soccer season

Soccer season is short and sweet here.  I mere 6 weeks.  It was delayed a week this year due to late snow melt.  Today we played in a light drizzle.  This year, I took on the challenge of coach.  They were needing volunteers and I'd thought I would much rather work with kids than do some organizational job.  It's been fun. 

I've got a great group of kids who play their hearts out.  We've had our bumps and bruises, our learning curves, a bunch of close losses and today- our first win!  I've learned things:  like when to make substitutions (no it's not like hockey where you can switch them out when the ref whistles).

Dominique got her first goal this season today too- so she was pretty happy.  I've got a good mix of boys and girls.  It's a bit of a challenge to keep them organized during a game.  I've got 11 players and we play 5 on the field at a time.  Today we played with only 8 players and it was WAY easier to keep them figured out.  I could just pull off the 3 most tired looking ones at a time and didn't switch out my goalie as much.

Ivan plays right after our game, only not always in the same town.  Today he played an hour away.

Every once and a while, he is in the same town and I get to see him play too.

We've had plenty of hot days and our garden is popping out of the dirt- so now we can see just how badly we planted it!!  Hey- you get what you get with 3 little kid helpers in the mix!

Brian started building the kids' play structure.  We'd promised them we'd build it again once we moved up here.  That was 3 years ago.

Oops!  Better late than never.  They are quite excited about it and of course Brian is making it now and improved and bigger- yikes!

He's working some now with another construction guy, so we are figuring out the balance for everyone to have peace and be fulfilled.

School is winding up bit by bit.  Dominique is excited about her class' trip to the city to the Imax and gymnastics outing.  I'm not sure what Ivan's year end hoopla will be yet.  But we've been liking activities dropping off the calendar.  No more dance, karate, School Community Council, Reading record for grade 3...  We've enjoyed all these activities, but it's also nice to have a break and enjoy a different season.  I was hoping to try out my wet suit for a swim in the lake this weekend.  Maybe the rain will let up ;)