Stayin' Alive

Long night last night! After Monday's rain-out, the Cubs played a 6:00 tourney game last night. It was the 2nd of our tourney games--double elimination. The boys were not into it at all. Half the team was dragging due to many daytime activities and family affairs, we were missing 2 players, and all they really wanted was to get it over with and head to DQ. (Lesson learned by this coaching family: NEVER pre-plan the DQ visit with "when our season ends, we'll take the team to Dairy Queen".) With us already down in the 6th inning, the Phillies got 4 runs...apparently that lit a fire under our boys because we answered with 6 runs and tied the game. In the tie-breaker inning, we pulled it out, sending us on to a doubleheader game 15 minutes afterwards.

I'll be honest, I never thought we'd make it this far, but the boys have been scratching and clawing their way through this loser's bracket. So we played the second game and it was looking much like the first. Some of out parents were unhappy that the Marlins were playing 6 outfielders compared to our 2. (Andy being the educational coach had agreed to let them do it - "just let the kids play" is his philosophy.) Now the boys were REALLY tired! (The pitcher was losing steam fast as well!) Down 6-4 entering the 5th inning...somebody must have brought out the rally monkey again because the kids squeaked it out 7-6. Whew! Getting home at 10:00 after 2 long games is new to us... We play again tonight; if we win, another doubleheader! Needless to say, the kids have all been commanded to rest a bit today. Go Cubs Go!

Baseball Love

A busy season of Optimist Baseball is winding down. Tournament games all this week... Joel has had a blast with it. I was wondering how he'd take the season with dad as head coach and mom in the dugout running the book (and occasional discipline). He's been great! His skills have developed and he's already expressed interest in doing fall ball the next town over. He's made a new batch of friends and we all have enjoyed working with this year's families. Andy has been a great coach and pitcher (I not-so-secretly hope he coaches again next summer)! The one thing we've had to adjust to is the schedule. For those with slightly older kids, this is nothing, I'm sure. For us, Joel and Hanna are wanting to participate in everything they can, so we're out doing something almost every evening. Between ball a few times a week (EVERY Saturday!) and gymnastics, we are starting to get a taste of the family taxi service everyone talks about. And of course, everything takes moolah, so some of our summer projects will have to wait. Between activities, Alabama wedding trip, paying off remodel credit, and the looming school year with book rentals, 1/2 day babysitting, and YMCA after-care for the kids--whew--we are tapped out. The bedroom makeover, landscaping, and shocks/struts for the car...gonna have to wait. We know that at this age, it's all about the kids. It's not about us and our schedules and desires. Let them be kids, let them try their hand at all manner of things, and when plans don't cooperate....we are learning to go with the flow.

Feeling Guilty!

It's been a busy week here (by summer standards), full of baseball tournament games and playdates. As a result, I was a bad daughter and did not get my family called. I promise, I'm doing it today when I think they are all up and going! In case they browse this first...Happy Birthday Mom! Happy Father's Day Dad! (she's gonna kill me for this pic!)

Kismet

For weeks now, I've been extremely bothered by the two typos from my last post. After publishing it, I went back and tried to edit the passage in Blogger to no avail. I had just about gotten to the "let it go" stage, thinking that the people who read my blog know me well, and have surely since forgiven the mistakes (even though it would pop up in my thoughts as recently as yesterday). Now, I surely cannot! Moments ago, Andy and I sat watching CBS Sunday Morning and Bill Geist did a spot on these two traveling "Typo Hunters"; fellas who go around fixing the many typos and grammatical errors they encounter. (Plenty of 'em, I say!) Typos drive me crazy, especially when they are mine. After that rather funny and spot-on story which, no doubt, was meant to speak to me, I have returned to clear my conscience.

I spoke of leaving my classroom, but used the contraction for it is. Correction: its. Then, my "s" failed me, so instead of it' awesome....correction: it's awesome. There, now I feel better. Call me what you will, but I am not a flagrant misspeller or grammar/mechanics abuser.

Goodbye to FES

Nothing but a shell now... I'm going to really miss this room. They say 2 years, but none of us really believe that. I honestly don't think I'll ever be back to this room/building, at least not in it's current form.

My new/old room is actually smaller than this one. But I guess I won't need quite as much room to move around and drag out instruments and all that fun general music stuff.

I've been busy painting the large wall in my middle school classroom. (anyone shocked?) It's the same drab white cinder block I started with here. It' amazing what a little color can do for the feel of the room. Teal, lime, and blue...I'll take pics when it's done.

Take care, little stick musicians...

More Wedding Pics and Misc...

Here are some more pics of the wedding in Alabama...in none of which Joel is cracking a smile!

Andy holding Ryder (Wendy's youngest). He's the chunky monkey of the cousins! So cute...!

Tim and his youngest Shane, the most content baby we know!

Before the ceremony...

At rehearsal the day before... The story of the weekend was Hanna + Rylee and Joel + Trevor.

Weekend Wedding in 'Bama

Andy's sister, Abby, got married this weekend down in southern Alabama. It was a nice event (getting down and back--not so much...) and the bride was lovely! Of course, so was our little flower girl! The ceremony was outdoors in a nice wooded park by the riverfront. It was short and sweet (upper 90's) and everyone wore a smile except sourpuss Joel. He only agreed to walk down as the ring bearer if cousin Trevor was with him. Trevor had a "want Daddy" meltdown at the onset, so Joel wasn't too happy. He was pretty much asked to be in "responsible, caregiver, watch-the-youngers" mode all weekend, so I suppose I can't blame him. Hanna and Rylee had their hair all dolled up and looked so sweet together!

A-Ha! He cracked a smile!

Fuzzy, dance-floor lighting, but a sweet pic of Andy dancing with his baby sister.

The stars of the reception (meaning they hogged the dance floor all night)!

Awwwwwwwww.....