Soccer Saturday

We couldn't wait for Soccer Saturday!  Although I don't have pictures I have a funny, funny story!!

But first let me tell you about Matt's game.  I think he scored 3 goals in the first 5 minutes so he sat out for awhile.  I think he ended up with 6 goals but I'm not certain.  The BEST play though was Matt diving into their goal so that they wouldn't score.  He was a second too late but the effort was unreal. 

Marlie played on the field with Katie, our ringer, so she might have had 2 goals but I think it was actually Katie who kicked them in.  At one point Marlie was playing defense, standing by the other team's goal and she motioned like an umpire calling someone safe and said "this goal is not open".  When the other team did score she ran back to the center of the field, looked at the sidelines and with hands on hips, scrunched down and a mad face said, "This is not funny!".  I have no idea why she said that but all you could hear was laughter from our sidelines.  Oh my!!! 

I will "try" to get some of these things on video so I can share them with you.  Doug and I are LOVING this!

Soccer is Here Baby!

There is so much to say and so much excitement around this topic that I don't even know where to start! For sure our favorite part of the week is Saturday morning when BOTH of the kids have their soccer games.  Doug and I look forward to it all week! 

Let's start with Matt...we have our entire team back from last year with one new addition.  Doug and Joel are coaching and although we got stuck with prisoner orange uniforms, we're making the best of it and we are the Dynamo!  Our first scrimmage was a bit rough.  They had a kid who was awesome and we couldn't stop him.  But we had our first game yesterday and the boys (ALL of them) did great!  Almost everyone scored.  Matt scored 14 goals! No joke.  He wanted to score 11 because that's his number this year and he couldn't even believe he scored 14.  It was pretty amazing.  I think Caden scored just as many so I'm pretty sure we won. 

The new highlight this year and is that Marlie is playing soccer too!!  We weren't sure how she would do, but this girl has a lot of fire!!! It's awesome!  Her coach is Coach Greg and Dad helps coach too.  Her BFF Lauren plays on her team and she has met some new girls too.  Some of the girls wanted to be the Fairies and others wanted to be the Ponies so they are the "Fairy Ponies".  We definitely won't make shirts with our team name on them!!  :)

The first scrimmage Marlie played as if she has been playing for years.  She did not score but 4 times she stopped the ball from going in the other teams goal.  She ran up and down the field just like her brother.  And she's fast too!  She would make this sort of "mad" face when the other team scored.  But at our first game yesterday she scored 2 goals!!!  I wish I could describe what happened after she scored.  I'd give anything to have it on camera.  She looked at the sidelines and with a Tiger Woods double fist pump, mouth wide open she screamed like she had scored in a World Cup game.  Then she ran as fast as possible down the field to her coach with her arms straight up in the air.  Everyone was clapping/laughing!  As I'm writing this I'm laughing and crying at the same time!!  It was priceless!! 

Here are a few pictures from the big day...

All of Marlie's friends were out on the soccer fields.  Here is Marlie with Lyla (who was too young to play on our team) and we found Hayden too!

Let the games begin!  Here goes my little Sweet 16!

 Marlie and Lauren!

I saw Marlie standing way across the field giving me the thumbs up!  She did this after she scored too!!  She has so much personality it's unreal!!

We are so proud of both of you!  We don't care how good you do as long as you try your best and you both played your hearts out.  I am so proud of Daddy for working like crazy to coach both of your teams and I'm so proud to be a soccer Mom! We can't wait for next Saturday!!! 

Happy Birthday Matt!

Matt is officially 6!  I got to visit him at school during lunch to celebrate with his class.  The kids all ate ice cream and then they sang Happy Birthday to him on the playground.  It was so fun to see him in this new environment.  This little girl is named Kennedy and she was adorable.  She reminded me of cousin Maggie. 

 

We "dined" later that night at Matt's choice, Chick-fil-A! Then we came home and had cupcakes from one of our favorite places, Sugarbaby's!  It was a great day!  Happy Birthday Matt!  We love you so much!  We wish we could add some time in between birthdays so it doesn't go by so fast!

Some of Matt's closest friends have also celebrated birthday's recently.  His best friend Caden turned 6 2 weeks before Matt.  We all had so much fun at his baseball party!  Here are the boys - Samuel, Matt, Evan & Caden!  And Marlie looked SO cute when it was her turn to bat!!  She did great! Happy Birthday Caden!

And just a few weeks after Matt turned 6, Hannah turned 7!!  The kids had so much fun at her cooking party at Chefs2b! They made pizza and cupcakes and loved eating it all! 

At church a few weeks ago I had this vivid flash in my mind of Matt and Hannah standing at the front of the church getting married!!  I know it's probably wishful thinking but it was so real! So any chance I have, I snap pictures of them together.  Matt is always shy about it but look at his smile!  I love these 2 shots!!! Happy Birthday Hannah!

Matt's First Day of (Public) School

Matt and I enjoyed a week together of hanging out while Marlie was in school and he had not started.  We surprised Marlie on Friday and brought Chick-fil-A and had lunch with her.  She was so excited.  As we were walking with her back to her classroom we saw the first grade class in the hallway.  Everyone's eyes lit up when they saw Matt.  And then his friend Sean said "Matt we miss you!".  It broke my heart.  So on the way home I asked if he wished he were still at SMMCS and he said no.  I asked if he was excited about going to Fall Creek Elementary and he said no.  He said "Mom I just want to go to school with Caden". 

