Home Plate

This has been my view for the past few days. Actually not just that but the entire baseball field with one of my favorite players.

It is my happy place, even in the 146° heat.

That is all, carry on and PLAY BALL!

Happy 15th Birthday R1

Happy 15th Birthday R1!

You make me laugh, everyday. You make me angry, everyday. You make me smile, everyday. 

I am so proud of the young man you are becoming. I love you and I hope you have wonderful birthday. 

 

Just A Little Date

R2 and I had date night last night. R1 would have gone with us but he has been at camp all week. 

R2 and I went to one of our favorite places where they cook Japanese food on the grill right in front of you. So we ended up ordering two different sushi rolls, soup (I know it's 100 degrees  in Texas but they have the best soup) and shrimp and fried rice. It was yummy!

And then he and I went to the movies to see Inside Out. It was cute and Hubs told me it would probably make me cry. The boys love to make fun of me when I cry at movies. Like at the end of Toy Story 3 when Andy dropped off his old box of toys at Bonnie's house before he left for college and then Woody and Buzz sat on the porch and watched him drive away. Yes I cried. I like a baby crying big crocodile tears I cried. And since we are being honest, it took me about 5 times of watching it before I quit crying at that scene. I still get choked up but no tears. So when the part came that Hubs thought I would cry, R2 looked over at me to make sure I wasn't boo hooing and then proceeds to hand me a tissue. I look at him and tell him I'm not crying. But he didn't believe me and then put his hand up to my eyes to make sure they weren't wet with tears. Oh that boy!

Anyway, It was a great night and he was a perfect gentleman. He even gave me a good night kiss on the cheek. 

Girls Gone Coastal Weekend

Two weeks ago a friend of mine invited me to on a girls weekend to the beach. Of course I jumped at that chance and I'm so glad I did. 

There were six of us total and I can not even begin to describe all of the fun we had but I can tell you was there was a lot of laughter, a ton of food, and more memories made than I can count. I'm so thankful I was able to hang out at the beach with them for three days.  

Thanks ladies, until next year!

Girls weekend night #1

Girls weekend night out #2

 
 

Ah Sweet Summertime

Well summer is in full effect over here. We've been out of school for almost a week and things haven't slowed down at all. 

R1 has summer baseball twice a week and workouts every morning. R2 started Rocket camp yesterday. And in a few weeks R2 starts his summer tutoring program again.

And in a few more weeks R1 leaves for camp. He comes home for a few days and then leaves again for another camp. 

I love summertime. I like there are really no set schedules to keep. We do not have to be up at a certain time. Things are kinda spur of the moment. Which is a nice pace compared to the crazy that is known as the school year. 

So with that, I hope y'all have a great summer with some wonderful family time. 

And Just Like That, He's a Sophomore

Yesterday was R1's last day of school as a Freshman. Where did the school year go? I swear it feels like he was just starting his high school career. One year gone, poof, under his belt, no longer the underclassman. 

I can not even begin to tell you how proud I am of him this year. He made all A's most of the year and if not all A's then it was all A's and one B. He was involved in so many school functions and extra curricular activities that I never knew if we were coming or going. He only missed one day of school. He also received several awards at the awards ceremony.

I watched him make decisions that will ultimately affect his future. I watched him step up to the plate when it mattered the most, on and off the baseball field. And the best part of all was I had a front row seat to cheer him on.

I love you R1! You make me and your daddy so proud. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments this year. They are hard earned and well deserved!

 

It's Been Busy

The title of this post says it all. Actually it is kind of an understatement. 

The boys have been involved in sports that have kept us on the go more than I care to be. While I love sitting at their games and cheering them on, we have been away from home these past two months more than I want. I love to go and do things but sometimes you just want to be a homebody and stay in your comfort place and take care of your people. 

R1's regular baseball season ended a few weeks ago. He and his team had an amazing season, 8-0. WHOOP! He did a fabulous job behind the plate. I could not be any more proud of him. So now it is on to summer ball. 

R2, well he's still going strong. Basketball season has ended. It was a long season but totally worth it. I mentioned he made All Stars and the tournament was last week. His team lost early but he played with more heart and left everything on the court. Long story short, he got sick last week with strep and played through the first game not feeling 100% and finally just said he couldn't play anymore. As a side note, he played that game before I took him to the doctor. I'm not one of those parents like on Friday Night Tykes that yells at their kid to suck it up and get out there, no excuses! Well I did tell him to suck it up until I could find him some Tylenol or Advil. He is still playing baseball and so far they have only lost one game. Not to shabby for a bunch of 9 and 10 year old kids.

So between both boys and three sports with games and practices it has been extra busy around here for the past two months. Oh and let's throw in there a field trip, an awards ceremony, a banquet, and field day just to add to the craziness. 

However, I see the light at the end of the tunnel, never mind that's just a glare from the sun. 

Y'all have a great and I'll see you in a few weeks when school has ended. 

My Catcher's

It is baseball season and I could not be any happier. My boys are playing ball and my Astros are back on TV. All is right with my world again. 

