Soccer is back in full swing and...

I am running everywhere it seems.  No not really, but it seems like it.  Most of this post is about soccer, since that is what we seem to be doing in the spring.  Don't get me wrong I really enjoy watching my children play the game, and yes I still don't know why the whistle gets blown or all the rules, but I am still learning and trying to figure it out.  But before I get into soccer I have a couple of things that I want to post.

On March 24,2014 we had just finished eating dinner when one of the kids heard a knock at the door.  I hadn't heard it so I told them to check it out and answer the door.  As I walked to the door I was surprised to see Elder Zundel and his companion Elder Kane.  If you don't know Elder Zundel is Carrson's nephew (Jennifer's son).  It was a wonderful surprise to have them visit our home, even with the mess I had (it was laundry day).  No, he does not serve in our area but he his in serving in our stake, and they had come to the city to do some shopping, and they ended playing basketball.  Clark was invited to play and chose not to since he was already doing something with a friend.  I think he was bummed to find out his cousin was there and he could have played with him.  I don't think as long as Elder Zundel is serving in the stake he is going to say no again, Clark loves to play with the missionaries as often as he can.

It was great since they came at dinner time we were able to feed them.  Ryan had made lasagna for dinner (he is working on his cooking merit badge) and when he asked what pan to use I had told him the biggest pan in the cupboard.  I don't usually use that size but I am glad I did, we had enough left over for them to eat.   I hope the Elders enjoyed themselves, and they are welcome to stop by anytime. 

 Yea, I have finally got most of my garden in.  It has been a challenge this year to get it planted, since it seems it rains every other day.  So just when we thought the ground was dry enough to plant it would rain again.  I have my tomatoes and peas growing (and they look great), no for the squash and maybe some peppers, yum.

 4/3/2014

Now, on to some soccer pictures.  Most of them are just random pictures I have taken.  So enjoy watching the kids grow. 

 4/3/2014

 Since Clark is on the high school team he cannot play in the recreation league, but he can still play with his brother.  Here they are just waiting for Andrew's coach to get here.  Andrew loves to play with his big brother, unless his brother is hogging the ball and not passing it.

Andrew

 4/5/2014

 4/12/2014

Emma

4/12/2014

Emma had two assists in her game and I was able to get one.  Yea!!

 

 Ryan

4/12/2014

 

One of Ryan's team mates got a penalty in the box, so that means the other team gets to kick a penalty kick, which is one on one with the goalie.  He almost had this one, he did a great job, this is the only goal that got by him Saturday.

Andrew enjoyed playing in the sand in one of the goalie boxes during Ryan's game.  Two of his friends joined in for a little while.  By this time Andrew was getting bored since we had been at the soccer fields for over four hours already.  But he is ready to go back again.

Clark

P-ville vs Auburn

4/10/2014

They ended up winning 2-1.  I have enjoyed watching him play this season with the high school.  I am sad it is about over.  There are only two weeks left to play.  Go Team!!

 

 Corner kick that ended up going in.

 He loves to be in the wall when the other team kicks a penalty.  Crazy kid!

Hopefully I am caught up and you have enjoyed this as much as I have.

Just about there

One of these days I might just get caught up.   A lot of these are just random things that I wanted to remember so I decided to post them here, since I also use it as a journal for me and my family.

On Thursday March 6, 2014 I had to run a quick errand when the boys got home so I didn't have to drag Andrew with me.  I had already finished and was on my way home when I got a phone call from Emma, and she had something for me and she was sad that I wasn't home.  I told her I was on my way and I would be there in less then five minutes.  As I pulled into the garage she was standing there with a bouquet of flowers.  She had learned how to arrange flowers in her club meeting that day.  This year she decided she wanted to be in the fashion club at school and they have done some fun classes.  They only meet once a month but she has really enjoyed it.  And didn't she do a great job with the arrangement?  They smelt so good and I always love getting flowers.   

