I think I'm officially a "soccer mom".

Every weekend for the last 5 months or so we've been at bike races, but as that season winds down, a new one begins for us - soccer. Up until now, Nathan was the only one who played, but this year the girls wanted in on the fun too. It seemed like a bit much for me to juggle, but I thought I'd be able to figure it out. In reality, though - 3 kids in soccer?! What was I thinking!? Livy and Elle play in the Eagle Mountain City league so all their games are close by, but since Nathan made the competition league this year, his games are all over Utah County, and the need to travel plus having 2 practices per week and 1-2 games per week creates for me a nice little conflict for EVERY single practice or game with at least one of the girls' practice or games. I am going to need a clone to get through this season. Just looking at my calendar makes my head spin. I had to completely re-think my system. We are now using a full size 2-page spread planner for each week, lined in half hour time slots, and we're even person color coded!! And all that was before I had to add in preschool, the long distance/endurance mountain bike race season that is just beginning for Jake, and I pretty much just scrapped all SAR and DVG training for awhile because I just can't throw in training for 2 dogs into the mix. My friend asked me if I was trying to put myself on Prozac. hee hee. I guess I have achieved that ultimate taxi-mom status that I have managed to avoid pretty well up until now. Wikipedia says, "The phrase soccer mom broadly refers to a middle-class suburban woman who spends a significant amount of her time transporting her school-age children to their sporting events and other activities." (I like the "significant" part.) So, does all this craziness make me a real mom yet? But I've decided, after the games I got to watch this weekend - even if they do send me to the looney bin, it would all be worth it - I wouldn't trade it for anything, even my sanity.

Elle's first game was just as hilarious as I expected it to be - "swarm ball" as Grandpa D calls it - was pretty much all the 4 year old kids could manage. At least most of them "swarmed" the ball in the general direction of the correct goal they were trying to score on. But when I say most, I don't necessarily mean Elle. At this age, lots of kids score on the wrong goal, but even that would have an acceptable improvement. Turns out, she got all dressed up in her new team jersey, pink and black cleats, pink shin guards (only they get covered up by all black socks, bummer) and ready to go; but once the whistle blew, the concept of the game eluded her completely. Oh, she knew from practice that the point of soccer was to kick the ball and try to get it in the big net, and she could do that when her team was all lined up nicely in front of the goal each with their own ball, but once all those kids started running after just one ball . . . she just ran too: head down, full speed - without ever a clue as to where the ball actually was or where she was going. She just ran like a wild horse in the pack.

And loved it.

Here's a cute picture of her team with the coach before they got started -

Most of the pictures I got during the game looked like this -

And the rest of them looked like this -

I love the pack of kids all running free. That is except for Elle who was so busy grinning at us she hadn't realized they all started running yet. Nice.

But then, to our surprise, drum roll please . . . she actually kicked the ball! (would it ruin the proud moment if I admitted that it was the start of the second half and the coach let her kick off? nah, we'll take contact with the ball anyway we can get it.)

Anyway, it was adorable to say the least to watch all those tiny bodies running, running. And she has been asking me every few minutes when her next game is, she can't wait.

Livy is usually such a quiet book worm that I often forget about this crazy competitive spirit she keeps hidden away as her secret weapon. (So far we've only seen it come out during the bike races). I've watched her during practice and she always does what the coach asks, behaves nicely, and doesn't give trouble, but she seems almost silly and embarrassed when its her turn to run a drill and I never thought soccer was going to turn out to be "her thing". So I was completely shocked when her game started to see her right in the middle of the action the entire time with her game face on. She played all out the entire first half before the coach finally called her a sub and let her get a quick sip of water and a short rest before putting her right back in. This is her first time playing soccer and she still has a lot to learn about positions, passing, and getting over that swarm ball mentality, but I was proud of her effort and how hard she played -

even when being completely clobbered by 2 of her own teammates -

She's having a great time and once she gets her skills a little more refined, who knows? maybe it will be "her thing". Go Livy go!!

Nathan was so excited to make the club team FC Blaze this year. I was so excited for the great coaching opportunities he'll get over playing in the city league where they have to beg parent volunteers to coach the teams. He made the age cut off by less than a week, so unfortunately after just turning 10, he gets to play with most of the kids about to turn 12 (and look like they are going on 15). He plays hard, though, even among those kids who just tower over him.

Doesn't he look smart in his awesome (read expensive!) uniform?

My cute little #2 -

And just a fun fact about this soccer season: Elle wears #1, Nathan #2, and Livy #3. If only I could get their numbers in order of ages for next year that would be too cool!

Wait, did I just say next year?