Things I learned on Friday

• Hauling 6,000 lbs of acorns across the state in a horse trailer makes the truck pulling it rock like a boat. 
• I get sea sickness in boats
• acorn dust hates my face
• That Bruno Mars and Eminem song is viewed by my 6 yo as ruined by the "fussy cussing" part. 
• Even after listening to top 40 radio all day, I still have yet to hear or at least recognize a Justin Beiber song. 
• I am a pretty confident grown woman, married to a smoking hot guy- but drunk sorority girls buying more booze at a gas station still have the ability to wither me with their scorn. What's up with that?
• Detours don't always lead you back to the road that was 22 miles from home, sometimes they take you to Oskaloosa in the pitch black night (an hour away from home).
• Acorns are heavy.
• The Iowa City Children's Museum is what the Science Center should aspire to be when it grows up. "Way more better," says the three year old who was the happiest she's even been ever in their flight simulator. We may just have another blue sky warrior in the family. 
• Cedar Rapids. 
• That I can, with the kids, haul 6,000 of anything across the state AND maneuver through a fast food drive through to get smoothies. 
• That many gravel shoulders cannot support pulling over with that kind of load.

Farm Art and all the bits of the summer winding....

The Soccer Mom Metamorphosis

It is no secret to people and family who know us that Chad and I don't understand sports. Because we don't understand them, we don't enjoy watching them, so we don't go to games or watch them on television. I often get mixed up on team colours even for schools I attended. I had never seen tailgating before an episode of Monk I watched on Netflix.

When I was a kid though, I was really good at basketball. I even one a school tournament for free throw and attended the State tourney. I was 9. I also played soccer. I loved being goalie and I loved playing on the team. (I can still sink a good basket, usually surprising anyone watching, myself included.)

Then we moved to a different state and it was hard, with the transition I guess, to get me back into sports. The window for that was small I guess and I never got back in. I might have attended a few sports games here and there, but mostly to take pictures or socialize or just enjoy being outside. The game was never important to me.

Geeze Louise that was like 30 odd years ago.

My daughters want to be in sports. They like kicking a ball around. They like running. They love it all.

It is killing Blueberry Girl to not be out there with Lil'Bug's team, practicing and playing. She dramatically sulks the whole time and, if we are not looking, she bolts for the field. She was excited though to wear an orange shirt just like the team.

Kicking it old school, yo.

Just to think out loud though, the coach asked me after their first game, what I thought. I'll share with you these thoughts.


What I value most in my girls learning soccer:

• I hope that they show care and concern for injured players, their own teammates and opposing players. If that means they miss a kick because they turned around to help someone up, that's ok with me. 
• I hope they have fun, breathe good air, and run hard. 
• I hope that they learn that some things have rules and when you choose to play a game, you play by those rules and inside the lines. I hope they remember that most things in life are just games like this, ones you choose to play. 
• I hope that they make some friends. If they don't that's ok too.  
• I also hope that they score some goals and block some too. If they don't it is not the end of the world to me, but it will be for them and that's why I care. 

So, basically I want my girls to have fun doing something they care about. I keep getting offhand remarks about how important sports are to the socialization of homeschooled children, as if it is not also beneficial to institutionalized children. So I just let those comments go because they are silly and don't matter in the end. Eventually people get to know my kids and our family, conflict and comebacks are not a good way to build relationships with people. That in itself is a good lesson that many adults I know still need to learn.

The game today was 3-3. Excellent. Lil'Bug blocked a goal and kicked the ball a few times. She also got dramatic when she was tired and bored/distracted sometimes too. It was her first game though, after only 3 practices. She also helped 2 kids who fell, one from the other team. So I think she played a really good game.

I need to look up what all the lines mean. The only ones I get are the outside border.

So, here's another thing. What is cheering etiquette? Lil'Bug told me not to cheer her name. She said the coach said it is distracting to the players. We should use the team name "Ball Hogs".  Also if everyone is cheering for a certain kid, yelling their name, do we join in? Chad says no way. I have no idea, but now I feel bad because I did.

Also, does this make me a soccer mom? Do I need special gear? Bumper stickers? Sunglasses? What's the secret code?

the not yets will fill their childhood until it's gone

I posted over here today as well.

The kids and the farm have me on my toes for sure. I wake up early and basically fall into bed at night utterly exhausted.

One thing I keep in the front of my mind is that their childhood is fleeting and the not yets will fill their childhood until it's gone. So I leave the dishes to sing and dance with them. I make sure we have clean clothes on and combed hair and just scowl at the laundry instead of spending my time with it. My house could be picture perfect, the walls the perfect colour, the floors perfectly shined, but the loss is too great. I only have precious years to spend with them and then it will be gone. So much can happen in a lifetime, too much not to make every single wish flower and kiss blown on the wind count.

the not yets will fill their childhood

  until it''s gone

My babies will have their childhood filled with laughter, frogs, and silly kisses from their mama.