Last week Brynn finished her first soccer season. We had lots of fun as a family going to support her at her practices and games. I'm kind of sad to see it end for a few different reasons. We loved Thursday nights because that's when Brynn would practice. It would give us an excuse to go to the "park" again and to let all the kids run around in wide open spaces. Aaron was often found running onto the field to give Brynn a great big hug or to try to throw a soccer ball to one of the coaches. It was pretty cute. Abby became quite good at manuevering the ball across the field, maybe they will let her start next year. We'll have to figure out how to coordinate that I guess. How do you mom's with more kids do it with organized sports?
Another reason I'm sad it's ending....I'm slow to warm up to people and so just when I feel like I've gotten to know them....the circumstances in which we are acquainted always seem to come to a close. Of course it happened with soccer, but the coaches would like to keep the same team next year, so hopefully we will be able to keep in touch with them.
It was fun to see Brynn improve her skills and confidence each week. The best part was seeing her thrive in a new social situations.
We ended the season with a pizza party on the historic Woodland Main Street at Steve's Pizza. It was fun to chat with the other families, otherwise with whom we wouldn't have associated. It always makes me happy to know that there are good people out there trying to teach their children values and serving in the community. I find myself wondering what motivates people to serve? It's easy sometimes for me to think that because I am serving my family and serving in the Church it excuses me from any civic responsibilities, but lately I've been thinking alot about improving communities. It's easy to recognize problems and complain, but it's not always easy to be the problem solver. I need to do much better at finding ways and being willing to serve at home, church and in our community. Okay, that was a tangent.
While we were eating pizza it was fun to ask the other parents about what brought them to Woodland. Some came here from the Bay area for a slower paced life. Some were born in Woodland, married in Woodland, and will most likely die here. (Joe calls that hatched, matched and dispatched.) And some are like us, had no clue that Woodland even existed and then were transferred to the area for work.
One set of parents a the pizza party gave us an ego booster when they asked if we would give them lessons on patience. They have an only child Brynn's age and they said, "We 've been amazed as we've watched you two with all of your children....You have so much patience!" I wanted to say, don''t be fooled, we are tolerant of a lot of nonsense and we both lack skills in disciplining children. This is closer to the truth, but we'll take the boost! On another side note, when Brynn was a baby my mom said, "Amy, you and Joe need to decide who is going to be the disciplinarian, because neither of you are doing it." Hopefuly we haven't ruined our kids. :)
Anyway, here's to a great first soccer experience. Thanks Brynn
(taken from a previous post by Joseph) Brynn plays soccer at an old elementary school in the middle of the city. During her first game last week, I yelled and cheered and tried to give her directions from the side lines. This was a new experience for Brynn. In her past performances with dance and ballet, we cheered and clapped for her energetic efforts, but here at the soccer game I was yelling directions! "Stop the ball... Go Go.. Kick it... Run!!" It was all too much for my sensitive little angel. In a dramatic moment, 5 year old Brynn took the ball on a solo breakaway, dribbling all the way down the field, passing the other rug-rats and scored a goal! I was whooping and hollering.... and Brynn was overcome in the moment. She started sobbing on the field! She didn't know what to make of her baffoon of a bellowing, screaming father. I called for her and she ran to my arms. She wanted to go... never to play that aggressive sport again. I calmed her down, explaining to her that I was cheering and yelling because I wanted her to have fun and do her best. It didn't matter to me if she "won" the game, but it was always important to try hard and give her best effort. Well, she overcame her reservations and yesterday had a marvelous, enjoyable, soccer game with her team. I toned down on yelling directions, and focused on big smiles, thumbs up, high fives, and happy hollers. She jogged off the field happy as can be. (Victory)
Left to right, Brynn, Delaney, Isabella, Mia, Jessica, and Maya.
I ran the Davis Turkey Trot 10K the Saturday before Thanksgiving with my friend Karen and her sister Brenn. It was a great run with a beautiful course winding through neighborhood parks and greenbelts in Davis. The scenery was gorgeous ! I loved it! I can't remember everyone's offical times, but Karen ran it is 47 minutes, Brenn 51 minutes and 53 minutes for me. Not my best time ever, but it was a great day and lots of fun! This is a race I definitely plan to do again in the future! The day started out quite over cast, but by the time we left the event, it was warm with blue skies overhead! Notice how green the grass is! That is one thing I LOVE here. It doesn't turn brown in the winter. In the summer, things look more golden because it is so hot, but in the fall and winter is starts to get green again. Joe is ready to move to Davis for a few different reasons, mainly because he thinks it's a beautiful place with lots of great places to bike. 
After the race we enjoyed all of the post-race events. There were quite a few races that took place especially for families....a 5K walk/run, a 1/2 mile run, 1 mile run, and the 10K. The kids enjoyed the free Jamba smoothies, homemade cinnamon rolls, the rock wall, the bouncing castles, and jamming to the live music. Joe did the girls hair that day because I left earlier. Don't you think he did a good job?! He better be careful, I might try to solicit help more often!
All of us girls tried the rock wall. It was fun! My pride prevents me from posting pictures of my backside in in the harness, though. :o) Karen and her husband Peter, are avid rock climbers, they climb in Tahoe and all over quite a bit. One of these days when we get babysitters coordinated for all of our kids we are going to go to the climbing gym for them to give us some pointers. Rock climbing really is fun.
Aaron ordering Joe around! Very typical of this little guy!
Abby considering the daunting task of making it up the rock wall.
I love my boys!
This was the male version of me last Saturday. Earlier in the week I called The Student Loan People to payoff one of the groups of our law school loans. When I called to make the transaction, I was very clear to the representative that I was not making a regular payment...that was already in the mail. I asked for the total payoff amount for this particular loan. The man gave me the amount, which was a very random number of course, and told me that I would receive a payoff notification in the mail in the coming weeks. I was so excited! I walked around the house for the next few days singing, "Another one bites the dust...and another ones gone and another ones gone...."
Abby labored a little too hard for this one...don't you think?
