Splish Splash!

Took the kids swimming at my Dad's today.  This was our first trip over there and everyone seemed to have fun.  They swam for most of the day and then played soccer in the yard while Jeff and I talked with Dad and Sherri.  Hoping to get another chance to do it again before summer is over.  Jayke has an extremely busy schedule this summer though so I don't know if it will happen.  He will be going to Georgia in July for 10 days with his dad.  He also had soccer camp, has a Pacer's basketball camp coming up and a Taylor basketball camp where he, Zach, and Seth will all stay for the week.  After that he has just a couple of days until school starts!  Short busy summer!!

Splash House!

Oma took Jayke and his friend, Zack, to Splash House today.  It is a water park in Marion, IN and this was Jayke's second trip.  Oma got a picture of the floating down the lazy river.  She had threatened him that she was going to wear a bathing suit and get in too but the weather saved him and it was too chilly for her.  There's always next summer!

Relay and Bark for Life

(Note the photo bomber in the background)

This year we only made a quick stop off at Relay For Life.  We stayed long enough to help serve some BBQ and let the kids play and visit some of the other booths, like the face painting.  Emily got to meet up with Kaylee and the boys got to hang out with Perrin.  Kaylee and Perrin's mom works with us and also will baby sit from time to time if we need someone to stay at the house with the kids.

Mid-West metal raised over $12,000.00 through our Bark For Life event, which we were the hosts, and Relay for Life of Delaware County . Bark for Life is a cancer walk for survivors with their dogs although, we did have someone register and walk their goat as well.  We weren't able to attend this event due to a soccer tournament but I'm hoping my schedule works out to be able to go next year.

We were the number one fundraising team at Relay and our co-workers presented a check to the American Cancer Society at the event. (We weren't there for this but below is a picture of our team).  You can see pictures in The Star Press from the Bark for Life here.  

We left Relay early so that we could take the kids to the Drive Inn Theatre!  There is still one left in nearby Winchester and we made the drive out to watch a couple of movies.  We had the kids in chairs behind the car watching their movie while we were inside the van watching the other screen.  None of the kids had ever been so it was something fun and new that we could all do and all enjoy.  I'm hoping to go back again before the summer is over.  You can't beat paying $26 for 6 people to watch four different movies (2 on each screen) AND you can bring your own food and drinks!

Summertime Means Camps...Lots of Camps...

Some shots from Jayke's soccer camp this year.  Emily was there too since she is now playing rec so they got to go to camp together.  By the end of the summer Jayke will have gotten to go to three camps and all three with at least one of the Rawlings kids.  

Another parent from our travel teams took these pictures for me.

At the end of camp they get to run down the line and do a dance move or whatever they choose.  My kid is not real big on these kinds of things so fives for everyone is all he managed.

Academy No More

This is what the vehicle looks like on the way to a tournament now.  At least one of them looks excited to be going. We have two rooms in a hotel near the tournament location.  The kids will get to swim tonight when we get back from the games.

 Jayke's team won their first game, 10-0, yesteray.  He is showing us the score as we have a celebratory dinner at Famous Dave's last night.

After the great start we had it all went down hill.  We tied one and lost two more for the weekend.  This was their last game together in the academy. As a team they were pretty successful and played well together.   Time to get focused for tryouts in a few days.  

Indy Eleven Day at DCFC

Our soccer club arranged for a couple of players from the Indy Eleven soccer team to come meet our players this afternoon.  They signed autographs and posed for pictures.  Here Jayke gets Pedro Mendes' autograph on his soccer ball.  The team has also arranged a night with the Indy Eleven where our players will get to go on the field as escorts.  We have tickets for that coming up in September!

I Might Starve...

....he says as he tries to eat with that missing tooth which STILL hasn't come in!!  The one on the other side is loose but he REFUSES to lose in on the account of he will only have those two big front teeth until his very slow arriving teeth show up!

Corner Kick

Jayke has become the person on his team who is to take the corner kicks, due to his accuracy in where he puts the ball.  He is very proud that he gets to be the one taking these kicks.  

We were in Marion this weekend for a couple of games.  We won both games which was exciting because it is rare for us to win both games we play in a day. Jayke scored 2 goals in less than a minute.  This was the first time he has scored this season so I was really happy for him.   Hopefully this means we are improving right before we go to our final tournament this season.  A confidence boost, if nothing else!

Best thing I have ever bought for soccer is this Sportsbrella.  Great for in between games to keep them out of the sun...and for me during the games, for the same reason!

