A Really New School Year Begins

With last year's school-based drama now only a fading memory, the kids began the school year at the New Red Lion Christian Academy this week:  Aidan (1st), Amanda (6th), and Abby (8th) started on Thursday and Alex (10th) started today.

Greeting the kids was new leadership, some new teachers (and some familiar faces), new text books, new uniforms, new logos, and some refreshed facilities

Here's to a great year...

Cobras Season Wrap-up

Alex's soccer team, the GRPC Cobras, wrapped up their season by playing in the playoffs at Kirkwood Soccer Club on June 2nd.

Seeded in third place, the team first faced off against the 4th place HSC Rockets.  Winning that game, they progressed to the Championship to do battle against the HSC Vikings.  Putting forward a valiant effort, the Cobras placed 2nd after a narrow over-time loss to the HSC Vikings.

Congratulations, Cobras.  It was a great season.

   

GOOOAAALLL!!!

There are several times over the years where I can recall watching my children and honestly welling up with pride.  Moments where I wanted to turn to the fella next to me, nudge him with my elbow and say, "That's my kid."  Today I can add another of those moments to my list.

Alex's soccer team, the GRPC Cobras, faced off against the WYMCA United.  As the second half of the game started, Alex found himself playing Forward and charged with one purpose:  Score!

The results can be seen below...

Happy 15th Alex

It is difficult to fathom that 15 years have passed since Mom and I ushered our first born into this world.  In such a brief span of time, he has grown into amazing young man who is incredibly bright, incredibly loving to his younger brother, and incredibly...tall.

Happy Birthday, Alex.  May God bless the next 15.  And the 15 after...

A Taste of Paint

Alex and his friend Jack have been planning a paintball outing for the past month or so.  After having to postpone a couple of weeks ago due to weather, things finally gelled this morning.

Alex donned some cruddy but washable clothes and he and I headed down to Mansion House Paintball to meet up with Jack.  The intention was for just the boys to take part, but as I was settling up with the nice gentlemen behind the counter, they offered me a complimentary chance to take part.  Rental equipment included.  How could I refuse?  But just a single round, I promised.

So the three of us, now armed, headed deep into the woods to the Speedball field where all the action was currently taking place.  We were paired with 2 other players (noobs like Alex and I) for a 5-on-5 competition then were thrust into the heat of battle.

It was a short war.

I dove for cover squeezing a few rounds as I ran, peeked around my bunker and quickly took one to the shoulder.  Alex fell soon after, taking a hit to his upper quad.  The rest fell just as quickly.

We escorted our defeated selves off the field and watched another round then were given a chance to redeem ourselves...with a 5-2 match up.  Despite having the upper hand in man power, the result was strikingly similar to the previous round...albeit slightly more drawn out.

From there, we headed into the woods for several variations of Woodsball.  Among the trees, our noob status wasn't as glaring.  With more variations of cover and sometimes larger groups, we were able to spend more time on the field and actually pick off some of our opponents.

All in all, my promise of 1 round turned into 5-6 rounds while Alex got in 8-9.  

Homecoming

On Saturday, October 29th, a day that brought us our first snow fall of the season, Alex headed out to his first Homecoming dance.

With one of his close friends having won a limo ride from the school, their well dressed crew converged at said friend's house down-state to make the most of the ride.

The theme for the dance was Forever Young...A Night in Neverland so the school gym was given a fairy tale make-over.  Not having been in attendance myself, and Alex being a teenage boy, details remain a bit light at this point:

Me:  How was the limo ride?
Alex:  Awesome.
Me:  How was dinner?
Alex:  Good.
Me:  Did you dance?
Alex:  Yes.

Can you spot the trend?  :)

Charting His Own Course

In many ways, a child's early development mirrors their primary source of exposure:  Their parents.  For example, while Mom and I spoke with Aidan last night regarding how he was feeling (his stomach had been hurting earlier), he stood there with his hands in his pockets in a stance that mimicked the way I myself frequently stand.

