Out of the blue this morning:
Shane: I really want a big brother or a big sister.
Adalyn: I want a baby sister!!!
Me: Well, the only way to make that happen would be through adoption.
Shane and Adalyn continue on their plans for what kind of sibling they want in the family in her bedroom. Lots of compromising and planning.
Adalyn runs out to tell me: We have decided that we want to adopt a big brother and he can sleep in Shane's room in his bunk bed.
Shane: I'll share my room with him since I have bunk beds.
Adalyn: I want a baby sister, too! She can sleep in my room.
Me: Shane, why do you want a big brother so badly all of a sudden? (Adalyn's love of babies is not a new source of information.)
Shane: I can teach him about Star Wars, he can sleep in my room and we can play together. If he is only 1 year older then me, then he can go to Sandburg with us. Can we look for one on the computer?
Me: Yea, adopting a kid is not like adopting an animal. It's not quite that simple.....
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Soccer Times Two
We have finally arrived into the season of life where both kids are in a sport at the same time this fall. Saturday's are full of soccer.
This is Shane's third year playing on a Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association team. He did have two seasons of pee wee soccer back when he was 3 and 4 years old, but we don't really count those since he sat on the sidelines most of the time. He's certainly come a LOOONG way since then. Each year we've seen him progress amazingly! From a little guy who didn't want anything to do with soccer to the kid who had a hat trick in his game today (hat trick = 3 goals in a single game).
Last year he was a defensive maniac. There wasn't any ball getting past him. He'd just boot it back down the field. This year he is still a defensive maniac and has really come into his own offensively as well. Last year he scored 1 goal the last game of the year. This year he's 3 games into the season and already has 4 goals in his pocket. He can hang with the best of the goalies as well, but prefers to be in a defensive or now offensive position.
Kenny coached his soccer team last year out of default since the team was about to be disbanded if someone didn't step up and coach. This year he is playing U10 and they are suppose to have referees provided by the league, so far that is hit or miss. Kenny refereed his game today.
This kid is just every where on the field. He's really suppose to be in his assigned position, but continues to be a rock star every where. He's head is so deeply into the game and what is happening.
Goal celebrating! He's finally playing on a team this year with classmates and enjoying it that much more.
This is Shane's third year playing on a Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association team. He did have two seasons of pee wee soccer back when he was 3 and 4 years old, but we don't really count those since he sat on the sidelines most of the time. He's certainly come a LOOONG way since then. Each year we've seen him progress amazingly! From a little guy who didn't want anything to do with soccer to the kid who had a hat trick in his game today (hat trick = 3 goals in a single game).
Last year he was a defensive maniac. There wasn't any ball getting past him. He'd just boot it back down the field. This year he is still a defensive maniac and has really come into his own offensively as well. Last year he scored 1 goal the last game of the year. This year he's 3 games into the season and already has 4 goals in his pocket. He can hang with the best of the goalies as well, but prefers to be in a defensive or now offensive position.
Goal #3 of the game for Shane. They won 7-1. So far this season they have a loss, tie and win.
Shane and his best buddy, Collin, out on the field.
Then there is Adalyn. Gymnastics really is her passion. We felt though that she should give a team sport a try this year. She halfheartedly said she'd give soccer a try. Thanks goodness for pee-wee soccer and only 7 days/weeks total!! They have a 30 minute practice followed by a 30 minute game once a week.
She's done great getting out there and following the ball around the field. She's kicked it a couple times. Overall, she's not sure this is really her thing. We know it's not, but proud of her for giving it a try.
Warm up time is adorable!!
At least she looks cute while she practices.
Game Time!!!
Coach gave her the ball to kick, she's considering her move her. She also had the only thrown in of the game and rocked that.
Our Saturdays are full and I don't mind it when the sun shines. Soccer and rain and I don't do so great. Only 6 game days left! But who's counting??!
