The week between Christmas and New Year's

Once Christmas is over, all the new games have been played and the toys have been tried, the excitement winds down. The question is asked, when do the decorations and tree come down? Due to the new puppy chewing on the tree lights, legos and other new toys, we had to barricade an area around the tree.
Due to the barricade, we decided to take the tree down sooner rather than later. So Monday, the tree and all other inside decorations came down, were packed away in storage containers, and stored in the basement until next December (or at least until after Thanksgiving). The living room is back to normal, for now.
Tuesday brought a neighbor's children to play. They are moving out of state and the kids needed somewhere to play while the packers did their thing and boxed up the contents of the neighboring house. So from 9-ish am until 4-ish pm there were double the number of usual children in our living space. All four kids got along well most of the time, but anytime you double the number of little people in a house things will get a hectic. My wonderful husband had to go out and run some errands and asked if I needed anything. I requested my favorite bubbly beverage which he sought out and brought home.

Wednesday, knowing I needed a little fresh air after Monday and Tuesday, my wonderful honey worked from home and watched our oldest son and a friend, while my youngest went to a friends house to play. I headed out to run some errands of my own. My fabulous husband told me to take my time, so I did, getting home ten minutes before the friend had to be taxied back to his own home. While I was out, my honey requested his favorite bubbly beverage. I tracked down the elusive bottle, and brought it home.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. My wonderful husband's team is in a good bowl game and select foods are required for the event. I will make sure all food is ready for kick-off. Later in the evening, our boys will get to stay up to watch the ball drop. They have not witnessed this spectical before. I am sure Dick Clark will make the evening memorable.

Friday brings my team playing in a bowl game and more selected foods will have to be prepped. We may also have to have more of those favored bubbly beverages.
Happy New Year everyone!

Merry Christmas

This is my living room Christmas morning. (Do I need to add, my boys have not been allowed to come downstairs yet?) I am fixing my cup of hot tea and my wonderful honey is getting the cameras ready to capture the great moments of the morning. (I have already taken Jedi out for her morning "duties".)

Then my two wonderful boys are called down the steps. The youngest was "floored" at the pile of gifts (Okay, maybe we spoil our kids a little).



Then the paper flew! Batting helmets, toys, games, and other favored, requested items. The guys had a great morning and so did my honey and I. When the paper landed, I had acquired a new cast iron skillet and a wonderful game from my childhood. My man had new slippers to warm his feet and a new game to exercise his brain. (I really like the game "Bananagrams" think "Scrabble" with out the board.)

My guys (all three) checked out their new loot, and I sat back to admire the scene.
Please note: one full garbage bag of wrapping paper has already been removed from the scene.

Where is Jedi some of you might ask. Have no fear she was not left out of the celebration. She got this cool new soccer ball and other toys. She played with this ball for most of the morning.



Merry Christmas Everyone!

Jedi

We have entered a new phase of life in our house. Not everyone chooses to go through this phase. Some will miss out, although not everyone should take this tough road.

We got a puppy on Saturday. Her name is Jedi. She is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. She is 8 weeks old. And right now is it 5:45 in the morning and I have already taken her outside on this cold winter morning to do her business.

Don't get me wrong. I really wanted a dog. My boys have been begging for a dog all year. We just should have gotten here in the spring or summer - it's just warmer outside then.

"...And the Stockings were hung by the chimney with care..."

When my sisters and I were growing up, my mom started a tradition. Each day from December 1 until December 24, we would find a small gift in our stockings. I have now come to realize that this started because she just could not wait until Christmas to give us the small things she had stockpiled for our stockings. Sometimes it would appear in the mornings, sometimes not until after school, and occasionally not until right before bed. It was not something large, just a small token. Knee highs, makeup brushes, fun socks or gloves. The three of us all loved it, but I soon got the (probably deserved) reputation of being a little over zealous in my stocking checks.

