Game #1 - I LOVE SOCCER!

The Critter Force Team started their soccer season tonight with a win against A&W (although officially they don't keep score)!  Holyn was iffy for a start after all her foot issues.  She hasn't been thrilled with my (and the doctor's) orders to keep off the foot and was mad at me this morning for not allowing her to participate in gym class.  After school she told me she didn't do gym, but did admit to playing kick ball at recess.  Her foot wasn't swollen, so our very own Critter #3 stormed the field. 

This year the rules are a bit different.  The teams play 4 on 4 and each player is not allowed to score two times in a row.  Holyn is one of the oldest and tallest kids on her team, so she has a slight advantage over the other girls.  That and black and hot pink kicks also help your attitude!

Holyn grabbed a goal on her first attempt (can you find her kicking the ball in?) and got to wear the celebratory white jersey over her uniform until someone else on the team scored. One kid on the opposite team got close to scoring a goal and tried to tip it in with her hands. 

Lant yelled from the sidelines "Go Holyn, get in there" to which Holyn yelled back "I'm trying to Dad".  She almost scored again later, and overall played a fantastic game. 

After the "good game" high fives with the other team and snack time with her group, Holyn professed "I LOVE Soccer!"

Hurry, I NEED a cinnamon roll!

At bedtime last night, Max had giggled his front tooth almost out.  He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and began yelling "Mom, I need a cinnamon roll"!  When I got there he was sitting on the toilet trying to pull his tooth out. I joined him for the event but everytime I got close to the tooth he would yell OUCH and we would have to stop.  The thing was dangling there by the last thread, but somehow would not break loose on its own.  We really thought he would swallow it over night. So as Max gave up to go to bed, I bumped it forward with my finger and knocked it free.  He gave me the dirtiest look, but alas the tooth was out (apparently he was going to pull it out on his own someday or it was going to walk out on its own).   

At first I wasn't really sure why Max needed me to get him a cinnamon roll at bedtime.  Then it hit us, the last time he lost a tooth was on Super Bowl Sunday while eating a cinnamon roll.  It worked once, so he thought why not eat something yummy and loose a tooth!

After all the excitement, Max ran down to the basement to grab a couple lizards and set them next to the tooth box.  He later added the Darth Vader alarm clock and stuffed animal to the line up.  I asked him why we needed all this around his tooth and he replied "so no one steals my tooth and uses it to get stuff from the toothfairy for themself!"  Of course, why didn't I think of that?  The toys are now known as the "Tooth Protection Crew".  And by the way, they did their job!

Lant informed me that yesterday was also Star Wars Day.  Yes because "May the 4th" be with you!

Hard to keep a good girl down!

About 3-4 weeks ago Miss Holyn decided to jump off something on the playground and hurt her left foot.  I wrote it off for about the first week or two as a bruised heel, until on Spring Break it swelled up and she couldn't walk. So after a doctor visit, x-rays, a week of resting it and a visit to an ortho doctor...

she has a slight tear in the Plantar Fascia (not Plantar Fascitis).  Luckily, with more rest, less running and some time it will heal on its own (in about 3 months that is).  Soccer should be fun this year! 

Love at First Bite

This year both kids wanted to be Vampires, Holyn went as a Monster High doll called Dracu-Laura and Max was the traditional Dracula.  It was a little nippy outside, but a beautiful sunny day for gathering candy.  We first begged in our neighborhood and also fit in two other close by developments before the bags were just too heavy for them to carry.  Max of course ran to each and every house, Holyn liked to take her time (and make adjustments to her wig and costume between front door appearances).  We even encountered a house serving jello shots to the parents of goblins.  Lant and I couldn't remember the last time we had had jello shots, Max was just mad he didn't get any jello.

Movin' on Up (North)

So happy to finally not be homeless!  We had a great time in Chicago while "homeless", letting Uncle Tom spoil us with his fabulous cooking. After all the trials and tribulations of home buying and closing we are finally settling in.  Loving our home on the "ledge" (as the locals call it) and our view of the lake each day as I drive the kids to school.  Can't wait for everyone to come visit.

GOOOOOOAAAALLLLL

On our last weekend of soccer, Holyn accomplished her long awaited goal of a GOAL!  We had a long talk before the game about scoring a goal and that it was ok if it didn't happen and that it takes a team to make a goal, not just one person.  (But secretly I was really hoping she would get one before we moved). And about halfway through the 1st quarter she connected.  All the parents cheered for her and the best part was how she ran to me, jumped into my arms and hugged me. (Here's what I captured of her goal in progress:)

Max's team played next, but as hard as he tried (and as much as they set him up) his didn't make a goal.  He didn't seem to mind in the least.  He had fun running around.  The opposing team didn't have enough players, so halfway through the game their coach asked Holyn to fill in.  It was kind of funny to she Holyn and Max on the field playing against each other. I loved it at the end of the game when Coach Barry told the team "I don't know if you guys know but today was Max's last game, he's moving.  Everybody tell Max good game and shake his hand".  So cute I almost cried.

10 on 10.10.10

Soccer Sunday around here again and Holyn and Max's teams pulled out wins today.  Max played first and ran and kicked like crazy.  With 80 degree heat in October, Max did get a little tired toward the end of the game but did a fantastic job defending the net as goalie. (He's kicking the ball in the above shot).  The Firefighters won 5-4 after a close game.

Holyn's team played a little later in the afternoon (thank goodness) and held the purple team to 1 point as they scored 10.  The girls were super excited to have scored 10 points on 10.10.10!  Holyn played goalie, defender and forward and kept that ball from going into the net many times.  She's still working on getting a goal of her own.