Soccer Nights!

I spent four nights per week at the soccer fields for the entire month of September.  Of course, there were practices and soccer clinics during the summer, too.  If my boys didn't love soccer, we would have gone crazy.

This is Daniel's team, crowding around their coach.  Daniel is the kid in the red shorts, toward the middle.  Yep, he was the tallest kid on the team.  And Benjamin was the tallest on his team, too.

Here, we have Benjamin practicing with his coach.  He's playing his favorite position, goalie or "keeper."  The kids all rotate positions each game, but he would request being goalie as often as possible.  I only saw one goal scored on him all season, and that was during the final game when the other team didn't have any points.  Benjamin's coach distracted him so the other team would have a chance to score.  I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but the other team sure was excited to score.

 
I promise Daniel is waving and not putting his hand up to block his face from the camera!  Go, Storm!

Benjamin has a fun time at his games, and his coach got them all trophies.  Go,Wolverines!  Of course, Benjamin would reassure us all that "it doesn't matter who wins.  Everybody gets a treat!"  He kept saying that throughout the season.  He might have felt differently if his team hadn't won so many games.  But let's hope not.  Kids this age should mostly be playing for the socializing and exercising.

This is just after Daniel's last soccer game.  We went to his Great Grandma's birthday party.  The party was at Wayne's Uncle Brian and Aunt Julie's house.  Grandma turned 85.  And Benjamin was right, after the soccer game, everybody gets a treat.  Check out that yummy brownie cake in the corner!

One of the highlights of that party for Daniel was getting to play Brian and Julie's baby grand piano.  He loves to play the piano!  He has been taking piano lessons since February, and I never have to tell him to practice.  More often, I have to tell him to quit playing so we can eat dinner.