So now, I carry on the tradition in my home. My two guys know that they cannot check the stocking until they are dressed for school. Again the rules of the stocking gifts: small, inexpensive, fit in the stocking. That last one is very flexible. I have seen yarn tied to a stocking leading the way to the gift du jour.

I love seeing the glee on my guys faces in the morning as they discover the prize by the fireplace. I even try to fill my wonderful honey's sock a few times as well.

As for my stocking, it is not left out of the fun. My honey gives it something to hold on occasion as well.

And I try really hard to only check it a few times a day.

From Turkey to Mistletoe

We have returned home from two days away. We celebrated Thanksgiving with my wonderful honey's wonderful family. Six adults, five children (all 7 years old and younger) and more food than we could eat in three days (and we did try!).

We are now preparing to put away the fall decorations and get out the Christmas ones. The boys have jumped in and put away their thousands of legos, unpacked their duffle bags from the holiday travels, and are willing to help with whatever I have asked them to do.

The kitchen is neat, the living room has actually been swept, and the pictures have been dusted.

Why this sudden desire to clean and help? Where did this wonderful behavior come from? Did someone mention Christmas? Presents?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to share a few of the things I am thankful to GOD for this Thanksgiving.


My son experiencing a turkey leg for the first time.


My family at the dinner table.


My son loving karate (and earning his orange belt).



Both my guys, enjoying Star Wars, halloween, and being brothers.


There are many more things I could picture and list and still leave many things out. I am also grateful for my extended family and friends whom I lean on constantly. May each of you have many blessing to count this Thanksgiving.

Operation Christmas Child

Today was the deadline to turn in our shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. A few weeks ago, we went and purchased our plastic boxes (they last longer than the cardboard ones and the child can use it to carry water later) and decorated them with stickers.
Not forgetting the lids!
Then, we filled them with toys, clothes (socks and t-shirts) and candy. My boys went to the store with me. They picked out the things they wanted their shoeboxes to carry. The needed very little guidance from me. Being boys they wanted to add some toy guns or soldiers, but this was vetoed by Operation Christmas Child since some of the children live in war torn areas of the world. I wholly agree with them. The guys understood this and chose many other things to stuff in the boxes. They even picked out two HotWheels cars apiece to top off the wonderful gifts.

Then we added our labels so that we can track them as they are being delivered to a child who may never have had a Christmas present before. For the first time in the few years we have participated in OCC, I added a picture of each boy in his box with our address.

Then as we sent them out the door, we prayed that God would bless our small gift into the larger and more glorious gift of salvation. Samaritan's Purse (which sponsers OCC) adds a booklet with the presentation of the Gospel in the language of the child to each box.

Our small boxes are now in God's hands. I will let you know where our boxes end up and if we receive a return letter.

May Christ always remain the center of CHRISTmas.

My Birthday

My birthday was last week.

After decorating cakes for my boys:


This is my oldest son's cake from June.


My youngest son's cake from August.

They enjoyed their cakes so much they wanted to make a cake for me. As a surprise. My fabulous honey approved. And the planning began, weeks in advance.

The day arrived to decorate my cake. After equipment was gathered, the spreading began. The guys really got in to it. They had planned their work and now they were working their plan. My ever patient husband oversaw the process and helped with the writing (and did the clean-up). The boys were not done this was not enough. They needed flair!





Ta-Da!! Do my boys know how to decorate a cake or what! I couldn't have done it any better myself. Can you see how well they covered it in love?

Being a mom to boys

After dishing up a wonderful spaghetti dinner and calling my boys to the table, I uttered a phrase I never even dreamt I would say:

"Okay guys, that's enough. No War at the dinner table."

I grew up with two sisters, no brothers. War at the table was never a thought, unless you count the arguments over clothes.

I am living in a different world.

What's That?

While playing with my youngest today, I noticed the mole on his arm suddenly had a friend. When I rubbed it, it was solid and bumped up.

"What is on your arm?" I asked him as I scraped off the mysterious dried spot.

