End of Summer Fun - Start of Football, Kids Visit Mom at Work and Chicago Cup for Labor Day Weekend!

Weekdays:

• Monday - Game 1 of Tackle Football vs Edina.  Our boys looked ready and they pulled out a 21-0 W with our very own Connor man running it in for a TD.  Way to keep those legs moving buddy!

Love this Guy

• Tuesday - Clint got the Pilot serviced in the AM.  He then had a golf outing in the afternoon for a good cause with some buddies.  Connor got to basketball open gym late in the afternoon thanks to Pete Galzki.  Maci and I hustled up to the middle school for her back to school pics, locker move in, walk your schedule etc.  That took way longer than anticipated so we were flying to soccer practice that started at 615p.  While we were at Soccer the Lyons family kindly got Connor to football practice and Clint met them there after his golf finally wrapped.
• Wednesday - Mondell Kids take over Optum campus!  The kids have been begging me to come into my work for a day so I figured out how to lighten my schedule for the day and it was also a day where I was going to leave early due to Connor’s elementary open house.  The kids thought lunch was awesome, Maci loves the dry erase board and Connor loved the screen time I offered HA!  While we were at work, Clint managed our new bed & TV deliveries at home.  We took off around 330p to get to Connor’s Open house in time so that he could still get to football practice on time at 6p.  Maci and I then had our own night at soccer practice around 7p.
• Thursday - Maci got invited to go to Valley Fair (amusement park) with her pal Rosie.  Connor had some more open gym for basketball in the afternoon.  Clint and Connor headed up to the high school for the Wayzata HS football game and youth football night.  Unfortunately Wayzata is not looking super strong so Connor was ready to leave when they were down by a few.  While they were there, Maci and I had another soccer practice - got to get ready for Chicago!

Friday:

• Travel Day!  Grandma and Grandpa Gilroy were slightly ahead of us so they made it to Chicago late afternoon and we arrived right around dinner time.
• We met up at a Taco restaurant for a nice quick dinner and then let them rest for the night in their hotel. 
• We headed back to our team hotel and the adults played some Horse Racing game with cocktails while the girls played tag in the hotel and the little siblings swam in the pool.
• Julian hosted a team meeting at 9p and lights out was at 10p.

Saturday:

• I couldn’t sleep so was up drinking coffee at 6a
• We had a nice slow moving morning since our 1 and only game for Saturday wasn’t until 1250p.
• Many of us watched the college game day show and the start of the OSU game.
• Maci’s team played Central Illinois and last year we lost to this team but this year we flipped the script and beat them a sound 3-1.  It was so fun to see our new forward Isabel get the first goal.  Goals made by Isabel, Sav and Isla.
• Afterward we got some quick Panera, dropped my parents off and headed back to the hotel for some rest.
• That night, my parents went to a Greek restaurant and we did team activities with Chipotle catered, headed back to the fields to watch the 2012s and then back to the hotel for a scavenger hunt.

Goofing at the 2012 Game

Brothers at the Hotel during the game

Sunday:

• Busy soccer day!  We started with game 1 at 930a vs Indy Premier.  It was a back and forth dog fight to start with a 1-1 tie but then they piled on 4 more goals - we looked defeated and quit a bit.  Julian was able to get them finding their edge and pulling it to 2-5 loss.  Good learning for all! 
• We went to lunch at the Cherry Pit with my parents and then to our own hotels for some rest time.
• Off to game 3 vs Chicago FC at 430p - ours girls wanted revenge after that Indy game earlier.  They came out strong and never really let up - 4-2 final with goals by Annie, Isabel, Ayla and Maci!  It was such a gritty killer goal and my parents got to see it live!  Maci was so fired up - screaming and doing a big back flip!  She pressured the keeper and the keeper tried to get rid of it but kicked it right into Maci and she flew right past her and GOAL!!!!  Such a fun way to cap the weekend.
• We swore we were playing on to the championship Monday but Indy lost to CIL so there were 4 teams with a 2-1 record and we missed out due to goal differential by 1 goal.  Bugger!
• We headed to Olive Garden for dinner, said bye to my parents and back to the hotel for swimming, showers and early bed time.

Maci and those Green Cleats - See her every time!

Turning the page from summer to fall as we return home from Chicago.  Kids start school this coming week with Connor going in person on Tues and Maci on Wed.  We are ready for the new school year and excited for all the fall fun!

