Soccer, track and relatives, oh my!

 Spring also meant lots of soccer and a visit from family. But first, lots of soccer.

Reese was in the middle of her full year with her club team but Callie's team only got started once the high school season had finished. Both girls were excited for spring and the possibilities it held. For us it was another year of making sure that people had rides to practices, hotels for away games, and some kind of family time when we could all eat together. And of course there was school and work to consider. 

The great thing about travel sports is that it can sometimes provide great opportunities to see people. It just so happened that when Callie had a tournament in southern Ohio in mid-April his friend Michelle from Connecticut was only a few miles away because her daughter had a basketball tournament. Michelle played soccer through college so was more than happy to drive over, chat with John, and catch some of Callie's game. Callie made it worth her while by scoring twice while she was there. We are hoping our paths will cross this way again so that we can see Hayden play basketball, but it hasn't happened yet.

Of course soccer is not the only sport going on in the spring. Both girls ran track again this year. Although they did not get to go to a lot of the meets because of their soccer commitments, they did their best to show up for their teams. Reese continued to love running with her soccer buddy, Emerson. Whenever the two of them had a meet they tried to make sure they lined up next to each other at the start and ran together as long as possible in the race. One of the best displays of their friendship came in one race when they gave each other a high five heading into the final lap as a show of support for each other. It was one of the coolest things ever.

They say April showers bring May flowers, but for us April brought a wonderful visit from GA and GU, aka Uncle Ron and Aunt Teri Lucas. It had been a while since we had seen them and so it was fantastic that they made the effort to come and see us. Sarah took off a couple of days to hang out and their first stop was a day at Keeneland during the spring meet. They started the day with lunch at the track kitchen and took photos with some of the locals.

Sarah made sure they got a picture with the iconic Keeneland clock and bet on some races. It was funny to watch the sequence of events as Ron placed his two dollar bet for his horse to win, got excited when his horse won, and then found out just how much (or how little) his two dollar bet actually paid. The rollercoaster of emotions was enjoyable and in the end everyone had a great time.

One of the main reasons GA and GU wanted to come was to see the girls playing their sports. Unfortunately the soccer schedule did not completely line up for both girls. They were able to see Callie play a game and then showed their dedication by sitting through all of Reese's track meet on a chilly evening. 

 

Since we had a little more free time than we thought we were able to enjoy a new experience for all of us at the Kentucky Theater in downtown Lexington. A renowned organist was in town and he played for a number of silent movies from the 1930s. The main feature was "The Freshmen" and it was truly a fun night though we all agreed that one of the two shorter films was the best one of the night. The Freshmen could have used some editing, in our humble opinion. We capped off the evening with a night of sushi and ice cream, which is the perfect way to complete a great visit.

This spring also included an important milestone in Callie's life at First Presbyterian Church. She was officially confirmed and Kelly Abraham served as her mentor, which was so fitting. As we told Callie several times during the process, we are proud of how involved she is in the life of the church community and how she has been engaged in developing relationships with everyone there. Confirmation indicates that you are officially a member and there is no doubt that she is a contributing member to that community.

Toward the end of the spring soccer season we had a trip to Michigan for the whole family. Callie got invited to play up with the top team and it just so happened that her game was at the same time as Reese's game. Fortunately they were playing on fields right next to each other so we just had to keep our heads on a swivel to keep up with the action in both places. Callie played well and was happy with her performance. Reese played tough but complained that her foot was hurting. However, since they had no subs she played the whole game.

Well it turns out that Reese's foot was hurting for a reason. Although she couldn't tell you when it happened, at some point during that game she broke a bone in her foot. She was in a boot for four weeks and unfortunately had to miss her last soccer game and final track meets of the season. All in all, though, it was a pretty smooth recovery and not a bad thing that she had to take a break. 

Fortunately Callie's season did not end with an injury. Instead, she and her team made it to the finals of the President's Cup tournament in Elizabethtown. Although they lost in the finals to Eastern Elite and their IV drips the team played tough and had a great time doing so. And in all honesty, most parents were happy that with the loss they would not have to figure out travel plans for Kansas City which would be the next step of that tournament. And as both soccer and school began to wind down we could start thinking about summer.

Charleston in the Spring

We have never taken a full family trip during spring break because John's spring breaks have never lined up with the Fayette County spring breaks. But this spring because John wasn't teaching it was easier to get away and we just made it happen.

The girls were thrilled to get out of Lexington and Callie just wanted to make sure we could go to the beach and get some sun. It didn't really matter what beach. We just wanted to make sure we could drive there. After doing a bit of last minute research we found a good deal at a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina. The hotel had a couple of pools and we could see the ocean from our room so it hit all the right marks. 

