Baseball Season

Without even realizing it, we've slipped into that phase of life where we are no longer concerned with spring, summer, winter, or fall.  No, it's baseball season (or football...or basketball...).  Our long summer nights have turned into endless games of catch and batting practice.  Will has made big improvements in catching pop fly's and making solid throws to 1st base.  The boys seem to really be learning the game.  And Kate, well, Kate loves the ballpark too.  She's learning to eat sunflower seeds and loves climbing up and down (and up and down and up and down and, well you get the picture) the bleachers.  John loves helping out at practices and managing the dugout during the games ... and you already knew that I was the unofficial team photographer!

Taking the pre-game pledge

Oh, so close!

 

 

Little League is especially tough on mamas (really, any activity that involves your kids is, I think).  Just after Will got this strike, the other team's coach yells out "Come on boys, this is going to be an easy out."  Wait. WHAT!?!?  Before I could think of something to yell back ("That's MY son!" was all that was coming to mind and that didn't seem quite witty enough), I heard the crack of the bat and saw this:

And that, ladies and gentlemen, would be a double.  I really had to keep myself from yelling "How's that for an easy out?", but I knew that if I did that, John might invite me to sit in the car for the rest of the game.  I'm just kidding, of course, but kids sports really do seem to be quite the lesson in self control!  The next time Will got up to bat, he hit it clear to the fence.  I think we were all a little shocked, as was evidenced by the look on Will's face which you could have seen if I had had enough composure to take a picture instead of screaming like he'd just won the World Series.  I may or may not have also failed in getting the proof of my brother catching an interception in a high school football game because I was too busy cheering.  What can I say?  I definitely need to train Kate to be my second shooter ... but she was a little busy:

LOVE her!

 

 

Thankfully, the boys played hard in their first double header of the season ...

The coaches are the best ...

Coach Dad and Coach Billy are all business!

 

and I got to watch my favorite fella cross home plate a few more times...

Road Trip!

Our kiddos have become quite accustomed to road trips since we've lived so far from our family for all of Will and Kate's lives.  When we decided to move to Kansas, we promised to return to Oklahoma often to visit friends (2 1/2 hours is nothing compared to the 16-20 that we normally drive each summer).  We're thankful for friends who treat us like family and let us visit as often as we want.  This was John's weekend to work out at the base, so the kids and I packed up and headed south.  We had lots of fun - and a little sleep - with our friends, the Droys.  Here's the proof:

Buds enjoying an OKC Redhawks game ... there were no tickets for the Thunder game, even Lil' Wayne got turned away ;o)

We love baseball too!

These kiddos played hard all day long!

Taking a little lunch break

And, back to playing

Kate's not chicken!

This was the best we could do with the sun in their eyes!  Love these kiddos!!

Just the Two of Us

It's not that often anymore that I get to spend time alone with Will.   Most of my days are filled with baby dolls, dress up, and a bag full of princess hair accessories.  And Will has entered the phase where he'd usually rather go outside and toss the ball (ANY ball!) around with Dad or head to Lowes for supplies for the latest project rather than cook or go to the grocery store with Mom.  It's a good thing ... I pray that he will grow up to be the kind of man his daddy is, and I know that the two of them spending lots of time together is one of the best ways for that to happen.  However, when I realized that Kate had one more day of Mom's Day Out and Will was already out of school, I jumped at the chance for a few hours with my favorite fella.

We spent the morning at a local kids museum where they have a new Star Wars exhibit.  I know nothing (as in NOT. ONE. THING.) about Star Wars, but Will didn't seem to mind catching me up to speed.  They had lots of props and costumes from the different episodes and several different hands on robotics stations.  We liked Darth Vader, the hover craft, and the mock cockpit from the Millineum  Falcon the best.

I really had to convince Will to take this picture!

The good guys (see, I learned something!)

Saving the universe ... or the galaxy, or something.

I also learned that Darth Vader has 4 artificial limbs and that he can't breathe w/o his suit.

Just hovering around, Mom!

I don't remember this girl's name, guess we better go back!

After all of that fun, we checked out the rest of the museum.  Will especially enjoyed the hall dedicated to all things flying.  Wichita is a great place to live if you like airplanes!!!

Trying to get the Wright Brothers plane off the ground - much harder than it looked!

Did you know that their first flight only lasted for 1200 feet?

Learning about air pressure and airplane wings

And just because we're so nice, we decided to let this guy join us for lunch ... he spends a lot of time with airplanes too!!!

Will kept saying "This is so good - I'm so glad my brain remembered to think of 5 guys!"

Easter

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3 :16

Every time I have the opportunity to focus on the cross of Jesus Christ, I'm overwhelmed by His goodness, mercy, and grace.  He came and died for me, so that I could be rescued and redeemed to eternal life with Him.  Jesus was the sacrifice for my sin.  He loved me so much that He gave His life on the cross.  He suffered a cruel death, on my behalf.  But that's not the end of the story, is it?  

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ' Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!' "  Luke 24:1-5

I'm so thankful to serve a risen Savior ... to know that my Redeemer lives.  I'm praying that my life will in some way reflect God's love and the hope of Easter to my family, friends, community and the world ... nothing else really matters except loving others and pointing them to Him.


Our family celebrated Easter Sunday with the usual American traditions.  We're thankful for the friends we're making here and for the time we had together.  Of course, I wanted to get a few pictures, but I was met with great resistance ... bribing with chocolate candy seemed to do the trick.  We had lunch with friends and then the kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt.  It was the perfect time to reflect on the blessings we've been given.

And, just to keep it real ...

To Make a Long Story, Short ...

It's almost time to turn another page on the 2012 calendar.  Time flies.  Here is a picture recap of what we've been doing this March ... and here's to better blogging in April.

Dad did lots of studying but finally finished his class!

Kate started "school" ...  Mom's Day Out at the Y once a week

Will was almost as proud as she was!

Will's class did a wax museum of famous Americans ... he was Henry Ford

The best time of day is when "Bub gets home from school"

Lots of toenail painting to celebrate success on the potty!

A quick trip to see this cutie cute face!

... oh yeah, and them too! ;o)

It's no longer enough to go for a boat ride, Will loves to be captain!

And, Kate likes the idea of driving the boat, but we can't let her drive for long or we'll all be seasick or pulled over for a DUI!

Looking for fish!

Life is great at the lake!

A **rare** calm moment.

"Let's rock, Pops!"

Learning about strategy

Waiting for a bite