Let's talk about Football

I know this seems like an unlikely subject for me. I don't know much about it. I didn't grow up with brothers who played football(my brothers played soccer and tennis). I have never gotten into watching football games on t.v. and up until this year, none of my boys have played football...so when Ben decided last spring that he was going to play Freshman football this fall, we thought, "Hmm...that will be an interesting and new experience for us." He practiced through the summer. Reminder: It's REALLY hot here in the summer! How they could get those boys out there to run and sweat and do push-ups and whatever else they did, is beyond me. Then a few weeks ago they got their helmets and pads, etc. This was a big deal, as up until this time they have just been practicing in their uniformed black shorts and white t-shirts, white socks and football cleats. I got the feeling that putting on all the "stuff" added a new level of grunting. Kind of like soldiers training with all of their gear. I think it weeded out a few more kids. This is what happens with football...you don't get kicked off the team, you get weeded out by the workouts.

Last night we went to our first game: Poston vs. Smith. They played at Skyline, which, by the way, is WAY the heck out there!! I should not have chosen this night to explore the new 202 S freeway as a means of getting there quicker. The score was 0-0 for most of the game, then around 4 1/2 minutes to go (which means 30 in real time), Poston scored their first touchdown (I almost said "goal", that's how little I know.). They missed the extra point making the score 6-0. They got one more touchdown with the extra point this time ending the game at 13-0. I spent a good amount of time looking for #34, that's Ben's #. He was one of 30-40 players standing on the sidelines for the 2 1/2 hour game. He missed Saturday's practice for our annual ward camp out...so that scratched him from the game last night. He has never played football until this summer. I don't know if he will ever set foot on the field to actually play in a game. So, this brings me to the question: Why do these boys go out for the football team, knowing that the majority of them will never play in a game?? I don't really get it. The water boys get more action than the majority of the football players. Is it a love for the game?? Being on a team?? I was thinking about this as I drove Ben to school yesterday morning. All the football players wore their jerseys to school. As Ben got out of the car near the portables a smallish, guessing 7th grade boy said, "Hey, Football Guy." Was there a little admiration in his voice...a little awe, maybe? (Ben didn't hear it. I asked him later.) Did that make it all worth it? To wear the jersey at school where everyone was an equal and none of the kids see who is on or off the field, you're just ON the team?...I don't know.

I have to admit, that I am partial to running. Everyone on the team runs. No one stands on the sideline after practicing all week with the team. Some of my favorite moments from Jon-Erik's years of running cross-country and track have been the wins and close runs with rivals of course, but I'll also remember the young man who came in last at the Doug Conely Invitational in Tempe a few years ago. Cross Country spectators stay 'til the last man comes in. You might have thought in this particular race that this young many came in first with the encouraging cheers and applause that came from the sidelines. Maybe he had to work even harder than the guy who came in first. He wasn't a natural born runner, but he was out there...DOING IT. That was one of those moments that made my eyes well up. If you have ever tried to run, let alone run in this blasted AZ heat...it is HARD!! But it doesn't stop people from doing it. (A personal side note: It has kept me from putting my running shoes on, though.) With running, there is a place, even for the underdog...

So back to football for a second...I loved seeing Ben in his uniform. It was fun to see the boys play. Congrats to Poston on their win. By the end of the season I may have a few jersey numbers memorized. I hope Ben gets to play sometime in the season...that's what he's there for, what he hopes to do, too. But in the meantime, wearing that uniform represents the hours of practice that he and his fellow teammates have put in for months leading up to this first game and what they continue to put in each week during the season. There is a chance that Ben could play. He is fast...but there is a chance that it may not happen, but we'll be at the games either way to cheer the team on. I'm a newbie to being a football mom. We'll see how my feelings evolve. Maybe by the end of the season I'll find a reason to shed a tear or two.

(Sorry no pics from the actual game...I forgot my camera.)

