Earned Run

There are “fun runs,” and there are fun runs. Today’s would qualify as the latter. It was a family 5K that “required” its participants to consume a Krispy Kreme doughnut after completing each of the three total laps. The post-race pride was fueled by a sense of accomplishment and approximately 60 grams of original glazed carbohydrates.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

When I was in fifth grade, the end of the school year meant that we’d get to watch a bunch of movies and have extended recesses; Olivia’s class, on the other hand, enacted select scenes from Macbeth.

Action into Spring

Meat and Greet

It looks like our once-herbivorous child is no longer so. Here he is constructing and consuming a multi-meat stick.

Buddy System

We’d been without a pet—a dog, more specifically—for four years. Last year, when we moved into our house—one that came with a fenced-in backyard and doghouse—we recognized the possibility that we’d one day be dog owners again. Well, that one day is today.

We warmly welcome Buddy, an 11-year-old Jack Russell Terrier and Hurricane Katrina survivor. He’s what’s considered a foster fail, meaning that we’d originally signed up to serve as his foster family but instead adopted him ourselves when we couldn’t resist his boundless charm and cuteness.

Kick (Early) Starter

While Olivia and her teammates were playing the beautiful game in the last tournament of their fall season, I was literally half a world away in Tokyo on a business trip. I eschewed sleep and sanity for to opportunity to follow the action via FaceTime. The late-morning kickoffs proved especially challenging because of the 14-hour time difference, but I cheered and yelled at my iPad as her team won the first game of their entire season, tied another, and nearly pulled off the upset in the championship game.

Face Off

Eight years ago . . .

Now . . .

Ballon A-d'Or-able

The menacing, yet charming stare of a 

first-year footballer

The Ballon d’Or (French for “Golden Ball”) and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award. Recent winners include Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. We live in the age when kids—perhaps their parents—expect to get trophies just for participating in youth sports. While I’m not one to subscribe to that mindset, I do want to recognize my wife and kids for their wholehearted (footed?) embrace of the beautiful game.

Reed will never walk (or stand) alone in his Liverpool kit;

here with other soccer buddies from school

(Photo courtesy of their kindergarten teacher) 

Reed is in his first season in a soccer league—I’m the head coach—and Olivia is competing in travel soccer for the first time. Their mother swore up and down that we would never get swept up by the frenzy that is the American travel-sports complex. We’ve obviously given in to that temptation, but Beni’s keen observation about our foray in this world affirms why this might be a good thing for our family.

Our peripatetic player

From her Instagram account:

One benefit of travel sports is spending each weekend together as a family, hours that we would have been home, running errands, cleaning, playing with friends, distracted from each other. I'm grateful for this time for us to connect, each weekend, in a new place. We've talked, fought, cheered, and laughed. (And she still loves soccer! Phew.)

Bear’s Close Examination

Our Ursa Minor could barely (bear-ly?) contain his excitement having stumbled upon this sitting option in the front entrance of the world’s leading (only?) sporting-goods store/carnival.

Wheel of Misfortune

Olivia was none too thrilled to be up in the indoor carousel with her mother. I think it was her trepidation of heights that was getting to her, and not her fear of being seen out in public with her parents.

Stick Figure

Reed is a man about mound(s), if you will. He discovered these dirt piles behind the soccer field where his sister was playing today. He’s always begging us to let him bring home the various sticks he finds.

How about this one?

A Flutter of Anticipation

Reed and his classmates took to the butterfly garden during art class for inspiration.

(Photo courtesy of Reed's kindergarten teacher)