"A boogie, but I don't know how it got there."

Karate Kid

Last night was exciting. We attended our first karate test. Mikey was testing for his orange belt. The test began at 7:30. Mikey joined the group and lined up (according to belt rank, not height)


Then the whole group was dismissed and the judges called each rank up to perform their "forms". Mikey took this very seriously (as he should have).



Reverse Punch.



The end of a round kick




Double Outer Forearm Block




Orange Belt Success

The next test (for a yellow belt) will be in January. I hope I make it that long. Mikey was cool as a cucumber for the whole testing. I was a nervous wreck.

Tree Time

A few weeks ago the boys were counting the trees that had already changed colors for fall. I thought this was a very creative game to keep the boys entertained as we drove across town. As we topped the hill towards our house, they both shouted out "20!"

Wow, I thought, 20 trees had won the race to dress in their fall colors this early in the season.

Then, I saw the 20th tree was the one in our front yard. The leaves were not a golden yellow, brilliant orange, or flaming red. They were black. Yep, black as in not a healthy shade you want to see on the very tall tree in your front yard leaning towards your neighbor's house.

So yesterday, some trucks arrived. Chainsaws were started. A chipper was used.
Mikey had already boarded the bus to school, but Matt was still at home for the big event. When the limbs began to fall, the excited five year old exclaimed, "This is so cool!" Coming from a little boy who detests loud noises, this was an unexpected reaction. Less than a half an hour later, the tree was nothing more than a pile of logs on the front yard and a stump less than an inch high.

Wow, those tree guys did a great job with cleanup! Not a single branch was left. Unfortunately, the pile of wood could not remain where it was. So, that evening, another guy showed up to finished tidying the yard and wood.
I love my hardworking husband.

My Camera

I have taken for granted the wonderful things a camera can do. I was enjoying the amazing colors of fall this weekend and wanted to get a picture of the sunlight coming through a brilliant gold leafed tree. I reached for my camera and snapped a few pictures.

Here's what I got:
Okay the camera doesn't like the tree, let's try the cute gazebo.

It was very frustrating. The same thing happened on the way home.
I think the camera realized that it wouldn't do justice to the beauty of nature in the fall and it just gave up. Of the 21 pictures I took this weekend, almost half of them are the pink grainy type.


But I found one that the camera gave its all for:
I will soon be getting a new camera to capture more such memories with out the pink grainy swirls.

Field Trip

Today, my youngest and I went on a school field trip. This is an annual trip the Preschool takes every fall. It is to the pumpkin patch at a nearby farm. There are pumpkins still on the vine for the kids to pick and they get to take a smaller one home. There is delicious apple cider from the farm's own apples. And of course, the farmer's market with wonderful baked goods and beautiful vegetables and huge bins of pumpkins and apples. This is usually a fun trip for the 51 students and their parents and some extra siblings.

Did I mention it was cold here this morning? The thermometer said it was 40*, but I don't think it accounted for the breeze.

Did I mention the rain? The few pigs and sheep at the farm petting zoo had lined up two-by-two.

Did I mention I have been fighting a cold and cough for the last week and a half? I forgot my kleenex in the car.

I don't want to sound like I am complaining (well, maybe I am a little bit) the kids had a great time and I bought enough apples to make pies and an attempt at apple butter. Matt even picked out a pie pumpkin so "we" could make another pie from scratch like "we" did last year.

At the end of the trip, with rosy cheeks and noses, we climbed into the car to have our cider on the way home. Matt had fun and my cold didn't get any worse (I hope).

My guy is in the yellow.

Birthday Cake

"We're having a princess party." one mom said standing outside of preschool. I slowly spoke up wondering if I should even voice my thoughts.

"I could make the cake if you like. You know the kind with the gown as the cake and the doll sticking out of the top."

"That would be great," said the other mom. And she paid me on the spot to make her daughter a pink and white princess cake for the following Monday.

