Blake's Soccer Team Wins in Vegas!

Blake in action earlier this month.

This past weekend, Blake and his soccer team, the CCV Stars Black team ventured to Las Vegas for their third tournament of the season. After being shut out at the Surf Cup in San Diego and being beat by the No. 1 team in the state at their second tournament, Blake's team emerged the U13 Boys Champions at the Mayor's Cup.

They won all their games with only goal against them the entire tournament.

When Brett and Blake got home at about 10:00 Sunday night, Blake proudly sauntered in with his usual post-game-I'm-so-sore limp, wearing his winner's medal around his neck and a huge smile on his face.

Way to go CCV!

Kickin' it.

The Faintest Keystrokes ...

Zach and Allie with cousin Trenten.

My adorable nephew Carson

The other night as I was watching Mad Men -- the best show on TV aside from Dexter -- ad man Kinsey is fraught with frustration after coming up with a brilliant idea for a campaign, neglecting to write it down, and then forgetting it the next day.

“The faintest ink is better than the best memory,” he laments to colleague Peggy. And that line immediately made me think of my little blog, my chronicle of my family's life. The one that I've neglected for weeks now as those special moments evaporate and the details pass me by like the kids heading to the refrigerator when they get home from school.

So the time has come to dust it off and dig back in. It's been a crazy month in our household. Busy, crazy, time-consuming. Things like:

1. Company. Spent many days getting ready and then enjoying the company of my parents, my brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews, including 6-month-old Carson, whom I met for the first time.
2. Illness. Blake got THE flu. Influenza A. Likely swine flu, according to his doctor. The poor boy was couch-bound for 4+ days. Fever spiking to 103, aching body, couldn't talk. Missed 3 days of school. Then Zach gets an ear infection, Nick gets a sinus infection and Allie, well, Allie was a good actress.
3. Soccer. Weekend before last Blake and Nick both had soccer tournaments. In different locations. On opposite sides of town. While our company was here. Seven games over three days. Exhausting! Not to mention Blake practices three times a week and Nick twice.
4. It was my birthday. I know, not really relevant, but I got a new FlipVideo HD, which I love. So cute and handy.
   
5. Homework. Can you believe kindergartners have homework? Well mine do. No, it's not time-consuming, but it's just one more thing to cram into the busy evening. The hard part isn't the actual pencil to paper, but the typical 15 to 20 minutes it takes begging, cajoling and threatening the kids (OK, just Zach. Allie's a girl; she loves homework). And then there's the 4th grade special projects. Nick has to make a timeline. OK, he can handle that. But wait, he needs pictures. OK, scan the computer, find the pictures. Shoot, out of photo paper. Double-shoot, out of color ink. Off to Walmart ... and so it goes. And then the parent vs. boy showdown with HIM about getting his normal homework done. Draining ...

And up next: Brett's Mom will be in town for a visit later this week, I'm getting things ready for Zach and Allie's class Halloween party (but you can't call it Halloween, it's "Harvest Party,") Brett and Blake are in Vegas for a soccer tournament, I still have "get back into freelance writing" on my to-do list, and, of course, it's getting close to Halloween.

Boo!

Nick Turns Nine!

Nine!

So, first things first ... yea, it's been awhile since my last post. You would think now that Zach and Allie are in school I'd have more free time. Somehow between scouring the Internet trying to figure out if and when I can revive my freelance writing career to trying to get more runs and gym time in to volunteering in Zach and Allie's class and offering to be a room mom to dealing with five soccer practices a week, I feel much busier than when they were home. Go figure.

Nick opens his prized XBox 360.

Anywho ... Nick celebrated the big 9 a couple weeks ago. So hard to believe. Seems like just yesterday he was our baby.

Nick began the day with fresh bakery donuts, thanks to Brett. Then I took him his favorite ham-and-lettuce-on-Italian-herbs-and-cheese-bread sandwich from Subway. And then, the opening of the present he'd been BEGGING for forever -- an XBox 360. Sigh ...

Oh, and his birthday "cookie." Nick always prefers a giant chocolate chip cookie to cake. All Brett and I say to that is good thing my birthday is just two weeks after Nick's so we can get some gooey, chocolatey cake -- a genuine cake -- for my birthday.

So about a week and a half after his birthday, Nick invited a few friends over for a sleep-over. Video games, swimming, soccer, craziness, a bloody nose, young boys. Nuff said.

Zach helps Nick blow out the candles.

A blast from the past ... Nick turns 3.