A New Season of Hoops

Yesterday the fall 2010 basketball season began.  Tommy and Sammy are playing basketball this year. 

I am coaching Sammy's team in the Itty Bitty League - The Red Dragons.

Jim is coaching Tommy's team in the Junior Division - The Lightning.

Sammy played great!  Much improvement from last year.  He scored a couple of baskets and he played great defense.  To motivate him to practice I have been bribing him with "silly bands."  He is dribbling and shooting well.  He really likes to practicing his passes.

Sammy and his teammate, Kade, finding time to have some fun during their break.

Tommy is on a pretty good team this season, so he is having fun.  He has a bunch of his buddies on the team and that always makes it more fun.  The biggest difference I noticed in him yesterday was his intensity.  He was very active on defense and got a couple of steals. 

Fastbreak!

Good job, Tommy!



This is a short video of Tommy driving to the basket and scoring on a little floater.

Basketball Ballerina

Last week Sarah joined a tap/ballet class for 3 and 4 year olds.  She absolutely loved it!  I think she loves being with her two buddies - Marrisa and Oliva - the most.  I don't know much about dance but Sarah told me they learned this dance stance in class.  Someone please enlighten me as to what it is called?!?!?

Since I have been buying tap shoes, ballet shoes, leotards and tights, I decided it would be a good idea to get Sarah a basketball. 

Jim and I are very proud of her skillz (in both basketball and ballet).

Labor Day Labors

On Labor Day, we went to work.  On top of all the regular maintenance for keeping our home running smoothly, we added a few more projects.

We planted our fall garden.  Jim revamped the irrigation system, because we felt the plants were getting enough water last year.  Also we had to add soil, etc.  This time we planted some strawberries, yellow squash, zuchinni, green onions, cilantro, tomato plants, and beans.

As I was folding laundry that morning I decided that I wanted hooks in our laundry room.  So after all the work in the yard and the garden, Jim put up a hook rack for me.  He's pretty wonderful like that. We have a broom closet in our kitchen that the boys have been throwing their backpacks and shoes in after school, but with all the kids having backpacks now it just wasn't working.

So now each kid has two hooks and a basket - the hooks for their backpack and a jacket (or scout shirt), the basket for shoes, basketballs, whatever.  Throughout the day if I find their stuff laying around I can throw it in their basket.  Also now that they are riding their bikes to school they walk through the laundry room to go out the 3rd garage.  Now they can pick their backpack up on the way out, and put it back on the way in and I don't have to see it in my kitchen (at least that would be the ideal situation, they still bring their backpacks into the kitchen but we are working on it).

Weekend Warriors

Last Friday we went to "The Cabin."  Anytime we have a free weekend (which isn't very often) we try to sneak up there.  Friday night the kids explored around the cabin.  Saturday morning grandma put us to work getting wood.

Sammy found a skull.

Sarah thinks the chainsaw is too loud.

Tommy thinks it is a elk skull.

 

Sammy

 

Austin helping Grandma move a log.

Look at the pretty flower!

Short break - we filled two pickup trucks.

After unloading and splitting all the wood, Tommy and Austin were ready for a nap.  After all the work it is time to play.

Target Practice

 

Austin

Sammy

Bullseye

In the afternoon we went on a short hike.  There was a small cave that the boys crawled into (I can't remember the name right now). 

Dad and Sarah resting before the hike back up.

Great Grandma

Sammy, Ladd, Grandma, Jim, Sarah, Great-Grandma

Weee!