The Green 'Gators

Go~~ Green Gators!
Originally uploaded by radioflyer007

With the new fall season (which--in SoCal--is identical to the summer season, weather-wise) underway and the kids starting up in their new classes, soccer season has also begun. Yup - I'm officially a soccer mom--not that I have aspired to be one but I have the soccer balls and cleats in the trunk of the mini-van.

'Shroom and Lolli's first game of the season was this past Saturday. 'Shroom's team, dressed in teal but close enough to green to be called the Green 'Gators, played the same time slot as Lolli's team (dressed in red, it's only appropriate that they're called the Heartbreakers).

Air Boss cheered on the 'Gators and I cheered on the Heartbreakers. Interesting games. At times, downright funny. But at the very least, interesting. Yep.

Don't know if any of you have seen a bunch of four year old girls play soccer. They're polite. Very polite. They've been raised to "share" and "take turns" and "don't take something without asking permission." Well, that's just how the Heartbreakers played their game. I was screaming from the sidelines at a bewildered Lolli to "kick the ball!" and "go get the ball!" and "kick the ball away!" and "you're going the wrong way!" I had to tell myself to calm down or else I'd be hauled away in handcuffs.

I could see 'Shroom's game across the field. My boy was happy running laps around the action (orbiting as I call it). He was no where near the ball, didn't care to be, and seemed happy enough. When the ball did come his way, he would quickly run the other direction.

Well, I think we have 11 more times to figure out how this game works. And for the kids to unlearn all the "nice" manners of sharing and taking turns.

BTW, if you're trying to figure out which one is 'Shroom in the photo above, here's a clue: he's not blonde.