Wordless Wednesday

{How are you old enough for this already?}

My T-Ball Star

Colin had a great first year of T-Ball. I loved watching him play, and watching Shane coach him.

Colin is just one of those kids who is extremely gifted in the area of sports. It seems that whatever he does, he is pretty good at it--already. I am very grateful that the Lord has blessed him with a talent like this....however, Shane and I are working very hard right now to try to find a balance between 'exposing him to lots of different things' and keeping our sanity.

I will admit: T-Ball season was difficult on me. And it was only six weeks long.

For many years now, I have been a cook-dinner-and-we-all-sit-down-together-as-a-family-to-eat-our-meal kind of mom. I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why this concept was so difficult for so many people.

Ha. Boy, do I now.

Between Shane's softball games, Colin's T-Ball games, Wednesday night and Sunday church, there were rarely nights that we were home during the dinner hour(s).

Which meant either:
1. starting dinner at 3:30 so we could eat by 4:15 and make it out the door in a mad rush by 5 to get to a game that started at 5:45
or
2. let my children practically starve at the ballpark and eat at 8 or 8:30 when we got home.

Option one didn't make me happy. I mean, who wants to start dinner when the kids are napping?

Option two, for reasons I don't think I have to explain, didn't make the kids happy.

So, we settled for as many crock pot meals as I could muster....some small snacks at later games {feeding them just enough to keep them from starving or feeding them just enough to ruin their appetites for dinner is a thin line to walk, letmetellyou)....and sometimes.....

.....cold cereal for dinner.

Oh--please don't judge. No no no no nooo. Please. If you haven't done it yet--you will.

It will make you feel like Mother-of-the-Year, too. Guaranteed.

*sigh*

And, quite possibly, if I have one more person say anything along the lines of, "Yeah! And you only have one in sports right now...." or "Just wait! It only gets worse!!" I think I shall have to slug them I may have to politely smile, bite my tongue, and walk away. Again.

It. Is. Hard!! I am only just beginning this new phase of life, and I am already somewhat discouraged.

Any suggestions from parents who have walked this road? How do you balance letting your child grow in their talents vs. keeping family unity--i.e., not being 'out on the road' four out of five week nights? Am I just destined for a life at the ball park/gym/soccer fields for the next 18 years? I'd really like to hear any constructive ideas anyone may have on this!

So.....back to sweet Colin. It really was a wonderful season and he certainly did excel at this new sport. Here are a few highlights spanning over several weeks of games!

Concentration...
{One of my favorite pics of this season}


Colin and his 'best buddy', Colden.
Yes, they are the same age...and yes, Colden is that tall!


Someone decided to dump water on his head before the game! *grin*


Tom and Sherry (our neighbors) headed out to see some of the games!
{Boy, will this make a six-year-old's night!)


Getting ready to bat...


Swing and a hit!
I know I sound biased and all--but this kid can hit!
No need for the 'T' at all this season, and he even collected two in-the-park home runs!


On third, getting ready to head home


Getting ready to field again


Sweet Lola girl slept through some of the games!


Daddy always, always practiced batting and catching with Cam and E after each game.
It was, by far, their favorite part of the T-ball season!

Fielding


You're outta there!


{Love. Him.}


Grandma MJ was a fixture at most of the games!


Getting ready to catch one!


Another hit

Col and Landon


In the dugout getting some instructions from Daddy

~another shot of Lola sleeping 'cause she's sooooooo sweet~


Tourney and Trophy Day!!


Running, ball in glove, to tag out a runner at home!

Checking with Daddy {a very important part of the learning process!}
So, so thankful for Shane and his ability and willingness to teach his sons.
I *luv* you babe.


I love this shot. So, so true to each one's character!

Typical E Ry.
Always hanging in the dugout and getting into every piece of
batting gear/catching mitts/protective equipment he can find.
My sweet little guy!


Heading out as a team to shake hands and collect trophies!
Notice Cameron and Ethan are right in the middle of the line, not to be left out!

End of the year team picture (minus Colden--we missed you buddy!)

Such a proud trophy owner--he's getting quite the little dust collection going collection of these!

Colin,

We are so proud of you for the wonderful T-Ball season you had!!

We love you buddy!

The kids....and their very special Daddy

From the children,
who bring him so much joy....


....to my obvious better half....

Happy Father's Day!!

{Sorry for the delayed post babe--we love you sooooooo much!}

Lola Claire--5 months

If I had to describe miss Lola in one word, it would be joyful.

In the five months she has been with us, she has looked like this most of the time:

She is usually giggling, smiling, or laughing these days, and I am so thankful for her sweet, gentle spirit.

I love you miss Lola...happy 5 months!!


{More pics to come soon....}

Rockin' the 'hawk

BEFORE....

....and....

....after an hour an a half or so (seriously--took forever)
on the deck with our hair cutting kit....


....AFTER!!

