This Weekend Again

These pictures are from Hank's end of the season soccer party last night. His coach came up with a unique story about each player and Hank's distinction ended up being that he is a total goofball (true) and the hardest kicker which is also true; that kid can send the ball flying across the field like nobody's business. Maybe someday he'll actually start aiming. Hank was thrilled with his coach's words.



The team minus one player who was already on vacation and also including their assistant coach who was gracious enough to host the party.



Hank showing off his soccer medal which has already found a home right beside his bed.

This Weekend

We stayed up late last night with some new friends and, to be perfectly honest, despite the late hour, I wish they could have stayed longer because we all just had so much fun. Well, at least Joe, the kids and I did though I suppose I shouldn't speak for our guests. Being tired-- and having tired kids-- is a small price to pay for a relaxing and enjoyable evening with friends, and one I would pay again.

But, as it is wont to do, the sun rose again on a new day this morning and with it a schedule packed with a first baseball game, a last soccer game (until next fall, anyway) and a soccer party tonight. Hank has declared after only one game that he loves baseball. I'm fairly certain that if you put Hank on any sort of sport's team and give him a uniform and a competitive objective that he'll love the sport, but he thinks it's novel every time he loves a new sport. Here are some pictures of the little slugger.

Waiting on second base to be hit home (in the dark green jersey).



Running to home plate.



After making it around the bases Hank saw my camera and just stood there and smiled. When I didn't take the picture quickly enough Hank just said, "Mooo-om!" and stood there smiling once again. I took the hint.



Racing his own team's shortstop to scoop up a ground ball.



The soccer game was fun too, especially since a good friend I haven't seen in awhile was there watching her daughter play Hank's team. It was fun to cheer for the Kangaroos one last time this season and to notice how far all the kids-- virtually absent of soccer knowledge at the beginning of the season-- have come since last fall.

And now we're back home. The kids are resting, I have pies cooling for tonight's party at one of Hank's soccer teammate's house. Hank hasn't taken his soccer uniform off since we got home over two hours ago and my guess is he's going to be wearing it a lot this summer.

First Soccer Game

I the suburb we live in, soccer is a way of life. Every soccer playing family (which has to be most of our community) has their Saturdays taken up with driving all over the village for various games with their various kids. The thought of giving up a perfectly good Saturday to watch kids play soccer has never appealed to me and, so, I never pressured Madeleine to rethink her decision to not play soccer after she decided she didn't want to. In past years I've patted myself on the back for this decision as I would sit in my living room on Saturday mornings while leisurely sipping my coffee and watching neighbors load their soccer playing kids into their minivans and station wagons and head off to various soccer fields around our town.

Well, Hank isn't Madeleine and Hank wants to play soccer. A lot. What was I supposed to do, say no because relaxing with coffee is more important? So today we loaded up our own minivan with our own various children and headed off to a soccer field in our town for a 9 a.m. game.

Here is Hank before we left. See the mile-wide grin? Hank has been asking since his practice Wednesday evening how many days until his game. The querying has been constant; Saturday morning couldn't come soon enough for the little bugger.

Once there, Hanker couldn't wait to get on the field and start playing. Here he is in action.

In Hank's league of Kindergardeners no score is kept, but Hank was well aware that he scored two goals for his team and he was quite proud of himself.

And the girls? They made a new friend and organized their own soccer game on the sidelines. OK, no. Madeleine's not exactly a sporty girl, so she didn't exactly play, but she did coach the little girls.

And my coffee? Eh, don't worry about me. I have a travel mug.