Regionals - Regrets, Heat and Unbreakable Bonds

Last Thursday, Austen and I made the trek to St. Louis to start regional play that would advance them to the National League competition in Florida in July. 

The first thing we notice when we arrive is the blistering heat. A cool 90-95 degrees daily. We knew this was going to be a factor in play so Austen had been hydrating at least five days before. Still the hot sun coupled with the fact that the league allowed limited subbing meant that it was going to be a tough few days. 

First game, the boys came out strong. They created many offensive opportunities but the one chance the other team got they put it away. We score the equalizer a few minutes later and then manage to miss every chance we had to get the ball into the net. This game will come back to haunt them and we end in a 1-1 tie against a mediocre South Dakota team. (Their goalie did a remarkable job of saving some tough shots but still this game should have been at least 3-1 or 4-1.)

Boys complain it's so hot the bottoms of their feet are literally burning from the scalding turf below bleeding up through their cleats. We don't know what to tell them except poor water on your shoes?!

Second game is probably our toughest against Kentucky. We score early for a 1-0 lead and had a few other quality chances but can't put the ball away. They score the equalizer with about 20 minutes left to play and again we end in a 1-1 tie. 

Another tie when we should be winning these games now puts us at the mercy of South Dakota having to beat or tie (with us getting at least two goals in our final game) Kentucky. Not great when you leave your destiny up to another team. They play on the field next to us for our last game so we will be able to watch their game and ours. 

Third game we play a Missouri team who has a wild card into regionals and clearly aren't up to par. We start easily finding the back of the goal and Austen puts away his first goal of the tournament. We score one more and then Austen puts away another to the upper left hand corner of the goal on a direct kick outside the box. We have now secured the number of goals we need to advance but we go on to score two more for insurance purposes. 

Much of that third game the parents were focused on what South Dakota was doing to Kentucky on that field next to us. It was a battle. When South Dakota scored, we would cheer too. The boys all knew we were watching that game and even the other team said, "I don't think your parents are even watching your game!" With 20 minutes left, Missouri is up 3-2 on Kentucky. We have a chance. We have a good chance. But then Kentucky gains momentum and they score one to tie up the game. Still time left and we just need South Dakota to hold on but they don't. They end up losing 4-3 and our season is over. Heartbreaking to go home when you never lost a game but you didn't win too many either. Ties mean nothing. You have to put the ball in the back of the net. 

Lots to learn from and work toward for next year for sure. This is certainly a talented group of boys who had a lot of fun together and who genuinely like each other. They turn to their high school seasons now and will enjoy playing against each other on the pitch until late October or early November when they will reunite and get a chance to take it all home again!

One of them scored here - not sure if it was Austen or Connor

  

The goal! 

Right before the goal, lining up - love this shot with his soccer BFF

Father's Day 2023

I didn't post on Mother's Day but had a nice time at the spa with my mom a few days before per usual and then it was all about soccer as Austen had two games on that day. He did manage to score 1 goal for me in one of those games so that was nice. 

Our Top Papa

On Father's Day there never seems to be games so we headed up to Michigan like we have been the last several years to celebrate. We arrived Friday early evening and just did some errands (like the grocery store) before ordering pizza in and retiring early to bed. 

On Saturday, we ate a big breakfast and then Tom, Austen and Papa left to golf at a Jack Nicklaus golf course (Harbor Shores) that was quite challenging. They were amazed by the beauty of the course but it was a difficult one that swallowed up at least 30 golf balls between the three of them. 

It was a bit too cool for the beach that day so the girls and I took Sadie to the boutique dog store in town to buy her a toy and treats. Then we headed off to shop so the girls would have some clothes up there that actually fit. 

We met the guys at home later and then had an early dinner at another golf course (Clearbrook in Saugatuck) on their patio. The cool day turned into a warm night and we were able to comfortably enjoy a nice dinner together. We topped off the evening with some ice cream and a stroll down to the pier. 

Mother's Day Picture 

Sunday, Father's Day, was a bit warmer so after a big breakfast coupled with presents and cards, we headed to the beach for a few hours. The water was still cool so the only one who went in was Peyton but the sun was definitely warm and the water was like glass which made it a perfect day.

