Let the Craziness begin.......

Wow what a whirlwind few weeks...........  Soccer for Boo Boo, a flood at the house, an awesome mountain trip with some great friends, basketball ends for Bambeano and so now it begins.......SOCCER SATURDAY BOWDEN STYLE....

So as you have read the Bowdens have been busy and I know I said I would promise to update with the mountain trip but with the flood and kids activities life escaped me....maybe again as the saying goes "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" only our was "What happens in the Mountains stays in the Mountains" especially given the fun, hot tub, tubing in sideways snow falling, amount of alcohol consumed and not forgetting waking up to being snowed in.......

So since the trip we have come back to a huge bump of reality, busy work weeks filled with soccer practice and week ends filled with kids activities and house repairs from the flood.  Bombshell has been a tad handy in that department and after receiving the insurance pay out has taken is hand to making some repairs himself.  Namely repairing the roof of the garage, which looks great I might add.  the carpet has been repaired and new padding installed, now it is just waiting for the new vanity cabinet that was ordered and Bombshell will make himself useful in the bathroom.

Kids are doing great in school so much that we have booked flights for England for me and the kids for a good long 3 week break that will include a trip over to my uncle's house in Ireland which I am really looking forward to.  The kids have never been so it will be great to show them areas that I grew up around.  The last time I visited was a year after Bombshell and I were married in 2001 so it is a well over due visit.

So last week was the official opening week end for Bambeano and his soccer,  He has been itching to get out on the field even more so since Boo Boo has been playing since the end of January.  The first game was going to be an interesting one....a new division devised to try and eliminate the oh so young 4 year olds playing against the giant looking nearly 7 year olds.  We decided to leave Bambeano in the newly created Under 7 because despite his skill level (with 18 goals last year and 21 last season) it would be a big adjustment for a 6 year old to play on a bigger field against some kids that were nearly 9 with kicks to match and that was the determining factor to keep him in his right age.

So Saturday came thick and fast, first up Bambeano, as Boo Boo's game was on a Sunday, nothing like to start Soccer for the Bowdens double doses.  I was looking forward to the game as I felt it would be evenly matched with kids all being equal in age, boy was I wrong.  You can tell a difference when a team has been together for a while.  Bombshell was coaching 5 of his 8 kids for the 3rd or 4th time so needless to say the kids knew how each other played.   So off was Bambeano for a run, as the pictures show

Daddy watching on as Bombshell tackles 2 

He breaks through

Add he is off for his first goal of the season

We got off to what i thought was a great start with Bambeano scoring twice for a 2-0 lead, then things got ugly on the side lines and Mama Bear unleashed.......a parent saw the great run that Bambeano did to then go on and score and made the comment that he was in the wrong league.....I kept quiet knowing each parent had their own opinion and it wasn't as though i wasn't used to it, parents had been saying it all last year even though he was 5 and 6, but some how it didn't stop there, not only were they talking loud enough for our parents to hear but they started with the ugly comments.....

"he is in the wrong league"
"WHAT are you telling me he is 7"...."We need to say something they are cheating"
"Well he can play an age up and that is what they should have done"
"Yeah why wouldn't you play up guess they want all the trophies and winning"

OH NO YOU DIDN'T....this was my breaking point.  I turned around and told them, in a nice manner of course, that they were talking about my son and he is 6 and rightfully in the league he needs to be......after a few stammering words he responded and said he could go up early to the older group in which I responded that due to the size of the 7/8 kids and the length of the field I would leave my son in the 6 year old league and I was in my right to do so.....after a few more stammering of words and a fake apology I shut him up....

Well Bombshell had a tough job to pull Bambeano back, no one likes to rail road other teams especially at 6 years old so off Bambeano went to defense, he was a trooper about it though and made me very proud listening to daddy coach.  So up 2-0 would be a good start to the season but oh know it would seem all the kids on our team wanted a piece of the action, one of the boys, who scored once last season, seemed possessed by Bambeano's runs and decided he would be the NEW Bambeano, this followed up by 2 from Bambeano's best buddy I might add and Valentine :) and then her sister got one and one of the new girls on the team finished it off for a 8-0 win.  WAY TO GO!!!!!!

Next onto Sunday and Boo Boo's turn.  Now the ride there was not pleasant running late which is a pet peeve for me I will be early for EVERYTHING rather than risk being late so Boo Boo was not in a good mood to start....We arrive and the game starts....now this is the same team we played last September where they had some hard kicks that landed Boo Boo in the ER, subsequently a rematch in which we won and she saved so now it was going to be interesting to see if they were after revenge.  The game started hard but we came out top first with 2 quick goals that saw the other team mentality begin to lose their focus......Boo Boo probably had her best game yet, maybe it was the bad mood she was in or the fact that her brother got off to a roaring start the day before, whatever it was I was very proud of both of them.......

Great save

One on One

Pushes it wide for a corner

A few weeks swing by and it feels like a year......

So after the on sought of 2 birthday celebrations and the hustle and bustle of the holidays I thought now would be the time to wind down and catch my breath.......oh boy was I wrong....

Where do I start.....

Let's see 1st the cancellation of snow tubing for Boo Boo's birthday, turned out to be less of a problem than I first thought, with friends we decided we would surprise the children and rent a cabin in the mountains for some week end fun of tubing....ah the bliss of relaxation...

But hold on now I am think god had other plans for me...not only did Boo Boo start soccer with a tournament full week end at that, he sure didn't think that was bad enough, fast forward 10 hours and I came home after a cold, wet, damp soccer Saturday to a flooded bathroom.  This on top of the sad news that a soccer friend and mum was gravely ill in hospital after a horse riding accident.

