Mets Win!

Baseball is in full swing and games in this league seem to be a little more intense than they've been in the past.

One reason may be that they use different rules... another may be that people here take their baseball seriously. His coach is one of those people. He's great with the kids and balances his serious coaching with a bit of funny.



Regardless, Cooper is a fan because more intense evidently means better uniforms.



I wish it meant that he was knocking it out of the park...but hitting is giving us some trouble this year. Getting walked however is becoming an art.




At the end of the day, all that really matters is that he's having fun and learning skills- not just baseball skills- life skills.



I think we're meeting the goal....

AND....we won!!!

Baseball Begins!

It's that time again.

Spring flowers, warmer weather and now...baseball is back.

We signed Cooper up to play in our new town. Instead of over 300 10 and under kids in the league, there are 16. Instead of never knowing where the game will be, there is one field. It's small town baseball and it's a big deal.

It's different, but the same.
Cooper is having a blast.

Saturday was Opening Day.
They announce each player by name, sign the National Anthem and an Opening Day pitch is thrown.



It's very official.
Also official? The uniforms.
Cooper told me that they're just like the major leagues....especially the pants.
I must have checked the wrong box on the order form....his are an adult small. He can barely keep them up but he LOVES THEM!



He had a great game......the kid is playing 1st base again this year and is about the cutest 1st baseman around.



The weather was perfect for a baseball game and for a crazy mom taking pictures like a mad woman.




They won! I just love his happy face.



1 down, 14 to go.
Go Mets!

Today was Good

Saturday.
I thought it would never get here.
It was even a 4 day work week because I took Monday off but it didn't matter.
The week was long and hard and truthfully I could have worked all day long today and I still wouldn't have been caught up.

But I didn't.
And so, today was good!

Coop went to a sleepover birthday party in Richmond last night and Jon left early to do some jobs and pick him up. He took the dog with him so I had the house to myself.

It was blissful.

A little recap-

-slept until 8:45
-watched a DVR'd episode of Grey's
-showered
-mopped the floors
-ate lunch on the porch and read a magazine



(my lunch was pita bread and the MOST AMAZING hummus- white bean and basil from Trader Joe's. i bought it on a whim and i'm so glad i did, it was divine.)

-after lunch called my new friend mary to see if she wanted to run check out some outdoor furniture with me
-spent an hour shopping and laughing!
-came home....Jon was mowing the lawn and Cooper was playing with a friend
-did some laundry
-took down my Easter decorations
-ordered a pizza and watched a movie with my boys
-said goodnight to my boys and am catching up on blogging


I loved my day- got things done, spent time with friends, relaxed and got re-energized and ended the day surrounded by my sweet little family (and our needy dog)!

Today was good.

Happy New Year

We had big plans for New Years Eve....



Jon, Cooper & Wade went fishing. They had a fantastic day for it and caught a rockfish. Thanks to Cooper, the fish was set free to ring in 2012!

I spent the day with my sweet river friends scoping out some fun shops and thinking about furniture placement at our new house.

Jon and I decided to take Cooper to a movie and "We Bought a *oo" seemed like a good choice. I should have done a little more homework because I wasn't quite prepared for the emotional toll it would have on me. My word.....I sobbed the entire time. Sweet Matt D, children with no mother, a boy who doesn't want to move but has to anyway, blowing the cover on the Easter Bunny and a dying tiger??? STOP THE MADNESS.

In all seriousness, I really did like the movie, it just was more than I bargained for in my current state of "on the verge" as we get closer to moving day.

After the movie we grabbed a pizza and then headed next door for a celebration. I was in charge of decorations. I have a New Years bag of treats and the favorite item of the night were these glasses.



Yes, they're from 2008. But if you look closely you'll see that part of the 8 is missing in an attempt to make them pass for the 2009 party. I'm nothing if not committed to the 3R's! I don't think these will be back next year.

Cooper made it until about 8:20. We toasted early with some sparkling cider and he was out for the count.



Sweet little thing.
Jon lasted about 2 more hours......
And for the 2nd year in a row, I'm the last one standing!



Hope you were able to ring in the New Year with the ones you love, whether it happened at 8pm, 10pm or midnight!

30-14

Guess where we were this weekend?



Hmm- give up?
Maybe this will help-



We went to the VT vs. BC game!!
Did the graffiti throw you? Yeah, I was thrown off too.

Jon's sister and her hubs have season tickets to Tech and they graciously invited us to come up for the game. And what's a football game without a great tailgate...especially if that tailgate is in an abandoned apartment complex complete with what I think may have been gang signs.


Goodness, they're cute (and not concerned in the least bit by a little graffiti)!

And as you can tell by our tailgating surroundings (and our beer of choice)....they spoiled us with nothing but the best!



We had so much fun....laughing, playing, posing, eating, drinking and hanging out together.









They love our kid & he's crazy about them too.
The day was perfect for a ball game- clear blue skies and crisp weather.


Also perfect for some brother/sister together time.

It was homecoming- and so the Highty Tighty Band and their Alumni were in all their glory.



I'm a sucker for a marching band- I always have been. Let's be clear- I wasn't IN the band....nope, no such talent in that area, I'm just a fan.


