The Great American Past Time

Baseball.

Or in our house with a five year old boy it is t-ball.

Boy do we have one excited boy in our house.

One the first day of practice he had his baseball bag packed and set by the door at 7:30 am. I am sure he asked me at least a hundred times (i am not even exaggerating) what time he was leaving for t-ball practice.

Last week, he had his first game. Like any good blogger mom, I had my handy dandy camera in tow and took almost a hundred just a few pictures of my boy in his first t-ball game.

Because his first game only happens once.

And he looked so stinkin' cute in his little uniform I couldn't help myself.




* i have only shed a tear or twenty over this here video.

Celebrating Small Successes

It was a hard year.

The skills became more difficult.

Her confidence level was low.

She went from finishing in the top at every meet to finishing in the middle to the bottom at most meets.

But at the end of the year, Morgan still LOVES gymnastics. Her desire to compete and be part of a team has not faltered. She doesn't feel discouraged by her performance this year. We are proud of her for all her hard work, dedication, and growth she made as a gymnast this year.

She is constantly twirling, leaping, walking on her hands, and flipping around the house. She has a passion for the sport.

This year our focus turned from scores, medals, or placement on the podium, to the improvements in her routines, her ability to keep a good attitude, work hard, be a good team mate - the little things we may not have complimented her on or encouraged her in had she had a more successful season. Character traits that are just as important as taking a top spot at a meet.

I think we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when this season ended a few weeks ago. It was time to take a break, regroup, refocus, and start the new season with a renewed sense of excitement.

Here is a compilation of Morgan's best routines this year:

Wordless Wednesday: A Little Toenail Polish

Just Nothing Sweeter

than little ones singing in church.

Javanese Dinner/Hawaiian Haystacks

A few years ago our friends introduced us to this dinner that has become a family favorite.

It is a strange assortment of ingredients but it is just the right mixture of sweet, crunchy, and salty. Perfect.

Every time we serve this for someone they love it. love it.

The thing I like the most about this meal is that there is something for everyone.  Each person takes the ingredients and makes it their own.

Javanese Dinner (sometimes known as Hawaiian Haystacks)

ingredients:

- cooked rice

- chicken cooked and cut into bite size pieces

- chinese noodles

- chicken gravy

- tomatoes

- peas

- pineapple chunks

- cheese

- celery

- onion

- coconut

- almonds

Set out the ingredients on the counter and let everyone create their own plate of yumminess!

* a few weeks ago Chrissie posted about this dinner where you start with rice and let everyone add their own ingredients. we tried it last week and it was yummy!

Arriving in Style

This is how Morgan traveled to her state gymnastics meet last weekend.

This is my can't explain how excited I am daughter on her flight

Pictures from the air:

Thanks Andy for giving Morgan a lift - an experience she will never forget.  

* Andy was kind enough to take Lance up for a flight on Friday afternoon after Morgan's meet.  It was the highlight of his weekend.

Wordless Wednesday: Playing Dress Up

* this is his baby sister's dress