Well today is Monday. Here's the cake:





You all know that the only way I got to make this cake is because it is for another family :) It was a nice change from cars and ball fields.

Good Book Review

I just finished another book and wanted to tell you all about it. It is the follow up book to "Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.

"What Difference Do It Make" is a wonderful book that makes me want to re-read the first book just to pull more wonderful experiences out of it. This book not only allows the reader to get to know Ron and Denver better, it also focuses on the readers of the first book. In a humble way, Ron and Denver tell how their book has circled the country and touched lives of those young and old.

A little girl and a lemonade stand, a little boy who holds his mom accountable to reach out and many other experiences are shared. Homeless men women and children are helped, blessed, and saved because a rich art dealer loved his wife and followed her to served meals at a homeless shelter. Because that wife loved God, a homeless man and the rich art dealer became friends. Because of that tedious friendship, the rich art dealer came to know his heavenly Father in a much deeper and closer way.

This book reveals Ron's rocky relationship with his father and how that fence was mended before his dad's death. The book ends with Ron remembering his wife who died after a battle with cancer. A woman who also battled cancer and was losing the fight was given Denver and Rons first book. She called Ron to find out how to leave her husband behind and to see how she could help him grieve. The final chapter brought sweet tears to my eyes. Our Father will use unsusal relationships to bring us closer to Him and to do work He has set before us to do.

I highly recommend both "Same Kind of Different As Me" and this book "What Difference Do It Make" to anyone.

Book Review

You all know how much I love to read. So every once in a while I will post an honest review of a book. Here goes the first one:

Find Your Strongest Life: What the happiest and most successful women do differently by Marcus Buckingham

I picked this book because I promised myself I would read more non-fiction and I thought this would be up lifting and encouraging. There are some very valid points in this book for working women who are not satisfied with their jobs. The first seven chapters keep mentioning a "Strong Life Test" that the reader should take to understand herself and what to what career she may be suited. Finally when you reach the point in the book to take the test it is not in the book. It points you to a website. If you do not have instant access to computer, you need to stop reading until you can take the test so as not to bias yourself to answer certain ways.

This book focuses on emotions, specifically your own happiness, to find which jobs will satisfy your career needs. Forget what may be best for your family, focus on yourself and what will make you happy. Many of the examples in the book changed jobs more than once until they find the job that makes them happy.

I am not supporting staying in a job that makes you miserable and ill, but there is more to consider in finding a new job than just yourself.

Being from Thomas Nelson Publishing, I thought this would have been a Christian book, but God was not included in the "Strong Life Test" nor in the "Life Roles" the test leads you to.
While there are some valid points in this book, it will not lead anyone to any specific career path. This book is one of many options for people who are dissatified with themselves and their jobs. If you are looking for a Christian perspective, this is not it. If the Christian point of view is not an issue. This book may work for you.

Errands!

I have been trying for the last few weeks to only do one grocery run per week. In doing so I should have more tome to get some housework (hear laundry - socks and such running dangerously low) done around the house.

So today I tried to get as many errands done as possible. So beginning at 9:00, after getting Mikey on the bus and dropping Matt off at preschool, I headed to Target for prescription refills. After the required 15 minute wait at Target, I headed to Sam's Club. I sat in the parking lot at Sam's for 30 minutes organizing my coupons before heading into the store. No Sam's does not take coupons, but I needed them for later.

After Sam's, I headed to pick-up Matt. I had 10 minutes to wait so I crossed the street and went into the library to get some audio books to listen to while I work. After selecting my limit of 4, I checked out of the library to re-cross the street and grab Matt from school. We headed home for lunch and to listen on the computer to a radio interview of the new head coach for the Army basketball team. He happens to be my cousin (and I thought the interview was great!).

After a wonderful lunch with husband and son, son and I headed to Giant Eagle for the smaller part of the groceries. Coupons for $0.99 or less are doubled at GE so they get used there. Also I like GE's produce. After the quick GE run (with Matt happily playing in the Eagle's Nest) we headed to Walmart for the remainder of our list (with coupons $1 or more).

