big surpise...it is baseball time again

Fall ball is here (how many times have I posted this?)

I only I have a few photos. I promise to take more. This year is hectic with Zachy moving up to 6U, which means he now plays with kids that have a range of ability and some coaches that are more focused on the win than the learning (this part makes it frustrating for mom's in the stands).

Zach has been playing pitcher. He says first is his favorite but feel like that may just be because JT plays first because Zach has some awesome technique at pitcher. In t-ball the role of the pitcher is to pretend to pitch so the batter knows when to hit (and the players know when to be ready). Most pitchers in this role weakly pretend to toss the ball. Zach on the other hand, performs the role with great bravado.

I promise to take more photos especially if he ever gets the full follow through complete with the back leg kick in the air.

JT's team is still in the coach-pitch 8U league. This season is interesting as we have several kids who have never played but they have come a long way in the past few weeks and the team is fun to watch. I only have one mediocre photo of JT mainly because I have been tasked with keeping the book this season. No photos of my book keeping just yet as I haven't mastered it, which means there is lots of crossing out and writing notes. Rick is just  thankful that I haven't started doodling hearts and flowers in the margins.

Important thing in this shot is that you check out JT's early birthday present. He got a new first baseman glove at the start of the season. It looks monstrous in this photo but I assure you it is the right size.

And finally, I realize that few of my loyal followers may not be familiar with Zach's buddy Griffin; he is the younger brother of JT's buddy Rhys. He and Zach have suffered through many a baseball game together, which was only made possible by their equal love of Star Wars and the kindness of Griff's older sister Avery who is willing to help entertain them. Zach and Griffin now  get the opportunity to play on the same team. All that said, here is a classic Griffin moment from our game(hint: check out his hat).

Zach and Griffin are really a match made in heaven; they both love to ham it up and even have similar tantrum techniques.

blog cruise

I spend an inordinate amount of time online and not by choice. Technically I am working but often there is a break here and there especially when a conference call becomes a discussion that doesn't involve me and that is when I start on my blog cruise.

So imagine my surprise when I see that some of my favorite design blogs are all talking about a launch party for Rue magazine. What? Why wasn't I invited and then I remember that I don't make a living with design or a design blog, I just like to look at them. I really don't have much designer in me but I do love to pretend. I've never dreamt of being a designer, I think that is what Judes should be doing, but I do love to rearrange my furniture and see what other people are doing with their places.

Anywho, I ramble. Here is Rue Magazine. I am hoping that I can get this in hard copy. I am not sure it will replace my beloved Cottage Living but I am desperate to find something.

I also want this (until I saw the price). I want it outside as a shared office for Rick and myself or maybe as a playroom for the boys. What I really, really want is just ONE more room. I don't know why Rick just doesn't build me one. I have been toying with the idea of moving the boys to our room so they have a bigger space to destroy. So often we send them to their room to play and by moving them to our room we could (despite my long held belief not to) move the wii in there and then Rick and I could hang out in the living room without the constant demand to play wii. I just don't know if I can give up my closet though, which honestly I hadn't thought about until my mom mentioned it. We really do love that closet and I have a lot going on in there (which is code for it is a HUGE mess and I have some early Christmas gifts stowed away in there).

So this long pointless post is to announce the whole Rue magazine for anyone looking for some diversion and to announce that I have changed some of blog links to the right. I eliminated some of the blogs that I have outgrown.

Random Notes

Here are random things I think you should all know:

1) I am sorry for my lack of blogging. Life here is just topsy-turvy in some good and bad ways. I promise to get better and for those that follow the Trophy Husband, I made him promise to update his blog because that last, lingering blog post is way too depressing and thankfully he is out of that funk.

2) Everyone please say a prayer or have a thought (whatever works for you) for our dear sweet Ella. She has gotten oddly ill in the past few days. We noticed she was losing weight but yesterday it looked like she lost a ton of weight (to the gross point of bones sticking out) and it seems like she lost her eyesight in at least one eye. She is very lethargic and the poor thing fell off the deck this morning when she went out to go to the bathroom. We head to the vet at 10 AM.

3) Chandra and I are gearing up for our first ever visit to the Fall Antique Show in Round Top. I am going to admit that (and I speak for us both) we were not at all satisfied with our performance at the Spring show. I am definitely the more impulsive buyer of the two of us but this past spring we both swayed way too far to the hesitant buyer and we both have some regrets. We are nervous but we have a plan and it includes a separate cash stash for pie (last year we almost missed out on pie from Royers because they sold out and they were only taking cash for a whole pie).

