Let’s Go!

Wes got a performance bonus in June. Younger, more practical Kacey would have paid ahead on the mortgage. Older, more time conscious Kacey said, “Let’s take a trip - we are only getting older and who knows how much longer we will be able to do the fun stuff!” This week Wes is getting to check off the Grand Canyon from his bucket list, and I’m finally able to see Antelope Canyon. The boys are along for the ride, but clearly they are “not into rocks.” Sedona is our home base for the week. Here is the view from our VRBO patio.

Our original flight for Sunday was canceled, but by a miracle and some deep digging through the available flight options, we got the same direct flight on Monday. Relieved to be in the air, we soon learned we were arriving in the middle of monsoon season and the slot canyons are closed due to flooding. And here I was worried about the heat! The temps are mild, and we are going to be thankful it is not 100 degrees like it was last week. However, I’m crossing my fingers we get into the slot canyons on Wednesday.

Once we secured our rental car, our first stop was Montezuma Castle, a five story 20 room house built by the Sinagua farmers in the year 1100. This is all you can see today. 

This is not exactly what I had in mind when I envisioned Southwest cliff dwellings, and certainly no match for the Incan ruins we saw in June, but it is still fascinating. 

From here we drove to the old mining town of Jerome. 

It is considered a ghost town with haunted buildings that have been renovated into art galleries, wineries, and restaurants. Quirky is the best word to describe it. This outhouse wishing well was its most unique feature. 

We had lunch here, walked Main Street, window shopped, and had ice cream. The brown rocks, cacti, and withering plants are not beautiful to my eyes, so this corner of green was a welcomed site.

The 3:45 wake up means we all needed naps! I’m hoping to bike ride, hike, eat, explore, and soak up this last week of summer vacation - even if we are hit with monsoon rains. So rest up boys! You gotta be able to hang with Mom. 

Getting the boys up at 4:00 was no easy task, but we loaded them in the car for the .5 mile ride to Chapel of the Holy Cross. 

The views were spectacular! We took a short mile hike on Chapel Trail to get closer views of Two Sisters and Twin Buttes. 

Tomorrow I have two more hikes on the agenda, so the boys get to see even more rocks! 

Ready for Home

I read four books. I had lunch with a former co-worker. I sat by the pool soaking up all of the sun my body could handle and producing mass quantities of vitamin D. Keagan had 8 training sessions, 5 games, 3 recruiting sessions, and (still) 2 healthy knees. I still can’t believe he did all of that in the scorching heat with very little recovery time. They did not play in the rain; this is sweat!

We are headed over the mountains and back home for two short days before we get away for one last summer hoorah. We closed out this summer’s soccer road trip with a Buc-ees stop. 

Camp Sitings

I had big plans of doing only my favorite things while Keagan is down the street playing soccer. I went to the gym, had breakfast at the hotel, and then headed to the outdoor pool to read. Who could possibly be at the Hampton Inn pool at 1000? As it turns out, a lot of people, and they had no intentions of sitting quietly while reading either. My time here was short-lived, but my hotel room is not quiet either. The middle aged couple next door is in town visiting family, and when they return to the room, I hear a recap of all of the family drama. There is no shortage of drama from the wive’s perspective either! I’m betting the man-next- door’s wife and brother duke it out before the family reunion ends. 

I left the room to peruse Target for the second time this week, and after a late lunch, I headed to the fields to watch camp game #1. I’ve watched ID camp scrimmages many times. Despite the differences in location, some things don’t change. For instance, everyone knew Keagan’s name, but Keagan refers to everyone by their jersey number. He knew no names. He never does, but he can tell you their dominant foot, their cleat color, and their hair style. Every. Time. 

Here’s another camp constant: He had a foul called on him. He claimed it was all ball. But that face doesn’t look like all ball. 

Portugal won the first game, but there was no celebration. After almost six hours of soccer in the sun, the boys were toast. 

Portugal won game #2 as well. I thought Keagan played better in this game, but it was also fifteen degrees cooler. 

After the game, he met me on the sidelines to say the food is good, he’s very tired, and his roommate went home with a broken toe. 

I really don’t see how these guys can continue to play at this level and this same pace for another three days! I have said so many prayers of gratitude that my boy is still able to play.

The Queen City

Keagan and I are on the road again today looking at prospective schools with soccer programs. Today’s first two schools that we visited were in The Queen City, Charlotte. 

Stop #1: UNC Charlotte

This school was beautiful and large - so large a bus system and train system can be utilized to get students to class or downtown to watch a game. We headed to the soccer field and we were surprised to see athletes training. This campus was perfect in my eyes - even with the round about - but it was too big for Keagan.

Stop #2 was a small, very small, D3 school in the heart of downtown Charlotte. The campus was closed and so small we couldn’t even drive into the entrance to walk it. However, it backed up to the Panthers stadium and training facilities. The location was perfect for a pro sports fan because soccer, football, and basketball games were all within walking distance. Keagan wants a small school, but this school, in my opinion, was too small. 

Stop #3 and our last school to visit this weekend was a D2 school just outside of Charlotte. Keagan will spend the next five days here playing soccer in front of ten college coaches. Yesterday he commented, “Five days of nothing but eating, sleeping, and playing soccer. I can’t wait!” 

Keagan is settled into his dorm, he has been assigned to team Portugal, and he is rooming with a guy named Dylan. There are no pictures of the boys because that would not be cool. I’ll have to be satisfied with trying to catch a shot later in the week in the midst of 180 other campers, taken from a distance, and grainy with indecipherable faces. 

College Road Trip 2022

Keagan and I hit the road today headed East; our week of college school visits starts now. I got in the car today and jokingly said, “This will be smooth sailing! We won’t see any round abouts this week.” Would you know we found the only round about in North Carolina while looking for a gas station! 

Stop #1 was Maryville, a D3 school 15 min from Knox. The new field’s grass looked great, and the campus itself was much more modern than I had envisioned. I would have preferred a formal tour but summer tours are limited. It appeared money was being funneled into athletic improvements, so this school is a contender.

Stop #2 was Gardner-Webb; this is a D1 school in Boiling Spring. We drove by it last summer and we didn’t think much of it. It’s in the sticks - so far out my phone dropped its signal. Today we saw the backside of campus and it was actually very beautiful. The sports facilities were nice, too. This school was also added to our list of possible choices.

Tomorrow we see two more schools. 

Week with the Nieces

My nieces have spent the week with us. We have swam in the pool, played basketball with the cousins, and been kissed by the sun.

We’ve played all time quarterback in the backyard.

We’ve shopped for bedding and fluffy pillows for the bedrooms in the new house, eaten ice cream every day, and made chick-fil-a pizza.

We have learned about the Amish living in Kentucky, watched late night TLC tv, and hiked a creek bed. 

We have visited (and picked out our favorites) kittens at a rescue organization, eaten burgers at an old timers soda shop, and watched a pro soccer game. 

It has been a loaded week! Tomorrow we take the girls to their new house in Tennessee! 

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July! This weekend marks nine years in Tennessee for us, and nine days for my sister’s family to live in Tennessee. We celebrated with great food.

Corn hole, or Bags, for those Northeners.

Pool time.

Family time.

Alone time. 

Healthy competition.

And of course fireworks!

Fun, family, food, and fireworks. What could be better?