Back to School 2023, Fall soccer begins

Keith is coaching Rubix's soccer team this fall again. They are the Dark Knights because they received the black uniform this season. I was surprised to hear their first game was August 19th, but it was. August still seems like summer and not fall, especially because we hadn't started school yet. The Dark Knights came out with some good running, passing and kicking and easily won their first game. 

Rubix has started to enjoy learning the game more and passing to his teammates. 

The high school had orientation for the 9th grade parents on Tuesday August 15th. We had one parent ask us what we were going to do about cross country practice and making it to orientation on time and before we knew it, we had 4 other freshman who needed a ride from practice and a place to hang out. I went to orientation and Keith picked up Axel, Jonathon, Liam, Hoafang and Ava. I made sure to make a ton of food for them before I left. They had a blast hanging out together until 8:30/9 pm when all of the parents arrived at orientation.

Axel had field day on Thursday and met his advisory. He likes his advisor and he has mixed feelings about the 7 other freshman he is with. He will be with this group of students for the next 4 years, so I do hope he is able to enjoy being with these individuals. In high school they meet once per week to hang out with their advisory and do fun activities. The one rule is no homework or screen time during these 30 minutes together. 

On Friday August 18th, Axel had his first matriculation ceremony. All of the students dressed up and signed the mission of the school paper that goes up for everyone to see it all year round. He said it was pretty cool. They also took Fall pictures and toured the campus. 

I am too lazy tonight to put things in chronological order, but Rubix had his second game on August 26th. They won again!

Rubix listening to Coach Daddy.

Celebrating with ice cream/ graham cracker sandwiches. 

On the 20th we met some of Axel's cross country team mates at the Crystal Springs Course. It was a nice and cool morning and the kids got to view and run the high school course which is almost twice as long as the middle school course. 

Axel excited for his first day of school on August 21st!

Rubix shooting baskets at orientation on the 21st!

Rubix checking out his new glasses. He is amazed at how well he can see now!

Phoenix had orientation on Tuesday, but apparently I did not get any picture. Both of the little ones started school on Wed. the 23rd. 

Here is Phoenix with her new Chromebook. 

Our big 2nd grader!

It is hard to believe Phoenix is in her last year of elementary school. I am so proud of who the kids are becoming. I am honored to be able to raise them and be their mother. 

Phoenix with locker number 23!

Quick family photo in front of Mrs. West homeroom.

Our big 5th grader!

Rubix in front of Ms. Poplack's room ready for 2nd grade. 

Mrs. Poplack and Rubix!

Rubix with his 2nd grade homeroom class. 

While the first week of school could have been the start of making great routines, our sports world has been a little amiss. First, Santa Clara Swim Club decided on a soft start at the last minute, so The boys only had 3 practices scheduled for last week and Phoenix 4 practices. Unfortunately, after practice on Wednesday night we woke up to find out that ISC broke and practices were modified. The kids were only able to swim either Thursday or Friday and the other day was an hour of dryland. To make matters worse, Axel had a cross country practice where the bus driver didn't understand the correct location so the team ended up being on the bus for an hour and a half and did not run! This week the kids were scheduled for only 2 swims and 2 dryland sessions. To make matters worse they combined groups together, so Axel ended up swimming with Rubix's group for the easiest practice ever! I am really not doing the crazy schedule justice, but it has been something you can only laugh at because everyone is beyond frustrated. I think we all appreciated the 5 months of swimming at other pools this year when ISC was down much better than not getting pool time for our swimmers. We are so fortunate to have a membership at Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club because we have been there a lot over the past month since we had over a 2 week break and now two weeks with limited practices with the team. We are looking forward to ISC reopening tomorrow and getting back into a routine. 

Axel has been doing a great job of handling 5 -6 days of running, especially because he is only swimming about 3-4 days on top of that per week. I am very curious to see how the next 2 months go for him. His school is off to an intense start with his first test today and 3 assessments on Thursday! He also had his first oral presentation in Japanese and has had multiple writing assignments in English. High school at Harker is no joke!

 

Last days of summer break, visit to Gma's

Takuto left what we thought was a thank you note nicely displayed for Axel, but we discovered he actually left all 5 of us a thank you note! 

They were all very kind and he told each of us what he enjoyed/appreciated most about his visit with us. He thanked Keith for teaching him and playing basketball with him. He thanked Phoenix and Rubix for playing soccer and basketball with him. He thanked Axel for folding origami, doing math with him and just for being so hospitable. He thanked me for the home cooked meals :)

On Monday after Far Westerns the Yellow Bell group had a big end of year party. We had well over a hundred people including swimmers and parents. I would want to be as bold and say we were closer to 200, but I didn't actually count. I know we have over 100 swimmers across the Yellow Bell groups so I might not be too far off with my guess on attendance. 

I think it took 10 of us, 30 minutes or more to serve everyone dinner. The kids ate first and then the adults dug in. I would have to say it was the biggest pot luck that I have been to in awhile. 

