Our Adorable Weirdo

The "I know it's true" genre carried on.  It also appears she has no idea how to play the guitar:

Spring Soccer 2013

This season only Anders is playing.  Not because Tucker didn't want to, but we didn't really have a team that practiced close by to put him on.  Anders coach, Taco (yup, Taco) has been really great to let Tucker come and practice with the team.  Anyway, Anders has some skills.  He really is getting to be a good little player.  This game he scored a goal.  He is aggressive, fast, and does pretty well:

 And these are pictures Clara took one day at a game whilst she was bored (only a few of MANY):

Lucy and Six Flags

Lucy's orchestra went to a competition in Vallejo (near SF).  Friday was the competition and Saturday was a Six Flags Day.  She had a great time and it sounds like her middle school fared well in the competition.  I was sad we couldn't go hear them, but I think she had fun being free of us for a bit.  Here are some of the pics she shared with me to commemorate her trip:

Strings Recital

Lucy and Tucker had their first strings recital last week.  They have both made some good progress and it was fun to hear them perform.  And again, my apologies for the lousy pictures.  I had my phone and not my camera.

One More Thing

Man oh man.  Life is crazy.  At least mine is.  I feel like it has totally and completely spun out of control.  I am told to just get used to it.  When kids get older they go a million different places and ALL you do is drive them places.  Well everyone who told me this is right.  Because ALL I do is drop off, pick up, run here, drive there, pick her up, make sure he is ready to be picked up, and run over to her house.
Growing up we didn't really "do" things.  Like sports, or play dates, or music lessons.  Part of it was the times, and part of it was just how things were.  Sometimes I feel like I am overcompensating for not "doing" things.  Because my kids are doing things.  Piano lessons for Lucy, Tucker, Anders, and Clara.  It's a great thing.  We have two different teachers, both are awesome.  The kids are progressing.  1/4 of them hate piano, but 3/4's love it.  So piano requires practice and that is enforced around here.  So it's one more thing.
Lucy is taking violin and Tucker is taking cello.  Fortunately the teacher comes to our house.  But they need to practice, which is one more thing.
Clara, who sings and adores musicals, and sings and sings and sings and sings started voice lessons.  It's one more thing, but to be fair she did just quit gymnastics and it's with the kids piano teacher in the same time block the ids are at piano.  So now when they are at lessons I have two hours instead of one and a half to drive here, and there.  So that is one more thing, but in some ways it's one less thing because of my extra half hour.
School.  I do art in Anders class which is at least one more thing, but maybe even two more things.  And the kids have projects and reading and field trips.  And Lucy has a psychotic math teacher (not kidding).  That is like three more things.  Trying to navigate that and get problems cleared up and making sure things get turned in and completed and all of that.
Scouts and YW.  Who knew 11 year old scouts was one more thing?  Camp outs, merit badge fairs, etc.  And camps and activities and driving and picking up.  One more thing.
Playgroups, and play dates (can you call it that when your kids pass the age of 8?  Probably not).  But there is plenty of dropping off and picking up from friends houses.
And as mentioned in the post below, speed school and swim lessons.  One more thing.
Soccer.  Two practices a week this season and a game every Saturday.  One more thing.
Why am I doing this?  I guess it's because it's what I want to do.  This is what I choose to do.  I am totally in charge of one more thing or not one more thing and I choose one more thing.  So I guess I can't complain.
And it gives me the excuse to never ever ever ever ever have a clean house, have the laundry done, have a fully stocked kitchen, or a decent meal ready on time.  I'm kind of sick of those things anyway, so I'll pick one more thing over those any old day.

Keeping Busy

Our gym offers a family pass where kids can take swim lessons or enroll in Parisi Speed School (which is like unto a boot camp class).  So Clara started swim lessons and the boys started getting their booties kicked.  So far everyone is enjoying it (sorry about the quality...pics from my phone):

 Clara (and others) get in plenty of time with friends:

Lucy had her big round table presentation for the 3rd term a few weeks ago.  They studies Newton's laws, Public Service announcements, the space race, and the Cold War. They had to tie it all together and did a power point presentation, made a video, and discussed their experiment making rockets and how Newton'd laws applied.  There were about 30 adults in the room during the 30 minute presentation and they had to answer lots of questions from the audience.  Very nerve wracking and Lubert claims she was nervous, but from my perspective she looked poised and sounded intelligent and informed.  Well done LJ:

 The kids always have things going on and Rob always works, so Clara and I have been on our own a bit lately, so one Friday we went on a date to Texas Roadhouse.  Clara loved it.  She hates peanuts but adored being able to throw her shells on the floor.  She especially enjoyed line dancing with the servers.  10 women and 1 short Clara getting their country dance on.  Good times:

Bike Time

Lucy got a new bike last month.  It is a sweet bike and should last her many many years, unless I steal it from her. Anyway, we wanted to try a family bike ride, but with Clara, who couldn't ride, it wasn't possible, plus Reno (at least where we are) is all hills.  So for the debut ride these four set out:

 While this one stayed home and practiced until she could stop without crashing:

 Sweet bike:

So finally Clara has mastered the art and we hauled the bikes down to a flat trail and did a couple of loops around a marsh and enjoyed some hills at the park: