Day 259 - Soccer, Silliness, Cake and Dating Perspectives from a 5th Grader

Another Saturday in September, meaning another day chock full of activities.

I got up and ran 6+ miles.
Then I cleaned out the pond - I didn’t work on it last week, so this week there was a lot more to clean out.
Scott and Brian went to the football game.
I took Erica to her soccer game. In today’s game, she acted as one of the Team Captains (meaning she and two other Team Captains get to observe the starting coin toss). During the game, she played defense and wing positions, giving her ample exposure to the ball. The team won 3-1 against a strong opponent.


After the game, I vacuumed the basement, family room and kitchen, in preparation for Brian’s big bash later on. Then out to the store to buy treats, food and (most importantly) the cake. I ended up with two cakes – an ice cream cake and a chocolate sheet cake. How I ended with two cakes would take too long to explain – just chalk it up to my poor planning skills and a picky birthday boy.

Before you could say “what time is it”, the doorbell started ringing with parents quickly depositing their kids at my door. The reality chaos of eight boys running around hit me like a tornado. Thank goodness for that bounce house! And the plethora of stuff we have in the basement. At least boys don’t go around screaming like girls do. Sometimes they will even sit still long enough for you to take a serious picture:


As long as you let them goof off, too:

They make the most interesting faces at this age – no “trying to be a cool teenager”. Adorable.

What I enjoyed the most was the conversation the boys engaged in as I drove them to the Laser Tag place.

“I heard that Alec is crushed because Emily broke up with him!”
“Were they going out together?”
“Yeah – for 15 minutes! Then Emily broke up with him…..”
“I would like to go out with Olivia, but I am WAY too scared to ask her. What if she says no? I’m just too scared.”
I, of course asked the question “Are you guys going out on dates with these girls?” and the answers I received: “Oh, we’re not old enough to go out on a date! We can’t even drive! In 5th grade, you get to hold hands and hug. In 6th grade, you might get to kiss on the cheek. I can’t imagine kissing a girl on the lips – I think that’s what you get to do in 7th or 8th grade. Eww!”

Ah, out of the mouths of babes.

As the Laser Tag attendant (a young, cute 17 year old lad) so succinctly summed up, “Things were so much simpler at the age of 10.”

Yes, indeed.