Ben Bakes No Bake Cookies

Ben turned 15 this past week on July 15th. He was away at Football Camp all week, so we couldn't even wish him a "Happy Birthday" or sing to him on his actual birthday. He got home today. Tomorrow we'll have a family birthday dinner for him. Grandma and Grandpa are coming over. Mormor and Morfar are in CA. Ben is such a fun part of our family. It's fun to see how he's growing up. He has a good heart and good sense of humor. He is constantly surprising us with his dry sense of humor. A little interesting tidbit about Ben is that when he was born, he scored a perfect 10 on his first APGAR test. Most babies score a 10 eventually, but it's unusual to have a baby get a perfect score right after they're born. The pediatrician commented that Ben was the first he had seen in the 400 births he had attended. So we tell him he was a perfect baby...which he was...SO cute, a real chunky monkey with the biggest, bluest eyes and dark eyelashes and round little head. He was baby #3 and Simon and Jon-Erik were both old enough to enjoy him, so he was very loved by all of us...still is. I was a vegetarian (except for fish) when I was pregnant with Ben and for a couple of years afterwards. I think this is the reason that Ben was a very picky eater as a young child AND I think it also accounts for his interest in food now. He is my guy that likes to cook and not just top ramen. One of the things that Ben learned how to make this summer is "No Bake Cookies". This recipe came from an old church cook book from our days in Newhall, CA, Cookin' from Scratch. Along with the Chocolate Chip cookie recipes on pages 93 and 119, this recipe gets the most use. Thank you Pam Castagna for submitting it. Here's the recipe:

NO BAKE COOKIES

2 c. sugar

4 T. cocoa

1 cube margarine/butter

1/2 c. milk

Bring ingredients to a rolling boil in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Boil for exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the following:

3 c. oatmeal

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper and let stand for 10 minutes.

Here is Ben making them. As you can see we kind of use what we have by way of aluminum foil and the scooper.Once Ben realized he was being photographed he made sure he was flexing for the pictures. Please make a special note of his muscles.

Nice form, Ben.

As you can see,the recipe makes quite a few.

Important to leave a little in the pot to clean out.

They are pretty tasty and hey, they DO have oats AND peanut butter in them and go great with a glass of cold milk. AND for my friend, Megan, who is dying of heat in CA, you don't need to turn on the oven and heat up your house.

Well,we're off to CA on Monday to visit my brother, Andy and his family.

BTW, Simon has 27 stitches on his back, plus the one that we took out today from the tube that was draining his spinal fluid in the hospital. Just thought you'd want to know. He's doing really well.

Ouch!

Ben is taking organ lessons this summer. In order to practice, he transports himself on his long board over to the church to use the organ over there. Yesterday, he comes walking in with only part of his long board and the end of it was pretty crunched. He avoided personal injury, thankfully, but his long board did not. He was riding in the bike lane and an approaching bus honked at him to get out of the way. He tried to hurriedly flip his long board up and hop up on the sidewalk, but the long board went right out into the street instead and all he could do was watch it happen. That city bus ran right over his long board.  We drove over and got the other piece. I am SO grateful that it was the long board and not him.

Ben & Adam's piano recital

Right before Christmas, Benjamin and Adam had a piano recital. This is the first year they are both taking from the same teacher. Even though we've had at least one or two children taking piano lessons in at the same time in the past 12 years, this was the first time that two of our kids played a duet. I LOVED it! It makes me so happy to see them sitting together at the piano. They played a very lively rendition of "Sleigh Ride". They controlled themselves at the recital, but at home we got that song at every imaginable speed. They had it memorized just so they wouldn't have to worry about turning the pages. But because they were so comfy with the song, they did this cheesy performance smirky thing where every so often they would look at each other and nod with a cheesy smile and kind of bounce their heads back and forth in time with the music. It made us laugh every time. Music has been and continues to be a great blessing in our lives. I'm so glad they had a positive recital experience. Looking forward to May.

Wish I had the performance...will try to record them doing the cheesy version and add it later. In the meantime here are some photos.