Soccer Shenanigans

I took some pictures of Gordon's soccer team actually playing a game...well, there was a lot of "non-playing" going on. Especially for Gordon and another little girl whose name begins with a G (Gordon pointed this out to me on our way to the 2nd game, her name starts with a G just like mine!) Here he is bending down to pick up some clover while she is walking ahead of him. They spend a lot of time walking and talking and picking things up off the ground like grass, dandelion and clover flowers...not a lot of time playing soccer.
And when they are "on the bench" (actually an old blanket) they keep talking, sharing a box of raisins, digging in the dirt, laughing...

Here's Coach T, trying to pump up the team.

The man in the white shirt is from Italy and has played a lot of soccer, he's stepped in to help Coach T who has not coached a lot.

We've been clobbered in every game so far...but shhh...we're not supposed to really keep score. Whatever...we have made one goal so far this season. Here is a rare moment when Gordon was actually going after the ball, note the expression on Miss G's face, she didn't like Gordon not paying attention to her. She is quite the diva, and I hate that word, but she defines it perfectly.

She's got him back where she wants him...following her. Not sure why that kid on the far right is on the ground...there were no injuries in this game LOL.

I "encouraged" Gordon to get back to the game...so that is him kicking the ball. I had a little talk with Miss G about letting Gordon play and paying attention to the game.

But I eventually gave up.

The were benched again. Inseparable. We've tried, putting one in the game and keeping the other on the bench...they look longingly at each other, not paying attention to anything else. So we gave up.

And let them do their thing.

and occasionally Gordon chose to get back in the game, when he wanted to.

mostly because I promised him a special snack in the car on the way home. I'm not above bribery.

I think the kids enjoy running through the tunnel afterwards more than the game itself...although this little guy took quite a dive in the dirt.

But Gordon felt like a rock star and was quite pleased with himself.

Well even if they don't learn much about soccer, they seem to be having fun, and Gordon has had his first kiss - she laid one on him before I knew what she was up to, and he gave flowers to a girl for the first time (a fistful of dandelions). Unfortunately, last week, our coach, her Dad, had a heart attack and surgery, so she was not at the practice or game last week, and this week we'll be in Virginia. I wonder if the relationship will survive the long separation, we'll find out on May 14th.

I have a lot of great videos of the games, but they are too large to upload apparently, so will just save them for viewing at home for now.

Out Like A Lamb

It seems I go into blog-hibernation in the winter and barely post between January and April. I guess I'm just not as inspired to take pictures of the festivities such as the Super Bowl, the State of the Union (especially in the state it is in), Valentines Day, President's Day, or even St Patrick's Day - although I did capture one cute picture of Gordon, and he is wearing the green - it is just very subtle in his plaid shirt, Mr. Cool: I'm just not as inspired to take many pictures, but then, something happens...SPRING. Flashes of color appear - like this bright fellow who caught my eye through our storm door...not a great picture, but I never seem to have the camera handy when our shy bluebirds visit so I'll take this one. The door itself has turned pretty colorful I must say, and the color has been needed because this spring is pretty late in coming!With the slightly warmer days we attempt to get outside more, even braving a cool picnic...complete with hot cocoa and marshmallows to fight off the chilly breeze.I start sticking the brightest colored pansies I can find around the house to encourage the rest of the plants to start blossoming soon.

This quince is the first, and what a splash of color it made this year, the blooms even surviving our late snow falls and frosts.From the first colorful blooms I can't help but grab my camera and try to capture that feeling of freshness and rebirth.And then this happened and spring officially arrived - the first soccer practice...ever...and on an evening that shorts could be worn (although after the sun went down it was pretty cold on that field, thankfully I took his coat.)Listening to the coach...who has never coached kids this young and used a lot of terms and directions that went completely over their heads, but made it hilarious for his wife and I and the other parents to watch the chaos that ensued.Waiting to practice kicking a goal.He looks so serious, but he wasn't really, he was laughing and just having fun playing with the kids.Practicing as goalie.

The first game is about 10 days away, they've only had this one "practice" due to bad weather the next week, so it should be very interesting!

I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of March. March. I can't believe it will be April, I'm very glad spring is here, but still...it is April already? I've spent the first three months of this year getting this house ready to go on the market. It is finally time, I meet with a realtor this week, and I hate that. I don't want to leave Greensboro...I think I've said that a few thousand times now, but I guess it is really going to happen. I'm finally done with the home projects, I even did some electrical work with replacing switches and the front porch light - and I am pretty proud of myself. My hands look pretty rough, having been abused by the grout, caulk, paint, and cleaners I've been using, but now all I'll have to do is keep the house ready to show. That's ALL I'll have to do...did I mention I have a 4 year old and a husband leaves a trail like the path of a tornado wherever he goes? Well, if it takes a while to sell the house, maybe I'll get to appreciate the full spring and summer, and maybe even fall again in our little home that I love...not that I hope it doesn't sell...well...its complicated.

This weekend has been quite difficult. Gordon got sick, stomach virus - in the night Friday night. Let me tell you I've never seen anything like it. It took 4 loads of laundry to get BOTH of the twin beds and all the stuffed animals and pajamas and towels clean. Then we had a reprieve on Saturday as he was completely better. Then Sunday I got "it" all of a sudden around dinner time. In the middle of storm after storm passing over with tornadoes hitting the area south of here and passing very close, I was trying to keep one ear listening for "the freight train" and one eye on the radar on TV, but had my head in a bucket most of the night until the wee hours when both the storms, and my stomach, finally subsided. I'm still feeling sick and unable to eat, but a little bit better each day I think. I'm thankful that Gordon's turn with it was so shortlived though, and especially grateful that a friend took him for the day today to her house to play with her two boys - giving me a much needed and appreciated break. Thank God for friends like that! So now that I'm recovering I'm sterilizing everything in this house that I can think of - my parents and sister arrive this weekend to celebrate Easter. I'd hate to send them home with anything more than some jelly beans and reeses peanut butter eggs!