After leaving Wally-World, we headed to the Wonder Bread Outlet for the bread we like at prices we love (these are also the kind ladies who always give my boys free treats whether they are with me or not). Once Matt and I were back in the car with our loaf of bread and golden creamfilled cakes, we wanted to head home. No such luck - our gas light was on!

So we headed to the gas station. Now I want to set the record straight, I try very hard to not let my car get below 1/4 of a tank, so the fact that the warning light came on lets you know how much runnning we did today.

Okay, now that the tank is full I look at the time, 3:55!! I am 10 minutes from home and Mikey's bus drops him off at 4:00!! When we pulled into the driveway, Matt was sound asleep in the back seat and Mikey had used his key to let himself in the front door while the busdriver waited to make sure he had gotten inside safely.

Now that all of the items on my to do list are crossed off for today, I can start thinking about supper. Oh, and my wonderful, fabulous husband will be driving Mikey to karate this evening so I can stay at home.

Wednesdays

Wednesdays at our house can be hectic. We only have about two hours once Mikey gets off the bus before we head out the door for Awana (a great kids/church program). In those two hours we have to eat dinner, get homework done and checked, find Awana vests, do last minute memory verse checks, pack Awana books, offerings, and snacks in bags, and get to the church. Did I mention that I usually have to figure out what we are having for dinner and fix it in that time also?

Today is Wednesday. Mikey wanted to take a friend to Awana tonight, so a friend came home from school with him. Not only did we do all the above in the two hours given, we did it with one extra boy in the house.

Bad Day, Happy Ending

Okay, I'll admit it. I have bad days. There, I said it. I am sure most of you have had the occasional off day as well. I won't go into the details, but suffice it to say I ended up in tears. For those of you who know me, this is not a common occurrence. One of my sisters even called me "oak tree" in college due to my apparent lack of emotions. Since marriage, however, I have become more girl-ly.

Anyway, the moisture from my tear ducts shook my dear husband and he, being the wonderful man he is, wanted to fix what ever the problem was that was making making his wife leak buckets from her eyes. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do (and just for the record, it was nothing he did, either).

So when he arrived home for lunch the next day, he came bearing flowers. My Honey is wonderful!!!

Do you know what time it is?

It's autumn!! I love this season. This means temperatures that could be called "chilly", trees shedding their green dresses for the fabulous colors that splash their garments for only a few weeks this time of year. I can drink my flavored hot tea all day long (switching to decaf in the evening). I will have a fire in the fire place with popcorn while my Honey and I watch a movie. This season also means we will have more fires in the fire pit and all of my guys and I will roast marshmallows and enjoy the contrast of the warm flames and brisk air.

It also means:

It's football season! My guys have been to one college game and are ready to root on their Pro team.

I love this time of year!

Fishin'

While on vacation with my husband's family this summer at a beautiful lake, we decided it would be fun to fish off the dock. Let me set the stage. On this vacation are 6 adults (two of these being grandparents) and five kids (four of them being 7 years old and one almost five).

Just to make sure everything worked just right, my Honey and his brother in law got out the poles and spent a bit of time fishing on their own (no kids "helping"). The sky clouded over. He kids went inside for supper and indoor games. The rain came down with its friends, lightning and thunder. My Honey and bro-in-law ignored the weather and kept the hooks in the water. Click on the picture to make it larger to see that this is not a grainy picture, it is POURING down the rain!!
You would think they were having great luck with the fish to remain out there in this weather. They lost four hooks, two lures, and almost lost the reel from one of the poles. All this in only five hours of fishing.

Neither of them caught a fish.

The next night, the kids took a turn with night crawlers on simple hooks.

Each child caught a fish. We were out there with the kids for an hour and a half.

Boys and bad hair days

I have a question and if anyone has the answer or even a guess at an answer, I would love to hear it. For boys, when does that little cowlick (or even the slight case of bedhead) stop being cute?

