Day 211 (10/10): Love my little football player

Saturday we spent another day "footballing" - watching Colton play and then watching the Wildcats with another KSU win!  The Manhattan Indians did not get as lucky - they fought hard but their game ended in a tie.

The parents watched in anticipation as the first overtime started.  It was nerve wracking.  This was a team that had beat us 3 times last year. I really wanted them to win. The first overtime ended with both teams scoring so we went into a second overtime. 

The opposing team had the ball first and they did not score.  My hopes were high that we could punch one in and beat this team.  Stalemate - we didn't score either - so we ended in a tie.  Did I mention I hate ties?  I always feel like it was a waste of time, waste of fight to end in a tie.  It leaves you with this empty hollow feeling.  Ever think of how lousy Rocky IV would be if it ended in a draw?  There was a Navy football coach that said games ending in a deadlock were like kissing your sister.  I wouldn't know anything about that but...well....gross.  Let the kids play it out until there is a winner.  There's no kissing in football besides the opposing team kissing the field while we tackle them.

Now onto bigger and better things.  We played the cowboys from Abilene on Sunday.  The boys played AWESOME!  It was like everyone was playing as a team, the linemen were keeping their blocks and we were scoring!  It was a fun game to watch. Colton was excited because his teacher came to watch.

I like it when I get to see the big boys of KSU running a football across that goal line but I LOVE it when it is my own kiddo running across that goal line.  Colton scored!  It was off of a play that they had been practicing this past week.  He didn't think it would work and I think he was surprised at how open he was to receive the pass and run it in.  It was a flawless play!  Yea INDIANS! 

I guess the tie must have lit a fire in our team and they were bound and determined to win.  So maybe tiees can be good sometimes...although I hope we don't get another one.

Day 207 (10/3): Football weekend

I am absolutely in love with this Fall weather.  We usually get a week of 70-80 degree weather but we are going on week 2!  I have been sleeping with the windows open and breathing in the fresh air.  I'd like to say it makes me just pop out of the bed in the morning but that has yet to happen.  It does feel good to wake up in the middle of the night and hear the crickets chirping or leaves russeling in the wind. 

This past weekend we had 3 football games - 2 of Colton's and my alma mater - KSU!  I'm working on my football taking picture skills but I am so easily distracted.  I start watching a play and get into and then forget to snap that perfect shot.

So here's what I did get....

The coach always gets them pumped up before the game.  They run that flag down the field, meet in the middle, and then do a  "Are you ready to kick some butt" cheers.

Colton is #19.  He always picks a pro player for each sport and then wears that number.  #19 is Miles Austin on the Dallas Cowboys.

We raced from the game in Topeka to the KSU game back in Manhattan.  After a loss, we were ready to see a Win.  It was one of the best football games I had been to - Baylor and KSU kept going back and forth in scoring and it came down to the last few plays in the 4th quarter.  I bet you are wondering about that picture up there.  This was what kept Mark and his dad entertained throughout the game.  The binoculars were really zooming to see the camera woman for the game.  She was very...um...well-endowed.  I think they were waiting for her to get excited and give herself a black eye or knock herself out with those knockers.

One of my favorite things about getting to play in Manhattan is that they get to play at Bill Snyder stadium and run out of the tunnel like the "big boys" do on Saturdays.

The boys were discussing the upcoming plays of the game. 

Colton had a few good runs with the football but the game still resulted in another loss.  Thank goodness KSU won!  It would have been a long football weekend without that win.  And thank goodness the weather is staying perfect for this football season!

Day 205 (9/28): Pass Punt Kick Competition

This is the third year that Colton has participated in the Pass, Punt, and Kick Competition for Manhattan Parks & Rec.  The first year he earned 2nd place and last year he did not place at all.  The age groups were grouped as 1st and 2nd graders in one group, 3rd and 4th graders in the second group and 5th and 6th graders in the third group.  He was in 3rd grade so in the bottom of the group and got beat out by the 4th graders. So he was determined this year was going to be his year to win it.

They started off with the punt and we were a little worried because his highest kick was about 34 yards and there was one kid that had 77 yards.  WOW!  That was a long accurate punt from the little guy.  So Mark and I were watching him like hawks as he got up to pass the next round.

Colton did a fabulous job throwing the ball.  The good punter - stunk!  So it was going to come down to the kick off the tee.  His first kick was not very accurate so they had to subtract quite a bit off his yardage. But the second kick was phenomenal!  So we knew he was either first or second in the competition.  And....

