Soccer Tournament Weekend

 

We just came off the most intense soccer weekend I can remember.  

On Thursday at practice, Riley went for a diving save and smashed her head into the ground. They called us to come get her and we debated if we should watch her at home or bring her into Urgent Care/ER.  But our previous concussion experiences (with Ella x2) taught us that they don't really do anything besides tell you "don't hit your head again."  She had radiating head pain and I thought there was no way she would play in the tournament.  But 24 hours later, she was telling us her head was feeling better and she wanted to play.  Dave and I were hesitant but ultimately left it up to her.  Then, during the first game of the tournament, she went for a save and was met with another player's knee right in the face/head and she had to be pulled out.  But that tough cookie went right back in a few minutes later and they played again in the afternoon, which turned out to be the most physical game they've played in as along as I can remember.  Two players from the other team were yellow carded and one of them literally plowed Riley down in the goal.  Dave got up, started yelling and stormed the field.  I had to go out after him and get him off the field.  All the parents on our team were upset and the dad of the other girl came over and started clapping that his daughter did such a great job of "following through" and being aggressive.  It got heated and the ref completely lost control of the game.  In the meantime, Riley was really hurt and I thought there was absolutely no way she could go back in the second half.  I told her it was okay to say she was hurt and couldn't play.  I didn't want her to keep playing because she felt pressure from me or Dave or her coaches. The second half started and I was surprised to see Riley running out to her spot in the goal.  She really has been so incredibly tough and resilient through all of these injuries and intensity and extreme physicality of these games!  That game ended in a tie 0-0.  But that was enough for us to make it to the Semi-finals.  The Semi-finals ended in a tie of 1-1.  But you have to have a winner of that game in order to determine who is going to the Finals.  Which meant..... we had to go to PK's.  

The girls on the sideline had their arms wrapped around each other in anxious anticipation and support of watching their teammates take the PK kicks.

It's been years since we've gone to PK's and I was SO nervous for Riley!  After the 5 PK's, each team scored three each, which meant then we had to go to Sudden Death.  They missed and then we (Chelsea) SCORED and WE WON!!!!!!  Everyone went absolutely NUTS!!!! 

We took this picture right after winning the Semi-finals following the PK shoot out and Sudden Death.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this team.  We've been together forever.  All the parents know and like each other.  The coaches are phenomenal and the girls all love and support each other.  We are so lucky to be a part of this team and it was so fun having that experience together!

Sadly, we lost today in the Finals.  It was a really tough loss and all of us were totally bummed.  Especially since it was our last game together.  We just completed try-outs last week and they are making quite a few changes as they shuffle players around.  But this is a special group of girls and we are so lucky to have been a part of this team.  I took this picture as the Coaches consoled their team after losing in the Finals.  

But we still got medals for finishing in 2nd place in the Tournament and Coach Bobby even named Riley MVP!  Aside from about 2 minutes when he pulled her out after her first injury in game one to make sure she was ok, she played every second of all four games and I was so incredibly proud of how hard she played.

Even Grandpa came out to support her today despite the 90 degree heat and humidity.  That's true love!

These two have always had a special bond.

And on this Memorial Day, I am grateful for Larry and the two year-long deployments he did while in the Vietnam War plus the 20 years of service he gave this country as Active Duty military.  And grateful for the thousands of men and women who have fought and died to ensure the freedoms we enjoy.  God Bless America.  Land of the Free Because of the Brave. 

Blue Angels

 

Every town has its perks..... and the perk of living in Annapolis, home of the United States Naval Academy, is getting to see the Blue Angels in our own back yard every year the week of graduation.  And this year, we had the extra perk of being invited by our friends the Chards to go out on their boat!  While we go to see the Angels every year (it never gets old!), I've always wanted to see it from the perspective of being on the water, so it was so fun to finally get that chance!

Twins.... 6 years apart.

The parents of those bookend babies.

Lacey wanted to get a picture of herself with the planes in the background.  This was the best we could do!