We capped off the weekend with dinner reservations at home later that night at our club since everyone had a full/early Monday and we needed to be back at a decent hour. We got in 48 hours in Michigan though! Our first family weekend of the summer!

Our top "Papa" 

Tom didn't send me any pictures he took on the golf course yet and we didn't take an official Father's Day photo but here Tom is taking his kids to a Blackhawks game (we only had 4 tickets so I kindly stayed home!). 

State Cup Champs 2023

IL State Cup Champs 2023 - U16

Three years ago we moved Austen to a different travel club for soccer. His previous club was amazing for all that they taught him, and they made him the player he is today by really fostering learning foot skills at an early age and making all of them practice those especially in games. But it was time to leave. After seven years, their team that once was strong had expanded to include some newer players without the same skills while other players had already left. So off I went to research where I could move him in the area. I asked questions of friends with older boys who played competitive soccer. I checked out a few clubs. I knew he wanted to play high school soccer and continue to play baseball too so that really excluded him trying out for any Academy level teams.

After a few months of checking out other clubs, we decided on Galaxy Soccer Club in Naperville, which was a 40 minute drive from our house. So for almost three years (and during COVID when they practiced outside w/ masks), we drove Austen three times a week out to Naperville for his 1.5 hour practice where we waited for him and then drove back home. That's three hours out of our night three times a week. That is until this past January when he turned 16 and could drive himself! Anyway, it was a lot of time for all of us. 

The Team

However, there were some quality kids on this team from the beginning with a club that had a history of going far in Nationals and training some really good players. Every year, this team acquired more and more talent and grew stronger. Over the years they dealt with a very good player who was an amazing player but a terrible teammate; a coach who carried 28 kids on their roster and would play everyone the same number of minutes (frustrating!); and then finally a coach who left them (to go to coach at a D3 college) at the beginning of their season (this year) right when they were finally showing everyone how good they could be. 

Other coaches in the club stepped in to coach them during practices and games but no one really had the time to focus on this team at a pivotal point in their development and right before many of them were going to start the recruitment process for college. One of the coaches who stepped in (and will be their coach moving forward) was also booked solid with securing his A license for coaching which was a lot of time so he wasn't around much for practices or games. Then during an important game that would automatically qualify us for Nationals, he was so sick that he could barely coach our boys from the bench. And, that was after a week of not having a consistent coach to lead our practices the week before this big game. It's been a challenge for sure. These boys are talented but have not made it easy for themselves to get to Nationals. During one of the National events, they gave up a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the game to tie a team that then secured an automatic bid to Nationals. 

So our only hope was State Cup play. They easily won the first game. The second game they looked so bad I wasn't sure what team I was watching but then again they had to have a "spare" coach come in and coach these boys second half when our "coach" had to leave. We end up losing 1-0 on an own goal that game. The next game we easily win. We advance to quarterfinals then semifinals (in overtime!) and then finally onto the final game where the boys clinched the State Cup in a 2-0 win!

On to Regionals in St. Louis next week where they will need to win their first three games to advance out of the bracket to secure placement in the semifinals. After that they need a "W" in the final game to advance to Nationals in Florida in mid-July.    

It certainly hasn't been an easy road but they did it - the hard way! and, now they're on to capture the next Cup! Good luck to these talented 2007 boys! 

Celebrating a goal! The joy!

Footwork!

Taylor Swift Eras Tour 2023

Peyton has been asking for awhile to go to a concert. She's my music kid. Not like playing an instrument music kid but ask her who sings any song and she knows it. She's our "sound hound."

So when Taylor Swift announced that she was going on tour to highlight all of her albums and "eras" of music, Peyton saw this as a great opportunity to attend her first concert. 

Our "Eras" Outfits

I did everything right in trying to secure a code so I could buy tickets when she came to Chicago, however, as many of us know, the site crashed and not many people could get tickets. Heck, I didn't even get a code to try to buy tickets. Anyway, fast forward and I see that the Hinsdale Humane Society has a pair of tickets to the T. Swift tour and I jump on those and win them in their silent auction. They aren't floor seats (they are side view) but I'm just happy I got tickets and we are inside the stadium to see this epic concert. 

