Back Outside

Last weekend and this weekend, the indoor and outdoor soccer seasons overlapped.  Emily's outdoor game last weekend was cancelled due to pouring rain, but she played three indoor games.  This weekend, she had two outdoor and one indoor game (missing her last Magic indoor game because of the school play).  She scored in her last indoor game (after quite a drought, she's been on a bit of scoring streak lately, scoring five goals in her last three indoor games) and drew a penalty that resulted in another goal, which was a good way to end the year.  Hopefully, the transition back outside will be a smooth one.  The outdoor field is much larger and when they are on grass, the ball doesn't always cooperate, which is something they all need to get used to again.

Saturday morning was very cold.  Emily allowed two goals, but stopped a couple of breakaways too.

Making the effort for the cross.

On Sunday, the temps were a bit warmer.  She had 9 saves and didn't allow any goals during her half in net.

USWNT

On Wednesday night, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team played a friendly match against Columbia in Hartford and we were lucky enough to see it live.  Emily's soccer club made a group purchase of 600 tickets, which landed us free-for-all seating in the end zone.  There were more than 21,000 people at the game, in unbelievably frigid temperatures.  It was such an awesome experience, I can't even begin to describe it.  Emily had so much fun with her friends and watching her idols, up close and personal.  What an amazing memory for us both!!

Outside of the stadium.

 

Emily and some of her Magic teammates with Coach Goran.

For some reason, they wet down the field before the game started.  It was so cold that the players were slipping and sliding during the entire first half.

Hope Solo

17 year old Mallory Pugh (pink headband) is Emily's favorite player.  Before games, we often tell her to "Play Like Pugh".  Pugh started, scored and had an assist in only 45 minutes of playing time.

Allie Long scored her first two international goals in Hartford!

Kristen Press (Lee's favorite USWNT player) also scored.

Magic Girls

Gianna and Emily - classmates and teammates

Emily and me at halftime.

Easter Baking

Elizabeth has become a bit obsessed with baking, fondant and cake decorating.  She scours Pinterest looking for new ideas all of the time so when Easter was on the horizon, she started planning what dessert to make.  I had to talk her down from some more complicated ideas as she is still a beginning, but she decided to make some cupcakes with nests on them.  They actually came out pretty good and she got a lot of compliments from the family.  She is already plotting her next creation...

She made the cupcakes herself.  I made the frosting but she decorated each and every cupcake without any help from me.

The finished product.

She made these special ones for Matt and Melissa, who just announced that they are expecting a baby boy.  The best compliment she got all day was when they expressed disbelief that she made them, thinking that we had purchased them at a bakery.

Easter

We had a very busy Easter Sunday.  The girls got up early to check out their Easter baskets and then we got ready and headed to New Hampshire to spend some time with both sides of the family.  Then it was back to Connecticut (we beat the traffic, yeah!) for a low key dinner.

Never seen a kid so happy about a new Fitbit!

It's not an iPhone, but this new iPod should get us to high school without another phone line.

Sea glass and sand dollars from Aunt Denise.

All State

Last weekend, Elizabeth participated in the Connecticut Future Musicians All State concert.  It was a quite a show, with five different groups performing. This year, Elizabeth was a member of the Concert Band. She qualified to audition for the Concert and Symphonic bands by participating in Regional Honors Band in the fall.  On the day of that concert, she received her audition music - five different pieces, plus scales - and worked on that music until late January, when she auditioned for All State.  She made Concert Band and immediately began working on the songs for the concert.  The band practiced three hours every Friday night and Saturday morning in March and by the day of the concert, sound really good.  Elizabeth was the only person from her school to audition, so she didn't know anyone else in the band, but she really loved the music they played, as well as her conductor.  The concert was really great and we can't wait to see what she does next with the flute!

Concert Band

Performing at Central Connecticut State University.

Every concert = band geek swag.

Pay no attention to the saxophone that squeaked through the entire song.

NEFC Tournament

Emily played in the NEFC Tournament over the second weekend in March.  Her team played three games - they lost all three in spectacular fashion, which was very disappointing for the girls (never mind the parents, who drove hundreds of miles over the two days!).  Emily played really well in the first two games - during two halfs in net, she allowed only two goals on 17 shots and just about every save she made was spectacular.  She even saved two goals while playing defense in one of the games.  Her third game was a let down - the other team got an easy first goal off of her and she let it get to her head and had a hard time recovering, both in net and on the field. Every game is a learning experience and hopefully, she will take some of what she learned and continue to better herself.

 

 Uncle Peter and Auntie Kathy drove down to watch one of Emily's game.