Peanut and Chicken: Weekend Wrap Up

It's been a full weekend of soccer, and it's been so much fun!

The weekend started out a little differently on Friday night when the soccer team gathered together at the goalie's house to attend the rosary for his great grandma that passed away. We wanted to pay our respects and show support for the family. Another player also lost his Grandma this week, so it was a somber evening.

The evening was pretty long, and I was pretty hungry after leaving the rosary. We ended up at an Italian restaurant for dinner.

We thought we were going to be able to sleep in on Saturday morning, but then found out that Evan had the Knights of Columbus Free Throw contest to go to. He won for the 10-year-olds at school and got to move on to the next level. We were up and at Our Lady of Victory School for the contest by 9 a.m.

Warming up.

Competing.

Evan did a great job, but the other little kid he was competing against got more baskets than he did. Oh well. He had fun.

It was a few hours at home before we had to leave for State Cup in Modesto.

Sometimes it's good to be short. It makes it easy to stretch my legs into the window!

I'm still on antibiotics and prednisone, so the medicine makes me feel loopy and cruddy. Once we got to the soccer fields and got out of the car, I was cold and dizzy. I decided to go rest in the car until it was time for the game to start. I curled up in the third row and dozed.

The game was do or die. Winner moves on. Loser goes home.

Luckily, we won 3-0!

Running for a pass.

It was a really great game and we beat a team from the Bay Area, which I love! We may not be able to afford private coaches and state of the art facilities, but we are scrappy and determined and have a lot of talent!

Little brother.

He left his sweatshirt in the car and it was pretty cold, so Eric gave up his sweatshirt to Huddy.

Beautiful Sammy. One of the older sisters on the team.

Best parent cheering section! I was also excited to be able to wear my new scarf. Since the weather has been so nice lately, I was afraid I wouldn't have a need for a scarf until next winter!

We were looking straight into the setting sun. I was looking rough from the long day.

Packing up the gear after the great win!

These boys are the best!

I asked the kids what they were going to do on Sunday. They said win!

Great game.

Evan had a couple of really great plays!

We're #1!

The love these two have for each other is pretty special.

Team Manager and Middle Defense.

Several families on the team went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Good food, but we were so tired and still had a two hour drive home. Hudson and Dad take selfies. I caught some funny expressions.

Pose with me, too!

Love my little Chicken.

Nadine sat by Eric for dinner and she kept whispering to him about her boyfriend. It was so funny when she was rubbing his beard as she whispered to him! We'll never have a daughter, but sometimes I see glimpses of what Eric would have been like as a dad to a girl. Melt.My.Heart.

The championship game wasn't until 5:40 Sunday night, so we had time to lounge, rest, and do laundry when we woke up Sunday morning! I smile when I see Hudson rolled up in a blanket resting on Eric.

We don't have rain for weeks, and then it pours on the day that we need to make a two hour trip up the highway. It actually cleared a bit by the time we got to Modesto.

I love me a good rain storm, but I like it even better when I'm home in pajamas listening to it hit the patio roof.

Same positions in the car, different day.

It was beautiful at the soccer complex. It was warmer than the day before, and I was excited to get the game started. One downer was that the grass fields had been eaten up with rain and soccer, so we had to play our final game on turf. No big deal except that we NEVER play on turf, so it is very unfamiliar. The ball rolls faster and timing can be off if you aren't used to it.

Mandatory selfie with the small child.

Mandatory goofy shot. Hudson turned out to be the hero of the day because Eric misplaced his eyeglasses and case, and it was Hudson that found it ON TOP of the car right before we left! That was a stressful event. I wandered all over the complex looking for the glasses, in the car, under the car, and it was Huddy bopping around and said, "I found them!" We made him feel pretty special for locating the case. Eric told him he'd buy him dinner!

We played Sac United. It was a super intense and exciting game. The score stayed 0-0 for over an hour.

Evan is known as the backbone of the team. I am always impressed with his ability to play as well as pay attention to other players and spots that need to be covered at the same time. Here he is directing another player to cover an opponent.

There were some intense moments in this game, and Evan got hurt a couple times. Hate that. His knee was all banged up and he was limping for a bit, but he was determined to be the fastest and get to those balls.

Being that the game was so late, we started in the daylight and finished with overhead lights. It was strange playing in the dark.

After two regular 30 minute halves, the game went into overtime. The kids played two five-minute halves. The score remained 0-0.

And then we went into penalty kicks. I hate penalty kicks. I hate it when an entire game comes down to five kids kicking and the goalies defending. I get it that it's part of the game, but it just isn't my favorite sudden death way to end a game.

Unfortunately, two of our kiddos did not make their penalty kicks and the other team won. However, our boys played their hearts out and left it all on the field! They worked so hard and were so determined and played with such spirit. I am so proud of how well they worked.

A lot of the boys were crying, but I was really proud of Evan because he wasn't. He was proud of his team and their effort, and he was working to bolster the other boys' spirits.