A great 1st tournament!!

WHAT A LONG WEEKEND!! Whew I think it is going to take me days to recover.

The first lesson this weekend is to leave Kennedi at home for the other tournaments we have in the upcoming months. It is way too long of a day for a little baby to handle! I was frustrated she was tired and we were miserable. Well that was until Daddy came to watch the games and she was almost a perfect little angel then. Hmmm ya think she might be a Daddy's girl???

OK now for the tournament. Saturday was pool play. The team looked good and we went 1-1 and ended up 2nd seed in our pool. Conner played OK. He is still getting used to the heavier bat (which I think may be heavier than him). Well OK so its not but it is a lot heavier than he is used to.

Sunday came and we played at 11am. I was so thankful we did not have that 9am game! It was only about a 45 minute drive to the fields but after a long Saturday that early game would have been brutal. So game 1 starts and Conner sits.. and sits... and sits. Finally he gets in but doesn't get much action. We win the game. Game 2 comes and Conner sits and sits and sits (actually sits the whole game). I know we are at the point where kids are going to sit more and some kids will play more but it sucks to sit and watch your child not play at all. It is really a horrible feeling, one I would not wish on any parent. The boys played pretty well. Its amazing how much different it is from rec ball. Conner (and maybe 1 other player) is the only one who has not ever played on a travel ball team. I guess I have learned my lesson. If you want your child to really be able to be competitive, get them into the travel ball!!

OK back to the games.... With the 2nd win on Sunday it put us into the Finals. Conner started this game and played the entire game. He was in the out field which is a huge change from 2nd base where he is used to but I told him he has to be able to switch gears. He got some action in that game. He did great. He went 2-3 at the plate with 3RBI's (and the pitcher was incredible)! We lost 7-6 but it was a great game!! This was the first time they have played together and they looked great!! That team has a lot of talent (and it is still so early)!

I am proud of Conner (of course) and hopefully that game got his confidence up. Now if we could just get some muscle on that skinny body (another disadvantage he has). The kids is taller than I am (and I am 5-7) and just over 100lbs (with shoes and three layers). Once he hits that growth spurt I think he will be sitting a lot better but until then we will be practicing, practicing, practicing.

We have a break next weekend and then another tournament the week after (I think).. whew it is starting to all blend together.

Weekend Get A Way...

OK So this post SHOULD be before the baseball one but it's not.

Wow.. time flies by!

There is so much to write and update on but right now I do not think I will have time to do it all. Its a fussy day with Kennedi.

Labor Day weekend we took the kids and some of their friends and babysitters (my parents) to Panama City Beach, Florida for the long weekend. I had never been there and honestly really had no desire to ever go. I have heard so many good things about it and having grown up going to the Ocean with waves the idea of being on a beach without waves is not so thrilling. I do have to admit that it was VERY pretty!

Our view from 20th floor...
The beautiful blue water.. you could see schools of fish and rays all over the place!

As I said, we were on the 20th floor and the view was amazing. I was extremely nervous at first for the kids, especially Kennedi to be on the balcony but I got over it. The water is so blue and the sand is almost white but, when you go to sit on the beach you have people almost sitting in your lap. It is so crowded. I can't even imagine what it would be like in the middle of summer. YIKES.

The boys were able to do a little skim boarding. The beaches were pretty narrow and had a drop off so it was not great for that either. It was nice to sit on the beach and not worry about rip currents, under tow, or waves crashing and knocking the little kids (Kennedi) over.
Kennedi LOVED eating the sand off of her hands

Thinking about IF she wants to try the water.

Of course she should and she LOVED throwing the ball with Daddy and Avery.

Chris wanted to take the boys to do something one of the days so they chose mini-golf and go carts. Actually 2 different go cart tracks. I went along for the picture taking. I was not thrilled about it since I would miss a day on the beach but I took one for the team (as moms always do).
We got in line and the boys saw friends from home. What are those chances. The only people they knew were down there that weekend and we run into them at the go carts. The group was so big once they merged they were the only ones on the track. That is a fun time!!


We were close enough to walk to the pier and do some a bunch of shopping. I got some Christmas presents bought. Whoa its September and I have bought my first gifts for the holidays. Maybe I will be done early this year... yeah right!

It really was a great weekend. My two boys did not fight at all, that I saw. I think that is a miracle in itself. I guess we need to let them each take a friend everywhere we go. It really was a relaxing time for me.

