Cheesy Grins and Masterpieces

Whew, another week has flown by quickly.  It's getting closer and closer to Christmas....eeeekkkkk.  I think the older my kids are getting, I am really enjoying our Christmases.  Maybe I know they won't always believe, maybe because they understand the whole idea of it now, maybe it's because they can participate and help out with shopping and decorating.  Who knows?  But the last few years I have been just giddy with excitement to see their faces Christmas morning?  I am giddy when they ask questions about Jesus and his birth.  I am giddy when they choose to do something kind for someone else.

I almost have all of my Christmas shopping done which is pretty awesome, I know some big time show offs that finish shopping Thanksgiving weekend.  Or the ones that have everything wrapped then as well, geez.  What a goal to live up to!  I envy that organization :)
But we are still doing pretty good and ahead of our schedule.

We finished up Fall Baseball for Hunter this week.  The boys actually made it to the tournament which is awesome!  It was a single elimination for the boys and they made it to the second round but then lost it.  They held their own, but it was against the undefeated team.  It was a lot of fun to be out there and cheering for the boys.  We know they are still little but they have grown so much in skill and their knowledge of the game.  It's amazing!!  Hunter received the game ball at the last game of the regular season.  He was pretty excited as you can see in his big cheesy grin :)

Cheesy game ball grin!

This week I had something that stopped me in my tracks, literally.  The kids and I were on our way to Running Club in the morning and as I got in the car, this almost took my breath away.  It's amazing how God can make such wonderful masterpieces.  Even answering all of our prayers, big and tiny he has some time to build this!  Amazing :)

Later that same day, I had to stop and get gas and this started to develop.  Twice in one day?   He makes these amazing pieces of art work.  So similar in awe but so completely different.  I truly felt honored and blessed to have seen such a sight!

Hunter found this Santa hat in our decorations and has been wearing it all week.  He even wore it to bed.  This kid is such a sweat-er when he sleeps so I can only imagine how hot his head was.  I even saw him wake up for a minute, re-adjust his hat and lay back down.  So sweet :)

 I found this adorable camera holiday ornament on Target this week.  So stinkin' cute, I couldn't pass it up.  It looks pretty amazing on my tree, I hate to brag but ahhhh!  I am thinking it might need to have MANDY in sparkly pink paint written on it.... sounds like a craft idea in the works :)

 My Christmas cards have arrived!  I am so excited but less than thrilled to address them all and send them out.  I wish I wasn't such a control freak or I'd have Mike help me, but really you don't want to Mike's handwriting on the cards.  Actually you probably wouldn't care but I do. :)
  On another note I can't believe how much I spent on them.  Eeekkk, I really wish I could tone that part down.  Not only are the cards themselves super expensive but I have to send out so many.... every year I keep adding more and more.  Hmmmm, might have to come up with a new plan for that.... any suggestions?

 I spent most of my Sunday not doing holiday things or editing but catching up on the household stuff.  There were piles and piles of clothes all over my bedroom that either needed to be hung up or washed.  There were piles of paper on my desk that needed to go through.  It was getting to the point of just overwhelming.  Being an organized freak it drives me nuts and I'm not able to concentrate on anything else.  If I need to work, I swear that pile of papers is staring at me and making faces with me.  If I want to sit down and read a book, guess what those piles of clothes are saying, " nannie nanie booboo, we are making a me-ssssss!"  Do your piles talk to you like that?  No, wait, it's just me and my crazy mind, what?
Ugh!  So we did some major cleaning, major laundry, major dust bunny killing and I was able to sigh- SIGH!!!!!!, ahhhh,- climb into bed last night and let my mind just..... rest.  This morning I woke up energized, motivated and ready to go.  It's amazing sometimes what gift you can give to your mind :)

Happy week to you all, hope you can finish your Christmas shopping, hope you can do some fun baking or maybe see something amazing this week that God created like I did!

A little December project!

Just thought I would try a little Photo-a-day Project this December. I was thinking it might be a nice way to remember all those sweet little moments of the holiday season.... hope you can follow along!

Day 1- December 1st - My view of the day! 

Christopher Columbus played baseball? What?

Hunter has developed a slight addition to baseball in the last 8 months or so.  And not the normal 6 year old who likes to play, I'm talking about the kid who can tell us every Yankee player, what position they play, what year they started, what their number is oh no don't forget he can give you information on Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantel and Bill Dickey.... who?  Yep him too!  Just to name a few.
He has started collecting baseball cards which means he is starting to learn about other players who don't play with the Yankees.  He can imitate every Yankee players' batting stance.  He gives me ESPN highlights of the game down to the "pinch-hitting," the "check-swing," and "balk".  Not normal talk for 6 year olds.
I can tell you Mike is beyond proud that Hunter knows this and can sit and watch a whole game with him, but I can also tell you sometimes Reagan and I are at our wits' end.  Let me tell you that is A LOT of baseball talk all the time.

The other night Mike, Reagan and Hunter were home and I was out.  I got a text from Mike  that made me laugh out loud and wish I would have been there.

Basically Hunter was rolling off old time Yankees and where they were born, where they played, started playing, etc.  Reagan asks Hunter, " Do you know when Christopher Columbus was born?"

Hunter looks at Reagan and after a second says "What team did he play for?"
Hunter was in shock to actually think a player's info got by him.  Reagan and Mike just kind of looked at each other and Hunter went to go investigate to see about this "Christopher Columbus guy" she was talking about and how in the world this player got past him.

Don't you just love big sisters?

Goose Bump Inspiration Story /One At Bat: Adam Greenberg

I love hearing stories like this, especially when you watch the news every night and it's one sad story after the next. I love hearing these stories and knowing there are still so many wonderful people still in the world. Ones that are willing to help strangers, ones that are willing to speak for someone they hardly know.

We are a pretty big baseball family. From March-October our house is Baseball, Baseball, Baseball. Between watching 162 Yankee games on TV almost every day, and carting Hunter to his baseball games and practice, it's the subject of the household for quite some time.

So when I happened to be watching this story on The Today Show, I couldn't help but get goose bumps all over my body. Adam Greenberg was a brand new MLB ballplayer back in 2005, young, in shape and had his career in front of him. He was living his dream. He stepped up to the batters box for the first time in the Major Leagues and instantly his dream was shattered. His very first at bat, Adam was hit by a 92 hour fast ball right in the head. His career was over.

7 years later after working to get his strength back, his skill and talent, he has a complete stranger than started to rally for him and his dream. All he wanted was MLB to give Adam just one more at bat. Just one chance to swing the bat in the major leagues.  You can watch his documentary on Adam below.


Well surprise surprise, someone was watching the owner of the Miami Marlins offered Adam Greenberg a one day contract to play with them against the Mets on Oct 2nd, 2012. Now remember we don't watch any other teams in the house but the Yankees, but I guarantee we will all be sitting in front of our TV that night, rooting for Adam and watching him get a second chance to live his dream!

It's on Tuesday so I hope you'll check it out and support Adam!


 

Spring Baseball 2012- Chandler Children's Photographer

Hunter started up baseball again a few months ago.  They started early in the season with some heavy duty practices.  This is his second season of coach-pitched for him.  It's amazing how this little group of 5 and 6 years olds have improved.  Last season I am sure all the parents were a little worried for our little boys but this year has been so much fun.  All the boys are hitting and understanding the game.  Hunter used to play in the dirt during the game or watch his shadow which is always fun to have to explain to the coaches. :)
 We have had a blast cheering for our little sluggers.  I can only imagine it's gonna get so much more fun from here on out.  And probably must more intense as well!




What do girls do while the game is going on? Crafts of course :)

What a ham!