Boys of Summer

So, my plan to write more this summer didn't work out so well.  We have been so busy with baseball and baseball and baseball that it seems a lot is getting neglected.  But it is so worth every minute to be with my boys and watching them do what they love!

Every weekend from Memorial Day weekend until now we have been somewhere playing baseball. Both boys participated in the USSSA AAA State Baseball Tournaments in Muskogee June 22-25.  It was great that they were both in the same park and only once did I have to walk back and forth to watch them both play at the same time.  At one point though, both were pitching and it goes without saying.....I was a BASKETCASE!!!

Austin's team ended up 6th overall and they played very well.  It was HOT and they had a long day on Saturday playing 2 maybe 3 (sorry, with 2 playing I get easily confused) games in the heat of the day.

My favorite pic!  Austin decided he would lead his team in a prayer before the game.  Love his soul to the moon and back a gazillion times!!!

 A little encouragement for Wade as he gets ready to pitch.

These next 3 pics are of Austin making an outstanding catch in foul territory.  

 If you zoom in, you will see part of the ball in his glove.  So glad I got these shots!

Cole's team ended up WINNING STATE!  They were challenged (after a bad weekend outing the tournament before state) to win state or for-go the upcoming World Series in Dallas.  Well let's just say, "They rose to the occasion" in a big way!  They played lights out in all 5 games and beat out 16 other teams to win it all!  It was so fun to watch them play their hearts out in such extreme conditions.  By the way, I can't count the number of times something would happen and us moms would have chill bumps in 105+ degree temps!

 Pre-game

 Lots of encouragement from the infield to Mason as he gets ready to pitch.

 My boy waiting to steal second!

 Even at 6:30 it was SOOO HOT!

 Playing Short

 Cole and Mason talk it over with Coach Josh as a new pitcher warms up.

 Lots of fist bumps, high fives and hugs after a 1-3 win over OKC Cougars!

 Cole clapping for the other team

 Cole getting his trophy from Coach Josh

After the win on Monday night, we had three days to get ready for our trip to Texas.  The heat must have gotten to me because on Wednesday night, after having almost his entire team come to church with him, I allowed whoever wanted, to come spend the night at our house.  I ended up with 6 Tar Heels and Austin for the night and most of the day on Thursday.

 Night Swim

 Day Swim

Believe it or not, Larry and I slept well.  We put the boys in the Game Room which is in a separate part of the house and we didn't hear them at all.  They said some went to sleep early and some stayed up until 3....fine with me as long as I was not bothered!

As you can see in the above photos, they are blondes!  After winning state, all of the Tar Heels went blond for the world series.  Austin begged and begged but we stood firm in our no!  This is sort of a right of passage.  He will get to do it soon enough!

I promise I will post World Series stuff within the next 48 hours!

Proud....um yes!

It has been a while and now that school is out, I plan to get caught up.  But that will come next week (hopefully).

Tonight I have to post this so I won't forget it.

Today Austin hit an out of the park homerun during his game against the Ponca City Blue Sox.  There was a runner on so in baseball lingo it was a "2-run homer".  We went on to win 6-1!  As he hit it and was doing his "trot", the smile was from ear to ear!

Took a pic after he came in to the dugout after trotting around the bases!

After he hit it, I know the other team had no doubt who his mom was cause I was screaming, cheering, clapping and jumping up and down like I had won the lottery or something.  I was so happy for him and proud of him.  This was his second out of the parker but it has been a while....maybe 3 years? He has come close several times, but today he connected and I don't know when I had been more proud of him.....until bedtime!

When I went up to tuck him in, he was almost asleep but he wanted to say his prayers (just as he does every night).  When the boys were younger, I would say the prayer and they would repeat it.  As they grew older, they started saying them on their own, but after many years of saying the same similar prayer, they didn't waver much.  Over the last year or so, I have been enjoying listening to them pray from their heart.  And tonight, Austin's home run moment (though I was and am still very proud) paled in comparison to his prayer time moment.

He prayed and thanked God for the usual people, things, safety etc.  But he also said, " Keep us safe as we go to Your house tomorrow to sing songs and praise You."  I will say, I got a little teary eyed!  Praying he keeps this close all the days of his life!  Proud mama!

Fantastic February

I hate that I didn't post anything during the month of February! There were many great things that went on but with many activities going on, that leaves me very little time to sit and write.

My most favorite thing in February was celebrating my baby boy's 10th birthday. I am in awe that Austin is now 10! It truly seems like yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital to complete our family. He is an amazing kid. He is full of life and he fills our home with so much laughter, life, and fun. When he is away at a friends house it is way too quiet!

