie, I am challenged because soccer has never been my sport. give me conditioning training, aeorbics, spinning, Basketball, running and track and I am all over it.. I think I am doing okay, just wish I had more time to understand all the rules of playing soccer(it's my kids favorite sport) thank god there still young and I can make mistakes..The kids just want to have fun and thats what I hope they are doing. Jake will also start Fall Ball anytime now, he'll have Sunday School, I am giving him one more week off before we start so they are not overwelmed.

My plans/goals at least for the month are... getting my black and white wall up of photos.. ride allot before the rainy season starts, clean my closet/garage and minor repairs in the house, study my personal training guide, seeing some friends, going back to my teaching AM classes officially, maybe getting a part time afternoon gig at one of the school districts. (we'll see,Ii applied) I know i'll get bored and I am ready to ease back into the working mom world, preferably getting home at or shortly after the kids get out of school..(I know I am aiming High but anything is possible) anyway this is long and drawn out. We have picnic and a b-day party to go to today. I feel like a am finally caught up on blogging and hope I can keep it up....

POOL DAYS

Our summer traditions always include the pool at the gym. I am trying hard to only post one picture. This is just part of our "pool gang" These kids are all excellent swimmers, and i feel it's because of all the time we spend here in the summer, the kids have all been in lessons and i also see allot of future Saint Helen's swim team athletes.
Our typical afternoon at the pool(twice a week at least) is a great workout then a big lunch KFC wed. or pizza and water and play time. If the temp is over 100 degrees then i go in the pool. I always get teased but i am always cold and i can't help it. They know if it's hot, sunny and the pool is warm i am in,otherwise forget it. Brenda is the fun mom and plays games with the kids she also lets them tackle and chase her all over the place. what a Gal...I was happy to get a good month of pool time in and I hope we get a Indian Summer to have a few days in Sept.

The Best Teacher in the World!

Being we were away for over half the summer we missed out on Jake's Kinder teachers summer program, but as i was running the other day by the school, here was Jani.. She invited us to the final summer program party and Jake got to see his buddies from last year, plus I got some time with Jani. She and Mo her husband are the most caring people I know. I cannot begin to express my gratitude i have for what she has taught Jake academically. I always joke with her saying that I would pay her to home school my boys for me. I plan on always having her in our lives. she is one of the kindest most caring christian person. We've had some of the greatest talks about LIFE and the lord. She has taught me so much in regards to ones faith and how we live our lives here on this earth. anyone can learn so much from her to me she is a wonderful speaker and understands her faith more than anyone I know. Big statement coming from me

Tanner

This young man went to camp this summer. He was gone a week and as much as I missed him I was glad he went. He was too. He had so much fun up in Bellingham. They did all the fun outdoor camp things and he met allot of people.. It floors me that he is growing up so fast. This guy will be in middle school before I know it...

SNAKES

Tanner has pretty much taken over the mowing the lawn this summer. When we were here he has made a decent income mowing neighbors yards and watering while neighbors do there travels. For about two weeks now, he has found baby snakes in the path of cutting, being the kind heart he is he picks them up and puts them way far away in the IVY to avoid the Blade. They are so cute when little, I'd love to keep one but tell the boys they couldn't survive, so they let them go(sadly i cut a big one last week) it always bother me when that happens he is alright just wounded, but Tanner is always looking as he cuts. He has found about 7 so far....