School Turkey Day & Soccer

On Friday the kid's school put on their annual Thanksgiving lunch where parents and grandparents can come and have lunch with their child. Their cafeteria staff cooks a yummy Thanksgiving meal. So I told the kids I would be there but Daddy had to work. Stephen actually took the day off so he could surprise the kids. First up was James' lunch hour. It was also his first time getting a hot lunch at the cafeteria (I pack the kids lunches everyday), so he was super excited about that too!

Madeline's lunch hour followed James, she was happy to have both mom & dad there.

James was full of giggles and joking with his dad the whole time. We met a bunch of his school buddies.

James enjoyed the yummy turkey and the pumpkin cake.

His lunch break went by too fast, but he enjoyed his first Thanksgiving lunch at school.

With Madeline we ate our lunch in the gym and then had our dessert in the cafeteria by her friends.

Can you tell she's a daddy's girl?

Madeline is such an excellent student and well liked by her teacher, school staff and friends. We received the letter bellow from her teacher on Thursday...

This weekend also marked the end of the soccer season for the kids, last practices and last games.

James' team, the Chivas, played 2 games at the tournament on Saturday. James scored a total of 6 goals. He's really improved this season compared to last season in the Spring. His coach was a Texas State student again. James liked him and enjoyed playing on his team. We asked James if he would like to play soccer again, he said yes but he is also interested in trying out baseball too. 

Madeline & Ashleigh's team, the Timbers, played 3 games at the tournament on Saturday. Their team has a lot of new-to-soccer players so they had a tough year. And although they all did their best they were yet to win a game. Well that finally happened with the 3rd and final game, they won 2-0!!!! Woo hoo!!! They were ecstatic. All the players received medals and patches. It was a great season. Good exercise for the kids and also fun! But now we're looking forward to no practices to attend for the next couple months and sleeping in on Saturdays. :)

Things Are Looking Up!

Tonight we celebrated Stephen's 35th birthday (September 24th). We met when we were 17, so this means we've celebrated his birthday more years than we were when we met! Stephen wanted to go eat at our local Teppan restaurant so the kids could enjoy watching the chef cook for us. 

There's never a dull moment with these 3 stooges!

 This photo cracks me up, can you tell the heat was a bit much for James?

Don't you hate it when the Teppan chef goes around the table flinging food across the air for you to catch in your mouth? I sure do...but my hubby and son love it! Lots of laughter at dinner. And to reward you the chef would give you a shot of saki (water for the kids) in your mouth (literally!). LOL Stephen and James are such good sports! As Stephen would say, "Saki it to me, baby!". :)

We had such a fun dinner...feasting on sushi, edamame, saki, miso soup, salad, fried rice & veggies, chicken and steak! Stephen also got a Kobe cheesecake for his birthday. :)

No more squinting, my new specs :)

The reason I titled this post "Things Are Looking Up!" is because we've had a rough couple of weeks...a time of trials and tribulations...testing our faith. Earlier this month I lost my job. It was a shock and caused much stress and anxiousness. I lost 6lbs. within a week because I was worried for my family. So I turned to prayer, Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12. And the God of all grace strengthened and established us. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12. 8 days after my job loss I was offered an amazing job opportunity with one of America's premiere Fortune 500 companies! I'll write more about the job next month once I start. But I just wanted to thank all those that prayed for me and my family. Your love and support is such a gift.

We participated in our neighborhood garage sale this morning. The kids had a lemonade and snack stand selling 32 drinks/snacks. They also sold $40 of toys. We sold our big items including our dining table set (we have plans of redoing our dining room and turning it into a den/sitting area instead), and probably $50 worth of winter coats and kids clothes. After that we headed out to the fields to watch Madeline's soccer team play. They looked better this week but unfortunately lost again...the other team had this really short player whom they affectionately called "shorty"...man was this kid a soccer superstar! Let's just say the kid made many goals. That's alright, it's just important that they all tried and had fun. :) 

Hope y'all are having a great weekend!

First Game

 

The kids had their first games today. Luckily they were close in time so we didn't have to spend our entire Saturday at the fields. James' team name is the Chivas, which I found out is Spanish for goats. He is number 8. :) He was acting a bit silly when his game started and not paying attention to where the ball was, but as time went on he got better, more focused and played some great defense. Madeline's team name is the Timbers, and her best friend Ashleigh is on the team too. She is number 5. They were short 3-4 players and the team they played had some pretty talented players. They lost 5-2. But Madeline did good for her first game and hustled for the ball. Here are some pics for the grandparents. :)

Grandparents

Before I write an update (it's been awhile since I've blogged), I must say our kiddos have pretty awesome grandparents. Some people grow up not getting to know their grandparents for a number of reasons. I'm thankful, even though we live thousands of miles away, our kids know their grandparents. They know their love from them, they experience their kindness and thoughtfulness, and they are always super-duper excited to see and visit with them a couple times a year. May God bless Nana & Poppi and Oma & Opa this Grandparents Day (September 9th) and every day!
We love you!

The past 2 weeks have sort of been a roller coaster, well for me anyway.  It's been emotional with highs and lows dealing with several things: getting back into a school/work routine/lack of sleep, worrying about health issues for a loved one, being hurt & disappointed by some people, missing family, adding busyness to our schedule and getting sick. I'm feeling like I need to withdraw, and be in silence & prayer in order to get back to feeling positive again. Thankful I have a sensitive and understanding husband who I can turn to and not hide my feelings. I'm going to try and get back to blogging more again, it's a positive outlet for me.

