IU Soccer Camp - Last Year!

Drop Off Day!

Oh my heart! How I have loved each and every year that Austen has gone to IU soccer camp. Now, there were two years of misses in there for COVID where they didn't conduct the camp but the four blissful summers where he (I) got to go down to IU for a few days and walk around my campus again was absolutely magical even in the blistering Bloomington heat. 

This was the first year that Tom drove him (and his friend) down on Thursday (and then Tom came back the same day). The girls had camps and Tom has the electric car that was a bit more economical for said road trip. Plus, we were returning on Saturday to do our usual IU walk around, dinner and meet friends for drinks before the games on Sunday morning so I didn't need to put double the miles on my car.

This was also the first year where Austen didn't have a huge crew going to camp with him. It was just him and his soccer bestie (we were the only ones who remembered to sign up early and all others drew the waitlist card and didn't get in). But they said it was probably their most fun year yet so I'm glad they ended on that note. 

The heat for once, was not brutal during camp. One of my BFFs from college contacted me that her son (who is good friends with the IU soccer coach and interning as director of operations for the team) was going to be there working the camp so he got to meet Austen again (they haven't seen each other for about 9 years now and they both look a lot different). Austen's team got to play against some of the real IU players and he said they were insane. That's about right for this amazing soccer program where they finished as NCAA finalists last year and have multiple NCAA championships under their belt. 

Anyway, we met up with my friend and her husband for drinks (like I do almost every year) as they live close to Bloomington, and then her son came and met us out, and filled us in on Austen's performance against the real IU players (ha ha!). He was playing left wing (winger) and he said he was fast down the line and had some dangerous crosses into the box. Almost had one too. 

Austen's report was that was the best part of the camp - getting to play against those IU players! He also said he played almost every position on the field. His evaluation was a solid one but needs to improve on being that vocal leader on the field which he is when he gets comfortable. He's not that vocal leader from the get go. He likes to feel things out to see where he fits in and then lead. However, going into his junior year, he needs to be a more commanding presence on the field in those uncomfortable and new situations as he will not have the luxury of days to prove to college coaches at camps that he is indeed vocal. 

During the Sunday morning games (on IU's Memorial Stadium), his team didn't do so well but Austen said they were in pretty much last place all week heading into the camp's "World Cup" but ended up taking third when Austen tied up the game, scoring on a direct kick. He's definitely dangerous there. He can put it in from distance and likes to read the keeper and the wall. If I were the opposing team, I wouldn't be giving any free kicks anywhere outside the box (and he prefers it not to be too close as he has more room to curve the ball or do whatever he needs to do). 

Lots of room to work on those shots, his leadership and his PKs when he begins his fall high school season. Actually, he's already been running, working out and going to the fields (in between his golf game). 

Big year ahead of him! 

Hailey on IU's Campus

Cool corner Hotel Room Overlooking Square

College Besties 

Playing on IU's Stadium. He's in orange (on the 25 yard line to the right) ready to take a direct kick (goalie had to extend and punch this one out!)

Peyton Gets Braces!

Finally! We had to pull four teeth that just wouldn't come out to start the process but she's finally on her way to much straighter teeth! 

We sought four opinions/ortho consultations for her mouth. She's missing a lateral (like me) and has a peg lateral on the other side. We won't be able to get an implant for her until she's in her early 20s so it was important for me (going through all of this myself at age 45) to have a solid plan until she reaches her early 20s, and after she gets her braces off. She will need a fake tooth to hold that space in her mouth until she's ready and so many orthos wanted to have a flipper on a retainer that would just be mortifying to a teenage girl. I really liked our new ortho's approach to her case, the way she manages her office and just her confidence with how we will proceed with her plan. This is a different orthodontist than both Austen and I used and so far, it's the one I will stick with for Hailey too.

Anyway, back to Peyton...if anyone could look cute in braces, it's Peyton. Somehow her teeth actually already look better! She chose the traditional braces (there are sooo many options now) but asked for her rubber bands keeping her wire on to be a light shade of purple (for Taylor Swift's lavender haze!). I had her pop some Advil before her appointment but she wasn't too bad. A few days of soreness and eating soft foods and she's good. She's been brushing her teeth better than before but refuses to use the wax on the brackets until her lips toughen up a bit. She also needs to keep her fingers out of her mouth! I swear the first broken bracket or wire will be because she was touching it with her fingers not because she ate something she shouldn't have! 

