8th grade dance...sniff sniff...

Let me wipe the tear out of my eye.... Tonight I sent Conner off to his 8th grade dance. I have to say that I have dreaded this dance for the past 3 years. Not only because it meant he was done with middle school and really really close to high school but because it is such a big deal to these kids!! I had said for 3 years... NO he is not making a big deal out of this, NO we are not going to do the many pictures that come with dances and most of all NO he will NOT be going in a limo... GRRRRRR ok so out the window all that went!!!

Conner came home on day from school and said, "Mom, I am going to go to the dance". Now this was after he didn't think he wanted to go. I told him ok and asked him who he was going with. Was he going to have a date? A group of guys? What? Well, wrong again mom!! He told me, "I am going to go with a group of like 6 girls". Hmmmm ok. And then of course I ask the list of girls (the good part of having worked at the school almost his whole middle school life). He rattled of the names and I was impressed. He was going with 6 GREAT girls!! He then told me that there was another boy going with them too.... my 3rd son Andrew. You gotta know Andrew... he is a TRIP. Those girls were probably laughing the whole time. You get Conner and Andrew together and its non-stop laughter!!

Anyway, a few days later when I asked him if he knew any of the plans for the dance he went ahead and broke the news to me.... "We are going in a limo" and then told me the cost. Hmmm did I mention that we were not going to make a big deal and we were not going to get a limo??? Ok so I guess I was wrong!! How do I tell my child that he was not going to go in a limo with 6 girls??? Yeah so he is in the limo (oh and yes there was an adult in the limo also. One of the mom's was brave enough to keep the kids in check in the limo and then dinner). Oh yeah... I had not gotten to the dinner part yet!

So yes, not only were they dressing up, getting a limo, taking pictures at the house, taking pictures outside where it seems like everyone takes their dance pictures now, going to the dance, and then going to dinner after the dance. Thankfully the dance is over at 9:30!!

Right now it is 9:30... so far no call from Conner telling me he had a great time. I don't guess I will get one (but it sure would be nice since he is going to his dad's after it's all over). Ahhh the life of the mom of a teenager. I am not real sure I like it but I guess I need to get over that. Its going to happen whether I want it to or not!!

The girls looked beautiful!! Andrew and Conner clean up pretty good! Ahhh those poor girls!!

Well here are a few pictures....

Conner and Baseball!!

Wow what a night for baseball!!

Before the game started, well all day actually, it did not look good for last nights game. It rained most of the day, it was not heavy, just steady. It was raining pretty good when we got to the fields and I think we were all hoping that this would not be rained out. We have so many games to make up already, we do not need another. Next week we have 3 games, the week after 3 more (those are 3 days in a row) and the week after that we have 1. That will mark the end of regular season and then its practice for post season.

Anyway, last night a little before the game started it suddenly cleared. The sun came out and it was a wonderful night for baseball. I am sure you can already tell that we did win the game (YAY NATIONALS!) but it seemed like everyone on the team were on fire behind at the plate!! Conner went 3-3 with 4 RBI's. He hit in the winning (OK not winning but last) runs of the game. He had a single, and 2 doubles. The last double was actually a triple but the other coach came out on the field and said that the next run scored was the end of the game. Yeah I guess he basically quit. The score was only like 11-7 (or something like that) at the time and we had plenty of time left to play. So they intentionally walked the batter before Conner. So that left Conner up, runners on 1 and 2nd (which both stole to make it 2nd and 3rd) and two outs. I want to throw up every time Conner is in this position but it was not as bad last night because we were ahead. But anyway, I do not remember what the count was but Conner NAILED the ball. I mean NAILED. If you have watched Conner play he is a consistent on base hitter but not an extra base hitter (until recently). The ball went OVER the left fielders head (SWEET)!!

