Summer is definately here........

Wow you can tell summer is finally here...school is out and the heat has arrived and I have been lax in my blog writing.  The time just flies.

Kids finished school June 9 so this year we planned our vacation to go back home to England.  We haven't been home for 2.5 years and the last time we went home during the summer Bambeano was 10 months old (he is now nearly 7).  Now flying home for the typical 10 days doesn't cut it as we rush around catching up with family, friends and try and have a vacation.

This year was different I was going to fly early with the kids and we would be there over 3 weeks and Bombshell would follow soon after.  The preparations in the house were exciting (kids) and panicky (me), not that I was nervous about flying on my own with the kids but the weather was forecasted as typical British Summer (RAIN), OMG what was I to pack.

A few weeks before the trip a curve ball came our way, my meticulous planning was out the window.  You see with school out I didn't need to have kids in camp Bombshell would be off work Monday and Tuesday and could watch the kids before driving to my work Tuesday and taking us to the airport, but no nothing could be that simple....This should have been a sign.......

Monday he did stay off with the kids but then he had to fly to Florida for a conference so he came to my work and we dropped him off......now for Tuesday, what now!!!!!!!  A great neighbor's daughter stepped in and came by at 6.45am Tuesday to watch the kids while I went to work.....taking 3 weeks off work left me thin for other vacation days......(I only had 20 days this year with a change in vacation schedule not being calendar year)  at 11.30am VACATION FINALLY STARTS!!!!!!

The trip to the airport was fraught with the kids fighting, normal I know but with the prospect of a 7.5 hr flight this was not something I was looking forward too.  Having nipped that in the bud we were off to the airport.  Parking was a nightmare but we were able to secure daily parking given that Bombshell was coming back from Florida Wednesday late so he would pick up the car, kids fighting had stopped so I finally could relax, or so I thought.

Checking in was not as smooth as I would have liked.  The seating layout of the plane is 2, 4, 2 so I had secured 3 seats together in the block of 4, not my ideal situation as the seats are cramped but at least we would be together....yeah that didn't work out.  I get to the desk and we have all been moved around.  I am on a block of 2 fortunately the same row as Boo Boo but there was an aisle and a seat between us....now where in the world was Bambeano's seat.  My 6 year old, that's right a child ticket, was moved 6 rows behind us but over on the left side of the plane, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!  I asked the desk agent to seat us together and the responses was we cannot help you, you will have to go to the gate.

Off the gate I go and I am met with another disappointing response from US Airways.....
"I'm sorry but I cannot move the person at the window as they requested it"
My response...."But my children and I were all sat together and have been moved and how can a 6 year old be separated from his family"
Their response....."You will have to work with the flight attendants"
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!  In the meantime I have 2 worried children......my game plane was to give Bambeano my seat and see if I can at least get the kids together, then with it being a night flight, get them settled and hopefully they will sleep.

I get on the flight and the attendant was less than funny, gives me high fives that I am away form my kids on the long flight that it would be every mother's dream, where do they pick these crazy people,  with the kids settled together a kind lady gives up her aisle seat and let's Boo Boo move to the aisle now the kids are separated only by the aisle.  Now on to sort my seat to get closer to the kids.....

The airplane is full and patiently waiting to push back form the gate.  It appears now there is a spare seat next to Boo Boo but I am told by the attendant they are waiting for one more passenger, surely I could take the seat (in the block of 4) and they could have my aisle seat.  NO I was emphatically told!!!!

Well here comes the passenger.......a English (I can spot them a mile off) man, DRUNK, seriously you were going to a) allow him on board, b) have him sit next to my 10 year old, not if I have my way.  I patiently watched the unfolding events as well as try and keep Bombshell informed (we had been texting).  The drunk passes Boo Boo's row and comes the 6 rows back to my row, starts fumbling his pockets.  The flight attendant asks him to take a seat he is holding up the plane, he responds he is looking for his ticket (he was adamant he was in our row).  This went on for what seems 5-10 minutes before the attendant got very agitated and told the passenger sternly to sit down and points to the seat by Boo Boo.  I popped up from my seat on the opposite side of the plane and said I would take the seat he could take my aisle seat, the relief on my kids face was all I needed to know that this Mama Bear did good. 

The drunk proceeded to fall into the laps of the passengers in my aisle while I whipped my bag and moved quickly over to my kids.  Boo Boo moved over one seat and Bambeano sat next to her then we had the aisle between us.

After the crazy beginnings of our vacation I could finally relax and the kids did FANTASTIC on the plane, no fighting and Boo Boo being very motherly and helping her brother.  I was settled with a glass of wine VACATION HAS OFFICALLY STARTED!!!!!!!

What you get when a month passes..............

Wow were does the time go......It is crazy in the Bowden household.  Soccer has finished for Boo Boo so you would think life would be a little easier but somehow it has gotten crazier......We have had EOGS (End of Grade testing), Soccer try outs, Chorus performances, Bambeano's soccer games and a visit from Grandma and Grandad......

Boo Boo continues to excel both at soccer and school.  EOG's ended up stretching to 3 days....The first day Boo Boo was throwing up at 2am in the morning.  Bombshell thinking it was just nerves sent her to school but of course less than an hour later I got the phone call and had to pick her up.  She spent the rest of the day sleeping on the sofa, Boo Boo being Boo bounced back the next day and hit her EOG's out the park and then made up her missed one the day after that now onto soccer try outs, this girl is busy.

Try outs were successful and she has secured herself a spot on the U11 Elite team.  She did at first want to still be with her friends and play U12 as she played up last year but the director and her goal keeper coach said it would be a good time to put her with her age now because in the next few years she would not be able to play up. and her growth and development would be instrumental now, she seems to have a good solid team and her coach is the technical director at her club pretty excited for the new season to start in August.