She's on her way, anyway, to have a beautiful smile! She can't wait! 

Welcome to Peyton!

Before Braces

It Went Swimmingly - Peyton's Championship Meet

Wearing her 5 medals!

It was Peyton's turn this time to showcase her skills at a big sporting event. Right after 4th of July, we came back from Michigan early (on the 5th) so she could at least have three practices before her Championship club meet on Saturday morning. 

It's not her competitive club team, it's our country club league championship that she was swimming in but you should see the number of club swimmers who have cuts for Nationals that swim in this league over the summer so it's still quite competitive especially in the older age groups. Peyton was happy that turning 13 this year put her in the 13/14 age group so she wouldn't have to swim against two of her really fast club friends and gave her a better advantage of earning even more points for her team.

First swim was the Medley relay. There aren't a ton of swimmers at the older age groups (especially girls) at our own club so Peyton swam this with three other club swimmers who were 12 year olds. Peyton swam her signature breast stroke for the medley relay and they placed third in the medley relay for 13/14 year olds out of 6 teams. Not too bad. 

Next came the 200 IM, not exactly her favorite event but she placed 5th in 13/14 out of 8 swimmers. Not terrible. Her 50 breast stroke came next and she narrowly missed a 2nd place finish by less than a second. She got 3rd. She finished out the meet with her team swimming the 200 free relay where her and the three 12 year olds placed 2nd in the 13/14 division. 

It was an all day meet that had her there (30 minutes away) at 7am and finally ended about 2:30pm. Her team placed 3rd out of 6 teams - a step up from the last two years for sure in what is a very competitive country club league. Peyton earned more medals this year than in previous years too so she was happy! Congrats P! 

3rd Place Relay Finish (in black suits, she's on bottom left)

She's on the Podium (5th place finish, lower left, black suit)

Happy 4th of July - 2023!

We celebrated the 4th again this year in Michigan with the usual crew of friends. Five stayed at our house with us and then there were another two at our friends' house down the road but we all get together for outings, dinners and the beach. 

Amazing Amateur Fireworks

They all arrived on the 3rd and we met up at Waypost Brewing company to sample some flights of beer and catch up. The kids played bags, soccer and a game called ladders to entertain themselves during our 2.5 hour outing. The beer was good, the shade was better and it was a good way to kick off the holiday. 

We returned to our house for the traditional 4th of July big dinner (held this year on the 3rd for those who needed to get back on the 4th early for work on the 5th). We started with appetizers and drinks and then our friend brought over ribs he had smoked all day and we made the sides to feed a group of 14 with some desserts too. We played more bags, added in Kan-Jam and walking to view the South Haven fireworks at the end of our road before calling it a night after a few rounds of cards. 

The 4th of July came and we headed to the beach. This is the most crowded you'll ever see our beach and it was crowded! But we managed to squeeze our large group into a spot and secure our Lily Pad (floating raft mat) in the water. Speaking of the water, its temperature had increased to a nice 70 degrees. Not Bora Bora temperature but a nice refreshing one to wake you up when you first got in. We adjusted nicely to it though and spent some time seeing who could stand the longest on the Lily Pad (easier for the kids than the adults). The weather was perfect and we didn't want to leave but it was getting late and we needed to eat. 

July 4th dinner consisted of burgers, brats and hot dogs, bbque chips, watermelon and desserts. Everyone was sufficiently stuffed and enjoyed watching the fireworks from afar as we ate on our balcony. More games ensued - bags, Kan-Jam, the Name game and then we all settled in for some singing while our friend played the Ukulele before retiring for the night. 

On Wednesday, some friends left early while others along with us enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before cleaning up and heading home. We had been in Michigan for 5 nights and 6 days by this point and our kids were ready to head home. We arrived in Michigan on Friday, and managed to do a little prep work in preparation for our guests (cleaning, cutting the lawn, laundry, sheets, shopping, preparing food) and hit a few of our favorite restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights, got in a round of mini golf and headed to our friends' beach to enjoy a bonfire on the beach (compliments of Tom's fire-making skills) and to watch their amazing 45 minute firework show which rivaled any that I'd ever seen.  It had been a long week full of friends and fun. Happy Independence Day! 

Friends from our 20s and now we're 50!

Gettin' in some mini golf

Happy 4th of July!