September Synopsis

Yeah, September was crazy. However crazy is our new normal, so we don't really mind. Here is the Cliff's Notes version of what happened:

Bri got married. It was lovely, and wonderful, and her Michael is (like my Michael) a great guy. A real catch. But he still married up . . . because you can't top perfection, and (don't you forget it Mike) . . . that is what she is.
Y'all know I'll jump on any opportunity to whip up a wedding cake. Bummer that I didn't think to move all that junk out of the background before taking the pictures.
I think my dad is sick of me telling him that I'm so glad he stuck around long enough for this and that (because the list of things I'm glad he stuck around for is long). I remember every time I see him that we almost lost him, and am so thankful we didn't.
My darling Alice and her sweet cousin Gwen. I don't think there are two cuter little girls on this side of the Mississippi. Probably not on the other side of it either . . . but I haven't checked over there recently.
Before the wedding I threw Brianna a shower that just happened to coincide with the first day of school . . . and pack meeting . . . but that is okay. Michael and I are continually honing our multi-tasking skills. We divide and conquer like nobody's business.

The shower was a great excuse to decorate the new house. Sadly, this is the only shot I got of the decor. Whoops.
It was also a great excuse to execute (with Emily's help) something I've been hoping to try for a while . . . a cupcake buffet!
Also in September; our neighbor's irrigation pump for the sprinkling system broke. Some of my new favorite neighborhood guys decided to get together and replace it. Water was literally gushing for hours while half the neighborhood crawled around in the swampy grass drilling screwdrivers into the ground in search of the shutoff valve that had gotten lost under years of grass growth. Meanwhile, someone decided to plug the pipe with a baseball and a rubber glove. I haven't laughed (or shivered . . . canal water is cold!) so hard in ages. We finally found the valve a little before midnight. Michael and I jokingly discussed keeping our new pond and putting koi in. You'd think something like this would stress me out, but it was such a great opportunity to meet and get to know all our new neighbors. The whole situation was beyond hilarious . . . aside from the fact that if that baseball had shot out from the canal pressure, we probably would have had to replace some siding on our garage.

Okay, even that was funny.
We spent a good part of September watching this kiddo play soccer on his new competitive team. He got a late start since the team had been together since June, (he joined in August) but I think he's finding his groove.
Yeah, I i-photoshopped the name off his Jersey. I never claimed to be good at digital editing.

Alice and Thomas started gymnastics at a new gym. They seem to like it, and there is suddenly a lot more wall-climbing and somersaulting going on around here.

Finally, to top off September, my Grandpa John passed away. John married my Grandma when I was in college and quickly became an integral part of the family. He'd been sick for years, but was such a sweet caring man and took great care of Grandma. We took a whirlwind trip down to Saint George for the funeral and to see my Grandma. And now I worry about her every day.

There is September. I don't think things are slowing down at all. It's okay though, I'd rather be busy than bored. The amazing thing about all of this is that I feel like I'm finally getting Michael back from residency. I've been doing things on my own for so long while he worked nonstop, that I still don't expect to have much help with anything. It's always a pleasant surprise to find that I'm not on my own anymore. I'm remembering that part of being married is sticking by each other, having each other's backs and sharing mundane things about each other's lives that nobody else really cares about. I'm not used to being able to call him during the work day and have him answer the phone. I feel like the kids are much, much happier now too. So in spite of the hectic pace, things are better than they have been in a long time, because a piece of our family that has been intermittently missing for the past six years is permanently in place. Life is good.

Belated Photos

Sure soccer season has been going for a month. Sure the kiddos went back to school after Labor Day. What's my excuse for blog-failure? (Well, I really have some . . . including that fact that Michael went on a business trip to Chicago for a week and took the laptop . . . rude! My other excuses are that the school auction project has taken over my life, and after that is done I've got the Relief Society crafting activity and T's birthday party . . . . I haven't even thought about Christmas yet, that is unusual for me!)

Without further ado . . .