Here is coach with just the Yellow Bell 3 kids. He promoted 8 to 10 kids up to Gold (the 11/12) group. I am not sure how many because I couldn't hear him call out everyone's name. Phoenix got moved up with Helen, Cielo, Victoire, Sara and Kyle to Gold 4, which is the coveted top 11/12 group who is coached by the infamous Luba. Luba has got to be in her 70s and was once a top Russian swimmer who has been coaching, I think, for 45 years. We are very excited to see Phoneix and her friends grow with Luba. They will be training 12 hours a week, which is a pretty significant jump up from their 9-10 hours a week with Coach Victory. 

I threw this picture in here because Rubix plays basketball any chance he can get. I couldn't find him on the play ground, but luckily, I knew to go check the courts. He was happily playing with older kids. 

Phoenix continues to draw and paint in her spare time at home. Here is one of her pieces she recently completed and gave to her cousin for her birthday. 

We met Grandma Susan and Gpa Brian in Concord last Sunday to have dinner and drop off Phoenix and Rubix. Gma was so surprised to see that Axel had out grown her!

We were able to get a 3 generation picture with Gma, myself and Pheonix. Phoenix is catching up! I sure hope she is lucky enough to out grow the both of us!

Gma and the little ones!

Yummy desert for the kiddos. The adults were too full!

The kiddos with both Gma and Gpa!

Off to Gma's house we go!

With the little ones taken care of, Keith and I had a night out for our 15th year anniversary! We went out for Thai food and then to see Barbie, like every other American!

Oops, too windy!

Last selfie shot before the movie started!

The kiddos got to go see GG. They also visited Auntie Shannon and family for a swim playdate and early dinner. 

They ventured to Sea Scape as well as the Fish Hatchery, and had fun playing dominoes and eating Gma's famous steak. 

Gma also gets super credit for taking them to play basketball!

On Thursday we met half way at In-N-out. I just love Phoenix's face. Apparently, she is a 10 year old and was ready to go home. Children....

Rubix giving Gpa a hug!

We made it home in time for Rubix to go to Soccer practice, Axel to go to cross country and for me to take Phoenix swimming at the pool. The kids were happy to move their bodies again. 

Friday, the boys had eye appointments. It only took me all summer to get them appointments. Axel was able to increase his prescription and get adult frames and Rubix also discovered he needed glasses. The optometrist had so much fun with Rubix because he memorized the chart while Axel was having his exam. When she changed the chart, he could only read one letter. She was laughing hysterically because for a second she almost got tricked by a 7 year old. She told him she was catching on to him, and together they were able to sort out his prescription. Both boys were recommended to wear their glasses full time because of their stigmatism. Rubix also has some near sideness and needs help to see the white board. I am really hopeful this will help him participate more in school, now that he will be able to see the board clearly. He was really nervous about needing glasses, but now asks every day when his glasses will arrive. He picked out these cool Nike frames. 

The kids have had the privilege of taking private stroke lessons during the time off from Santa Clara Swim Club. All 3 of them really appreciate it and work hard during their lesson. Axel is completely changing his free style form, Rubix also is working hard at making his free style and butterfly more efficient. Phoenix has been focusing on her butterfly as well as improving her backstroke technique. We are hoping to get in a couple more lessons over the next few weeks to see if they can make their time cuts in the fall swim meets. 

Rubix waiting for Coach Nick to run to the restroom. Rubix is always very patient has he goes last after Axel and Phoenix. He loves the water!

Axel has been running every day since August 7th. He worked really hard this past week through his muscle soreness. He did about 25 miles this week on top of swimming an hour every morning. He said it was a perfect week. He work up and swam with dad, then came home and studied math, and then went to cross country practice in the late afternoon. Tomorrow, he has his 3 hour preCal exam and then a hill workout for cross country. I am praying and hoping things go well for him. He is pretty confident that he has a good grasp of the material and I am pretty confident God's got this and he will end up where he should be. 

Keith took Phoenix and Rubix to run yesterday at the track because Rubix really likes to run now. Well the little guy did it! He broke the 7 minute barrier at just 7 and a half years old. He ran a 6:56 mile yesterday by himself around the track. 

Phoenix managed a 3:07 800 meter effort. She has no desire to run the mile because she can only run up to an 800 meter as a 5th grader so she wants to continue to practice her speed on that. She was very pleased with her time improvement!

Axel has not been the only child doing math all summer.  Phoenix has continued to improve in her Olympiad Math and Rubix has finally grasped area and perimeter! It took a little longer than expected, but here he is writing the answers down before dad has even finished giving him the problems. 

 This week is the last week for the kiddos to relax and be at home before school starts. For Axel, it is almost like school is upon us with his math challenge test tomorrow and then Field day on Thursday and his all day orientation on Friday. We officially have a high schooler in our house! We are incredibly excited for him and can't wait to see the person he grows into over the next few years!

I hope to post first day of school photos Labor day weekend so check back soon!