Playing Like A Tiger

Baseball season is here!  My favorite sport {maybe because of the fabulous weather I associate with it}.  Getting to watch Jack makes it all that more enjoyable.

I am happy to say we are not Sand Gnats or Thunder this go around.  We have {what Jack considers the best team name to date} the Tigers.  Add a "dark" blue jersey and this season was a success before it even started.

Leave it to Coach Daddy to get Jack out in the backyard pre-season.  Super big help for Jack in the confidence and 'hey, sports can actually be fun' department.  Not to mention we are over the whole adjusting to long Kindergarten days and no naps {as opposed to back during Fall soccer}.  So it looks like this could actually be an enjoyable season for all involved.

It certainly requires a lot of commitment.   We {or thinking maybe I should be honest here, huh?} So I should say, Clay and Jack are up at the field at least twice a week.  I do make it to all the games, just can't pull those late evening practices with the girls in tow.  And I suppose I should note,  that Super Daddy is also the head coach.

And on that note, I was planning on blogging about this newest time consumer at the end of the season.  But, since it has become such a big part of our afternoons, evenings and weekends, I figured it was only fair to let everyone know where they can find us...SS Ballpark Field #6 {which ever so kindly has a few playgrounds for my girls}.



I forgot to mention my other love of baseball stems from the fact that I get to use my new Christmas present...my zoom lens.  Bear with me, still working out the details {which I also am with the other lens I got about 2 years ago...yikes}.  BUT...how awesome was it to not have to sneak on the field to get an action shot of #4?

I did, however, sneak {ever so stealthy} into the dug out for a quick snap...

On to the game.  Jack is much more focused than he has ever been.  Is it perfect?  Far from it.  But he's five, right?  If it's not the batter or the ball keeping his attention, it's...well, take a guess by looking at this picture...

The answer?...his belt...I've got proof when he's getting frustrated with his little one, 30 plus years from now.

No more tee.  This is the real deal.  {By the way I took all these pictures through a chain link fence. I am smitten with my zoom lens}

Around the bases. And you better believe that he is struggling with rather to run or check out that belt one more time.

Love the celebratory hand slaps {I'm sure there is proper term for that that I am not aware of}.  Point being, I love that he is getting way more out of baseball than just how to throw a ball.  And yes, he is that handsome {as only a mama can say}

I legally made my way out onto the field post game and got a picture of this Father/Son duo.  Adore my Tigers!

Sweet Sunshine

Nothing like coming off an ice cold weekend in the woods to beautiful weather at home.

When the sweet sun shines, I'm the Mommy dragging my little ones outside. Then going behind them and locking all the doors so that they can't sneak back in.  And in the end, they always love me for it.

We started our stay in the sun with some driveway play.

I snuggled Lucy up in her stroller so she could watch her bigs play.  When that didn't suffice, I ended up sitting her right down on the concrete to join in the fun.  Have I ever mentioned my Lulu likes to be in the middle of it ALL?

How fun is this hat that we received as a baby gift?  I'm thinking she resembles the Chiquita banana girl....only way cuter.  And if you are wondering how I will tell my girls apart in baby pictures when Lu is wearing a hat to cover up her signature hemangioma...no problem...I'll just remember Lucy is the one with the bib....always.

If Lucy was the banana girl, then Maggie could have been...hmmm...still thinking on that one.  Open to suggestions on what you would call this get up.  Maggie politely refused to take her church dress off.  She said, about 92 times, "I look like a prinshess" followed by a twirl {and yes, I meant to spell princess that way}.  Add her rain boots and an American flag and well, I'm still at a loss.  You?

Now on the flip side, Jack is the first to change clothes when he gets home from church.  There is no interim-straight upstairs for new clothes and then straight down to the playroom for Legos.  As you can imagine, it was no surprise to me when this guy made it outside for our afternoon in the sun.

And if this post hasn't given you enough details about my kiddos so far, here is a picture that sums it all up.  We've got Jack the super silly {can't sit still} Lego loving boy.  Lucy with something always in her mouth and the happiest in the middle.  And Maggie totally dressed up collecting things and carrying them around. That is a very accurate description of the Cibula kids complete with a picture to prove it.

Driveway play was followed with a walk {if that's what you want to call it}.  I look like a three ring circus while trying to make it to the end of the street and back with 3 kids and a dog.  Take a drive by if you are looking for some entertainment.  I'm convinced my neighbors think we are the crazy family who reside in the grey cottage.

So on this adventure, Jack took his remote control car and the girls piled up in the double stroller.  But not before, Maggie hung a giant pink bucket filled with sidewalk chalk from the side and Lucy Jack filled her tray with 8 different toys that fell off one by one every third house.

And with that, we were off.

Along the way that giant bucket filled with sidewalk chalk came in handy.  We made several stops along the way so Jack and Maggie could leave their mark on the road.  Yes, I let my kids plop down right in the middle of the street to decorate speed bumps and what not {and then I take pictures of it} 

This is one of the many reasons I'm convinced of my neighbor's perception of me.

