Tuesday, August 30, 2016

What I learned being a sports mom for 18 months straight

 It all started like a normal spring. But what started as a normal quickly grew into a whirlwind of sports craziness.

In March of 2015, all three boys played baseball. Timothy played tee ball and the big boys played kid pitch. Curtis was the assistant coach for both teams. Overall, it was a great season! But with three players on two different teams, it was for sure crazy!

During baseball season, in mid April, all four kids started summer league swimming. We were blessed in that there was a homeschool practice, allowing us to have less conflicts with our busy baseball schedule.

In June, during the height of busyness with swimming, Elizabeth started playing volleyball for a homeschool team.

The three big kids had an amazing swim season and went on to swim in the State Games of Texas, which was held in early August.

By the time swim season wrapped up, volleyball season was full steam ahead. Through the organization that did volleyball, we found out about basketball. Micah and Benjamin started going to skills clinics, decided to join the team, and began twice a week practices in October.

In September, Timothy began playing flag football.

Volleyball season came to an end and Elizabeth decided to also play basketball. Two weeks after her last volleyball game, she played in her first basketball game.

Never before had we played a winter sport like basketball. But we were loving the organization, the teams, the families and the coaches. The homeschool state tournament was at the end of February, and baseball started again the next week.

Then, we basically had a repeat, where swimming started during baseball season, and swimming went so well that we swim even after the regular season.

By July I was in full on meltdown mode. While the three big kids were at camp, I cancelled a trip to see my family in Oklahoma and took a much needed mental break.

Since mid July, we haven't done any sports, aside from the occasional basketball skills clinic. As I'm gearing up for Micah and Benjamin starting basketball and Elizabeth joining a club swim team, here's what I've learned.

  • Just because there are 24 hours in a day doesn't mean I need to fill every waking hour.
  • Saying no to something good is hard.
  • Sometimes when you say no to a good thing it opens up the opportunity for a GREAT thing.
  • Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.
  • It's okay if Timothy doesn't play a sport this fall. He's okay with it, why am I struggling?!
  • When you are doing sports non stop, something else in life suffers. It might be homeschooling. It might be the house. It might be your marriage. All the above were effected by the amount of sports we participated in.
  • I need to take time for me. Time to exercise, to eat well, to rest. 
  • It's easy to gain weight when your main focus is getting the kids from one event to another, homeschooling and church.
  • Kids will watch and see where your priorities are. Make sure your priorities are the good things.
  • I do my best when I'm busy. But I also need an occasional recharge. 
  • Homeschooling CAN be done in the car! But it does take a lot of planning.
  • Audibles, through Amazon, is a life saver, as are books on CD from the library.
I'm very, very thankful for the opportunities that my kids have had over the past 18 months. They have learned more than just sports. I am thankful for the coaches that poured into their lives, motivating and encouraging them. I truly believe my kids have stronger character because of sports. Our family will continue to participate in various sporting activities. I'm very excited to see them continue to grow as athletes and individuals. And I'm hopeful that I can take the lessons the I've learned and become an better sports mom.

Monday, August 29, 2016

A new year

 At the beginning of each school year, I chose a verse to encourage us as we prepare for a new year.


The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, 

but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 
Prov. 1:1-7
May the Lord bless our efforts as we seek understanding, insight and knowledge. For we know that the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord, and only a fool despises instruction and wisdom.

A new year

 At the beginning of each school year, I chose a verse to encourage us as we prepare for a new year.


The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, 

but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 
Prov. 1:1-7
May the Lord bless our efforts as we seek understanding, insight and knowledge. For we know that the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord, and only a fool despises instruction and wisdom.

2016-2017 school year

Name: Elizabeth Krajca
Age: 12
Favorite Color: pink 
Favorite thing to eat for breakfast: oatmeal
Favorite thing to eat for lunch: snacky food (like crackers and cheese)
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: pizza, chicken
Favorite thing to eat for dessert: Bluebell icecream
Favorite movie: Harry Potter
Favorite TV show: Liv and Maddie
Favorite place to go: Six Flags
Favorite book: 7 Tales of Trinket, Beware Princess Elizabeth, Crispin, Mysterious Benedict Society, Emily Windsnap
Favorite thing to wear: cute clothes
Favorite sport: swimming
Favorite shoes: purple running shoes

Things that make me.....
happy: my family and friends
sad: when people die
laugh: being tickled
cry: when I get hurt, when I'm scared
excited: Christmas

2016-2017 school year

Name: Benjamin
Age: 9
Favorite Color: black
Favorite thing to eat for breakfast: french toast casserole
Favorite thing to eat for lunch: pizza
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: chili
Favorite thing to eat for dessert: cake (because there are lots of different kinds)
Favorite movie: Batman vs Superman, Independence Day, Angry Birds, Harry Potter
Favorite TV show: Tom and Jerry Show and Team Titans Go
Favorite place to go: Six Flags
Favorite book: Hank
Favorite thing to wear: sleeveless shirts with shorts and underpants 
Favorite sport: swimming
Favorite shoes: my sneakers

Things that make me.....
happy: Six Flags, my family, my dog, friends
sad: cuts, bruises, my family and friends dying
laugh: jokes
cry: big cuts, sprained foot
excited: Six Flags, car trips to my family's 

2016-2017 school year




Name: Micah
Age: 10
Favorite Color: black
Favorite thing to eat for breakfast: french toast casserole
Favorite thing to eat for lunch: Atomi
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: Chick Fil A
Favorite thing to eat for dessert: cotton candy
Favorite movie: Captain America Civil War
Favorite TV show: DanTDM
Favorite place to go: Six Flags
Favorite book: Harry Potter
Favorite thing to wear: sleeveless shirts
Favorite sport: basketball
Favorite shoes: tennis shoes

Things that make me.....
happy: sports
sad: getting hurt
laugh: jokes
cry: wasps
excited: rollercoasters

2016-2017 school year




Name: Timothy
Age: 6
Favorite Color: red
Favorite thing to eat for breakfast: ice cream
Favorite thing to eat for lunch: ice cream
Favorite thing to eat for dinner: ice cream
Favorite thing to eat for dessert: ice cream
Favorite movie: Batman vs Superman
Favorite TV show: DanTDM
Favorite place to go: Six Flags
Favorite book: The Big Hungry Bear
Favorite thing to wear: my robe
Favorite sport: swimming and basketball
Favorite shoes: my new tennis shoes

Things that make me.....
happy: roller coasters and having a house
sad: when people hurt me
laugh: some jokes
cry: getting hurt by someone
excited: Shock Wave (a roller coaster)