I've talked to Caden's Mom and Samuel's Mom and the 3 boys are all off to a rough start this year.  These boys have always been excited about school but miss their friends.  Doug and I are also struggling with our decision to move to public school.  We know so many parents that love Fall Creek Elementary so we are going to give it a try.  We have been so impressed with the principal, the teachers and how organized the school is.  The school is beautiful and they have a lot of technology that SMMCS doesn't have. 

The really good news is that Matt has the BEST Kinder teacher - Mrs. Grady.  God seems to bless Matt with great teachers and I'm so thankful.  He doesn't know many people in his class but he is making friends.  By Thursday he came home with a smile on his face so each day is getting better.  He's learning the routine and Matt loves structure so that helps. 

He was so nervous on the first day and Doug and I were too. But he kept that amazingly gorgeous smile on his face!

Thank you God for Mrs. Grady!!! 

A Visit from the Wisconsin Family

Unfortunately these snowbirds have their seasons mixed up and came to Texas in August when it's too hot to even step foot outside!! 

The kids were so excited to see Great Grandpa, Great Aunt Donna and Cousins Mallory and Kelly.  However they might have been most excited about the one person who is not blood related - Duy.  Duy is Mallory's fiance and they are getting married next year! 

Our weekend got cut short due to our rush to the ER and Marlie's concussion (see previous post) but we still had fun visiting.  So glad you guys were able to come and visit!

Marlie's First Day of School and First Concussion

What a crazy weekend!  Marlie started school on Friday.  We had a bit of drama.  We did not get Mrs. Melissa, the wonderful teacher Matt had in PreK-4 and Marlie's close friends Lauren and Hayden are not in her class either!  Honestly it was more upsetting to me than Marlie.  Marlie was too excited.  And I tried very hard to be too. 

We are in Mrs. Lisa and Mrs. Alex's class.  They have been teaching together for a while now and are a great team.  Marlie came home with The Kissing Hand book on her first day and she was so excited.  She went on and on about her day and Mrs. Lisa said "she had a VERY good first day."  Marlie told me she helped clean all the centers (which is so hard for me to believe).  So all is well.  Lauren's Mom, Patty, told me Lauren woke up crying because Marlie was not in her class.  Luckily the girls will see each other at recess and they are doing ballet and soccer together this fall. 

Matt was so excited because he didn't have to go to school.  But when we walked by the hall where he used to go to Kinder and he saw his friends lined up ready to go into 1st grade he got teary-eyed.  I was not expecting that at all.  He started blinking trying to hold it in.  I stopped and asked him if he was ok.  He said "Mom I'm just tired", which he never says.  So I started crying too!  We left school and Matt and I got to spend a wonderful day together, just he and I. 

Saturday morning we were excited to go to Andrew's b-day party.  It was at the movie theater which was a great idea!  Afterwards we were walking out and Marlie, Lauren, Ashdin and Sam were playing.  They were having so much fun playing pirates that we didn't want to leave.  20 minutes later we heard a loud thud followed by lots of crying.  It was mine. Marlie and Ashdin ran into each other while running and she went down head first on the concrete.  She's a tough cookie but she was pretty hysterical. 

I called the pediatrician as soon as we got home. I noticed she was pale and she couldn't keep her eyes open. It also seemed like she was still in a lot of pain. Pediatrician asked if she was vomiting and I said no. Asked if it hurt to touch it and I said yes. She said that it was best to be safe and take her in. Luckily we did. I had just sat down with her in the waiting room when she started throwing up...a ton!! I completely panicked assuming the worst. I yelled across the waiting room that we wanted to see a doc immediately. When no one jumped as fast as my friend Aseena had when we heard the thud, I said it again. I think Doug was yelling at them too. When she finally stopped Doug grabbed her and took her back. I think he ordered a cat scan on his way to the room!! I couldn't move because I was completely covered.

Oh my...thankfully it was nothing major. But she has a concussion. Later that night she was very perky as if nothing happened.  Doc said to watch her for a week so I am trying hard to keep her still but that's like bathing a cat.  So we are watching more cartoons this week trying to be still.  Thank you God that it was not worse. 

M&M's Birthday Party!

So this year we decided to have Matt & Marlie's (aka M&M) birthday party together and it turned out great!  We wanted to invite all our friends and family so we decided to rent the pool in the neighborhood.  It was smoking hot outside so in the water is really the only place to be to avoid melting! 

Nene kept the kids the night before and brought them to the party.  By the time they arrived Papa, Nona Lisa, Doug and I most everything setup and they were SO excited!! 

Marlie had a blast playing with all of her friends.  Here are her classmates and BFF's Lauren and Ashdin.  And Marlie got to play with Annie too.  Gosh we miss Annie now that her family has moved in town. 

Matt was so excited that Samuel, Caden and Evan were at his party along with all his other friends.  These are his schoolmates that he has really bonded with this year. 

I can't believe Matt is 6!  Well I guess not officially until August but he begged me to let him be 6 as of the party date.  We had cookie cakes with M&M's with M&M ice cream too!  The kids got to take home personalized M&Ms that had Matt and Marlie's picture on them too!  They were pretty cute I must admit!!

The kids had so much fun celebrating their birthdays with all their friends and their cousins.  Thank you guys for coming!  You can see more pictures in the slideshow!!