Travel team try outs

This past week the 3 older kids had soccer try outs. Here, there's rec soccer, then above that is travel, then above that is Elite. Rec is what the kids have played since preschool age but then in 4th grade they can try out for the travel teams. Travel teams are divided in 2: white and red. Their first years both boys made white then second years, both made red. Regardless, you have to try out every year. So this past week, the boys tried out, along with their sister. It's fun to see them play, but the "unknown" is killing them. They're so worried, excited, and anxious to see how they did. Their numbers are on the fridge, just waiting for June 2nd to roll around when the teams are announced. Kind of exciting.

Personally, I think they're too young to go through this, but to see their emotions; it's kind of entertaining. It's such a HUGE deal to them to not only make the travel team, but to make the "red" team. As a parent, I couldn't care less. I'm so concerned more with who the COACH is that I don't care about team level. I try and explain this to them, but of course, that's crazy talk from their mom.

I've been super proud of all my soccer players this season. I identified for each kid their challenge for the season. Colby ended up back on the white team because in the fall, rather than play soccer he played football, forfeiting his position on the red team. So his "challenge" was to stand out, be the strongest player on his team. His position is defender. He did GREAT this season! It's so fun to watch him and his aggression, his timing, his strong kick and even stronger headers. Watching Colby play, you KNOW he understands the sport. Dallin's challenge was pecking his way through the team. He pretty much rode the bench in the fall. I can't totally blame him or his coach. He had broken his leg at the beginning of summer which totally slowed him down on the field that fall. Super slow and he was NOT aggressive at all. I couldn't blame him. I tore my ACL (and then some) playing soccer and to go back to full throttle aggression is mentally hard. Spring season, he was still second string, but every time he played, every second on the field, he gave it his all. He averaged 20 mins a game which was hard for me to watch, but at the same time, I was so proud of Dallin for giving his ALL those 20 mins and not being a poor sport and getting all attitudy for such short playing times. I loved seeing his excitement and energy both on the field AND on the bench. That kid doesn't let bad situations get him down. I love that about him!

Angela I have to say impressed me the most. Her "challenge" this season was to over come a fear she had of one of the players on another team. This player intimidated her. She has not only out challenged this player, taken the ball from her, dribbled around her, but most importantly, they've become friends! I can't say enough how proud I am of her! Angela's such a great player. She's fast, has such a strong kick, dribbles well, and still does it all with a smile. Her tryouts went well. No matter where she plays in the fall, I'm super proud of that girl! Jessika's challenge was simply holding her own in Angela's age division. With Matt out in WA doing rotations, I had to consolidate at much as possible. So I pulled Jess up to play with Ange. And she has proved herself to be quite the little fighter out there. I don't think she ever got the memo that she was 2 heads shorter and about 3 bodies smaller than most of the other players on the field. That girl just charges, dribbles, and doesn't lose her head out there. Even her older brothers who notice NOTHING in life, comment during her games, "Mom, look how much smaller Jess is than the girl she's guarding" etc. It'll be cool to see her play back at her age group. Some day. :)

I coached Addi and Owen this season. Last season soccer finally clicked for Addi. She stopped dancing around the ball and running with the group and started actually going for the ball, dribbling and shooting. This season she totally mastered "opening up for a pass." I love how the older girls play, but I think Addi may be even better than them. She's already dribbling w/her head up, more aggressive then they are, and fast! Little O finally figured out soccer this season. Last season, all that kid did was chase the mob of players. Didn't even kick at the ball. Just ran around. Now he's dribbling, shooting, and man that kid's fast. I already broke it to Colby and Dallin that he was playing better at this age than they were. They didn't appreciate it. Oh well.

And as for the little ones. The kids are beginning the brainwashing of soccer as they kick the ball around with Riley. I love watching them show him how to properly kick a soccer ball vs toeing it. Their lives, at a very early age, get sucked into the world of soccer. Sadie has already been to about 5 thousand games and practices. And I LOVE it! I could write about a book about the benefits of sports for kids and then another book about the benefits of that sport being soccer. But I won't, because I don't think many will buy it! :) HaHaHaHa (you don't see that much, mainly the annoying "LOL.")

Well, I finally have the 2 babies sleeping, it's a beautiful day, so I'm going to open the back door and windows and clean the family room. Owen's outside playing. Such a peaceful, wonderful day today!

How I love to mow!

OK, this isn't all about me and mowing. But can I just say, I love to mow! It's so peaceful, just the hum of the mower, and taking down the scraggly grass in one effortless swipe. Plus, no one can TECHNICALLY bother me. No, it doesn't totally dissuade the kids from coming to me and needing me, but it does at least temporarily prevent them. I love my kids, and I enjoy my alone time.

Yes, I think it's important to teach kids to mow and what not, but when I mow, the kids are taking care of Sadie and doing other such "productive" things. There's no sin in having a mom with older kids mow the yard.

Sooo, the other day I noticed the skies and the skies were bringing in quite the storm. But my yard needed to be mowed. The big kids were all at school and Sadie did NOT have on her agenda, "Be put down." So I jimmy rigged a sitter. I put her outside in the back on the patio in her little bouncer where I could mow at a safe distance from her. Doing so would allow me to both watch her and she'd be entertained by the hum of the mower. However I had to run into the garage to grab the mower. I took the mower out, started it, and began to "mow" my way to the back. As soon as I started to walk to the back, the skies simply opened up and dumped rain. I quickly turned off the mower, ran it back to the garage, then sprinted through the house to get Sadie. Who was outside. In her seat. Totally. Exposed. To the RAIN!

