Blue Hornets

So I guess Jack's All-Star team has decided to call themselves the Blue Hornets. 

I thought they were the Sluggers.  

And then I thought they were the Blue Dawgs. 

Blue Hornets it is. 

Although we fell just shy of making it to the championship game, we had a great weekend.  

The boys played three fantastic games and we made new friends. 

The boys swam for hours at a team party while the adults enjoyed adult beverages. 

One of the bonuses of playing so much baseball is the friends we make. 

Of course my camera was in overdrive all weekend.  I think I took over 500 pictures. 

One of the reasons I took so many pics is this sweet boy right here. 

This great kid is one of Jack's good friends from baseball. 

They've played on several teams together, including last fall and this spring and are on the 8U All-Star team this summer. 

He was recently diagnosed with a couple of tumors in his brain. 

He goes this week for a biopsy and we are praying hard as ever for these tumors to be free of cancer. 

Needless to say my camera was in overdrive all weekend taking a mountain pics of him, just in case it's his last weekend at the ball field this summer. 

And of course I took a few of this guy too: 

Until next time...

It's a Wrap

Ri's third dance recital is coming up next weekend. 

She had dress rehearsal the other day. 

Can you tell she's not taking ballet this year?

That would be a hip hop outfit. 

I think we'll be passing on dance next year. 

She really wants to play softball with the big girls - and that's more of a time commitment.  

Combine that with gymnastics and Jack's schedule and we'll be busy, again. 

Here are a few pics I took during her dress rehearsal. 

Until next time...

Going, Going, Gone

The words going, going, gone will most likely never be heard from our mouths.

No home runs for our small children.

But - put Jack in the field and he's a rock star, especially at 2nd base. 

He's been stuck at shortstop all season for his rec team but that's ok.  He's made lots of great plays and done well.  

But we're ready for AllStars to kick in, which is does this weekend. 

Jack's team plays two games Saturday, two games Sunday and at least one Monday.  If we play really well we'll play two games Monday.

It's going to be busy - throw in a 40th birthday party for the adults and a team party and it's a busy Memorial Day Weekend. 

I wouldn't want to spend it any other way. 

Until next time...

Summer is Close

Tomorrow is the last day of preschool for Riley.

The last time I will drive down Weddington Road, turn left towards Matthews and take a right into the church.

The last time I will 'walk' her into school.

I remember the day I got the call that Jack had been accepted to the preschool.  I was so excited for him.  He still plays with a couple of the boys he met while in preschool. 

I remember vividly the day almost seven years ago when Jack first went.  He was almost two.   He had to wear a shirt that snapped on the bottom because he kept playing with his nether regions.  

And Riley's first day?  She could barely walk.  She was just over 14 months old and wobbled herself right into Mrs. Linz's classroom.  That was almost five years ago.

And here we are - Riley is a month shy of six and Jack closing in on turning nine in the fall.

Craziness. 

We spent the afternoon at the pool for the first time.

Ri played, swam like a fish, and 'got a sunburn' - I think she meant suntan. 

Jack brought his buddy JP and they played catch off the diving board with the lifeguard.  

Summer is upon us. 

Two more weeks of school for Jack. 

I can't wait until it's over!

Until next time...

A Graduate

I could go on and on about my emotions from Riley's TK graduation today.

But I won't.

I just know that I am really proud of Riley Monroe.

I'll let the pictures tell the story.