Sports of all Sorts

 It was FINALLY time for the first baseball game!

 His favorite teammate.

 Warming up.

 Running the bases.

 Playing catcher.

 Ready to run.

 Sliding home!  There are videos of his two at-bats at the end of this post.  He was pumped up - can't wait for the next game.

 The kids also got to run in their first race this past weekend.  Bryce had been telling Chase about the kids run that he was going to do and Chase kept telling me we were going to Pole Green park to run but I had no idea what he was talking about.  He was pretty persistent so I looked it up online and was able to figure out what he was talking about.

 He was thrilled.

 Taylor even decided to join in the fun and she actually did it!

 Stretching out.

 We were able to meet up with Bryce and Emmy and my cousin's kids, Hannah and Sarah.

 Happy racers.

 Taylor's group was up first.  It was looking like a good chance for a first, second or third place finish!

 And they're off.  She managed to run about 100 yards in her 50 yard dash!  Might have to work on form and accuracy!

 But look at that smile, she was loving it!

 Then Chase and Bryce got to take their turn.  Chase said he would be following Bryce and he was right.  

 Their group was bigger than Taylor's and they still finished right behind each other.

 Post-race water and bananas. It's a 5-race series so we have more races to go!

Taylor is also back to ballet classes!  She had her second class yesterday and loves it.  She has a new teacher and she has most of her classmates from the past 2 classes back together again.

1st at bat

2nd at bat

Recently

In a way that no one can quite figure out how it happened, Dave is a volunteer assistant coach for Hanover High football this season.  He helps on Thursdays but then somehow ended up going Friday too and so the kids and I decided to be good sports and join in the fun.  Well, they at least looked the part!  Looks like a little more than average football might be in our future this fall.

One afternoon a package arrived on the porch.  It was so exciting they couldn't even wait to take it inside to open it.  I think it's been too long since packages and company have been on our porch.  I even had to mop the floors the other day - something I usually only do when company is coming!

Taylor's surprise in the package - she loves some jewelry!

In other exciting news, Bryce and Emmy came for the first "official" cousins sleepover at our house.  Bryce has stayed over before but this was a first for Emmy.  

Taylor took good care of her, at least fashion wise!

Poor Emmy doesn't stand a chance of getting lost!  They stuck together.

Dave and I went to Easton and Jordan's B'nai Mitzvah and then picked the kids up for the celebration.  After watching the chair dance, they have decided they are all for a mitzvah of their own!

I mean, they had a cotton candy machine.  Does it get better?

They also had unlimited cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, and fries.  

And a kid-height, self-serve lemonade dispenser.

 And a great view!

Oh wait, the best part....the greeen screen pictures!  Easton is Chase's personal hero.  This was more exciting than a picture with Santa.

 Taylor loves Jordan but of course wouldn't dare ask her to be in a picture, so she got me.  It was as exciting as a party gets for 4 & 6 year olds!

Back at home, poor Max is being tortured.  I'm fairly sure he would rather stay home all day by himself than suffer through the spa services at doggy daycare.  Matching headbands, can't pass that up.

 He didn't seem to mind the brushing with the Barbie brush though!

 I hope you can tell what's newsworthy about this photo.  While we were at the B'nai Mitzvah, Chase went to baseball practice with Bryce.  When we picked him up he informed us that he would need to purchase his own "cup" if he wanted to play catcher this year.  He tried to wear it to practice the other day and I had to break the news that you really only need to put that on with the catcher's equipment....it's a little noticeable!

School Days

 Off to the 1st grade!

 His hair never looks like this past 10 minutes after a shower, but I didn't think about that until he was already at school and I was looking at the pictures!

 Someone didn't get up on the right side of the bed for early morning pictures!

She was all smiles when it was her turn though!  She got to go on Friday for orientation.

 She was more than ready to go this morning!

Even reminded me to print out a sign and take her picture! 

                                     Just as exciting as school, fall ball has started.

 On the way to his first practice Chase said, "I've been dreaming of this day my whole life.  The first time I'll ever step on the field to play real baseball."  It is everything he hoped it would be!

The End to Summer Fun

I was kind of thinking that I hadn't really taken any pictures but then I looked back and came up with about 50 that I hadn't put on here yet.  I picked out a few to summarize the end to our summer fun.

 We went to our last Flying Squirrels game and got to sit right behind the visitor's dugout.

 It turned out to be a sweet spot for getting balls - Chase was tossed two from the players coming in off the field.

 And Taylor got one too!

 And we didn't get hit by any balls, my favorite part!   

 Taylor got to do a little babysitting.  Poor Aaron wasn't feeling so good, but she was happy to help him rest and watch a cartoon.

 After a little rest, we took him out to the new splash park.

 He had lots of fans.

 The boys never stayed still long enough for a picture.  At least not one where I wouldn't get wet taking it!

 Chase was excited to go meet his new teacher, Mrs. Jackson.  She gave him these bird peeps with a note that said "a little birdie told me you're going to have a great year in first grade!"  So far, so good!

Taylor has been fashionable, as usual.  She keeps asking me to buy her hair dye so we compromised on the dollar store red hair wig.

 Chase wanted to take his buddy Landon to his new favorite putt-putt.  I should have taken a picture of them BEFORE we started because after the first hole it was a little rough!  Chase was hit across the chest by accident on the very first hole but no harm.

 It was turning out to be a good time.  Then came hole 14.

 Chase gets hit. Again.  This time it was a shot to the lip, again, by accident.

 Taylor still insisted on the picture by the unicorn before we finally decided that putt-putt was just not our game that day!

Finally a group shot as we ate ice cream to dull the pain!  Chase was the only one who wanted to play a second round after all that!

The damage.  It's looking better these days.

 For my birthday we took an early trip to Ikea for a little shopping and cinnamon rolls.

This picture sums up how Dave feels about Ikea, shopping in general, and Northern Virginia.  He was  a decently good sport about it but when I realized about 2 miles down the road that I had only bought 1 door for my 2 door cabinet, I did NOT dare tell him!  Some things you just have to order online!

On my actual birthday, through an unusual set of events, I got to take my first ride in a combine.  I had to check the calendar and see if it was Dave's birthday or mine because we were driving around in a truck, looking at farmland, and riding tractors.  I think we are even from the Ikea trip.

 It was a good time, though.  Pretty fancy stuff that machine can do!  After all this fun it was time to get home and get ready for school!