Soccer coach

I'm coaching soccer again. Two teams this time instead of 'crazy' three. I love it. I love being with my kids, sports, and helping kids in general. The season usually runs six weeks. And by the last week the kids (and the coach!!!!) are pretty much ready to be done. Well, this season the coordinators announced the season would be 12 weeks instead of the usual six... without consulting the volunteer coaches.

Oh this has been L-O-N-G! And I am so ready to be done! By the last couple weeks, the kids are so comfortable with me that some of the... um, not so well behaved kids, can be down right stinkers to me. We are also involved in two other sports. And on top of that, we are doing HUGE projects on our house.

So here's the rundown:

• Tired, whiny kids who want to be done with soccer (my own that I can discipline) - Check
• Sassy, naughty, patient-trying kids (on the soccer team that I can NOT spank) - Check
• Games and practices twice a night (of varying sports) , almost every night of the week - Check, check
• Dirty house because of huge projects - CHECK ... ug!

Oh the end is in sight... I just hope it comes soon!

Happy Things

I have two words... New Carpet! Sigh! I may never ware shoes again.

Movie recommendation

I am usually loath to recommend any show or movie because people's tastes and standards of entertainment differ so greatly... But today I'm making an exception.
My family just had a movie night. Popcorn, candy, grabbed a red box film and snuggled down. It was way fun!!! So the movie was called "Angel in the House." And it was darling! Great family movie with some fun actors and a sweet story. (For you Brits I think it's called "Foster." And by the way, I'm tickled pink that you've been stopping by. Be a good chap and leave us a comment now and again).
Hope you get a chance to check it out. Oh, I can't help it... I've got Britain on the brain.... Cheerio!

Playing hooky

We are so busy with sports right now... it makes me appreciate the "boring" times of my life when the busy things in my day are cleaning house and taxiing kids.

The other day, the schedule dictated a grab-and-go dinner and cars headed to two practices at the same time. (Of course the other kiddos are dragged along helter-skelter). As I set out dinner we decided to relax and not worry about being a little late. Sitting down at the table as a family was so much nicer than the "eat as you can" at the park, that I had planned. Then the daddy and I made a decision. We were going to play hooky.

Instead of scattering for practices, we took our kids to a nearby school and had a family practice. The smallest of the small sat on a blanket or crawled toward any ball that was in sight. The other smalls played catch with the mommy or had batting practice with the daddy. Balls were flying and kids were scampering hither and yon... often running to third base instead of first in the confusion and glory of hitting the ball further than they thought they could.  It was so much more fun than splitting up for practices! And my boys got more personal coaching attention than they would have at practice. (We encourage our children to fulfill commitments and to follow through with the activities they've sighed up for). But this was one of those... "family time is more important" moments. And it was great!

Super window cleaning... seriously this is awesome!

I just found something so awesome that I had to share it! Bar Keepers Friend (the cleaner) and a scratchy pad gets hard (HARD) water off windows!

(Back story)... I have REALLY hard water!!!! When we moved in, the basement windows of our home were so caked with hard water that you don't even need blinds. (No, seriously. I don't).  I have tried just about everything that anyone could suggest. It has been really frustrating!

I was giving it another shot this spring cleaning season. I had done even more research and was giving it more elbow grease than I knew was humanly possible... that's when I got the inspiration! My sister had just introduced me to a cleaner called "The Barkeeper's Friend." (Fabulous for bathrooms and kitchens by the way). I tried it on a little section of the window to see if it would scratch it.... Oh man! It worked AMAZING! The basement windows are taking a lot more scrubbing than the windows that the sprinkler only hits now and then... but this stuff is awesome! I actually thought we were going to have to replace those windows because of the hard water. I have been dancing around since I cleaned them... every time I see my windows. (As you can see, I'm a little excited about this! La-la-la... clean windows... La-la-la! Oh, and singing too).

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional window cleaner and therefore you can not hold me responsible if this product damages your windows... It didn't seem to scratch mine... but you're on your own with yours.

"Some of my favorite things..."

Some things are so nice to start your day!
Waking up while the house is still quiet.
Hearing the soft sighs of the peaceful sleep of childhood.
Sunshine pouring in my window.
Family breakfast time.
IHOP pancakes recipe and homemade coconut syrup.

Have a happy Tuesday!

I'm trying to be like Jesus... No I am!

My boys are boys. Which means, at times they try to work out their differences but punching each another.  It is not my favorite thing to see and I'd like to raise kind, understanding, good children. So this afternoon, when the boys started socking each other in the shoulder because someone took the last of the ranch they were sharing... I calmly encouraged each boy to be the first to act like Jesus. (Meaning, be the first to stop hitting).  

A few more punches were exchanged before one boy scooted too far away for the reciprocating punch to be easily returned. At which point he said, "I was the first to act like Jesus!" At which the other retorted, "No! I was the first to act like Jesus!"
"No. I was!
"Nuh uh! I was!"

This is when I mentally sigh. Not exactly how I meant for things to turn out!