Monday, June 13, 2016
Baseball AA Astros
This was Shane's 2nd year playing AA baseball with the Kirkland National Little League. He truly has a love and deep passion for the game of baseball. You could say it is in his DNA. Kenny managed the team for the first time in Shane's 5 year Little League career. Kenny started out being present and around the first couple years to help Shane with his anxiety issues. By his 3rd and 4th years Kenny was able to be an assistant coach as Shane didn't need quite as much 1 on 1 attention. This year manager's were needed and Kenny stepped up to take on the team. Through the chaos that a group of 12 1st-3rd graders brings, I think he was able to find joy and fun in the midst of all of that.
Many of the kids on the team were playing AA for the first time and 2 of the kids had never played baseball before. With those two aspects in play, this team grew SO much. Kenny really was able to teach them a lot of skills through the season. There were 8 teams in the AA level this year. The Astro's only lost 5 games, which were to the top two teams that consisted basically of all 2nd year AA players.
As they went into the playoffs we really had no idea how things would shuffle out. Lots of little things ended up making their playoff path very challenging. In the end though, they took on the two best teams and just about beat them both games (losing in the last at-bat to both of them). They were nail biting, adrenaline rushing, sore throat from cheering, flip-flops in your stomach kinds of games. Shane has some amazing skills as a first base man, pitcher and batting. Not to mention he can stop just about any ball behind home plate as a catcher.
I spent the majority of the baseball season keeping score and keeping track of Adalyn. I was able to catch a few pictures here and there.
Many of the kids on the team were playing AA for the first time and 2 of the kids had never played baseball before. With those two aspects in play, this team grew SO much. Kenny really was able to teach them a lot of skills through the season. There were 8 teams in the AA level this year. The Astro's only lost 5 games, which were to the top two teams that consisted basically of all 2nd year AA players.
As they went into the playoffs we really had no idea how things would shuffle out. Lots of little things ended up making their playoff path very challenging. In the end though, they took on the two best teams and just about beat them both games (losing in the last at-bat to both of them). They were nail biting, adrenaline rushing, sore throat from cheering, flip-flops in your stomach kinds of games. Shane has some amazing skills as a first base man, pitcher and batting. Not to mention he can stop just about any ball behind home plate as a catcher.
I spent the majority of the baseball season keeping score and keeping track of Adalyn. I was able to catch a few pictures here and there.
They look so calm and into the game in this picture. Don't be deceived, dug out duty was rough! Those boys have a very short attention span and spent much of their time spanking each others bottoms, dumping out water cups, or just plain making havoc.
This kid is either beaming ear to ear OR crying when he plays baseball.
He takes each play, pitch and hit so deeply personally.
Little Father-Son pow wow while a new pitcher warms up.
Adalyn spent baseball games running around with friends.
She rarely had any idea what was going on with the game.
After game wrap up.
Shane got nailed in the lip by a foul ball when he was batting.
He took got a little pep talk from Dad, a hug from Mom and jumped right back in to finish batting. He even got on base and made it home before he could get ice on his split swollen lip.
No damage was done to his teeth, thank goodness!
End of the year awards. The kids had just lost a playoff game that they had fought so hard to win.
Gymnastics {2nd year}
Adalyn has completed her 2nd year of gymnastics classes at The Gymnastics Connection. It's a non-competitive gym which I really like. She truly LOVES gymnastics and has already asked me numerous times if she can take classes again in September. Her one summer camp she got to pick was a gymnastics one. She can't get enough of it!
They work on five different areas throughout the year. During the year end show they rotate through each station to show off their hard learned skills. Here are some highlights from the show:
We hope that next year she gives a couple team sports a try, but we'll let her roll on this gymnastics love as long as she wants.
They work on five different areas throughout the year. During the year end show they rotate through each station to show off their hard learned skills. Here are some highlights from the show:
Bars
Beam
Her Coach Mags in the background clapping.
Floor...they did a routine to a Micheal Jackson song.
My FAVORITE part of the routine, when they posed "bad".
Cartwheel skills. She's come a long way on these!
Vault
Trampoline
We hope that next year she gives a couple team sports a try, but we'll let her roll on this gymnastics love as long as she wants.