For months, Peyton listens to all the T. Swift songs and makes me listen to them too. We must know all the words, she says! We must also (at her insistence) be dressed in theme of one of her eras. I hate dressing up in any theme (Halloween is not my favorite holiday) so I resist this a bit until I find something that looks like normal clothes I would wear again. We make bracelets for trading and buy clear purses for stadium admittance. I book lunch and parking in the city. This is a big thing and I am looking forward to it and dreading all the waiting and crowds at the same time. 

But on the last day of school, the wait is finally over. We leave about 1pm from home and drive downtown listening to our T. Swift playlist on the way. We notice a bunch of other Swifties heading down early and we throw on our heart shades (Peyton) and flash our bracelet clad wrists in solidarity as we drive and wave to each other. 

We park and have lunch on the river. Peyton has blisters already from her shoes and I tell her we still have a lot of walking left to do. She sucks it up and says she'll be fine. The pain numbed by her adrenaline to see Taylor. She's adamant about getting to Solider Field by 4:30pm so she can get the "merch" she wants. We arrive at 4:25pm and wait a bit til the line starts moving and then we are in rather quickly after the security checkpoint. We get in line for merchandise (it's moving but still rather long). The lady in line in front of us gets a call from her SIL who is in another merchandise line that's much shorter so we make friends with her and follow her to another line where we cross our fingers that the blue crewneck she wants doesn't sell out before we get there. We make small talk with our new friends and trade bracelets. We get to the front of the line and are able to secure all the merch Peyton wants. We get some waters and head to our seats in the shade to check our email and wait until the opening acts come on in 1 1/2 hours. We see Owenn (one of her back up dancers and now artist) as well as Girl in Red (who swore a lot). 

Then finally, there's a countdown and T. Swift comes on for 3 hours and 20 minutes! We stand almost the entire time and sing our hearts our (or rather Peyton does because she knows all the words!). I take it all in and am amazed at the sheer production value of this tour and what Taylor Swift can do. She's amazing. But I also revel in this time with my first born daughter and know that we'll both remember this time together forever. I will remember how happy she is in this moment and how excited she was and how for months she couldn't stop talking about this Tour. And, that makes me happy. Happy that we could provide this experience for her because she's a great kid (straight As fourth quarter of 7th grade) and happy that I was the one who got to experience it with her. 

We walk back to the car trying not to get hit by all the rickshaws and arrive home at 12:40am exhausted but elated for the time together and this experience. Blessed. 

Lunch @ South Branch Tavern on the river

Our bracelets we made for the tour

Our view

Peyton Makes Her Confirmation

Four years ago, we switched parishes so Austen could make his confirmation in the 8th grade instead of our parish's current 10th grade rule. If we were going to do this, we knew that it would be hard to have kids attending any type of class into high school with more intense sports schedules and homework.

Newly confirmed

But, at the beginning of this year, and with a new, very young priest at the helm, our old parish switched confirmation to 6th grade so we switched back! Therefore, everyone 6th grade and older got to be confirmed this year. That also meant that it felt like COVID because guests were limited (4 plus confirmandi and sponsor) just like how Austen's was when he was confirmed two years ago. Papa served as Austen's sponsor then, and Peyton also asked Papa to be her sponsor as probably one of the more religious people she knows. 

She chose the name "Catherine" as her confirmation name since Catherine of Bologna was an artist and Peyton does like to draw and create. So while I'm behind on my posts, at the end of April, Peyton was confirmed in her faith by the Catholic Church. Her family (and Papa) were there to witness her confirmation of her faith. 

Due to the timing of the event, we couldn't go out to dinner before or after the event but Peyton put in her request for food (appetizers including charcuterie and pizza slices) and desserts (Crumbl Cookie and pie -for the adults) that we could bring in to eat a quick meal before and after.

To date, two out of three are confirmed! One more to go! Hailey has three more years of religious ed but she is so happy to be back at the parish with all of her friends so she doesn't mind going at all and Peyton (and Austen) are just happy they don't have to go to religious ed anymore. 

A big night

Getting ready

Two out three confirmed!