Soccer Try Outs

The girls just finished soccer try outs.  It’s always scary and stressful as you see all the girls fighting for a spot, and then all of the coaches trying to figure out where to put the girls.  I do think it’s good for the girls and that they learn a lot about life in doing it.

Rebecca’s coach was named the second coach for this new competitive age group.  Rebecca has LOVED this coach.  In fact his past team cried their eyes out when they realized he was being moved to a different team.  Players love this coach!

During the past two weekends of tournaments he has commented on how fantastic Rebecca is, and how he wished he could make the call to have her on his team, yet he knew that someone above him was planning on having her.  However, Rebecca would always say, “I don’t care if Jeremy is the coach on the lowest team.  (there are six teams)  He is the one that I want as my coach”.

I reflected on why she liked him so much and it was obvious.  He is constantly praising and building the girls.  He would catch up to us after games and say, “Rebecca you are the best midfield striker EVER.  Your passes just keep me smiling”.  Or one game as we drove off he yelled in our open window, “Rebecca is AWESOME”.  Who wouldn’t want to hear all this!?!

I learned so much from Rebecca at try outs! 

Rebecca had told him MANY times that she wanted to be on his team.  The night of try outs her coach pulled me aside and said, “I have Rebecca and Sydney down as 1 and 2 from our team, she is on the top team’s roster.  Is this what you want or does she still want to play for me?  I will do whatever you want”  I asked others advice and then asked my Rebecca.  “Mom, I have prayed about it.  I want Jeremy and I feel really good about my answer.”  There you have it, it doesn’t matter what any other person says, she is the one playing.  We chose Jeremy.

The second night, I watched as Rebecca went out as confident as can be on the second team.  I asked her if she was sad at all when she saw the players on the top team.  One of them kept chanting, “we made the Predators” until she got in trouble for saying it.  Rebecca said, “I would just look at Jeremy and smile because I felt so good about my decision.”  What an example to me!  When I receive answers I need to look at the peace in my heart and just move forward.

I know her soccer skills would have probably progressed more on the first team.  Yet I also know at this age self esteem and confidence are fragile, and Rebecca is going to grow immensely from Jeremy’s encouraging and praising.  She can always move up!  :) 

Zoo Day

Took my babies to see animal babies – giraffes, kangaroos, gorillas…

   

Real Cup

Last weekend Rebecca and Nathan played in the Real Cup.  It’s a huge tournament in Denver with over 400 teams.  We enjoyed watching both of their teams win soo many games.  Nathan said, “mom it just feels so good to win”.   His team had a hard season until the very end, so this tournament was a good way to finish off the year. 

We also enjoyed a night at the Rapids game with friends and Dippin Dots.  We sat right behind the goal on the 5th row and saw an amazing goal from a corner kick.

My favorite part, besides hanging out with Stephen, Nathan and Rebecca, was to eat at some of my favorite restaurants in Denver, Cafe Rio.  :)

 

Rebecca even has a “momento” from it all.

Summer Basket

This school year just flew by!  Last Thursday was the last day of school and as per tradition I had a summer basket waiting for the kids when they got home.

This year I filled it with flip flops and sunglasses for everyone.  There were camp schedules, reading charts and our read aloud book for the summer.  I had parts of science experiments and ingredients for summer treats.  Balls for games to be played and a book filled with hiking trailing.  I had to include the cowboy hat to represent the Trek that the boys will be going on in a couple of weeks.  Sidewalk chalk and water balloons, we are READY for summer!!!

My Little Grad

Today was Jerrica’s graduation from preschool.

She looked so cute in her program singing “You are My Sunshine” in her bright yellow dress.

She has been excited to get and wear this graduation cap since she saw Ashley get one.  Jerrica wore it ALL day, including wearing it to Kaylee’s 6th Grade Banquet tonight.  She of course LOVED the attention that the cap brought.

Landon’s very talented mom made the cake.  Her cakes always amaze me!

 

Oh how we have loved Ms. Rachel, with her cheerful personality.  She is the BEST, and Jerrica is so lucky to have had her!

I can’t believe that my baby is going to Kindergarten…..

“Rememory” Book

Quite a few months ago I found this book of paper all stapled together on Ashley’s desk.  The title caught my eye and I began going through the pages.  It was a journal highlighting Ashley’s year in First Grade.  The pictures, spellings, and memories were priceless. 

She told me that she was making a “Rememory” book for Mrs. Wade to remind her of the year.  I thought to myself, oh that’s really nice, but I’m sure it will get lost and forgotten about before the school year is over.  Well, she kept it going with the first entry highlighting the first day of school, and just finished with the end of year celebration.  She has the planetarium field trip, Colonial day, the fun run, concerts, Egyptian day…  it has A LOT of pages!

 

She went through my ribbon and tied it up with a bow to take to Mrs. Wade.  I freaked out that I HAD to have a copy of this book to keep.  I begged her to wait one more day so that I could make a copy.  It is such a perfect journal of her first grade.

