Busy Girls

 After years of seeing the girls almost daily, I've now reached a time when I'm lucky to spend any time with them.  So far, they're filling up their spare time with sports and activities, and as long as they're happy and getting the required schoolwork done, I'm happy too.  I hardly ever am involved in practices or games and for lots of reasons.  Some practices are out of town and end up late, and Emily and/or Ryan are able to take them - and enjoy it.  It's hard for me to keep up with schedules of practices or games, and I just depend on someone to tell me what's coming up or what happened and cheer from a distance. 

I did get to one of Graysen's soccer games last Saturday.  Katherine had had one earlier that morning, but besides being early, cool, and foggy, it was located in a place where I would have a lot of trouble getting up and down a hill.  Gray's game was at 12:45, and the weather had settled into a nice crisp fall afternoon - blue sky and warm-with-a-jacket temps.  I got my chair set up and tried to keep up with the action.  The other team was much better, and our girls lost, but they held them at bay for a long time.  

My pictures aren't so good from a distance, but this is the best I could do.  Gray gave me a grin when she noticed I was there, and I got a nice hug later.  She's found some sweet friends through this team, and I'm glad she's having a good time.  It's hard not to win more often, but she is making some goals and trying to figure out the different positions.  I think she plans to play middle-school soccer as soon as it's offered - maybe this winter.  Club soccer takes a tremendous amount of time for all the practices and always a game on the weekends, usually not in Snoqualmie.

I don't have any pictures of Katherine's game Saturday, but she did make a goal and they ended up losing by one point.  She had an excellent game the weekend before and got two goals.  They ended up tying that one.  I'll try to post the videos of her best goal.  It's impressive that she stays aggressive even after the goalie blocks her first attempt and barrels right in and scores - and then jumps up and screams with joy.  I love this girl.  

Kate's Goal.

I might have to work on videos a little more. 

Graysen joined the cross-country team when school started, which is really the only after-school choice for 6th-grade girls.  Luckily, it's the one that she loves the most and is quite good in.  They've had 4 meets, and she came in first place in two of them, 2nd place in one, and 3rd place in one.  Unfortunately, the school has not won a meet, but they've tried hard.  The finals are coming up in about a week-and-a-half.  We don't know any of the details of how it's done, but we'll be pulling for her.  

 Snoqualmie Middle School has only 8 girls on their 6th grade squad.  Some schools have as many as 50.  They're a sweet group, I hear, and are out there trying every week.

I can't wait to see them run in person.  I'm so glad they're getting this opportunity to get out and exercise and learn about competing and encouraging each other. 

Gray at the finish line with Maija only 2 seconds behind her.  

The second meet.  Still smiling.

 

Delicious reward for a job well done.

I don't have pictures from the last two meets, but I'll work on getting and learning how to store all these downloads.  

Katherine's favorite still is her martial arts classes, but she's joined a new sport now - lacrosse - and is pretty excited about it.  I think Graysen will do that too when she's free.  It helps that their two sister friends are joining up too.  I hope it's everything they think it's going to be.  I know zero about lacrosse, but I guess I'll be learning something new.  

Not sports related but Emily's favorite hobby.