He has a heart of gold that I am so proud of. He has come home from school several times to tell me that some kids are being unkind to other kids in his class. He goes on to tell me that he tries to take up for them and will sit with them when no one else will. I am so thankful for his sensitivity to those less fortunate or those who may seem different.

His birthday fell on a Saturday this year so we actually got to celebrate on his real birthday. He took 6 friends to the movies to watch Journey 2 Mysterious Island and then back to our house for cake and ice cream. The movie was great and all the boys seemed to really enjoy it.

Lots of gifts from family and friends!

February also brought us our first snow day.  It wasn't much of one, but one nonetheless.  It was nice to have a day off and the boys enjoyed the snow for most of the day.  It warmed up quickly so what started as snow, made quite a mess of mud when it was all said and done.  I am not sure how much I like snow days since I spend most of my day doing the laundry from the boys going out and playing and changing clothes multiple times.  But it is fun to have a day off to just play....and they are only kids once!

 They started on our little hill and eventually joined the rest of the neighborhood kids on the big hill across the street.  It wasn't super cold, so they spent a couple of hours out playing before coming in to eat....and then out again!

February also marked the end of Cole's basketball season. His team finished the year winning all the tournaments they entered and only had 3 losses. He played around 35 games. 

He played in the finals of the INBC tournament on the 25th. On the way I got very emotional as I realized we were going to his last non-school game or last "little-league" game. He will try out for the 7th grade team sometime in April. I have no doubt he will continue to play basketball well into high school but this was just another reminder that my babies are growing up.

For most of February we spent our time going back and forth between basketball and baseball.  It got very tricky for Cole but we are fully ready for baseball now!  It is funny how we all are ready for a change in sport as the current one comes to a close.  We are excited to get this baseball season underway.  We plan to go to McKinney, TX with Austin's team over Memorial Day weekend and then back to Grand Prairie, TX with Cole's team for a World Series in July.  

21 Days

School and basketball is back in full swing and so my time relaxing checking out Facebook, Pinterest, and my favorite blogs is very limited.  Not to mention, baseball has started up as well!  Some probably think we are crazy with all the busyness and yes sometimes it does drive me crazy, but I wouldn't change it for anything.  Last night we were talking while I cooked dinner and I asked the boys what they thought Dad and I were going to do after they were done playing sports.  Austin quickly shrugged his shoulders and said "Get a dog like Mamaw and sit and watch TV".  He makes us laugh so much!

Well, we are on day 17 of a 21 day fast that was spear headed by our churchwww.woodlakeag.org.  Larry and the boys gave up pop and I am doing the Daniel Fast.  We did this last year, but I guess I didn't do it with the right intentions last year because this year seems very different.  As a family we talked about what fasting was and as a family we decided on what we would be believing God for in our lives.  I also, shared with Larry what I was believing for.  And I can say that when the temptations come to break the fast, I just pray and believe God for what I am asking.  Then it becomes much easier.  And the temptations have come....baby shower at school with my favorite cake, cake pops for one of my student's birthdays, birthday dinner for my niece and brother-in-law that included my mother-in-laws yummy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, homemade cinnamon rolls (that we only get a couple times a year) and of course Merrit's birthday cake. I was very good and only ate the green beans and carrots!  This next week I will endure our January birthday luncheon which always has such yummy desserts and casseroles.  This will come on day 19 or 21 days, so I will be strong and bring my lunch and stay out of the teacher's lounge!

My favorite part of this fast has been watching my boys.  We don't let them have a ton of pop, but they do enjoy it.  And they have been so great!  Austin went with my dad to get gas before Cole's game last week. My dad was so amazed when he asked him if he wanted a drink.  Austin's reply was "I am fasting pop, but I will take something else".  Cole came to me last week and informed me he would be going to the AR party on Friday for going above his reading goal.  He was concerned because it was a "pop and chip" party (6th graders' favorite things) and could he take a bottle of water  for it.  I quickly hugged him and said yes.  I did tell him that if he had a little bit of pop as a reward for his hard work, then it would be ok.  He said he would think about it.  Who knows what he decided, but I was thrilled he was willing to be different from others because of his commitment.

I have no pictures of us to post, so I will post some of the yummy things I have been eating on this fast.

 I made the broccoli with some yukon potatoes.  I put olive oil and garlic salt on them.  YUM!!!

And here is the first things I plan to make on Sunday!

I am ready to bake and eat cereal, but I know God will bring Breakthrough in my family's life....so I will be patient!