We have all seen (and maybe parented) those adorable babies with their hair going in every direction with no thought of styling it. It is too cute to mess with. Who hasn't passed a toddler with bedhead cruising down the hallway at church? We never imagined his mom needing to tame the unruly locks.

My oldest son is now 7 and in second grade. One morning this summer while trying to get ready for church, I glanced at his head and did not see cute disheveled hair that other moms would understand. I saw...(dun dun duh)... a bad hair day!

His hair need to be (gulp) styled. He has grown two very proud cowlicks that will not lay down. One in the front and one at the crown (just off center). By themselves, it's not too bad, but if you add to it that he went to bed the night before with a wet head - you can imagine the scary sight before my eyes. I was really glad it wasn't my hair!

So we proceeded to the bathroom, and had to resort to wetting a washrag to forcefully sop down the hair that truly had a mind of its own. Just last year ( or was it two years ago) we could have just sighed at how cute it looked and made it to church on time.

Please if you have an answer, I am waiting: When does cute bed head turn into bad hair day?

Mystery Solved

A few weeks ago, I couldn't find a bowl the right size for some left-overs after dinner. I knew I had several bowls the size I was looking for, but there were none in my "tupper shelf". So I thought, being the flexable woman that I am, I would just use a bigger bowl than the food required. Didn't see any of those either in the disorganized mess before me. Come to think of it, the pile of plastic containers wasn't as large as it should be. It was maybe one-tenth the normal size. And it was mostly the small bowls.

What had happened to all my plastic storage containers ?!?!? I had not delivered any food to friends or relatives lately that would have diminished my supply. My sons are not old enough to need them for their "bachelor pads" being only 7 and 5. My husband dutifully returns any container he uses for brown bagging lunch for work. Those containers are even returned straight to the dishwasher. (Yes, I checked there too. The dishwasher, for once, was empty.)

I put the waiting food in a backup plastic storage device (thank goodness for zip top baggies) and headed to the fridge. AH HA!!! Mystery solved!

You know it's time to clean out the refrigerator when all of your Tupperware disappears.

New Record

Each year I let my boys decide what type of cake they want for their birthdays. I have made guitars, race cars, Elmos, bleachers, and even a baseball field. My very soon (on Sunday to be exact) to be five year old wanted a very specific cake this year. He wanted his "Big Puppy" to be driving a red convertible down a road with rumble strips along the sides. Oh, and Big Puppy's ears had to be blowing behind him with his tail sticking up. "What have I gotten myself into?!?" I thought earlier this week after the cake conversation with my growing lad.

Usually, the decoration process ends in the wee hours of the morning. This does not lead to a mom ready for fun when the friends of the birthday boy arrive for the back yard party. A sleep deprived party mom is not a happy one. I should know, I have been that mom too many times. Things have changed!!

I think I set a new record tonight. At 10:15 pm the night before the birthday party, I finished the cake. No I don't mean eating it. I mean decorating it. I can't wait to see my boy's face in the morning.

Car Trip

On our way to the lake for a week long vacation, my husband drove while I held the map and navigated. I would give plenty of warning before each turn. As we neared our destination, the two boys in the backseat started "helping" by watching for street signs.

"Take the next left on to Rucker Road." I told my dear driver.

From the back, without missing a beat, both boys yelled, "Rocker Road!" and an immediate duet of air guitars complete with synchronized riffs and sound effect twangs filled the car. I am glad they do sleep on occasion so the noise level decreases.

On the way home, after a very busy week of boating and other water fun I was hoping for a lull so I could have a little nap along the way. But alas, that would not be the case. War broke out in the rear of the vehicle. No the boys were not arguing, they were having a war, complete with whistling bombs, rapid fire machine guns and exploding hand grenades. There were no casualties and Big Puppy and L.E. had only small bruises.

Ah, traveling with boys.

