Soccer, Football, Soccer - Repeat

The temperatures have still been in the 80s, but the leaves have turned, Bradley has been hunting every weekend, and fall sports are in full swing.  When we decided early this year to not do the pumpkin patch it was primarily due to being able to focus on our family and have more unrushed/unplanned/unrequired time.  This last week Bradley and I commented on how we can't imagine "doing the Patch" on top of everything else going on.

This last week we had baseball practice Monday, soccer game Tuesday, flag-football game Wednesday, soccer game Thursday (which mom had to coach), and by Friday evening we were all in bed by 8pm.  That's not including the day to day work regarding our demanding jobs, feeding this active family of four as efficiently on a week-night as possible, laundry - and everything else a family does expected and not.

This week Carter was also the "Student of the Week" at school.  His teacher encourages family participation, visits, and sharing.  From a principal's standpoint I love the energy she puts into this because it brings families into the school.  I had no idea how emotional it would be from a mom's perspective.  Carter asked his two great-grandmas to come.  They were joined by his two grandmas, his dad, brother, and me.  The conversations generated by student-led questions revealed interesting conversations across the generations.  At the end of the week, Bradley and Papa brought in a garbage truck, and a roll-off.  Thank you Mrs. Dean for encouraging forced family fun in the first grade room.

The rest of this month will be comprised of the same patterns found in the first half.  Soccer, football, soccer, repeat.  I only hope that the temperatures begin to decrease, Bradley gets a buck, and our weekends continue to be full of family centered time.