Kid's Sports Afternoon (She Scored!)

We spent the afternoon at the park today, first watching John Robert play football with the Falcons, then Madeline playing soccer with the Dragons :-)

Today was the first time I went to a kids football game - the boys were so cute (although they might not want to be described as "cute"). John Robert is looking good in his uniform!

He is number 8 - he looks serious about this play!

The Dragons have had a difficult start to the season, they have yet to win a game. It's not about winning, it's about having fun, but our girls hadn't scored at all in three games. So, we were very excited for Madeline when she took the ball down the field and scored on the play pictured here! Big smiles everywhere.... All of the girls played much more aggressively this game - they are getting better every week! Madeline generally plays defense (her quote "No one scores on Madeline"), but she did great on offense today! You Go Girl!

The Dragons

These are the Dragons :-) Lauren is in the front row in the middle, and Buckley and Madeline are in the back row. Don't they look like big girls in their team photo!

Dragons First Game

Our new Fall soccer season has begun! Madeline is a member of the Dragons - so are Buckley and Lauren, so she's excited about that. The coach is a really relaxed, kind of low key guy. He doesn't raise his voice at the team, which I think is wonderful! The league enacted a "no yelling" rule, so the parents aren't supposed to yell directions and criticisms at the team either, which I also think is wonderful. (Not that some parents didn't do it!)



We have kind of a young team - she's in the "Under 8" league, and most of the girls (like Madeline) were in the U6 last year... so it's a whole new game. We have goalies now and defensive players and forwards....



We are learning! Until then Madeline can go out, get some good exercise and look cute!

Lincoln Logs

Madeline and I spent the evening working on a Lincoln Log project - remember these things? We had a really good time. Of course, since Madeline was involved the Webkinz figurines and Littlest Pet Shops moved in to the house. Then we made an artist's rendering of the scene in Madeline's "Super Secret Private Slumber Party Diary" - although you can't know about that, because, obviously - it is Super Secret! Madeline also has on her silk puppy jammies, so you are catching her here in true Madeline form. Tomorrow, the first soccer match. It doesn't bode well, we play Sting, the team of the league directors daughter! :-)

Still Can't Forget

I know that everyone feels this way, but I think there are few images burned so strongly in my mind as the beautiful tragic morning seven years ago, and the weird disconnect that I felt when I went to the hospital that afternoon to see the brand new baby of one of my best friends who had been born the day before (Ms. Buckley for those of you who know her). I was near full term with Madeline, and the shear tragedy of it just blew me away, along with the fear for my husband, who was working in a federal building and got a call that morning to GET OUT from a friend who is in the FBI. I wonder how many people feel as I do, and still can't watch TV shows about it without tears. Probably millions. Let us remember today, and let us be vigilant that it never happen again.

Photos of those who were lost:

The Big B-Day

Steven had a great Birthday! He had a party last week with his guy friends, and then we had a family dinner this week-end. I think that he enjoyed his gifts - he got a GPS and car attachment along with a new book that I think he's going to like. The book surprised him at least :-) He got a bit teary over Madeline's card that talked about being his little girl and sitting on his lap. She has him so wrapped!



We also had a lot of fun this week-end camping with the family. Aside from being about 100 degrees it was a lot of fun. Madeline fell in love with a puppy named Beans, and starting asking for a puppy again. Honestly she walked around with that puppy for two solid days... Today she had fun having a play day with her friends Campbell and Lauren after they shed a few tears together over the girls moving in a few weeks.