Soccer, Friends, and Fun in Rochester

Austin is on the traveling soccer team again this fall.  He had a soccer game in Rochester on Saturday, and we were probably the only family who was actually excited about that!  We lived in Rochester for 7 years while I was doing medical school and residency and have only been back there for a soccer game one weeknight evening last spring (quick trip there and home) and again for a soccer game this Saturday (when we had more time to hang out in Rochester for the day).  This time, we were able to meet up with our friends, the Geske family!  We had so much fun getting to see them again!

Austin's game didn't go so well. They seemed outmatched and lost 7-0. Ouch! They worked really hard and can learn from the rough game.

After the game, we enjoyed some ice cream at Flapdoodles, then went to the Silver Lake Park that Austin used to love when we lived in Rochester.

Austin on the playground at age 2.

Austin on the same playground at age 9.

 Sarah and Trevor on the exact bouncy bridge that Austin was on in the photo above when he was 2.

 Trevor loved the pirate ship (which has been changed since we were last there). 

Sarah driving the ship.

Not on the baby swings anymore!

Then the Geskes met us at the park and the kids instantly clicked.  They seemed like they had known each other forever, despite having not seen each other for years (or ever - Trevor and Seras had not been born yet when we moved away, and Sarah and Kyra were under 1 year old).

Ingrid and Jeff have Inessa, Kyra, and Seras, who are all very close in age to our kids. Here are Austin and Inessa when they were about 3 years old. They were good buddies and had play dates weekly.  This was a visit to the Oxboro Park and Zoo.

Hugs.

Giggles.

And smiles!

Look how little they were!  So cute! They have grown a lot in 6 years!

Here they are now!

The kids had a blast playing at the park while we caught up with Jeff (Ingrid was out of town for the weekend - we missed you Ingrid).

After the park, we got to see the Geskes' beautiful new home they just built.  Jeff has an arcade room in the basement under the garage that the kids were very excited to see!  I was just hoping they wouldn't break anything!

Then we went out to dinner at Carlos O'Kelly's. We don't have that restaurant near us and we used to go there all the time when we lived in Rochester. We had a big group (3 adults and 6 kids!) so we had to wait a little bit for a table.  With our rowdy crew (and the kids riling each other up), we waited outside.  It really is too bad that Jeff isn't any fun! (heavy sarcasm here)

Steve and Jeff talking to Ingrid, who was out of town at a sheep and wool festival in Wisconsin, which Steve suggested should be called "wooly-con".

They were able to get us split tables quicker than a table all together, so we let the kids have a kids only table. (They actually behaved pretty well.)

One last pic of the kids before we headed home.  They were all hugging and not wanting to separate to go home.  I'm impressed at how quickly the kids all became friends!  How fun!

We all had a blast and are hoping to see the Geskes sooner than another 6 years from now!