But as kids age, their own personality begins to break through.  Case in point: Alex, of his own accord, and quite unlike his parents, pursued the office of Treasurer for his class government.

After the votes were tallied the first time, Alex found himself tied with his competitor.  The tie forced a re-vote which resulted in Alex coming out on top. 

Congratulations, Alex:  Class Treasurer.  Mom and I are both very proud of you.
  

Glasgow Fiasco 2011

Yesterday, September 26th, Alex and Mom (and Aidan) took part in the rescheduled 3rd Annual Glasgow Fiasco 5k Run/Walk at Glasgow Park.

The event kicked off with the Kiddie K which Aidan spontaneously took part.  Little guy came home with a medal for his participation which he was very excited about.


After the Kiddie K, the main event kicked off.  Alex and Mom started off in the back of pack of 71 participants.  After running the whole thing, never breaking to walk, they completed it in 29:40 (37th overall) and 29:53 (38th overall) respectively.  Mom even brought home a plaque, coming in second in her division. 

It should be noted, this is Alex's first official run ever.  And as for Mom, this run took place only 9 days after her 2nd and last surgery.

Congratulations, all of you.  Job well done.

Home (made) Movies

I think most every kid at one time or another has dreamed of making their own cartoon or stop-motion movie. I know for myself, growing up with the likes of Rudolf and Frosty Christmas specials on TV, I tried to figure out how I could use my parent's old Super8 camera to make some kind of movie.

Fortunately for the kids growing up in this technological age, accomplishing this feat has become much more of a feasibility. Between the proliferation of digital cameras and free, easy to use video editing software, making your own movie is now just a matter of patience and vision.

So with all that in mind, I present Alex's very first attempt at a stop-motion movie.

Please note; I hadn't finished adding sound effects before Alex moved on to filming his 2nd version, so at this point, we're chalking this up as an unfinished experiment.

Champions

On Saturday, June 4th, the GRPC Inferno soccer team, along with Alex, headed to the DYSA 2011 Inter-club playoffs being held at Kirkwood Soccer Club on Rt 9. They entered the tournament seeded 3rd with a season record of 6-0-1.

The first game found our team pitted against the KSC (Kirkwood Soccer Club) Ohio team. After a good showdown, our team prevailed 2-1 and progressed to the championship game.

Our boys and girls broke for lunch and some rest, then took to the field, this time battling against the HSC (Hockessin Soccer Club) Phantoms. This time, the Inferno found themselves in unfamiliar territory, largely playing defense. Despite this, the first half of the game passed by scoreless.

After a bit of encouragement from Coach Kevin, the Inferno came out of half-time swinging. About 10 minutes into the 2nd half, the Inferno were the first score. Now they just needed to hold on to it.

With about 2 minutes left in the game, and victory seemingly in sight, things seemed to go awry. The Phantom's scored. The wind seemed to leave our sails as the Phantom's and their family and friends erupted into celebration.

But their celebration was short lived. The referee called the Phantom's off-sides and took back the goal. We were up 1-0 again with mere minutes on the clock. Surely feeling robbed, the Phantom's fought harder then ever.

In the end, they were unable to catch up. The win and the championship went to the Inferno. Congratulations, Team!

What follows is this year's highlight reel I assembled as a memento for the team...

2010-11 Awards

As the school year at RLCA wound down, we found ourselves awash in various awards ceremonies for the kids.

Without listing everything out here, I just wanted to highlight that all three kids, Alex, Abigail and Amanda, were awarded the Principal's Award. This award is bestowed on students who achieved Honor Roll in all 4 marking periods. Congratulations, you three.

The below slideshow displays most, if not all, of their accolades.

Something else I wanted to highlight was some examples of the art that Alex and Abigail were awarded for. Neat stuff.

Honor Society

On Thursday, May 19th, in a ceremony held in the sanctuary at RLCA, Alex was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society along with 29 other students.

Membership in the NJHS goes beyond just having good grades. The society is looking for specific qualities in its inductees: Service, Leadership, Character, and Citizenship.

