The Final Piece of the Pie

There's one thing that my kids did in 5th grade art class that I absolutely loved. Austen came home with it at the end of the 5th grade and I couldn't believe how he could create something so beautiful in just the 5th grade. It was a cherry pie. The level of detail on that pie was astounding from the carefully rolled cherries to the lattice work crust to the carefully placed circles of whip cream with the cherry on top. Not only was I very impressed with his eye for detail but I thought it was a huge credit to his art teacher, Mrs. Tiemstra, at the time. 

Austen's Cherry Pie

A few years later came Peyton's piece of pie. By this time Mrs. Tiemstra had retired and we had a new art teacher so we weren't sure if she was going to continue the tradition of having the 5th graders make these pies. We found out the good news that she was going to continue the tradition but the bad news was since it was COVID, they weren't allowed to use the kiln that year. So Peyton didn't make a pie. But Peyton was artistic so she took art classes in middle school and did join the afterschool art club so she had an opportunity to work with clay and she knew that I really wanted another piece of pie. And, one day she did surprise me with her lemon pie (I don't think it was a meringue so not sure where her idea for a lemon pie came from). But, I was thrilled to get another piece of pie. You look at Peyton's pie and it really represents how I've seen her work when we've been paired together doing gingerbread houses. She doesn't like to come up with a plan beforehand, she just likes to see where her art will take her. And, without a teacher guiding her to think about all the details of the pie, she threw all her ingredients in the bowl and came up with something that was very much her.

Peyton's Lemon Pie

Hailey knew how important the final piece of the pie was going to be so she told me halfway through 5th grade that they were working on their pies. She not only had a great teacher guiding her in Mrs. Andrilik but she also had two examples which sat on our island every day and she could study. She chose to make a blueberry pie. But she had studied Austen's as making a blueberry pie is similar to a cherry one. She rolled the clay into little blueberries and painted them after they were fired. Made a crust (not a lattice one) and remembered to put a dollop of whipped cream on the top too. She was so proud when her piece of the pie was complete. And, while I don't have all three at home yet, I'm confident that they will sit somewhere in my kitchen as a reminder of their 5th grade (or middle school as in Peyton's case) years. 

Hailey's Blueberry Pie

I love these cutie pies!

Hailey's Basketball Season Ends W/ 3rd Place Medal

Hailey ended her first travel basketball season this past weekend. It was a good ride for Hailey considering she'd only played rec basketball before this year. While she still has some catching up to do skill wise compared to other travel girl basketball players her age, she learned a lot this year and had a lot of fun. 

3rd Place Champs

Her team was kind and her coach was great about giving them all an opportunity to play. Playoffs were a bit different where they were gunning to win and while she didn't get major minutes, she didn't let that affect her and made it count when she did hit the court. In their first playoff game, they knocked off the #2 seed (they were the #7 seed) and advanced to play the #3 seed. They ended up losing that game to go to the final but did end up getting 3rd place in the consolation game. 

Hailey's defensive skills are solid as she likes to make the steals. If she was a bit more aggressive like her mama, she could have had lots of steals, rebounds and jump balls but she's coming into her own and exploring a game that she likes and it kept her busy all winter season. I think she'll play again next year if she makes the team again. Hopefully, that sleepover basketball camp that she's going to this summer with some of her friends will provide her with some useful skills. But, as I told her (quoting one of Austen's soccer coaches), if all you do is go to practice, you're going to be average. Go out there and shoot some hoops and free throws. Practice your lay ups. Choose to get better. So we'll see if in the off season she takes this advice. 

As for me, I don't think I've watched more basketball in my life than this season between Hailey's games and Peyton's cheering for basketball. The games do go quick but sometimes we were sitting through two games in a row or in a day and then that was long! But it was nice being inside and not having to brave the cold or rain. I could get used to this sport if Hailey likes it enough to stick with it. 

Last regular season game

Waiting for the consolation game to start

Bittersweet Victory - Nationals Finally!

Austen's club soccer team traveled to Texas two weekends ago to compete in the semifinals of their National League. In January, they were in Arizona for the quarterfinals where they just had to win one game to advance to the semifinals (due to their record last year). Good thing too because they only won one game and lost the next two (albeit one was in PKs). Anyway, they had advanced to these semifinal games but now needed to win all 3 games to advance to Nationals in Florida at the ESPN Complex. We had been hoping for Nationals the last two years especially for these boys. They were so close so many times. It was heartbreaking to watch. Such a good team. They had the chemistry and even the skill but somehow luck never ended up on their side. 

Ticket punched! (Austen on the left)

That luck changed hands in Texas. The boys won their first game 4-0 against a physical but not so strong Maryland team. Our team looked good - for once this year. I say that because gone is the chemistry. In, are a bunch of new players (some coach recruits - look back at my high school soccer post where Austen scores the game winner against these new "favorite" recruits to head to state) looking for a new club for one year only (who changes clubs their senior year?!). Totally destroyed the entire chemistry of this team. Kids quit, others aren't rostered in major games. Kids sit the bench in favor of the new players (who in my "expert" opinion are not any better than our current players) who haven't even played at this level. I've seen first hand how you can be a star player in high school as that level of competition is not the same and you can be a star on your lower level club team but now when you have to play real talent we get to see how you really compare. And they can't. 

Anyway, second game, they go down 2-0 in the first half. Coach continues to scream his head off at them. What a psycho we all think. So many parents are so over him. We almost beg for a new coach the third year in a row for these boys at midseason. We don't even care. Austen and one of their D1 recruits on their team sit most of the second half while his new favorite recruits continue to do nothing. No changes made. Club president is there and tells the coach to put both of them in with 10 minutes to play. They go in and Austen immediately assists the first goal to the D1 recruit. Second goal happens minutes later off a beautiful corner from Austen to the far post where another one of our original players puts a beautiful cross to the middle for an easy tap in by the "favorite." Next comes a major PK on a blatant foul by the other team right in front of the referee in the last minute. We end up winning in the last 10 minutes 3-2. 

Next game is a big deal. We must win. Coach sits on the bench sulking the entire game. Who knows why. Barely coaches them. A true 180 from his screaming and yelling the last two games. His line up also makes no sense. It doesn't seem like he wants the boys to win at all. They end the game scoreless and must go to PKs. The boys take over coaching and line themselves up for PKs. Amazingly none of the favorites are the top five shooters. Thank God he doesn't mess with that because we win when all five our original boys make their PKs (including Austen) and the other team misses one of theirs. We win 5-4 in PKs. The boys are happy to finally be going to Nationals. Coach barely says congratulations to them. Bittersweet for sure. The soccer wasn't great. The chemistry surely wasn't there but somehow these boys advance. And our coach sure as hell can't take credit. He's a disaster and an embarrassment. I wish I could make the season go faster so he doesn't destroy their self confidence even more. 

As for Austen - he is so over it. He wanted to win it all his senior year with his original team. Not with these kids. And, because he's one of only two seniors not committed to playing in college on his team (one is pre med an the other is Austen for architecture), he's especially done with trying to impress a coach who clearly has played favorites. My response to Austen was he should have told the coach when he sent Austen a text on his game winning last minute goal to advance to the high school state tournament over the "favorites" and the coach's son's high school should have been, "I know how to win." And he does. In the words of the now famous IU football coach, Curt Cignetti, "I know how to win. Google me." 

We're going to Disney!

Happy boys!

All smiles after a PK shootout win!