Tag: soccer

children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Merry Christmas Eve

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ry=400-3This Christmas is extra special for our whole family.  We welcomed a brother-in-law and his son to our clan.  Each year we seem to grow in love and blessings.  When all the young cousins get together on Mad Dog’s side (all boys!) there is a lot of spirit, Christmas and otherwise to be had.  I imagine at some point they will manage to get together and it will be calm and mannerly.  Or, I’ll be so advanced in years at some point, I’ll politely put my hearing aids on mute to deafen the roar.

If you join in this family, you have to participate in our now annual family soccer classic.  Naturally, playing against Mad Dog is not for the faint-hearted.  He always wins.  It’s as simple and annoying as that.  Thankfully, for the health of our marriage we were on the same team this year.  At one point Mad Dog executed a perfect defensive slide to deny our opposition a goal.  He almost took me out in the process.  If that had happened, this post would have had a much darker theme to it.

Even though Mad Dog is one of the most competitive people on the planet, I wouldn’t trade him for anything.  Sure, his offspring are a little rough to manage at times but obviously, they have amazing potential to be anything they want to be.

I hope that you all are surrounded by people you care about and who care about you.  Winning isn’t everything (ignore Mad Dog), but the love you have in your life is.

Merry Christmas Eve to all!

children, family, humor, motherhood, parenting

Mad about Soccer

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Mad Dog in coaching mode

There is something maddening about playing cul-de-sac soccer with Mad Dog.  He brings out the competitive fire in everyone, even former social workers like me.  Sure, I have no problem letting T.Puzzle score a goal on me here and there, but I would sooner give up wine and chocolate than let Mad Dog score a goal.  I can’t stand it.

I’m not the only one he affects this way.  We had friends over yesterday for our usual Saturday cul-de-sac soccer rumble, and they felt the same way about him.  He’s out for blood.  You rest or take your eyes off him for a moment and he attacks.  Soon, you lose track of yourself entirely.  You start kicking the ball as hard as you can, sacrificing your body in ways you no longer thought your middle-aged body can handle (and in reality, really can’t) and fire off shots that sometimes hit your own off-spring in injurious ways (sorry, T.Puzzle, hope your face is better).

I dare you.  Play one game against him and logic will leave you.

You also will have the time of your life (please don’t tell him I said that).

children, family, gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

What I Didn’t Even Know I Wanted

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This summer is going by in a flash.  It’s all swim lessons, soccer, traveling to see family and using every last ounce of energy to keep up with my boys.

While watching a recent soccer game, a Mom who also has two boys on our team commented on how parenting boys is so much fun.  She is completely right.  Initially, I thought I would be better suited to parent girls.  Who knew I would love to watch my boys tear up a soccer field?  I certainly didn’t.

Could you imagine if I had been given the ability to create the personality of my kids?  They’d have been quiet, easy-going and calm.  Their nicknames could have been Zero Speed and No Puzzle (most boring blog ever!).

I’m so glad it was out of my hands.  Thankfully, even though they challenge me in many ways, they are exactly who I was meant to have.

children, family, humor, motherhood, parenting

(Toe)tal Commitment

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I have come to accept that I live in a different universe than that of my boys.  Even though our galaxies cross paths sometimes, mostly I am a lone planet wondering how I gave birth to two such incredibly competitive creatures.  We’ve always known that Full Speed was born a competitor.  T.Puzzle’s competitive streak has been a slow fire burning that lately has erupted into volcanic displays of passion and heart especially on the soccer field (his tantrums after a loss are a sight to behold). 

As with anything done to an excess, there can be a downside.  After fifteen pounding hours of soccer camp last week, regularly playing soccer in the cul-de-sac and three games of 3v3 soccer on Monday night, little T.Puzzle has developed an infected, ingrown toenail.  Now, I’ve never had one so I can’t say for sure how painful it is.  According to Mad Dog, ingrown toenails can cause shooting pains that will make you see stars.  And yet, T.Puzzle played on.  Even after our trip to the podiatrist and screams of fear and pain from him as the aggravating piece of toenail was cut away, he asked me if he could play soccer when we got home.

I do not understand.  Wouldn’t a normal kid at least want a day or two to rest his foot?  Or maybe play a sport that doesn’t involve kicking? 

At least he enjoys his daily foot soaking.  Maybe I’ll have someone to go to the spa with me after all.  That’s something I completely understand.

family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

The Real Secret (of Parenting)

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I have finally stumbled upon a sure-fire way to get my boys to be pleasantly complacent.  The secret is to have them run soccer drills for three solid hours at camp every morning.  The key is that the temperature must stay in the mid-90 range and 100% humidity is a great bonus. 

My boys were so wiped after their soccer camp that they were absolute angels when I dragged them along to my allergy shot.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  They sat still (and quietly!) in the waiting area.  They were so subdued that I even let them remain seated while I went back for my shot.  As I checked my account balance behind the waiting room doors, the calm was so pervasive, I worried that the boys might have slipped into an unconscious state.  When I walked out to get them they were still sitting nicely.  Just sitting there.  Imagine!

Next week, swim lessons.  I hope their instructors train them like Olympians!