Summer!!!! What summer?

It's summer?! I shouldn't be surprised, I knew it was coming. It took a little longer to get here this year, and believe me I noticed how long it took. I needed Summer this year, I craved it and couldn't wait for it to get here. The problem is, we are so incredibly busy that I felt like it was over before it even started.

All 3 kids played baseball this year. Chris was Delaney's coach, he helped with Chandler's team and ended up assistant coaching Mclayne's team.

I was not just loafing in my lawn chair during these games though. I haven't written much about it here but we are obviously pretty involved in our kids sports, and this year we are even more involved. Our city started a Football Booster Club and I threw my hat in the ring and am one of 3 Vice President's in the booster club. We have lots of meetings and are doing concessions at baseball games and are running fundraisers and events. It is fun and exhausting, and I love it.

Football doesn't even officially start until next week and I'm wondering how much longer it is going to be ;) We have a lot of events coming up and it is busy and exciting.

Chris is coaching Chandler this year and he is SUPER excited to play football.

My concern at this point is that I am waiting to lose my S***. When I get overwhelmed and really busy that is what happens. I eventually lose it, I have a breakdown, freak out and lose my s***. When I expressed this concern to my therapist she said "why?" why do you have to lose it? Well I guess I don't . I am making the choice this time not to lose it.

I realize it is my choice to add all of these things to my plate. But I like it! I like to be involved I like to help out. I've always felt like if I didn't like something then I should be part of the solution not the problem. I can't stand to listen to people complain about things but when they have the opportunity to "help" they don't. So I'm involved. That's all.

I have so many things I want to write about, hopefully I won't wait 6 months again to blog.

For the Love of the Game

I love love love football. I don't ever remember a time in my life that I didn't love football. I remember going to my brothers' games and to their practices when I was 3!

I was a cheerleader :) at 3 of course. They taught me "rah rah ree, kick em in the knee, rah rah rass, kick em in the other knee" I think I had little pom poms and I LOVED it! I remember taking boys home after practice and the pads and the helmets and the dirty white pants, and I always loved it.

When I was 6 I discovered the NFL and I became a die hard Bears fan. They went to the Super Bowl that year. You remember, the Super Bowl Shuffle with Jim McMahon, and Walter Payton, (which is why we almost named Mclayne, Payton) the Fridge. You remember I know you do.

I remember watching Sunday afternoon football in our basement with my dad,the fire blazing and falling asleep on the couch.

As a young teen I went to my first BYU Football game and decided that was where it was at. (I have since learned it is NOT where it is at) But what Mormon girl in the 90's was not sure that they would marry Steve Young?

Now I have a 2 sons and a husband who love it too!! As much as I do? I'm not sure. But we all love it, we all have "our" teams, Chris is a Dolphins fan, Mclayne has been a Steelers fan as long as I can remember, and Chandler is a Dolphins, Steelers, and whom ever is playing the Patriots. (That's my boy)

I'm even on a Fantasy football league with 8 other men and only 1 other woman.

This is my favorite time of year, I think that on Friday night around 7 p.m. there is an actual smell in the air and it is the smell of high school football.

Here is where the problem lies, I HATE it!!!! I hate the stress the drama, the obnoxious parents who think THEIR kid is a rock star, and should therefore play all 11 positions at once. Yes I am now referring to Little League football. It is a total love hate relationship for me. I love football so much and I can't wait for it to be August every year, but honestly little league is taking the love out of it for me.

This is Chris's second year being an assistant coach and there is so much drama involved. I go to practice pretty much every night, not because I have to but because I am stuck home all day and it is an "out" for me to go hang out at the park, sit in my lawn chair, eat sunflower seeds, and just hang with some of the other parents. I say some because I don't sit with the "group" of parents I sit on the other end of the field where I don't have to hear parents criticize the coaching staff or the kids, or brag about how great their kid is. We all think our kids are rock stars, and they are!! But not all of them are going to the QB, a running back, wide receiver, or even the center. There are 22 positions that must be played at every football game and there are only a select few that are "rock star" positions. Every kid has a job to do and every kid has to do their job or nothing gets done.

So instead of trying to get your kid to be a rock star, teach them about personal responsibility for their position, and how to do their very best at where ever the coaches feel that they will reach their full potential. I can tell anyone from personal experience that some coaches are pieces of crap and have no business coaching little kids, and I can also tell you that there are some great guys out there, who may not know EVERYTHING there is to know about coaching or football, but they truly just want the boys on their team to have a positive learning experience.

I will get off my soapbox for today, however, I'm sure there will be more football posts to come.

note* we played our first game on Saturday and we got our butt's kicked, but none of the coaches freaked out, none of the parents freaked out, and the boys said they had fun. Isn't that what it SHOULD be about?