First T-ball Game

Ben had his first T-ball game last night. The game didn't start until 7:15pm which is only 15 minutes shy of our normal bedtime. Ben LOVED it. Little brother, not so sure! The team is made of 4 and 5 year olds and Ben definitely looks like one of the smallest on the team. This is a first since he is second oldest in our group of friends. Nate wishes he could play so badly. We have told him he isn't old enough and just before we left for the game he said to me, "Mama! Look at me! I am big. I am sssttttrrrrrrooooooooonnnnngggg!" He was trying to convince me he was old enough to play. It didn't take long after getting to the field that he was over it and wishing he was in his bed at home asleep. This could be a long month for him!

Each team gets to bat 3 times. Each player gets to hit, no count of strikes or anything. Each player gets to advance one and only one base for each hit. When the last batter comes up they run all the way around.

Warming up with his team. (second from right)

Posing for mom 

 First hit!

 Getting the game plan from the dad at first base.

 Running home!

 RUN!

 Safe!

 High Five from Coach

 Watching other teammate bat.

 Playing right field.

 Some friends watched with us a little too!

 Waiting on 3rd base by Daddy.

 Little brother fell out of his chair.

 It's a hard life. Why waste the energy to get up?

 My little t-ball player! 

(He would only give that goofy grin.)

Tball

Ben had his first tball practice through the YMCA. He was super excited and Nate was super annoyed (he really wants to be old enough to play too). The team is made up of 4 and 5 year olds so Ben definitely looks young (he just turned 4 in March). None of his friends are playing tball so this is a good chance for him to meet some new people and experience something on his own. He did so well on the first day and we can't wait until his first game next week. It will likely offer quite a laugh!

Fielding ground balls

 Oops, that one got past him.

 He had quite an interesting throw during practice and by interesting we mean totally weird. He and Daddy have since practiced since he does know how to throw a ball.

 Coach: Who has ever played catch before? Ben: Hand raised high!

 Waiting in the backstop.

 Squaring up.

 Taking a swing.

Diggers Galore

Our street has been under construction for quite a while and will be for the remainder of the year. We have enjoyed watching different parts of it. Today was the highlight so far. We even invited a few friends over to watch from Ryan's truck bed. And the workers were nice enough to warn us before they started so I could get my van out of the driveway just in case we needed to go somewhere!

First Family Pets

Ben has been asking for a pet for a little while now. A fish is about as far as we plan to go! Grammy and Papa came to visit and took the boys shopping for a fish! They were amazingly patient as we had to rinse all the tank stuff and let the water get to room temperature (18 hours!). They were giddy when we finally got to put the fish in their new home.

Tank is rinse and prepped. Now we wait.

 Putting Nate's fish in, meet Macaroni & Cheese.

 So happy.

 Meet Ben's fish, Lightening McQueen.

  Enjoying our pets.

Thanks Grammy and Papa!

Tulips...Finally

Our local botanical garden has a huge tulips display each year. I have managed to miss them every year since we moved here. I have gone too early and I have gone when they were actually digging them up. This year, we made it! And the weather was gorgeous. We tried to get some pictures. The colors of all the tulips were incredible - more than the pictures can describe! Enjoy.

We tried for a family photo!

 So grown up.

 They touched all water in sight.

  Yellow!

 Purple!

 

My baby boy.

 My big boys - who fell off his bed into his toy box and left a big mark on his forehead.

 Brotherly love.

 Father and sons. 

 Nate's "cheese" smile.

 Playing in a squirrel's tail.

 Feeding the massive fish.

Ma and Pa!

More Soccer

Forgive me, but this is the first time my kids have played a sport and I am photo/video happy! How can I not be? They are so cute out there. Practice last night was a lot more chaotic than last week. Ben likes to stay far from the chaos and Nate always wonders off and does his own thing. The coach did let Nate get in on the practice and he even got a snack and juice at the end! We told him he can wear that shirt every week as his "uniform" and that seemed to be ok even though he would prefer a jersey like big brother.
This week was COLD and windy and bright sunshine. Next week...our first GAME. The only instruction on game rules from the coach was "if the ball goes outside the big white line we freeze and someone else goes to get the ball." This could be interesting for sure!

It doesn't get much better than having Daddy there!

Brothers!

Check out that face!

Hard kick!

Kicking the ball in a circle. Didn't go too well with a bunch of 3-4 year olds. And 2 yr old since Nate snuck in there.

Weaving in and out of the cones.

Nate got to play with the kids the whole time. He was in heaven.

Shamless Sharing of Cuteness

On my worst days I wonder if anything I did in the day was a positive example for my boys. Most days though I look at them in wonder and think surely it is the grace of God that I get to be their mom and they are so tender and eager to learn. Each night Nate hugs my neck tight and let's his body go limp because he knows I've got him. I ask "Who loves you?" Without fail he says, "You and Abby (his cousin)." And then I ask "And who do you love?" He almost always says, "Me, you, Ben, Daddy..." and then a list of various friends and family! Whenever we talk about God Nate is always quick to say in a very excited voice, "We know God!" They both love to read our Bible story at bedtime and insist on holding their own Bibles while we read from the Jesus Storybook Bible. Ben has them almost all memorized! And he likes for Ryan to find the next story in his Bible so he can use his ribbon to mark it. He finds the chapter number and "reads" along.
It does my heart well!
So well!

On another note, Ben played outside in shorts yesterday and this is our afternoon today! Kansas is crazy!