Soccer

Soccer started a few weeks ago and for the first time ever both boys are getting to play!

Mac first:  Mac is again on Coach Dax’s team – the Strikers – with a bunch of his former teammates and a few kids who played for the Strikers in the spring when we played baseball.  Despite having the same coach, same uniforms and a lot of the same kids, the experience is totally different.  We have gone from being one of the youngest teams in U8 to one of the older teams, from getting creamed almost every game to creaming everyone else {well we have only played 2 games so far but we won them both…by alot!} and most of the team having minimal understanding of technique and rules to true skill and understanding being shown on the field.

Coe: Soccer for Coe = pure happiness.  He LOVES every second of it.  At first he was enamored with having a coach and being part of a team – the Jaguars, but after the first game {where he dominated} his obsession is now scoring goals.  He is quite a bit bigger than most of the other kids on the field which at this age means he can get the ball out of the herd and quickly run it down the field to score which he does a lot.  At the first game he would look over at his cheering section after each goal to make sure we were clapping for him.  By the second game he would score and then walk off with a little swag to his step as if to say this is nothing new for me :)  Coe has also found a new girlfriend on the team.  He refers to her as “the fast girl!”  She is fast…and really cute!  She  and Coe score the majority of the goals for their team.  I am not sure if he likes her because she is fast, a good soccer player or just really cute, but I know he can’t stop flirting with her at practice :) 

I’m glad they are both enjoying soccer.  Now if the weather can cool off a little Albi and I can enjoy it as well! 

The Jaguars

         

The Strikers!   

 

 

Chi Os in Carefree, AZ

Two weekends ago – Labor Day weekend – I flew to Phoenix to meet 8 of my sorority sisters.  We are literally spread all over the country – from DC to Seattle, Texas to Colorado and everywhere in between. WE try to get together every 1-2 years, but this time it has been 3 years since our last real reunion which was in Gainesville.  Thankfully we all pick up right where we left off!  This was the first time ever that all 9 of us have made it to a reunion in almost 10 years, so we had a lot of catching up to do.  With work and flight schedules we were actually only all 9 together for about 24 hours, but the majority of us had a full 3 days to laugh, talk, cry (a little) and just enjoy being together.  We went to a spa one day and spent a full 8 hours basking in bliss.  Tracy bought a selfie stick to ensure we had a few group shots.  Love these girls!  #SPF #CarefreeChiOs #FLkickinAZ {we spent way too much time picking our forever # and our 2015 reunion #s!) 

 

HBD Gigi

Last weekend we celebrated Gigi’s birthday on a pirate ship.  A bunch of her friends and children and grandchildren came along so the boys had plenty of friends to play with on the boat.  The crew did a great job entertaining them with activities the majority of time we were out to sea and the Gilmer boys were quickly immersed in the pirate theme!  They even got Fin to participate in the activities {she takes a little more time to warm up to things than the boys!}.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to School

Since we are 2.5 weeks into the school year, I figured I needed to finish my back to school post!  Summer is over and we have quickly adjusted back to the early morning school routine.  I can honestly say after 12 school days, the boys did much better this year switching from the lazy summer morning routine to the hustle and bustle of school mornings.  At this time last year {and for several more weeks} I was still pulling my hair out every morning trying to make sure everyone was dressed, fed, and out the door by 7:35. 

We met Mrs. Cagle and Mrs. Garner the day before school started and both boys seemed very happy with their new teachers and classmates.  Mac was especially thrilled to have Jack P in his class for the first time since they were two!  Coe was disappointed not to have Frances, Emerson or Parker in his class, but after the note I got from his teacher earlier this week {more on that later} he seems to of adjusted just fine! 

We took our typical back to school pics on the first morning, and again the boys were more cooperative than in the past. Now if they can just keep the good behavior up for their teachers!

 

 

 

 

 

*We got a note in Coe’s folder this week that said he was having a little trouble keeping quiet during circle time as he seemed to really enjoy talking to the girls and getting their attention!  I asked Coe about this, and he quickly got a big smile on his face and said “Mommy I can’t help talking to Larcey.”  “Who is Larcey?” I asked.  “Her name is Larsyn but I call her Larcey.  She smiles like this {tilts his head to the side, bats his eyes and gives me the cutest smile ever} and sometimes she has her hair in one of those long straight things in the back {a ponytail???}.”  Clearly Coe has a crush on Larsyn, but when I reminded him the next morning to keep quiet during circle time and not talk to Larsyn until they were on the playground, he quickly told me that Larsyn doesn’t sit by him in the circle.  That is when he talks to Zara and Britain!  Albi asked if these other girls were taking Frances’s place and Coe looked at him like he was crazy and quickly announced that Frances was still his #1 best friend.  Between Frances, Sally, Zara, Larsyn, Britain and who knows how many other little girls in his class, I think Coe is doing just fine in the girl friends department!