Fall Sports

This year, Gavin decided to give fall soccer another try. It's the recess game of choice for most of his pals and he had a great time playing soccer with our cute Chinese exchange students this summer.

So serious about this game.

He completely loved it. He's probably not the next Pele or Messi, but he couldn't wait to get to the practices and the games and he always begged us to let him stay as a sub for the next game or run around on the field after practice (even though it was usually pitch dark by the time practice ended!)

Meanwhile, Lucy has been running cross-country. She does these crazy grueling practices after school and 6:00 am on Fridays, where she runs straight up hills or to the top of Paine Mountain or eight straight miles along the road, or does other things that sound insane to me but somehow fill her with joy. She has great coaches, which probably helps, and good friends on the team as well. I love these middle school girl runners, every one of them. Actually, I might even run if it means I got to hang out with these fun girls.

Cross-country meets are more fun than track meets, I've discovered. Spectators can line the course, and run from place to place to cheer on the runners as they come by. I've tried to take action photos a few times, but I'm usually screaming at the top of my lungs and ringing two cow bells while operating the camera, which doesn't work out too well.

Waiting for team results . . .

First place at the Harwood Meet!

Lucy's Birthday

I can't believe my little girl is twelve! How did this happen?

She wanted a low-key birthday party . . . just a sleepover with a handful of best friends to eat junk food and watch chick flicks (Divergent and The Fault in our Stars). Big extravagant theme parties appear to be a thing of the past, at least for this girl. In fact, I just canned applesauce all evening, there was nothing else for me to do! (That and overhear their chatter. Middle school girls are hilarious.)

On Lucy's "actual" birthday, she went to school, did a full cross country practice until 5:00, hurried home for dinner and presents, then went to the pool to swim laps with the swim team for almost two hours. By the end of the day she was so exhausted she was walking into walls. Luckily, we fueled her up with a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cake, made with Cookies & Cream on a base of chocolate chip cookies, with Milk & Cookies as the top layer. We agreed to contribute half the cost of an iPod for her birthday (basically, an iPhone without the phone capabilities) so she thought the cake was all she was getting. But she scored TWO Alex & Ani bracelets from Gram and Papa and some beautiful jewelry and Snowbird shirt from Grandma, so she was very happy.

My darling 12-year-old Lucy, I hope this wish and all your wishes come true!