Sunday, April 29, 2007

Week ending 29 April 2007

Well I only have one more day of school holidays to survive. The boys don't start back until Tuesday which seemed to take Scott by surprise, but they always start back on a strange day of the week.

Last week I tried to keep the boys occupied with going on runs around Hagley Park in the morning & that seemed to tire them a bit so the morning would be nicely cooperative. Then it would be lunch & watching a DVD then it would be time for all the fighting & arguing to start. We have been in to Ballentyne's & bought the boys the peices of uniform they were missing. We've been very lucky in that neither have grown out of the heavy winter shorts. Ballentyne's doesn't have any in stock so we are very lucky there.

Friday was the boys first swimming lesson for the term. Talk about rabbit warren, QE2 is just a maze to try & work out where you are going. Although the boys are in different pools we are very lucky that they are both in the same wee pokey room. There is hardly anywhere for parents to sit & watch but once I had the boys in the right pools & the right lanes everything went smoothly. We even had nana come & watch, which was wonderful & the boys really appreciated that. I think Scott enjoyed getting to watch the boys swim too, seen as he hasn't been to a swimming lesson for quite some time. 5pm is actully quite a nice time for a lesson as it kind of winds us down & into weekend mode.

Yesterday we listened avidly to the cancellations only to find that there were none for soccer. We strolled along in the drizzle to the fields at 9:15 to be told James' team doesn't have a coach & none of the team was there. Being the first time in the Junior Development meant that we didn't realise that we don't have to be at the grounds until it is time to play (10am). We stood in the drizzle that got heavier & heavier which then became rain, add a bit of a breeze & we were all quite cold. The organiser told us that she normally wouldn't make the juniors play in that weather but it was first week, open day so we needed to get teams organised & have strips. At 10am the rest of James' team arrived & from amongst the fathers out popped a coach. Appparently he has been a coach before so he knows what he is doing. From now on James is playing not for Burnside but for Leeds United. He has a bright blue & yellow. The boys got the strip & then got taken to a field & had a bit of a run around & kick of the ball before they decided to play a game. Brent & Scott then left to take Brent to his team's training so it was nana & me standing laughing our heads off on the side line. These little guys don't seem to play to sideline's & at times James' team was playing on the neighbouyring field. Positional play is irrelevant & they all just stand all over the ball so that it is hard for anyone to get a good kick or run with the ball. It really was very funny to watch with their shorts down round their shins & their tops down around their bottoms. At least it kind of kept them warm. It wasn't a long game but I think everyone really enjoyed it, especially the little boy in James' team who managed to score 5 of the 6 goals.

We then got James dressed warmly & left to watch Brent's game. Brent's team, Newcastle, had one team member less than the opposition, Aresenal. I unnderstand that Arsenal all played together last year & the difference between the Junior Development & 8th grade boys with regards to positional play is huge. In the first half Brent was playing up front but at half time he slipped back to a more half/back position. He has already improved in a week so he might well be a good little player by the end of the season. Unfortunately Brent's team lost 6-1.

The other big news of Saturday was Brent coming out of his bedroom saying "I've got a loose tooth mum." He is absolutely thrilled & his main worry was that it was going to come out at soccer & get lost on the field. However he still has it in his mouth today but he really wants it to come out. I was told on Saturday that I am to call him "Wiggly Tooth Boy."

In the coming week I have the boys starting school on Tuesday & Scott flies to Wellington then too. On Wednesday I get to have a long overdue haircut & on Thursday my car is going in for servicing. Scott & I are going to drinks with Year 3 parents on Thursday night so nana will be looking after the boys. Friday will be swimming lessons & Saturday morning will be soccer.

I hope everyone has a great week, I am looking forward to it. I can't wait to hit the gym & go swimming again.

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