VINTAGE RERUN: Kids and Sports and Sunday (Early) Games

WARNING: INFLAMMATORY BLOG POST (originally posted 6/30/09 when I had passionate pregnant brain)

Today is VINTAGE RERUN SUNDAY! I'm kicking back today with my family so I have dug up an old episode of The (Mommy)Kerrie Show for your reading pleasure. Enjoy, and see you next week!

WHY would you have a soccer game at 6 a.m. on a Sunday? My friend with 7 kids has to get up and schlep all her kids ALONE to a 6 a.m. soccer game on a SUNDAY. She is a flippin’ saint in my book.

Here on The Kerrie Show, we’ve only gotten about HALF our total sleep intake by 6 a.m. (not really, but we certainly wake after the kids across the street at the school are all seated for their first class). If a coach told me my kid had a 6 a.m. game, I would honestly laugh out loud in his or her face. If the game was important to my kid, I guess I would have to show up or else send my poor husband since Eva wakes up whenever I leave the darn bed still. But if I had to show up that early, I would have to make it clear that it’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. (Darn my mother for passing on her mouthy nature to me).

Kids are overworked enough as it is (school, too much homework, music lessons, dance lessons, soccer, baseball, tutoring, Cub Scouts, CCD class, 4-H, etc.) … can’t they catch a little sleep on the weekend? [Edited to add: Same for their parents!]

First of all, Aron is adamant about the kids not playing any sports on Sunday. I’m on the fence. I mean, once they get older and have a game to play, I think they should be able to make the choice. But then I also wonder what would happen to the American family if we were all forced to hang out on Sundays and not be running our butts off to sports and activities.

What if we just had to BE with each other and (novel idea coming up here) TALK to each other and PLAY in the backyard or go to the park or the FREE nature trail, packing a lunch for the hike?

I kind of would like to watch that soccer game, though. I wonder how fast the kids are moving down the field and how many of those 10-year-olds downed a pot of coffee pre-game!

Speaking of soccer, my dad recently told me about his step-grandkid in Michigan, who is TWO YEARS OLD. She plays soccer. I begged him to videotape it and put it on YouTube. Wouldn’t that be entertaining?! [Edited to add: Now of course since I made fun of it I have myself a 2-year-old Sam who is a wiz at every freaking sport under the sun and you might even catch me at a Sunday game, but that remains to be seen.]

Use your nice words in the comments section, please. I know some of you are quite attached you your kids playing sports, and I realize this could be me someday (go, baseball … my Joel (DiMaggio) can hit and throw like a crazy man!).

Mama Bear Goes on Two Road Trips

Aron left for a fishing trip yesterday with his twin brother, Michael, Joel and two of his brother's kids. Sometimes in the afternoon, I noticed they hadn't taken any blankets and that my niece's sleeping bag was still here. I normally would not worry about something like that, except the weather forecast said it was going to be around 38 degrees overnight. My first thought?

MY POOR BABIES (and, by extension, my poor chilly niece and nephew)!

I had to call my brother-in-law because Aron's TRACPHONE is crapping out AGAIN (not a recommended buy), and of course the two of them are all like men get: "It'll be alright. We'll be fine. The tent will be warm enough. We'll cram two kids in one sleeping bag." And so on.

So what do you think my overprotective butt did?

I'm headed down today with my other 3 kiddles, but of course you know me and I HAD to make the drive last night, as well. I can't stand the thought of shivering children. And Michael forgot his flip flops, and it should be warmer by Sunday, so I took them also.

It took longer than we expected to get down there ... about 2 hours each way. I called it "Practice for Wyoming" ... except times 4!!! We got down just as it was getting dark, and it was beautiful there. I love camping out and haven't gotten to for so long (babies + camping = not always such a great outcome). They are camping right by the lake! We had some hot dogs roasted over a campfire, then we had to leave about 9.

My 3 little peeps eventually crashed on the way home, and I was left to admire the stars and sing 70s classic songs loudly and play my leg guitar like my dad used to do.

Sometimes I'm a Planner and sometimes I just Jump. Life is an adventure! Looking forward to what today brings out in nature!

Need Your Advice: Microwaved Food

I need your help, readers! I have a dilemma about where to stay if we get to travel with my husband. He's been going to Wyoming for work a lot and we miss him! If he's not physically there, he's here in town working until midnight, which pretty much sucks. So we are hoping to convince his boss that it's a great idea for his family to be with him for 3 weeks. You know, for moral support and all that. Because he's getting burnt out, people.

So here's where you come in. The "ranches" out there are too expensive, but they have kitchens. There's a cabin for $225/night that will barely sleep all of us and has NO TV or WIFI! I love the homey feel and can live without TV, but come on!

Then there's the Holiday Inn Express ... with a pool, so that would kill some time. And a nice deluxe suite for only $125/night. The catch is that it only has a microwave and a mini fridge for food.

I'm thinking hot dogs, PB&J, Ramen noodles, shopping often since I only have a teeny fridge. I'll have to bring my own bowls and Tupperware and utensils.

I'm looking for more creative ideas for eating microwaved and refrigerated foods. Please help!

Hiding Babies in Pantries

Step One: Find a great hiding place for said toddler, like in the pantry. Hide him behind boxes of cereal.

Have him stay quiet so his siblings won't find him. He jumps out and scares the crap out of said siblings. He wins!

SeaLife Aquarium Kansas City Field Trip

Head here to find out about Homeschool Week at Crown Center and how SeaLife fits into that!

Dang, this post contains just about all the categories I have for my blog posts. It's about EVERYTHING. That's what happens when you spend over 5 hours at Kansas City's Crown Center with 5 children (division problem; the answer is one hour per kid)!

Okay, FOCUS, Kerrie. I have to focus JUST on the SeaLife Aquarium for you today. Get ready for lots of pictures (no flash allowed, so they aren't all fabulous, but you'll get the idea).

We went on a field trip with other homeschoolers on a Monday and were supposed to get in at 11:00. I had Googled the place before we went so I could get a little map and find out what to expect. Tickets are normally $19/adults and $15/kids if you just walk in the door, cheaper with a pass (only like $200 for a family of four ... holy crap!). With our homeschool group we paid less than $7 per person. I got me and my peeps in for $38.50 to be exact.