Wrestling Take Two

Thursday, January 15

This week's wrestling dual took us just up the road (not an hour drive and the weather was not icy, just below zero temps!) to Lewis Central in Council Bluffs. I was excited for the kids to wear their new Glenwood Wrestling shirts that I had made for them so they could cheer for their favorite team. When I say cheer, I just mean completely not pay any attention to what we are actually there for and play with your friends in the bleachers while annoying half of the crowd and chasing away anyone who dared to sit within twenty feet of us :) When we got to the school, Dain and Amber helped to get the kids in the door. It was extremely cold and I really didn't want to park at the opposite end of the school and walk at the pace of an 18 month old to get there. So, thanks to them for the help! We of course made our grand entrance with what seemed like twenty kids, their coats and bags. Once seated it was then time to make the all important trip to the concession stand. I am starting to wonder if Amber and I go to these events to avoid making dinner and just feed the kids hot dogs from the stand. Anyway, it was my turn to get the food. I left with a hefty order and came back carrying all of the food in a box that was given to me by the nice lady running the concession stand. There was so much stuff she added it up in her head three different times just to make sure that she got it right. I of course stood out like a sore thumb carrying this box and got quite a few chuckles from the people sitting around us (not to worry though...they probably didn't sit there for very long, remember). Amber even took a picture of it for her blog!! Anyway, another chance to eat off of and all over the bleachers..who could pass this up!?!? I got a package of M&Ms for the kids to share when they finished as a treat. Emily couldn't wait to have the chalic and Brock asked when they could have the potty treats!! I love what kids come up with!! After the food was everywhere and we went through a lot of wet wipes it was time to crawl up and down the bleachers and chase off the neighbors. We did an excellent job!! Clara found someone elses pop bottles and threw them and Emily was crawling up down and all around. Then came the time to take my poor innocent infant to the public restroom for his dinner. I felt like a sixteen year old feeding my baby on the toilet in a high school bathroom, but it is not like they have nursing rooms like a department store. Anyway, the rest of the evening was crazy as usual. When the dual was over (Glenwood lost) we headed for the car and a short drive home. We had a good time and Nile was a hit to those who dared to sit around us (they were Amber's family, they had to sit with us).

Nile sporting his new shirt

Clara getting wild

Funny faces were the thing of the evening

Clara participating

Nile's First Wrestling Tournament...and A LONG Drive Home

Saturday, January 3rd, my friend Amber and I loaded up kids and headed to Atlantic for an all day wrestling tournament. She and her son Brock drove their van and followed us. Amber's husband Matt is the head wrestling coach at Glenwood and Dain is in his first year as an assistant. He is really enjoying himself and loves to be back in the wrestling room doing something that he is passionate about. The girls were very excited to go watch daddy. The drive to Atlantic was fine. The kids napped and the weather held out and was just lightly raining most of the trip. We made our way in to Atlantic...drove around the town trying to find the high school...stopped and asked for directions once...each of us called our husbands once for directions and eventually we found it!! Amber headed in to the school with Brock and the girls and I stayed in the car to feed Nile his lunch. When I got in to the gym, we decided to feed the kids. Amber went to the concession stand while I stayed back with the kids, who were all playing very nicely. Lunch came and for some reason Emily and Clara could not stay seated for more that a few seconds before they needed to change bleachers..up and down and over the top of people. Food was on the bleachers, both where you sit and put your feet. They would set it down and then pick it up and eat it. Amber informed me that during wrestling season, eating off of the bleachers is "okay" and pretty much the norm. But wait kids, let's use the hand sanitizer before we eat!! Sitting down started to become a real challenge and I was starting to feel really bad for the older gentleman who was sitting in front of us...Clara was using his leg to help her get up and down. Luckily, the tournament was coming to an end. Then came the weather report. Freezing rain and icy roads were making their way from the west and we would have to drive right in to it. We loaded up the kids and headed for the interstate, thinking this would be better than back roads. Amber and I followed each other home and made several calls to each other to see who was scared about the current conditions. Atlantic would normally be a one hour drive. That night it took us two hours to get home, creeping along the interstate at 35-40 mph, gripping the wheel the whole way. We enjoyed our wrestling trip minus the drive home, and Nile slept through his very first wrestling tournament!!

Nile taking it all in

Brock and Emily

Clara

Emily and Dain, Brock and Matt