Even if I wanted to,  there is no denying that the Cibula family "wuz here".

I'm happy to report we made it back to our driveway safely.  And while that sweet sunshine invigorated us, it also wore us out just enough for nap time.

{And this final note is for those of you who always accuse me of "having it so together".  I can finally prove my case....I took a look at my watch and thought, 'oh wow, it's already 1:15, time flies when you are having fun'. Then I announced that it was nap time for the girls.  I tucked them both in, came downstairs with a hop in my step until...Jack said, "what's for lunch?".  'Oh, cr**'.  Yes, I never fed my dear Magpie lunch.  BUT...in my defense, she's my worst eater.  She never even noticed.   How guilty did I feel for the next 2 1/2 hours though?}

I just realized how incriminating this post turned out to be.  Locking kids out, playing in the street, no lunch...

Lucy's First Tooth

Okay...so you know that little "weekend in the woods" fever?  Well, it may not have been a cold {diagnosed by that nice country doctor} after all.  Maybe it was this....

Hmm...we will never know.  But, I do know one thing...Lucy got a tooth!

Yes, I am thrilled!  Actually, almost giddy.  So cute!  Amazing how these little milestones get me even the third time around.

Even with all my excitement, guess who is even more excited?  Jack.

Yes, Jack!  He thinks he's figured out the whole Tooth Fairy mystery thing.  One week he loses his first tooth and the next week Lu gets her first.  I think he may just be on to something.

Can you see that little pearly white?  It's tiny, but it's there and we are all loving it!

A Weekend In The Woods

We spent a weekend in the woods....literally.  There was nothing within a 20 mile radius of us.  Okay there was a deli about 8 miles up the street, but that is it.  Seriously.

In truth, it didn't matter, we weren't there to go places.  We were there to spend time with the Cibula family.  Mainly Clay's Dad. 

It was actually a wonderful weekend minus the rocky start Lucy gave us.

The rocky start was a scorching baby when we arrived on Thursday.  Lucy spent the first 24 hours either crying or sleeping.  She was a hot mess {literally...again}.  I, of course, forgot the Motrin that I always pack 'just in case' {go figure}.  I had to make a trek into town {that's what they called it anyway} that first evening to visit the local Rite Aid {I didn't even think those things still existed}.  Even with that, we fought the fever all night and into the next day.

Worry finally got the best of me {Lucy had just gotten her 6 month vaccinations on Thursday morning}. So on Friday Lucy and I made another trek to the nearest Pediatrician, which was a generous 45 minutes away {minus the 15 minutes that my GPS got me lost in...you guessed it, the woods}.  We arrived only to find out I was at the wrong location {insert some very obscene frustrating words here}.  

However, those nice country folks squeezed little Lu in and we saw the Doc rather quickly.  The prognosis?...a cold and a big fat coincidence with the vaccinations.  Shew.  Add my exhaustion to the equation and Lucy and I were much pretty much done in that first day.  

From then on our weekend in the woods went much smoother.  No more rocks {except for the ones thrown in the lake}.

Jack and Maggie had a blast.  Lock them in a house with their family {particularly their older cousins}, in the middle of no where, in ice cold temperatures and they are an extremely happy pair.  

Intervals were spent inside and outside.  Skipping rocks on the lake proved to be glorious entertainment.  Don't let cousin Whit's attire fool you...it was freeeezing!  I took these pictures from the deck of the house with my new zoom lens.  I knew that thing would come in handy.

The crazies family played several games of football in the backyard among snow flurries.

It's fair to say that Jack and Maggie enjoyed the tackling part of the "game" the best.

When it got too cold outside {which was often} the kids came inside to hang out.  I was able to peel their eyes off of the various available screens in the house {i.e. ipad, iphones, DVDs} to do art with me for a bit.  Larkin definitely enjoyed it the most.  I adore that budding artist.

And when I wasn't caring for Lucy letting Lucy sleep on me {which I admittedly loved} I was taking pictures of the Cibula clan.  Aunt Catlin was not up to the photo op, but...

...I got her later with Little Lu.  Even better.

This photo was worth the 42 out takes it took to get it.  Grampa and the Grandkids. It was a miracle that Lucy wasn't crying and Maggie didn't have Boo draped across her face.  As for Jack's eyes, I had to take what I could get.  He was battling a serious case of the sillies....cousins can do that to you.

But, this happens to be one of my favorite.  Faye and Jim with their grown children.  Three kids...all boys...only months apart from one another.  Amazing parents, don't you agree?  And I think my crew is hard work sometimes.

And because she slowly began to return to her lovely self...Lucy and Grammy...

...and Lucy again with cousin Larkin.

Okay, for my next weekend in the woods I am bringing a well baby and a pair of gloves.  I would add the Motrin, but that defeats the purpose of my 'well baby'.

Thank you Cibula family for a wonderful weekend!