Monday, May 30, 2011
LOTS of Stuff in May!
Be sure to drill down on today's posts, as I did lots of catching up for Harris House May Madness...!
Cicadas
As I sit here at my kitchen table, blogging on my laptop, I am overwhelmed by the LOUDNESS of the cicadas outside my window! It sounds like a loud, high-pitched WHRRRRRR, CLICKING, SCREECHING sound. It's hard to describe, but has become very familiar!
We are in the middle of the 13-year cycle where the cicadas hatch up out of the dirt, live for 3-5 weeks, mate, lay their eggs in the trees, and die. The eggs drop off and burrow into the dirt and stay there for another 13 years! We remember them from last time, and they are truly LOUD and disgusting critters! They fly about, hit you in the face, scare you when they fly up in front of you. They cover the trees...
I sit in my 2nd floor office at work and hear them thump into the window as they fly in and around the tall trees outside. You see dead ones all over the sidewalks and roads...they are just gross!
I'll be glad when they're gone...and good riddance until 2024!
Why-oh-Why?!
Peanut butter-stuffed pretzels, WHY-OH-WHY do I have to love you so...?!
You have waaaay too many carbs for a healthy snack, and better than Lays potato chips, NOBODY can eat just one! Somebody save me...
You have waaaay too many carbs for a healthy snack, and better than Lays potato chips, NOBODY can eat just one! Somebody save me...
Music Man
Sam had his "end of year" band concert directly on his 11th birthday! He played his barritone, and rocked the house!
Since it WAS his birthday, Dad treated him to his favorite food, BBQ Ribs at Shane's Rib Shack after the concert.
To end out the school year, they had tryouts for next year's SIXTH Grade play, "The Idi-Oddyssey."
When Sam said he wanted to try out, I was ecstatic! Yaaay! An interest in theater and drama, too! So he practiced his audition lines, and there was a "NERD" part named Edgar that was part of the lines they were supposed to be prepared to read. Sam has this very 'nerdy' voice that he already uses from time to time that is really quite funny. I told him to practice the part using that voice. At first he hesitated, but after doing it a couple of times, got used to it, and it was funny!
So the day of the tryouts, I encouraged him to use that voice, since he already talks in that voice often, and it truly fit the part! Well....he DID! And, guess what, he got the part!
He will be playing the part of Edgar the Nerd, and his best friend, Justin Kievit will be playing the part of the Jock. So Sam is thrilled to have gotten the part, and thrilled to be with his buddy.
And again, Mom is THRILLED that he's got an interest in this stuff!
A Bday FOUR Andrew!
Happy birthday to our precious ANDREW!!
"Arrow of Light"
On May 25th, Sam was awarded the Cub Scouts highest honor, the "Arrow of Light." We're so proud of his efforts to earn this award!CubMaster, Lori Stucki presented the award.
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| Lori Stucki presenting the "Arrow of Light" to Sam |
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| Isaac West and Sam "crossed over" from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts |
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| Scout Master, Doug Stucki assists Sam in "Crossing Over"...into Boy Scouts |
CONGRATULATIONS, Sam! We look forward to your continued progress in Scouts, and someday being at your EAGLE Court of Honor!
CONGRATULATIONS, Sam! We look forward to your continued progress in Scouts, and someday being at your EAGLE Court of Honor!
Sam Turns Eleven!
Hard for me to believe that my sweet Sam is eleven years old! 2011 is an 'odd' year, so this year we don't have a big 'friend' birthday party, but a family party! Since I had to travel on his actual birthday (May 16th), we celebrated a couple of days early, and then Steve still spoiled him on his actual birthday while I was gone, so he lucked out DOUBLE!
He LOVES not having to do chores (especially celebrating on a SATURDAY!), being able to basically do what he wants, and chillaxing on his birthday!
After presents and the REST of us doing chores, we went to see the movie "RIO," which was fun and funny!
He got to choose dinner, too, which was TGIFriday's!
Grayson - War Eagle!
Grayson has played soccer as one of Coach Frank Murphy's WAR EAGLES since 2007 (ten seasons spring/fall). What a great experience! Coach Frank is an awesome coach who has always put the boys before the win, and has helped develop Grayson in to a good player, and a stronger person. Coach Frank will no longer be coaching for the County after this season, so it was a bittersweet final game and party for this group of boys who have played together for so long.
The actual final game was a real downer, because after playing great and being undefeated all season, there was a Ref who truly had it out for our team. As a veteran soccer mom, I know that sometimes the calls are hard, and may be difficult to understand, but you just accept them and go on -- usually they balance themselves out. This time was blatant, obvious poor refereeing, and even the other team's parents were commenting on it! Long story short, it ended up with one of our players being "yellow carded" (benched) and another being "red carded" (thrown out of the game), and then one of our COACHES being "red carded".
