Soccer Garrett

Garrett moved up this year to the U10 league, which means he gets to be the youngest on the team again.  He loves to play defense and help the goalie as part of the last line of defense.  He has also been given the opportunity to play forward more this year and so he is enjoying working on those skills as well.  The Red Dragons, as they are called, get to play on the new field turf in town which means more true bounces, less twisted ankles, and more heat.

 

 

I'm coming to help out because I see the loose ball.

 

Garrett is #7 in the video. Yes the videos are small but they give you a flavor of the action.

Soccer Bryce

Bryce moved up to the U8 level of soccer this year.  He is one of the youngest on his team this year, but he scored the second goal of the season for his team with a quick shot on goal from in close.  Watching him run back down the field after his goal describing it to his teammates, how he just saw the ball loose and kicked it in, was priceless.  Hopefully he will be spurred on by his early success to continue to learn more skills.  He has already shown more of a desire to play with his brothers in the backyard on our grass field.

 

Bryce (#3) controls the ball and prepares to send it back up the field.

Come on Eric, let's get that ball and score a goal.

Bryce scores his first goal of the season.

Soccer Griffin

Griffin finally got to have his first soccer game.  He was so excited to get dressed in the morning and get ready, but he had to wait through Bryce's early morning game and a brief stop for a workout for Mom and Dad at the gym during the 2 hours in between games.  After some tears when he thought we would miss his game (we were 45 minutes early), he was ready.  Playing against some kids who were six, he wasn't intimidated because he plays against his brothers all the time, so he just decided this wasn't any different.  In fact, he started the comeback for his team the Blue Ninjas.  He took advantage of the ball leaking out of a pack and took it ahead of some bigger kids and kicked it in the goal.  To hear him describe it makes it sound more superhero like:  "I pushed these two big kids aside, and then I-I-I kicked it in the goal."  He has that tough youngest brother part of him.

 

The kids are bigger than me, but I am determined to get that ball.

Coach David and Sam get the team ready for their first game.

Watch my first goal as it unfolded.

Home Group with Haru

Our home group got together for a picnic and playtime in the park this month after one of our boys soccer practices.  We shared food and laughs and then played some games.  The funniest story from the night would have to be Griffin playing Bocce ball with three of the adult guys.  He decided that he needed to measure when it was close and he would sneakily measure to favor himself and sometimes Brett.  Jason and Darren got a steady dose of his umpiring bias and will probably remember losing solely because of some of those calls.

Haru came and spent four days with us at the end of the month.  She ran around the backyard, played Frisbee and soccer with the boys, and took us all on walks with her.  She enjoyed her time and the boys are already planning a repeat visit.

 

Haru is a beloved dog and friend to the boys.

Our home group gathering:  Sung, Howard, Dai, Ira, us, Kristen, Arthur, Clayton, Levi, Jesse, Stephanie, Daren, Sophy, Avonlea, Jason, and Elizabeth (left to right).  Not pictured:  Scott and Jill, Brad and Terri.

Planes

We took the whole family to see Planes on the weekend that it debuted.  The boys loved getting to see the story of Dusty and how he was kind to people who initially blew him off, and through his actions ended up earning their respect, which opened up opportunities for him later.  There are some great principles in the movie which very much follow what Jesus would have us do too.  The added bonuses were that Daddy splurged for popcorn and a soda for the whole family to share.  We also sat in the same row as the "gift shop guy."

 

Summer Fun at Jacob Meyer Park with Friends

Joy and the boys were invited to join some friends for a day together and the place since it was hot was the Stanislaus River.  So the kids waded and then swam in the water and even jumped off the rope swing into the water.  What a great day of fun.  Thanks to Cheryl with Thomas, Elizabeth, and Sam as well Karen with Josh and Sophia.

 

Swimming after wading to get to the rope swing against the current.

Woohoo, I made it.

And away I go!

Splashing in the water and showing off my skills.

Bryce, are you gonna try to swim across too?  Nah I am content on this side.

Playing attack with Sam and my brothers.

My buddy Sam.

Karen, Cheryl, and Mommy.

Six Flags with family and friends

We planned a trip to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom with Brett's sister Wendy and her family back when our kids earned some free tickets through a reading program.  Then we ended up hooking up with our friends Peter and Cheryl as well.  Garrett was challenged by his cousin Haley to go on an upside down ride.  While he wasn't overly thrilled by this proposal, he finally gave in to peer pressure and survived the Hammerhead.  Now he vows to help his brothers do the same when they are big enough.  We had a great time seeing shows and going on rides and sharing stories.  Thanks to Peter and Cheryl for letting us go with their big kids, Brett and Joy went on Superman and V2, our first big kid rides in years. Our short kids watched us at a safe distance from the exit as we were propelled at top speeds through the amazingly twisting and upside down rollercoaster.  Gotta be brave for our kids sake, right?

 

Cheryl, Peter, Sam, Elizabeth, and Thomas felt they could fly like Superman with us.

Uncle James, Aunt Wendy, Daddy, and Cheryl pose for an old First Pres shot.

Star Wars and Baseball

Announce that there will be Star Wars incorporated with baseball within driving distance and we will usually find a way to get there.  Add in fireworks and we will stay until the end.  Go 13 innings, and we will begin to question the sanity of our choices.  Stay for the fireworks, because well that is one of things we told the kids we were there to see and you will get home after 11.  Suddenly discover that there is also a run around the bases for children after the fireworks...and we are starting to talk midnight here. 

So use that as a background for the next story about a week away.  We have some of the best seats we have had as a family at a ballgame in quite a while, 10 rows up from the field in line with the bullpen.  Dad got off work early for this one.  This game is in Oakland and unfortunately it goes extra innings too...This drive is a little further from home, so we actually bail in the 10th and the game is decided in 11 innings. 

 

Nothing beats a family pose with some quality Star Wars characters.

More Star Wars guys and Alec and Issac joined in as well.

We are walking the halls of the Death Star.  These guys are a little short for stormtroopers.

Sometimes one of the best things to do at a ballgame is cuddle with Mom.

Garrett and Dad split the scorekeeping duties tonight.

Let's Go Oakland!

Garrett gets ready to run the bases, next in line.

Fun with Grammy and Poppy

Grammy and Poppy brought some of their model trains to our house and we built quite a setup with Legos and other toys to make a town for the trains to drive around and through.  Now we want them to bring their trains every week they come.  Do it again!

 

August 2013

August was busy in a different way than most months have been.  We started out by trying to squeeze some last semblance of summer activities in with a Star Wars themed baseball night at the Nuts, a trip to Six Flags Vallejo with friends, and then later a night game in Oakland to see the A's.  Then Brett went on a stretch of 21 straight days at work while Joy took our three kids to all of their soccer practices and games and began prepping for the new school year which started.