Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Little League Champs!

Jacob was drafted into an incredible baseball team this season. Not only do these boys look cool, but they can really play ball!
(Also, speaking of looking cool, check out Eric's baseball pants! They were a buck at the little league store--what a steal.)
But back to the important news: tonight the boys finished a perfect season, 20-0, and claimed the Rookie League Little League Champ title!
The boys gave their head coach a good post-game tackle:
We're so grateful for the devoted coaches and players who have really made this season dynamite for Jacob. Jacob's work with the Rays--and countless hours of work on his own--have added up to substantial progress on the field
and at the plate.
We are so proud of you, Jake! And congrats Rays!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Speedy Utah trip

Eric's brother is going on a mission! To Russia! We went to Utah to see him off:
Yes, that's a wheelchair. The poor guy broke his leg just days before his departure date. But he gets around okay, always with a smile: 
Yes, we're all wearing coordinating clothes. Because what's a family reunion without a family picture?  
Over the weekend we were able to visit the temple, hear Sam talk in church, meet with relatives, and relax. (Eric's Father's Day request was that he would get to sleep in guilt-free! Even a plate of crispy bacon did little to arouse him.)
 
The kids, on the other hand, barely slept for the excitement of being with their cousins. They swam, played Wii, crafted, and played. One day they discovered a treasure trove of a dress-up box in the grandparents' basement:
Michael ("Mikhail") and Zachary ("Pasha") even learned some Russian phrases to go with their Russian-esque outfits: 
We ended our trip with a picturesque day at Wheeler Farm with my grandmother, aunt and cousin, and brother and sister. We didn't wear matching clothes for our picture, although Eric did purchase a pink John Deere hat for baby Max. So I guess that he and I matched somewhat.
You should never visit a place you love on a weekend with gorgeous weather! What a day for some picnicking,
calf-watching,
and grassy wrestling!
Oh Utah, I adore you. Your mountains, your sunshine, your Cafe Rios! You're just the place. I met my dear one in Utah almost ten years ago. And isn't it magical to be in the place where you fell in love?

P.S. Eric and I had different flights home, with connections in different cities. Eric took our nearly-two-year-old, and I took the other four kids. Who do you think got the better end of the deal? Honestly, I think it's a toss-up. Jerry Seinfeld: "A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it." Yes.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

On whether or not I'm the dirtiest person in our family

Undisclosed Son #1: "MOM! Adam is trying to put on dirty clothes!"
Me: "It's okay. It's just my skirt, and I'm not that dirty. I never wet my pants and I always take showers."
US #1: "Yes you are! You are the dirtiest one because you are much, much bigger than us!"
Undisclosed Son #2: "Yeah. And you do MUCH more work than us. That makes you dirty."
US #1: "And you are older!"
US #2: "Yeah. Think of Max. He's only been here a short time and he doesn't ever even touch the floor."
US #1: "You touch the floor every MINUTE!"
Me: "Oh. Huh. Adam honey, let's put the skirt back in the hamper."

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A post written in 10 minutes with two babies on my lap

I love walking into a grocery store and seeing the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars lined up like this:
The display says to me, "swimming!
early-morning runs!
fairs!
more swimming!
splash pads!
Scout advancement!
hikes!
weenie roasts!
parks!
swimming, swimming, swimming!
end-of-year plays!
and, yes, s'mores!"

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! The anticipatory excitement of SUMMER! Eric constructed a raised garden bed and a sandbox for our backyard (here are the boys playing in three TONS of sand on our driveway, before we filled the box!):
I will post pictures of the garden when things are growing more. We also installed a flag pole for the front:
And of course we're spending a lot of time at the little league ballpark! These little guys want to be just like their baseball champ brother:
I love these little babies on my lap. This one, especially, has been tugging at my heart so much lately that I'm almost always behind on my laundry:
Who wouldn't want to spend the day cooing at that adorable little face? Hooray for babies, and hooray for summertime!