And just like that, the season is over

The season was just eight short weeks and just like that, it's over.  I think the Peanut enjoyed herself playing soccer, but she has some mixed emotions to be sure.  She told me more than once today that she was sad that it was over.  But then when I inferred that she would play again next year, she didn't seem too big on the idea. 

She ended up playing goalie quite a bit throughout the season.  I'd venture to guess probably 85% of the games?  There wasn't hardly any bench time for her and when she was out on the field, she was goalie.  But the thing is, while she did pretty well at it, she didn't like being goalie.  She wanted to be in on the action--part of the fun.  But then today, she got her chance (her first time in several games) to play both offense and defense and she didn't know quite what to do with that.  And in her defense, she didn't have much practice doing playing either position, so what were we expecting really?  I think if she had had more practice in playing those positions, she would definitely have more confidence out on the field.

It really is a bummer too that it was over so fast, because her team really seemed to be finding their groove.  They were really learning to play as a team and passing the ball to teammates to accomplish the goal making efforts as a team--which I think is big for 6-7 year olds!  I'm sure it always seems like that though, right?  Just as the bigger picture is figured out, the season is over. 

They had a pizza party after the game today and they got little certificates for team participation.  Several of the teams from her school went to the same pizza place and one of those teams got trophies for their participation.  I think that the certificates and/or trophies portion was coordinated by the parents of the team and I am glad our team didn't do trophies.  That probably sounds really bad, but this was a soccer league that didn't keep score.  So if they are not keeping score, then there isn't winning or loosing, right?  And to me, trophies indicate that you've won something.  Personally, I am so not in the camp of "not keeping score." 

While I am probably the least competitive person on the planet (according to my husband), I don't think not keeping score is a good idea.  Now, at this age level, it's probably not really that big of a deal.  The purpose of this league is for the kids to learn to play the game and have fun.  And that was definitely accomplished.  But while "score" wasn't kept, most of the kids totally knew which teams won each week.  So whatever "they" were trying to avoid, wasn't really avoided. 

Anyhow, I think Kristen said it very well last spring in this post.  I think in the long run, all these certificates (yes, those too!) and trophies can give today's kids an over inflated sense of self and I think that can be very dangerous, you know?  In the end, loosing can build character and it makes you learn how to do better next time.  Just like in real life, right?  You learn from your mistakes and you move forward and do better next time.  Funny how that works.....? 

There is always room for improvement, am I right? 

But for this time around, I'm glad she had fun (I think she probably enjoys the social interaction the most.....ah, yes, my little social butterfly!) and hopefully when my brother-in-law moves home, he can coach the Peanut and train her and she'll be more confident and want to give it another go next year. 



 

Random Thoughts

Just some of the randomness from the last week:

The Peanut has been asking to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house for several weeks now.  I was on the phone yesterday with my mom and Peanut was waving rather wildly to get my attention.  And who am I kidding, she was whispering RATHER loudly too, about her NEED to talk to Grandma as I was getting ready to hang up.  So Peanut gets on the phone and asks Grandma when she can spend the night and I hear an "uh huh.....okay.....love you too, Grandma" and she hangs up.  I ask her what Grandma said.  Peanut tells me confidently, "Grandma said I can spend the night in the next year."

"The next year? Are you sure it wasn't before the end of the year?" knowing full well my mom would never give Peanut a 365 day window of spending the night--and even just as doubtful that she would even give a 60 day window of time.

"Nope, that's what she said."  And she went back to playing.

So I talked to my mom this morning, "So mom, what exactly did you tell Peanut about spending the night?" {We had just made specific plans for her to spend the night this weekend}  "Oh, I told her we've been really busy, but definitely in the next month or so."

While Peanut's concept of time is getting much better than it used to be, I guess we still need to work on terms like months and years.

♥

The Little Brother's newest phrase any time he sees a picture of him and his sister on the computer, a cell phone, a framed picture, etc?  "Ohhhh, that so CUTE!"

♥ 

My roots grow out is something awful right now and my mama (bless her heart!!!) is going to color those this weekend.  Why, yes, I am still trying to hang on to the vestige of my youth (blond hair).  I've never really felt like myself with the brown hair I developed in my twenties.  That said, the silver lining is that my hair is probably close to 25-30% gray now, so I can confidently say that my hair is actually starting to get lighter again.  Or not--at 35, I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

♥ 

I have an awful habit of biting my nails.  Yes, I know.  Tacky.  Gross.  SO unladylike {spell check tells me this is all one word.....who knew?}  It's an awful, nervous habit.  Well, I figured out if I paint my nails, I am much less likely to bite them.  So girlfriend has been keeping her nails painted for the better part of two months and my nails look so much nicer!  But of course, then I have to repaint my nails nearly every week, because while I won't mess with my newly painted nails, once that first nail chips?  All bets are off and I start picking at the polish.  See?  NERVOUS HABIT.

