Music

We've taken a break from piano lessons for the past few weeks. I'm glad we took this break from piano since we had Korbin continue his piano lessons during the summer. Last year around this time of year it was overwhelming having the kids in so many different things. This year I backed off a few things and piano was it for the month of Sep. Today after church I had Korbin practice a few songs for a little while just to keep him on his toes since he has 2 more weeks off. Afterwards Maddie wanted to play. I taught her a few simple things I know like finger position,some of the notes, etc. She caught up pretty fast and really liked it. We played together for a few minutes and then I left her to herself. I'm not sure when she'll start piano lessons but I don't think we'll wait until the beginning of next year. It made my day when I came up a while later and saw her still playing the notes she now knows to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. She was very content and made my day.

Rebel or Crazy Mom

When it comes to soccer this year is Maddie

a)a rebel

b)being stubborn or

c)maybe her mom is crazy

I've gone back and forth between these choices and others over the past 3 weeks. Maddie hasn't been into soccer and I didn't or couldn't understand why.Today during her game my reasoning was it's all my fault because I drilled into this poor little girl she was going to be on a team with her coach from last year and with a few cute girls she really loves to play soccer with and as it turns out she's not on that team. Her new coach is great with her and is very understanding especially today after Maddie just stood there and watched the ball go past her more than once as the other team scored and after many pleas for her to run. Let's just say she wouldn't play and she sat out half the game. I vented to Addy's mom today and she was kind enough to listen to me. Nicole was Maddie's coach two years ago. Frustration was all over me. So when Maddie asked if she could play with a friend today after the game I said NO over and over again because I felt she didn't try at all during her game so no rewards if you don't try your best. Well I should know better by now, Maddie isn't a very talkative person when it comes to expressing her feelings. She doesn't like to show certain feelings to others. A few minutes ago after another plea for a friend I told her no and why not yet again. After another emotional spill she explained to me that she doesn't know how to play this soccer and that's why she doesn't want to play. I gave her a baffled look! Crazy mom sat silent for a minutes as she recalled a conversation she had with a few friends at lunch 2 days ago. How are kids expected to play if they don't know what they're expected to do. Positions! That's what she's not getting.

We talked it over figured out the problem and hopefully figured out a solution...Sigh...this parenting stuff keeps throwing me curve balls.. Sigh...I guess we need to practice practice practice positions with friends starting tonight.

So far

...our days are full of schoolwork,homework,practices,soccer games and hanging out with friends. We're squeezing in the fun wherever and whenever we can in between all of the above. The kids are doing great in school and we're getting into a steady scheduled rhythm again.

Fun highlights we have done in the last few weeks...

Over Labor Day weekend we did a little newspaper route. The kids really got into it once they were awake. Things in the dark are a bit dangerous, I still have the scratches to prove it on my leg from a small rose bush (it looked like just a non thorny bush in the dark). We ate a dozen donuts within an hour on Sat. morning. On Monday Jason and I agreed that we would never call or complain if our newspaper is ever late,is a little wet or isn't on the right side by the door where we like it to be every morning. We got plenty of exercise and learned to work as a team,that part was a bit tricky.

School Carnival. The kids pay for their own tickets every year for this event. The carnival is probably one of the only things that Maddie and Korbin will really stick to doing jobs for with very little effort on my part when it comes to me reminding them of why they should do their chores/jobs. This year they each decided to buy $4 worth of tickets which doesn't seem like a lot but it lasts just about the right amount of time with the long lines and the bumming around that we like to do. The kids had a lot fun!

Soccer

Soccer has started again...

This year I enrolled Korbin in soccer so he could get some exercise. He likes soccer and has never officially complained about playing soccer but he never showed any enthusiasm towards it either. Jason and I just came to an understanding that he just didn't like it and maybe that is why he didn't seem to put any hard effort into it when he would play. Sports aren't a big thing to him, so we just let it go this year.

Of course it doesn't fail that as soon as I come to terms with something that drives me crazy it magically gets better. He ran so much during Saturdays game I was surprised. He did a great job helping out his team. All we have to do now is go over positions so he doesn't run around all over the field:)

I'm hoping that he'll keep up with the running and keeps enjoying soccer just as much as he did last Sat.

Maddie played well. She still loves soccer. The other day Jason asked what she liked more soccer or doing dance stuff (like the junior cheer leading stuff she was doing) she really took her time to answer his question but her final answer was soccer. She scored a goal at her first game of the season. She's so funny she was a defender but somehow ended up being a forward. We can tell she likes being a forward so much more,she just loves to run.

After scoring she was done playing,she yawned so much during her game I stopped counting after a while. She was dragging. I'm glad I didn't enroll her in any other sport and I'll be careful with how much she does during the week. She's still having a little bit of a hard time waking up in the morning but she's getting there. I use to be the same way when I was younger. My mom finds Maddie's morning rituals hilarious because she lived through the same experience when I was Maddie's age.

WHS

We signed Maddie up to be a junior cheerleader last week at a local high school. During the week she learned a dance and a few cheers. On Friday she performed during half time at a football game.She did a great job!and had a lot of fun!

By the end of the night she was so exhausted from a busy week she ate a bowl of cereal and crashed hard in a chair. She had a very busy first week of school.

This is where Korbin spent most of his time during the game. Playing with friends far away from us. What a stinker!