A's Game- Date Night

The kids had been to a number of A's games this year, but Joy and I hadn't been to a game together without kids in a very long time.  We arranged for the boys to be at Grammy and Poppy's house for the evening and off we went.  There were a few hiccups along the way...major accident on 580...arrived too late to get A's parking rate (the Rodeo was going on at Oracle and parking was $35 now), so parking was found elsewhere.  When all was said and done, it was a great evening.  The A's won on a Balfour save (so Balfour rage was practiced), Joy enjoyed having her lap empty during the game, and we enjoyed the company of Rex and Ali.

 

September 2013

September at first glance seemed to be back to the business of school.  We enjoyed watching the Oakland A's run away with the AL West in baseball and even took in a game on a date night without the kids.  We enjoyed a full day event called "A Day in Church History."  We continued to practice gymnastics, soccer, piano, and guitar.  Wow, that was actually a pretty busy month.

 

We took a picture in front of our 3 monsters we drew.

Grammy and Poppy joined us for our soccer games, which included Garrett's goal.

A Day in Church History during the Dark Ages.

Griffin 4y 4mo

Griffin is in his fourth year of preschool, because he really has never not been in school.  Eventually we will graduate him to kindergarten, but what is the rush?  He loves to make faces, which you can see below and is motivated to learn along with his brothers for the most part, taking the opportunity to play when he gets his level of work done.  This month has been all about soccer for him.  His first game, his first goal, practices with his team and with his brothers.  When asked what he would like to do with Dad while his brothers were at a birthday party, he chose a soccer game with Dad.  He is also enjoying shooting baskets daily and learning Frisbee better.  He has also stared piano lessons both with Mom and with a formal Suzuki teacher, so he is practicing that daily with his brothers.

 

Are you ready to watch my show of different facial expressions?

Scary eyes...

Cuteness factor...

My turn on the piano to play Honey Bee.

Feeling silly, so I am attacking the camera lady named Mommy.

Garrett 8y 3mo

Garrett started 3rd grade this fall.  Wow, that seems really old to us.  It is amazing to see him grow up.  He completed an IEW writing class this month which put him on a better path to success with writing stories and summarizing things that he has read.  At first he was a little intimidated by the three hour class but then he grew to like it.  He has grown leaps and bounds with his piano skills in the last month as he has been working with Mom and a Suzuki instructor.  He likes to play Little Playmates, Allegretto, and Heart and Soul.  He is also our most avid watcher of baseball and asks Dad when the game is on so they can watch it.

 

These are the "Nerdpower" glasses for Eric Sogard on the A's.

These are great seats Dad.

Lounging around, waiting for his turn to play later.

Bryce 6y 1mo

Bryce has officially entered first grade.  He loves artwork and drawings.  Most of his work focuses on birds or tanks, fortunately there is usually not tanks shooting birds in case you were wondering.  He has really enjoyed the daily basketball shooting and then the run around the court that follows.  He has taken to his first formal music training with his Suzuki piano instructor.  His favorite songs to play are Swan Lake and Mary had a Little Lamb.

 

I have already wrapped one of my Christmas presents.

I helped Mom design this fruity face.

When I needed to do something at the ballgame, I drew my perspective of the action...incredible.

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."