What little boys do with their spare time.

Three days of Soccer

Wallace is playing tier 2 soccer again this year. We are really impressed with his improvement this year. The weekly soccer clinics all winter really helped, that and all the hot shots on his team moved up a level, so someone has to step up to the plate. I know that is a baseball analogy but it seemed to fit. This week we have 3 nights of soccer, Monday was practice, last night a game and tonight another game. Michael was able to get off early last night, which is a good thing because the game was in a community about a hour away and I had no idea where I was going. I know I could have found my way but it was nicer having Michael with me. The big news from last night was that Wallace scored his first goal.....ever. He was so excited but that excitement was a bit mitigated by the fact that the goalie got hurt in the process. We've been telling Wallace to keep going to the net until the goalie has the ball in his hands and then to stand down (to use a work term from Michael). That was exactly what he did, the first shot was deflected and there was Wallace and he kicked the ball just as the goalie hit his head off of Wallace's leg. Micheal called it a 'junk' goal (he picked up the junk and put it in the net) but it still counted and it really boosted Wallace's confidence he has a tendency to be mostly heart . It makes all this travelling around the country-side worth it.

And just so John doesn't feel left out here is his goal scoring pose.

update....

Micheal is away working for the weekend so we have had kind of a lazy couple of days as school is mostly finished and the weather has been so nice I've let the boys enjoy the extra time out side. I've been looking for a 'natural' sunscreen but haven't been able to find anything. Do any of you know of something? The boys are both fair just like their mom and so I know that they would burn easily, I've been able to prevent it so far but John is getting older and wanting to be out more and more and he is definitely the fairest (blond hair/grey eyes). I don't let them out between 11am and 4pm if at all possible and they always wear hats and often long sleeves and pants but that can be extremely hot when the weather is already warm.
This afternoon is our Sunday School Picnic and they will be out in the sun, so I think I will just have to lather them in Sunscreen. They are really looking forward to the picnic, we have a beautiful day for it. Last Sunday was the last day for Sunday School for the summer and it is always nice to have the break, although we never seem to get to the service on time even with the later start. I make excuses for myself, we live so far away, I'm often by myself, etc but it really is just a matter of time management that I need to improve in, so I will endevour to do better.
Both of the boys have colds, Wallace's is pretty well done but John's is raging on. The boy still hasn't learned to blow his nose, which is so frustrating, it just runs and runs. I keep trying to tell him to close his mouth and let the the air come out his nose, but to no avail it always makes it way out between the tightly pursed lips.
There a couple of forest fires in the area, the closest on being 40 km form here. There have been a couple of homes burned and many people have been evacuated from their homes. Pray for them if you think of it, our home is surrounded by bush and I think it would be very scary if there were a fire close to our home. It can be so destructive and so unpredictable, must be very scary for those that live close to them

We are done Math!!!!!!

Wallace taking a bite of his victory lunch. His treat (and mom's too) for all his hard work.

I can hardly believe it. Wallace is done math for this year and we are very proud of him. I can remember looking it over when we recieved it last summer, I didn't think we would ever complete it let alone think that he would be competent in the concepts. I know I already said it but I am so proud of him!!!! Way to go Wallace.

apple blossom

Tis the season for apple blossom, they are absolutely beautiful and very abundant. They seem to grow wild everywhere, I think we have 5 or 6 in our backyard. It was a festival dedicated to this delicate flower that kept Michael and his unit hopping last weekend. I think he worked 5-12 hour shifts, he was very tired by Sunday night. I wonder when people will realize that drinking and driving is a very dangerous activity. Well until they do my hubby will be very busy.

John admiring daddy's handy work.....who doesn't love a neatly mowed lawn.
(edit: Michael made me delete the pic of him drinking his iced tea)
Michael enjoying a well earned mug of iced tea.

For Grandma

Wallace's recital isn't until Sunday but with golf lessons right before we thought we might be in a tizzy on Sunday so we took this video at Margo's during yesterday's lesson.

Weekend update

Time for my afternoon cup of tea so I thought I would sit down and let you all know what was going on. We had a very busy weekend as we usually do when Michael has it off. On Friday Michael marched in a Red Rally with a bunch of other Mounties, a Red Rally for you non-Canadians is a rally in support of our troops in Afghanistan. He always looks so handsome in the red surge, though because he doesn’t wear it very often he did noticed that is a little tight. They are very unforgiving, when they fit you for them you are probably at the peak of fitness and then they tell you to take a breath in before they take your chest and waist measurement. He says he wants to lose ten pounds, which if you knew him you would laugh, I think he is finally filling out and looking good. He used to be so skinny.
On Saturday night we went to a very nice German restaurant with two other couples from our church, it was amazing authentic food. I had Vienna Schnitzel and speatzle, oh so good! One of the couples came back for dessert, Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake, and to look at our hot water system, we have solar hot water and he is a mini expert so Michael was full of questions for him.
On Sunday afternoon, we had one of Michael's co-workers and his family over for a BBQ. It is always fun to get together with them, our kids play very well together even though their girls are about 2 years older than Wallace and John.
I was almost happy to be back to normal on Monday but then Wallace's soccer season has started and it is going to be a busy one especially while we still have piano, and swimming lessons. Thankfully it doesn’t conflict with golf, which is always on Sunday and Michael always takes him. I never did understand the idea of hitting a little white ball around and then trying to find it so you can hit it again. Oh well it is a daddy and Wallace thing. So now we are into the swing of our week and chugging along quite nicely.