Soccer 2011

Maddie has been waiting for this weekend for a long, long time. This weekend was the start of soccer and in her opinion, it couldn't come fast enough. She moved up this year to an Academy team. More intense frequent practices and more money :)

She is enjoying playing with this new team. A group of girls who play just as hard as she does, who understand the importance of a good pass. Watching them all together on the field at practice is sheer pleasure.

This weekend was a taste of what is to come for our family. Tournaments and games that are farther away and necessitate a 6:00 wake-up call to make it out the door on time to make the game.

The first game in this weekend's tournament was a little bit rough. The girls are still learning to play together, still learning how to really play soccer as a game and not just get the ball and hope that you make it to the goal. By the second game, the girls started to find their groove and even though they didn't win, they played hard.

Bud and Maddie returned this morning for the last game in the tournament and they shone today. Final score 9-0. Maddie had a goal and two assists and played fabulous defense according to her dad, her second biggest fan next to her mom. Their team placed third in the tournament. We are excited to see what they do as this season progresses.

Here's to another season of watching my baby do what she loves and doing it well

Warming up with her teammates

Our girl

End of Day One

The team before Sunday's game

Get the ball Maddie

After her third and final game and after dumping water on her coach.

Busy November

I always thought December went by quick but this November just flew by and here are some of the highlights.......

Secret Keeper Girl Tour

Abby and her friend, Rayna

Abby, on stage her dream come true

I took Abby and Destiny to the Secret Keeper Girl Tour

Fall Soccer 2009

Number 3!

Where's the ball?

Check out that throw in!

Maddie and Coach Paul

Go Number 10!

Maddie's most unfavorite position, goalie

Always looking for the ball

Fall Festival 2009

Abby and one of her friends at the school's Fall Festival

Maddie and Emma with their hair dyed

Hoya Cheerleading

Go Abby!!

The minivan after the girls got done decorating it!

Abby's Rec Cheer Squad

Our crazy friend Drew drumming up some school spirit

Daisy Investiture Ceremony

Maddie is so serious at her Daisy Investiture Ceremony

Maddie getting her Daisy pin

All of the little 1st grade Daisy's

Fall Soccer

The fall soccer season began for us yesterday. Both Maddie and Destiny are playing this fall and they were so excited to get back on the field. Destiny's team played early and won their game

5-o. Destiny had two assists on goal and was quite pleased with herself. She did say that she needs to do some more running to get back in shape though. No pictures below because Bud didn't have the camera.

Maddie's game was supposed to start 45 minutes after Destiny's but on arrival we found out that her team had a bye the first game. The girls gathered to do some extra drills and then the drizzle began. Pretty soon the girls started to resemble little drowned mice as they so patiently waited. Five minutes before they were to start playing, the YMCA decided to call all the games for the day and I thought that there would be a massive revolt of wet children and parents. Thankfully two other teams volunteered to stay and play so the girls would have some competition. Maddie's team didn't win but the girls played well and Maddie scored two goals!!

Maddie and her best soccer buddy, Emma

Wet little girls waiting to take their shot on goal

Hannah, looking none too dry or happy

Pure joy on the soccer field

Wet coach, wet kids

Maddie and Emma covering the goal. #9 was huge

The girls

Run, Emma, Run

Never give up!!

Soccer Girl

Maddie lives to play soccer.  She has wanted to play since she was about two years old and nothing stops her when she gets on the field.   People ask her all the time if she is going to be a cheerleader like her sister, she always says, "No, I am a soccer girl"  (or as she pronounces it soccuh gurl).   

She hasn't exactly enjoyed having her dad as her soccer coach this season.  He is so good with all of the little girls on his team and they all listened to him very well, except for Maddie.  So next year he will be reffing soccer games and she will be playing for her old team, Marseilles,  which is fine with me because I hate it when she has to play against her old team and her best little friend, Emma.   

Saturday was challenging because it has rained and rained and rained here.  I was so sure they would call the games but being the last game of the season they wanted to get it in and so they played, wet fields and all.  Maddie didn't feel very well but she stuck it out and made some good plays despite her illness.   

