I'm moving!

Well, at least the blog is.
The new address is http://www.uruguaylove.blogspot.com/.

Please come visit. No need to call first. Just stop by.

Don't forget to wipe your feet.

Another school year, another supply list

When I was a kid, there wasn't the same anticipation for summer break as there is today. Missy and I went to school year round. That is, 9 weeks on, 3 weeks off. There were four 'tracks' and they rotated break so that only 3 tracks were going at the same time. Everyone, however, got 3 extra weeks in the summer and 3 extra weeks in the summer, 1 week at Thanksgiving and 2 weeks at Christmas. There may have been more, but I don't remember. The reason I remember the ones I do is because they were in addition to your regular vacations. So based on which track you were in, the extra vacation followed your regular vacations for an extended holiday. For Missy and I that meant we had 6 weeks off from the end of November to the beginning of January. But that was 'A' track. 'D' track had it made. Their regular vacation followed the summer break. I wanted to be in D track.

Right around April, the kids start looking forward to summer vacation. They talked about camping and swimming. Staying up late and sleeping in. Oh the joys of being a teenager.

As summer comes to a close, we are preparing for the new school year. Kevin and Tianna transfered schools and share some classes with the boys.

Tianna is trying out for the soccer team at Barlow. It helps that her Classic coach is one of the coaches at the high school.

Kevin is playing club soccer.

Jesse is taking a break from sports and concentrating on academics.

Casey, on the other hand has become a sports nut! In addition to playing club soccer, he signed up to play football (the American version), he'll wrestle in the winter and he's talking about track in the spring.

Do you know how hard it is to find football cleats in size 5 1/2?

Schedules to follow soon.

Heaps of Love,

J

Feliz Primer Cumpleaños

It seems like only yesterday I was writing about the birth of Charlie. In fact, on Tuesday it will be exactly 1 year ago. I went back and read the story today. I cried. I cried when I wrote it and I cry every time I read it. I'd like to think its the phenomenal prose, but more likely the subject matter.

He is a beautiful boy. Handsome and sweet with an infectious smile. He is healthy and strong. And he is still perfect in every single way.

He has 3 teeth now and is very mobile. He will walk any day now.

Sometimes I feel like a baby hog when he is around. But then again, I don't really care. He is my nephew and I will love him as much as I want to. I can kiss his face off all I want. Just try and stop me.

I must find something for his birthday that is fantastically awesome. Something that only the coolest, most bestest aunt in the world would find. My search begins tonight.

Right after soccer practice.

Heaps of Love,

J

What the...where did summer go?

I can't believe summer (or at least the summer break) is nearing its close. I won't say that I was too busy and missed it. Although I have been busy, but I caught everything.

A few things that have occured in the last few months...

2 kids got their driver's permits
2 kids tried out for, and made competitive soccer teams
4 soccer tournaments
35 soccer games for kids
15 soccer games for adults
3 kids went to 48 soccer practices
3 dogs escaped a gazillion times
We ate Argentinian in Seattle
All 4 kids aged 1 year
Leo and I aged 4 years
I sold my house
Leo and I bought one together!

Not bad for a single summer.

Before its over we will celebrate Charlie's first birthday, have 2 more kids start their soccer season, and go to 1 more tournament.

and I think my dog is pregnant...

Woohoo!

Heaps of Love,

J

A mother nose.

When I was young(er) I spent most of the time not noticing the little things (or the big things for that matter). It seems that in our young lives, most of what happens to us occurs in a vaccuum, or so it would seem to us at the time.

As most mothers know, strange things start to occur when we become pregnant. Our senses are heightened as our hearts and bellies grow. I remember being able to taste the mustard on a hamburger and hating it. Both of which hadn't occured before. This super-mom ability remains after pregnancy. My mom claims it never goes away as she has lay awake many-a-night with worry for her children and grandchildren. I know that I haven't slept a sound night in 15 years, always at the ready for my boys.

My sister now has these super-hero abilities too. For she can smell the faintest bit of smoke from across the house. While sleeping. Before the smoke alarms.

A small fire that started in the front of the house (cause still unknown) turns into a very large fire and causes this much damage.

This is my nephews room. It suffered the most damage.

At 2:00 AM on Wednesday morning, Charlie was sleeping here.

At 6:00 AM, it looked like this.

Thank you, Charlie, for turning your mom into a super-mom so she could save you and your dad (and herself).

Thank you, Missy for just being a mom.

Kiss your kids tonight, everyone. If you don't have kids, call your mom.

Heaps of love.

J

Score reporting as an art form

One of my 'duties' as team manager for Jesse's team is to report the scores on a website after each game. This induces a need to check all scores for all games ever played by all teams in the club. Don't ask my why, for I have no clue. As it turns out, Jesse's team is the only team from the club to win their division. Pretty cool.

The scores for the only teams I really care about went like this...

Saturday, April 7
Tianna State Cup game 4-0
Jesse Presidents Cup game 2-2

Saturday, April 14
Tianna State Cup game 4-0
Kevin State Cup game 2-2
Jesse Presidents Cup game 2-0
Casey Jamboree game 2-2

Sunday, April 15
Tianna game 5-0
Kevin game 0-5 (This was tough game, but Kevin played well so the score doesn't really matter).

I did make it to the gym, and a few practices, and we even went roller skating for Missy's birthday. Yeah, Leo and I skated. So.

This week is a bit lighter,

Tuesday, April 17
Leo game @ Delta Park 6:30 pm

Saturday, April 21
Jesse game @ BHS 9:00 am
Tianna game @ BHS 3:00 pm
Kevin game @ GHS 3:30 pm

Sunday, April 22
Tianna game @ Tualatin Hills Rec Center 11:00 am
Jesse game @ Crystal Lake Park 3:00 pm

I almost have time to for a nap...

Heaps of love to you all. J

Here we go again

Well, now that Spring Break is over its back to the usual schedule of running late for everything. Leo and I took all four kids and all three dogs to the beach for a few days and we had a blast. Leo's parents and his sister's family joined us on Sunday and we spend the day fishing at the lake. We didn't catch anything (well, I did, but we're not talking about that), but the boys really enjoyed it.

The last weekend of break we celebrated Jesse's 15th Birthday (Yeah, 15!). The insurance goes up in a year. My blood pressure went up on Sunday. Jes and 5 of his freinds went Paintballing on Saturday. In the pouring rain. And the mud. Lets just say they weren't wearing much on the ride home.

Casey has decided to play soccer and Leo offered to coach his team (because we don't have enough to do), so the schedule for the next 2 weeks looks like this...

Thursday, April 5
Casey, Jesse, Tianna & Kevin practice

Saturday, April 7
Tianna State Cup game @ Gresham HS 2:30
Jesse Presidents Cup game @ Gresham HS 4:30

Sunday, April 8
Casey Leaves for Outdoor School! Whoohoo! I mean, I'll miss him terribly.

Monday, April 9
Jesse Practice

Tuesday, April 10
Tianna Practice

Thursday, April 12
Casey, Jesse, Tianna & Kevin pracitce

Saturday, April 14
Tianna State Cup game @ Liberty HS 10:00 AM
Kevin State Cup game @ Crystal Lake 1:30 PM
Jesse Presidents Cup game @ Alder Creek MS 4:30 PM
Casey Jamboree game @ Gresham HS (I think) @ 5:40 Pm

Sunday, April 15
Tianna game @ Lake Oswego HS 11:00 AM
Kevin game @ Tualatin Hills Rec. 1:00 PM

I think there's still time for the gym and if I play my cards right, I just might be able to squeeeze in some sleep.

Probably not.

J