Lots of Love,

C, K, M & C

Soccer's Back, St Paul Saints Game, MN State Fair, Isla's Sleepover, 3v3 Tournament, Date Night with Danny K & a Play Date?! What a Week!

Anna Nickelodeon Universe & Rainforest Cafe Bday Fun!

Last Sunday

Rides

Cute Buddies

Anna, Connor and Oliver

Weekdays:

• Monday - We had a wet Monday which meant football practice got cancelled.  It was nice to have a chill evening at home.
• Tuesday - I had a super productive day at the office with minimal meetings.  Maci and Connor had their own kind of productive days with Maci getting her new 7th grade iPad and turning in the former 4-6th grade version at school and Connor doing an open gym with the top travel basketball kids.  That night I ran Maci to practice and then attended the TFE parents happy hour to meet the new parents and say hi to my OGs.  While I was at that, Clint and Connor had football practice.  We wrapped the evening with Clint doing one of his fantasy drafts.
• Wednesday - Busy evening with Connor starting off at fall baseball practice while Clint helped out at football practice which Connor man had to miss. I had a nail apt before having a Chipotle dinner with Maci and then running her to a late soccer practice (830-10p).  Thankfully practice was just at the high school and Clint was willing to pick her up at the end.
• Thursday - I started the day from home b/c I had my annual dermatologist apt at 930a.  Thankfully no scary moles and I am good for another year.  I got work wrapped and then headed out a little early for the St Paul Saints Game with Connor and his all star team.  This was a gorgeous night and the guys got to play on the actual field for about 30 mins before the game.  We enjoyed ball park food and called it around 10p in the bottom of the 8th when we were losing.

Maci is the Constant Babysitter to these Sweet Baseball Sisters

Maci & Harper

My Gal

Cool Pic from Our Seats

Boys on the Field 

Friday:

• Thankfully we got to sleep until 8a as we are on PTO!
• I had to take a quick call at 830a, did a few emails and things around the house before we were off to the Mn State Fair.
• It looked like rain all day but never did more than a light quick drizzle so the temps stayed super comfy.  
• We ate more food than need be, Maci rode crazy rides, we watched Connor win a basketball game and throw some crazy pitches before calling it around 5p.
• Shortly after getting home, Clint was running Maci to her pal Isla's house for her birthday party sleepover.
• Clint and I took showers and laid in bed watching our show from 7p onward.  We were spent from another wonderful year at the State Fair!

Fair Pics

Saturday:

• Love the weekend!
• We slept in big time and Clint finally rolled out of bed around 930a to go pick up Maci
• We did some things around the house and then were off to Connor's 3v3 tournament.  We played in the top bracket and won game 1 but then dropped the next 2 in close match ups.  Connor was on fire and hustling all over - he was a little disappointed in the final 2 games but knows they gave it their all.
• We ate a late lunch at Noodles and Co and once home, Maci did a quick change and Connor was running her to her TFE teammate Lila's house for a team bonding night of soccer and burgers.
• I took a quick nap before getting ready for our date night.  We met up with our former coworker Danny and his girlfriend Karlee for a YUMMY dinner at 6 smith!  Great conversation, a lot of laughs and home by 1030p.

Balling Out

Such a talented group of gals

Ready to take on Chicago!

The Crew - This took way too long to make happen~

Sunday:

• A day of get things done and pull life in order.  This next week is all the back to school prep things - open houses, getting things ready for the first day and packing for Chicago as Maci has the annual Labor Day tourney.
• At 1p Connor's buddy Mak from basketball came over for a play date b/c Connor couldn't make his birthday party during due to a baseball tourney - they jumped on the trampoline next door, played super Mario in the play room and enjoyed the gorgeous day outside.
• Mak got picked up around 4p and given the kids were out of my hair, I was getting so much accomplished around this place!
• Clint and I took a walk around 5p and ordered some Panera for diner while doing so.  We ate on the deck and it was time to get to Connor's final 3v3 of the session.  The boys were on FIRE and Maci even came this time :)  They won both games handedly against some strong competition.  Connor was hitting 3 pointers all over the place, it was crazy!
• Now we are home, finishing the last load of laundry and about to tune into our latest show - The Morning Show.

We hope you are all enjoying these final days of summer and ready for the transition to fall, back to school and football season!!

Lots of Love, 

C, K, M & C