They were great!

But then....the boys hit the field.
The stadium was electric.





But not as electric as it was when they scored!



Can you see the people who are horizontal? They're being thrown up in the air to celebrate the score. Can you imagine?


So much fun!!



As the sun went down, the scoreboard was in our favor- great ending to a great day!



But Kathy wasn't done yet....what could make the day even better than it already had been?


Yup. That's kale salad.



Kale, yeah!!!!
Enough said.

Thanks Kathy & Mike....we had a blast!!

70, 75 & the rainy weekend

It was a very special weekend...



with a very special visitor....who came all the way from California-



Sadly, the weather didn't cooperate with our birthday plans.
At all.

No matter, we made the best of it!




Happy Birthday Mom & Dad



Thanks for putting up with us- through broken bones, crashed cars, concussions and dropped birthday cakes (and too many happy memories to count!).



We love you dearly!

My Almost 15 Minutes of Fame

We went to visit my parents this weekend- a weekend with nothing special, just the chance to spend some long overdue time together.

My mom had a little surprise up her sleeve though....on Sunday, HGTV was filming a new show nearby and the public was invited to participate.

I was totally on board- and so this morning at 11:30, we headed out the door. We were determined to see the spaces, but didn't hold out much hope of being one of the 1st 100 people- the lucky ones who actually get to vote & be on TV.



This is what we saw-



Hmm- that doesn't look like more than 100 people.....maybe we're in luck.

WE WERE!!!



My mom with her ballot.....we're going to be on TV!!!

They had us all standing together as they got the opening scenes for the show- we must have done 5 takes.....and that was before the "star" of the show arrived.



Anyone a Bachelor fan?? Yup, the guy in the suit (on a 100 degree day) is Bob Guiney- the former Bachelor star who has a decorating side that we don't yet know. He's debuting as the host of the show.

We stood in the blazing hot sun while the cameras took multiple shots and the director yelled at us to make sure we were "in the know".



We were at the bottom of the steps....just mere feet from the door- and the chance to rate the space, give our opinion and vote for a winner when tragedy struck.

I started to feel a little dizzy....and then stars started to appear in front of my eyes....and I had to borrow my mothers travel stool....and I had to put my head between my legs so I didn't faint.

OH THE HORROR!!!

I couldn't go on...there were just too many people, the sun was too hot and my body decided that it couldn't function any longer. My sweet mother walked me out of line, explained to concerned on-lookers that I was ok, and we took refuge in the shade. A kind stranger brought ice water and I slowly recovered.

And while my blood sugar returned to normal, 98 other people toured the houses and offered their best decorating advice.

I was devastated.
And so, my 15 minutes of fame (and my moms 15 too) were squashed....

Maybe we'll be in the intro of the episode....and maybe we won't.
Regardless, it was a fun few hours and a super way to spend some quality time with my fabulous mom!

Thanks Mom- I sure do love you. Sorry we couldn't see the houses.....at least we can say we were there.

xoxo-

The Usher

Shortly after Wade asked Sarah to marry him, Sarah asked me whether it would be ok for them to have Cooper be their ring bearer. I nodded through tears- we were so touched that they wanted him to be a part of their special day.

Sadly, Cooper didn't get the memo. Wade asked him and he said no, thank you.
His reason?
"I did that once before and it wasn't very much fun".
(he's nothing if not honest....and polite)

Poor kid- evidently his memories from when he was 4 1/2 and was the ring bearer at my brothers wedding weren't so good.
Fast forward 6 months and although Cooper never did change his mind about being the ring bearer, he did agree to being an usher.

His specific job?
Walking the Aunt Kathy & Nana down the aisle.
He took his job very seriously- and I know Nana appreciated it so much.



He was also drafted at the last minute to hand out the wedding programs.
He doesn't do well with change- especially at the last minute.



This time though- he did a fabulous job.
And truly....could he BE any more handsome in his tux?



If it didn't cost so much, I might make him wear a tux for the rest of his life!



Great job buddy!
We sure do love you-
(and so do Wade & Sarah)

Perfect Saturday

There are some days when you wake up and you know that the day is going to be amazing. You've got places to go and people to see.....you know the drill.

But there are other days that start off like any other day with no expectations at all.
You wake up...get ready..head out the door....and something happens to make an ordinary day turn into something that goes down in the books as an official "perfect day".

Saturday was one of those days.

Jon had a job and was meeting us at the river.
On the way Cooper and I stopped to get these....



A bag for Jon and one for the contractor who continues to be a lifesaver.

Then we got this- which was billed as "primo"



The farmer didn't lie.

Along with the corn, I couldn't resist this bouquet-


It had basil sprigs that made it smell just as incredible as it looked.

And once we arrived, my sweet boys settled in for some healthy competition-



just to make sure that Coop's brain doesn't turn to mush over the summer.

After lunch we hit the pool, shared a fabulous meal with friends and fell asleep wondering how in the world Charlotte plans to save Wilbur's life.


Sunny weather
Good parenting
Farm fresh produce
A little protein
Cheery flowers
Favorite friends
Spending the day with my boys??

Perfect Saturday.