I didn't teach him to push like that. I swear. But the ref never calls anything, so I'll keep my mouth shut.
He's had a pretty great season so far, if I do say so myself.
1st grade soccer is a study in hilarity. And group hugs, high fives, swarms of children moving in packs around the ball, and snacks containing high-fructose corn syrup.
And smiles.
First day of school. Alice looks scared. But I don't think she was.
We have since shorn Seth's lion mane off his head. It was getting a little out of control . . . but I kind of liked it all curly and wild.

The silly band craze has hit our house . . . If I'd known that I could use them with the kids in place of legal tender I would have bought a few packs ages ago. Best. Bribery. Tool. Ever.

Happenings

Yesterday Alice had a double header (two soccer games in a row). She scored six goals in her first soccer game, but by the end of the second could barely lift her legs up off the ground and was begging us to carry her back to the car. Too bad for her, we had to head straight to Seth's game right after hers was finished. In the rain. I love soccer season, but wouldn't be surprised if it eventually kills me.

Michael just picked up The Hobbit the other day after Seth had finished reading it. Michael realized he'd never read it before (a travesty!) and hasn't hardly put it down since . . . which was painful since he had to teach Gospel Doctrine at church today, and Tolkien doesn't exactly prepare you to expound upon Isaiah. Good thing Michael already knows his Isaiah, I suppose.

I've been coerced in to being the director of the auction project for Alice's class this year. I'm supposed to come up with something that will compete with a handmade quilt (all the blocks made by students), a toy box and bookshelf decorated with the handprints of first graders, and all sorts of graphic design art. It should hopefully sell for about $500, and cost next to nothing to create. Sigh. I have an idea that might work, but pray for me . . .

AND it is my turn to teach joy-school tomorrow. The good news is that I could teach pre-school in my sleep.

We are Raising Hardy Oregonian Children

On Saturday my daughter played soccer in a downpour. It was her "most favorite game ever" she informed me after the mud bath was finished.

My most favorite quote ever was when she told the other kindergarteners on the team that "we shouldn't use up all our fastness" by running around too much before the game began.

I tried not to wince every time she skipped over and gave me a sloppy wet hug. I tried not to think about laundry, or how many dogs have probably pooped in that exact spot she just face planted on the grass.

I tried to ignore the fact that Thomas was using my umbrella for a broom, and reminded myself how thankful I was that I hadn't had time to shower that morning. That would have been a complete waste.

I really enjoyed seeing how little the kids cared about the rain . . . how it was a novelty, a treat to be completely soaking and filthy and to have their parents cheering them on anyway.

I also try to remind myself of the joy Seth is having every day at recess as he plays soccer on the swampy elementary field when I have to stain-treat the elbows and knees of all his school clothes. His bliss is worth a couple of ruined outfits. I do, however, have a problem with crusty snot stripes on the sleeves.

Little (Big) Boy and Girl

He's turning three this week. My baby. My littlest little one. This is the first time I've ever had a baby turn three without having another baby coming up the ranks to fill the baby spot.

I'd consider having another one, until I see this attitude (in photo). Plus, we are on the cusp of something wonderful. For the first time in eight and a half years we are a diaper-free household (nearly . . . if you don't count bedtime pull-ups). Congratulate me!
Now this one. If I could only carbon copy her, I could be mother to an even dozen. Who cares that she's too scared to kick the soccer ball if it is rolling? If there is a ball on the field at a complete standstill, she owns it. I also had to make a few soccer rules.

Rule #1: No kissing or hugging the little blonde neighbor boy during the soccer game.

Rule #2: Save the skipping and singing for the sidelines.

I'm kind of a mean soccer mom.
She took this picture of me watching the game. She may have more potential as a photographer than an athlete. I'm totally okay with that.

Snippets

Boy, I've washed a lot of Thomas the Tank Engine underpants this week.

Our house is being taken over by shin guards, cleats and soccer balls. The calendar is full of practices and games.

