Soccer Saturday...

Wow.  It's hard to know where to begin with this one.  Work.  That about sums it up... a whole lotta work!  We had to arrive 15 minutes early to Henry's practice since it was the first one, which means our time outside started at 9:30am (we were early of course).  It was freezing.  I mean, freeeeeezing.  And super windy.  As soon as I'd set a chair up, it would blow right over.  The soccer balls rolled down the hill.  The stroller toppled over.  The dad next to me said it perfectly when he told me, "This wind just makes me angry!"

Of course Pete wanted to get out and walk around so within the first two minutes he was soaked and looked like this... the fields were completely drenched after all of the rain we got yesterday.

Henry looked so cute in all of his little soccer gear... but all of his excitement to play was short lived.  Here he is playing with one of the volunteer helpers...

And here he is, five minutes later, walking off the field... 

"Henry," I asked, "why aren't you playing?  You were so excited to play!"  

"I'm hungry..."  

Ahhh, yes... of course you are.  

James was so incredibly sweet to Henry, encouraging him to go back onto the field to play.  He even went with Henry so he'd feel more comfortable.  (For the record, that must've been a temporary lapse in their relationship because they're back to bickering as I type.)

After a very long hour and a half, it was James's turn!  This is what the "upper level" fields looked like as we walked over...

James's team is the Bloodhounds, led by Coach Wayne.  As I mentioned earlier, this league is very intense and I had the unfortunate bad luck to have sat next to a completely spastic couple rooting for their son on the opposing team.  "GO TRUETT!!!!!  GOOOOOO!!  WIN IT.  YOU'VE GOT TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT!!!  NOW MOOOOOVE!!!!  TRUETT, MOOOOOVE!!!!" for an hour.... lit-er-ally.  "GOOOO, TRUETT!!  Get in and WIN IT!!!!"  Is it any surprise that they named their son Truett??  Right.  Not even a little.  Sigh.  It's a good thing the parents on James's team seem normal and friendly!

James is going to have to work really hard to play offense during a game on this team.  Several of the boys who have been playing with this league a few years are really good.  Here James is playing defense:  

James really, really enjoys playing so all of this was totally worth it for him BUT... 

Reminder to self for next game:

1. Bring less overall shit.  Apparently you are the 

only one with arms that work.  

2.  Bring more blankets.  Apparently two was not enough.

3.  Bring more snacks.  Apparently Henry wants to carb-overload.

4.  Sit by home team.  Apparently Southern parents are crazy.

5.  When it's 30 degrees, windy as all get-out, and the fields are completely drenched from monsoon the previous day, tell children game was cancelled.  Apparently I am crazy for not doing that today.