The Angels do a "practice day" on Tuesday and then the "actual show" on Wednesday, but typically it's the exact same thing both days. Unfortunately, on the day we received the boat invite for (Tuesday), the weather wasn't ideal.  It was drizzly in the morning and cool and overcast in the afternoon and so they only did a partial show with a couple planes.  It was still cool!  Just not as cool as it would have been if all six of their planes had been doing their thing.

Which meant..... we HAD to come back the next day when it was sunny and warm and clear!  Dave couldn't take two days in a row off work and Lacey didn't want to take two days in a row off school and Tanner scored a boat invitation with a friend (which is why he wasn't with us on Tuesday since he also didn't want to miss two days in a row of school), so it was just me and Riley and Ella.  So glad I had my two elementary school buddies to go with me!

Go Navy!

Tanner chillin on the boat with his friend.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's the Blue Angels!

And since my camera doesn't do it justice, I snagged a few pics from the Angels FB page of the day.

Such fun couple of days filled filled with Patriotism, friends, water, boats, family and Angles - these are a few of my favorite things! 

Go Twins!

 

Tanner has played baseball for as long as I can remember.  He's played on several different teams over the years.  This past year, he has played for the Elevaton Twins.  They haven't won a ton of games this season, but they won their game on Wednesday and Tanner got on base two of his three times up at bat.  Go Twins!

Happy Birthday Nana!

 

Nana turned double 7's last week!  We gathered at her house on Sunday to celebrate.  Happy Birthday to the Strom Matriarch!

Soccer and Lax

 

Riley's Club Lacrosse Team (Maryland 2029 A Team) just wrapped up their regular season finishing 7-1, earning themselves a spot at the Semifinals!  Sadly, we lost in the semifinals yesterday 9-11 against Heroes (who we beat during the season).  It was a tough loss, but these girls have a lot to be proud of this season!! And although the regular season is over, they are booked for several tournaments next month before they officially end.  Looking forward to some more fun with this awesome group of girls.

Go #34!

And a special shout out to Riley who played in 93 degree heat yesterday with horrible humidity and blazing hot sun.  We could barely stand the stifling heat just sitting there - in the shade! Riley played her lax semifinals game AFTER playing a soccer game.  I honestly can't imagine running around in that heat for two back to back games.  Way to go, Riley!

It's "off season" for soccer right now, but her coaches have kept them plenty busy with a full schedule of practices and games keeping them in tip top shape for "in season" this Fall.  Riley's 2010 Green Hornets team is currently ranked 9th in the State in her age group and they are a great group of talented girls and fierce competitors.  I love watching them on and off the field!

Riley doing her thing - diving for the save.

Another save.

Go #40!

This weekend we played in stifling heat.  Last weekend, we played in POURING rain.  But rain or shine, these girls play hard through it all!

Go Stingers!

I have way fewer pics of the rest of my kids and their sports and activities because there is a mom on Riley's team who takes pictures during the games and sends them to us, which is AWESOME!  But it leaves the rest of my kids a little under-represented. Ha!  Anyway, Ella has been playing her little heart out in lax and soccer as well.  Here she is with one of her lax/soccer besties, Charlotte.

And Ella is also Riley's biggest fan.  She and her other bestie Dom (who lives across the street and has a big sister on Riley's team) keep each other company at every game while cheering on their big sisters!

Rocking Out With Riley

 

Every year, the Girl Scouts host a Mother/Daughter Sock hop.  But they've canceled it the last couple years due to Covid and then it just never got rekindled again.  So, since our 5th grade girls (their final year of girl scouts since our troop is dismantling at the end of elementary school) haven't had a dance with their moms since 2nd grade (sigh), they were so excited that an 80's themed mother/daughter dance was announced as one of their last Girl-scout activities. 

The girls all had an absolute blast!  We met beforehand as a toop to do dinner and then went to the dance together.  Great music, Great DJ, Great memories of our final year of girl scouts.

And I had to snap a pic with my two partners in crime, Sarah and Desiree.  Desiree is the troop leader and Sarah is the co-chair and I'm the Treasurer.  The three of us have been through a lot with this troop navigating girls coming and going, planning activities, covid cancellations and more.  Glad to have this last hurrah!