HE WON!!!  The trophy is pretty cool and his friend won the 5/6th grade group so we were excited for both of them!  What a fun...bug filled...night!

Do you see anything wrong with this picture?

How about this one?

Yep that little kid had to go so he just used the fence and was there for a long time...so I'm guessing he really had to go!  BOYS!  Gotta' love 'em.

Day 199 (9/9): Colton "lit" someone up!

Colton's first scrimmage was this week.  I was really not sure what to expect.  Colton didn't play as much as I wanted him to last year because he was somewhat timid to tackle others.  This year Mark mentioned that he had gotten better so I was hopeful that he would play more. 

He got in his uniform that night and said, "I'm pumped mom!"  He was so excited to go play. I thought - good sign - maybe he'll be more aggressive.  In the back of my mind I was still worried that the first instance he was hit, he would become timid again. He started on first team offense which is great and he played as a wide receiver.

Their team, the Indians, started off with gusto and scored a couple of touchdowns and the defense looked much better than last year.  The boys were so cute (oh I mean manly) on the sidelines as they got excited for their teammates when they scored and gave them high fives and helmet pounds. 

Colton had told me a kid in his class was on the opposing team and had been giving him crap all day long how they were going to kick their butts. There was butt kicking but it was not in that kids' favor.  Colton even leveled him on a defensive play.  In a not so proud moment of his (well he was proud but momma was embarrassed), he turned around and said something while standing over him and then ran off to block the next guy.  I think he was talking trash.  He came off the field and got the congratulatory cheer and told his teammate - "I lit him up!"  It was so funny as he was so excited and pumped. 

My little boy has turned into an aggressive little football player.  He helped the team with a touchdown of his own and made some other really great plays.  I'm so proud of him and can't wait for our season to begin in a week.

Day 162 (11/8): Football's Over Party

You can't see this but I was just doing my happy dance.  My happy dance because football is over!  The season was long and it just about sucked the life out of me and I wasn't the one suiting up in pads!  The kids improved so much.  After the first game which ended in a loss to over 60 points to placing 3rd in the Super Bowl, it was fun to watch each kid have stellar plays at some point in the season. 

The party was out in the country at the Hankins house which was absolutely amazing.  It was dark so the kids weren't able to play outside much but they all had a great time. Coach Munson handed out awards after a lengthy speech which had his own son questioning words that he used.  "Sacrifice" is not a word on the 3rd grade spelling lists so I don't think they had a clue what he was talking about.

The boys all got a trophy and this happened to be the coaches son. His dad did not think that nerdy Erkel should be playing football and kept telling him to put his pants down. He said he got that goofy side from his mother! Thank goodness that my nerdy kiddo didn't hike his shorts up!

The team went together and got the coach a jersey that they all signed and a football which had the team photo on it.  The football with the team photo was a great gift idea if you need a gift for a coach.  A parent googled best gifts for coaches and the store was on one of the links.  He was very appreciative and the boys were glad to get the awards ceremony over so they could get back to playing.

The last huddle of the 2010 season: Go Indians!  It was a fun season but a very long one!

Day 163 (11/9): D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G!

Football is over and I enjoyed last weekend so much.  No more getting up at 5am to make it to an 8:30 am game in Topeka. No more rushing from Colton's football games to the KSU games. Freedom.  Yes that is what I felt - freedom to do whatever I wanted and sleeping in waas at the top of that list!  :) 

We packed up Colton's football things and took them to the football party but before I stuck the helmet in I took off his mouth guard.  I paid $20 for that thing and I thought well maybe he could use it next year.  Umm.....no...not going to happen.  Check it out - so gross and disgusting. All ground up in the back and then it is full of grass.  He has been sticking that thing back in his mouth with grass stuck to it. Yucko!  I feel like I should paint spots on his uniform and have him start moo-ing since he is practically eating grass.  So this will be deposited in the trash asap and we will buy a new one next year with hopes of it staying a little more sanitary.

Day 151 (9/29): Pass/Punt/Kick 2010

Colton was a little let down in the Pass/Punt/Kick competition held by Manhattan Parks and Rec. Last year he participated and earned 2nd place for the 1st/2nd grade group.  He didn't place this year although he did very well.  He was in the 3rd/4th grade age group and the winners were all 4th graders.  I told him he was low man on the totem pole again so next year he would get one. 

