Go Sparklers!

We have been so busy, mainly with fun stuff and a lot of school. Lindy and Paige are both cheering this year. Paige decided to give it a try. She is having fun and really likes the practices, the games not so much. She really does not like to be in front of groups. She is doing better, this week she actually said the cheers not just going through the motions! She says she wants to go back to basketball next year since there is more action there.
Anyway, we took snacks this week and the girls love to bake. We tried to get creative with using our team colors and their squads name "Sparklers". We got the orange and blue covered and used fancy toothpicks to look like sparklers. They were a hit and all the girls loved them! Most importantly Lindy and Paige had a ball making them. Other than helping to ice them they did the rest on their own.

Thank You Upwards

Last night was the awards program for our Upwards basketball season. It was an entertaining and inspiring evening. The kids had a great time, it was the perfect end to the season. This was the first year that everyone played. Lindy did cheerleading last year and this was Kyle's third year playing basketball.

I can't say enough about the Upwards program. I don't know of any sport activity that my children can participate in where they are all given equal time to play regardless of skill. Where they spend time learning Christian values. Where they are required to treat each other with respect and practice good sportsmanship. Where it is just simply fun without pressure to win all the time. Where each game we are given an inspirational speech from one of the church members that let's us reflect and be thankful for all that we are given.

The kids like to win games but the emphasis is on having a good time and working together as a team. It is so refreshing to watch games with coaches giving positive comments from sidelines and not constant yelling and shouting out directions. I have grown tired of this at soccer over the years.

This is a church ministry in which many people devote countless hours to making this the best program it can be. We have always had wonderful coaches who have a gift for teaching kids basketball. I am very grateful for that. What I don't think the coaches are aware of is how much of an impact this experience can make on children's lives. Especially those that are already grounded in their faith, they can get even more from the program.

Kyle and Lindy are my easy going, outgoing kids. Ethan needs more time to warm to ideas. Paige is shy and reserved. Ethan has spent the last year going to not only all of Kyle's games and practices to watch. He loves to play basketball but has never been a big fan of team sports. His two year Karate career ended last summer due to an anxiety issue with the testing. For him to sign up, go through the evaluations and make it to practice is a huge accomplishment. He loved practice. He was so excited and nervous for his first game. Near the end of the first game he got the ball and was cornered with both teams surrounding him. He didn't know what to do, panicked and fell into my lap in the middle of the game. I thought that was going to be it and he would not return to play again. His coach called to check on him that evening and I reassured Ethan that the coach and team want him to come back and that they would work on all the things he didn't know. He returned, he went to all the practices and games. He never gave up, he conquered his anxiety and fears. He is so proud of himself as we are as well. Bill and I know this would not have happened on another kind of team. He would not have felt as comfortable or as safe with the environment. His entire season has been a huge self esteem boost more than even Bill and I probably realize.

Paige is painfully shy. She does not like to do things without having Lindy by her side. But she really likes basketball and was willing to give it a try. Same as Ethan, if she had just shown up for evaluations I would have been pleased! But she too stuck with it. She had a little set back a couple of weeks into the session. She missed a couple of games but was able to work it out and return to the team. This was another huge step for her, both which will be life changing for the two of them.

Both Paige and Ethan, have grown not just in faith over the last three months, but in overcoming personal challenges. Ones that I think have helped their self esteem in ways that I could never have accomplished at home. Most importantly they grew as people. They were given this awesome experience of Upwards because so many were willing to put so much into this program. They will always remember what they did this season and can't wait for the next!

Thank you to all our Upwards coaches and leadership. Your time and enthusiasm means more than you know.

Just a little friendly competition...

Kyle and Ethan

That's all it was, a little competition between brothers! They were so excited for the game tonight so they could play each other. Secretly I think they were hoping to be guarding each other but that's not how it turned out. They still had a great time and it was a fast, action packed game.

Ethan's team won 18-10. I don't think either of them cared too much they were just having a great time!

Lined up for a foul shot they found

their way to each other.

Too Cute for Words!

The cuteness this afternoon was more than I could stand. Erin wants to be a cheerleader something terrible! She wants the outfit, the ponytail, and the pompoms. She wears Lindy's old outfit from last year all the time. Today she decided she had had enough of sitting on the bleachers and instead was Ethan's personal cheerleader. She stood at the door of the room where the boys were getting their pictures taken and shook her pom poms over her head like they do when the team comes out of the locker room. When Aunt Gretchen arrived she scooped her up and I seroiusly thought she was going to eat her up she was that adorable! She then set herself up courtside and began cheering her favorite cheer, "GO BIG GREEN." She then moved onto "GO, ETHAN, GO". She was up shaking her pom poms for most of the game. Couple of snack and water breaks and she was back at it! Ethan really enjoyed having her, who wouldn't.

She is in love with this lion mascot!

Today he pulled her onto the court to dance

with him.

Ethan really hustled today. I am sure that the

fans enthusiasm really helped him.

I love my brother and cheer leading

so much!

Looking for Ethan and then waving.

Cheering her little heart out!

She knows how to shake it!

Taking a break but still ready to jump into

the action.

A quick story time with Aunt Gretch after getting

home, she was all cheered out!

Lindy also had a great cheering day!

