Soccer Updates.

Another two weeks have gone by and soccer is now in full swing. The kids are adjusting to the different rules and fields and seem to be having some fun. Last week Brooklyn tied 2 -2 and this week they won 6 - 2. While I can't say that Brooklyn has much of an impact on the game she seems to be having a lot of fun and is getting a little better and a little more aggressive. She has come a long way from a month ago when she didn't want anything to do with her first practice or playing this year. Maddux's team has gotten better each of the past three weeks. Last week they lost 5 - 3 due to the fact that they had no subs for the game and the other team was subbing out 4 players every couple of minutes. They were actually leading 3 - 2 going into the 4th quarter but just ran out of gas. You could tell that the kids were spent and had nothing left in the tank. They were all standing around and walking for most of the quarter. We have one of the youngest teams, as we drafter all 6 year olds when most other teams drafter 7 year olds. We didn't know any of the 7 year olds so were given 3 who never played soccer before. Then it is quite a big adjustment for the 6 year olds to play on a much bigger field. Then this week they actually tied 2 - 2 and played much better. We have noticed a big improvement in their game and as they get in running shape and learn the rules will become much better players. This is just building up until the Spring league when the games count and tournament play begins. Nolan's team has continued to dominate their competition. While most teams have 1 maybe 2 kids who know how to play and are good, we have 4 and are just dominating teams. Last week the other coach was complaining because he kids couldn't even get the ball on the other half of the field. He finally asked me if I could switch out one of my better kids to make it more fair. It didn't matter because we switched out with one of the other good kids and continued the game. Nolan has shown signs of soccer skills but is just as happy to run behind and watch everyone else score. He loves to give the high-fives after goals with each teammate. I have been very lucky this year in that none of the games so far have overlapped and I have been able to watch them all. I was not able to watch Brooklyn very much last year so this is a nice change. Well here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks worth of games.

Brooklyn

Here is proof that Brooklyn is getting a little more aggressive. There is still hope yet as she is not afraid to throw her elbow into the other team to try and win the ball.


Brooklyn kicking the ball to her team ahead. She is starting to develop a little bit of an offensive game and seems to be picking up on some of the different concepts and strategies.


Brooklyn before the game.

Maddux

Maddux kicking the ball through his competitor. He does have a big foot and tends to kick the ball as far as he can instead of dribbling it up the field himself. He was able to do this when he was younger and just beat the other kids to the ball but on the bigger field he needs to learn to pace himself and use the skills he has developed.


Maddux and dad waiting for some action at the goal. At this age the goalie position is not very exciting. You are lucky to get a shot or two at you during a quarter.

Maddux looking for the right time and angle to take the ball away from the other player. He is very good at tracking down the opposing player taking the ball away from them.


Maddux breaking down to get ready and take the ball up the field.


Maddux right before game time.

Nolan

Nolan during his favorite time of the game, snack time.


Nolan working on his throw-in technique. There are not many good action shots of Nolan so we have to take them where we can get them.


Nolan and his rockstar, soccer hairdue.

Outside of last week at Brooklyn's game Payton has done very well at the games this year. She is getting to be quite the big girl and can entertain herself now. We didn't want to exclude her from the blog so here are pictures of her at the games.

Payton

Here Payton is just hanging out and watching the game.


Payton in her seat right along the sideline.


Sucking down some ice from her water bottle.


This was last week during one of her rough spells. For a little while she just sat on the sidelines by herself and threw a tantrum. In fairness to her Brooklyn had an 8:00 am game so she was woken up and gotten ready before she is use to.

Anyways I will try and get some video one of these works as the pictures don't always do their hustle and effort justice.

Visit to Great Grandma and Grandpa Beards.