{They've been begging me...}

Cami
{sorry for the blurry pic!}

Col

E Ry

I didn't think they could get much cuter.

I guess I was wrong!

*grin*

Age in the eyes of a three-year-old

For some reason, cutting toenails around here always equals hilarity.

I don't exactly know why....but the boys have this habit of doing things or saying things that are either hilarious right at that moment, or are not-so-funny right then but hilarious later.

Today, it was Ethan.

I clipped Colin's toes, clipped Cameron's toes, and then moved on to the littlest brother.

Ethan just sat and watched what I was doing with amazement.

"Whatcha doin', Mommy?"

"Well, E Ry, Mommy is clipping your toenails."

"Oh."

A few seconds go by, and then he starts again.

"Mommy....why are you clipping my nails?"

"Because they are long, buddy. They have to be clipped every couple of weeks or they get yucky."

A few more seconds pass.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, bud?"

"Who clips your nails?"

"Well," I replied, "I do!"

It was at this moment that I decided to stop and look up at my little three-year-old--who, at that second, had a face filled with wonder.

"You do!?" he said.

And in the next moment, he replied:

"You are old enough to clip your own nails!?"

In a nutshell

Today.

Me and my nemesis.

Walmart.

*sigh*

The "big" shop.

*I can do this.*

Me. Colin. Cameron. Ethan. A 'just-immunized' Lolee girl.

*I can do this.*

Two carts.

Me with one (with Lola). Colin pushing the other one with Ethan inside.

Cameron wandering loose walking
where ever his legs took him
next to the
almost near the
somewhere that could maybe be described as beside the cart
most of the time.

Shop, shop, shop.

*Keep going. I can do this. I have to do this. No turning back now.*

Shop some more.

Lola nearly buried under the groceries.

Two carts FULL to the brim.

*Almost done....I can do this.*

Coupons.

Lots of them.

My own bags. (Lots of them, too.)

A list that price-matched almost everything we needed.

Competitors' sale ads, just in case they wouldn't take my word for it.

*The end is in sight!*

Time to check-out.

::abrupt intense downward spiral::

Lola decides she has had it and begins to make this ungodly high-pitched, half-squeal/half-shriek sound cry. Loudly.

Boys begin playing with every candy bar/toy/bag of chips/magazine/Slim Jim they can reach.

::full blown panic::

*I can NOT do this!*

****************************************************************************************************

Needless to say, during this horrific process, I had to call Shane *who was thankfully close-by* to come and rescue me.

Which, he promptly did.

My hero saves the day.

Thank God.

We all managed to make it out of the store in one piece.

{Though I did leave behind a small bit of my sanity in the checkout lane.}



#whatonearthwasIthinking
#overestimationofmyparentingabilities
#shoppingdisaster
#NEVERagain

CVS deal (below) just got better!

Just found a sweet rebate online for the Schick razor!!

It is for the full purchase price, before coupons.

I bought it for $8.97...

(minus my $4 coupon, and I got back $4 Extra Bucks, making the razor .97!)

...and when I send in the rebate, I'll get $8.97 CASH back!

Making that $27 I spent come down to $18...with $24 Extra Bucks back!

They paid me $6 to take everything in that photo below home--what a sweet deal!

I *heart* you, CVS!!

CVS for Monday, June 14

{Sorry for the dark photo!}

~2 packages Huggies for the little Miss ($3/$3/$1 CVS/$1 CVS)
~4 Gillette body washes (2 BOGO)
~2 Schick Hydro 5 razors ($4/$4)
~2 Right Guard deodorant (man, I am finding deals like crazy on this deodorant lately--they are practically paying me to buy them!!--$3 off 2)
~3 Colgate Pro Clinical toothpaste (lots of deals on this new item right now, too!--$1/$1/$1)
~1 bar Cetaphil ($5)
~1 Neutrogena sunblock face stick ($2)
~1 Neutrogena Pure Baby sunblock stick ($2)
~2 Neutrogena facial moisturizers ($2/$2)
~1 Cover Girl lip gloss ($1)....

$ 136.31 worth of merchandise**

for a grand total of

$27 out of my pocket....

with $23 Extra Care Bucks BACK!!

Woot!!

**In parenthesis are the coupons I used. ($3) means that I used a $3 off coupon. These savings were accomplished in four transactions, using both my Extra Care card and Shane's, and I came into the store with $15 ECB to start with. Might sound difficult, but I promise you--after a couple of times, you will be a pro!

Shane figured this to be about $1.50 per item.

For diapers? Sunscreen? Moisturizer?

Unbelievable!!

The sunscreen alone, if I had been shopping at the cheapest place I know of--you guessed, it: Walmart--would have cost me $16. Add the two moisturizers and we are almost to $40.

That's what I used to pay, anyway!!

Crazy, right?

Are you couponing yet?

{Why not?!?}

Happy Monday, everyone!!