Soccer Update

So, we're well into the soccer season. Cass just had her fourth game tonight and Jenna had her third this week. They both play ten total.

Before the season started, we thought Jenna's team would do pretty well. Practices were productive, they looked like they knew what they were doing, coaches were on top of things, etc.

They've scored one goal total in three games. And lost by a landslide every time. Poor kids. There is no one player who is really strong. No one is awful, just no superstars. After one of their games, Jenna told me they sucked. Totally reminded me of the movie, Elf, when Buddy calls himself a cotton headed ninny muggins. LOL I tried telling her all the good things they were doing and how she was getting better and better. And how I was proud of her! But I'm not sure I helped much.

This is her third year playing soccer and every year, she's been on a team that cannot win. It's depressing to me so I can imagine how she feels.

I just hope she continues liking to play the game and eventually, they win a game or at least score a few goals.


Cass' team started out scary with two brand new never-coached-before coaches and completely disorganized practices. They have WON three of their four games!! There is one little boy on their team who is reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllly good and helps carry the team. In fact, tonight he scored all four goals. Cass is doing ok when we can get her to pay attention but she's definitely not the star of the team! LOL But she does get in there and kick the ball a couple times every game. And most importantly, she says she enjoys it! As does Jenna....

And after all, that's what really matters, right?

Move over Hannah Montana

There's a new rock star in town, baby...




Hee hee... even she cracks up watching it!

Back to School!

Today was my oldest kiddo's first day of second grade! She has been soooooooo excited, waiting for this day to come. Her teacher this year is the one she told me she wanted... cute little thing! This is only her second year teaching but she seems to really have it all together. I am optimistic that she'll have a great year.

Here are a few pictures of my cutie pie this morning...

This is a picture of her opening a gift I got for her for the first day. Yesterday, we went shoe shopping. The one pair of shoes she wanted, I didn't think would match anything. So we ended up getting some pink ones instead. Got home and realized she has several outfits that would match the shoes she loved the most. So after she went to bed, I went back to Walmart and picked them up for her. Along with some Hannah Montana pencils. Put them in a gift bag, and voila, she had a surprise waiting for her this morning...


Next is a picture I will insist on taking every year... even though she complains. Notice she's holding up two fingers in this one.

Years from now, those two fingers will tell me that she was in second grade in this picture. Cute idea, eh? I got it from my wonderful mother in law. She did it with all her kids. We took one last year for first grade and I plan to take one every year till she graduates. Those last couple years, we'll have to get creative since she'll run out of fingers.

The next picture is a shot without all the bags... so I can see her first day outfit better. :) She took a great deal of time and thought putting her outfit together. How cute is she?


And finally, a picture on the front porch of our house.


Once all the pictures were taken, we only had a minute or two to wait until the big yellow bus came and she was off on her newest adventure....

Happy First Day of Second Grade sweetie... take your time growing up...

Want some realllllly cheap groceries?!?!

Ok, a girl on my yahoo savings group posted this. It's a Walmart deal....

~~
Step 1 ~ On your next trip to Walmart (anyone NOT there once a
week??) pick up the Aug. issue of ALL YOU magazine near the
checkouts (you may want to buy multiple copies!!). They are $1.77
each.

Step 2 ~ You can do this step before you've paid for the magazines!!
Go to page 159 and cut/tear out the 5 coupons for FREE KRAFT
products! There are Oscar Mayer hot dogs, Kraft sliced cheese, Kraft
salad dressing, Crystal Light, and Wheat Thins. The coupons are for
FREE products when you buy *ANY* 3 (not individual size) Kraft,
Nabisco products.

Step 3 ~ Go get all your freebies and load them in the cart.

Step 4 ~ Stop by the aisle with the Koolaid and buy 15 packs of
Koolaid (Koolaid is made by Kraft, it's not an individual serving
size, and will be the 3 items you need to get the FREE foods on your
coupons...you will need 3 pks. for each coupon you use!). If you
don't use Koolaid...give it to a neighbor or donate it!! You could
also do Kraft mac-n-cheese if you are in need of it, it will cost
slightly more, but no big deal if it's on your list anyway!