With soccer season over for Boo Boo she got to take part in her chorus performance at one of the local malls.   They sung one of Boo Boo's favorite, Stereo Hearts.  The kids do great singing and their music teacher is adored by them all.  Great job Mr Barnaba Boo Boo has loved chorus and is eager for next year to try out.....This is by far my favorite from the chorus

After the mall singing we had to rush back to catch Bambeano's soccer game and this one I got on camera with video and boy am I glad I did some great passing and goals by the team....It has been a little frustrating for Bombshell I think pulling the kids back but this team is all goal hungry and with Bambeano back on the field they all want a piece of the action.  This game he kept it down to 4-0 given that the goals all came in the 1st 8 minutes.  The focus was passing......

A week later and Grandma and Grandad visited for the week end no soccer for Boo Boo but Bambeano brought out the goods and scored a hat trick for Grandma next onto Bombshell's game and he played well despite a bad back.  Sunday we just hung out until late afternoon and then went to a baseball game, a first for Bambeano.  With his glove in place he was ready to catch some balls but unfortunately for him Boo boo's goal keeping skills into play and she won the foul ball.....oh boy we did not have a very happy teddy bear....fortunately for us another one came our way and Bambeano was hot on it now we had 2 happy campers with 2 foul balls

At the end of the game the kids had the opportunity to run the bases and they were pretty excited....all in all a great day out just chilling in the sun and experiencing one of America's sport....

Now onto next week with some pool time and Bambeano's last soccer game of the regular season before tournament time.

Soccer fun and singing

This past week end saw the last of the long road trips for Boo Boo's soccer games.  Hickory was the chosen place with her team playing in the Galaxy Shootout in the U11 Girls bracket.  2 games on Saturday followed by a possible semi final at 8am on Sunday or if we won both games moving on to 11am finals.

To be safe and to avoid an early wake up call I opted to book a hotel room just in case, thankfully the CSA Cabarrus girls did good winning both games, the first game 8-1 with Boo Boo getting some play time and following in her brother's foot steps scored a goal.....yes you read right she was put up as striker and boy did see hustle....Way to go Boo Boo, we are so proud of you.

On to game 2 and this was going to be a harder game....the girls did great winning 9-5.....great result meant no overnight hotel needed so off as we made our way back home to Bambeano and Bombshell.  Bombshell was playing his soccer game so we stopped by and caught that game after a hard battle he still lost, so with Bambeano not playing due to the ankle in the boot his team also lost...so Boo Boo was the only winner for the Bowdens this week end.

Sunday morning we all left to go watch Boo Boo's final game and the trip was eventful to say the least.  Boo Boo had the luxury of sitting in the front while I kept Bambeano company in the back and boy did Boo Boo have fun.  Bombshell was bopping and rapping with Boo Boo capturing all the fun on her iTouch, after watching it back Bambeano and I were crying with laughter, what a great way to get pumped for Boo Boo's final.

We arrived and the weather was definitely opposite of the previous day, hot, hot, hot.  And we were off.  We were playing the same team we played the previous day in which the score was 9-5.  The question was going to be who wanted it more.......

It was close to start to off but we pulled away and came away with a 9-0 win, complete shut out by Boo Boo she had a phenomenal game probably her best ever...and then we came away with the win...CHAMPIONS U11 Girls Galaxy Shootout!!!!!

Congratulations Boo Boo and CSA Cabarrus Elite

A broken arm and wrist is just not enough........

This week end saw split duties on the soccer front in the Bowden household.  Bambeano was in his 2nd week playing as bubble boy while Boo Boo and I had a 2 hr trek to Boone for her game.  Of course life wouldn't be easy on us to allow for an overnight stay we had to drive the 2hrs back to be back for another game on Sunday........

During Boo Boo's game I was getting regular text updates from Bambeno's game.  The kid is unstoppable with another 4 goals to his tally and not forgetting the one he scored for the other team to make 5 in one game......Don't fret it was not an own goal but in fact Bombshell offered Bambeano to the other team as they did not have enough players.....Now if that doesn't shut all the nay sayers up then I don't know what will.....

So after hearing the great display of play from Bombshell's team I put my focus back to photographing for Boo Boo's game.  The game started of quite bad with the box getting crowded and Boo Boo not taking control....this is one thing we need to work with her on as she is the controller of the box and if she can't see she needs to shout at her team....I'm not surprised she couldn't see the box was filled with about 6 of her team mates and that wasn't even counting the other team.....so we were down 1-0.  Well I think something must have snapped in Boo Boo because she came back with her head in the game......  Here she is coming out and controlling a corner

 

With thundering going off all round us and rain showers on and off it was making for an interesting game.....with the score at 6-2 and 6 minutes to go the refs called for lightening.  We were on an 18 minutes delay....seriously with 6 minutes to go.....As we sat in the cars waiting the downpour came with no sun or break in the clouds.  So at this point we got word from both team coaches the games was called......Now for the LOOOOONG drive home.

We end up at some great friends for dinner and all the kids seem to be happily playing and having fun...Roll onto to Sunday morning and Bambeano complains that his foot hurts, thinking he must have just slept on it funny I brush it off as "pins and needles" and tell him he needs to get up so we can go and pick Boo Boo up (she spent the night) but he continues to complain of his foot and refuses to put his shoe on....now I am starting to question whether I should take him to Urgent care (of course not the same place as where we went for his arm)

So after a 40 minute trip to Urgent care we come away with possibly sprained ligaments or a fracture at the growth plate.....now in a boot until May 2.  I am pretty sure DSS will be knocking on my door in the distant future....So for now Bambeano's soccer days are over.  Here's hoping May 2 brings some good news for a change and he only has sprained ligaments :)