H's Spring Soccer

Hayes spent the spring playing another season with his Northside Soccer Academy group and Coach Alex.  They ended the year with a bang, finishing second in an end-of-the-year tournament. 

They played the team that won the tournament twice (in the first round and then in the championship) and lost both games in heated battles.  Hayes played well

 

and even showed some intensity when he had to fight for the ball.  He will continue with Northside next year but then re-evaluate if he wants to continue with soccer. 

Field Day 2015

Hayes and Ben experienced Field Day together this year.  Leading up to the big day, they both practiced their dance routines in the kitchen.  They had one performance each that was grade-specific (for Ben it was "Despicable Me" and for Hayes it was a synchronized dance with a large parachute) and then they both learned "The Syd Shuffle" to do with the entire student body. 

I spotted Hayes as his class walked in. 

Ben was pretty excited about spending a full day at the Main Campus!  The kindergarten area was too crowded for me to find Ben right-away, but then I caught this smile from afar and knew that he was happy.  

Hayes found me as well and smiled for the camera.  

The third graders traditionally handle the big parachutes, and this year was no exception.  

 

 

The kindergarten dance had WAY too much movement for me to capture in the shade with my camera so I just enjoyed watching the performance.  When it was all over and everyone from Ben's class was sitting still, I was there for a class picture. 

 

All in all, it was another Field Day for the memory books (or blog!)

Ben's Spring Baseball

This spring, Ben returned to baseball after a few seasons off and played on the As with some of his friends, Hayes Rollauer and George Trotter.  His age group now is coach-pitch which results in slightly more interesting games. 

I give Ben a hard time about his "Wide-Mouthed-Frog" look when he plays sports.  I'm not sure why he always opens his mouth wide but I warn him that he'll catch some flies if he keeps it up!

At least with the picture below we have confirmation that he does watch the ball as it travels over home plate.  

 

Ben found the sport "boring" so we will give it one more season before we hang up the baseball cleats for good.  He'll play again this fall, and see if he finds it more entertaining. 

Easter in Florida

For Easter this year, we flew down to Florida to spend it with Papa.

 

I'm not sure why I didn't take any pictures on Easter morning but did remember to capture a few as the kids enjoyed the sunshine.  I spent much of the time helping Papa go through closets in the house!  As usual, there were quite a few games of P-I-G and H-O-R-S-E in the driveway

 

 

and the pool was a popular place to cool off. 

Papa was kind enough to continue the tradition of taking the kids to Barnes and Noble and letting them find some books or Legos.  Eleanor took advantage of this opportunity and spent much of the weekend catching up on some leisure reading that she doesn't have much time for during the school year. 

Thanks for hosting us, Papa!

Ben Can't Clean-Up

I documented this comment from Ben when we were packing up to move and still find humor in it as only Ben could come up with this line . . .

"I can't clean up my room because my stuff has been on my floor so long that I forgot where it goes!"

E Lacrosse

This spring, Eleanor continued with her lacrosse through NUMC. 

 

Many of the girls on her team also attend Westminster so it has been a great way for her to meet new people at school.   Eleanor enjoyed playing so much that we signed her up to join some of her teammates in a season-ending tournament up in Woodstock at which they finished with a respective 2-2 record. 

 

We look forward to seeing what Eleanor makes of this sport over the next few years!

Boys' Basketball

It is hard to believe that it is August, and I have yet to write about the boys' basketball seasons this past winter!  Ben played at Trinity this year with a few of his friends (and his dad subbing as a coach some games)

 

 

 

while Hayes continued at PRUMC with Thomas as his coach.  

 

 

Both boys' games improved over the course of the season, and they look forward to basketball season's return next winter!