 

We went on some fun family outings this past Labor Day weekend and this weekend, helps me get my mind off things. We took the kids bowling, they were super excited to go. 

 

They loved watching their balls roll down the lane.

 

I think James' favorite part about bowling, is bowling alley food. This kid loves some nacho cheese! This big smile was also right before one of his turns where he slipped and fell, dropped the bowling ball and it landed right on top of his thumb. :( It instantly turned red and I knew it was going to throb and bruise. Poor little dude. He finished his game though and did well. It has been over a year since we've bowled and I surprised myself by getting 4 strikes! 3 of them in a row to make a turkey! Not bad. Stephen couldn't believe it and tried really hard at the end to beat me, but he failed. :)

 

 A few days ago James had his first soccer practice. What a difference a season makes, this time James had control of his ball and had fun playing. Thursdays will be busy for us because both James and Madeline will have practice back to back. Can't wait for their first games which will be next Saturday!

 We also visited iHop. :) A new one is opening right by our house soon! I loved their stuffed crepes and waffles. Mmmmmm. Luckily our pool is staying open through September, so the other evening we took a refreshing dip. The kids love to swim with their Daddy.

 Lastly today we took the kids to see a 3D movie and the iMax. They've been asking to see a 3D movie. It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed it. Afterwards we got lunch and tried Torchy's Tacos. Our friend Bill has recommended them for some yummy tacos - 

and he was right they were really good!

Timbers!

 

This Fall we decided to sign both the kids up for soccer. We thought if anything it would be good exercise. This is Madeline's first time playing a team sport. So we asked her best friend Ashleigh if she wanted to play too. They are both on the AYSO U10 Timbers team! 

And first practice was last night.

 

Coach Russo seems like a very kind and patient coach. There are 5 boys and 5 girls on the team including coach's son & daughter. You can tell they are a soccer family and are all very well trained. He took the time to show them different ball drills to get comfortable with the ball and how those drills could be used in a game.

Here Coach is explaining to Madeline how to properly throw the ball into the game.

 She listens and does it right!

 They had to partner up doing this drill, so obviously Madeline & Ashleigh picked each other. Here is Ashleigh throwing the ball in.

Madeline said she really enjoyed soccer practice even though she sweat and got tired. :) Stephen and I were really proud of her cause we could tell she was really trying hard, practicing the drills, keeping up a hustle at the end. She's looking forward to the next practice.

*Side note. During practice I needed to use the restroom. As I was walking on the pathway towards the restrooms these kids passed me by on scooters. An older boy on an electrical scooter, followed by his younger brother & sister who were riding together on a regular scooter. I remember thinking to myself that they were going fast, barefoot with no helmets. And then they crashed, both fell and hit the cement pathway hard. The little boy immediately starting crying and the little girl screaming for her mom. I jogged over to them and that is when I noticed the blood. Gushing down the back of the boy's head. Their mom was probably 50 yards away, so I stopped them, told the girl to get her mom. I made the boy stand still holding his bleeding head. He actually got mad at me for not letting him run to his mom and hit my arm, but there was so much blood gushing out I didn't want him to move much. I don't think the mom realized he cracked his head open until she got up close and saw the blood. She had a look of shock. She picked up her boy and we headed towards the restrooms. A worker their had keys to their room with first aid and brought them there. I'm not sure what happened to him after that. I'm sure she took him to the hospital to get stitches. Poor little guy. I hope he's okay. So please remember, have your kids wear their helmets when riding their bikes and scooters.

Busy Saturday

This Saturday marked the day for James' last soccer match of the season. SMAYSO put on a big tournament that day, had bounce houses at the soccer field and face painting. So it was a fun way for the kids to end the season. We brought along James' best buddy, Aaron, so he could see James play and join in on the fun festivities too. 

The kids all got medals from the league after their last game that day. One of the other parents bought them all plastic trophies, and I personalized them with their names. Here they are with their coach (a Texas State University student) and James is 2 over from the coach. The coach was about 6'6", so he looked like a giant to the kids.

This was James' last goal he made, too fast for my camera. The ball is already in the net and James' is standing next to the goal post posing for me to take a pic, and I think he was also debating and thinking about doing his celebratory booty shaking dance. LOL

As the volunteer team Mom, I got the kids these soccer cupcakes from Sam's Club and brought them pizza. I enjoyed being the team Mom which consisted of putting together a snack schedule and sending out email and reminders to parents. Many of the parents expressed their appreciation to me. I was glad to do it and give of my time. It was great getting to know all of these families. We had a fun season. And I think we'll be signing James up again, Madeline too next time.

After the soccer tournament one of Madeline's best friends, Ashleigh, was making her First Holy Communion. So we headed to Mass to see her receive this most special and holy Sacrament. She looked so beautiful in her dress and veil.

Here are all the Communicants from that evening. Every child looked so nice. It really was a special evening.  Madeline will make her First Communion in less than 2 weeks!

And here is Ashleigh with her parents, Victor and Melisa. The Medina family has really become great friends of ours and we were happy we could be there that evening to celebrate with them!