Anxious for baseball

We just found out that there will be expansion teams in Zach's Little League this year, but his coach from last year asked Scott to be an assistant coach, so Zach is a "frozen" player.  He is automatically on the team without having to try out to be re-drafted.   His teammate from last year, Matt, will also be on the team again.  Matt's an awesome player. His dad will be the other assistant coach--he is the Athletic Director at St. Norbert.  Great family. The head coach does not have a son who plays--his son is older and hasn't played for years now, but John enjoys coaching this age.  Their team did very well last year--they were in first place at the end of the season, but then they lost a playoff game.  Hopefully they will be as successful this year. 

Tanner will have to try out since it will be his first year in Little League. Not really a tryout, but a "skills assessment".  Because of this date, and opening fishing, Tanner did not try out for Team Green Bay.  There were tournaments both of those weekends.  Tan likes hockey, but would never miss opening fishing to play in a hockey tournament.

WAHA cup skills competition

This was an awesome night.  Zach said afterwards that he felt "hyper, from being nervous, all the people in the stands watching" but he just ignored them all and focused on the goal.  Each skater got 3 shots on one goalie...only 4 shots were scored in the first round.  Zach scored one, another shooter scored one, and one player scored 2.  Because there was a tie for the goalies, Zach and the other shooter who scored one got to shoot again.  Zach scored one again, and it was a really neat goal.  It was so cool hearing the crowd yelling "go Johnny!  Go Zach!" and whistling.  The goalie who gave up the 2 goals which allowed the other shooter to win?- our own goalie. 

It was really fun watching the 4 man relay as well.  I didn't realize how exciting it was going to be.  These kids gave it their all, and many wiped out.  Our team did not come in first, but was given a chance to go again to be in the finals, and our first skater was really far ahead, and just lost it going around the 3rd cone.  The next 3 skaters just couldn't make up the time.

Wasuau tournament -

This series of pictures was taken in quick succession.  Starts out with Zach against 2, then 3, then 4, then all 5 of their players.  Poor kid had no puck support--he was keeping possession of the puck all alone.

Zach's Wausau tournament

WAHA cup

We're in Chippewa Falls for the WAHA cup tourney.  Grandma and Grandpa came to watch.  They came on strong in the first period, scored a goal and earned the point for the period.  Gave up a goal in the 2nd, then switched goalies.  Gave up an additional 4, and we scored one more goal.  Zach had some great plays and an awesome backhanded pass in front of the net.  We ended up losing 5-2. 

Tanner

I realize I've posted so much about Zach lately.  Poor Tanner!  What can I say about him?  He's my funny, easy-going one.  Though tonight not so much....he had 3 sheets of math facts.  Division facts are hard!!! 
He has been doing his homework right after school, because he has a lot of trouble staying focused if he does it after supper.  It's worked very well the last couple of nights when Scott has been out of town.  Tonight he still has science to do, and their science book asks pretty tough questions.  Not just pulling the answer out of the book, but thinking--sometimes I don't know what to write!

Tanner will be trying out for Team Green Bay on Monday.  He hasn't skated in a couple of weeks, and with Zach's tournament in Chippewa this weekend, he probably won't.  Maybe Monday during the day--our spring break starts next week.

I have to go to a meeting tonight, so Scott can help him with the science.  I am going to be a presenter on a panel at the Phenomenal Women's Conference at St. Norbert next month.  I will be representing Work at Home moms, and we are all meeting tonight to discuss how our presentation will go.  What a change it is being a work at home mom now, compared to when the boys were actually home with me during the day.  Do I get more done?  Some days, no!  It takes a lot of focus, and forgetting about the laundry. 

Congratulations, Zach! (Again!)

So proud of Zach....he will represent his WAHA Regional team in the shootout portion of the skills competition at the Kohlman Cup tournament this weekend.  He scored 3 goals out of 4 in the shootout at practice last night.  And they were pretty goals, too!  (Sorry, Brett!)  I have to say, Brett did a great job as well...just not when it was Zach  :)

Top Shelf Cafe Specials for Sunday, March 21

We had a bunch of leftovers in the fridge, and I didn't feel like going to the grocery store.  So I made up a menu that everyone could choose from.  What do you know...everyone chose pizza!  Luckily we had enough for 2.  But I still have all the other leftovers!  I guess I need to make another menu of Monday, March 22 specials....