I am sure we are tested to our limits in preparation of dealing with life only this particular week end I kept asking myself "WHY".

Boo Boo had a great day on the Saturday with 2 wins and some phenomenal saves I was so proud of her and bursting with pride, yet I some how felt guilty that I was enjoying life while my friend was suffering, oh how I prayed she would pull through.  So in between the wet, damp day at the soccer field and coming home to a wet flooded bathroom and landing, you can imagine my emotions were very high.  Plodding on cleaning up as best I could and calling the insurance company that was all I could do to get through the day.

Sunday was a mixed emotional day, learning the unfortunate news that Sunday there were other plans for our soccer WAG, RIP Maria you will be sadly missed. I know that the 4 lives she saved from donating her organs will be gratefully received but it still doesn't take away the sadness.

I tried to stay upbeat for Boo Boo and her remaining game, a win would take us to the finals.  Well the last game was a fight worth fighting for, a very tough game, close to the end until we pulled it away for a 5-3 win, now onto the finals.  Now the finals were not exactly what you would call fair teams based on the best of the best....let's just say more Goliath and David and I don't mean that in a good way that we won :( but more that the girls on the other team were giants.  Not exactly U11....direct from the words of Boo Boo......."Mum they even had boobies"

Even so our team of mixed 9 and 10 year olds fought a hard battle and held their own to the end, unfortunately they lost but you know what they should be oh so proud of what they accomplished.

Stay tuned....in the next few days I promise I will update on our exciting, fun filled week end to the mountains with great company.....until then chickies :)

2 birthdays........

Father. please forgive me for my sins....For it has been 3 weeks since my last blog....

We have had a busy few weeks here in Bowden household but exciting ones at that....

First up Mummy's birthday, a quiet this year with Bombshell now back at College (University to my home folks) and Boo Boo having soccer practice after a long day, a take out (take away to my home folk) and some wine was on order..... the good news I did get my iPhone 4S so I am a happy bunny, thanks Bombshell.

So this year with my birthday so close to Boo Boo and the fact Charlotte Restaurant Week is on we decided to combine our birthday.

On to the next week and I was frantically watching the weather for Boo Boo's birthday.  She had chosen snow tubing as her activity with 3 of her friends.  The weather was not cooperating so 3 days before I had to look for another option, was it to be movies, roller skating, some how all not having the wow factor to make my little girl's 10th birthday special, then it came to me........our local news channel had recently reviewed a new business that opened around Christmas, Sky High Sports.  Tickets ordered on Thursday and visit scheduled for Saturday, the day before her birthday.

Busy day Saturday cake picked up, girls dropped off, car packed....but wait a minute what is that....my car, yes the ultimate mummy's minivan, had a flat tire and I don't mean just low, the damn car was sitting on the floor, oh my god, panic struck me and I lost all control.  I had 4 kids with me, Bombshell and me and another kid meeting us there.  How in the world was I going to fit 7 people in Bombshell's car.  Now we are going to be late.  Bombshell calm as always, this is why he is my rock, stated "just take my car"  of course my panic had not subsided.....my response was "what about Emma blah blah blah blah"  I am sure that is all bombshell heard.....

I think he probably just wanted to bang my head to the wall...... Calmly he said "take my car I will get your car sorted and meet you there"

Oh the penny dropped I could fit me and the 4 kids and get going, by the time they finished Bombshell would be arriving with a fixed car....off we went albeit a little late, let's just say I got to try out Bombshell's car speed capabilities....

We arrived at Sky High Sports, it was pouring with rain so you can imagine, this place was buzzing,  busy but not to the point it was unbearable.  They have done a great job of selling tickets online ahead of time, but the neat thing is you can only buy 3 days ahead.  So armed with my 12pm to 2pm slot others were arriving only to be told that the next session available was 10pm that night.

This place was amazing, trampolines on the wall as well as the basic trampolines all with pads everywhere, a dodgeball area and foam pit, the kids were unleashed changed in their shorts and t-shirts and had a BLAST!!!!!!

What a great substitute.......I am thinking snow tubing being canceled was not a bad thing :)

After a great day of fun we followed up with Chick Fil A lunch before returning home for pizza, wii Dance 3, movies and a sleep over HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY BOO BOO

Here we are in January and so it starts.....

Christmas over a new year and new determination.   As I start the new year back to being full time the household will now be planned like a military operation.  Bombshell is helping so hopefully thing s will be plan sailing, here's hoping.

First up soccer practice in full force with Boo Boo starting her games January 28.  I know, I know, we just finished the games, right.

Looking forward to the games, new camera case courtesy of Bombshell and a warm fuzzy blanket and thermos and I will be all set. 

The schedule for Boo Boo has been kind to me so far.  At first look there does not appear to be to many conflicts with Bambeano's basketball games, but ask me that again when his soccer starts up.

On top of the kids sports activities Boo Boo has joined the chorus at school, she seems very excited about it and her first song to learn and remember is true colors, you can follow her on the school blog we do not have her schedule yet but through that in the mix of the sports and you can just call us crazy.

The fun and games doesn't start there.  I have taken to the gym with a vengeance and no I am not one of those "Jan 1 I will get fit" as I actually started running/walking with the dog.  I have had a few 3.5 mile runs and walks and yesterday I was able to shave of 4 minutes of my time to achieve 3 miles in 33 minutes.  Now anyone who knows me knows I HATE long distance running so this is really a big accomplishment for me.  Not to be satisfied with that i am also joining an indoor soccer league, gosh god help me with that, interesting is not the word for it.

Well kids stirring, as I sit here early on a Sunday morning with the house to myself, toodle loo peeps until next time :)