Fall Sports Have Begun

Thursday Night Lights, then Friday Night Lights... next up for the weekend was Saturday Soccer (during daylight hours, hah!) and two soccer games, one for Lukie, and the other for Mila.

With Curt and Vanessa coaching both teams, it's quite the family activity.

Ian (grey shorts, sitting in the grass), Mila (yellow tee, standing, #37), Vanessa, Curt, and Lukie (coming off the pitch.)

Craig and I trade off games - I go to one, he goes to the other. This week I went to Lukie's and he went to Mila's. We will switch that next week so that we get to see both kids play.

Aunt Lisa goes to the games, too. Like I said, it's a family activity!

These were the first soccer games of the season and Lukie's team tied 2-2.

Run, Lukie, run!

Saturday's Soccer over, there was one more family activity on Sunday night - Mila and Lukie were singing in a children's choir. I didn't take any photos, but I was there.

Five family activities this past weekend and we start the cycle (sans the children's choir performance) again this coming Thursday. Fall sports are here and I can't wait!

Stay 'tooned!

A May Mish Mosh

 Geez Louise, does life ever slow down?? Although, truth be told, I am glad that I have things to do, things that I find worthwhile and even fun. But, every once in a while I cry "uncle," you know? LOL

Here is a mish mosh of things that are keeping me busy or that I'd like to share.

The Quiet Book's Progress

The JCs^2's quiet book is underway, and it is a huge project. 

It is the 22nd quiet book I have made and incredibly time intensive. Everything I've ordered to make this book has arrived except for one appliqué whose tracking has been stuck at "Label created" since April 23. 

See those bright pink glasses? My optometrist gave me those - it is starting to get difficult to see all the tiny pieces close up. The joys of getting older, right?

I have a binder of all the planning pages from past quiet books. It is super helpful when I plan another one, helping me to remember what extras I might need to get for each page, the order I put the pages into the book,

and the measurements for the pages and how to cut them. Sounds easy, but it is more complicated than it sounds. I finished the first page of twelve yesterday, so I am making slow but steady progress.

Tempting New Block Prints

I told myself I would not order any more block print fabrics for a while as I have a closet full already.

Of course, then my favorite company announces a slew of new block prints.

Leslie ordered a lot of them for this year's Feast and she has been sending me tempting photos of what is available.

Ack! The temptation is real! So far I haven't bought any, but...

Lukie Scores!

Together, Curt and Vanessa are coaching Mila and Lukie's soccer teams.

Lisa filmed Lukie taking a penalty shot and scoring last Saturday. Yay, Lukie!

The Musical Mitchells

Jessica sent me a video clip of her family's performing activities in April. I pulled these screenshots from it to share.

Titan spent time in the recording studio

and then he and Cambria filmed another music video for composer Angie Killian called Be a Little Better.

Jessie couldn't share info or pics about this next activity for a while but now she can.

They auditioned as extras for the film Salt and Honey and all made the cut.

A Christmas film, it is being directed by Amy Redford, Robert Redford's daughter

and filmed in Helper, Utah. I am not sure, but I think maybe it is a Hallmark movie? Hallmark and other companies film a lot of shows and movies in Utah - there is a thriving music and film industry in the state.

Finally, they auditioned together for a summer production of Prince of Egypt and all made it into the cast.

I'd like to go out and see it, but it will depend on the timing of the performance. Fingers crossed!

Nash Update

The big boi continues to spend each weekday with us while Lisa is teaching. 

Doesn't that look like trouble just waiting to happen??

"Hey, stop hogging all the toys, Nash!!"

She reports that he is VERY happy to jump in the car with her every morning and come over to visit us. For us, it is clear that he is happy to have Pepper and Tammo's companionship.

Lisa is planning on getting another dog when school is out and that will help Nash feel less lonely and allow Lisa to run to the grocery or go on other errands without worrying that he is home all alone.

Ella - Noise!

In high school, Curt was captain of the boys' soccer team, and Ella Masar was the captain of the girls'. They have been friends since 6th grade, were Homecoming King and Queen together their senior year, and were especially connected through their mutual love of soccer.

Ella went on to play soccer for the University of Illinois and, as a hometown girl, the crowd would go nuts and chant, "Ella-noise! Ella-noise" repeatedly while she was on the pitch. 

Ella has gone on to a professional career, playing for several US teams including the Chicago Red Stars. She once invited Curt, Craig, and me to come watch her play and it was fabulous.

Curt and Ella after that game.

As a professional soccer player, Ella has played on several teams in the USA and in Europe, played for the US Women's National Team, and then turned coach. A few months ago Ella was called to help out as an assistant coach to Emma Hayes, the current US Women's National Team's coach.

She has had a very storied career and just moved to Germany to take a coaching position there.

This spring, the University of Illinois' 2026 Hall of Fame athletes were announced, and look who is now a Hall of Famer. 

Ella-noise!!

Goslings!

I am not a big fan of Canada Geese, but I do think their goslings are cute. We currently have several nesting pairs at our neighborhood lake.

This pair has five goslings they are caring for. They are good parents and scold Craig and me for playing frisbee with Pepper and Tammo. According to them, that is NOT allowed anywhere near the lake while they are raising their brood! 

Finally, Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

Dogwood Spring

Ever heard of "Dogwood Spring?" Our local meteorologist has been using the term the past couple of days as we are experiencing a Dogwood Spring right now. 

It is a reference to a time in spring when unseasonably cold weather comes through and disrupts the usual progression of the world waking up from winter. It is cold outside and I am thinking more about hot chocolate rather than coke right now! 

