Skills!

We've had a busy fall in spite of COVID with soccer games x 3 (well, really scrimmages for Hailey and Peyton) and fall ball baseball as well as swimming for both girls. 

Hailey at kick off w/the hat

Hailey says that soccer is her favorite sport. She's learning lots of foot skills and utilizing them on the field right now. She has a better "scissor" than Austen at this age, that's for sure. You can see her doing one in the video below. She's lucky as one of her parent coaches is Austen's old travel coach. High level coach for rec soccer so she's learning a ton. Hope it continues or I may have only one soccer player in the family.

Peyton continues to swim on her development team and loves it. She plays soccer for fun and definitely is one of the better players among the 5th/6th graders. She's naturally aggressive which bodes well in soccer (something my other two don't have). She's scored a bunch of goals and can take it up the sidelines when she wants to as well. Plus, she's grown a ton and is almost 5 feet tall now so her size definitely helps her power through some players. I'm pretty proud of how she's done this season and how much she wants to impress the 6th graders. 

Austen continues his fall ball season and will play for the championship this week. His hitting has been sporadic after having a stellar travel season and finishing with .415 batting average. But two games ago he hit a double so he still has it but he's playing with the big kids (9th graders) this year so sometimes he says that they are pitching really fast too (good practice). Still he continues to work hard at his hitting and as always still a very solid field player at shortstop or center field. As for soccer, he loves his new team and his coach. He's still finding his footing as for game play and how much he can contribute offensively while still playing defense. I have not really seen the Austen that I know bring it like I know he can. This could be because they are playing at a really high level and his style of play has changed and the new coach wants different things from him. All good. I just think it will take him a bit to get into a groove and be a little more selfish with the ball. His team needs him offensively and it would be nice to see him start to score again. A growing year for sure.

Thankfully,we've had these fall sports to keep the kids busy and active. I'm not even thinking about winter and how that may be moving forward. Hailey wants to play basketball and Peyton will continue to swim. Baseball will start for Austen and I'm not sure how soccer will shape up. Will the kids all be wearing masks indoors while playing?! I think so!

Austen in action

Apples and Corn Mazes in Michigan

We didn't make it until early October to pick apples due to our "busy" schedules so we didn't get to pick any Honey Crisp apples but we did get some delicious Empire and Mutsu apples. 

My kids love apples, especially Hailey, so we didn't want to miss the apple picking season, therefore, after all our games were complete on a Saturday morning we hurriedly piled in the car and drove to Michigan to get in our apple picking before it got dark and closed. We bought probably 5 pounds of apples and are still eating them even after Tom made the best apple pie (new recipe) and it was delicious! Not sure if it was the apples or the new recipe or Tom's great baking abilities!

Tom and I have been going to the same orchard in Fennville, Michigan, before kids or maybe it was when Austen was really small but we wanted to keep the tradition going with apple picking and then a nice break for some apple cider and donuts outside their pie pantry even during this COVID year. 

When the kids were little (and pre-COVID) they used to have hay rides and a cow train that the kiddos used to ride in. Some loved it more than others and it was bumpy as hell when the adults would have to ride with them because they were so small but it got us laughing. 

Since the kids have gotten older we've started doing the corn maze instead of the rides. It's huge and each year it's a new pattern (this year the image was honoring our essential workers/health care heroes). We didn't have time to do the corn maze the same day as the apple picking because we're always running from one game to another so on a different Saturday during this month of October we were able to squeeze in the corn maze. We chose to go through the maze questions twice - one for Halloween questions/trivia and one that was TV and movies. There are 10 numbered sign posts that you have to find and when you get to those sign posts, you have to answer a question and then select the answer from a list. Your selected answer will tell you which way to go until you get to the next sign. If you guess the wrong answer then you are stuck in the maze for awhile. We were pretty speedy completing the first maze in about 30 minutes and the second one in about 20 minutes (although we were still the last ones to leave and Peyton started growing a little panicky!).

 Still a fun tradition for our family to continue each year even during the pandemic (since it was all outside).

My three little pumpkins

 

 

The apple of my eye!

Cute as apple pie

The boy who broke the apple tree (he did!)

Hailey had to help get the good apples!

Starting our corn maze adventure

Finding our way out of the corn maze

We made it out!

 

Hailey Turns 7!

Our first birthday to celebrate amid the COVID pandemic and we couldn't guarantee good weather to be outside so we told Hailey she couldn't have a party but we would still make her feel extra special. And that we did!