Also on March 6, 2014 the youth in our ward (what we call each congregation in our church) were able to tour the Hyundai Plant in Montgomery.  Since I am in the presidency and have children there I was able to go.  I was really impressed how they put together a car. The tour was awesome and I really enjoyed myself.   Since there were some cancellations Emma was also able to go with us and she was in heaven.  She can't wait to be twelve so she can go to young womens.

The youth that went (plus a couple of photo bombers).

I had to have one to document we were there. :)

On March 7, 2014 we were able to go to the Elders Quorum"s activity.  As you can tell it was a pine wood derby and it was an anything goes derby with the exception of no combustion engines and it couldn't break the track.  Since we already had some cars from previous derby's we were ready to go.  Emma wanted to race mine and Andrew wanted to race dads car.  The cars were doing great till the wheel fell off dads car and we retired (I just got it, retired it) it and took it out of the races.  Andrew was sad but there was nothing we could do.   All in all the kids had a blast and now that I have pictures and some video Andrew wants to watch them and look at them over and over.

Racing each other.  I don't remember who won but they had fun starting them.

If you watch closely you can see the wheel come flying off.  Andrew just loves it!

March 8, 2014 was a busy but fun day.  Clark ended up having a JV soccer tournament in Shelby Co. (no we didn't end up going, it was last minute and we already had things planned).  They didn't do to well Friday (they had to play two teams they had already played and tied with one and lost the other) they ended up losing both games.  Saturday's game turned out better they beat them and Clark was able to score again.  So he has scored three goals thus far this year, which is funny since he mostly plays defense.  Way to go Clark!!

Also that day was the Stake Youth Sports Day, and the kids had a blast from where I sat.  Emma and Andrew were both able to go and enjoy some exercise too.  I guess those are the perks about being a leader.  The kids played kick ball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, softball and water balloon volleyball to end the activity.  It was a lot of fun and sun.     

 

 

 This is what I get from these two silly girls.

 

 After we got home dad decided we needed to mow the lawn.  So while they were fixing the lawnmower to get it started and while the lawn was getting mowed Emma and Andrew hadn't had enough sun and exercise.  Andrew loves to ride his bike and four wheeler.  

Andrew and Emma riding.

Storytime and playin' at the park

Andrew loves to go to story time at our local library.  We usually meet up with a few of his friends and they sing and dance, listen to one or more stories, make a craft and have a snack.  It is a great out for him where he actually has to sit still and listen.  There are days where we go and and he just wants to sit on my lap instead of sitting with the kids.  He will go back and forth if they start dancing or the story gets really good, but for the most part he does really well, especially if his friends are there.

2/14/2014

We have taken advantage of some of the nice days and gone to the park.  Andrew loves to go and if I even just mention it in passing he gets all excited and reminds me.  A lot of the times if the weather is nice we will hit the park after story time.  It is really nice having one of our parks right next door.  Other times when us moms need a few minutes we will meet at another one of our local parks that is just a little closer.  The kids have a great time playing and us moms get a small break and we all get some much needed fresh air.  These are just some random pictures from different days while the kids were playing.

2/10/2014

3/10/2014

3/11/2014

4/1/2014

Being over the Beehives at church means they are in charge of a combined activity twice a year.  Well our turn came up on March 18, 2014 and the girls decided they wanted to do a road rally.  So we talked and chose some places to go to, and since I didn't want them to have the advantage of knowing where all the stops were, I turned it into a history type lesson from the area.  There were three clues and to each stop, five stops in all.  We were able to have five teams.  Some of the drivers hadn't lived here long enough so some of it was great for them to see some of the history here.  The youth (from what I hear had a blast) and some even want to do another one when it is a little lighter later in the evening, it did get dark about thirty minutes to soon.

The clues and answers.  Yes, they were color coded.

Ryan's team

Clark's team.

 (This was my team, I was the driver)

Poor guy, just got finished playing a game and had to be on a team of all girls.

A little catching up to do.

I am going to do a little catching up here.  Life has gotten the best of me and I am sorry, but bear with me while I go down memory lane.

 Andrew's first Dental appointment. (2/20/2014)  He was all smiles.  (Sorry I can't figure out why they won't straighten up).  He ended up with a few cavities, he also did great during the next appt, they ended up having to do an almost root canal, one cavity ended up being bigger then they thought. No swelling and he was back to normal. 