If I could I would have taken a photo of what I saw. Owen was outside with Sadie, totally bent over her, trying to shield her from the rain. It was impossible to effectively do it, so the rain was getting her pretty well, so she was screaming and there's Owen, bent over her, saying as calm as ever, "Mommy's comin Sadie! Mommy's comin!" Then w/o looking up, I don't think he even saw me, Owen yells, "Mom, Sadie doesn't like DIS!"

I treasure Owen's love for his baby sister. Ever since I was about 7 mos pregnant, Owen was so preoccupied with her. He's forever hugging her, begging to snuggle with her, running over to her just to look at her, then running off. It's priceless!

13 years a mom

If you're going to read my blog, please know that 100% of what I write will be centered around me being a mom, because, thankfully, it's what I am.

Last night I was laying down with Sadie nursing, Riley sleeping on my hip and Owen sleeping on my legs. It really makes me wish boobs would run DOWN the torso like a sow rather than across, like a ... human. And I loved loved loved it! I love being needed and being the main thing that comforts my children. I love it.

I've been doing this now for 13 + years. Thought I'd make a list of some of the things I've learned and would like to pass along to my kids, especially my daughters as they will, if it be God's will, be mothers.

~ Sleep with your babies (fancy terminology "co-sleep") All mammals do it. It's great and I don't regret it AT ALL! Sure I have over extended rotator cuffs now, but worth it.

~ Nurse your babies as long as THEY want and as long as YOU can handle. Please please PLEASE ignore the "experts" and friends and family who may try and tell you about nursing your babies. It's such a PERSONAL thing. Just don't do anything, when it comes to nursing, to "fit in." I do not regret in the least not fitting in with the norm.

~ Don't stress out about getting on a schedule. People would ask when my babies napped and I'd say, "When they got tired." I didn't revolve my life around a "nap schedule" or feeding schedule because it was too hard. I just let my babies dictate the schedule and it worked out just fine.

~ Don't be afraid of cereal for supper

~ Involve kids in sports. For reals. Not just any extra curricular activity, but sports. It's good for the heart, keeps kids in shape, and just leads to lots of great things

~ Don't go to every single freaking church meeting or function or conference or activity or whatever

~ Apologize for when you screw up. And who cares if you think you're "always apologizing." Better to apologize than to be prideful

~ Laugh. A lot.

~ Let them talk to you. My kids are ALWAYS talking to me. I hear, "Mom" about 80 million times a day. Yes, I have actually said, "Do. Not. Talk. TO ME!" but the kids still know they can talk to me about everything. I need to keep this up for when they are teenagers and their conversations actually get interesting.

~ Be honest. My kids will ask, "How'd I play in my game today?" and I'll tell them the honest truth. If they didn't play to their potential, I'd tell them. I'd tell them how to improve. Or if they did play great, I'd tell them they played great. I think it helps them know that when I compliment them, it's for real and when I don't, they know it's for real and I'm not just picking on them or being hard on them.

~ Have hobbies outside of motherhood, but don't let them consume you. Trust me on both.

~ For real, have hobbies.

~ Work out. And I'm not kidding. It's either work out or pop those happy pills. I've had 8 kids, 9 pregnancies, all under 13 years, and my hormones have been pretty good to me. I owe it all to working out. It's good for the inner thighs, love handles, and psyche.

~ Have girlfriends who you chat with, vent with. You don't need but a couple, but it's very therapeutic

~ Let your kids dress how they want, as long as it's not hoochie. Along with that, choose your battles wisely. I want to win the war in the long run, so little battles don't need to be fought or won. Let the kids win most of those. My kids have gone to church dressed as spider man or the Lone Ranger. They've gone to school looking like models for flood water sweatpants. And it's all good. People may think, "Holy crap, what's their mom thinking?" And I say to that, "Wanna cookie?"

~ Don't let your kids have texting. Plain and simple.

~ When your kids clean something you told them to clean; room, car, bathroom, always check their work. ESPECIALLY when they come all excited and jumping up and down, "look how clean it is!" It's so validating for them.

~ Sleep as often as you can

~ Don't beat yourself if you let a curse word or two "slip" out. Gosh, what is it about cuss words that make me feel so good? Guess I'm just sorta evil.

~ Kiss in front of the kids. They say it's gross, but they walk away super secure.

~ Argue in front of the kids. I think it's stupid to not let your kids see you disagree. I'm not saying yell and spit and stab eyeballs out, but it's OK for them to see you mad at each other and along with that, working things out. Kids have to know that conflict is OK, even healthy, because they see communication and that even though you may fight, you can still love each other.

~ My kids will never have their own rooms. Ever. Never. Funny thing is, I can read my kids and they'd hate it. Even though they say they want it.

~ Let them see you cry.

~ Don't make an issue of weight. I do find myself making fun of my fat and even saying things like, "We have matching inner thighs!" I do make fun of my fat body to them, but I ALWAYS remind then that really, I love my body. It's been healthy for me and has given me them! What's not to LOVE?!

OK, I can go on and on and on. And no way am I a professional at this, but it's stuff I've learned and keep learning and I just want to pass things on to my kids. My kids are my life. They're my everything. I remember being interviewed on TV at the mall when I was around 6 or 7 and watching the interview on TV later on and the guy asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. In my mind I was saying, "vet" but what came out was, "a mom." The reporter wasn't at all impressed and I wondered why I said that when I KNEW I was an animal whisperer. I never liked other peoples babies growing up, couldn't relate to little kids. Just liked boys and sports. But having my children has changed me. When I had my first, second, third, fourth, it dawned on me how blessed they made me, how happy they made me. How can I put a cap on my blessings? I know I'll know when this season of my life is over, but I tell you, I'm loving this season and I hope it goes on for a few more years! :)