Congratulations, Alex, on this outstanding achievement. Mom and I are both exceedingly proud of you.

Music...from the Symphony to the Junkyard

On Friday, May 13th, RLCA presented the 2011 Spring Band concert for the Elementary and Middle schools.

The night kicked off with the Elementary Band, with Amanda on clarinet, presenting a few choice selections. The video below is from a song titled At the River.

After the Elementary band wrapped their portion of the night, the Middle School band took over the stage. With Abigail on clarinet and Alex on percussion, we were treated to a piece titled Junkyard Jam that featured some unconventional instruments.

The Day the Sky Fell

My children do amaze me sometimes. Just when you think you know them, your eldest writes a phenomenal piece of historical fiction for his English class. Here's an excerpt.

It started like most other Tuesdays. I woke up, brushed my teeth, got dressed, and ate my breakfast. The only unusual thing about that day was that I was skipping school to go with Dad to Marsh and McClennan USA, where he worked in Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. They hadn’t had a “Bring your Child to Work Day” in a long time, so I was naturally excited to go. We hopped into his brand new 2002 Honda Accord and sped down the Long Island Expressway under the cloudless sunrise. This is how that September 11, 2001, changed my then nine-year-old life for me, Michael Croft, forever.

Click here if you would like to read the rest of the story.

Williamsburg Field Trip

As the kids are getting older, and their personalities are becoming more their own, I really want to have them post their own perspective on their own happenings more often. So, in that spirit, here is Alex recapping the 8th grade class trip to Williamsburg, VA on October 14th & 15th:

We got on the bus at 5:00 in the morning and drove to Jamestown for our first tour. (With a detour into D.C.) It was just a re-creation of the fort… the only REALLY cool thing was a guy firing a gun. Then we went to the site of the real Jamestown. It was mostly piles of bricks 2 rows high forming the outlines of where buildings were. Then we went to the hotel, got settled, and chilled for 2 hours. (coffeecoffeecoffecoffeecoffeecoffee) Then we went to Applebee’s and waited a half hour for a server, another half hour for our drinks, and then ANOTHER half hour for our food… by then we had about 10 minutes to eat before boarding the bus to go to historic Williamsburg. It was a night tour and we went through 3 or 4 shops then went back to the hotel. Then we wound down for the night… well… everybody except my room… (it was REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY disturbing…) We woke up, packed up our stuff, ate a big breakfast, (doughnuts… OMNOMNOM) and then headed out to Williamsburg. This time we could see where we had gone the previous night. We walked around with the tour going through various buildings (including a woodshop built over a creek… who DOES that??) then stopped to eat pizza and Dr. Pepper. (through a coffee cup lid…) then roamed for another half hour … and got a pound of jelly beans… OMNOMNOMNOM. Then we went on a scavenger hunt. After that mom went into some store (with me behind her) and we bought… a pencil. Then we boarded the bus then left… with a pound of jelly beans… OMNOMNOMNOM. And guess what? It rained both days!! And guess what else? OMNOMNOMNOM.

Fall Sports Mayhem

Back in May, due to the volume of activities vying for our attention, I referred to the end of the school year as "the silly season" . Clearly I had forgotten what the fall season was like around here.

Aside from the GRPC non-comp soccer league which I mentioned in my last post, and all our usual busyness (school, home work, church, bible study, youth group, house church, etc, etc), we are also splitting our time between RLCA Middle School Soccer for Alex and RLCA Middle School Field Hockey for Abigail.

This is Alex's third season playing soccer for Red Lion. This year's team is quite young, comprised of a slew of 6th graders and Alex and his friend Zach (8th). As such, there's a lot of growth to be had. But the kids are having fun and improving with each outing. Alex's team's schedule and record is available here.


For Abigail, this is her debut year playing field hockey. And you wouldn't know it. She has gotten plenty of time on the field and has been caught up in the action quite a few times. Abigail's team's schedule and record is available here.