Last weekend we made a quick trip down to my grandparents house to visit with them and take a trip to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. We had originally planned to go down on Saturday morning and come back on Monday but due to the unexpected death of a good college friend of mine, we didn't go down until Sunday. I flew to Salt Lake City for his funeral and couldn't get back until Saturday night. Even though the trip to Indiana was a quick one it was good to see my grandparents and the kids had a blast. The kids were able to play and swim with the neighbors kids all day Sunday and then we did the museum thing on Monday. We are lucky that my grandparents neighbors are so thoughtful and invite us over to play anytime that we are in town. They have kids of the same age and our kids play well with them. I think every time we are there they are having some type of party with friends and/or family but always very hospitable and welcome us in. It is a good way for the kids to spend their time there and helps get them out of the house. I am glad that we live close enough to my grandparents and have the opportunity to go down and visit with them whenever we want. It is good for the kids to get to know their great grandparents. My grandfather seems to be doing well and is still strong and it is always good to seem him out and about. Here are some pictures from our visit to my grandparents and the Children's Museum. If you are ever in Indianapolis and have children this is a great and inexpensive way to spend an afternoon. There are unlimited things to see and lots and lots of stuff to play with and do.

Nolan's 4th Birthday.

Last week our big boy, Nolan, turned the big 4. It is just amazing at how fast the time has flown and how big he is getting. He loves to follow his big brother, Maddux, all around and is his little shadow. He will even wait for Maddux to pick certain things out, at the store, so that he can pick the exact same thing. Maddux is a great sport and doesn't seem to annoyed by it yet. For Nolan's birthday we had pizza at our house and then went over to play some indoor, monster mini golf. The kids had been to this place a couple of weeks before and Nolan loved it. He couldn't stop talking about it and just had to have his party there. They had a pretty decent arcade for the kids to play in and win tickets for prizes. I think we had about 15 kids there and had a lot of fun. We then came back to our house for ice cream cake and then called it a night. It was a lot of fun and I think the kids had a blast. Above is Nolan just before blowing out his candle of his cake. Nolan has some of the best facial expressions and this time was no different. Someone is way excited to blow out his candle.


Here are Maddux and Nolan in matching outfits that Grandma and Grandpa Kerr got for them. I think they have worn these shirts every other day since they got them. It seems like they always have these on.


Nolan with probably his favorite gift of the night. His Uncle Greg bought him a giant dart gun with about 20 darts. His old gun only had about 8 per round and then you had to reload. This one has about 3 times the darts and then as an added bonus at the end you can shoot a giant dart. I think Maddux loves the gun just as much if not more than Nolan.


Here is Payton tossing the footballs into one of the games in the arcade. She didn't get any in the tires but I was surprised that she could at least get them in the game. She had no idea what she was doing but had a ball doing her own thing.


Nolan getting ready to ride the virtual roller coaster. This ride usually cost $3 a ride but the owner gave Nolan a free ride since it was his birthday. I was talking to the owner and he said that the ride cost as much as a new Mercedes would. I guess that is why you have to charge $3 a ride.


Maddux intensely driving his car while eating a sucker at the same time.

Here are some past pictures of Nolan to take you down memory lane.


Nolan this past summer at Disneyworld with his buddy Donald Duck.


Last summer, 3 years old, at Clearwater Beach in Florida.


Nolan showing everyone where the gym is.


Nolan (2) and Maddux (4) matching boys. As you can see Nolan started imitating his brother at a young age.


This is what happen when you mess with Maddux on the trampoline.


The day that Nolan learned how to ride his bike for the first time.


Nolan has always had a special place in his heart for the Wiggles.


Nolan has some great pictures while he is sleeping.


Nolan as a frog on his first Halloween.

Nolan's 4th birthday also was the first day of Nolan's preschool. He is doing the Joy School with some other kids from Church and absolutely loves it. Here are a couple of pictures from his first day of school.


Nolan with his SpongeBob backpack showing how big of a boy he is.


Nolan and Emma before loading up for their first day. Emma is one of the girls that Jennie watches everyday who is Nolan's same age. I think Emma made it a little easier for Nolan to go that first day being that he knows her very well.

Well we are very grateful for the joy and energy that Nolan brings to our family. He is always keeping us on our toes and absolutely loves his big brother, Maddux. We look forward to many many more birthdays and are exciting to watch him grow up and develop his own personality.