I teased her about not including any of her visits to the principal’s office.  Let’s just say she made a few trips there this year.  Ash rolled her eyes and told me “That is NOT something we are trying to remember” – you got that right Ash!

Swimming Banquet

So proud of Jacob tonight!  TCA does not have a swim team, so Jacob swam for Liberty.  There were 34 boys on his team.  Liberty is a 5A school and Jacob made the varsity team as a freshman!  So exciting to see him getting his letter tonight at the banquet.

When I went to the meeting with Jacob back in March I didn’t know how we were going to be able to do it.  They practiced EIGHT times a week.  This meant that I would pick up Jacob, run him over to Liberty’s pool, then run back to pick up the other kids, drop them off at home, and then run back to pick him up.  Not to mention the 6am practices.  It was A LOT of driving, but so worth it.  I feel that sports are not only essential for you physically, but benefit you in so many other areas as well.

Three awards were handed out, and Jacob received the “Rookie of the Year” award.  He was THRILLED!  He went to state in Grand Junction this last weekend and had a blast.  They swam and ate and swam and ate…. He saw a boy break the 100 m butterfly record, doing it in 45 seconds!  Another one of his highlights was stopping in Vail and having a snowball fight with his teammates and coaches.

What a fun season!  You rocked that pool Jacob!

Lizzie the Lizard

Look what Miss Jerrica found outside right before we headed to church…

 

I freaked out that she was holding it, and demanded that it be put back outside.  Tears overflowed as she begged to keep him as a pet.  Later I noticed his “bedroom” that they had created in his container, made of tulip leaves and a cotton ball pillow.

Lizzie the lizard is now officially “missing”.  Ashley has made lost posters to hang up around the neighborhood.  They look hilarious and I really need to put one in the blog book.  She has that he “went missing in the middle of the driveway”  and that she “answers to the name of Lizzie”.

Oh the fun of pets!

Ashley’s Recital

This weekend was insane with everything going on, BUT I was able to spend Saturday afternoon with Ash at her recital.  She is such a performer!  The second she walks on stage she has that big smile plastered on her face.  She was awesome!  I have a feeling that this girl is never going to give up dance, which is fun for me because I so enjoy taking pictures of her in costume.

   

She sat on my lap for the third act and watched the performance with me.  She kept me in smiles with her comments, “I would never kiss a boy with lipstick”, “why do boys wear tights by their private parts”, “why didn’t everyone stand up and clap for me?” … I just sat there thoroughly entertained by her non-stop questions.

Halfway thru the third act we opened up her chocolate bar that I had brought for her to go along with the flowers.  We had quite a little party in that dark audience seat all snuggled together!  We both decided that we wished the flowers were chocolate as well.  :)

AND the last picture is one I took backstage of Ash and her little dance BFF.  I have taken a picture of the two of them together at EVERY performance.

Spring Sports

New sports

New muscles being used

New friends to play with

New coaches to learn from

New skills gained

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day was awesome this year.  I had a mother’s tea with Rebecca at her school and then the next day did a mother/daughter spa party with Rebecca. 

The kids at school had to write a letter to their mothers.  I smiled as I noticed the boys at our table had written a small paragraph compared to Rebecca’s TWO PAGES.  This girl of mine is a writer.  It truly was the sweetest letter filled with all kinds of details.

Then my Ash is a party planner.  I knew something special was in store when I found this list on her desk. 

“By the river’s edge” cracked me up because we don’t live anywhere near a river!  The list went on with “Learn how to make spaghetti, learn how to make Texas Fudge Cake, and have Nathan be a waiter…”

Sure enough we had an amazing mother’s day meal in the piano room, not by the river’s edge. 

While we ate, Ashley had Rebecca read poetry, Jacob and Kaylee play the piano, Nathan serve our food, and Jerrica talk about her artwork.  The entertainment was nonstop.

Here I am trying to light my hair on fire at her special dinner…

She had the cutest black covered menus and chocolates for the “appetizers”.  :)  The girl is only seven and knows how to plan EVERY detail!  She is my planner.

  

Clay gifts seemed to be the gift of choice from school this year.  I got a cat, flower, and a heart.

Kaylee is my service girl. She has always been so quick to do things for me. I can always find an icy drink on my nightstand, compliments of Kaylee. This year she didn’t disappoint and gave me a “Love U Lots Coupon Book” filled with massages, hair styles, chores, and promises of baked goods. She is the one quick to serve.

Jake is my artist.  He whipped up a beautiful daffodil drawing and sweet note that I now want to frame. 

Jerrica is my masseuse.  She can give a foot massage for hours.  I was in heaven on Sunday with my feet in her hands. 

Nathan is my comedian.  He is always quick with some funny comment.  He had me smiling all day with his personality.

That in a nutshell, was my Mother’s Day 2013!