It really felt like autumn this week. We had temps in the 30s 60s all week (bet you miss that, eh Mom?). We received a ton of rain, some wind and even a touch of frost. We had to dig out our jeans and sweatshirts and put away the shorts. On Monday, it was quiet for once. Matt went back to football for the first time in a week, being cleared to return to action. To his dismay, he had lost his starting position. I explained that another boy had practiced all week and that he hadnt even taken one snap during that time and that he would have to earn his way back. Ann and Abby spent the evening at Dixon Dance Studios with all their girl friends doing…whatever mothers and daughters do for 4 hours at a dance studio with all that estrogen. Luke brought home his school pictures, which I thought were the best ones hes ever hadno goofy looks or cheesy smiles. This one is pretty natural. Lukey received $5 gift certificates to McDonalds and a very nice letter from his soccer coaches. Lukey will be back for one more year of U-8 soccer, if he chooses to play again next year.
On Tuesday, I cancelled Abbys soccer practice due to inclement weather. It was damp, cold and nasty outway to extreme for a team of mostly nine and ten year old girls. But that was perfect weather for a Jr. High football game! The varsity field is a mud bog this time of year, which is pretty much normal for most Indiana fields at this point in the season, I think. I know LaPortes field was always bad by this time in the year as well. Ann went out and purchased new giant umbrellas just for this situation! Unfortunately, I didnt get a chance to use mine. I no sooner got situated in the stands and got ready for the game than I was volunteered to go work the chain gang.??? It was Matts friend Bryces (who also replaced him at center. It was the other way around last year, when Matt replaced Bryce at center after an injury) Dad (Brian) and I, as well as a teenage boy. Thankfully, Brian had ponchos for us, as it rained and blew cold, drizzly air in our faces the entire game. Poor Matt didnt play the entire 1st half. He was chomping at the bit by halftime. It may have been good for him. When he did get in, he played tight end. Unfortunately, football rules are such that a player with his number is ineligible to receive passes, so he was relegated to blocking duties only. He did not get to play any defense either, which further disappointed him. They played Lawrenceburg and let me tell you; these guys were big, strong and fast. However, our kids showed a lot of heart by not backing down. Last year, we travelled to their home turf and got blown out. This was a close game right up until the very end of the game. The difference in the game was a missed extra point attempt, as the Pirates dropped a heartbreaker 18-16 in a very physical game. There were lots of big hits that night. Matt did well at blocking on the outside. He might have found a new home on the end! The coach asked that he change his number so that he can go out for passes. Were not sure what his new number will be, but this will be the last time for us cheering for # 74.
On Wednesday, one of Anns scrapbooking buddies had surgery. Amy and Ann were very sweet by making her dinner and taking it out to her before going out scrapbooking with the other usual culprits. The kids and I went to Grandma & Gigs house to mow and catch up with them. Gigi was feeling a little under the weather and would end up getting worse by weeks end. We had several folks out at work as well. Ann signed permission slips for the kids to all receive the H1N1 flu shots as they become available. We also received a note from school nurse at the elementary, stating that several children (including approximately 50 fifth graders on one day alone) were out ill with flu-like symptoms. Sandy said that she is in the process of moving her website over to a new hosting service. So, she is unable to post her interview with me at this time. She said it should be up and ready to go soon. Ill post a link next week, hopefully
On Thursday, we again had to cancel Abbys practice due to the continued nasty, nasty weather. It rained for three or four days straight without letting up at one point, I swear. We started getting flood warnings that would last throughout the weekend. Obviously it was nothing like the flood from a year and half ago, but it was still pretty substantial and the second time it flooded in this area in the past few months. We must finally have our water table back up after a few years of it dropping pretty low, here in Greensburg. Ann remarked how big Molly had gotten this week. We started letting her out of her cage more often without being held allowing her to explore a small portion of the house. She loves to play with Lola. Lola is pretty tolerant of herto a point. She finally gets enough of Molly gnawing on her and will hold her down and sit on her until Molly cries. Mostly though, the two of them get along really well, especially outside.
