Georgia!

We just returned from a wonderful trip to Georgia! Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for a great time!



The boys had the chance to spend plenty of minutes outdoors. If you ask the boys their favorite part of the trip, they would say, "The park." Really? The park? After everything they did?



Well...I have to admit the parks were pretty fun.

So, was the planetarium. We visited the Fernbank Science Center and every single adult (Grandma, Doug and I) fell asleep upon taking a seat in those comfy chairs. The three boys stayed wide awake, despite dimmed lights, a slightly dated animated feature and really good chairs that leaned back.




If you keep prodding Jason and Michael about the trip, they may remember a pretty big event. An Atlanta Braves game with Ezekiel, Elijah, Doug and Grandpa.





The night was incredible for all the boys. It started at The Varsity and for Michael, a dream come true. He's taken a big liking to hot dogs and while there, he ate two!!!

The game was a win for the Braves and it was just long enough for the boys to enjoy the sights and sounds of a major league game.



Joshua stayed home and this is what happened to him.

The poor thing never gets a bath. He was so excited to have some time alone in the tub that he allowed me to turn him into Ferris Bueller for just a moment.

Speaking of moments, there are some Joshua moments we should pass along before we forget them. We have been pulling out photo albums and he will stop what he is doing immediately for a peek. He will plop down in our laps and open up the books. It is obvious Joshua cannot imagine a world of pictures without him.

We were looking at a book I put together for Michael. Joshua was not in it at all. He kept pointing to Baby Michael and insisting, "That looks like Michael, but that's really Joshua."

After a while, it was obvious he was tired of repeating himself. Finally, we asked him, "Where's Joshua?" He said, "Joshua not there. He is asleep."

Score!

The kids can't WAIT for the start of summer. You can feel it in their eyes. This is Jason, Michael, Joshua, Jonathan and Ethan enjoying a mid-afternoon slushie.



We have been eating, sleeping and breathing baseball for the last week. So it was nice to visit Natalie's pool and take a dip. Joshua made a beeline for the water and enjoyed every minute of it.



Surprisingly, he and Michael have really taken to the ball fields we have been visiting. They have a routine now. First, they scout out playgrounds, since most of the fields are at elementary schools. Then they beg and plead until I let them get a round on the slides. By the time they get tired of that, we are usually in the third inning or so. Then they come back and watch the game with us.



The last three games have been roller coaster rides. Jason probably played the worst he has ever played in the first tournament game. I know he had to be nervous and there was a ton of pressure on the team. He struck out three times and his last out ended the game. Not a great evening, for sure.



Thank goodness the next day turned everything around. Doug told him he couldn't possibly play any worse than he played the night before. And he was right.



The second game they played was against a team with much, much, much more experience. I don't count the 25-2 whooping they got as a loss. It was just practice. But, Jason truly redeemed himself in the third game! He got on base the first time he hit and the second one...he hit a HOME RUN! Jason is in the middle of the group, getting kudos from his team.



We are so proud of him and of all the boys. Michael is seeing what it's like and now wants to play ball in the fall! More days on the field for me!

Have a great week!

The Boys of Summer

It has been/will be a busy couple of weeks. Jason made the All-Star baseball team and we've been at practice every night.



Thankfully, the two younger boys haven't minded the trips to the ball field. Had this been last year, Joshua would have whined and cried. But Joshua and Michael have started to bond and they play together while Jason is playing ball. In fact, Michael says he wants to play baseball next season. I suppose you could say he is embracing his love of dirt and peanuts. It just means I will spend more time in the same environment!



When you play ball, you have to look the part. Jason, of course, has his team hat. Michael has one, too, from a previous team. When Jason and Michael put on their hats for a trip to the ball field, Joshua told me he wanted to wear a hat as well. He refused to wear anything but his winter "stripey" one.



Gotta love that kid.

The beach & Busch Gardens

We are trying to make an effort to enjoy the attractions around us.
Even Michael. You can see he really got into the mood on a recent trip to the beach.



On this day, it wasn't too hot, the waves weren't too high, the beach not too crowded.

Absolutely perfect.



And yesterday, we were so lucky to be able to visit with Grandma, Grandpa, Ezekiel and Elijah at Busch Gardens. What a treat!



Joshua enjoyed seeing everyone. This is him as he was wrapping up a ride on the merry-go-round.



We did notice he was a bit of a daredevil, running from ride to ride to get a thrill.



Speaking of thrills, there is no doubt Jason rode rides he normally wouldn't because his cousins were there. He so wants to be like them. He rode several roller coasters yesterday and I could see the fear in his eyes walking through the line leading up to them. Afterward, though, he told me his favorite was the "Loch Ness Monster."



I know Doug was thrilled he didn't have to go on every single stomach-turning, high-flying ride, thanks to Ezekiel and Elijah. The boys had a GREAT time together. We did, too.



A nice treat, certainly, as we head into the summer. Speaking of summer, the boys of summer, Jason's last baseball game took place last week. It was a tough season. But this game was AMAZING! They weren't expected to win, the other team was pretty good. The kids started out playing horribly. All of them. It was a team effort, for sure. But then, in the last inning, down 15-6, every single kid pulled through. They rallied all the way back, to 15-14, with the bases loaded and 2 outs. Unfortunately, with Jason on deck, a grounder to first base ended the game. While they didn't win, they certainly made every parent proud. No shame ending a season on such a valiant effort! Onto the lazy days of summer!