For the first time ever both boys are catching. R1 been catching since he was 8 or 9 and R2 is following in his footsteps starting this year. R2 isn't playing catcher all of the time but he is learning. 

These boys make me proud every time they step on the field. 

 R1 doing his thing.

 

 

 And R2 doing his thing.

One Of My Favorite Days Of The Year

PLAY BALL!

Livingroom Remodel Take 1

Hubs and I bought our house almost 14 years ago. At the time liked it. I thought it was nice and clean and would a good place for us to raise our kids. (when we purchased the house, R1 was a year old) But I have never been in love with it.

Over time I began to not like things so much and we began saving money to do some home improvements. And the three of you who have been here know that Hurricane Ike took care of some of the remodeling we wanted to do. We ended up with new walls and ceilings, new carpet, new paint inside and out, and a new roof. And after that unexpected remodel I liked the house a bit more but was still never in love with it. 

One thing I have never been a fan of was the tile around our fire place. It's kind of a pinky/mauve/rose color and it doesn't match a thing in my house. But I have always been to scared to change it. What I really want to do is knock it out and replace it with brick and that was not going to happen anytime soon so I've just been settling and basically ignoring it.

Over the years I have become a fan of several DIY blogs. They change the color of paint in their homes like I do loads of laundry. Every week it seems they are painting another room, or doors, or even floors. They keep repeating it isn't perfect but nothing in our house is and it always turns out better than the way it was. And after years of having "I'm throwing paint to the wind" envy, (yes I know that is a corny play on words but it's my blog so oh well) I decided what the heck and threw caution to the wind and painted the tile around our fireplace. 

Here are the before, during, and after pictures. 

 
I can not believe the transformation. I love it! Yep that's right I said love it! Hubs even liked it. It totally transformed the livingroom and now instead of being just that blah ugly can't even describe the color,  it has become the centerpiece of the livingroom. And you know what, it's not perfect but it is definitely better than it was before. 

We liked it so much better that we began to do other things around the livingroom. We hung the TV above the fireplace and added bookcases to wall. You can see we started the shelving while I was still painting the fireplace. Do not pay any attention to the ALL those cords and how the there is more space on the left side of the fireplace than the right side, that was mid project, it's all fixed and pretty now. And now I love my livingroom. There are still a few things we need to do regarding the bookcases and I'll post pictures when we are done. 

And you know what I learned from this small one day project, it doesn't have to be perfect it be pretty. 

The boys of Spring

They're back! Be still my beating heart.

Basketball All Stars

Guess who made basketball All Stars...this kid

Yep R2 made All Stars. So basketball season isn't over for him just yet. 

I'm really proud of how hard he work this season and this is his reward. 

This is new territory for us as R1 isn't a basketball player and this is only R2's second year to play. I'm excited for all of us. 

 

The boys

So it's baseball season. And those of you that know me, know how much this warms my heart. Baseball is my happy place. 

High school baseball is just getting started for R1 and basketball season is just ending for R2.

This past weekend was a flurry of games, one college baseball game on Friday, two basketball games and one and a half baseball games on Saturday. (half game against a school and half scrimmage, guess that makes it one full game?)

Here are two pictures of R1, his first hit on the high school team and the other of his first catch. He did great and I was proud of him. I could not get over how grown he looks out there on the field. 

  
And here are a few pictures of R2 during one of his two games this past Saturday. He is an aggressive player, so much so he fouled out with only 42.53 seconds left in the first game.  but he also knows the rules and uses them to his advantage. 

Oh be still my heart, I love these boys!

It's High School Baseball Season

Guess who made the high school baseball team this week?

This guy!

 I'm super proud of him and all of the hard work he put in, it paid off.

70 Days

 Yes I am counting down the days till this...

The three of you that are still here who know me know I love this time of year and I can barely contain myself. And yes, I really do have count down calendar going. It's at work and every morning when I login there is a baseball that pops up with the the number of days left till April 6th. 

I'm ready to hear the words...Play ball! Let's go 'Stros!

Happy Birthday R2

He's 10. A decade old! 

This little boy has brought more love and laughter to our lives than we ever thought possible. 

Mama loves you R2, forever and ever and ever!

The Beat Goes On

When the holidays rolled around back in November the boys started planning their Christmas lists. One of the things they both asked for were a pair of headphones, Dr. Dre Beats to be more precise.

I have been on the fence about this request for some time. They have asked for them before and I have staunchly refused. And with good reason. Over the years Hubs and I have purchased many a pair of earbuds for the boys. We've spent anywhere from $5.00 to $20.00 for a pair of earbuds. And I always had high hopes that they would take care of them and not lose or break them. But that is never the case. Each child has misplaced, broken, or left at school each and every pair of earbuds they were given. 

Dr. Dre Beats are not just your usual pair of headphones. First off is the price tag for a pair of these headphones. Lets just say they are not cheap! Second they have, according to their website, software technology and introduced the possibilities of premium sound entertainment to a new generation. Ummm, OK. 