♥ 

The Hubs and my dad felled the two large trees in our front yard this past weekend.  Boy, was that stressful to watch.  It probably would have been a good idea to call in some professionals for peace of mind (mostly mine!), but that just wasn't in the budget and the trees sadly needed to come down.  Why, you ask?  Because we hate the leaves.  I am SO kidding!  No, really there were two major factors.  We have a VERY tiny yard and the trees were just getting to be too big.  Like many people, the prior homeowners didn't account for the fact that trees grow and they get bigger.  When that happens in such a tiny little yard, the root systems can start to cause problems with the foundation as well as any paved surfaces.  Just a couple blocks away from our house, our city went through the neighborhood and highlighted (with hot pink spray paint, no less) any damaged sidewalks from tree roots.  You can guess who gets to pay to have the sidewalks replaced--the homeowner.  Well, we are not in the position to pay $5-10K to have the sidewalks around our home repaired.  While the trees hadn't done any damage just yet, it would have happened in the next couple years, so the trees needed to come down while they were still somewhat manageable to do ourselves {you know I use that term very loosely, right?}.
 

The deer on the right was just a little visitor we had this past summer.  SO NOT normal for our little suburbia!

Anyhow, thanks to my dad's help and Hub's cautiousness (not that my dad is an idiot--he's not at all, I just think they balance each other out in some ways) both trees came down just fine.  Of course, I DIDN'T get a nice before shot to give you an idea of just how big the front tree was, but it was pretty good sized.

Enough to make this mama's heart rate sky rocket and palms sweaty during the cutting process and to make my knees/legs like Jell-O for the better part of 15 minutes after the tree was down.  

We live on a corner, so Hubs played the part of traffic control from both directions in case there were any cars coming at any point during the cutting.  The bigger of the two trees was definitely tall enough to lay across our street, so obviously we didn't want any liabilities from the whole thing.  So Hubs was cautiously darting back and forth across the street to watch for cars (and a falling tree!) while my dad was hopping around the trunk of the tree with the chainsaw going full force, doing his best to "expertly" cut the tree so it fell that way instead of this way. 


Yes, I was a little stressed.

But I couldn't NOT watch, because you know I had the full capability to stop anything bad from happening.  Ahem. 

In the end, things went great (even the weather cooperated! PTL!!)  and Hubs has nearly all the debris hauled off.  Now he gets to work on getting the trunks and roots torn out.

And silly me, I thought the hardest part was over!

Tinkerbell and Her Duck

For this Halloween, I had planned on using the Peanut's duck costume from several years back for the little brother this year.  And I had high hopes of creating a swan costume for the Peanut.  So you know, they could have went as a swan and her duckling. 

(You know I am all about the theme costumes.  See 2013 here and see 2012 here.)

(In my defense though, my mom started the theme theme by suggesting Dorothy and the scarecrow for Halloween 2012.)

(That said though, I didn't object one single bit.) 

However Halloween was getting closer and closer and I was running out of time, and I kid myself into thinking I could sew something really cool (I can't) and plus we don't have a lot of extra money lying around these days.  Plus that Peanut of ours has a dress up trunk full of some pretty cool costumes--this Tinkerbell dress came from my cousin's little girl.  About a week ago, I suggested to the Peanut that she go as Tinkerbell and we could do glitter and she could wear her hair up in a bun like Tinkerbell.  "What do you think about that?" I asked her.

"Oh yeah!  I can go as Tinkerbell and he {the little brother} can be my duck!"

This girl.  She cracks. me. up!



 

Just Like Daddy

The Hubs was getting ready the other day on his day off and the little boy was making all sorts of commotion.  I had a know idea WHAT for.  Turns out the Hubs had promised him to put hair stuff (I think it's a pomade?) in the boy's hair just like he does.  So of course I ran and got the good camera.

It's sort of a mutual admiration society between these two.  

 

Pumpkin Patch 2014

It wasn't a big family event like it has been in years past.  Mainly because the pumpkin patch that Peanut's class went to this year asked that younger siblings not attend.  Parents could go, but not the little littles, so that left me at home with our little boy.  Which in all honesty, was kind of okay with me--it poured nearly all. day. long.  According to Weather Underground, the precipitation accumulation for Wednesday for 1.70 inches.  Average rain in these parts is about 3 inches in the month of October, so we got more than half our normal monthly rain in one day.  That said, I was completely happy to hunker down at home all nice and dry.  Plus I stayed busy making meatloaf, roasted brussels (I never knew that was plural!!!  did you?) sprouts, horseradish carrots, and mashed potatoes--a nice hot meal to put on the table when the Peanut and Daddy got home all cold and damp. 

