Makes my Monday

As we were coming home from school today, Helen looked out the window of the car and said, "Mommy! I saw a cloud that looks like South America!"

I love the things that they teach the kids at that school.

Are you ready for some football?!!

Fun running

Today is the fourth of five straight days with the kids at home for the Thanksgiving holiday. That made it about time to get out of the house before they went stir crazy, so this morning we loaded everyone up and went to the "Just for Kids" Fun Run at Memorial Park. My kind of fun run - one in which I don't have to do any running.

There was a 25-meter "Toddler Trot," a 400-meter run, and a 1-kilometer run. Will and Helen ran the 400m. Helen was very serious about it, and ran "very fast" - at least according to her. Will was almost, but not quite, the slowest 400m runner. He ran the first half at a pace that seemed, if possible, slower than his walk. He picked it up at the halfway point, though, and actually ran. I was still able to keep up with him by walking with long strides, but he did manage to pass a few kids.

Joe and Charlie ran the 400m as a warmup, then ran the 1k. They were very excited and really enjoyed it. There was a race clock at the finish line so they could see their time, which of course they loved. When we got home, Joe immediately got on the internet to try to find other fun runs they could enter.

Helen running "very fast"

Will got some support from Joe as he ran to the finish line

Joe, all serious at the starting line

Are you ready to race? Yeah!

Joe was the first Maddux to finish (time - 5:20)

Charlie finished soon after (time - 5:41)

Charlie and Helen post-race, showing off their medals

Merry merry!

Guess whose house is decorated for Christmas!!

We had full participation from all four kids this year. Tree is fully decorated on the bottom half, partially decorated on top. Amazingly only broke one ornament. Cort escaped to the outside in order to avoid the chaos (and it was definitely chaos!), so the outside lights are all done as well.

Merry Christmas!

Helen got to put the first ornament on the tree

Will was next

Then Joe

And finally Charlie

Posing in front of the tree

Christmas is fun!

Thankful

Yesterday, Cort and I returned from a long weekend trip with friends to Napa and Sonoma Counties.

We learned a little about the process of turning grapes into wine, and we tasted a lot of wine.

We saw vineyards in their beautiful autumn splendor.

We met interesting winemakers, and saw rows and rows of wine.

We saw caves of champagne and learned about the riddling process.

And enjoyed some champagne (which has always been my personal favorite) as well.

We saw AMAZING views of the valley

Which we enjoyed over a few glasses of wine and a picnic.

And while we were gone, Gramma and Gransan took wonderful care of our four kids, including the one who spent part of the time throwing up.

It seems appropriate to express thanks, doesn't it?

And soccer again!

Last, but certainly not least, this was the first year that Will and Helen played soccer. Three-year-old soccer is something everyone should experience. And Cort not only experienced it, but also coached it. There is a special place in heaven for parents who have volunteered to coach three-year-old soccer. (He did a great job, of course, and all the kids loved him and had a great time.)

Amoeba ball

Coach Cort lining up his team, ready for . . .

the train!

We somewhat expected Helen, who we feel is our most coordinated child and who will go toe-to-toe with her older brothers, to be a little soccer phenom. Not so much. She seemed unprepared for the fact that the other kids were going to be going after the ball as well. I guess we forgot how self-centered she is! But she was always willing to try, and she had a few really good kicks -- one of which almost was a goal in the last game. And she was pretty proud to be a soccer player.

Ready to play!

Fancy footwork

She can dribble, if she's wide open

Will wasn't much of an athlete, which was not unexpected. He kicked the ball - but only when Coach Dad picked him to kick off or take a free kick. He ran around - but not always with the pack. He was, however, always willing to go in when coach needed him (on a three-year-old team, this is actually a valued skill). And he LOVED talking about how he played soccer. In fact, to hear him tell it he was the star of the team.

Running around

Kickoff!

See how much bigger that other kid is? No wonder the other kids outran him!

Getting a little coaching from his big brother Joe (who had similar talent at age 3, but now is quite the soccer player!)

All in all, there were a few times that I thought we were crazy for signing our three-year-olds up for soccer--especially when the older boys were already playing soccer and baseball--but Will and Helen both really enjoyed it and we are glad we did it. We are also, however, glad that it's over until next year!

Go Rapids!

And soccer!

And yes, we survived fall soccer too! The Gators' last game was this past Saturday, and they officially came in second place. They lost only two games, to the first-place team. More importantly, they had a great team and a lot of fun.

Charlie was a goal-scoring powerhouse. He loves offense. But, as the season went on, he really started doing a great job getting back and playing defense when needed.

Joe has always been more of a defensive guy, but he scored some goals too -- including a game-winning knee-in off a corner throw. (Joe, ever honest, admitted that he was trying to kick it, but mis-timed it and only managed to get a knee on it.)

The whole team seemed to learn at least a few rules of the game and a little strategy. As the season progressed, all the players got good at playing as a team. Not as much amoeba ball anymore. Next year, they play on a bigger field, with goalies. They'll have to continue improving on their passing and team play. Can't wait!

Gator huddle

Joe kicking it

Joe again

Joe ready to make a pass

Charlie charging downfield

Charlie on offense again

Obligatory in-the-goal pose

Joe proudly wearing his captain's band the week he was made captain (he asked me to take this picture)

We survived fall baseball!

Fall baseball season is over, and we survived. We're not planning on doing a double-sport season again next fall, but the boys definitely enjoyed it.

This was their first foray into coach pitch baseball. No more tee-ball! And they were on a more competitive team. The Dodgers ended the season with only one loss, which supposedly put them in first place (for this noncompetitive fall season for which standings supposedly were not kept - hmmm).

They really learned a lot about baseball this season. These kids were making the correct plays, backing up players in the infield and outfield, and running the bases like pros. It really was fun to watch.

Charlie ended up playing a lot of first base, and got really good there. The last game he made four outs, went three-for-three, and received the game ball.

Both boys improved their hitting. It took us halfway through the season to suggest that Joe choke up on the bat, but once he did that he got much better! Charlie had a bad habit of failing to swing all the way through the ball, but he worked that out by the end of the season too. And although neither was the strongest hitter on the team, they both understood the rules and base running well enough that they almost always got on base!

We were certainly TIRED every time baseball game time rolled around on Saturday afternoon (having already been to two soccer games in the morning). But it was fun!

Joe at bat

Charlie at bat

An unexpectedly nostalgic milestone

The other day Cort removed all our childproof locks from the kitchen cabinets. Because we don't need them anymore.

Nothing says your kids aren't babies anymore like getting rid of all the babyproofing.

A flag on the play

Charlie and I were watching football the other evening. Right before a play began, the referee blew the whistle. Charlie commented, immediately, "Too many men on the field."

Seriously? He can already do that thing that men do? Identify the penalty before the referee announces it?

Yep, he can.

Soon the referee was announcing the penalty as twelve men on the field. I asked Charlie how he knew. He said that the whistle had blown before the play got off, and that usually means either a false start or too many men on the field. But Charlie didn't see any false start, so it must have been too many men on the field.

A few days later I asked Cort about this logic. Apparently Charlie was exactly correct in his reasoning.

And Cort was very proud.