Let the games begin

We are now in full swing soccer season.   Last Fall the schedule didn't seem to overwhelming. Maddie practiced on Wednesday nights and one of our friends took her along with her little girl.  We then met up after I got off work and had dinner together with all of our kids.   Saturday mornings we had a game and then we were done.

Everything changed this season.   First off, the two older girls decided that they wanted to play indoor soccer in January and surprise of all surprises, they were both pretty good.  They both wanted to play Spring soccer and so Bud and I said fine and signed them up along with Maddie. I then realized that Abby's cheer schedule, that I thought ended the first week of March, doesn't end until the first week of April.  To make things just a little more interesting, Bud decided that he would coach Maddie's team this spring and also get back into reffing soccer games.  Do you see where this is going?  I have become the mom I said I would never be.  The one who runs from practice to practice.   Here is what the current schedule looks like:

Monday- Abby cheer practice 5-7 and Destiny soccer practice from 7-8:30

Tuesday-Abby soccer practice 7-8:30

Wednesday-Abby cheer practice 5-7

Thursday-Abby tumbling for cheer 5-6 and this past week soccer practice 7-8

Friday-Destiny soccer practice 6-7:30 and Maddie soccer practice 6:30-7:30

Today our schedule was 

8:00 Bud left house with Destiny so he could ref an 8:30 game.  

8:30 I packed the cooler with drinks and snacks for the day, showered and got the other two in game gear.  Bud begins reffing.

9:25 Left the house 10 minutes late to get Abby to her field for her game at 10:00

10:20 Bud arrived at Abby's game to watch her 

10:45 Bud took Maddie and Destiny and left for Maddie's game

11:00 Abby's game ended and I realized that I had forgotten the drinks for Maddie's team in the fridge 

11:25 I arrived home, grabbed drinks and left for Maddie's game

11:30 Maddie and Bud's game started

11:55  Arrived at Maddie's game, hauled cooler, snacks, drinks and chair down to field

12:00 Destiny headed to her field for her game.  Thank goodness it was at the same park as Maddie's.

1:30 All games finished and the tired Gamblin's head home

The bad news is that no one won.  The good news is that they all played excellently.   Today was Destiny's first day ever on a regulation soccer field and no one could believe it.  She did absolutely incredible.   Abby played the entire game as forward, not coming out one single time.   Maddie scored one of two goals in her game.    The smiles on their faces and the knowledge that they were out running and having a good time and not sitting at home watching television was well worth the crazy morning.     The only thing I forgot.......the camera!   Pictures next week I promise.

Monday it all begins again!!

Game Day

This fall we became one of those families who run from sporting practice to sporting practice, game to game. I swore we would never be those people which was very easy when the girls were not old enough to be involved in organized activities. I should have know that I would eat my words eventually and for the past few weeks I have. Abby is cheering once again but this year for the Due West Hoya's, an awesome organization compared to our experience last year. Maddie is playing soccer for the YMCA and Destiny is getting ready to begin Tae Kwon Do twice weekly. Add Bud's new softball team and my nursing organizations and I am sure that someone (me) will be crazy by November.

Yesterday was the first game day for both girls. We left the house at 9:15 a.m., returned at 1:00 p.m., left at 2:00 p.m. and got home at 6:00 p.m. Maddie's team won a game and lost a game. She scored her first goal of the season and loved the snack that the team mom handed out. Abby cheered hard , loved the snack and goodie bag she got from the opposing team's cheerleaders and then had a massive nosebleed that scared every parent within 50 feet. (I think it was from being hot and overheated so Daddy carried her to the car and turned the A.C. on quick).

I wish to point out that if you visit the Gamblin's at any point between now and then end of November, our house will not be clean and the laundry will not be done but our daughter's will be well-rounded athletes. At least that is the goal.




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My smiley girl at the beginning of the game

In action, she is number 10 and she scored a goal her first game!!

"Mom, it's hot out here"

Maddie and her good friend, Emma

"That's it, I am out of here. Where is my snack?"

"Mom, it's hot out here"

"One, we are the Hoya's, Two a little bit louder...."

Halftime Show (Our girl is the flyer on the right)

Our Cheerleader

Moments before the massive nosebleed that caused quite the commotion