Football!

 

Luke played football this fall – a long anticipated opportunity. He’s been asking to play for years now and we’ve always emphatically, said “No.”  I was mostly concerned about head injuries (and I still am) but now that I’ve seen how different it actually is, I’m willing to let him participate.  And to no one’s surprise, he absolutely loved it.

Football was a great way for him to ease into the high school scene even before school started.  Football lifts and light practices start in early August and the season officially kicked off with doubles sessions well before the first day of school.  There were lots of Joe’s Brooklyn Pizza charges on my credit card that lined up with the breaks in between sessions. 

He spent hours on the field and off with new friends and he, of course, embraced the sheer physicality of the sport.  We enjoyed watching the games and he got more playing time as the season went on.  In the last game of the season, he had 2 touchdown saving tackles on defense that allowed the team to achieve a shutout. 

The Path to Normal

We've surpassed the 1 year mark of a global pandemic and I have to say, we've faired better than most.  While no one loves a pandemic, we've had a lot of silver linings.  We've enjoyed the slow down and embraced the empty schedule while it lasted.  We spent extra time at home and at the lake last summer because we didn't need to be somewhere else.  We were able to spend a lot of time together that we wouldn't have had otherwise and we were able to get many house projects done.  And isn't the gift of time what we are always searching for?

I'm not really sure was constitutes "normal" anymore but I feel we are at least moving toward a non-descript world of post-pandemic living.  The girls have returned to school full-time and the transition was very easy.  They seem very happy to be in school with their friends and there is a renewed excitement about going to school.  Part of the reason the transition was easy is that I am still working from home so I'm not rushing out the door in the morning and trying to get them on the bus at the same time.  I'm there when they get off the bus, too, even if I have to put a conference call on hold to go and waive at the bus driver.  Luke is still home with me 3 days per week as the middle school has to wait until the county case count comes down but he has resumes school sports 5 days per week.  He's currently playing modified lax which was cancelled last year so that has been a treat for all of us.  They are still restricting the number of spectators at games but we are just so excited to be back on the sidelines.  Club season has started as well so he's on the field 7 days per week right now.  That cute goalie with the blonde flow out the back of his helmet is always yelling "fire!" and either barking or showing his muscles after a save.  He's a performer - we get a lot "I just love watching him play" from the other spectators.  

The girls are currently playing lax as well.  Everyone has games on Saturday mornings so it's usually a scheduling puzzle to get everyone where they need to go.  Coco is \ not sure what she really thinks of games yet.  She's got a lot of pride though - apparently they win every game, or at the very least, tie; even though the other team somehow found the back of the goal more often.   Adrienne has had a brief break from her club team and has been able to build her confidence by playing on her town team.  We'll be back in club season next weekend and she'll be logging many hours on the field.  The girls have many friends within walking distance and are constantly out in the neighborhood or finding friends to walk to Starbucks with.   Our trampoline, tree swing and bikes have seen a lot of love.

So while things ebb toward "normal,"  I'll miss many aspects of this slower time and will think fondly of it.   I will not miss the fear or the restrictions but I feel we are coming out of this with a net positive.  We are looking forward to a full and happy summer!

Powder to the People

 

The people have been spending a lot of time on the ski mountain these days.  We make the trek twice each weekend and sometimes an additional time during the week.  And sometimes, an extra time when one of the wolf pack forgets their device to slide down the snow with.  We pack our gear, food, and drink in a scientific way.  It is a process.   All for the glory of risking life and limb, literally, as a means of entertainment.  Après ski usually begins around 12:30 pm, which may sound early but is actually at the conclusion of 4 hours of skiing.  We are fortunate to have many friends on a similar schedule that we can  socialize outside with during this lengthy pandemic.    It is tres important to find people that also think après ski starts around lunch time.

Coco has taken to skiing so fast that I'm hoping she doesn't ask to be in the race team next year.  (Because being a race team parent looks painful).  Luke is a maniac on his snowboard - I'm sure you are surprised to hear that.  He loves the terrain park with jumps and rails and all sorts of things to get hurt on.  And Adrienne is a mix of both with a love of skiing over the those mogul-like bumps in the paths that go through the trees.  Matt spends most of his time on the easier trails with me, pretending not to look bored.  He boards with Luke when we let them sneak off to the mountain ahead of us in a different car.  And as for me, I'm moving up in the ski world, one ski trip at a time.  I like trails with big winding curves and especially those that lead to the waffle hut where I can warm up with a diner like quality coffee.     

 

Skiing

 Well, Covid has very quickly turned us into an entire family of skiers/snowboarders.  That's because I was the last holdout and since there isn't much else to do, skiing it is.  It is certainly a social outlet in addition to being good exercise, so I've managed to look past the risk of bodily injury.

Coco is learning this year and she's already amazing at it.  It clicked right away for her and now she has easily surpassed me in terms of hill difficulty.  I'm going to try to keep up with her but my preference for conversation at the bottom of the hill far outweighs my need for speed.  

The most exhausting part of skiing is the process of getting to the top of the mountain..

1. Wake the whole fam up early (to which they are not happy)
2. make sure no one is missing a portion of their snow gear (something is always missing)
3. pack the car (always a process in an of itself)
4. swing through drive through for a hot cup of caffeine (necessary)
5. park the car and begin putting on boosa (takes 45 minutes)
6. swing by the locker and put on rest of gear (kids swap my nice gear for their kid gear)
7. Aaaaaaaaaaand finally get on the chair lift and ride to the top (already exhausted at 8:30 am)

So up on the mountain, Luke enjoys the terrain parks where he can practice is tricks, Adrienne enjoys doing as many runs as possible, Matt enjoys jumping the "slow" signs and freaking out the other parents, and Coco enjoys the chair lift and mastering new hills. As I said above, I enjoy the socialization.  We also cannot forget the kids' love of the waffle house and the lodge cafeteria.  Also a notable mention, Matt's love of stopping at the Other Half Brewery on the way home.  

We will be at it all winter, which here in NY means through April.