Trinity Park Miniature Railroad

The boys and I rode the miniature train through Trinity Park and along the Trinity River a few weekends ago. It was still really, really hot here, and the relative shade under the roof of the train, plus the gentle breeze, made for a very nice ride.

Here we are at the station as the train pulls in:



All aboard!



Crossing the Trinity River on the longest of several (small) bridges during the ride:



Tunnel/underpass of the real railroad:



The narrow passage through the tight forest:



Passing the duck pond at Trinity park:



Horses!



Josh is loving it!



And so is Lucas!



Making the last circle to turn around and pull back into the station:



It was really fun! We'll definitely be back for another ride, and we have big plans for the duck pond too!

My Patriot

Is there anything better than a 3-year-old saying "indivisible"?

My Scholar

Josh has reading and spelling tests every Friday now. Each week, he must study five sight words, four word "families" (for example, -ip words, such as lip, hip, sip, etc.) and three bonus words. On his first test (which was really his first test ever), he missed a couple, but we thought he did great to get an 80. But these last two weeks, he has really excelled:

He is very proud of himself, and of course we are very proud of him.

Josh's first game of fall 2010 soccer

Josh has taken a big step forward in soccer this year. Last year, they played on a small field with small goals, 3 on 3 with no goalie. This year, they play on a larger field with real goal boxes, 5 on 5 with a goalie. It makes a big difference.

His teammates are much better too, and the game looks like soccer, not like corraling cats. They have spiffy silver uniforms and play well together.

Saturday was the season opener. It was brutally hot. We were sweating as much in the stands as the boys were. Okay, not as much, but it was very hot. Josh went through 3 water bottles, some of which he used to pour over his head.

Josh scored the Bullets' first goal of the season!



And then took a turn as goalie. (He was -1 on the day; he told me he felt "a little sad" about getting out of the way of the second ball that came in, "but that kid kicked it hard." I suggested he may be better in the field.)

Josh had a great time and played really well. A great start to the season!

Lucas' first soccer game

We weren't sure what to expect for Lucas' first soccer game. At practices, he does really great in the drills, but not as well in the scrimmages, where he tends to follow the crowd and wait for the ball to come to him (which, given the mob of kids around the ball, never happens).

But we were still surprised by how he actually reacted -- he disengaged, completely. He decided before the game even started that he wanted nothing to do with it. I think there was a combination of contributing factors -- not only was it his first game, but there were about 10 games already underway at the complex when we arrived (even though it was only 8:30 in the morning), and his coach wasn't there to tell him what to do. It was overwhelming, so he just decided it wasn't for him and that was that.

Except there was still a whole game to play. In the U4 league, so that kids don't have to wait on the bench for a turn to play, they just divide each team into two for games, and half of one team plays half of the other team on one field, while the other two halves play each other on the adjoining field. So he had to play; his team needed a fourth body on the "B" team.

So he dutifully went out there, without whining or crying. But he never moved. He just stood at the middle of the field, and let the game go on around him.

Lucas, "out standing" in his field:



Dad went out to lend some encouragement...



...but to no avail. And when the other parents would cheer for him by name, to try to encourage him, he would lift either his shoulder or his elbow to try to hide his face from them:



Sometimes, though, if we asked in just the right way, he would move ever so slowly down the field to follow the action, and then resume his place on the outskirts:



He did manage to get in one good block, when the other team was taking the ball downfield and it bounced right off of Lucas from his stationary spot. We joked that he was like a broken clock that was still right twice a day.

Nevertheless, when I picked him up from school today, he enthusiastically asked if it was time for soccer practice (which isn't til Thursday). So apparently he still really likes soccer; Saturday just wasn't his day.

miscellany

Lucas loves his Batman pajamas with cape:



Josh loves to play football. He practices in the living room all the time, until he nearly breaks a picture and I cut him off for the night.



Both boys have discovered the joys of swim goggles, and now they love to practice in the bathtub. No more bubble baths -- the bubbles interfere with the underwater exploration.



Nickelodeon StoryTime Live! with Kai-lan, Dora, Backyardigans, and Wonder Pets (and popcorn, and skittles, and cotton candy, and yes, beer for mom and dad):