If you were Erin and had to watch this

cute girl have a great time cheering, wouldn't

you want to do it too??

Growing Pains

Like father like daughter (except for the shy part!)

Oh I love basketball and everything the program is and stands for, oh I don't like other kids! I know for those who really know Paige this comes a surprise but she is really, really shy. Remember the Girl Scout cookie selling, well even if she makes it to a house without a dog, good luck getting her to talk. She does fine with those she knows but complete strangers well, better luck next time!

She has been loving practice. It has been a huge step for her. She wanted to play so much that she was willing to sign up without Lindy participating. Huge step as they are inseparable! I kept waiting for her to tell me at each practice that she was going to quit or not want to go. That was never the case. She really likes it.
Last weekend she had her first game. It was a little nerve wracking for her, especially with all of those people in the stands watching the game (her!). But she did great! We were so proud. We got home and she said she was quitting basketball. What?! She would not give any more explanation. Lindy pipes up "I know why Paige is quitting basketball." We all look at her, of course Paige's mouthpiece would know! "Some girl keeps telling her she is too short to be on the team and she needs to play on the preschool team."

Further conversation with Paige leads to the fact that this has been going on at each practice. I knew at the first one girls said stuff, the usual " your so little"etc. I know them all I got it too. But nothing that sounded mean or hurtful. Usually people just mean that you are little and cute, not a bad thing! Well, this girl has been saying it every week and not in a good way! She apparently said it while they were out on the court playing in the middle of the game. Hence why none of the adults knew this was going on.

After much discussion with Paige,where Bill and I explained the usual, there will always be mean people. You can't quit things you really like because of one mean or rude person. But she is 7. And a very sensitive 7. Passionate, stubborn, headstrong. She is so dumbfounded that people act this way she does not even know how to process it.

So, she heads to practice excited and happy. Bill took her and called to tell me 20 minutes later that they were heading home. ??

She finally told me that while taking off her coat, this same girl stuck her tongue out at her and made a face at her (can you say Bully!). Well that was all she needed to pack it in. She was not staying or playing anymore. She has made this abundantly clear.

I called the coach who was wonderful. He too is a homeschooling parent so he totally understands the fact that these situations and dealing with them are foreign to Paige. He was also very disappointed to hear it was going on as this goes completely against the mission of the program.

He was going to speak with the team without naming names, another sensitive thing for Paige as she does not want to be a snitch. She would rather deal with it and not play then be a tattle.

So, we did not go to her game yesterday. After sitting through her brothers I think she may be coming around and is talking about returning to practice this week. We shall see! As much as I hate to see her quit, it may take a couple of times going through this before she realizes she can't let dumb people bully her out of stuff she likes.

One more growing pain for Paige with a few tears shed by both of us.

Boys Hit the Court

Saturday + Basketball Season = games, games, games! We started early with Lindy cheering at 9. The girl smiled the entire time, she loves cheerleading and really likes her coach. Paige did not go to her game a long story, another post to follow. Then we were back from 4-7 for Kyle and Ethan's games. We didn't have enough time to make a trip home so we hung out and watched the game in between and scouted out the competition.

Paige and the girls bring their art to work

on during the long stretches.

This will be Kyle's last year playing Upwards and he is really enjoying it. He is one of the oldest and tallest and I am sure it feels good to be one of the "big kids". He is so nice and fun to be around the I know the younger kids enjoy having him around. He has such a truly fun spirit. What 12 year old is getting lined up to start and dancing to the chicken dance? Kyle!

Kyle is one of the tallest players - on

both teams.

Ethan had a challenging first game last week but turned things around today and really hustled and knew what was going on. He had a great time and I know that he is proud of himself for working through the challenges. We are proud of you Ethan, keep up the good work and have a fun season!

Ethan is the opposite, one of the

smallest on the team.

But as Aunt Gretchen says, dynamite

comes in small packages!

Go Paige! Go Lindy! Go Ethan! Go Kyle!

It's that time of year again! Basketball and this year everyone except Erin is playing and let me tell you that did not go over well at all! She was very upset at registration night that she did not have a team or a cheerleading uniform. Fortunately, she was fixed up by Lindy with her uniform from last year pompoms and all so she is happier!
Saturday was our first set of games and we actually have a decent schedule, meaning we are not there all day. Twice this season Lindy will cheer for Paige's team and this was one of those weeks. Paige was very nervous to say the least. She did a great job and really hustled on the court. Lindy was her usual perky little cheerleader.
Kyle and Ethan both had evening games. Kyle is the tallest on his team this year and a seasoned player being that they group 4-6th grade together so he is also one of the oldest. Ethan is playing his first year and was poorly matched to the tallest, biggest player on the opposite team. Things went well until the last few minutes of the game when he was cornered by all the players when he was trying to pass the ball. It was a difficult situation, one he was not too happy about but he is eager to go to practice this week and work on his plays.
Go Upwards!

Paige was a bit nervous, she kept pulling

on her right ear!

She is definitely the petite player of

the team but what she lacks in size she

makes up in speed!

Not sure where that ball was going

to go, a cautious player.

Lindy has so much spirit and poise in

her cheers and I am not just saying

that because I'm her mom! Just ask

my mom...

A face of pure joy

Have a great season girls! We love you!