Soccer Stuff

I have been meaning to post about soccer all season long. Almost 8 weeks ago I started coaching Drew's kindergarten team. I coached last spring and enjoyed it and was looking forward to having this experience again with Drew. This time around though things have been seriously different.

To start off with I was given a team with all boys. Six 5-year old boys. Anyone spend a lot of time with 5 year old boys? If you have; you know exactly where this is going. These boys are enthusiastic, energetic, creative, curious and exhausting all at the same time. I started the season off trying to be the nice, encouraging happy-go-lucky coach. After two practices of having my butt kicked by little boys I realized I needed to take a new approach. They were shocked when they showed up to practice to find me armed with a whistle and an attitude.

We instilled a new "one-warning" policy. They would get one warning from me and then after that spend the rest of practice on the sidelines watching. I only actually had to do this twice the entire rest of the season. At first I was worried that they would hate me and hate practices. That it wouldn't be fun enough for them. But I very quickly realized that they loved the new me. All of the sudden I had order and some control and they were trying hard to please me and do well. It was amazing! They are still kids so things weren't perfect by any means but definitely better.

This past season has been so challenging for me but also so rewarding. I'm happy to have met these little boys and happy to have had a small little part in their lives. I don't think I have a future in coaching by any means but it's nice to step out of your personal box and try something new.

Pumpkin Pickin'

Last weekend we finally made it out to the pumpkin patch. Brian's work schedule and Drew's soccer schedule was making it really tough to find the time but we managed to squeeze it in. I find the pumpkin patch phenomenon really funny. Brian and I were both raised here and there was never anything resembling a pumpkin patch when we were kids. A big day picking out pumpkins consisted of going to the grocery store and climbing through the huge pile sitting out front until you found "the one". It was usually something we did after school on the way home one day. No big event or day long excursion. I'm not complaining; I love what a fun tradition this has become. I'm just wondering who finally decided it would be a good idea to grow pumpkins here and then ask people to drive out to your property and pay for the joy of picking one out? How did they know it would be so popular?

Dane staking claim to his perfect pumpkin.

Along with finding pumpkins we also played a rousing game of Barnyard Golf, rode the zoo train and made some new friends at the petting zoo. Every body had a good time even if we all had frozen fingers and toes by the time we headed back to the car.

Drew searched long and hard for this baby.

I was glad we got a family picture taken. We definitely don't have enough of those. I would have like it better if I hadn't tripped over the hay and landed flat on my face right before this was taken. I don't know why Brian even tries to take me out in public anymore!

Heading to Hood River

This weekend we enjoyed one of my absolute favorite family traditions. We drove north to spend a day in Hood River. I should explain that I am absolutely and irrevocably in love with Hood River and the surrounding area. Every time we visit I spend the whole time fantasizing about living there. If I could have it my way we would buy an old creaky yet charming house right near downtown. We would be able to walk every time we wanted to visit a coffee shop or cafe or bookstore. Oh and we would buy all our produce directly from one of the hundreds of orchards near by and spend hot summer days frolicking in the Columbia River. So just to keep my hope alive we visit at least once a year and do as many of those things as possible.

This weekend we hit Rasmussen Farms a totally adorable orchard that offers tons of apples and pears for sale along wtih a free corn maze and pumpkin bowling for kids. Then after that we headed downtown. This weekend was the second annual Hops Fest so Brian was giddy with excitement to get down there. This event was advertised as "family friendly" but I should have known that any event revolving around alcohol is not truly family friendly. The small section they had for kids took us about 5 minutes to go through and then the boys were officially bored. So Brian and I decided to part ways for a couple of hours. I left him there to sample micro-brews and mingle while the boys and I walked around town.

As usual we had a great time and as usual I had a huge longing in my heart as we drove away. Who knows, maybe someday I'll get to live out my fantasy of being a Hood River resident. Or maybe Hood River could never live up to my expectations and its just better that I dream about it. Either way our annual trek up north is one family tradition that I will make sure we hang on to no matter what.