The other team was only one point ahead at this point, and we still had 8 minutes left of the game, and had a likely chance of winning. The Ref then let the clock run down to 20+ seconds before he started the game again, and we lost 2-1. The Ref was reported by about everyone on the field and in the stands. BUT...in the meantime, our end of season/end of an era game was lost. Not a happy day...
PARTY TIME
Grayson's teammate, Briar Cranston's parents hosted an end of season/end of era soccer swim party at their house a few days after the final game. It was a real fun event. Briar's mom, Julie, had made a poster with old photos of the team together from clear back in 2003 and 2004, even before Grayson joined the team. The players and parents all enjoyed reminiscing about the 'good ole days.'
We had grilled hot dogs and lots of yummy stuff...
The little kids swam early, we enjoyed the meal, and then it was time for awards. Coach Frank always takes time to praise each player for their strengths, and cuts up with them, and reminds them of fun times they've had through the season.
When it was time for Grayson's trophy, he remarked about how he had grown so tall and lean since he started (you know Grayson LOVED hearing that!). And several seasons Grayson had been named the 'most improved' player, as his skills and abilities just kept getting better. Coach said lots of nice things about him, and again praised him for having the best SLIDE TACKLE on the team.
Assistant coach John Grant is an FBI agent, and has traditionally gotten the boys cool FBI t-shirts with War Eagle on them, so they have always looked forward to the t-shirts as much as the trophies!
Then it was time for pool fun for the team...
The actual final game was a real downer, because after playing great and being undefeated all season, there was a Ref who truly had it out for our team. As a veteran soccer mom, I know that sometimes the calls are hard, and may be difficult to understand, but you just accept them and go on -- usually they balance themselves out. This time was blatant, obvious poor refereeing, and even the other team's parents were commenting on it! Long story short, it ended up with one of our players being "yellow carded" (benched) and another being "red carded" (thrown out of the game), and then one of our COACHES being "red carded".
The other team was only one point ahead at this point, and we still had 8 minutes left of the game, and had a likely chance of winning. The Ref then let the clock run down to 20+ seconds before he started the game again, and we lost 2-1. The Ref was reported by about everyone on the field and in the stands. BUT...in the meantime, our end of season/end of an era game was lost. Not a happy day...
PARTY TIME
Grayson's teammate, Briar Cranston's parents hosted an end of season/end of era soccer swim party at their house a few days after the final game. It was a real fun event. Briar's mom, Julie, had made a poster with old photos of the team together from clear back in 2003 and 2004, even before Grayson joined the team. The players and parents all enjoyed reminiscing about the 'good ole days.'
We had grilled hot dogs and lots of yummy stuff...
The little kids swam early, we enjoyed the meal, and then it was time for awards. Coach Frank always takes time to praise each player for their strengths, and cuts up with them, and reminds them of fun times they've had through the season.
When it was time for Grayson's trophy, he remarked about how he had grown so tall and lean since he started (you know Grayson LOVED hearing that!). And several seasons Grayson had been named the 'most improved' player, as his skills and abilities just kept getting better. Coach said lots of nice things about him, and again praised him for having the best SLIDE TACKLE on the team.
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| Grayson's buddy & teammate, Frank Murphy (coach's son and outstanding soccer player!) |
On the morning of the last game, all the team suited up and went to the funeral home to support their teammate, Jimmy, whose father had passed away from cancer. Jimmy obviously wasn't able to make it to their last game, so they all signed a 'game ball' for him, and it was presented to him at the party. What a sweet moment...
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| Coach Frank presents 'TEAM BALL' to player, Jimmy |
The end of a GREAT RUN as War Eagles with three first place, and two second place seasons -- we look forward to the next chapter...!
Slammin' Sammer!
May has been sooooo busy! I'm so far behind in my May blogging, so since it's a holiday (Memorial Day) today, and I'm off work, and the boys are at a friend's house, and Steve is doing his own thing at the moment, and we're not ready to grill our RIBS yet, I'm going to try to update my blog on several items...
So...let's start with SLAMMIN' SAMMER!
Sam's soccer team ended up 2nd Place in Williamson County's U12 league this year, under Coach Steve Hinesley. They played great, and had fun! At the end of the season, one of the team members had a party at their house, where they had a Parent/Families vs. Players game on their front lawn -- that was fun to watch!
We enjoyed grilled hot dogs & hamburgers, treats, and a great time with all the soccer families!
So...let's start with SLAMMIN' SAMMER!
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| AJ (Austin) Brady and Sam -- Slammin' SOCCER buddies! |
We enjoyed grilled hot dogs & hamburgers, treats, and a great time with all the soccer families!
