Too Much Power

A couple of weeks ago Bella's soccer coach sent out an e-mail asking parents to volunteer to be line refs for the upcoming season.  This would require 11 hours of side line reffing that could not be done during our soccer games, not to mention the 8 hours of training it would require.  Needless to say the response was overwhelming.  People couldn't wait to jump at the chance to wear a yellow jersey, short shorts, high black knee socks, and black tennis shoes for 11 hours of your life. 

The sarcasm should be obvious. 

But in case it wasn't, I'll tell you who couldn't wait to do that...ME.  In fact, I can't imagine doing that. Not only the poor fashion statement, but it would take only one angry parent yelling at me and I would be in fetal position asking for my mommy.

Then the remarkable happens...my son steps up and volunteers to do it.  This teenager who barely leaves his room to eat volunteered to go to all the training, do all the games, AND wear shorts that don't go below his knee.  Wow. 

He asked me if I was going to come watch any of the games he was going to ref.  I told him that I didn't think that would be a good idea because that same woman who would be in fetal position if a parent yelled at her would go mama bear on anyone who yelled at her kid.  I don't want to walk down that road...not a pretty sight.

Today we went to pick up the uniform and we also picked up these bad boys.

His yellow and red cards. 

On the way home I got a lesson on how to pull them and when to pull them.  After this brief lesson on soccer rules it became even more apparent why I should never be a ref...the rules of soccer are very subjective and way to complicated.  I would need to consult a flow chart with every call, and clearly that would not be very efficient. 

We also decided that everyone needs a set of these cards, and you should be able to pull them on people who commit various personal fouls.  For instance, if you drive slow in the fast lane...yellow card.  Do it twice, red card, and you must leave the freeway.  Be unnecessarily rude...yellow card.  Do it twice, red card, and you must never speak again.  If you commit a fashion faux pas, immediate red and you must go home and change.  You see we realized that if everyone was able to do this we all would be much nicer to each other, think twice before we said or did something stupid, and the world would have to endure less butt cracks and daisy dukes.

Of course Andrew in his short shorts would be exempt...naturally.


More Later

- A Ro

Firecrackers Firecrackers Boom Boom Boom

Bella had her first soccer game (ever) this weekend!! Go Pink Fuchsia Firecrackers.
Could this be anymore girly? Thankfully my tomboy wanna be was OK with this name and color.



I was so proud of her...she kept saying all day how nervous she was but I could tell she was just excited.

We live close enough to the park to walk so Bella donned her pink bike helmet (and she thinks she is a tomboy) and she we scootered on over.

Well she scootered I walked...what do you think I have a death sentence? Me scootering...HA

Yes those mountains are what I get to look at everyday when I run...OK so Southern California isn't all THAT bad.

Sadly the Pink Fuchsia Firecrackers lost 0-4, but my girl did good!! She is a fast, go getter. She doesn't shy away from the ball, she runs like the wind and out ran many of the opponents. However, she didn't quite know what to do with the ball when she got it despite my son yelling over and over "BELLA DO A BICYCLE KICK". She only missed the ball twice with a kick that would have sent it far if her foot would have actually made contact. Overall a great success for my gals first soccer game. Did I mention that it was hot?

Did I mention that she didn't care?

Did I mention while all the other girls were wilting and out of gas...mine kept right on going?

Did I mention how proud I was of her?

Did I mention that I am a little crazy?

Well I am...the rest of the day I spent doing this:

I wish I had a before picture, but my crazy just made me jump right in. Please tell me that the yellow garbage ties look WAY better than a pile of cords.

Yeah I thought so too...

Wait...you were just trying to make me feel better?

Well just wait and see what I do with this mess...



Yeah I know better call my therapist...


More Later
- A Ro

Here we go again

Going back to work after many weeks off is a bittersweet event. I am a creature of habit so the thought of getting back into a routine is very nice. The actual getting everything ready for school to start is not so nice. Not to mention the fact that there is a huge difference in the way I handle an alarm going off at 6:00 am and 4:00 am...

Then there is the never ending circus act called "WATCH THE AMAZING MOM TRY TO JUGGLE ALL THE SCHEDULES...WITHOUT A NET" Let me tell you sometimes I come tumbling down, however thankfully I have a net...GS. He is, in fact, saving me from one of the "too many plates in the air" events this Thursday. Andrew and I need to be at his US orientation as a mom and a staff member. It is 30 minutes from where we live...it starts at 5:30...we both have to be there. Bella has a soccer practice 2 minutes from where we live...it starts at 5:30...and she needs to be there since Thursday is the only practice she can actually make.

Do you see the problem?

Do you see the trend already happening and we aren't even in the first week of school?

Thankfully GS has rearranged his work schedule so he can do the soccer practice!!! HOORAY one plate kept in the air...

and you wonder why he has the title Godsend...

Speaking of Bella and soccer...

Ok Ok I really just needed an excuse to post these incredibly cute pictures of my girl. I do have to say that this is Bella's first attempt at an organized sport. She is a very rugged girl, and is very athletic in nature, but has never played soccer before. Really much to my surprise we went out and got the pink shin guards, pink socks, and pink and black cleats...I guess the girly girl stuck in the self proclaimed tomboy comes out every once in a while to let us all know she exists. She did very well for her first practice and seemed to get everything. The cutest thing was she kept looking at me each time she tried something new...just to make sure I saw.I am already a bit worried about my level of enthusiasm I have for her soccer playing. It was only the first practice and I was cheering very loudly...in fact now that I think about it I was the only one cheering loudly...hmmm could this be a problem? Most of the other moms were chatting, or texting, or sleeping but I couldn't stop sending verbal encouragement. I just want her to know that I support her and take her latest endeavor very seriously...


I am glad someone does!!!


More Later

-A Ro