Vacation Bible School

This week is Vacation Bible School at our church. I am in charge of snacks for the kids and the leaders. We have had a record number of kids this year ranging in ages from 3- 11 or 12. Everyone is having a wonderful time. The leaders have volunteered their time to answer kids questions and guide them to the proper activities at the correct (or almost correct) time.

The kids move from music to Bible stories, then on to service (living out the Bible Lesson in the world), from service to games followed quickly by snack. Each group of kids starts at a different activity then after 20 minutes moves on to the next one. The "directors" of the different activities are hopping to get it all done. The smallest group has 16 kids in it!!! (The largest group today, in case you were wondering, was 22!!!!?!?!?)

We are all have a great time watching the controlled chaos around us. then we realize that we are part of the chaos! It is fun, but I am tired!!! And it's only Tuesday!

One on One

Yesterday and today, Mikey has been visiting Grandma and Poppy. Mike has been at an annual golf tournament. That left Matthew and I by ourselves. We had fun! We hit Idlewild after the rain stoppedand stayed for three hours! Due to the weather there were no lines and Matthew got to do whatever rides he wanted. We left when the rain started again.


These couple of days alone with Matt, reminds me how much I need to set aside some time each month (at least) for some one-on-one time with all three of "my guys". What better way to get to know them as the little ones grow to be the wonderful man their father is.

I think I will go and schedule a few date nights right now.

Today, while at the beach, I saw something I had never seen before. I saw an entire rainbow. The whole arc from end to end. It was amazing!

Then, as I watched it faded. One end started getting lighter. Then the middle faded away. The first end disappeared followed slowly by the final side.

I could get real philosophical right about now. I did after all just watch an entire rainbow fade away, but I won't. I have the hope of another beautiful rainbow in the near future.

Love to all from Myrtle Beach.

Thinking ahead

We get our bread at the local bakery outlet. I usually make the trip once or twice a week. The ladies behind the counter know our boys well. Every time they see them, a treat is offered. I am sure they offer the hostess treat du jour to every kid that comes in, but my guys feel really special. Today they chose the cupcake over the twinkie.

On the way home I told the guys they could eat their treats at lunch. For heath reasons, we carb count the guys meals. The oldest told me the number of grams of carbohydrates in the chocolate creme filled cake. 37 grams in case you were wondering, in a single cupcake.

Change of plans, I told the two brothers in the backseat they could split one of the cakes between them for lunch. They both eyed the wrapped delights in their hands.

The youngest spoke up, "How 'bout we split yours, 'kay Mikey?"

T-ball - Take 2

Mikey finished T-ball soon after school was out for the summer. Now Matthew's games have begun. Matt's league is much more relaxing. There is absolutely no competition involved what so ever. Matter of fact, there is very little skill involved. It takes three kids to stop the ball as it rolls across the in-field dirt. The three kids does not include the two or three that do not see the ball because they are busy playing in the dirt or building with any rocks they happen to find.
Of course, learning the basics (and I do mean Basics) of the game is what this league is all about. There are no "outs" and no "runs". The play is over when the ball reaches the general vicinity of first base. If the ball makes it past the pitchers mound, it is a good hit. If by some amazing feat of luck meeting a mustard seed of skill and the ball reaches the grass of the outfield, all the parents (for both teams) cheer the batter as he or she runs to first base (miles, or should I say minutes, ahead of the ball). No matter how good (or bad) of a hit, the runner only goes one base at a time. The final batter for the team (everyone gets to hit in both innings) get to hit a grand slam home run, no matter how many inches the ball flies (or rolls) from the tee.

Now I may be biased, but my boy really can hit and throw. I have even heard other parents saying "what a good arm that little kid has". There have even been a couple of times he has made it to base before the runner ahead of him as left it (granted the little guy ahead of him forgot to run until Matt reminded him).

So the college-age coaches are teaching the basics of baseball, twice a week to 25 three and four year olds. And twice a week, many parents, friends and relatives are there to cheer the players on. Just like we will be doing for at least the next 15 years.