One Soccer Match Worth Watching!

 

I have blogged several times before about how I am not remotely a soccer fan.  I have watched exactly one full professional soccer match (the extremely low-scoring 2010 World Cup final) in my entire life.  I know that soccer is the most popular worldwide sport. My son Iver has become very interested in playing it. And yet I still find the sport incredibly slow--with too much running and not enough scoring to hold my attention.

Kelvin somehow keeps track of big national and international sporting events other than tennis (my favorite!) and put the TV on on Sunday morning, while France and Argentina were late in the second half of the final match and Argentina was ahead 2-0.  We watched with interest as France come back with two quick goals, and then watched even more closely as, in the final minutes of extra time, Argentina pulled ahead only to have the score tied back up on a penalty kick by France's talented Kylian Mbappe, who ended the night with a rare hat-trick. 

And then came the high-pressure shoot-out, in which Argentina and veteran Lionel Messi prevailed 4-2 to win his first World Cup trophy (I didn't really even know previously how shoot-outs worked. I actually just learned this year what "off-sides" meant). WOW!

I'm reluctant to embrace superlatives, but even the experts (and true futbol aficionados) are calling this final the most thrilling World Cup final (and perhaps soccer match?) in history.   I can say that it certainly was the best one I've ever watched (with my N of two)! 

Blue Lake Hatchery Family Run

We signed up for a family membership to the Six Rivers Running Club last month, despite not being sure how many races we'd join in a twelve-month period (the three-mile run in November was miserably rainy and cold and I'm very much a fair-weather participant and not what I'd consider "a runner" in general). The weather looked much better for this Sunday (although this Saturday had pouring rain) and since the boys' Sunday school class was cancelled due to many illnesses, we decided to do a family two-mile run along with our friends the Spellmeyers (there was also a four-mile race).  Kelvin was a bit noncommittal about running as he hasn't done much jogging or athletic events in years (I joke that he was the most under-trained/under-prepared person to ever successfully hike Kilimanjaro in 2013!) but he agreed to participate at Iver's urging.

The start!

(Niall was not remotely interested in running, although he did get a number, and rode the stroller the whole way!)

Buddies and rivals Iver and Olivia (in the peach top) were near the front of the pack!

The home stretch! Olivia, a top cross-country racer in her events this fall, turned on the gas and passed Iver in the last quarter-mile.

Scores were posted later in the day. 

    17 Olivia S             F07     18:25     19

18 Iver V                M07     18:28     4

20 Pat S                 M38     18:53     17

21 Tara V                F41     19:03     3

24 Kelvin V(/ Niall)     M40     19:58     9

26 Sophia S              F09     20:17     18

27 Beth S                F39     20:19     15

I am not moving very fast here, but finished shortly after the kids and Pat!

Kelvin brought the stroller home (we called it his "walker" :))

The kids enjoyed a post-race snack and then some time at the nearby Mad River Fish Hatchery.

Watching and feeding the Steelhead. 

Jumping fish!

We are really enjoying doing these local running events with similarly active friends and families and keeping the kids (er, kid) interested in moving their bodies and seeing adults do so, too (although slowly).  Until the next one! 

O Tannenbaum!

On Saturday, we were invited to the home of Cheyenne for a traditional German Christmas Tree Lighting.

Iver loves candles and fire and was thrilled to take part (even though he didn't believe that the Christmas tree (?silver fir) was a real one (it was in a stand of water!).  

Lighting the advent candles

The tree has to be carefully selected so that its branches are sturdy enough and widely enough spaced to accommodate the candles and flames.

Cheyenne was brave to invite several (some wilder than others) kids to her lovely custom-built home (containing a real tree and lit candles!).

We had food and then the kids (oldest to youngest) each read a Christmas story.

Iver did a great job reading "A Christmas Carol" from our anthology.

All lit fires must be extinguished!

Festive /Friday Funnies

The kids have been seeing various packages arrive on our doorstep, mostly addressed to the magic elf who plans, organizes, shops, and wraps all the gifts including from out-of-town relatives and with one child having a December birthday.

Niall (4) can identify/read our names now and helped Kelvin earlier this week.

"UGH! Another package addressed to mama! Why does SHE get all the presents?!”

He also made this sign:

I asked him how he knew how to write out exclusionary phrases like that.

N: I asked my teacher!

Me: They (both ladies) spelled that out for you?!

N: Well, no. I asked, "How do you write, 'Girls allowed'?" And then I just added a 'NO'!

Also Niall: "What's red and white and green and brown and red and white and green and brown?"
Me: Hmm. I don't know.
Niall: Santa rolling off a cliff!
Me: Where did you hear that?
Niall: I made it up!

You've heard of "Elf on a Shelf," right? Well, here's an alternative.

Fighting "Hustle" Culture and Productivity

 

Holiday Magic (mostly at home)

So that (ever I the introvert) don't get overwhelmed, I have to be really conscious during the December/holiday season to be mindful of which and how many activities we participate in. 

(this is what I feel like a lot of the time).

We've had a nice weekend (mostly) at home, thanks in part to some winter rain which averted some plans to see the Ferndale lighting of the nation's tallest living Christmas tree.

The (new, replacement artificial) tree is up, after the old tree's base kicked the bucket this year. The kids helped decorate it, along with well a smaller mini version in their bedroom.

Niall was keen on making salt dough shapes after getting the idea from a Little Passports kit. 

He then wanted to make gingerbread cookies, which turned out rather expansive but which still tasted good!

We did make it to the Arcata library on Saturday, where Dale Lorzo put on a sweet and fun magic show for the kids (who now have a renewed interest in doing home magic tricks).

Niall dressed up as "Spidey Santa" and had us sit on his lap!

I got some holiday shopping done and some Christmas cards prepped.  The month is still young, but with fewer "things" on the agenda (and the list!) the magic can be more! 

Dumpster Diving

Getting ready for Christmas, we are trying to decrease existing clutter in the house. Kelvin threw away (into the recycling bin) away some sort of a box that apparently Niall thought was worth keeping.

Not sure where he learned the dumpster-diving from, but here's our little saver. 

Gotta make some room for the influx of Christmas stuff!