The good news is that there were tons more kids in the competition and the weather was WAY nicer than last year. It was freezing cold last year and we were wearing our winter parkas and the kids struggled kicking and throwing with all those layers on.  Notice we were all in shorts! 

Each kid took two turns kicking, punting and throwing. After looking through the pictures Colton did the same thing each time.  He did very well among the third graders with his final distance. Not only do they measure distance but they also measure accuracy. 

The other kids watched in anticipation to see how far each kid went.  They were really pretty supportive of each other and cheered when it was a long distance. Next year we will try again and he will be happy he is at the top of his age class!

Day 150 (9/26): Smurf at KSU game

We took one of Colton's friends', Austin, to the KSU game yesterday. Because of the rain delay, we went back out to the truck and watched the clouds and storm roll in. The boys played outside before the rain came and did the "Boom, Boom, Firepower" from the Night at the Museum movie. 

Then the rain came and it came hard.  We hung out in the truck and the boys killed time by playing their Nintendos and making funny faces in the mirrors.

 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bet you are wondering where the Smurf part comes in...I'm getting to it...
 
 

It's amazing what kids find entertaining.  These megaphones were handed out at Purple Power Play on Poyntz as popcorn holders (the bottom lid comes off). They used them to yell through, to scope out the crowd like pirates looking for treasures, to tap the unlucky souls on the backs who sat in front of them (that would be us) and well...armpit covers?

It was military day and the soldiers did pushups with Willie as we scored.  They definitely didn't get enough pushups in to count for PT as it was such a low scoring game.

Now check out the smurf.  Austin got a blue icee and I'm not sure how much of it actually made it in his mouth.  His shirt was bright blue all over the belly area and his hands were bright blue too!  I call him Hefty Smurf since he is the right guard on the team.

Hefty Smurf, Mark and Black Eyes

Colton looked funny with the black under his eyes from his football game.

Smoooch...until next time.

Day 149 (9/25): Krazy Kansas Weather

There's a saying in Kansas that goes something like this..."If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes." Today we saw some of the craziest clouds and weather I have ever witnessed.  We had a busy day planned for us with Colton playing a football game in Topeka at 8:30 am and then a KSU game back in Manhattan at 11:30.  My outfits for these 8:30 am football games have been mixed up for the weather that has happened on those days.  The first game I thought I would be hot and wore shorts and a t-shirt when in reality I needed a jacket and jeans.  I wore the jacket and jeans to the next game and just about sweated to death.  So for this third game I compromised - capri pants and a t-shirt with a sweatshirt.  I left the house around 5:30 to make a Dillons run for snacks and lunchmeat since I knew we would be racing back to the KSU game and would need to eat in the vehicle.  The weather was perfect for jeans and a t-shirt.  So I thought my plan would work with capris, t-shirt and backup sweatshirt. 

We made it to Topeka with the sun blaring and buckled down for four eight minute quarters of little league football.  After the hour warmup the game was underway.  I had taken off my sweatshirt because the sun was in full force.  Thirty minutes later the clouds covered the sun and the wind started blowing a chilly breeze.  I needed the sweatshirt and I really needed jeans but I was tough....tough enough to withstand 4 overtimes (see future blog).  We were going to be extremely late to the KSU game.  We headed back to Manhattan and listened to the radio as severe thunderstorm warnings and the skies started to darken.

Just as we were walking through the parking lot to the game, we heard the announcer say that there would be a 30 minute delay of game due to the lightning. We strolled back to the car to wait it out. 

 

This was our view from the truck as we waited out the storm.  It poured like crazy and then the game started back up again. We were in the truck for over an hour parked snuggly under an acorn tree so it sounded like we were getting hailed on as the acorns pinged the truck. The boys did surprisingly well. Thank goodness they had their nintendos to entertain them.

The rain died out and we were allowed back in the stadium and the game resumed. The sun came out again and we probably all smelled like musty rats but it did dry us off.  The wind fizzled out as the flags lay limp and we wished for the clouds to be back since it was a little too much sun.

The clouds played tricks on us and filtered in again but they did not look as scary as the first ones.  We were prepared with ponchos and ready for another blast of rain but it held off.

On this day we went through temperature changes by as much as 30 degrees and got torrential rains and breezeless calm.  So I wonder what the next 5 minutes of Kansas weather will bring?

Below you will see some pics that some of my friends photos as they witnessed the game as the storm came through.  We were still in the car but they had quite a show!



Check out the video that someone posted as the storm moved in: