Big Will in the Big Leagues

Will just finished up his second season of teeball. It went quite a bit better than the first. Last year, he wanted to play but then changed his mind just after the organization cashed the check. So like all good parents, we took that opportunity to teach him about commitment. I don't think he really cared about commitment so we ultimately had to bribe him. Neither Brent nor I care what activities the boys participate in but we do care about making commitments and giving everything legal and moral in life a chance.

Well, I guess last year wasn't a total bust because he was ready to try again this year. (We didn't even negotiate a deal before he took the field!) The games were 3 innings long and Will was usually interested for 2 of them. But come the last round, you might find him covering his face with his hat or using his glove as a mask. I am not sure the pros can even field balls when their vision is obstructed. So during those times, unless the ball smacked him in the head or dropped right at his feet, he was very willing to let his teammates get it;) There was also a time or two where we found him to be, what looked like, digging a hole in the dirt to China. I guess he was hoping they weren't playing teeball there! He really did seemed to enjoy it though. His favorite parts of the game are the postgame snacks and the end of the season trophy:)

Here are some highlight pics from the season. The season is made up of 3-4 games a week for only a few weeks. So it was over before we knew it. We did have some of our close friends and their children make it to a game. It was a wonderful treat and gave Will a whole cheering section which I know made him feel special! So, thank you to The Bakers and Stays for your support. I promise to be at your child's first lemonade stand or dance recital, whichever comes first!

PS - One other little funny, with only two games left, Will decided that he wanted his name on the back of his shirt. So we put "Will" just above the #7. That evening's game, everytime Will went up to bat, the crowd cheered for "Will". Everytime someone yelled his name he would literally stop midstride or midswing to check the crowd to see who was yelling his name. He looked so puzzled because he knew it wasn't his parents or anyone else he knew yelling so how they knew his name was extremely confusing!

(If you want to hear the music I chose for this slide show, put your mouse pointer on the word "slide" at the top of the slide show. A speaker will pop out from the right side. Click on the speaker and the song will begin. To stop it, repeat instructions.)

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Our 10th Anniversary Trip to Hawaii

Since I am new to the blogging world, I am still figuring out how all of this works. So, after about 3 hours of work and neglect to my children, I have made a slideshow of our pictures from Hawaii. It is not all of them though. I do have to feed my kids sometime tonight! I hope you enjoy the pics.

(If you want to hear the music I chose for this slide show, put your mouse pointer on the word "slide" at the top of the slide show. A speaker will pop out from the right side. Click on the speaker and the song will begin. To stop it, repeat instructions.)

Video Crazy

So I just figured out that I can send the videos from my phone to my email and then download them to my blog. Yes, I am a stay-at-home mom so these fantastic advancements in technology are a little new to me. Anyway, Isaac normally has this sweet little voice but every once in awhile he goes into his lower register and that is his little demonic voice. Sometimes, he actually talks in that lower range but other times, it just comes out unexpectedly. Maybe this is insight into his personality, I don't know. But, it does make his brothers laugh!

Laughter

This is one of the worst videos you can find but it wasn't without effort. Sam hates being photographed or captured on video. So, I did my best to be subtle which means that I got some really bad shots but if you listen carefully, you will see what I had hoped to get. Will and Sam are really not only brothers but great friends. Will has an amazing ability to make his brothers laugh and Sam's laughter is just contagious. Both Brent and I pray that the boys will remain good friends as they grown up and that Will's gift of humor and Sam's gift of contagious laughter will stay with them throughout their lives.

Brain Damage

Ok, so that blob in the video is my 7 1/2 month-old in his Jumperoo. I think he is a little out of control and I know that some form of brain damage is taking place but he just loves the thing! In fact, it is his new favorite place, well besides the boob. Anyway, his brothers hate it because he gets so loud and crazy that they can't hear the tv or each other for that matter! But, we let him jump anyway. It is our way of getting back at them for the daily torture they inflict upon us;)

Cardboard Testimonies

I am not sure what I did before youtube, probably more housework and cared for my children. But, now I have discovered a whole new way to spend (waste) time. Who needs clean clothes? As for my children, they ate yesterday so they will be fine!!! Just kidding.

Seriously, check out this video. It makes you think hard about what your cardboard testimony would be and whether you could stand before everyone to share how God really saved you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

Perspective

Those of you who know me well should know that exercise has never really been my thing. Up until about 4 months ago, I relied heavily on my good gene pool to stay in shape. Now that the girls have been a food source x3 and my belly resembles a balloon that got blown up and then slowly leaked air but never fully deflating (you know, slightly bigger than its pre-air day and now wrinkled and when you press on one area, it forces the remaining air to blow up another part of the balloon.), I decided that genes were not enough. So, I have begun going to an exercise class called Bodypump and I really love it. As often as I can, I go because it makes me feel better and they have child care. I will do anything for 2 hours if someone will watch my children!

Anyway, so I took the boys to the gym, and then we raced over for Will's second t-ball game of the season. When we arrived at the field, we found out that the game had been cancelled due to rain this morning. Normally, I would have praised the Lord for making rain and cancelling the game but I had already dragged my three children and all the gear that they and a t-ball game require out to the ballpark. So, as not to waste all of our efforts, the boys and I decided to play at the playground nearby for a little bit. I will remind you that it had rained this morning and now the sun was out which was creating quite the steamy evening. Oh well, we were having fun and I was already sweaty so no big deal, right?

After as much of a sauna session as we could stand, we hopped in the car and headed out. Well the boys wanted to get some dinner which seemed fine because we looked and smelled like normal fast food clientel. Unfortunately, when I asked the boys what they wanted, Will jumped in with The Marketplace Grill. I was at first surprised because he informed me the other day that The Sizzler was his favorite restaurant and Dennys is second. I think he is an old soul! Anyway, I thought why not? It is Kids Eat Free month at Marketplace so this would be as economical as any other spot. So, Will, Sam, Isaac, and I went on in to the Marketplace. The boys were amazingly good. I mean they are good boys most of the time but they are still boys so the quiet that was our table was really impressive. They ate well, colored pictures, and even gave me their steak knife as soon as they discovered it instead of first trying it out on the tablecloth. We were a sight. I was such the proud mom. I think at one point my head could have exploded from all that pride. We left without incident not even when the boys asked for ice cream and I declined their request.

As I drove home, I was still beaming so I gave my mom a call just to tell her of my awesome parenting moment and that I was certain that I would be the talk of the restaurant. She agreed that we probably would be the talk but maybe for other reasons that I had believed. She reminded me that I did go to a real sit down restaurant in my tank top and exercise shorts with my three sweaty and slightly dirty children on the Kids Eat Free night without a daddy. Hmm, kind of sad really. I bet the next time I go there, they will have a collection can with our picture on it requesting donations.