Troy Strawberry Festival

Gearing up for the tournament.  We are playing in our first out of state tournament this weekend.  The Troy Strawberry Festival Soccer Invitational in Troy Ohio, near Dayton.  This was an additional tournament that they added and we will be playing with a combined U9 and U10 teams.  Playing on a U12 size field and moving up to 8v8 from 6v6 so the additional players will be needed.

Resting in between games with Aidan and Cooper

Thank you, Oma, for putting this poncho in his bag.  A couple of drops of rain hit us and he was busting out the poncho and terrorizing everyone around us as "Poncho Man" when he should have been resting for the next game.

Jeff and I got a hotel room so that we wouldn't have to make the drive again the next day and ended up letting Mason stay with us.  We ended up in the same hotel with most of the team so after the game we took them to Friday's for dinner and then back to the hotel for swimming with their teammates.

Not before hitting the Beer Barn though...Drive through liquor store.  We need these in Muncie!

Another Hot Tub Crew...  That pool was so loud and I was a nervous wreck the entire time that someone was going to get hurt.  We made it through the evening with no injuries and got the boys back to the room and settled in for the evening.  They had to be back on the field first thing in the morning for game three.  So far we have lost both games and Jayke has become very discouraged that on this bigger field, (which they will be going to next season) he can't get his corner kick where it needs to be.  Hoping tomorrow goes better so that this weekend isn't a total confidence bust.

Day two went much smoother.  We won our game and Jayke played with a lot more aggression this morning.  His kicks were better and I think he ended up feeling like it won't be so bad next season.  He isn't talking retirement anymore.  We took them to Big Boy's on the way home for breakfast.  Neither of them had ever heard of it so I got their picture out front.

Tournament weekends are tiring but a lot of fun.  I'm glad we only have two or three a season though!

You Might Be a Redneck...

If you have a fire and are making S'mores in your driveway!  Guess there were a bunch of rednecks at my house because we were doing just this.  My backyard is for the dogs only so that left the driveway.  We did have a fire pit so we weren't having a bonfire or anything, just a small fire in the fire pit.  Better than us all sitting around staring at a screen of some sort inside.

More Tooth Issues

Finally lost another tooth. We were just sitting in this restaurant and it practically flew out of his head across the floor.  Luckily, the place was pretty empty and he was able to retrieve it for the fairy tonight.   I swear he is never going to get his permanent teeth!  Most kids his age have already lost them all and some are even wearing braces already!  Jayke has lost 7 teeth at age 10.  I was late getting his teeth as a baby so I wasn't surprised when he is losing them later than everyone else but I think this is getting a little too late!  There is no sign of a new tooth coming in that hole either.  He is liable to look like this for a while!  He doesn't want to smile with that hole there now.  Lets just hope a tooth shows up sooner rather than later!

Happy Birthday, Zach

Today was Zach's birthday party.  Jeff had cake and ice cream at the house and after we took them all to SkyZone.

She can't wait for cake!

Apparently, jumping on the tramps at Skyzone wasn't enough, they had to jump on the trampoline when they got back too!

Wednesday Tradition

For a long time we have been going to Puerto Vallarta Mexican restaurant after practice with the Pierce's and Bilbrey's.  This time I brought along a couple more.  Jeff, Emily, and Zach since Emily is now playing soccer too.  She and Cooper are both playing rec while Jayke, Gabi, and Aidan are in their travel uniforms because tonight was picture night.

Still Champ!

Once again, I reign as champion egg hunter.  I called the victory for myself before we began, as usual, and made sure I didn't make myself a liar.  I even had to give The Boy some of my eggs because he feels it is unfair that I always win.  Life is not fair, Boy, get used to it!  I'm waiting for the day when he can beat his old mom!

We got an over abundance of treats in our Easter baskets as usual.  Once he saw his Easter basket he wasn't as upset about his defeat in the egg hunting contest.  

Final Season as U10 Begins

In a few weeks Jayke will have to try out for the soccer team, something he hasn't had to do yet.  Cuts will either be made or an A and B team will be formed.  Either way, it will be the first time there is any pressure for him to do well in a try out.  I remind him regularly that they are always watching and accessing him so he should always do his best.  I may just a tad nervous about this try out.  

Anyway, here are a few pictures of our first game this season.  

New Floor

Finally getting rid of the yucky carpet and replacing it with Pergo.  I can't believe what a difference it makes already!  Jeff and I spent a couple of days removing all the tile and carpet to get it ready for the installers.  I had to live with the sub floor for a while so I was more than ready to get this done!  

Nemo is checking out the new floor...I can't tell if he approves or not.