Sarah was the only one who had been to Charleston before, so for the most part it was a new experience for all of us. A great feature of our hotel was a free shuttle to and from downtown so we could get there easily. On our first full day we took a horse drawn carriage tour through the heart of downtown and learned some history. We could have done without some of our fellow tourists who clearly had different ideas about the Civil than John, but these things happen. 

The city is beautiful and has a lot of character in its older houses and structures. With the girls being 13 and 16 we somehow also found the high end shopping area that made them like the city a little more than they expected. We also had a great meal one night and the bill highlighted that the girls are not eating off the kids menu anymore. Traveling as a family these days is more and more enjoyable on a number of levels.

The timing of our trip also coincided with Easter, which meant Sarah was prepared to ensure the girls were spoiled and had another themed basket to remember the day. The balcony of our room provided the perfect setting and when the girls found out that the theme was beauty and skin care they were over the moon, or sunrise, based on the time of day.

Once we had properly enjoyed our Easter morning we took advantage of another benefit at our hotel. We got bikes and headed out for a day of sunshine and fun. We started by riding to Vicious Biscuits, a place recommended to us that did not disappoint. Once we were properly fueled we headed to downtown Charleston, which meant we rode over the Cooper River Bridge, which is 2.5 miles long. Sarah was confident we could do it, John was doubtful, and Reese wanted an e-bike. 

Well we made it without too much hardship or whining by John, and then got to spend the day exploring different parts of the city. We went to the aquarium, which allowed us to get the picture to the right. Our aquarium snobbery got the best of us here and so we didn't spend too much time here. But it was a good stop on the way into the heart of the city.

We rode along the park near the Battery area on the bay and found our way to what is called Rainbow Row, which is an area where the townhouses are all in rainbow and pastel colors. These houses were originally built three hundred years ago and over time have served as homes, warehouses, and shops. Local preservationists saved them from destruction over one hundred years ago. It was a fun spot to see and we were not the only out of towners looking to get a picture or two in the area. 

The ride back over the bridge to our hotel was actually a bit easier than the ride there, but we were certainly ready for a reward once we parked the bikes. Luckily the Easter Bunny was there to help us with some smiles and popsicles. One of the fun features of the hotel was that they had afternoon ice cream treats which delighted all of us whether we were at the pool or coming home from a bike ride.

That next day we secured our visit to the ocean to make the trip complete. Just a short drive from Charleston is Folly Beach and while the weather wasn't perfect, the sun was out and those who wanted to try and get a little color could give it a go. It certainly wasn't warm enough to get in the water but we were able to get some sun and dip our toes in the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes that is all you need.

On the drive home we made a stop in Tennessee to meet up with one of Callie's friends and her dad. Callie went off with them for a couple of days while Reese traveled home with us to make sure she got to her soccer practice. It was rainy and overcast but we didn't think too much of it until we pulled off the highway in Lexington and started to see trees down on our drive back to the house. And as it turns out we came back to a house without power and a canceled soccer practice. Such a fun way to end our spring break trip. But we carried on and were only out of power for a couple of days. Life is never dull.

Winter 2024

One of Callie's Christmas presents was a pair of earrings and a commitment to finally poke holes in her small earlobes. She originally had permission to go through this ritual when she turned ten but had deferred for over six years. The time had come and we headed to the mall to make it happen. Callie was a champ, it was over before she knew it, and her ears have never looked better. Now whenever we go somewhere looking for a pair of good earrings is high on her list.

 

We didn't get a ton of snow this winter, but one of the times we did happened to fall on MLK weekend and John's birthday. The celebrations for #51 are more subdued than those for the big 5-0 so a walk through the neighborhood winter wonderland was fitting. It was also pretty darn cold, so it wasn't a very long walk. 

Winter in the Bluegrass also means UK basketball is in full swing. By January we have learned most of the names of the players on the team and are ready when an opportunity to go to a game presents itself. This particular night Sarah and Callie got to go and had a great time cheering on the Cats and eating ice cream. Rupp Arena never disappoints even if sometimes the Cats do.

Not everywhere is cold, though, and at the end of March Callie had the opportunity to travel with a soccer team to play in a tournament in Tampa, Florida. This is the same tournament that Reese played in the year before so we knew the drill. What made this time even better was that Callie and John got to visit with Ella Skonieczny who is attending Eckerd College in nearby St. Petersburg. It was great to see Ella and check out the campus. Callie also had a good time playing with her team. And John and Callie got some good father-daughter time as well.

The Tampa airport is bigger than you might expect, but we did manage to get a picture with the same large flamingo that Reese had posed with the year before. And since this was a father-daughter trip we had limited photos from the weekend and had to snag this one to appease Sarah at least a little bit. Overall the trip to Florida was fun and we'd certainly do it again.