.....IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!
As much as we love soccer around here - and we really do love soccer - we're also very happy when the season comes to a end. It's so busy and we're all going crazy, and it's nice to find a sense of every day routine again!
I did not attend as many games as I thought I might (and took the camera to even fewer)... in fact, after my last blog note about going to every game, Jacob got sick... so well, that ended that. Afterward, it became the game of "how many nights can the family endure being out in a week without getting over-tired and run down... and sometimes sick". Still, it was fun to watch - when Jacob wasn't trying to get to the parking lot and road!
Beth and Jeremy had a great time on the field... though a favorite was to say "hi, mom" when they'd catch sight of me ... at one point Beth even stopped in the game to ask if I'd seen another kids kick a ball from midfield nearly into the goal. Fun. That's what it's all about at that age... if only it could stay that way! We try.
Gabi got a lots of time in lots of positions. She did very well in goal once again - she still enjoys that position, but discovered she likes to see a little more action. She's a strong goalie and defender, but forward and midfield weren't here favorites starting the season. But as she was noting less and less action down in the defending area and goal (they had a great time and a great coach... yeah, plug for my wonderful husband), she found she enjoyed the upper positions too. She worked really hard on her shot - took some amazing shots - but always struggled to get it past the goalie. We were even told that two of Gabi's power shots that were stopped by the other goalie (doubling the goalie over even) were the only goals that goalie had managed to stop all year... and it was kind of luck - though to not fall over means that goalie had to be paying attention too.... Anyway, it took till the last game - every one else had made at least one goal this season already on the team - and the start of that first game, Gabi nailed two right in a row! Awesome shots - well deserved scoring! She's come such a long way since she first started learning the game several years ago now! - a versatile player... nothing better than that!
Peter did great - bringing trucks to play, climbing trees, snatching an extra ball and practicing his own kicks, and cheering. He's looking forward to next year when he gets to join the mix!
Jacob - well, once we showed him the dirt was fun on the upper side of the fields, he did pretty well. Though he still watched for chances to head toward the road, and he loved to walk the line - and dash onto the field whenever he thought he could get away with it. Another five years for that one.
And Bob - he was such a trooper... he coached two teams this year. Gabi's U-10 team and Beth and Jeremy (same time) U-8 team. Next year we're looking at three teams - we'll see how it all plays out. But, once again, we left the season with very happy parents. They specifically commented how Bob's ability to work with the kids, speak kindly to them, encourage them, all the while teaching them real skills and instructing them on how to play - and on teamwork as well as sportsmanship.
Midway through September, Aunt Cheri and Uncle Andrew invited Bob and the girls to go on a hike with them. The idea was that they would hike Mt. Lassen... but, as noted in the summer with the sledding... it was still under snow. So, within Lassen National Park they hiked Brockoff Mountain - the biggest and most difficult to climb within in the park.
