Bend Cup!

We spent the first weekend of August in Bend for the Bend Cup soccer tournament. All three of our kids played in the tournament plus, our family, David's family and the O'Connors all shared a house in Sunriver so it was a crazy, fun weekend. The weather was perfect and the soccer so much fun to watch. First here are some pictures of our time in Sunriver...

The kids loved the indoor pool and hot tub in our Sunriver house. Athena, Elle, Nev, Shae.

There were lots of competitive foosball games in the garage!

Michelle spoiled us with great dinners and breakfasts (when we weren't at the soccer field until 9 pm)!

Cade's team didn't make it to the final so he got to raft down the Deschutes with the O'Connors while Elle played her semi-final game!

But, of-course, we were there for the soccer! This was Willem's U10 EMFC Valencia teams' first and only tournament of the summer. Willem was so excited to play and had been waiting all summer for this tourney. Valencia brought 13 players for the 8v8 tournament and it was a mix of A and B team players. They played in a combined division (there was only one division) getting beat 0-6 by a good Hispanic team which had been together for a while. In their 2nd game they lost a close game 0-1 vs. one of the Oregon Rush team. And in their final game, they tied another Oregon Rush team 2-2. Willem would have liked to win some games and score some goals but he did great, playing keeper for half of all the games and forward for the 2nd half. Here are a bunch of pictures of Willem and his team...

 Another great save by Willem!

Willem always plays so hard and is a blast to watch!

Willem did get a 'talking-to' by the ref after a slide tackle from behind!

Shots of Willem's U10 EMFC Valencia team

 Gabrielle's U12 Athletica team played in the top division and cruised through their first three games (despite missing two starters; Emily and Sarah) beating Southside SC (2-1), WUSC (3-0) and Bend Rush (5-0). It looked like they would win their 2nd tournament of the summer as they faced Rogue Valley in the semi-final which only beat OR Rush 1-0. Unfortunately at the 8:00 am semi-final on Sunday, Athletica could not find the back of the net (even missing a PK in regulation) and ended up losing a heartbreaker 0-1 vs. Rogue Valley. WUSC ended up winning the tournament. And Athletica was left looking forward to a rematch vs Rogue Valley soon!

Gabrielle played so well this tournament. It seems like she's finally back from all her injuries last year. She played outside defense which she loves. Go Elle!

Shots of EMFC U12 Athletica Blue

Cade's Boca Jr team played in the top division and really hoped they could win this tournament. Unfortunately, the Boca's could not hold their initial leads and really did not play well against Spokane (1-3 loss) and CFC (2-3 loss).  They did beat Washington Rush 2-1 in their final pool play game but it wasn't enough to advance. Cade still had a great time in Bend especially loving hanging out with Pascal and Liam all weekend.

Cade looked really fast this weekend. He always works so hard out there and gives it everything he's got. Cade played central and outside forward in all of the games.

EMFC U14 Boca Jrs Blue

2011 CrossFit Games

Chad and I got away together for a three day weekend and went to LA for the CrossFit World Games. What a cool experience it was to watch so many amazing athletes in action! It was especially neat to be there to cheer on our friend, Cheryl Brost, who I workout with each morning and who Chad and I have known for many years through soccer (we've played together and now our boys play together). Cheryl did amazing, finishing seventh in the world out of the over 12,000 women who started in the open competition earlier this spring (50 of those 12,000 qualified for the World Games)! What an inspiration she is and just a very neat person as well! It was great to spend time with Chad and to also hang out with our friends, Jake and Kendall, as well as other friends from Eugene CrossFit. Chad and I also celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary while we were there. We did it in true parents-of-4-kids-style, staying in our hotel, ordering room service and watching a movie; it was heavenly to just relax and spend time with just the two of us!

Can you believe Cheryl is 40 years old competing against mostly 20-somethings?!

 Kendall, Cheryl (happy after finishing 10 workouts in three days) and me

Chad and me with Jake and Kendall

Happy Birthday Willem!

Our smart, independent, content, sweet boy is eight years old today! He makes us smile everyday and we love him so much! It has been very hard for Willem to wait for his birthday to finally come! Today we are off to the John Deere store and to Direct Kick Soccer Shop so Willem can pick out a couple favorite things. I so look forward to spending the day with our sweet boy.

(at about 18 months)

(at about 2 years old)

Willem continues to be very interested in the dairy, especially farming and farm equipment (less so the cows). He wants to own the dairy and do what Uncle David does and/or run a custom farming operation when he gets older. 

Willem also continues to love playing soccer, especially goalie. He owns more pairs of goalie gloves that I care to admit :) Willem is fearless, fast and strong! He also enjoys playing football and has loved competing in the all-comers track meets this summer.

Willem also loves to ride his bike around the dairy and he loves to play ncaa football on the xbox though he actually hasn't played in nearly three months because he got a little too obsessed with it! We will let him slowly ease back into it soon :)

Willem continues to be very independent and is happy to play on his own all day long but he really LOVES playing with Cade (mostly soccer) and Cade's friends. Willem also loves playing soccer and football with his best buddy, Massimo, as well as all of his soccer and school friends. He has always made friends very easily and seems to make a friend in no time every time we are at a soccer field! With Willem's independence he often times seems to not need mom or dad much at all :). I remember being that way as a kid myself, so I can relate :)

Willem is not a big fan of school though he really excels at math and his teachers say he is a great student to have in the class, always respectful, hard-working and kind. Willem amazes me in how he remembers things and is very organized when it comes to school such as always knowing when homework or permission slips need to be turned in. Willem still struggles a bit with reading but continues to make progress.

