Diamond Diva's VS Rusk Ponytails

 Carli and Ava had their second game tonight.  They were a bit more concerned about why there would be no bouncy houses at this game than they were about the actual game.  I was more concerned that they would have energy since they also had swimming lessons today.  But from swimming lessons to the game, they pumped themselves up pretty good and by the time we got to the game they were really excited to play.

Carli played 1st base the whole time.  She did really well staying near her base, not pushing off the runners and acting like she paid attention!  :) 

 Shiloh was the little girl that had played first on the other game but they moved her to pitcher.  It was a great move b/c Shiloh is very aggressive and will go after the ball!  She also has a great concept of getting the ball and tagging the runner out.

Ava started the game at catcher.  She LOVED playing catcher.  This was as good as a picture as I got from where I was standing.  I think Ava likes catcher b/c she gets to catch the ball a lot but there is no pressure to do anything with it!

Here's the best 3rd base t-ball coach ever - AKA Coach Daddy as Carli & Ava like to call him.  :)

Carli did great batting this time around.  She batted twice and made it on base both times.  She even out ran a tag at first.  Her second hit was a smoking liner - in tball terms.  It went right between the pitcher and second baseman. 

Ava's first at bat she hit in two runs but was tagged out at first.  She was pleased with herself.  :)  Her second at bat, the coach told her to hit it to third and she did!  She made it safely around the bases on that at bat and skipped right into the dugout!

 The girls were all grins at this game and seemed to have a great time!

In the last inning, Ava got moved to playing either second or right field.  Her job was to back up Carli at first.  She made an effort - that's about all you can expect from a 4 year old!

Here's my two ball players in one picture! 

The girls won their first league game!  Everyone seemed to have fun and enjoy themselves, even the coaches!

The girls were pleased that Aunt Genell, Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Johnny came out to watch them play!

Next game is Monday night...here's to the winning streak continuing!

Happy Birthday Keith!

Today is my best friend's birthday.  He is the cornerstone of our little family.  He always seems to be the calm in the storm, our voice of reason and well, the non-hormonal one!  :)  We've had a lot of changes over the last year and Keith has taken it all in stride.  He has cried with me, laughed with me, held me and prayed with and for me.  I could not have asked for a better friend, life partner and father to my children.  Happy Birthday Keith - enjoy the peace and quiet!  :)

 

We celebrated Keith's birthday last night after tball practice since on Wednesday's are our long days when the girls and I don't come home until after church, giving Keith time to work on his school work.  We bought him a bundt cake, gave him cards, sing Happy Birthday, said special birthday prayers and shared lots of laughs.  It was a great night, until the girls figured out we really expected them to go to bed!  Ha!

The girls singing Happy Birthday to their daddy.  They got so tickled at themselves they had Keith rolling.  :)

Ava presenting her "card" to her Daddy. 

Carli's card included a little "homework" and she made sure he did it all right! 

Opening Day 2015

On Saturday we experienced our first opening day as parents.  :)  Saturday morning the girls woke up eager to get to the fields, Keith and I were pleased until we realized that they were more excited about the bouncy houses than the game they were going to play in!

 

The girls are playing t-ball for the first time this year.  They are on the Diamond Divas and are doing really well!  Ava looks forward to practice each week and Carli is all about the social aspect of being on a ball team! 

Saydee, Shiloh, Ava and Carli - the sisters

 

First thing Saturday morning, we did opening ceremonies.  Our team stood right in a mud puddle, and it didn't seem to bother any of the girls!

Our history with taking group pictures and then individual pictures has not been that great!  We were much relieved when the "good" peer pressure had the girls smiling and we are pretty sure we got some decent shots!

 

Keith did not sign up to coach but since he had been at every practice and has helped a lot - he kind of got grandfathered into the roll!  :)  Here is the whole Diamond Diva team with all their coaches.

We played a "non" league game against a team in Whitehouse.  This team has already played over four or five games and for many of our girls this was the first time on an actual field.  I would say all that considered, our little team did really well.

Carli played pitcher and Ava played second for two of the three innings each. 

I was really nervous for the girls to bat.  Carli was so concerned that everyone was there to watch her and she didn't want any of that.  But both girls didn't hesitate to go up to the batters box and swing away!  Carli hit a good one at her first at bat...but she kind of admired it a bit too long and forgot to run!  At her second at bat she knocked it good again and made it to first and eventually all the way home.

 

 

Ava hit and carried her bat all the way to first with her!  I think they tagged her out but by that point the other team was letting us bat through the line up and Ava got to run all the bases and "scored."

 

 

 

All in all, our first opening ceremonies and game turned out to be a great day.  Given the inexperience of our little team, I was pleased that no one cried and they all tried their best!  Ah, love it!

After the game, Keith let the girls go over to the bouncy houses and jump.  But they only got to do that once before he realized they were collecting money to let the kids jump, so we bribed them with medium drinks at Sonic and called it a day!  :)

 

Just a Note

I have tried to include a small note in the girls lunch every day this year.  Sometimes Keith will write a note for me and totally out do my efforts, but the best yet is when the girls ask to write notes for eachother.  Here is a the note Carli wrote for Ava last week...

 

Best Buds

Whitey Tighty has mellowed a lot in his old age.  He has taken to cuddling with Carli every morning before school, and when Ava gets up, they watch cartoons together.  He actually is happy to see them at the end of the day!  This was a first though, WT has laid on the girls' bed before but never has he cuddled up to them and fallen asleep with them. 

Oh Sadie...

 We are still getting use to having a outside dog.  Sadie is still big!  She turned five months old on April 7th.  We took her to the vet to get her fixed and at 5 months she weighed 55 lbs.  He still estimates her at no smaller than 125 full grown.  She is still a puppy but so BIG!  Her energy is a little too much for the girls.  We are anxious for summer when Keith and the girls are done with school so he can work with Sadie and work on her not jumping on the girls and thinking that Ava is a her own living squeaker toy!

Sadie LOVES ppl.  We've spent a few wkds in Alto helping to work on Uncle Tone's house.  We try to take Sadie with us when we can...

We wear her out every time!

She's still a puppy - and she loves to try to pop bubbles.

What we are still amazed about is that Sadie is 55 lbs and can still fit through a medium doggie door.  Makes life a bit stressful on my little dogs.  We finally had the epiphany to put a smaller door on the outside of the house so the little dogs could squeeze out but she could not come it...but she still sticks her head through to watch what's going on inside.  :)