Instagrammin’ in May

May was an extremely busy month—more weekend trips away, end of sports seasons, end of school activities, the start of swim season, and a visit from the grandparents. 

my zoo crew, chaperoning another field trip! | my cub scout campers return after a night away. | mommy love from my birthday through mother’s day. | teacher appreciation flowers | eastern eyed click beetle, formerly attached to jack’s finger. | ominous—lots of rain this month. | poetry reading #renaissanceman | early mother’s day gift | out of school early means beating the crowds for a haircut. | supervising ella’s crazy class | great football game—two pick 6’s and a rushing touchdown! | mother’s day tennis with my girl! | gator in his happy place, with a tennis ball | putting the hot sauce on thick | meeting the swim team coaches | girl scout swaps complete! | cub scout trophy—best scout-themed lego build! | soccer tournament and end-of-season medal | coach dad, for a football game | a glimpse at ella’s weekend off at girl scout camp | up early for more soccer tournament games | off to take her first-ever EOG (end-of-grade) exams! | end-of-season football party silliness | hangin’ at the club with dao, playing tennis! | love ella’s girl scout camp shirt. | after two years working on the JLC’s magazine The CRIER, it was great to end it with In-League Placement of the Year award! | ladderball success with nonni and papa | strawberry picking | at the olde mecklenburg brewery for tasting and tour | “tickle” football | nonni’s amazing talent #5minutesketch | field day volunteer | and so the long nights spent at swim team meets begins…

Jack’s Spring Sports

This spring, Jack played both soccer, with Charlotte Soccer Academy (rec league), and flag football, with the YMCA.  Jack is quite the athlete—he’s fast, agile, coordinated, but most importantly, he’s focused when he plays sports and he loves every second of it.  He, again, had a great soccer season (4 vs. 4, no goalies), scoring several goals when on offense and being a force to be reckoned with on defense (I’ve called him the gnat on occasion because he’s all over players on the other team, they have a hard time shaking him).  Jack has a natural talent for soccer with great ball-handling skills and smarts in his play.  I definitely see such potential him in—and as a former soccer player myself, I love watching him play—so, I do find myself nudging him to soccer.  Jack loves football, though, so we let him sign up for a season of flag football, too.  It was a fun, easy recreational league with no weekday practices, just a team practice 30 minutes before the Saturday afternoon game (a perfect fit, to allow for a soccer season, too).  Jack had great coaches and an awesome group of boys on his team—we all really enjoyed our Saturday afternoons of football.  And Jack, well, Jack was just awesome at it.  He was one of only a few boys on the team who could throw consistently well enough to be a throwing quarterback, he ran in several rushing touchdowns for his team, was an awesome flag-puller on defense, and even had a few pick 6’s.  At the end-of-the-season party for football, when Jack was called up to receive his trophy, his fellow teammates all mumbled, “He’s the best.  The best player on the team.”  He shyly smiled as he accepted his trophy and, when I mentioned the comments to him later, he started talking about all of the talents of each player on his team (everyone had a great season).  Makes me proud.  A very talented athlete, a good sport, and a humble one to boot.  Looking forward to many more sports seasons ahead for our awesome little athlete.
Images from his soccer games over the entire spring season:



{gooooaal!  one of many this season.}







And some images from Jack’s spring season of flag football:

{just one of many flags he pulled on defense this season.}


{and he’s off, for another rushing touchdown.}






{and that would be an interception which he then ran in for a touchdown.  he had two pick 6’s that day.}


{playing quarterback.}

{jonathan coached one game.}