She woke up with a big sign on our front lawn wishing her a happy 7th birthday complete with cats, dogs and books - all her favorites. Then we began our day with fun video messages from friends and family. She really loved all the messages and that everybody thought of her on her birthday. After that it was chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast (her order) and "Hailey is 7" birthday donuts. While digesting, we opened her many presents (Austen and Peyton were very jealous). Then we were off to Build a Bear where she picked out a new stuffed animal and a bunch of clothes for it including a COVID mask and some Halloween accessories/costumes.

After Build a Bear, she went to watch her brother's baseball game (not part of what she wanted to do but she had so many fun things to play with including her sister Peyton who promised to take her to the nearby park so she was happy). Plus, family showed up to give her even more presents and birthday wishes so she was in Heaven as the day was all about her. 

When the game was over, we went home so she could play for a bit before Grandma Szurgot stopped by to give Hailey more presents. Then I was off to get her cake before running back home to head to an early dinner at her favorite restaurant where she insisted we order the big pretzel and she then ate her favorite - a cheeseburger/fries. 

We were all so full but we had to still have cake back home too. In fact, she gave me very specific instructions about her cake down to the Animal Jam character she wanted on top and what it should say and in what color. I had a local baker design it and she did a great job. Hailey gave her the thumbs up. 

We gave her extra time to play even though it was a school night but she was still not ready to head to bed. She didn't want her birthday to be over but I was exhausted from making it extra special all day long for her and now had to deal with the overtired tears. After snuggling up in bed with her for a few minutes, she calmed down and drifted off to sleep. 

She told me this morning that she was sad that everyone would not do exactly as she wanted today or any other day because it wasn't her birthday anymore. Thank God. She kind of turned into a monster at the end. It was a good thing the monster was so tired that she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and drifted off to sleep! 

But it was a great birthday even though we couldn't have a party to celebrate her. She did say at one point it might've just been her best birthday ever. 

So thanks to everyone who made it special this year even though we were smack dab in the middle of a pandemic!

Birthday Donuts!

Piles of Presents!

Animal Jam Cake

Build A Bear (again)

Dinner with the Family

She's Healed! It's a Miracle!

 On Sunday, we were sitting at Austen's baseball game. It was such a beautiful afternoon. A bit cool but not too hot so we decided to bring Sadie since with social distancing we all spread out and can view his game from the outfield. 

The field happens to back up to our church and with the church bells going off every hour, I remember that it is the day for the Blessing of the Pets. I check my email and note that it's taking place in 30 minutes in the courtyard just west of us. The girls are game for walking over with me so at 1:30pm we make the trek over. There are many people and dogs (no cats or other creatures which I think now is a bit odd) and everyone is wearing masks. Some dogs are better behaved than others including the priest's dog Isaiah who is a pit bull. The priest has a tough time trying to read the prayer and control Isaiah. I don't think he gets along too well with others considering Austen had said they had a fire drill during religious ed one time and the priest happened to be walking his dog and instructed all the kids not to pet him. The priest finally gave up trying to read the prayer and corral his dog, handing him off to a friend. Sadie was a perfect angel. Sitting down nicely and not barking. I reminisce about how I used to sweat trying to control Sadie in small spaces with other dogs around when she was a puppy. (She really gave me a run for my money and was so crazy.) She really has turned into a great dog. My thoughts are interrupted by Hailey. She has a lot of questions about this blessing. 

Hailey with Sadie

"Will she be able to run again?" she asks. 

"Yes," I say, "it will help her."

"Will she be able to jump?" she adds 

"Maybe," I reply not wanting to lead her astray since she's really interested in this blessing and Sadie being healed. 

The priest finishes his short prayer and comes around with a small broom and a bowl of holy water. He dips the broom and flicks it in the air moving between each of us and covering each animal (and all of us too) in what feels like huge rain drops. The blessing was over and per usual I grabbed Sadie's harness to help her up. 

"Wait, mom, why did you have to help her up? Did it not work?" Hailey asks. 

"Oh, well, it's not magic," I say, "sometimes it takes a little longer." 

 "Like an hour?" she inquires. 

"Yeah, something like that," I tell her. She seems to be satisfied and believes that her dog will be healed. 

We go home later and she's thrilled that Sadie can hobble/run in the backyard and make it up our back steps without assistance (this is largely due to changing her meds the last week or so). 

See, I tell her, it's a miracle! If only, she knew how much of a miracle we need to get this dog to live longer than Addie but so far her new meds seem to be helping a lot!

Receiving the Blessing