Football, Canoeing, Baseball and More

This was Cade with Maddi and Daddy at his first football practice. He was all smiles. First hour went great, next hour he cried twice because the helmet was hurting his head. Day two, first hour great, next hour cried 4 times. Day three disaster. Cried most of the second hour.

He's supposed to be listening to the coaches, but he's making sure we're watching him.

Fourth day was the first day with full pads and it didn't go so well either. This is Cade with tears after practice. Brett was so frustrated that his little boy was CRYING at FOOTBALL. Remember that Cade has been wanting to play football for a long time and this was his idea, not ours. So the coaches encouraged us to keep encouraging Cade and they swear that after the first game (August 17th) it clicks and even kids struggling with keeping up love the rest of the season. August 17th is a long time away to watch your child cry and seem absolutely miserable. Somehow Cade decided at the end of practice on the 4th day that he would try hitting and then he decided it wasn't so bad. Friday, the 5th day and second day with pads, he only cried during the warm up lap and then he did so great! He did all of the drills (some with hesitation) and we were so happy for him.

This is after practice on Day 4 and Brett was telling Cade how proud he was that he decided to participate even if it was the last 15 minutes of practice. I think he's rounding the corner and is deciding football will be fun. This league is a HUGE committment with practice Mon-Fri from 5:30-7:30. When games start they'll cut Friday practice and when school starts they'll cut Monday practice, but for now it's a lot of time and effort. Hang in there Cade man!

Friday afternoon we went to lunch and the outlet mall with Maddie H. and her brother, Gavin, and her mom. The kids stopped to play on all the little rides along the way. Maddi and Cade are just about too big for most of the rides. How sad is that? My babies are SO big. We got in some back to school shopping. Great thing about living up here is that when all the back to school fall clothes come out you can actually buy them because it won't be long and it will be cool enough to wear them. I always hated how all the back to school clothes were for fall and the kids couldn't wear them until Christmas (it seemed) in Texas. I guess it goes the other way in March. All the spring and summer clothes come out and there is no sense in buying them because you can't wear them until June (if you're lucky).

Saturday was Maddy-Daddy and Cade-Mom day. Brett took Maddi on a father-daughter canoe trip with church. There aren't any pictures to show for it. Right before they left Brett said he decided to take the camera and just put it in a ziploc bag to keep it from getting wet. I asked him not to take it so it didn't have the chance of getting ruined. Good thing. 20 seconds after they got in the water they hit a rock and the canoe dumped over and Maddi and Brett and everything inside was soaking wet! They had a blast and spent some quality time together. Cade and I went to see Wall E (boring movie) and then had lunch and ice cream.

Saturday night Maddie H. spent the night and Cocoa decided to have a sleep over with the Maddis too. Cocoa usually sleeps in her kennell, but when we went to bed she wasn't in her kennell. We called for her and she didn't come so we went looking for her and here she was. We let her stay at the sleepover with her girls.

Sunday we went to church and the kids got candy cigarettes for snack. Cigarettes! At church! What is this world coming to?

After church we changed clothes and picked up Cade's friend, Jack, and went to the Kane County Cougars game for Brett's work picnic. We were at the party deck in center field and we had a nice time.

Before the game the kids got autographs. Sunday was Jimmy Buffett day at the game so the team was wearing flowered shirts. Even the visiting team had to wear the goofy shirts in a different color. They played good Buffett songs during the game, but the shirts were a bit much. I can only imagine what the players thought of wearing them.

The gang in front of the dugout. Even the dugout was decorated in the tropical theme.

Ozzie, the mascot, came out to the center field deck with us to sing the 7th inning stretch.

More autographs!

When the game was over the kids ran the bases. Go Maddi!

Cade's off.

Cade turned it into a race instead of just running the bases. He was super excited to beat this girl. His comment was "you know, if you play football you have to be really fast and I am fast because I beat the girl in front of me." Maddi ended up beating Cade's friend, Jack. I didn't notice any other kids racing other kids. My super competitive kids are like their father, I guess.

After running the bases the kids danced to the band that sang Buffet songs (they were a horrible band by the way, but the kids didn't mind). They had a lot of energy to burn from their liccorice rope, cotton candy, sno cones/dippin dots and sprites.

These kids had quite the moves! After the game we came home and ate dinner, bathed the kids and then straight to bed. Another fun and busy weekend is now history!