Game on....

Chris has already blogged about Clare's first Coaches' Pitch game and posted a few more pictures.... However, I wanted to post this picture...it speaks volumes of Clare's personality...she would rather be chatting it up with her teammates, the other team, random kids walking by, her coach, the other team's coach...then actually playing baseball. Guess learning how to get along with the team, your coach, random people, etc. perhaps is a better life skill then learning how excel in actually playing the game.

Wild Boars...and other assorted items to keep things in check...

So...I leave for New York City early Thursday morning.  It is a long awaited girls weekend with two of my best girlfriends from college.  The trip (at least on paper) looks to be wonderful...a hotel that is mostly paid for in Times Square, getting to see SATC in the city, lunch at the restaurant where Chris' cousin is a chef, the list goes on and on....Despite this wonderful time to be in the city I somehow manage to freak, get nervous and obsess about a few things.  Here is what I'm choosing to get nervous about at the moment...

Flying--

Ever since I became a mom...I hate flying...I really don't hate the flying part...I generally like the airport, like people watching and still get excited when it is drink and snack time....but I hate the thought of crashing...so this whole week my mantra has been one of " Your chance of dying from a wild boar attack is better then of crashing in a plane"....this is one stat that I have no idea if it is accurate...but my sister shared it with me and so...I choose to believe!  

Another item to keep me in check--if the wild boar story fails to deliver...is remembering our friends who are making the trip to Ethiopia on Saturday to finally meet their two children...and then a week later making another 22-hour trip with 2 children....seriously Ann...you are worried about a 2-hour plane trip to NYC...seriously???  

Guess we all need reminders (silly or not) to keep things in perspective.  Or just like the graduation speech that was or wasn't written by Kurt Vonnegut that said...

Don't worry about the future.  Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.  The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blind side you at 4p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

So there you have it....I am going to stop worrying about flying this Thursday....and now I'm going to start worrying about some random thing that is going to happen at 4p.m. Tuesday! 

Have you ever thought...

wow...taking a 3 year old to watch her 5 year old sister practice baseball isn't so taxing....I mean...look at her playing in the sandy dirt with another sibling....who is only 13mos. old...so cute...oh wait...what is on top of the 13month's head....oh  a mound of sand....oh make that many mounds of sand on top...yes on TOP of her little head...put there ever so gleefully by your three year old...love baseball practice....love it!

Happy Third Birthday!

Three years ago today...this is what you looked like...
My how you have grown and turned into a funny, spirited, full of questions, full of energy, loves to cuddle and sometimes full of spit and vinegar pig-tailed little girl! Happy 3rd birthday
Addie M--I love you!

Did you have a good Memorial Day Weekend?

Yes:

• Enjoyed playing in the yard and a soccer game
• Chuck E. Cheese birthday fun for Addie
• Dinner with neighbors Saturday and Sunday
• A ride in a model A car around the neighborhood
• Chris and Clare took a swim at the Ledges Pool
• Pictures of all of the above to follow

No:

• Unfortunately the Richards couldn't visit---Benjamin was not feeling well
• Three out of the four us got a stomach bug and spent all day Monday on the couch--the fourth one has a double ear infection....Richards you are probably counting your blessings right about now that you were unable to come to our infected house!
• Don't worry pictures of the above no's will not be coming!

Congrats Growing Tree Class of 2008!

Way to go Bear...I can't believe that you are graduating from preschool...you are so ready for the fun and challenges that await you in kindergarten.  I have been blessed to be able to work down the hall from you for the last 5 years and if you think you have a transition to make when you go to kindergarten, I think I will have an even bigger one, because I will not get to see what you are doing all during your day or give you random hugs when I see you in the hall.  I have loved watching you play in the gym across from my office, swim like a fish(rotary breathing and all!), learn how to do the monkey bars in the upper playground, sled on the hill in the front of the Y....the list goes on and on.  However, I will be excited with you to see all the fun, new things kindergarten will bring...the bus to the Roscoe YMCA for after-care, new teachers, getting better and better at reading and writing...Kindergarten is going to be great!  I'm so proud of you---Love you Bear!

Say Cheese....or cheezy

I put together this little montage after reviewing our pictures from last weekend in Lk. Geneva...A few things to point out during this montage...1.)  Ann and Meg....obviously love and I mean LOVE to have their picture taken 2.) They enjoy getting their picture taken with people of which they have just met, but seem to be best buddies 3.) The pictures go progressively down hill as the night progresses 4.)  This post may just be interesting for Meg and Ann...
Best buds #1 and #2...the ladies we sat next to at the dinner...good friends of Uncle Jim's....they were a riot!
Best bud #3...cousin Bob's lady friend from Chicago...
"Hi--we are drinking wine and we would like to get our picture taken"(...so ridic...so very, very ridic.)
Oh boy...definitely last shot of the night...which in our minds looked as good as the first...this is cousin Dan he is a chef at this restaurant in NYC.