It's been a while - way too long as usual. And I wish I felt I had time today to post some pictures and fun stories - but I really don't. Because, as you may have figured out from other years, it's soccer season!
This year we are still coaching three teams - just that it's not Bob doing all three, though he's been a huge help with my team. We got lucky, really, because it was decided to make U-10 and U-12 coed this year, which allowed us to go from the expected four teams to just three. And this, for me, was huge - not only because of schedules, but because it meant only one team for me. And with a three year old in tow, that's enough. (The mother league came down and said a coach could only coach two teams, which is why Bob isn't coaching all three again this year.)
In addition to our soccer life, Bob transferred to the Juvenile Court School, so it's like starting a whole new job again. The perk of this position is that because the school runs year round, and he's only working five more days that in the past, he was able to set it up to work four day weeks. This is nice in so many ways, though I promise you, he'd not any less busy - just that he's getting more stuff done around the house with a little less stress involved.
I've also attempted to embark on a new plan to keep our house from completely burying us this soccer season - but, between school work, musics lessons and practices, and soccer - along with chores and such, has left little to no free time for the kids. Part of me feels bad about this, but then I'm reminded that the reason this happens is because they don't pick up after themselves, and that piles up. So, I'm refusing to give in to the "they need free time" concept (which I do believe) so that they can learn a very necessary skill - picking up after yourself. They are too old, save maybe Jacob, to not understand and follow through with this concept. And I'm hoping, over the course of it all, we'll be teaching Jacob the same thing so it is less of a problem for him as he grows older.
Sometimes we have to step back and figure out what it is that prevents us, or our children, from learning something important. I believe this focus on always making sure they have free time, even at the expense of the house, has been are biggest down fall. So - though we're crazier during soccer season, I refuse to put this off any longer - in the hopes, that by the time soccer season is done, we'll have it pretty well mastered - and the kids will have twice as much free time.