I was going to ask my sweet Hubs to take the good camera (I am not a fan of phone pics at all!).  However. I felt so bad because it was so nasty outside.  I will tell anyone who will listen my issues with camera phones (they are so not a replacement for a good camera!!!), but I will readily admit that they are much more convenient in terms of size--and lugging around a spendy camera in the rain showers of the northwest (camera bag and all) is NOT fun or easy.  Especially at a pumpkin patch. 

So I let the control freak in me relax and asked the Hubs to make sure to get some pictures on his phone--and the day was documented, even if it was with the iPhone camera.  ;)

Click here for 2014~with the fam

Click here for 2013 

Click here for 2012 

Click here for 2011 

Click here for 2010


 

Dress Up for the Little Brother

When the Peanut turned two, my mom made a very impressive dress up box for the Peanut's birthday present. So this past June (ahem), when the little brother turned two, my mom required herself to follow suit in making him his very own dress box. Never mind the fact that the Peanut didn't really start using her dress up box (aside from the gaudy jewelry!) until about 18 months later--when she was about 3 1/2.

I told my mom as much when she was frantically trying to get his dress up box done just before his birthday, "Mom, Peanut didn't use the dress up stuff until she was nearly 4.  You've got some time...."  Her response should have been expected.  "Peanut got hers when she turned two.  He will get his when he turns two."

Well, okay then.  

Just as Peanut's dress up box was fit for a girl, his is just as masculine as her's is girly.  My mom stained his in a nice dark finish, very much like the finish on his furniture she refinished for him when I was pregnant with him.  She was going for a treasure chest look--which worked out well for this mama.  We ended up using the chest for the treasure hunt at the Peanut's pirate party in September!

And in the end, I guess the surprise is on me. I didn't account for the older sibling factor.  Peanut is there to show him the ropes in the art of all things dress up and make-believe.  She takes her role as teacher very seriously.  And he takes his role as apprentice even more seriously.  He can "fight a fire" like nobody's business.  He hammers away on things with the force of a grown man and he can give a patient "a shot" without a thought to their pain.

Yes, he definitely needs to work on his bedside manner, but he is all boy.  Indeed.


 

Jog-A-Thon

The Peanut had a Jog-A-Thon at her school a few weeks back to help raise money for her school. I was so proud of her, as she called several of her relatives (with Mommy's help) and asked them (all by herself!) to sponsor her.  If that wasn't enough, she also made a goal to run 10 laps (she ran 8 last year) and she ended up running eleven!!!

For the record, the little brother had a personal best as well.  He did three laps.  In rubber boots.

Guess these kiddos take after their daddy in being actual athletes and not just athletic supporters like their mama!!!


 
 

My Thoughts Are All Over the Place Right Now

I was thinking the other day about our family and our move back to Hometown. Thinking that this coming January, it will have been three years since we've moved back.  It got me thinking even further--that we have actually been back here in Hometown longer than we were ever gone.

If my calculations are correct, and let's face it, there is a good chance they aren't--math was never my best subject.  However, these are just simple calculations and I only started to struggle with math once I got into high school.  Differential equations, anyone?  Anyhow.....I digress.  As I was saying, we lived up in Smalltown exactly 827 days.  Which is 2.27 years OR for those of you who like simpler terms, 2 years and three months.

As of today, we have been back 1,003 days.  It's just shy of 2 years and 9 months, so we have actually been back here in Hometown about 6 months longer than we were ever gone.

Can I hear an amen???!?!  I just can't even believe how fast it has gone by.  Or how God has continued to provide for us.  It was quite the financial stretch for us when we moved back--and as a matter of fact, it still is.  And you know what?  He wasn't kidding about that birds in the air thing:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  Matthew 6:25-27 NASB

I think I need to do myself a favor and tattoo that on my forehead.  

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I am. a. control. freak.  I like to let myself believe that I (as in me, myself, and I) can control it all.  Yep, I know exactly how much we have deposited in our bank each month and I know where every. penny. goes.  Every penny, I tell you.  And I control that.

But you know what?  I like to think that, but I don't have control.  He does.  He provides Hub's job that pays our bills, He provides our home, and He provides our health and the health of our children. He also provides the food we eat--HE provides everything.

He is the Alpha and the Omega.

But somehow I think I have control. 

Silly me.

