No Fall Sports (this year anyway)

David at about age 8 in 2003

For the first time in thirteen years, no one in this house is playing soccer this fall.

We've been a soccer family since my oldest child David was about six years old. (He's almost 20 now.)

Some years we'd have four soccer games on a Saturday morning, often in different locations. We've sat through hot sunny games, cold rainy games, even games that we huddled under blankets in our winter coats.

Emily after a muddy game in 2011
at age 14

We've picked up colorful new uniforms and passed down old soccer cleats. We've looked for sales on Capri Sun and made last minute runs to the grocery store on game day when we forgot it was our turn for snacks. We've juggled practice schedules and decided if Mom or Dad would go to the games.

We've kept camp chairs and blankets and spare shinguards in the car. We've stocked up on water bottles. We've figured out which long sleeved shirts work best under this season's jerseys.

But not this fall.

This fall we are taking a break from soccer so that the kids can concentrate on training for their black belt in Tang Soo Do karate.

Suzy in 2007 at age 5

The three kids still at home (ages 12, 14, and 17) are planning to test for black belt in February. They need to attend more karate classes at their PKSA school. I need to make sure they practice regularly at home.

James in 2010 at age 10

So we made the tough decision to say "no" to soccer or any other fall sports. That choice was especially hard on Suzy, the youngest, because she adores soccer and also because she has had fewer years of play than the others. She also is considering how to fit volleyball into her life and that's also a fall sport. So, there was no volleyball this year and her best friend is playing volleyball.

But it's just one season. By next spring, they will hopefully have reached their martial arts goal and will be free once again to play soccer.

And once again I'll be shivering on chilly fall mornings. I'll make sure to pack my blanket.

Lisa's Logbook - December 2

One place we visited: Suzy and I went to Port Huron today to see The Nutcracker. A friend of ours danced in the production. We had a lovely time attending with some good friends - lunch beforehand and ice cream (or coffee) afterwards. 

We are reading: David and Emily will be reading a couple O. Henry short stories for American Lit and then getting a head-start on Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Emily will be picking up an abridged version of Les Miserables to read for book club. I am now 1/3 done with the UNabridged Les Miserables; that is a HUMONGOUS book! James and Suzy both need new books and I haven't chosen them yet! Emily and I also are both reading The Hobbit in the next couple weeks to get ready for our book club going to see the movie together!

I'm grateful for: my Android phone I got for my birthday - love it! I can stay in touch so much easier now. And my kids can use it too for fun and educational apps. Very very pleased. (It's the HTC One V from Virgin mobile.)

Red Belt Promotion - PKSA Karate

My favorite thing this week: Getting promoted to red belt in karate! Halfway to black belt now....

Favorite Resource this Week: the boxes of Christmas stuff! Lots of crafty odds and ends in there that the kids are excited about.

Homeschooling advice to share: Don't do too much too soon with your younger kids. Let them discover the joy of learning.

A challenge we face: Getting everyone up and ready in the morning takes a lot of energy from me. Still! Wouldn't you think that kids this age could manage to get up on their own and get ready?

A link to share: Ditch Your Office Chair for a New ‘Standing Desk’ (We sit too much, meaning we as Americans, or maybe just first world civilization.)

I am inspired by: reading great literature

A homeschool debate we are living: Do I let the teens sleep in? And that usually means letting the elementary schooler sleep in too....

Coming up this week: Christmas School! Stay tuned! Also a Christmas party with our homeschool group, featuring rollerskating and cookies!

The Other Stuff

Suzy and Emily are going to learn to sew. I might look for a curriculum or I might just teach them what I know. Which isn't everything, but it is enough to mend and follow a pattern.

David is going to do a half-credit of Psychology using a free online course from about.com. He will also write papers to flesh out the class. He is fascinated with psychology so this will interest him.

He is also going to continue his programming study at Code Academy online - again FREE. I am not sure where he left off, but once he is back to it, I'll post about it. He also applied to learn virus removal at Geekstogo.com so if he is able to join that program, I will post about that too.

We will continue studying karate twice a week on Monday and Thursday afternoons. We have been learning for a year and a half now and have achieved green 2 (4th gup). Looks like we are on track for testing for black belt near the beginning of 2015. David does plan to continue after he graduates from high school.

And then, there's soccer. Three of the kids are on teams this fall, two of which are travel teams.

Breaking Boards

I am not sure these pictures showed up when I originally posted this. So I re-published them. Do you see them now?

We started homeschool karate last week at a nearby studio. They offered a special introductory homeschool program twice a week in the afternoons. Three short intro sessions and a uniform were included. They got a very good response and we are part of a large class. I've decided (against popular opinion) to sign all 5 of us up for their homeschool program that begins next Monday. I'm enjoying it and it fits my goal of keeping us active as a family.

Specifics for those who want to know: It's Korean martial arts called Tang Soo Do.