3/4 of a First Day of School

Well, the 2010-11 school year has mostly kicked off. Alex, Abigail, and Amanda started back at Red Lion today. Emotions ranged from excited (note who's wearing cheery colors) to depressed (note who's wearing black).

New for this year: Uniforms. While the initial cost is a bit of an ouchy, the payoff will come with decreased disagreements over appropriate dress during the morning prep time.

While Alex plans to continue his foray into the world of soccer, Abigail is hoping to follow in Mom's footsteps by securing a place on the Field hockey team. And Amanda should be taking up an instrument in band. Maybe. I think. More on this as it develops.

More Victory...and More Defeat...

Saturday, June 5th, Mom's morning started quite early as she dashed out the door to take part in her 2nd run of this season. This time it was the 2nd Annual Blue Hen 5k which ran through the heart of the UD campus.

This was Mom's largest event to date with 259 participants. Her results: She finished 68th overall and 6th in her division. Officially, she finished with a time of 26.17, which, while technically her best time to date, in my humble opinion, doesn't reflect her true time as she got held up in the large group off the start.

Mom, along with friend Brenda and Brenda's husband, DJ,
both of whom also competed in the run.

The reason we have only minimal pictures of this achievement was because at the same time, I loaded the kids and myself into the truck (...have I mentioned I got a truck?) and headed south to the Kirkwood Soccer Club (which is curiously close to nothing Kirkwood-related). Alex's team, the GRPC Inferno, had made it to the playoffs with an undefeated record of 6 wins and 1 tie.

The Inferno started off with a 9AM playoff game against the WYMCA Galaxy. The Galaxy was a team they had soundly defeated earlier in the season. Though the Galaxy showed significant improvement, the game still belonged to the Inferno.



The win put the Inferno in the Finals, pitted against the HSC Red Bull; a hulking team with a matching undefeated record that the Inferno had not yet faced. Our boys and girls found themselves hot, tired, and, for the first time all season, nervous about a game.

After an all too brief respite, with the sun bearing down and the heat building, play commenced. The Inferno scored first, injecting some much needed energy into the kids, but the Red Bull tied it up before half time.

The second half kicked off and the score remained tied as time ticked away. We watched these boys and girls give their all as they were roughed up by the opposition. Unfortunately, late in the game, the Red Bull scored. With mere moments left on the clock, the Inferno simply wasn't able to even it up.

At the end of the day, the Inferno took 2nd place in the league. Congratulations, Team!

What follows is a brief highlight reel I assembled as a memento for the team...

Of Victory...and Defeat

This past weekend was a busy one. Beginning Thursday night, Alex headed to Dover to take part in the last Math League competition of the season. The event was followed by an awards ceremony in which Alex's team took 2nd place for their grade level in the state.

On Saturday morning, Alex and I took Abigail over to St. Marks High School for her first stab at the Science Olympiad. Saturday was a do-over as snow had canceled the first attempt back in February. She competed in the Science Bowl, Write It/Do It, Food Science, and Chopper Challenge events. In the end, much to her disappointment, she didn't place. But on the bright side, RLCA as a whole did bring home several medals (complete results here). And there's always next year.

Alex followed this up with a morning soccer game at the Middletown Village fields. He is currently playing in a competition league for the GRPC Inferno. The week before was their first game which they won 7-3 against the MOT Dynamo. This week was a bit more of a squeaker. The competition, the MOT Wizards, was the first to score and the Inferno had to work hard to tie it up before half-time. After the break, the Inferno scored mid-way through the half and was able to hold off the opposition despite some tough shots on their goal. Congratulations team!

While the soccer game and the Science Olympiad were going on, Mom was at Wilmington Christian School taking part in the 8th annual Connie Dietrich Memorial 5k Run/Walk. Despite a fairly difficult course, Mom managed to finish the course in 26.31 minutes, coming in 1st in her age group, 3rd overall female, and 24th out of a total of 115 competitors (full results here). Awesome! Congratulations!

Alex's 13th Birthday

Well, its official: We have our first teenager. This past Thursday, Alex officially turned 13. Pray for us all... :)