Hailey's Haunted House Birthday Party

Hailey has the perfect birthday. Right around Halloween so there is always fun ideas when we are thinking of her birthday party. She likes to keep it small so she invited 6 friends to help her celebrate her Golden Birthday.

There was one activity that she said she wanted to do for her birthday party and that was a Haunted House so I scoured the internet looking for the best Haunted Houses for tweens. Most of the friends she invited were chickens so I didn't know how she thought they'd actually want to do this with her but I did the research and we found one that sounded perfect nearby. Plus, I accidentally stumbled upon the fact that you could buy fast passes to this Haunted House if you had a larger group so you didn't have to wait in line (which that night ended up being two hours long). 

First though, we had the girls meet at our house to decorate pumpkins (the craft kind so they could keep them). Then we had a reservation at Jo Jo's Shake Bar for dinner. The weather was perfect so we were able to sit outside on their back deck where they had a pop Halloween display. Most of Hailey's friends had never been to Jo Jo's before so they definitely enjoyed the experience especially when the shakes came out! 

After dinner it was on to the Haunted House which was actually a Haunted Forest. First, you climbed into a wagon that drove you through a forest. Clowns ran out of the woods and chased the wagons with chainsaws. The girls screamed. And, I wondered how many were going to make it through. We already had one drop out before the Haunted Forest who got picked up early by her Dad. 

Next, the wagon dropped us off at a Haunted Trail and we began our slow descent into the forest as a group of 9 (Peyton came too). The girls clung to me, Tom and Peyton. Smokescreens, scary monsters and snakes and spiders came at us from all directions as we made our way through the trail. Halfway through, Hailey got bold and declared herself not scared of any of these ghouls and goblins. Miraculously, all the girls made it through. Most were happy they did it and Hailey said it was her best birthday ever. 

Another fun and unique birthday party in the books for Hailey, and her official last party until her Sweet 16! 

Decorating pumpkins

Jo Jo's Shake Bar

Hanging out at Jo Jo's

Pumpkin Patch

More fun decorations!

On the wagon ready to head into the forest

Austen's Senior Day and Conference Champs

It has been a road to get to the conference championship for Austen's high school soccer team but it was everything I knew they could do. I say that because this summer, Austen and I talked about how this team may be less skilled and talented than the previous two Varsity teams but I knew these players, particularly the Seniors, and knew that they had a good shot at winning conference, especially if they had some help from some good juniors too. 

Conference Champs!

These Seniors had grit and chemistry. After a rocky 1-6-1 start (which rests solely on the coaching), these boys turn it around and go 5-1 in conference play to win the West Suburban Silver Conference Championship outright. Our conference is challenging. Not impossible but we have some very good teams in it. One of these games, we go into overtime and the rest are pretty close. But we squeak it out with a 1-0 win over Downers Grove North last week and the boys, these boys, are so happy that together they did this. They played for each other and in the face of a very difficult beginning, they persevered and came up with the trophy. I told Austen, everything from here on out is just gravy. They accomplished what they set out to do this year.

They enter playoffs on Wednesday and will take on Jones College Prep in their first game and if they win, they will play for the Regional Championship on Saturday afternoon. Wins would be nice but I'm so happy for these boys to get that conference trophy, especially since no Varsity team has won it outright in the four years that Austen has been there. Congrats to them!

We also got to celebrate Austen's four years in the program with Senior Day. Tom and I were announced with Austen for one of his last game's on Dickinson Field. Here's what they said:

Welcome to Hinsdale Central's Bank Stadium where today we honor and celebrate our 13 Seniors who have all played in the Hinsdale Central Boys Soccer Program over the last four years. These boys have come of age together as friends and teammates from their freshman year, Saturday morning practices with donuts, compliments of Coach Begley, to winning the Hinsdale Central Freshman Shoot Out which included them having to be escorted off of Centennial Field after they beat a stunned Elgin team looking for a fight. 

The memories these boys have made together over the last four years will be forever etched in their minds long after this season is over and they leave Hinsdale Central. But today, we honor them as current players and have asked them to share a few thoughts and memories about playing soccer for Hinsdale Central...

#18 Austen's favorite moment of his high school soccer career would be making his penalty kick sophomore year in the regional final game shoot out vs. Whitney Young to advance to sectionals. A funny memory he has about a coach is one that I'm sure all our Seniors here today will remember - on bus rides to games freshman year they would play music and Coach Ferraro would tell them to turn that terrible music off! 

Austen's freshman coaches (now retired) were in the stands supporting the now Seniors that they coached four years ago. It was great to see them and know that they were still following their players after all these years. In fact, most of the boys' memories or favorite moments involved their freshman year and that's when you know that that chemistry and the ability to play hard for each other was formed four years ago. That's what our current coach didn't know about them and couldn't see - at least in the beginning - I'm sure by now he realizes his mistake. 

I couldn't be more proud of these Seniors. I've enjoyed watching them play throughout their four years and will miss being in the stands and watching them play next fall. What I won't miss is all the volunteer hours that I put into the program. I am looking forward to having my late summer/fall back next year if Peyton doesn't rope me into volunteering more for cheer!  

At any rate, congratulations to our Seniors and to Austen! What a ride it has been watching him play over the course of his four years. He's left us with unforgettable memories and friendships too. 

Senior Day!

Proud Parents

The Seniors!

The Senior Captains

Some of the Seniors at their Senior Dinner

Hailey Turns 11

Last Friday, Hailey turned 11. Of course our Friday was jam packed with non-birthday, non-Hailey things so we tried real hard to make it special for her in spite of these events that got in the way of her birthday. 

First, Tom and I picked her up from school and took her to lunch (they have open lunch at her school) at the restaurant of her choice. She ordered sushi, chicken tenders and had to have the cookie skillet at her classmates' suggestion. She ate all of it and was back at school in time for PE class (which she said she could miss since it was the very boring gymnastics unit). 

We picked her up after school as it was the only time where all 5 of us would be together for a quick 15 minutes of opening presents before Peyton had to be back at school for cheerleading and I was going to work her fundraising tailgate for cheer. 

She opened up her presents really quick. She got a lot of things from us that she didn't ask for but loved like Halloween earrings, new Nike Air Max sneakers, basketball attire and new basketball shoes. Peyton wrote her a really nice card (not really) and for the first year, Austen bought her one from the store. (I really like when they write their own cards to each other unless they are not very nice - like Peyton's who said "Happy Birthday to the girl who can't ride a bike!")

After opening presents, Tom dropped Peyton and I off at school for cheer and the fundraiser tailgate. He hung with Hailey, and Austen eventually left for his soccer game. 

After working 1.5 hours at the fundraising tailgate, Tom and Hailey picked me up and we jetted over to Austen's game (30 minutes away) but not before picking up Hailey's dinner of choice (Cane's). Normally, Tom and I would split games and one of us would go see Peyton cheer and the other would go to Austen's game but this was a big game for Austen to help secure a conference title so we told Peyton that we were going to Austen's game. Hailey didn't mind too much going to Austen's game since the time would be shorter than going to a football game to see Peyton cheer. Plus, I told Austen he needed to score a goal for Hailey for her birthday. 

Well, it was an exciting and crazy game and Austen ended up scoring two goals for Hailey! After scoring his first goal and heading back to the half line, he points at Hailey in the stands to let her know that that one was for her. Then, at the end of the game, the boys come over to the stands to clap for the fans and the fans clap for their 3-1 win. Austen holds up 2 fingers for Hailey and she beams. You can see how much she loves her big brother even if she has to go to his game on her birthday. 

We get back in the car to drive back to pick up Peyton but not before picking up a Hailey request - Portillos chocolate cake. We get Peyton, Austen comes home, and finally we all sing to Hailey at about 9:45pm that night. 

Before bed, I ask Hailey what the best part of her birthday was and she says, "Austen scoring those two goals for me and giving me the shout out." Oh my heart. How great it is to have a big brother who loves his little sister and makes her birthday special even when she has to go to his game on her special day. 

I'd say Hailey's golden (11 on the 11th) birthday was one she'll never forget. 

A new basketball!

Bracelet maker!

Two goals for Hailey!

Happy 11th Birthday!

Austen 3; Uncle Mark 0

I'd be remiss if I didn't write about Austen and Uncle Mark playing against each other the past three years. As soon as Austen made Varsity sophomore year, Mark and Austen's coach agreed to play each other over the course of the next three years. 

Austen holds up the #3

And, this past year was the last year they will do so. We had the entire family come out for the festivities which was so fun and nice of them! 

Austen scored the first goal for his team who went on to secure a 3-0 victory (it may have been their team's first win). And, that made it three years in a row that they beat Uncle Mark's team. Austen may or may not have scored in every single one of those games. 

The best part is that over the course of the past three years, he told none of his teammates that he was playing against his uncle. And even after the final whistle in their last game together, he still didn't divulge any details - typical Austen. 

It's been a great and memorable three years of playing against each other. Thanks for setting that in motion  Uncle Mark!

The fans

More fans

Austen's cheer squad

Austen's Senior Soccer Season

I've refrained from writing about Austen's senior high school soccer season because the start of it was a difficult one. Not necessarily for Austen but for their team. Never in 14 years of Austen playing have I seen a coach treat players so unfairly and silence them when they tried to talk to him. 

Let me begin by saying that Austen was not the one being treated unfairly. The coach has been fair to him and treated him pretty well over the course of the past few years. But this year, Austen is one of three captains. This is nothing new to him as he's been a captain for his Club team over the past three years with three different coaches and never have I seen a coach not collaborate with his captains. 

Senior Year 2024

First, I must go back to the beginning. Never in the history of this team has he taken 8 freshman and sophomores on the Varsity team. Usually it's 1-3 sophomores each year. Austen was one of two taken his sophomore year so was less than thrilled that he took that many this year, and players whom he didn't think had the skills to compete at the Varsity level at this time. 

And, he wasn't wrong. Not sure what I was seeing the first game as the coach actually played these freshman and sophomores while the juniors and seniors, who I knew were more skilled sat the bench (and not because they were late or disrespectful). Just because. We end up losing that game by several goals. I chalk it up to the coach trying to figure things out but couldn't fathom why those good players were sitting the bench over kids who couldn't even trap the ball (I'm not kidding). 

Second game, we lose by several more goals to a 2A team (we are 3A - big difference). He does much of the same playing these young players. The upperclassmen are livid after the game. The captains ask to speak to him. He says no. They ask to speak to him before the next game. He says no. These kids are frustrated and have been silenced by their coach. Something doesn't seem quite right here. Austen expresses his frustration to me after the game. The coach approaches us (bad move by him) and asks if there's anything else he can help Austen with. Really? You just told my kid you wouldn't speak to him and now you approach us and ask us that? Austen says no but the coach has approached us so I feel like that gives me the perfect excuse to ask him if he's trying to ruin their Senior Year. I don't say exactly who shouldn't be playing but I do tell him who should be. The boys cheer after I'm done and I think more about how this is no one's season but theirs and they haven't even been given a fair chance. 

The next game is better (because he barely plays the freshman and sophomores) and we tie a good team. Then he continues to play the freshman and sophomores the next few games and we lose to teams we've never lost to in Austen's four years of playing high school soccer. I want to scream because it's that obvious who should and shouldn't be playing especially when you aren't winning! So you need to change and try different things. The AD gets involved. Another senior quits the team. Parents are upset and seething all at the same time. I can't even believe my kid needs to try to lead a team through this shit show of coaching. 

Finally, after way too many games have gone by and our record is 1-6-1, he puts in the players he should have been playing all along. Miraculously, we start winning and we don't stop. We knock off teams that are ranked. Is it pretty soccer? No, it's not and we aren't all that skilled but this team - these seniors who I saw all play together as freshman -  have a hell of a lot of chemistry together and they have grit. That will get them somewhere. That somewhere is hopefully a conference championship. With three games to go to clinch, they have their eyes set securely on that title. 

This is what I always thought they could be and the team that I enjoyed watching as freshman. They truly play for each other - something that their freshman coach instilled in them. And, I hope they get to see that conference championship come to fruition for their hard work and perseverance in the face of a more than difficult beginning.  

A big win beating their conference rivals

Austen on the pitch