Now its time to start planning our next little vacation with the kids.

Batter Up...

I know that you have all missed my baseball updates. It seems like just last week I had to update on Conner and his games. Well Saturday we will be heading out once again for baseball games. I love it!!

Conner is playing with a group of boys from his high school. Just about all of them are Freshman and all are great ball players! The team is not affiliated with the high school at all so we have to do tournaments. I am a little nervous about this but I know they will all have a lot of fun. They all seem to mesh really well considering some of the kids have never played together. Conner knows a good number of the boys and have since they were in early elementary school.

I will be sure to update about the weekend and how he does as I can. As for now, I need to get going. I can hear fussy pants crying in her crib and we need to head out to buy Conner some new gray baseball pants since all of his are way too small. Will he ever stop growing?

Avery starts lacrosse on Thursday so then you all get to really be hit with a lot of sports talk!!

But for now.. have a great weekend

GOOD LUCK NORTHGATE
GO #4

A week has past already....

since the last time I sat down to blog?? Wow, it can't be that long. If it were that would make my life appear to be boring and uneventful.... but we all know that can't be true. Well, not with my 14 year old who can't find his way out of a wet paper bag (and yes I tell him that quite often) any my 12 year old who is trying to keep up with the 14 year old. Yes the 12 year old can find his way out of that same wet paper bag. And then little mite who does something new almost everyday.

Yup... my like is boring and uneventful!!

Lets see... week 2 of school for Kennedi and this week they went the full 4 hours... well almost! I got a call about 12:15 saying that Kennedi was miserable and that maybe I should come get her. So I head out and pick her up about 25 minutes early. I walk in the door and the director says to me, "I know you are going to think we were lying to you but she really was sobbing before". I walk up to the room and she is playing nicely with the other kids. Well the sobs came right back again when she saw me. Poor baby was so tired! I guess maybe she is not ready for the full 4 hours yet (because she still takes 2 naps some days). We will work on (or work up to) the full 4 hours. Oh.. and she was asleep before we made it 2 miles down the road.

The boys are with their dad this week so I have nothing really to report on their behalf. They will be home tomorrow and they are so excited for me to pick them up from school. Why you ask?? Well I am going to tell you even if you didn't! Because I am going to take them (meaning all 3 kids) to get their flu shot!! WOOOHOOO. I know you would be excited too. Hey if you ask nicely maybe they will volunteer to change places with you for a few minutes (ask Avery 1st since he LOVES shots so much). Chris has seen way too much flu already (yes it is still very early) to not get the shot this year. This will be the 1st one for all of us, well all but Chris.

But as a reward for them being such good sports with their flu shots (OK maybe not) we are heading to the beach this weekend for the long weekend! SWEET!! One last weekend of sitting in the sun, toes in the sand, and reading a really good book (or two). At least that is MY plan. The boys are each bringing a friend with them so who knows what we will really be doing.

So as I close this out and vow to blog more often I would like to leave you with this...
I think Kennedi has Loco Legs....

1st and 2nds....

Ahh today

1st day of school... well actually CMO (Children's Morning Out) for Kennedi.

2nd open house for the schools, which was Conner's.

Kennedi LOVED school today! It was way too cute... of course I got pictures and I will let them tell most of the story..

Mommy and Daddy, I am ready to go to school...(as she opens the door and walks into the pantry!)

Lets go daddy!!

But I need to go up there (pointing to the top of the driveway) like Avery does in the morning. That big yellow thing needs to come get me!

Fine.. I will go by car but next time I want to get on the big yellow thing.

oh Daddy... must you hold my hand? I am a big girl now!

Everybody needs to line up behind me!

I can do it by myself... Open the doors and let me in...

fine, take me in daddy!!

Whew that was a fun day at school. I am wiped out!!!

2nd.... I got to go to Northgate and meet all of Conner's teachers!! I did not take my camera for the picture story on this one. Conner would have killed me! So you get the text version!

His teachers had nothing but good things to say about him. At first I was wondering if they were confusing him with someone else but then when they described him it was pretty accurate. So at least my child does well out of the house!! Nah.. I have to admit most of the time he is great at home too.
I was told things like, he answers all the questions, he is very bright, he is such a great boy!! So you can see the confusion I had for a little while... Just kidding Conner!! GREAT JOB on a great start of the school year!!