On Friday Matt woke up after sleeping for nearly 14 hours, complaining of flu-like symptoms. Ann took the day off to run him in to the doctor. Thankfully, it was negative but there were some respiratory issues that needed attention. He has to do some inhaler stuff for awhile. We had the Pacifica back in the shop for work at Acras again on Friday. Ann also went to Walters Tires to talk to the owner about reimbursement for some work they had botched when they installed new tires last month. It will take a lot for them to earn our business back, after the way they talked to her on the phone last week. Ann went scrapbooking again that night. The kids and I got Kochs carryout. It was a quiet Friday night, as Matt & I got caught up on our DVR watching Heroes, Clone Wars, Ultimate Fighter, Fringe, South Park and then Stargate Universe. That night, Matts friend Jake Hellmich (Phyllis & Dicks grandson) called to see if I could help chaperone at Jakes birthday party on Sunday. Matt is going paint-balling with Jake and friends that day. So, I spoke with Trevor and decided it might be kind of fun; so I agreed
On Saturday morning, we got the oil changed in the Pacifica. The kids love fooling around with Crazy Guy??? as theyve dubbed him at the Quick Lube facility. 😛 Later that morning we headed to Sunman for Abbys final game of U-10 soccer. She will move up to U-12 next yearif she decides to play again. I have to admit her hustle and desire was back this year, following an off year for her. We were matched against the #2 team in the league, who had last only once the entire year to the #1 team, of course. Our strategy was to play good defense, so we moved most of our best players back there. It worked, for the most part. They only scored 1 goal each quarter. However, we had great difficulty getting the ball past midfield. We played on our end 95% of the game. Abby played primarily on defense, but also played midfield. She ran harder and longer than she had the entire year. She looked great and played strongas did our entire team. They showed a lot of heart by sticking in there against a MUCH faster, stronger, more athletic team that didnt let up; even with a 3-0 lead halfway through the 4th quarter. By that time, I was allowing our kids to play wherever they wanted to on the field, to make it fun. They were all exhausted by the time the game mercilessly ended. Their coach had such a loud, shrill voice that I had to move to the other end of the field from where I normally coach from. 🙁 Afterward, I asked the kids if we had met our three goals that we set at the start of the season, when Matt & I stepped in to coach the team. The first was to have fun. Surprisingly, they all shouted a resounding, YES!??? I was surprised that they could have a fun??? 2-8 season, but was pleased nonetheless. I asked if they had learned anything over the course of the year, which of course, was obvious; so we pointed out all the things they had improved upon throughout the year. The final one was the big one…had we done enough as coaches to keep them interested in coming out again for soccer. I asked for a show of hands. We were very pleased to see them all all raise their hands and say they would indeed return for at least one more year of soccer. So Matt and I were proud that we had achieved what we set out to do for these kidslimited through the goals may have been. At least they were achievable! One of the moms had the kids sign a soccer ball and a really nice card for Coach Matt & I. That was really sweet. I have it setting in here with all the other sports stuff, next to the computer. We also hung up the plaque they gave me last week. Abby had fun selecting the location to hang it. We took Abby out to LaRosas in Batesville for lunch, after the game to celebrate a fun final season of U-10. Immediately upon returning home, we were right back out again. I dropped Matt off at a friends house, where he was attending an overnight party with several other friends. Abby, Luke & I went to the soccer fields to turn in her shorts and return the equipment bag. Ann went out shopping with Amy in Columbus for the evening. After dinner, the two little kids couldnt stop inciting each other and they went to bed earlyallowing Dad a quiet, solemn, relaxing evening where I could watch both the baseball playoffs and college football in side-by-side mode (similar to picture-in-picture) ahhhit was nicebut damn, those Boilers are sucking on the gridiron this year…
On Sunday, I picked up Matt and met the Hellmich’s at their house around noon. He wouldn’t listen to me at home when I told him to wear jeans. But, when he saw that everyone else had worn jeans and that they were telling him the same things I was about the paintballs hurting worse w/o covering your legs. Thankfully, Jake let him borrow a pair of sweatpants. We went up to White River Paintball Adventures, north of Greenfield. It was about an hour away, but well worth the drive. It was $30 to get in, which covered your gun, air and helmet. You had to buy your paintballs from them, which ran about $40/case. Trevor (Jake’s dad) must’ve bought at least six cases. We had a blast! Matt was one of the team captains that got to choose teams…and didn’t even pick me! In fact, no one did…I was the last one left. But I made up for that snafu by getting the most kills out there today, totalling a 5-2 record with 17 confirmed kills. We played on 7 different courses throughout the afternoon. Matt got me right in the face and on the inside of the arm on one game where I was only a couple feet from capturing the flag. However, I got Matt really good during the second-to-last game. I hit him from about 200 feet away, behind a tree, right in the neck. It was a single shot and the woods were real quiet after I shot…then suddenly you hear a loud, “Aaah! I’m hit in the neck!!” The ball didn’t explode (which made it more painful) and left a huge welt right on his carotid! 🙂 Later that same game, while he was attempting a last minute capture of the flag, I ambushed him from 15′ away with 6 or 7 shots up his arm and on his chest! Needless to say, by the last game, they all wanted me to be on their team. Trevor and I made a quite formidable team. We stopped and got Culverized on the way home – a first for Matthew and I. By the time we got back to the Hellmich home, both Trevor and I could barely get out of the cars! Matt was also quite stiff and sore when we returned home to tell our battle stories… I will be checking their website this week, looking for pictures of us; as our referee took pictures the entire time we were out there, so there should be some really cool shots. I’ll post the best ones on here next week and might even have to buy a few if they’re as good as I think they might be…
Well, that’s it for this week. It’s time to go watch the Colts on Sunday Night Football. Go Colts! I saw the Cowboys won in OT today! Jeff Gordon got 2nd at the California race and pulled up two spots to 5th in the chase! It’s been a good day!! 🙂 Now that soccer is finished, I hope to finally get some time this week to go through and grab us some Waybac photos to share with you. As always, thanks for keeping up with the Scheu’s again. We’ll catch up with you next time. Until then, have a good one.
Later, Scheu
Ha Ha Ha Matt your dad was going to be a sharpshooter in the Marines! No just Kidding! That looks and sounds like a blast would love to do that next time I was there.
Everybody looks great, the paintball looks like you guys had a ball!!! That’ll teach them to not pick my boy till last!!! Hope Matt’s feeling better now…..his mean ole dad!!!! Love you all…..
Loved the U-Tube video’s – Black Cat was soooo cute and dogs at play. Molly is getting bigger!! One of these days they’ll be the same size!! That is a great picture of Luke. Maybe you or Ann could send us some new ones of each of the grandkids. Thanks and I will e-mail you a phone number where we will be for a couple of days in Key West. Love, Mom