Soccer is back in the air.

The soccer season is upon us again and this year Nolan is finally able to play. It took him a couple of practices to get use to the idea but is finally happy about finally being on a team. It helps that I am one of his coaches and he has a good friend on his team as well. Everyones first game was this weekend and the Beard family went 2 - 1. I decided to spike Nolan's hair to celebrate his first game.


Here are Maddux and Nolan during Brooklyn's game. Neither of them could wait for their games to start. I actually got pretty lucky this weekend as I was able to watch all three games. I don't think I caught very many of Brooklyn's games over the last two years as most were at the same time as Maddux.


Brooklyn's team won 2 - 0 and Brooklyn actually played pretty well when in the game. She moved up this year and is playing with 10 , 9 & 8 year olds. They are also playing with full soccer rules and are starting to have to learn the game and the different positions. She seems to be on a pretty good team and her coach really seems to know what he is doing. It will be fun to watch her develop playing for someone who really knows what he is doing.


Brooklyn actually played a little more aggressive than in past years and was not afraid to get right in there and take the ball away from the other team. Here she is getting right in the path of the other player and took the ball away from her.


I was surprise that Brooklyn actually showed some offensive aggressiveness during her game. She has never been known for her offensive skills but actually went to the goal a couple of times and had a couple moments of dribbling the ball up the field. She usually just kicks it once and is happy with that. Maybe we will see this part of her game develop this year.


Nolan just hanging out during Maddux' game.


Maddux's game was a little different of a story as his team really struggled. He is now playing with 7 year olds but is playing on a much bigger field. I think that was the main difference as they were all tired midway during the second period. We have no one on our team who played on the bigger field last year so the kids really didn't know what to expect. It was funny because at one point in the second quarter we asked who needed a rest and all 7 players raised their hand. At least they now know what to expect and we have an idea, as coaches, on what we need to work on. They lost 4 - 1 and really were worn out by the end of the game. This is a picture of Maddux playing goalie and stopping a shot on goal.


Although Nolan isn't much of a player yet he was very excited to be out on the field and was the leader of the high-fives after every goal. He does have some pretty good players on his team and they won their game 12 - 0. He is the biggest kid on the field and just needs to realize that he can go where ever he wants and do what ever he wants. He is not afraid to get in the middle of things but tends to back off after he gets the ball out of the scrum.


I kept trying to tell Nolan to run to the goal when his teammates have the ball so he could get ready for a pass and then score. Well he took it as running right to or in the goal and then just waiting for something to happen. We will have to work on this with him so we can get him some easy goals this year. At this point he really doesn't care if he scores as long as he can give high-fives after his team scores.


This might be Nolan's favorite part of the game. This year he finally gets his own treat and drink after every game.


Have you ever been this tired? This has nothing to do with soccer but this is how we found Nolan after Church this afternoon. He fell asleep in the car on the way home but woke up once we pulled in the driveway. We told him to go into his room and get changed before we ate. Once dinner was ready we went to see where he was and this is what we found. He managed to get his pants down to his ankles and then just couldn't take anymore. He fell asleep right there in the middle of getting changed.

Well next week will be an off-week as we celebrate Labor Day so it will be a couple of weeks before we have any soccer updates.

Back to School.

Well school is officially back under way as of this Tuesday. Brooklyn is in the third and Maddux is now in school all day as a first grader. I am still trying to figure out where the summer went. It went by so fast and now we have to get back into the swing of school and soccer. It was funny because the first day of school I asked Maddux what was the best part of his day and this was his response, "Lunch, recess and gym." What a typical boys response. It will be nice to get back into a regular routine and on a somewhat normal schedule.


This is Jennie on her way to school every morning. This is how she loads up all the kids and walks them to school. It is very nice having the school in the same neighborhood that we live in. It is a five minute walk to and from school each day.


Here are Meghan and Lauren (friends of Brooklyn and Maddux who Jennie watches after school each day).