Good for the soul…

So many things about the page I'm going to share are good for the soul!  They say laughter is the best medicine and I believe that to be true!  What's not to love about (or laugh about) 3 & 4 yr olds running in all directions… including with the ball towards their own net?!  

Lennon played his first soccer game EVER tonight!  Oh my goodness…. 3 & 4 year old soccer is hilariously funny to watch!  What was even better than the laughter was sharing it with friends!   We are lucky that Lennon plays with his friend Aaron AND that our good friends, Susie, Vasco and John made it it out to the game to watch.  Laughter IS the best medicine and is a double dose when shared with friends!  Thanks so much for coming out guys & thanks Jaime for making it possible for me to be there!  Jaime is a wonderful friend and fabulous downline member and was my 'substitute teacher' for an hour so that I could go watch Lennon play in his first game ever!  I can't thank you enough for letting me share this experience with the boys!  I'm a lucky girl to have such a great Stampin Up Family!

 

Now on with the page! Another theme that many of my club members wanted to create a page about was Soccer.  It's definitely a popular Summer Sport here.  Soccer has always been Ryan's sport (or one of them) so I was happy to oblige.  This page can absolutely be switched out to any sport or theme.  It could even be a birthday page and the flag used to journal a date or an age!  This is another versatile one!  When creating a page with a specific theme for Scrapbook club I try to make sure it's adaptable so that everyone can make use of it.  For now, mine is of Lennon's first soccer game! …and I'll be whipping up a 2nd page to create of Ethan as well…it didn't go un-noticed this morning that this page was all about Lennon!  

 

 

The Dandelions haven't arrived here yet but I'm sure it won't be long before they do and we have a team of Dandelion pickers!  For now, this is how Lennon started his game!  I used the 2 1/2" circle punch to punch my photo mat.  The Soccer Ball is actually from a retired set.  In the mess of our basement I couldn't find the new Soccer set, Goal when I created the page but alas it is now found! The Goal 'post' is created out of the negative space from the Mix & Match Onboard set.  Further down, you'll notice more pieces from this versatile set of chipboard.  

 

 

Here is what the new Goal Stamp Set includes.  It is available in either wood or clear mount options. (the link in this line is to the wood mount and the link above is to the clear mount option)

Here is the Mix & Match Onboard.  I love the versatility of Onboard and applying color with our Craft Inks!

 

 

You can see how I've used different elements of the Mix & Match set on this page to add dimension to an otherwise simple and quick page.  

I'm not sure if Lennon's Buddy, Aaron thought he was signed up to play Soccer or if he was aware it would become a game of 'Tackle your Team-mates'?!  Lennon spent the entire game following the flock of kids around and I don't think he had a clue he should be after the ball….he was too busy trying to catch up and dive on top of the other players.  It was cute and funny, but also very worrisome!  I spent the game trying to keep  him from hurting someone else or himself by diving on someone and starting a pile-up….it happened more than once!  He looked like this pretty much the whole game….arms spread open to grab someone …maybe Football is his game?! 

 

This little bracket is also from the set and I've used it here to summarize the game…  Lennon tagging along with Aaron.  I LOVE to take plenty of photos of the boys at their games and hoped to capture many at last night's game since it was a treat that I was able to go. …but for spending the game coaching Lennon to TRY to stay on his feet (as my job should be…in this case the photos had to come 2nd or not at all) I wasn't able to capture many shots.  …that just makes these photos a representation of what the game really was!  

 

This was the closest to a photo of him facing the camera that I was able to get between trying to keep him up on his feet, not taking photos with any of the other kids in the frame …he did spend most of the game on top of someone and I try to be pretty careful about not catching other people's kids in the photos without permission first … and then picking him up at the end of the game when he and another boy head-butted each other!  (the other photos of him on this page are of him practicing while at Ethan's game the night before. I'm looking forward to getting some photos of Ethan tonight.  Hopefully the wind is calmer tonight!

The Scallop Trim is inked with Baja Breeze Craft Ink and a Dauber.  

 

 

I can't lie and say that he finally figured it out, this next photo was taken during a little warm-up practice before the game.  The coach has informed us that they don't all catch on until about the very last game of the season and they all actually play the game (sort of!).  I'm happy to watch them as they play now, that laughter is worth every penny it cost to sign him up! 

The flag is from the stamp set, Party This Way.  I stamped it and then cut off the scallop trim around the banner and mounted it to the flag post. 

 

I hope you like the page and find other occasions to create it for.  For the Grandmas and Grandpa who aren't able to come to his games for living 2 hrs away here are some extra photos! Enjoy!  

Ethan warming up for his first game!

 

Lennon running tongue out and all during Ethan's first game.  …the concentrating face comes from his Dad!  <wink>

 

Thanks for stopping in again today!  I hope the weather is great wherever you are and that you have plenty of photo opportunities, even if they are of the smaller details in your every day life.  …new blooms in your yard or where you live, signs of new life or even of something that inspires you.  Have a great day!