End of Summer Fun

Finally, after three months our summer has come to an end. School starts Monday and we are all very excited.

Landon and Isabel started their soccer season today. This was Landon's second season and Issy's first. They were so excited.

For Isabel's division they don't have separate teams. What they do is have all the girls age four and five go through weekly clinics and then scrimmage with each other. I think it's great they learn how the game works and have a lot of hands on with coaches instead of being thrown onto a field and having no idea what to do.

Prior to today's game my main focus in preparing the kids for the season is that you can still have fun even if you don't win. Both my kids tend to get a little upset when they lose. I was planning on it being successful if neither of them stormed off the field when the other team scored or burst into tears when they made a mistake.

Isabel, however, completely took us by surprise. She is well... amazing. She scored seven goals in a half hour game. She was in there getting the ball every chance she got and was fast. The other parents said they thought she was on the team illegally because she was so much taller and so good. They were shocked when I told them she had never played before and that she was the right age and just look at her father if they want to know why she looks so much older.

Landon was mad that they put him in as fullback, because he said he didn't get to do much. Even when he did get near the ball he was reluctant. Then during half time I told him they were going to keep him back there unless he got more aggressive. I asked him what he hates more than anything in the world. He said, "Justin Bieber". I told him to get in there and pretend the ball was Justin Bieber's head. He gave me a huge grin and then ran on the field and was kicking the ball and getting in the scrimmage like crazy. It was hilarious. Even funnier though was while on the sidelines the DJ at the fields was playing the "Cha-Cha Slide" and Landon starts doing it on the sidelines. The parents were cracking up.

Landon throwing in the ball.

Our little soccer family.

Zoe Peralta, Landon, and Isabel.

Today was the opening day celebration. This is Landon's team running for the balloon arch. Landon is the one on the far left.

Isabel getting ready to start a passing drill.

Isabel in action.

Last weekend my sister Melissa, my friends Melody, Valerie, and Laura and I went away for a girls weekend. My friend Valerie got us her time share for extremely cheap and we all headed to Palm Springs. We really didn't do much but it was a perfect weekend. We got pedicures, laid out by the pool, read books, stayed up talking all night, watched movies, and ate good food. I love my friends and we have so much fun together. Ryan called one day while we were there and asked what we were doing. I told him we were reading books. He could not understand how it could be fun to sit around and read together and not talk. He has no idea that that is my idea of a taste of heaven.

Dinner at Cheesecake Factory of course. R to L: Melissa, Melody, Valerie, Me, and Laura.

Pedi's, another drop of heaven. Melissa, Valerie, and Melody.

Valerie, Me, and Laura. I read The Help that weekend. Such a good book.

A couple of weeks ago for FHE we took the kids to play miniature golf for the first time. They had a blast. It was initially frustrating for me but then I said forget about the rules and taking turns, I'll just let them have fun and we did.

Mia is a very independent child. She wants to do everything herself. She could not swing the club and hit the ball and it angered her greatly. So every time she would try we would offer to help she would scream no, throw the club on the ground, and then stand there with her arms crossed scowling at the club. Here is the proof. This behavior is all from her father. In his twenties he has been known to throw his club on the course.

I love this picture of the kids. I just want to eat them up.

Issy taking a shot.

It looks like Landon is getting ready to hit it the wrong way, but really that was him missing the ball completely.

We went up to San Jose a couple of weeks ago and went to Happy Hallow. It is like a ghetto zoo/amusement park. The kids loved it though. They got to be with their cousins so they were good.

Isabel, Andrew, and Landon waiting for the train ride.

Landon, Isabel, and Mia on the merry go round.

Ryan and the kiddos waiting in line. I wonder if I will ever get a normal picture of Landon?