It's funny too, because while I like to think I have control, one of the things I always remind myself (and others!) is that He is not a God of coincidences.  (Must be my alter ego??!?)

Things just don't happen.  There was a plan with us moving away when we did.  There was a plan with us moving back when we did.

How we were EVER able to afford for me to quit my job six years ago--in His plan.  

How things with Hub's job have fallen into place--in His plan.

How well things worked out upon our return to Hometown--in His plan.  

And even now, with Peanut going to her sweet little school--in His plan--at least for now.

And let me tell you, that is a huge source of my worry these days.  As in, if I did add hours to my life because of my worry--I'd be living to a ripe, old age!!!   On the worst of my days, I think know we are kidding ourselves in thinking we can continue next year with an even higher tuition payment.

Then, on some of my best days (which are sadly not very often), I think, you know, He already has it figured out.  Whether it be private school, public school, or home school, it will be fine.  It will be just fine.  He can take care of that little girl way, way better than you.

And I have to remember cling to that.  

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.              Matthew 6:34 NASB

 

Her First Soccer Game

Our girl played her first soccer game today. It's been about three years since she took her first soccer class.  Really, that's all it was too--a class.  A way for her to burn off some of her three year old energy.  They learned a few techniques, but at that age, littles are still mastering hand-eye coordination, so it was mostly just fun for her.

Well, she's six years old now--and the gloves are off.

Oh, how I kid.  No, at this age it's still mostly for fun and really, learning to work as a team.  I guess in my mind I was expecting a much higher level of competition.

Me?  I never played any type of sport.  I mean, there was a year where I did ice skating.  I was probably six or seven?  And that was the extent of my athletic prowess.  Yep, that was it.  No soccer, no softball, no basketball (which I probably should have played considering I am tallish), no track, no swimming, no volleyball......you get the idea.

My least favorite class?  You guessed it....PE.  I hate to sweat.  But really?  My biggest fear was/is just the idea of people watching me and me potentially making a fool of myself.

I prefer to blend in with the crowd.  It's much safer that way.  Drives my mom nuts, too.  No guts, no glory, she was so fond of reminding me.  She gave up on that long ago though.  Thankfully God is a God of second chances and she has a granddaughter who is much more like her than me. (You know I am kidding when I say that, right?  He most certainly IS about second chances, but it escapes me as to where the Bible references having more competitive genes in future offspring.....)

Anyhow, back to this morning!  Peanut had fun and that's the most important part isn't it?  It's so funny to watch her out on the field too.  I can see both me and Hubs personalities in her. The first half she seemed to be much more like me.  While she was definitely in there trying to play and she didn't hang back at all--she wasn't super aggressive either.  In the second half though, she seemed much more comfortable on the field and much more sure of herself--much more like her daddy than me.

In her defense, Hubs said they've really only done drills and such at practice.  They haven't done any type of scrimmage.   That's a practice game, for those of you (like me!) who had no idea what that is.  There were a few times where she got the ball away from the pack and was so entirely pleased with herself.  However, she forgot and/or didn't know to follow that on through and keep driving the ball down the field.  Then there was that time where she got the ball from the opposing team, and she continued to drive the ball in the same direction (the wrong way) down the field.  Shockingly, this mama, who, have I mentioned likes to blend in with the crowd, hollered like mad to her daughter to go the "Other way, other way, other way!"  And she looked over at me and saw me motioning madly and she smiled at me and quickly did. 

Can you tell it was a very exciting morning? 

 

So This Just Happened

So it was really like two weeks ago.

#bloggerfail

In my defense though, I've been kind of busy with canning and winter food preparation, so there is that. 

It only took her 8 1/2 weeks to pull it out.  This girl.  I tell you.....for the child that seems to have no fear, she definitely had some with loosing her first tooth.  She was torn between extreme excitement and paralyzing fear in getting those baby teeth out.  Apparently it's a daddy DNA thing, because not one, but two of her permanent teeth  had popped through before the baby teeth were even loose and gone.

She had her 6 month check up at the dentist and the dentist pretty much said both teeth needed to be gone. Like yesterday.  The one (pictured above) definitely should have been.  However, in her defense, the second one honestly wasn't really that loose and I think the dentist was more concerned with the fact that both permanent teeth were already coming in, so those baby teeth needed to be out.  We made the extraction appointment one week out and told her if she didn't get those teeth out, then the dentist would be taking care of it for her.  My plan was that it would motivate her to take care of it herself. 

Yeah, that didn't really work.  Actually, she did get the super loose one out the night before her appointment.  (Well, Daddy helped did it for her.)  Then, the following morning she went in and they got the second one out too.

Another milestone come and gone. 

Sigh.