Reagan playing soccer...

Cousins...

During the month of August our cousins came down to visit from Virginia. We all stayed at my aunt and uncle's lake house. It is becoming a yearly tradition and it is one that my kids look forward to every year. They always have a blast together, and fall right back into their friendships regardless of the time away from one another. I enjoy it too. As I mentionned before that my Aunt Jan and Uncle Mike have a special place in my heart. They are so kind in letting us all stay with them and they provide everything for us. They are just the best!!! And I have a renewed friendship with my cousin. Funny, we don't talk to one another apart from our visits, but I just feel a kinship with him. And Shannon, his wife, well she has become a good friend. We are very different in many ways, but we have a lot in common as well and I always enjoy our conversations.

So onto the photos. I have lots, but here are a few... enjoy.

Kids, Sports, and their Parents...

Its that time of year again. The girls are playing soccer. Bailey and Peyton are on a Pre-Challenge league together and Reagan is making her soccer debut. And as exciting and fun as it is to watch my girls play it can be so frustrating too. John and I are kind of hard on the girls when it comes to sports. I know, I know, I lose my Parent of Year award. We both have a own selfish agendas, John does it because, well, he has played, breathed, eaten, and coached soccer his entire life, what else can you expect from a Soccer Dad? I think his dream is to watch at least one, but in the ultimate fantasy it would be all three of his girls play collegiate soccer. I am sure there is a pride issue, too, that here he is an Englishman, playing and coaching soccer, surely his daughters should be natural soccer players. For me, it is more about what I didn't accomplish in my youth. Sure I played sports in High School and was pretty good. But I never played to my potential, because I was scared. Its warped, I know, but hey, we all have our quirks. So when I watch them play, in a way, I am living through them, hoping they won't do what I did. And I've watched my girls play many times and I know when they are holding back and when they are playing all out. I'm not saying they are going to be stars, but they are all pretty good players when they want to be.

Bailey, is the one with the most natural talent. She strikes a pretty ball, she is smart on the field and doesn't get flustered. But that child is like a mouse (John's word). She is content to just run beside the ball without ever touching the thing. She won't initiate a tackle to save her life. But this child is just like me. It is like watching my life from the outside. So I am constantly hounding her about being more aggressive in soccer and in life. Poor child.

Peyton, on the other hand, isn't the most skillful, but is a worker bee, when she wants to be. There are times she is all over the field, but other times you wouldn't even notice her. So frustrating to be on the sidelines.

I can't say a whole lot about Reagan because this is first year, but she is the most aggressive of the lot. It is almost the opposite situation with her. Everytime she gets the ball she goes to goal. I almost feel like I should tell her to stop, but with all that we've gone through with the other two, I wouldn't dare.

Well, last week after practice, John was so disappointed in their behavior he really let them have it. He told them that he didn't want to watch them play if they didn't play with their heart. I felt sorry for them and thought he was too hard on them. Afterwards I told John that I didn't want them to give up playing sports because of us and that I just wanted to support them.

Yesterday we had practice. John couldn't make it b/c of a college game, but he would have loved it. Bailey and Peyton came out and played like someone had lit a match under the backside. It was like two different girls out there. It was a lot of fun to watch and I was so proud of them. I hope they can keep that fire all season. It was funny, they knew they had done well, they could feel it too and they came off the field smiling from ear to ear.

Can't wait 'til Saturday....

No more...

Well, my little one is now an official kindergartener. Last week she went one day, with a few others from her class (its called staggering), so that the could experience the class without getting overwhelmed by everything. Reagan asked me everyday from that point when she would go back. Today was the day. I haven't been as emotional about the whole thing as I thought I would be. I guess it helped that Reagan wasn't the least bit scared or nervous, she was definitely ready to go. She was held back last year b/c of the birthday cut-off. So after repeating another year of pre-school she was more than ready!

But today as I dropped her off with her sisters, I suddenly realized that never again, would I have a young one at home to spend the mornings with me. All my baby moments are officially over, and although in some ways I am glad and excited to explore what is ahead of me as a Mom of young girls, there is still a part of me that will forever miss those precious moments with my Reagan. See, she was the only one that I was truly able to enjoy her baby moments. I worked when Bailey and Peyton were babies. After Reagan was born I made the decision to quit work and stay home. I did eventually go back to work, but I continued to work from home. So she has been with me continuously (apart from a couple hours of preschool) throughout each day. I am so thankful for that time together. I'm sure I didn't appreciate it at times, but now I have those memories with me forever.