It was Max's last soccer game of the season today. He thought he was playing for a championship trophy and brought his usual gusto into the 100-degree showdown with the green team. But the rest of his Gray Ghosts did not. In fact they had only five players, compared to the nine from the green. Max started out in a 3-versus-2 showdown but after about 10 minutes, coach Eric decided to send Max over to a more competitive field. Max didn't so much run as saunter over to a field filled with five members of the green team.
"Well, well if it isn't the Green team," Max snickered. "Are you ready to lose to the best team?"
He then looked to each side of himself and realized there was no one with him.
"Are you ready to lose to the best player," he quipped.
No score is kept, but Max did claim to have scored 1 million goals against those five Green team members in the final game of the season.
After what seemed like an eternity but was actually five minutes, he was awarded with a medal and coach Eric knighted him, 'Mad Max.'
"Did I get this because I won?," Max asked after the game about his medal of courage.
For some reason, it's all about winning with this kid.
I don't know where he gets that from.
Any thoughts?

Great conversation this morning in the car from the boys ...
Ben: I want to move and I want to live next to Grandmom. I want to live in that house next to the guy that's never there.
Me: Then I'd have to get a job in Massachusetts.
Ben: You could be a chef?
Me: A chef, really??? When have I ever made you food?
Ben: You make peanut butter and jelly.
Max: No, we're going to live next to Deanna and Rosie because they are my favorite cousins.
Me: Still, I'd need a different job.
Max: What's this guy talking about, we could just drive there.
Pause break for about five minutes ... 
Ben: Can Mommys get jobs?
Me: Sure, Aunt Jo and Aunt Katie are librarians.
Ben: Does our Mommy have a job?
Max: Yes, she works for 31.

At first glance, I looked to be getting some good Dad 'cred' on Millie's first birthday. Me and mostly Max discovered a brand-new japanese buffet in town. The food was good, atmosphere was great, but Max was with us.
"It's Millie's birthday today. She's one," he announced as we entered the glorious restaurant.
This led to all types of shenanigans.
After several trips to the buffet mostly by Ben, Crazy Japanese guy came out with a drum about three times the size of Millie. Still, she was simply in awe just staring at this guy. Then crazy dude kept on insisting it was her 21st birthday for some reason (Japanese humor?). The drum noises became faster, the singing louder and this guy actually got right in Millie's face.
Then as she turned to face the music, dude actually swiped her in the back of the head with a drumstick.
Suffice to say, there was indeed crying on her first birthday, a lot of crying.
After all, what is a first birthday without crying.
And what can a 1 year-old do when her Dad lets some strange guy bang a drum in her face.

Max decided when he's 17 and can drive he will work at McDonald's. This has still not deterred his plan of going to Villanova (why won't I take him to a basketball game there?) and marrying his Grammy.
"When I marry Grammy and live in her house, I'm going to steal your XBox 360," Max commented at around 11 p.m. after the Freedoms match on Tuesday. "You're going to come home and bam your Xbox will be gone. Then I will have Grammy's Wii and your XBox. But when you are 100, you can come over and play it."
Well, at least I have something to look forward to.

We took the family to the beach for about the first time in four years. It was indeed Ben's first experience. Upon the first wave hitting his leg, he let this classic line roll out.
"BEST DAY EVER," he screamed.
Later on he decided to pick a fight with the ocean.
"You think you can kill me?," he asked the ocean.
He proceeded to punch the waves, only to moments later be tackled by the ocean.

While I was complaining, that I lost some files on 'my' old computer, little Ben apparently did not like my tone. Actually it was more of a monologue.
"You don't share with your wife?," he started. "That's your wife (pointing to the kitchen). Do you understand the word 'sharing'? Have you heard of sharing? The computer is for the family."
He probably said more, but I had already begun to zone him out.

Max: I think I'm going to have to miss Millie's party.
Me: Why?
Max: I'm working.
Me: Working?
Max; Yeah, I'm working on something.
Me: What are you working on?
Max: I'm working on cleaning my room.
Me: I think it can be ready by next Saturday.
Max: Have you seen my room?

I took Max to the Freedoms on Wednesday and aside from it being past his bed time, we had a fun night.
I couldn't help but torture the tired boy and asked if he knew how to get home from the Freedoms.
"Have you ever gone home from the Freedoms?," Max asked me.
"No," I lied.
There was a pause and just as Venus Williams tossed a serve in the air, Max in his loudest voice screamed,"We could just go backwards."
It was in fact so loud that our entire section erupted in laughter.
Max also joined in on the laughter.
Yes, it was a fun night with the Freedoms.