Soccer 2008 -Ryan starts playing

Summer 2008 is the year that Ryan started playing soccer, at the age of 7.  This is the same age that Spencer started.  Ryan is having a great time playing so far this year, and loves it.  He plays with such energy and really puts his whole heart into the game.  He runs up and down the field staying with the play, and has a real sense of the game an how it is unfolding.  I think he has definitely benefited from having played with his older brother and his friends over the years.

Ryan scored his first goal in one of the first couple of games he played.  It was the one game I could not be there because I had my boss in from out of town and we had dinner with the CIO of Purolator.   Sandra was there and proud !  It is interesting to note that Sandra missed Spencer's first goal (but I was there) since she had to stay home with Ryan who was ill.  We are proud parents of two great lads.  

A few games back Ryan also saved two goals when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere to kick the ball out of the crease....he did this twice in 1 game and these "saves" were very dramatic - and made us very proud.

Spencer at 11, Ryan at almost 7

Spencer turned 11 this past Friday.  I wanted to document a few observations.  Firstly, he has become very interested in the last 2 weeks in learning guitar.  I have now given him my old guitar (purchased in about 1980 - an Ovation Applause).  I have shown him some simple 2-3 note chords...and he seems to really like it.  And then a while back he started piano lessons (Sep 2007  ish).  Just today I showed him how to play a few simple 3 note chords in the Piano so he could play the Coldplay song "The SCientist" from the songbook I purchased for his birthday.  Amazingly he has already figured out how to play the entire song this way.  I am impressed, and happy for him since he enjoys music so much.

Spencer is now in his second year of hockey and really enjoys playing goalie.  He played a key playoff hame yesterday against his friend Mathew's team and Spencer's team won 2-1.

The winter this year has been one where we have seen a great deal of snow.  Since Friday night we received something like 30 or more cm of snow.  It snowed on Friday night, and then most of Saturday.

Ryan has been a busy bee again lately.  His latest interest is playing Runescape on the PC.  He is doing very well at school and enjoys his teacher (Mrs. Cheyne) and his classmates.  We are happy that he is comfortable and learning.  Ryan is so full of interest in making and collecting things and is very engaged with his physical world.  We love him dearly.

I am sitting here Sunday night on March 9 and the Sunday ritual is underway...the boys watching "America's Funniest Home Videos" - something they have enjoyed for the past couple of years.