Eleven

Today Meg turns eleven.  Where has the time gone?  I don't know.  She got what she wanted, a new iPod.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEG!

Soccer Highlights

Here's a few pictures of the Reds in action from game 1.

Sports related injury

Wednesday of last week we got our first sports injury.  Let me rephrase that.  The first sports injury for the kids.  (Mickey has had his share and has now taken up the "old man" game of golf since he is banned from any sport in which he could get a severe injury.)  Soccer season, practice anyway, started two weeks ago.  All three kids are playing.  We'll be running around like crazy on Saturdays and two evenings a week.  What else are were we going to do for two months?  Anyway, Meg was at her second practice and was playing goalie.  She was hit in the hand with a ball that was kicked hard.  There was lots of crying.  I wasn't there but this is what I've heard.  Mickey brought her home and there was still a lot of crying.  I suggested he take her to his aunt and uncle's for a quick look over to make sure it's nothing major.  (There was no swelling, bruising, nothing out of the ordinary expect pain and restricted movement.)  They were sure it wasn't badly broken.  The wrist got wrapped and they came home.  She went to school on Thursday and came home in more pain.  I then decided to take her in on Friday.  Friday morning the hand was swollen.  We went to the doctor's and got an x-ray.  (I love that our doctor's office is in the same building with a bunch of other offices with convenient services.)  It's a buckle fracture.  What?  The hand got hit so hard the bone buckled up from the force of impact.  So she's in a brace for at least a month and there will be no soccer for her except from the side lines as the assistant coach.  (Isn't that nice of her coach to let her help out?)  The worst part is it's her left hand and she's left handed.  I've been writing her homework answers for her but she has to struggle right handed in class.  Eating isn't too bad.  Sometimes someone will have to cut things up for her but otherwise the food gets to her mouth.  She seems to be handling it alright.  The nice part is that it's a brace so it can come off and she can shower without too many problems.  We go back next month for another x-ray and check up.  Maybe she'll get to play the last few games of the season.

School's in Session

The first day of school for the girls was 4 weeks ago.  Yes, I'm behind.  Big surprise.  But today was Kade's first day of school.  (He had orientation yesterday but I don't count that as a real day of school.)

Meg's in 5th grade this year.  The way our school corp. does things makes her go to an intermediate school instead of staying at the elementary school with Mat.  She was very excited about going to the "older kid" school.  Mickey and I are very happy that they keep the 5th graders away from all the other students.  Would you want your 10-11 year old hanging out with 14 year olds?  I didn't think so.  With Meg going to the new school I have gotten the (unpaid) job of bus driver since I drive her to and from school everyday.  (I will admit here, but later deny it, that I did get a little teary eyed after I left her at school.  The unknown.)  This year Megan is taking orchestra.  She's got a leg up on most of the students since she's already taken over a year of piano.  Here she is ready to get her 5th grade education.

Mat's in 3rd grade this year.  She's still attending the same school.  Although we were rather sad to hear the principal was relocated to another school.  We LOVED Mrs. T.  I have lucked out that my bus driving job does not require me to drop Mat off.  We make it home just in time for her to catch the bus.  Mattey has a nice teacher and is looking forward to learning new things.  She has signed up for choir.  She went back and forth on this for weeks.  Now that she's committed she can't quit and I will have one more bus route on Tuesdays.  Yippee.  Here she is ready to take on the world, or at least the 3rd grade.

Like I said above, today was Kade's first day of preschool.  (This is my 6th year going here.  I will finally get to graduate in May.  I can't wait!)  He's been waiting for weeks or is it months to go to school.  I've been waiting for a few weeks myself.  Kade got the same teacher as last year.  After listening to her phone message I told Kade the good news.  And he shouts out, "I love Mrs. R.!"  She was glad to hear that.  He also has some of his good friends in his class again.  He got right down to work after we walked in.  I'm happy that he didn't care I was leaving.  No tears for me either.  He's been a little ornery lately.  Here he is working on his first art project.  There will only be hundreds to go.

Mickey's Birthday

We don't have enough birthdays around here.  Last night we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner with Mickey's family to celebrate his birthday.  I think he had a good time, don't you?

This is his birthday "cake".  Happy Birthday, Babe!