I went to Goodwill and found an eclectic selection of orange and yellow plates to display on the wall over our new/used dining table. Michael thinks it looks like a grandma's house in here. Next I plan to tat lace doilys to hang on the backs of the sofas and buy an air freshener that smells like Ben-gay.

The teenage boy next door (and some friends) got a hold of the kid's sidewalk chalk and wrote some interesting things on the concrete outside. Interesting, especially to Seth and Alice, whom I would prefer to not actually read those things. FYI, apparently we live on "Pimp Street" now. Please forward our mail accordingly.

Our landlord can't decide whether to sell our condo or not. The suspense is killing me. Really, ten years ago something like this would have sent me all into a dither. Now it just feels like life is happening, and there will be more where that came from . . . we can deal with it.

On my run this morning Thomas kept pointing out all the red and orange leaves on the trees. Really? Already? Can't we have another month of summer? On the other hand . . . I quite enjoy Christmas shopping.

I've recently discovered Guittard makes extra dark chocolate chips, with 63% cocoa mass. I've made cookies twice in the past week now . . .

The $48 embellished shirt I've been stalking at J.Crew all summer is finallllllly on sale . . . for $19.99! Score!

More Family Travel Log

One of the suburbs in Portland metro has an annual Pumpkin Regatta.  The locals grow humungous pumpkins, hollow them out like a boat, hop inside and race around a pond.  Hilarious, and definitely worth the trip.

This pumpkin is allegedly the second biggest grown in the United States (or the world?  I don't remember) this year.  The pumpkin seemed to have no problem with kids climbing all over it.
Watching people paddle around in giant floating vegetables is pretty entertaining.  I'm pretty sure nobody is setting any speed records in these things.

The Screaming Eagles had their final game and team pizza party.  Our Screaming Eagle is happiest when he is playing goalie.
The fam watching my niece's game.  I told you Michael and his dad both have a photography hobby right?  Well, if you could call it a hobby . . . it might be actually more like a sickness . . .

If You Don't Want to Hear Me Brag About My Kid Then it is Time to Go Read Somebody Else's Blog

Seth is finally moving past the play-with-grass-and-dirt-during-the-soccer-game phase. What's more, now that he is interested, he's playing pretty well!
He scored two goals for The Screaming Eagles yesterday.
But he also might have messed around on the sidelines a little bit too (you may need to enlarge this one to enjoy the little-boyness of it).
Here he is demonstrating his fierce team spirit.
Check out that kid in front of him. Seth is stealing the ball from a kid twice his size.
Getting tips from the coach during his first try playing goalie.

El Futbol

The cool thing about four year old girls is that they actually have an athletic advantage over the boys at this age. Sure, most of that advantage stems from the fact that she will listen to the coach and follow the instructions while the boys are playing with grass, dirt, bugs, dandelions or trying their hardest to kick each other hard enough in the shins that it hurts through the shin guards, but it is an advantage nonetheless.
The wannabe on the sidelines.
Hey, you! Aren't you are supposed to be on the sidelines!?! Who is this kid's mother?
The funny thing about sports at this age is that there are endless possibilities for each little athlete. I met a few moms who were absolutely convinced that their child was the next Pele. Even the Mom of the kid who spent the entire five-day class in the corner of the field picking his nose had pretty high aspirations for his future soccer career.

However, since Alice's skills are so clearly superior to everyone else's, I have already began to instruct her as to the impropriety of tearing her shirt off (a la the 2004 US team) after winning the gold medal in the Olympic Summer Games. I'm sure this lesson will pay off in 15-20 years.

Soccer Moms

We finally won a game! I hate this picture, for some reason I didn't get the memo that we were doing a straight line instead of a semi-circle for the shot. Hence, my giant sweaty head almost completely eclipses Trudie's; which is especially unfortunate, since her head is much cuter than mine.
However, the picture must be posted, as I promised copies to other team members. . . and because I sometimes like to brag. Here you go, ladies . . . GREAT GAME!