Makes Me Wish I Was a Bigger Soccer Fan . . .

We've been feeling awfully spoiled by Greg's work as of late. Kennecott/Rio Tinto employees have been treated to a couple great parties this last few weeks, and we've had the amazingly fun opportunity to go spend the evening at the Rio Tinto Stadium, home of Real Salt Lake Soccer. (I seriously feel the need to put an accent on the word 'Real' in some random place, so it doesn't just look like the English word 'real'. Throws me off. That's not the point though.)

Anyway, I have fallen in love with this stadium. We haven't been there for a soccer game yet (although, now I would really like to go to one), but instead for these work parties, with food, face painting and prizes, followed by playing on the soccer field and then settling down on the grass to watch a movie on the big screen as the sun goes down. I almost think I wouldn't enjoy a real soccer game as much now, as my favorite place in the stadium has to be down on the grass, in the shade, just lazily laying in the greatest grass I've ever encountered (it's amazing, I wish mine was that green and non-weedy and non-bumpy), as my kids run around to their hearts content. Especially now that Ellie is so mobile, the cool shaded half of the soccer field was the perfect place for her to play and tumble around with her big sister. I seriously want to spend every Monday evening now out in that field (it also helps that Greg's very generous work also opened up the concession stands for us to have whatever we'd like . . . a Monday night playing in the grass, while every member of my family gets to eat whatever they want for dinner, that I didn't have to prepare, pretty much describes Heaven to me.)

Here's Ellie, with her 'tattoo' on her arm . . . we didn't dare try the face, as I imagined trying to keep her hands out of it and it didn't seem worth it . . . but the little heart of her arm was adorable.

Ellie trying to figure out how to dig in to my frozen lemonade.

Annie's face painting . . . she happily told us how she was a 'beautiful princess.'

A very generous 'spin the wheel' prize booth was set up . . . Ellie, Annie and I all ended up with soccer balls. Ellie was in heaven, repeating the word 'ball' over and over again. (In the picture, Annie also has a couple extra balls, that belonged to Talina and Cody). Ellie kept trying to carry the ball around with her . . . and when she got tired, she'd set the ball down, then while still standing, rest her head down on the ball for a few seconds before trying again.

This was Ellie's face as soon as she realized a movie had started up on the big screen at the end of the field. She was in awe.

Very excited about the 'dod dod' (doggie), 'Bolt', up on the screen.

Star & Lacy watching the movie.

I think this is my favorite picture from the whole night. Ellie was a little escape artist and wanderer for the night . . . she was never happy sitting down with the rest of us, she longed to roam free and wide, booking it for an open patch of grass the second anyone didn't have a tight hold on her. Greg played the 'wrangler' for most of the night, and this is when he had 'caught' her again and was bringing her back to the blanket with the rest of us. She was so amused by the whole 'game.'

Annie watching the movie with her popcorn. Talina was originally in this picture too, but as it was a 'laying down and the picture being taken from above' shot, it didn't seem fair to post it. 'Cause those ain't ever flattering.

Greg trying to head off Ellie as she makes her escape again.

The funniest part about Ellie's escape antics were her destinations. She was most often headed for the large, open roped off area around the goal. But, her second favorite destination was to the blanket, and its cute male occupant, just to the west of us. She'd book it for him as fast as she could, giggling the whole time and waving (the little flirt), dive onto the blanket next to him and either lie there and laugh, or try and drink his root beer. I think she had a crush. Here she is sitting next to him. Fortunately, he found her very amusing, and would smile and wave back, and laugh whenever she climbed up right next to him on his blanket. My favorite part was when she'd be walking away, and she'd kinda turn around and wave and giggle. Of course, in the more distant future, we will have to have talks about so boldly approaching strange boys on blankets and lying down next to them, but for now, it was hilarious.

Here is Ellie, super amused by herself that she'd once again made it over to her 'boyfriend' and his blanket. At this point, she also started to violently shake his root beer. Fortunately, it was mostly gone.
Ellie's not exactly shy, but I've never seen her so boldly go right to a particular stranger and try out all of her feminine wiles to befriend him. She seemed pretty smitten. I think he thought she was awfully cute too.

Ever thought both of my babies were up past 10PM (and still both woke up around 7AM), it was well worth it, we had the best time! And so what that both girls had complete and total meltdowns at 1:00PM today, and then simultaneously fell asleep in the car after we'd been driving for approximately 12 seconds. :-)