My lone (and very hardy) wild onion has braved the cold temps and is blooming, but nothing else is at the moment. (Well, dandelions. But they bloom almost year round. LOL)

We had a lot of family activities this weekend which meant that we would be out in that colder weather a lot. Fortunately, the first activity was indoors - Ian's wax museum at his school.

The 5th grade classes put on a wax museum of famous people, and his choice was Enzo Ferrari. 

Craig and I drove out to his school (waaaaay out in the country), but it was worth the drive.  And we were warm, both in the car and at the wax museum.

Saturday was a different story. Ian's soccer team had a match and that was outdoors, of course.

But still, it was worth the shivering - when his team earned a penalty kick, his coach asked Ian to take it for the team. And he scored! 

An hour later, Mila's team also had a match.

Coach Curt out on the field giving her some directions.

Mila usually plays (and prefers) defender or midfielder, but he moved her up to forward. 

She's a good soccer player and he rotates all the team members through positions so they get experience at them. As forward this weekend, she scored a goal! 

Despite the chilly weather, we still go down to the park every morning and play frisbee with Pepper and Tammo. Saturday as I was rolling my walker through the field, my wheel got tangled in something which then wrapped around my ankle and tripped me. 

Fishing line! Yards and yards of it!

I detangled my wheel and ankle and then began gathering it up. It ran all the way from the lake, past the pavilion, and then to the sidewalk beyond. A weight was still attached, but not the hook. I sure hope that that hook is not lying in the grass somewhere for a park user, human or canine, to step on. (I put a note on our neighborhood Facebook page cautioning others about what I'd found.)

When it's Dogwood Spring and so chilly outside, it can be nice to snuggle together in blankets, especially if you've been "forced" to go outside and chase frisbees. Poor, poor puppies! LOL

I soon warmed up and kicked off my shoes while reading.

Naturally, Pepper had to come over and make sure that those bare feet stayed warm for me. I'm her partner, her responsibility, and she keeps a good eye on me. (Meanwhile, my feet were roasting!) Silly, sweet girl!

Dogwood Spring should end by tomorrow and hopefully I can put my jackets and sweaters back into the closet and leave them there until next fall.  But you never know.

This is Indiana, after all.

That super long post intended for yesterday still isn't complete but I'm close. It's my guess for this year's BreyerFest Surprise Horse. 

Stay 'tooned!

Time for Some Mish Mosh!

It's been a while, but it's time for a mish mosh post - little things that I'd like to include in my journal but which don't make for a full blog post. So, they get combined into one post as a mish mosh!

Between Torlinie and Ella, I've mentioned soccer several times this month. Ian, Mila, and Lukie are all on teams again this spring, with Ian playing on a traveling team down by Indianapolis, and then Mila and Ian on teams coached by Curt. 

Vanessa's photography business, Pearl, is sponsoring both Mila and Lukie's teams, so it's a real family activity.

Guess who scored a hat trick in his last game? (A hat trick in soccer is three goals in one game.)

Lukie! And then Mila scored a goal in her game later in the day. Congratulations, you two!

It took us some time to convince Tammo that, while he was staying with us, it was okay to sleep on the bed and the couch. Not any more!

Now, it is not uncommon to go looking for him and discover this.

That sixth grade boi makes us smile all the time.

Lisa invites him over occasionally to spend the night with Nash. She has a doggie door and a fenced in back yard, and those boys run in and out of the house, playing hard for HOURS.

Tammo has spied Craig and me walking up to Lisa's door.

Of course, he has called an alert and now the pack is milling at the door in excitement. (Not that we will be able to get in without some effort!)

I took a quick snap of Lisa's "wall o'dogs" in her office. Gifts from us, an artist friend painted them from pictures I sent her.

Top to bottom: Millie, Nashie, and Mama.

Some of my students have chosen to stay in touch after leaving my classroom. This gal, Ryan, is one of them.

She texted me a few weeks ago, said she was going to be in Indy with her folks, and asked if Craig and I could meet her and her parents for dinner. Of course, I said yes!

I was her 4th and 5th grade teacher and she was one of those kids you are delighted to have walk through your doors every day. (I also taught two of her brothers and a sister.) Lucky me to have gotten two years with Ryan, and how fun it was to see her again (taller than me!), hear what she's been doing, and what her future plans are. 

These gaudy buttons have been sitting on my desk for weeks. I'd ordered a bunch of buttons to make sleeve buttons, and someone goofed at the warehouse.

These are enormous and not even remotely 18th century!

Still, they made me laugh and the company told me to keep them. (And then sent the buttons I'd actually ordered.) Leslie thought they were pretty funny, too, and we made a lot of jokes about them and how I could use them in my 18th century sewing. After all that, now I am trying to come up with a trick to play on her with them sleeve-button wise. Stay 'tooned on that.

I've gotta scoot - Ian has a soccer game at 8:15 this morning and Mila's game is at 11:00.  (Lukie's was last night.) 

Ian last night watching Lukie play. 

Mila chose to watch the match from a different vantage point - up in a tree.

It's also Ian's birthday today so the plan is to give him our gift after the game, but it's raining and the games may be cancelled. We may need to make alternate plans for that.

Stay 'tooned!

Masar is Here!

Look who's here! Torlinie!

Now known as "Masar" after our long time family friend, Ella Masar

who is now an assistant coach for the United States Women's National Team.

My intention to get Torlinie during BreyerFest 2022  somehow got lost in the shuffle.

In fact, I'd forgotten all about him until I wrote the blog post about Ella and discovered he had never made it here.

Luckily I was easily able to get an inexpensive one quickly and he is now ready to head over to the shelf housing most of my Stablemates.

(I'm still getting used to being a Stablemate collector and working on wrapping my mind around the idea of having a dedicated shelf for them.)

Welcome, Masar! You are a nice reminder of a gal who has been dear to my heart for many years.