Summer Begins

School got out last week, and it feels like we haven't stopped running ever since. We have a couple of weeks of baseball left, and then our routine shouldn't be AS busy for a little while. We'll see, though. It wouldn't be the first time I thought things were slowing down to find they were just about to get busier! Here are a bunch of pictures from the last week or so... some better than others!

Beth was standing right in front of this fence at Matt's game the other day, when the ball came flying right into the chain links and get stuck... about four inches from her nose. As much as I hate trying to take pictures through the chain-link fences, it is a good thing they are there!

Todd still cracks me up everytime he is out on the field. He no longer sits on third base, but he doesn't really keep track of what is going on either. The other day he was amusing himself by blowing raspberries into his glove.

And here is more proof he is capable of staying busy even in the quietest of moments... after arriving at second base he kept himself entertained (and me too) by proceeding to dance and sing.

Sadly, Kyle's team suffered their first and only defeat of the season the other day, but they made up for it yesterday by winning their last game of the season 19-0. Kyle has done so well in baseball, and has really come far. His coaches have moved him in from outfield and have had him playing pitcher. A lot of the kids are still trying to catch fly balls this way, but they will grow out of it eventually. He starts his tournaments this weekend, so I will let you know how that goes!

I have said it before, and I mean it still... t-ballers are the funny bone of baseball. I love watching them all play. Beth refuses to be on the field at all without her daddy. When her team is in the outfield, she is nestled up right against his legs. She absolutely refuses to pick up any balls that might come by her because it would mean leaving her safe haven. I like this photo because she was spending time blowing raspberries as well... maybe it is a sibling thing... lol.

She will bat by herself, but only after Jack helps her out with a couple of practice swings.However, once she hits that ball she refuses to run to first base on her own. In fact, she refused to run at anytime on her own, so Jack had to devise a strategy to get her to run without having to carry her everytime.
We call it the "duck strategy." As soon as she hits that ball (or any other kid hits it while she is on base) Jack takes off and walks at a fast pace away from her towards base. She looks at him with an exasperated expression, and then takes off after him trying to catch him... just like a baby duck follows its mom.

This was Beth after her games a couple of nights ago... lol... we all tend to feel like this after the busiest nights! (we usually have 4-5 games in a night)

Faith is still not enjoying softball very much. Here she is walking back to the dugout after striking out. She does enjoy leading the cadence songs the girls like to chant in the dugout, though. She is a cheerleader through and through... lol.

Kyle loves watching other ballgames, especially Matt's. He particularly loves to sit in the dugout and talk to the rest of Matt's teammates. I caught this shot when they were all in outfield, and he was waiting patiently for them to get back.

Here is Matt running some bases.

And here he is getting ready to steal 2nd.

Here is Matt's coach talking to him after he was tagged out on third. I have to give Matt a lot of credit. Most of the kids here have been playing sports all their lives, and during the years when Matt should have been in Little League and learning all the basics, we had to put Chet through his chemo treatments and there was never any money for things like sports. So here he is, 15 years old, and trying so hard out there to get the hang of all the rules, strategies, etc. And sometimes he does really well (he caught a flyball last night, which got the batter out) and sometimes he doesn't, but he gives it his all everytime, and I am so proud of him for that. It can't be easy to get teased like he does sometimes, but even then he takes it in stride and just keeps coming back to try again. Winning is nice, I know that... but I am so proud of him for just getting out there and never giving up.

I was watching the kids in the playground area the other day during one of Matt's games, and I heard a bunch of baby birds start squawking. I looked up and saw this momma robin bringing her babies mouthfuls of worms. She had built the nest in the rafters, and came in and out about ten times feeding the chicks. Then she would sit on them a while, and after a few minutes fly off to find some more worms. It was incredible to watch.

Here is she checking out the kids in the playground before she flew in again. I love silhouette shots sometimes!
I still haven't been able to get the video updates to work, but I will keep working on it and get them up as soon as I can. In the meantime, here is a parting dandelion shot for now. Make a wish!