October

This has been a weird month, I think because we have been working so much on projects with the "new" house, and moving in and getting the hang of a new room.

 The first night I didn't sleep well because there were new smells and sounds. It's so quiet down here - I'm used to a massively creaky floor (upstairs). Up there I know every move of every person because the floor gives them away. Down here: silence. no foot steps. no doors. 

There has been a lot of soccer this month, obviously. I'm laying here in my new living room, watching the World Series after a Saturday of soccer games. Today was our last games!

These pictures are from the beginning of the season. We are still fresh and eager. 

One Sunday we had a fire at Frank's. We messed around on the bicycle built for two. 

This month, every Friday we would celebrate a week well done by going out to eat good food at a restaurant while Hudson was at football practice. It was a great Fall ritual. 

Then at 7:00 we would head to the High School lights. I mostly just watched Evan do his thing. 

We found a snake during a family forest walk.

Avery is almost finished with her Junior year of soccer. We head into district games this week. 

This is the first year she hasn't been "over it". She hasn't complained about soccer at all! 

It's also been a rough season. (I'm "over it")

This trail was covered in dry crunchy leaves. We could barely hear each other talk over the crunch. 

Last week soccer was crazy. Can you tell the amount of downpour going on? 

The second game right after this was even WORSE. 

We all hated it. I really thought they were going to cancel. But nope, we slurped through it. 

I love our new TV room. 

Ichabod.

This year I told the kids they can come to the thrift store and find a costume -

Andrew found Link! Exactly what he was looking for!

The Trunk or Treat was so super fun as always...

Arhaan, the sweet Indian boy there is really good at soccer. 

Today after the game he told me he won't be playing in the spring because 

"I need to focus on my studies".

I laughed out loud. He's in 5th grade.

I told him a little sports would actually help him with academics. But I'm not his boss, so. 

During the second game we were covered in a rainbow! 

It was amazing!

Also we won! It was a fun way to end the season. 

They are dousing Noah in water because he scores 90% of our goals. Hat trick today. 

I kind of have a lot to say about coaching, but I don't know if all the words are formed in my head. 

I just really like it. I think it scratches the itch to be a teacher - relationships, teaching, leading a team.

I love seeing progress. There was leaps of progress this season! 

Andrew has become so good! He really controls the ball and delivers it. 

Miguel - the kid who complained all practice is now a key winger, taking the ball down and doing stuff with it. 

It's just so satisfying. It's like a puzzle to solve and we are ongoing solving it. 

 

Construction Complete

Where have I been? Haven't posted in a while?

I've been moving into our new house. 

They finished up construction and suddenly this house went from construction chaos to moving/project chaos. 

Here is the last of the "in progress" pictures, right up until the end. 

Joe came and helped Jim add wood feature to the outside of the shower.

The last few days, when we were so close, 

I went down to the bathroom when the workers went to lunch and saw this checklist. 

Yay so close!! This checklist was the best thing ever. I was so ready to move in. 

Tools, caulk, garbage everywhere.

Then one day they packed it all up and moved out and we took a few days and moved in. 

We are still in the process of finalizing IKEA furniture, shutters, picking couches, hanging TVs, designing closet storage, 

plus moving our stuff from room to room, getting rid of stuff, vacumming places that hasn't been vaccuumed in forever. The upstairs is the kids' domain now. 

This is a sample platter of what our entire house looks like:

tools, Halloween, stuff out of place. 

It's a process, but currently we are all in our own new rooms and new bathrooms and I love it. It feels like I'm in a luxury hotel. 

 

Homecoming!

This year Avery was nominated Junior Homecoming Princess! Of course she did, she's the best. 

Her date there is Milo Dahl, nominated the prince. They are funny because they have had on again, off again crushes on each other for years. Currently they are just friends. Awkward friends. 

Me and Milo's mom were discussing they are probably so awkward because this was to be the first date for both of them! That's a lot of pressure for a first date. 

They are both so smart and funny have a great friend group to cheer them on super duper loud throughout the "royalty" traditions. 

At the homecoming game, it was pouring rain. Pouring.

I LOVE watching Evan in the band. He got to play bass for homecoming and he was so stoked. 

He bops to the beat - almost dances over there while banging the drum. 

Jim asked him "do you bop like that to keep the beat?"

and Evan said, "I am the beat."

I just cannot love that more. Cannot. 

I am the beat. 

Meanwhile, there is Avery and the court in the pouring, windy rain at halftime. 

She was in her pretty dress, paired with a bomber jacket. So cute. 

We won the game. 

At the dance the next night: look at these fun kids. 

We took pictures at Semiahmoo, the same place these buddies have been jumping off docks their whole lives. Now they are all dressed up and ready for HOCO.

Avery and her friend group. 

They kept adding more and more friends. I love them all - the smartest most athletic kids at Blaine. 

Milo's mom got some pictures of them exchanging flowers, but she hasn't sent the pics to me yet...

The theme was: A Night Under the Stars

High School is so much fun.