The weekend's activities

This weekend was rather busy for Kate.  Saturday morning she had a soccer game, which Grandma and Grandpa Louagie came down to see.  She was super excited, and she scored her 4th goal of the season.  There was much rejoicing.  There are a couple of kids on her team (on in particular) who probably score 4 goals per game, but while Kate tries hard, she's not quite as fast or aggressive as a couple of the other kids.

Kate really seems to like soccer, so I'm often torn on what to do.  Around here in Cincinnati, you kind of have to commit to soccer early (like now for Kate) if you want to play in high school.  I always think I would have been pretty good at soccer had my parents started me playing early.  I grew up in Cleveland and it's just like Cincinnati - you have to start soccer early.  My parents were both from rural Illinois and soccer never crossed their radar when I was little.  No blame, just curiosity of what might have been, I guess.

This is Kate's 2nd year playing (spring only), and the second year that she's had the same coaches - her friend's dad is head coach and Mark is assistant coach.  I love it because I don't have to hang out at practice the whole time since Mark is there anyway!  But I have a feeling this is the end of Mark's coaching career, should Kate move on.

What I did do for many years growing up was dance.  I started at about 7 or 8 and danced all the way until I graduated.  I LOVED it.  Now, God did not grant me a professional dancer's body.  I'm way to, um, top heavy.  But I still enjoy dancing pretty much any way I can.  And of course I married a man who doesn't dance.  Go figure.

We enrolled Kate in a ballet/jazz combo class this year.  It was her first dance experience and she loved it.  The studio is run by a woman who used to volunteer in the kids ministry at our church, so I loved supporting someone I know.  It's a "ballet-focused" studio - all dancers are required to take a ballet class, which I kind of like.  I think ballet is the backbone of good dancing.

This Sunday was Kate's "recital".  At her studio the youngest 2 levels don't participate in the large on-stage recital.  It's actually rather nice since the recital would be quite long for them to sit through and some kids (not Kate, I'm sure, Ms. Shy-as-a-Mac-Truck) might freeze up on stage.  They have several "mini-recitals" at the studio and 2-3 classes perform their dances for the parents.  It was CROWDED, but fun.  The only bummer was buying a $60 cheaply made costume for a recital at the studio.  Apparently some parents get upset if they can't pay $60 for a terribly made costume for their child (I'd love to know who they are so I can smack some sense into them).  I really wish they could have just had a simple skirt to go over their leotard or something that was more affordable.

Next year Kate is going to try a Ballet/Tap combo - can't wait for "tappy shoes" all over the kitchen for the first couple of weeks...