4) I am knee deep in crafts most of which are Christmas presents so I can't share but keep your fingers crossed that I meet with success. I will take photos and post when the time is right!

5) Because of all these crafts, I decided to give myself a break and I am not making Halloween costumes this year. I grilled the boys, forced them to sign the "I will not change my mind" agreement, and then snuck off to Target last week and made my purchases. It feels odd to have them so early but I am also relieved to have that off my list. Now I just need to keep the boys away from the bag.

6) October will be extra emotional as JT is going to be 8. 8! I honestly have no idea how this happened but it makes me sad. But not a bad sad, that bittersweet sad. He is a great kid but 8 is closer to 10 then I like and 10 is closer to 12 and then 15...

7) Fall Ball has started. We are in a new league (which we love) and both boys are loving it. We are also busy with the select league plans for the Spring but I will hold off on that talk until later this year.

8) My hope of running Austin 1/2 is dimming. I have yet to get a good running routine but I am not going to give up just yet. I just need to take some time to map out a plan and commit to setting work/life aside and getting my runs in.

like a fish to water, a monkey to a banana, a moth to the flame

I made up the monkey one but the story here is that Zach LOVES school. I admit, Rick and I had a lot of angst about Zachy going to kinder and not just because he is the baby (there was lots of that too) but because he is the goofy one. He loves to ham it up especially if there is a captive audience. He did well in preschool but that was two days a week and we were not sure how he would fair 5 days a week.

Well, Zach is rocking kinder. He absolutely loves going, loves talking about his day at dinner, and he really loves the reward system that his teacher has in the classroom. For good behavior throughout the day you are awarded paw prints. Each afternoon before school is out the kids count how many paw prints they have, which according to Mrs. Williams is Zach's favorite activity because he typically has the most in the class. A few weeks ago, he was up to 24 paw prints, which he cashed in for small Peter Rabbit stuffed animal as well as a small light saber (just right for a bunny).

All of this good behavior leads to even more rewards and Zachy presented us with this little gem last night (I do want to tell you that he presented it by putting it in the door of the refrigerator so when I opened the door I was greeted immediately with the certificate).

Candlelight lunch is a private lunch in the library. I have never been invited but from what I know from JT, Ms. Clark (the librarian) sets up the library with tables, white table cloths, and the kids get to have a "formal" lunch with their fellow good-behavior buddies.
And yes, JT has gone to candlelight lunch but he never got a fancy certificate. I always learned about JT going after the fact (oh! what I have to look forward to when he is a teenager).

My final note about kinder, we have been inundated with drawings of a tiger Jedi. Zachy has mastered the tiger and it is now his favorite.

And the summer vacation just keeps on going...

I feel like I am to the point of boring everyone with my summer photos but I guess when you are having a good time, you take lots of photos.

So here is the brief overview and a few photos.
We pulled in to Oswego on Friday and Saturday we were up and on the road to Eagle Bay in the Adirondacks. Nana and Grandpa rented a cabin owned by their friend Larry that is part of a camp his family has owned since the early 1900s. Two of the best things about the cabin: 1) little to no phone/Internet access and 2) the lake was just right out our back door.
Upon our arrival, Larry announced to Zach that the water was bath water warm. As soon as the bags were unloaded and swim trunks located the boys went to test Larry's water temperature pronouncement. Zachy confirmed the water temp and spent the entire week in the water (despite that fact that most of us questioned the temperature actually being classified as warm).
Gavin, Reah, and Lauren arrived late Friday night and then Paula pulled in to town on Saturday afternoon. Sadly Ed did not join us but we managed to abuse him despite his absence.
This was probably one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations that I have had in a while. There was no stress (outside of normal dealing with the children stress). We sat at the beach all day and read, took a few bike rides (mainly to the ice cream stand), went to a few of the neighboring towns, a few boat rides, and one hike on Bald Mountain.
I know the boys would love to go back again next year but for now they are excited about going to Oswego for Christmas and the chance to experience "real" snow.

Not sure who invited these three punks!

It was almost impossible to remove Zach from the lake. It was nice though that our portion was very shallow so he could go out a ways and not worry about boats.

Lauren

Night time fire and s'mores hosted by our resident fire expert Gavin

JT actually got some pretty bad allergies and some bad attitude toward the end of the trip but he pulled it together to take a trip to Cooperstown with Rick. They both loved it and hope that the entire clan will go again next summer.