Soccer, Soccer

Spring not only brings birthdays, it also brings soccer season.  Savannah and Matthew joined the soccer leagues this Spring.  It was a great season with the best weather I can remember.  Usually we freeze until the last two games but this year we got to sit outside and enjoy the sport. 

Matthew was fun to watch.  However, he is a little too smart for his own good.  He figured out it wasn't worth his energy to run and chase the ball when there was ten other kids doing it.  He told me he was better off out on the sides, that way when they kicked the ball out of the huddle he would be ready to get it.  It was a good plan but it also meant Matthew was standing around on the sides waiting for the ball.  I would encourage him to be more agressive and get in the middle but he would tell me no, he needed to be out of the huddle and ready for the ball.  He had fun being a part of his team and we would cheer him on when he would occassionally get the ball.

Savannah was in the co-ed league this year.  It was intimidating for her to play with the boys because they are quite aggressive.  At this age, they play positions and really try to learn the strategies of the game.  Savannah liked playing defense best because she didn't have to fight for the ball as much.  She loves to run but not get run into.  Her team won about half their games. 

Happy 14th Birthday Lindsey!

Spring brings a lot of things but in our home it brings two birthdays-- Heather and Lindsey.  I finally was able to pull off a surprise party for Lindsey's birthday.  She has wanted one for a while, but when they ask for one it is difficult to pull it off.  Now that she is older, she wasn't expecting a party and that was the perfect time to do it.  With the help of her friends, and the beauty of texting, we were able to make it happen.  The plan worked better than expected because Lindsey brought some of her friends home after school and asked if they could go to a movie for her birthday.  That worked great because it gave us time to set things up and put the party together while they were gone.  The original plan was to have James take her somewhere.  We had one glitch, however.  When we got back from the movie, Lindsey went in the back door with her friends and went straight downstairs to her room, bypassing the kitchen where everyone was hiding and decorations were set up.  I had to go downstairs and make and give her a reason to go to the kitchen.  When she went up, they all yelled surprise and scared her but I missed the reaction on her face because I was behind her.  Oh well, the surprise was a success.

I took her and her friends out to dinner at their favorite place, Costa Vida, then they came back and hung out and watched a movie.  Of course, there was some flirting that went on at Costa Vida because one of the employees there was "cute".  Teenage girls are loud but fun to hang out with.

I am amazed as I watch Lindsey grow up.  She is very self motivated with a lot of goals and dreams.  She is beautiful and a great example to her friends and family.  We love her and we're grateful she's a part of our family.