So Conner sits and watches the ball for a minute (I wont comment on that part) and runs to first (and I wont add that he got really cocky and pointed to the dugout on his way). He then took off towards second and then third where he slid into third and it was kinda a close play (but not really). He was called out. Not even close to being out. But after the game come to find out the game was over anyway so they called Conner out at 3rd anyway. Luckily it was scored as a double so he got the hit to go 3-3. Hmm maybe if they would have kept going and he got up again he would have gotten a home run and hit for the cycle (OK so maybe that is stretching it a little but I can hope).

Ahhh now to soak and wash those nasty, dirty baseball pants.... I really believe that whoever thought of the idea of white baseball pants never slid!!

Wow... Stellan's story...

It is really amazing how once you start to blog you get connected to blogs through other blogs. One that I have come to read almost everyday is written by a mother of 4. She is really amazing and so is her youngest. This is a blog that I have mentioned before and its about Stellan. Click here to go and read the blog. I guess when you find a blog that you can make a connection with you just keep reading. The connection here is with babies. Kennedi and Stellan are only a couple months apart. I am so thankful that Kennedi is such a healthy baby but its sad to think that not all babies are. There is so much out there that is out of our hands! There was a news story done last night about Stellan by their local news and it was fantastic. Of course it is extremely hard to watch without getting teary but I wanted to share it with everyone. This will take you to the story. Makes you want to just grab your little babies and give them an extra special hug tonight!!

There is a link to the other blogs I follow on the right side of the page. When you have some extra time click and read up on some amazing families!!

Just a quick video

I just got Kennedi standing for a little while. She was actually standing for a good 10 seconds before I started to video her.

Not too much more to report. I hope to have another post on Friday night. Conner has his 8th grade semi-formal. He is looking forward to it. He does not have a date but instead is going with a group of people. They are meeting at one of the girls houses and getting a ride to the dance in a limo. After the dance they are all going to go out to eat (the dance is over at 9:30 I think it is). After that the year is basically over and he will be a high schooler!! YIKES!!

The end is almost here!!!!

Only 8 more school days to go! I do not know who is more excited to sleep in, the boys or me!! I knew that I needed to sit down and do some blogging tonight but I made the mistake of reading another blog that I stalk keep up with. Of course being an elementary teacher, Kristin is all kinds of creative. I am thinking that since she is off all summer, maybe I will pay her to start writing my blogs for me. You can see why here!!! Its a great blog!! I can read it and see what I have in store for me in the upcoming years!!

I am really trying to think back on the weekend to write on anything that happened.... hmm... IT RAINED!! I do not know how many years we have been hearing about what a horrible drought we are in. Well, I really think that the drought is WAY over and the river that was running through my front yard and down the side proves it! I had to swim through it to get the mail the other day (and it was cold)! I do like the rain and I do understand that we need it but it is getting really old. I guess the rain is on the same schedule as Conner's baseball games. We have had more rain outs (and rain outs get rained out) than we have played. I hope we are able to get all the games in that we need to before the middle of summer!

Tonight was the 8th grade honors night for Madras. Wow.. these kids are amazing. I got my invitation in the mail a couple of weeks ago that told me that my child was going to receive an award so of course we went. Conner got a certificate for all A's and B's. GREAT JOB CONNER!!! It took FOREVER for all the kids that have earned the award to be announced. There are some smart kids at that school!! I am very proud of Conner and his accomplishments in middle school. He has grown up so much in the past three years. It is amazing to see the young man that he is turning into while at the same time keeping those moments of the little boy. He loves to stand next to me now. Of course when he is next to me he stands as tall as he can and has that proud look on his face. You know the "I am finally taller than you" look. Why is it when boys hit this they have that look of accomplishment?!?! It cracks me up!

Avery has his awards program next week sometime. We are not sure if he will be getting an award. He had a little slip in the 2nd nine weeks and got a 79 in a class. I have really been proud of him since that because he has been doing Awesome!! We even got CRCT scores back this week and Avery is not a great test taker (he gets that from his mom) and he passed the CRCT with flying colors!! He has really done a lot of growing up in 6th grade. It is kind of sad to see my little Avery growing up!! To think in a week I will have a high schooler, middle schooler and then an almost 1 year old... oh help me!!!