My Perfect Birthday Weekend!

My birthday cookie from Paradise Bakery (thanks, Chad!!)

What a great weekend! Some may call me crazy but I had a perfect birthday weekend here in Portland watching Cade and Gabrielle plus six of their cousins (my nieces & nephews) play in a three day soccer tourney in 90+ degree weather! My brothers, James & David and their families, plus Chad and me with our kids as well as 5 or 6 other soccer families (mostly from our kids' school) stayed at the Embassy Suites and hung out together watching soccer and eating good food. My Dad and other brothers, Marcus and Duane, also came to watch some games and hang out as well. I ate lots of Paradise Bakery goodies (my fav), ate at the Cheesecake Factory twice (another fav) and even got some shopping in today after the tourney. Soccer, hot weather, good food, family, friends, Portland, What else could I ask for?!!?

I have so many pictures and stories, it's hard to know where to start but here goes...

CADE: Cade's team played in a 12 team Gold (top) Group and his four team bracket had three of the best teams in Oregon. Though Cade would have liked his team to win the bracket and advance to the semi-final, they showed they could play with the best in Oregon with a 2-1 win, 1-1 tie and 1-2 loss. All very close and exciting games. I was proud of how Cade took the games in stride; he is growing up!!

It was hot and dusty at the fields Cade played

Cade has gotten taller and leaner

GABRIELLE: This was Gabrielle's Athletica team's first tournament together and Gabrielle's first out-of-town tourney and they (and she) did awesome! There were 20 teams in her age group (8 in her Gold/top Group) and her team won all three pool play games, then won in a penalty kick shot out in the semi-final and then lost 1-2 in a very tight championship game. Taking second in this big tourney was pretty exciting and Gabrielle had a blast and worked so hard playing central defender. It was great to see her excitement, to see her push through when she was hot and exhausted, to see her joy when they won and when she made her penalty kick, to see her teamwork, to see her bond with her friends and to see her experience so many new things. On Saturday night, the parents ate dinner at the hotel restaurant and we let the girls order room service and a movie on their own in the hotel room. They were so excited and felt so grown-up to do this on their own. They came down to the restaurant 3 or 4 times to ask questions! Too cute!

The second place team. Great job girls!

Being silly!

Trying to get lots of water at half-time. It was so hot!

Gabrielle working hard!

Go Athena!

Gabrielle takes a free kick

Nice kick, Gabrielle!

Kyndsi dribbling away!

Go Jorja!

Gabrielle looks so grown up!

The girls cheering after their PK shootout semi-final win!

They were so excited!

Having fun between games

The girls watching a movie in the hotel room (Elle, Kyndsi, Amanda)

Jorja and Athena, Movie time!

WILLEM: Willem was such a trooper again at all the soccer games. Willem always seems to find things to do at the games and he always finds buddies to play with. If we lose sight of him all we have to do is look for an open soccer field and he's usually found someone to take shots with! He also got in a few swims at the hotel and Chad took he and Cade to a Timbers (pro soccer) game with Auntie Cindy and Uncle Brett (and cousin Andy & Colin) in downtown Portland.

Willem and a new buddy playing soccer

Just watching the early morning (8:00 am) game

Will & his buddy found a football at some point and played for a little while. His expressions are too funny!

GENEVIEVE: Genevieve was a superstar! It was hot and she didn't get any of her regular sleep but she was amazing playing in the grass or on a blanket under an umbrella all day long! She (usually) enjoyed the attention she got from cousins and their friends though I did have to 'rescue' her a few times. She took her naps on us or in the car between games with the air conditioner cranked! I felt bad for her a few times because of the heat but she rarely fussed. After the last game on Sunday we took her back to the air conditioned hotel room and just let her play on the floor with nothing on. She was pretty cute and very happy (and of-course I got a few great pictures of it!).

Notice Willem pointing at Nev's bottom! He thought she was sooo cute!

Such a typical Willem expression!

Uncle Marcus chatting with Nev at a game

Happy girl in daddy's arms at a game. Notice the drool on Chad's arm!

Genevieve got lots of love and attention from all the girls!

'Help me, Mom'!!