 

 

 Say AWW.... Looks good.

     Tournament in Sylacauga (3/1/2014)  We had a wonderful day watching Clark and the team play their games.  It started out cloudy and chilly but before the first game was over, the sun decided to come out and warm us up.  The tournament actually started the night before and the team started with their first win.  They ended up taking third in the tournament (they should of played in the championship game, but don't get me started on how they calculated the points, so we ended up in the third and fourth place game).  

     All in all it was a great day.  Clark has been playing defender for the team (which is new for him, but he is doing very well at it) and the coach will let him run up with the ball if needed.  So he actually came out of the tournament with at least one assist and two goals.  The goals actually came from the coach letting him play forward in the final game.  They were up 5-0, Clark asked if he could play up front and the coach knowing him from recreation ball let him not knowing he was going to score.  Well he ended up with two and the final score was 9-0.  I think the coach told the boys they couldn't kick the ball towards the goal until it was touched ten times.

 

 

 Clark's assist.

As I was looking through my pictures I was so excited that I actually had caught this on camera.

He shoots...

he scores!!

I was so excited that I was able to get these shots.  I wasn't expecting it to happen but it is fun to look back and see the excitement when it does.

Like I mentioned the sun came out and warmed us up nicely, but Red Chief has to be different and instead of going and finding some shade he just covered himself up with the blanket. What a nut!!  Plus he was wearing a flannel shirt. :)

We had some down time during halftime and in between games so the rest of the pictures are just us being silly or just trying to find something to do.  Andrew is entertained pretty easily, he will find kids and start playing with them.  So have fun with these pictures.

 

 (and again I can't get them to turn when I put them on here, so sorry about that)

 

We ended up having a break in the games long enough we could leave.  So we went in search of an old historical bridge that I had seen on a sign the last time we went through that way.  It ended up being about twenty minutes from the field.  I thought it was really cool to see it.  We didn't go down to the bridge since they charged $3.00 a person (in which I thought was crazy, but I got a picture, I would have loved to go get a closer one but I'm good). 

 

I forgot to get the information about the bridge so when I find it I will add it, name, year.  My bad.

Basketball has come to an end...

...and high school soccer is in full swing.  Well as of next week all the kids will be in soccer, whether it is high school or rec.  This year was one of the first years Ryan asked me if I had gotten him signed up.  I think he has missed it.  Emma and Andrew are way excited too. 

Basketball

 I took these pictures with my phone, they are better then not having anything so they aren't the greatest.  I am still trying to figure out how to take a great picture, so I hope you enjoy.

 

Basketball was good this year Clark's team went undefeated. Yea for them!!!  Some of the games were tough and they had to come from behind to win,which was awesome.  They did a great job!  Like I said earlier dad was Clark's coach so it made getting there and back much easier.  With Clark having soccer conditioning till 4:30 and basketball practice at 5:00, I just picked him from one practice and dropped him off at another, and dad brought him home.  Dad may not say it was easier.  He had practice at 5:00 on Mondays and 8:00 on  Thursdays.  With being the bishop it was a little more complicated he says.  Practice on Mondays, church on Tuesdays, visits on Wednesdays and practice on Thursdays, he was and is a busy man. 

Soccer

Soccer season has started and so has the rainy season. I thought spring soccer was supposed to be warm and nice, NOT.   Clark has played in the rain more times then not.  Maybe it hasn't poured every game or all game for that matter but it has been wet and we have needed our umbrellas and it has been cold (I should get a picture of us all bundled up watching them). During their second game just as they were coming back from halftime (they had played about six minutes) it started lightning and thundering, which meant they would have to postpone the game till it passed.  Thirty minutes later play resumed in the pouring rain.  We totally dominated the half but sadly the game only ended in a tie.  I think I will just make sure I have my umbrella with me at the games.  They are off to a great start so far they are 2-1-1 (two wins-one loss-one tie).

 

Yet to come: Sylacauga Tournament.  I will post after.