Anyway, I refused to buy each one of my children a pair of Beats because they couldn't even show me they could take care of a cheap $5.00 pair of earbuds, so there was no way I was going to spend $160.00 on any pair of headphones. 

But for Christmas the boys received money from various family members. Plus they each had money left over from Disney. So R1 and R2 decided they wanted to purchase a pair of Beats with their own money. 

Hubs and I talked about it and ultimately it was their money and they could purchase what ever they wanted. I will say that we did talk to them and basically laid down the law about purchasing a pair of $160.00 Beats headphones. 

So New Years Eve we headed out and my children each purchased their own set of Beats. I will say the quality is 100% better than a pair of $5.00 earbuds. And I'm happy to report each child has taken great care of their Beats. 

 

 R2 has been enjoying his Beats.

Gin, The Non Alcoholic Kind

Hubs and I have been together for 19 years and one of the things we did when we first got married and didn't have much money was play cards, Gin to be exact. Even after all these years we still play and some where along the way we taught the boys to play too. 

Tonight after dinner I found a deck of cards and asked Hubs to play a game of Gin. We ended up playing seven rounds and I think for the first time ever, I lost each and every game.

R2 came to watch us at some point and I had lost the seventh and final hand, he asked if we could play two rounds of Go Fish. Hubs and I said sure and I proceeded to shuffle and deal the cards. 

R2 won the first hand and Hubs won the second. 

Clearly the cards were not in my favor.

Dribblin'

R2 had a couple of basketball games on Saturday morning/afternoon so we ended up spending the early part of Saturday at the basketball gym. 

This is only R2's second year to play little dribblers and he's really good at it. It's shoots and makes it, most of the time. He hustles up and down and he's pretty aggressive whether he playing offense for defense. 

His team won both games but the second game of the day was pretty close. We were up, then the other team was up and then we came back, and they tied it up and then we came back to win. R2 ended up with two or three fouls. See what I mean, aggressive. 

I love to watch him. And since football season ended a few months ago, basketball has been my focus. 

Another reason I love to watch R2 play is because Hubs is one of his coaches. So it's really a double win for me. 

Here are my boys doing their thing during the games on Saturday. They have my heart!

 

My baby boys

My baby boys are 14 and almost 10. Hardly babies any more. And just when did this happen? How has time gone by so fast? I would like to say I haven’t noticed how time has slipped by, but the truth of the matter is I have. And like so many other moms out there, I understand it has to happen but it doesn't mean I have to like. In fact, I really don’t.

Over the past few weeks I have looked over photo after photo of my boys and I swear it feels just like yesterday I was snapping my camera at their adorable little faces.

I remember when they were babies and I would hold them and listen to their sweet sighs and feel their breath as they nestled into the crook of my neck.

I remember watching them toddle down the hallway to their bedrooms to drag out every single toy they owned only to bring them to the living room and ask me to play with them. And how we would set up the train track and snake it throughout the entire room.

I remember when they both would climb in my bed after their baths wearing fresh pj’s and ask to be snuggled. I remember how their clean hair smelled of baby shampoo and how they’d scoot right up next to me and the ends of their feet only reached my knees. Now their feet reach my feet and beyond.

I remember the first time they put on a baseball uniform and walked up to the plate with a bat that was as big as them and swung so hard trying to make that ball go over the fence only to make it just to the infield dirt. I also remember the first time they slid into home plate to score a run. They didn’t even notice that I was screaming like we had just won the World Series. They were just excited to score a run and get a little dirt on them.

I remember holding their hand as we walked into the kindergarten hallway at school and how when we walked into the classroom they turned and gave me a quick hug and off they went. I also remember managing to hold myself together until I got back to the car and cried huge tears for ten minutes.

I remember a few short years later when we walked down the fifth grade hallway and all I got was a fist bump and a see you later mom. Personally I would have preferred a hug but at that age, it’s not cool to hug your mom in public especially at school. I also remember hearing their friends say how cool their mom was because I gave them a fist bump and didn’t even try to hug them like their moms had tried to do.

I remember the first time to see them walk out on the football field all padded up and thinking I hope they stay safe and play hard. And I remember their faces when they came running off the field to grab a sip of water, the pride showing as the coach smacked them on the shoulder and told them great tackle!

I remember going shopping for dress clothes for the homecoming dance for my oldest. Trying to find a shirt and a tie that would match her dress. I remember watching him give her the rose corsage we picked out, how he opened the door for her at the restaurant, and how he paid for their meal all on his own without having to ask me for help.  

So many other precious memories of sweet little moments of time captured in my heart and in my mind that move me to tears and make my heart ache for the past if only for a second. To listen to those sweet little voices call my name and ask me for help only to hear them say they can do it all by themselves. To feel their tiny arms encircle my neck and give me the biggest hug any three year old could as they whisper, I love you mama.

I still get the hugs and the “I love you mamas”, only now they sound more like a grown man’s voice instead of little boys and the hugs are so strong they almost feel as if they are trying to break my bones. (Which by the way I wouldn’t trade for anything.)

To my sweet sweet boys, Mama loves you, forever and ever and ever!