Stats - Height: 4 foot 6.5 inches; Weight: 71 lbs.

We love our sweet Willem so very very much! Happy Birthday!

Birthday Dinner With Friends

I am feeling so blessed once again to have a group of amazing women as my friends and so grateful that many of us were able to get together for a birthday dinner for me this evening at Cafe 440. What a great and fun group of gals!! I love you all and thank you for a great birthday dinner! 

Julie, Amy, Sheri, Sandy, Brandy, Julie, Me, Christy, Chris

Family Party

Tonight we had a family birthday party for Cade, Willem and me (July 16, 29 and 26, respectively)! It was a nice relaxing evening visiting with family. The kids played outside for much of it and us adults caught up. I love sharing my birthday with my two favorite young men in the world!

The birthday trio!

Some of the kids outside looking cool!

Me and my girls!

 James and Mariah

 Chad and Greg

I love this picture of Nev and her Opa

Me and my guy!

 More family: Greg, Tere, Sierra and Sergio

I like this one of Elle and me. Such a beautiful girl!

Time for cake and ice cream!

 Yum!

 

Willem got a bike from his Grandma and Grandpa!

Loving it!

Willem's Party with Friends!

Willem reminded me all year that this birthday (his 8th which is actually coming up this Friday) he would finally get a friend birthday party! He looked forward to it for a long time and it finally happened on Monday at Putters. Everyone that Willem had wanted to be there was able to make it except Hayden and Massimo. The boys had a blast playing laser tag, playing regular tag in the playground area and playing video games. The boys (half from Will's school and half from his soccer team) all got along so well and time flew by. I'm so glad Willem had such a great time!

Mitchell, Jackson, Max, Willem, Zane, Ethan, Irwin and Brayden

A Lucky Gal on My Birthday!

I LOVE my birthday and I had a such a great day today! Chad took the day off from work to spend the day with me. I love that he spoils me on my birthday! We started the day with a CrossFit workout together which I so enjoy doing with Chad. We then headed home to feed the kids and hang out with them a little before taking the older ones to soccer camp for the afternoon. During the kids' camp, Chad, Nev and I went to lunch together at Much Gusto (yum!) and ran some errands (fun and easy with two adults and only one child :). Chad then took over and I got an hour to enjoy a pedicure! Finally, it was time for my coed soccer game (with James, Jenn, Marcus, Roman, Denisha and friends) in the sunshine with the kids playing soccer on the baseball field while we played. Our team suffered our first loss of the season but it was still a great evening which ended with Dairy Queen and presents for me! Doesn't get much better than that!!

Me and my kids after some Dairy Queen treats! Love them all (and my awesome hubby too) so much!

Cade is always so loving and kind to his mom!

Nev excited about my presents!

I love my girl!

Ribbons and Toms!

Genevieve was so excited to run the 60 meters at the All-Comers Meet today and so excited to get a ribbon! It was the cutest thing watching her run and be so excited to get a ribbon! She 'raced' about 15-20 other two year olds and went out strong, running all 59 meters....yes, she stopped a meter before the finish and started looking for me. She would have gotten second place if she would have continued running :) Look at how proud she is here....

And here is Gabrielle with her cousins, Meleesa and Athena. After their tournament this past weekend (post coming soon on that), I took them all the the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and they were very very excited to all get Toms shoes. It took them about an hour to try them on and pick colors!

Happy 12th Birthday Cade!!

Our sweet Cade turned 12 on Saturday. It is hard to believe but then it also seems right that Cade is 12. Here are words that best describe our boy:

Wise, Aware, Sweet, Considerate, Impulsive, Funny, Polite, Competitive, Driven, Athletic, Smart and Motivated

Some stats/info: 

Height: 5 ft 1/4 in

Weight: 90 lbs

Wants to be: A pro soccer player and then a shoe designer

Best subjects: PE, social studies, math...also becoming a good creative writer (but still doesn't like school)

Fav TV show: MythBusters, That 70's Show (when he sneaks it in...Mom isn't a fan of him watching it!)

Best friends: Liam, Pascal, MD

Best mile time: 5:40 (he hasn't run it timed in 8 months)

Most juggles: somewhere over 800

Most foot juggles: somewhere over 400

Hours a day he practices soccer: Tries to average four everyday!

On Cade's birthday he played in a futsal soccer tournament in Portland, went to a couple soccer shops and then had dinner with family (after Elle's game) at Red Robin. I love spending time with Cade and enjoyed watching him play and hanging out with him all day! 

We love our sweet 12 year old so very very very much!

Playing soccer...what else would he want to be doing on his birthday!

 With his teammates after their tournament (too bad they didn't do better in the tourney on his b-day!)

Lunch outside with Grandma and Auntie Carrie

Cade really is a great big brother. He is very patient and really loves his siblings! He just wishes he had more of them!

 Cade with cousin Andrew at Red Robin. These two always get along, enjoy the same things and have the same sense of humor!