Step 5 ~ Head to the checkout and pay for your 15 packs of Koolaid
and $1.77 All You magazine. For less than $5, you will have cheese,
hotdogs, drinks (for you & kiddos), dressing and crackers--plus a
fun magazine for you to read with a bunch more coupons in it!!


~~
We're going to go do this today.... we need hotdogs for our camping trip anyways!

2100... Give or take a few...

2100. That's approximately the number of diapers I have kept from going into a landfill somewhere.

I have now been cloth diapering Nicholas for just over a year. Sometime at the end of July/beginning of August of last year was when I ordered my first diaper. Going by the estimation of six diapers a day (which is about how many times a diaper is changed), 365 days (a year, even though I've been doing it longer than that now), 2190 is the number my calculator pops up. That's a staggering number when you think about it, isn't it?

I rounded the number down to 2100 because there were the occasional days when I did happen to use a disposable diaper. We had a week long battle with runny poo that warranted using disposables. And when I leave him with someone to babysit, I always include a "sposie" or two in his diaper bag in case the thought of cloth makes them squeamish. Not to mention those times I didn't get the diaper laundry done in time for bedtime.

But for the most part, Nicholas' bum has been in cloth for the past year. I even managed to use them on our vacation in Florida this summer. Luckily, the condo we stayed in had a washer and dryer! I actually took along disposables because I figured I'd cave and prefer using them for convenience. But throughout that week, I can count on one hand the number of times I did use them. I honestly prefer cloth. It doesn't hurt that they make his little bum look so darn cute.

If I could go back in time, I would cloth diaper my girls. It actually makes me sad that I didn't get a chance to purchase some of those adorable girlie print diapers. And the thought of all the diapers I threw into a landfill somewhere makes me cringe. I've tried convincing my niece (who has a baby girl) to cloth diaper just so I can buy some girlie dipes! But so far, she's a no-go. I'll keep working on her though and maybe by baby #2, I'll have her addicted too.

Nicholas is actually my first kid that I am not looking forward to being potty trained!! How funny is that?!?! I am going to miss his cute fluffy bum. BUT, then again, the thought of the money I can make selling them (yes, there are sites completely devoted to that!)... that thought makes the prospect a little more enticing!

A (somewhat) Sappy Family Reunion Story

Today was a family reunion for my dad's side of the family. We have it every year at the same place and it's mostly the same crowd. My family makes up about half of the attendance since we're so big. But there are also a lot of my dad's aunt's family and several aunts and uncles and distant cousins who come.

So, anyways, my dad has two brothers and a sister. The two brothers (and their families) are almost always there but the sister is not.


Back in 1989, my grandma passed away. And during the settling of her estate, there were some disagreements. Those disagreements caused a rift b/t my dad and his sister. We've barely seen or spoken to her since then... she's come to a few funerals but never to any family functions. And she's always been distant when we have run into her. Basically, she just cut herself off from all of us.

For the past 4-5 years, her son has started coming to the reunion. The first couple years, he'd show up at the end and just stand outside talking to my brother. But the last two years, he and his wife and son have actually come for the whole reunion and spent time talking to everyone. His mom, however, has always refused to come. Even though in the past few years, she and my dad have started talking a bit again, it's never been like it used to be before my grandma died.


So, cut to today. My cousin (her son) was there and someone asked him if Jannie (his mom) was coming. He got out his handy-dandy cell phone and called her. About an hour or so later, she and her daughter (my cousin, whom we also have barely talked to in the last almost 20 years) come walking in the door.



All of us, and most especially my dad, were obviously very happy to see them there. They jumped right in and started talking to everyone. There were always at least 3-4 people standing around them. Pictures were taken, stories were told, memories were brought up, kids were introduced (she'd never met most of the grandkids), and hugs were exchanged.

I tell ya, I almost had tears in my eyes several times watching it all.

By the end of the afternoon, it was as though the last 19 years of estrangement had never happened. I know the memories of it are still there and probably some hurt feelings will always exist.... but today was definitely a step in the right direction.

The reunion will be the same weekend next August. I am thinking/hoping it won't take a phone call to get her there...