Our Latest Summer Schedule

Here's an update to our Summer Schedule:
June 15th: Last Day of school.
June 19th: Swim Team practice begins.
-- Upcoming --
Tonight! CoRyoko and Zeke come by for a visit.
July 1st and 2nd: Soccer tournaments for both Andrew and Mali.
July 15th: Swim meet at Murray Hill.
July 21st - 23rd: Soccer tournaments for both Andrew and Mali.
July 29th: Swim meet at Eastmoreland.
July 30th - August 1st: Camping at Pacific Beach.
August 5th: Swim meet at Murray Hill vs. Sunset A.C.
August 13th: Championship Swim meet at Mt. Hood CC.
August 14th - 18th: Horse Camp for Mali.
August 18th: AREVA Golf Tournament.
August 20th - 23rd: Fishing at Sekiu for Andrew and Oregon Dad.
August 27th: Kirk family picnic in Bremerton.
September 5th: First Day of school.

Soccer is our life

Two soccer practices tonight, last night, and the night before that. Nothing on Friday. Saturday is the big tournament. Each kid has two games Saturday and two more Sunday. At least they are in the same place, so we will just hang out at the fields all day. Hope for pictures.

Susy has sort-of started her new job. She is working in her new office Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far so good.

Heat Wave!

It is HOT here! Nearing 100 over the last couple of days. Swim team is first thing in the morning, so at least that is not too bad. The kids are mostly indoors afterwards. Andrew's soccer practice tonight was brutal. He was ready, but poor Matias got really dehydrated and couldn't play much. The coach took it really easy, but then they scrimmaged the girls team. At least they won 2-0 tonight. They might be getting better. It is hard to tell. Their first real tournament is this weekend. Mali's too.

Home!

I drove home late last night after an after-work Red Hook Brewery golf tournament practice session (drinking, not golfing). We convinced 4 golf newbies to play, allowing us more leeway with our own game. Frank (coordinator) was there, and now can choose between them and us to put ahead of the wound-too-tight team. He'll probably use us to bracket them. Sadly, I missed a better practice session, with actual golf involved, Tuesday when John took Dad to Druid's Glen for Father's Day, and other brothers played too. Work is toooo busy, but deadlines are placated and everything is going well. It's good to be home.
Kids are at swim team practice. Friday is "Fun Day." Mali says she hates Fun Day. We'll see, this is the first one of the year.
For more on Mali, check out today's blog entry.

Quick Update

I'm working in Redmond, day 2 today. I called home. Mali spent the night at Zoë's, and Andrew will meet up with her at swim team practice today.
Last night I saw Rylin and Dalton, and read Rylin Goodnight Moon and put her to bed. I went to bed before Dalton, at 8:30, since I've lots of work to do today.

Summer Schedule

Here's an update to our Summer Schedule:
June 15th: Last Day of school.
June 19th: Swim Team practice begins.
-- Upcoming --
June 29th: CoRyoko and Zeke come by for a visit.
July 1st and 2nd: Soccer tournaments for both Andrew and Mali.
July 21st - 23rd: Soccer tournaments for both Andrew and Mali.
July 30th - August 1st: Camping at Pacific Beach.
August 14th - 18th: Horse Camp for Mali.
August 18th: AREVA Golf Tournament.
August 20th - 23rd: Fishing at Sekiu for Andrew and Oregon Dad.
August 27th: Kirk family picnic in Bremerton.
September 5th: First Day of school.

Not yet mentioned: Swim meets probably every Saturday, beginning soon.

Summer Begins

School ended Thursday. Mali's report card was truly amazing - nearly all O's (for outstanding)- 19 in all. We're very proud of her, she really pulled it all together the last trimester. Andrew's report card will be coming in the mail soon.

We've had the first soccer games, both losses, unfortunately. Mali and Andrew each played great.
Tomorrow is the first day of swim team. Mali is not too happy about it. I wish I'd had a camera with me during her tantrum in her room. Here's some pictures of the tail end of it after we went downstairs.

New Couches

Here's a picture of our new couches and coffee (sushi) table. Oh, and the kids. Note Andrew's new haircut. Mali was heading out the door, which is why she's wearing her backpack. The sushi table unfolds to become twice as big, which provides a HUGE surface. Needed for eating sushi, apparently.

Couch Raising

No pictures - sorry! The camera was out of batteries and I got busy in a hurry. It was quite a circus here! Dave, Pablo, and Paul came over to help. We moved out the old TV, hutch, desk, cabinet, and foosball table, took out the window and slid the couches up the ladder into the playroom.
The hard part turned out to be discovering how to remove the window. We managed it with some minor damage, and it is back in now, but still needs a little work.
Andrew and Matias were a great help in cleaning out the playroom to prepare it for it's reconfiguration. Mali spent the day at Zoë's until the rest of the Spitzers and Anayas joined Paul and Pablo and us at our house for pizza.

The new TV is set up and looks very good. We watched a few minutes of Ray on it with everyone as a test. Our new couches for downstairs will arrive Tuesday.

I just discovered new content over at Mali's site: wen life gives you food -- eat it!!!

Weekend I

Well, I'm sick and so am no fun. Susy took the kids to the pool yesterday and I tried to take a nap, but couldn't so got up and mowed the lawn.

Today promises to be busy: We're moving furniture and buying a TV. Right now Andrew is glued to the TV watching Mexico vs. Iran World Cup action. I'm going to join him for awhile.

Update: Now we're all sitting in the living room watching soccer. Mali's even got Sherbie in his soccer outfit.

Nutritional Benefits of Size 5 Soccer Balls

I miss Ricardo. I imagine him watching soccer somewhere now.

I only wanted to see the first 10 minutes of the first game of the World Cup. I mean, before watching a game or two this weekend and settling in for some serious soccer watching NEXT weekend. But Andrew burst back in the door with his friend Tiana at 10 minutes to 9:00 this morning, begging for a ride to school because they missed the bus.
It is the last Friday of school before Summer vacation. Last year he waited until the very last day to miss the bus.

Go Brazil!

Andrew's betting big on England. My upset pick is Japan to go far. Czech Republic will probably do well, as I forgot about them when selecting my pool picks.

Mali got her uniform last night at practice. She's very happy with it, and her number. She has dubbed it Sweet 16, and all is good.

Soccer Star, II

Mali went to a practice of the U-11 girls Aloha United classic soccer team last night. I saw lots of smiles, but she had to mull it over for awhile afterwards. While Susy and I were out celebrating our demonic anniversary buying a new sofa and loveseat, Mali decided she would join the team. In fact, we got home and she was all over me to email Rhonda and tell her she would play. I've already heard back: The team is pleased she'll play, they like Mali.

New furniture arrives Tuesday. This weekend promises craziness when we lift the old couches through the second floor playroom window. We'll get pictures. Also, Andrew actually plans to attend another track meet this weekend. This is the first of the Oregon State meets.

Mary's Party

Sunday we went to Coulon park in Renton for a surprise birthday party for Aunt Mary. It was great fun. Here's some photos:
Mali hams it up while Mary unwraps her presents. Click for another view.

Grandpa and Rylin

Andrew shows Dalton some soccer moves. Click for another view.