DePere '97 Renegades Beat Girls

Zach's spring team (made up of players from 4 different area teams) just beat the Green Bay U12 girls, 5-0.   We were 3 players short, so we had 11. The girls had 18.  Zach played like a maniac.  1 goal and 2 assists, and many great defensive plays.  He got to play on a line with one of his teammates from the WAHA cup team--they played well together despite the fact that they've never played  together. In fact, the whole team really clicked.  There are players from Appleton, Green Bay, and DePere.  Looking forward to WAHA cup practices and tournament this coming week. 

Casey's Spot

This is where Casey sits when someone is eating at the snack bar...what a goof!

And the hockey just keeps going!  Zach tried out for, and made, the WAHA regional team.  There are 6 regions in Wisconsin--we are in Region 3.   45 kids from DePere, Green Bay, Appleton, Fox Valley, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac tried out.  17 made the team.  They will practice twice next week, and then go to a tournament in Chippewa Falls next weekend to play against the other 5 regions.  This weekend Zach has a game against the U12 girls who will be playing in a National tournament here next weekend.  They will be missing a number of players, so hopefuly they can beat the girls!  Zach thinks they will blow them out.  Tanner will try out for Team Green Bay on the 29th.

Rainbow Cupcakes

I started a new cooking class session today.  I was so excited--I have all new children except one.  Collin has been in my class for a few sessions, and he is extremely funny.  Kind of reminds me of Zach when he was younger.  Very talkative, outgoing, and says funny things.  The other children were in my community center class, but have never done classes at my house.  They are all great kids and a joy to teach, and they all have cool moms (and one Grandma) as well.  The youngest is almost 2 1/2, and the oldest are four.  We made Rainbow Cupcakes.  They didn't exactly turn out like rainbows (they were supposed to have stripes like a rainbow).  We didn't have the time to make sure all the layers were covered completely by the next color.  But they were pretty.  Forgot to take pictures of the ones the kids made.  These were the ones I made with the leftover batter.  We read "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" while waiting for them to bake.

Scott's "Business Trip"

Scott is in South Carolina this week.  He told me he had a testosterone-filled day.  He started out touring the BMW facility.  Saw how a car is manufactured, from beginning to end.  Then he got to do this--a "hot lap" in a BMW M5.  Then they went trapshooting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc1XT8xyXkc

End of Pee Wees

Today was Zach's last regular season game as a Pee Wee.  They had their end of year party at Jersey's after the game.  I was so proud, of both Zach and Scott. 

The coaches all talked individually about each player.   I told Zach tonight at bedtime that it's great to hear how many points he scored for the year (more than he has ever scored in a year before; he was in the top 5 for total points on the team; and he had a hat trick and playmaker this year) but even more important to me were the things that the coaches said about him.  How he is such a hard worker, never complains, does everything a coach asks him to do....that's all character. Years down the road, people won't remember how many points a kid scored in a year; but they will remember character. 

Scott...he couldn't say anything about Zach except to thank him for putting up with Scott as a coach...because if he would have said more, he would have cried.  Scott is so hard on him and expects so much from him....and knows it.  But as often as he is frustrated by Zach, he is very proud of him.  I was also proud of the way Scott gave feedback to every boy on the team.  He stood behind them with his hands on their shoulders the whole time he talked...and said nothing but positive things about each one.  Parents told me he is a great communicator, and is so good with kids, and parents thanked him in private for the way he interacts and keeps kids positive. 

It's hard to believe that Zach will be a Bantam next year.  They always looked so big to me!  I looked at his baby book yesterday....it seems like yesterday that he was calling motorcycles "Dot Dot Does",  saying "Zoom" at every red light we had to stop for, and many other "Zachisms" that he denies he ever said!  Love you, Zach!

P.S.  Had to add a note.  Grandma Jean reminded me of something else that Zach said that she remembers like it was yesterday.  We were shopping at Marshall Fields, Zach in the stroller, and he would get so angry when I would take him into the clothes area.  He of course thought he was on a "choo choo", and it could NOT leave the tracks!  "No, no!  Stay on the track!!!"