Friday, August 23, 2013

Coach Pitch

Our summer was jam packed with baseball....I loved it!

Reese moved up to coach pitch this year.  Daddy helped coach again.

Chet likes to call Reese our life sport-er.  She's got skills, but lacks aggressiveness.  And really just prefers to play for social reasons....and for the medals!

Here's a little recap of her season....





Batting gloves...a must

































Always a big smile after a hit

Carter, Asher, and Hayden's "Crappaw" keeping the little siblings busy













































































































Had to document a big hit
























Our kids are so blessed to have such an amazing pre-school teacher! She took time to come to a couple of the big kids' games, as well as the siblings' t-ball games.


































Even played a little ball with Cru in the outfield













































































Playing against friends - Carter, Reese, Cora, Addison






















The last game of the season was against her friend, Ellie's, team. Wonder what they were conversing about here...























They ended up cancelling the game due to lightening.  The other team got to bat, and everyone on our team hit except Reese and two others before the umpire called it.  I was bummed....wanted to see her hit one last time.  Her reaction, "At least I got to play first base, Mom!"  So thankful for her positive attitude!



 Reese, Ian, Baylor, Cooper Gavin, Harley, Evan
























































Proud of you, Sis! Until next summer....not really, we play ball nearly every day! Lets keep swinging for the fences!






Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Bye, Bye Diapers

I think I briefly mentioned a while back Everlee being somewhat interested in potty training. 


I think I also said we bought pull ups even though we are not pull up people.  Well, here it is a few months later and these non pull up people are still buying pull ups.  Actually, WERE buying pull ups!



I didn't think I was ready for my baby to be potty trained...she's growing up fast enough, lets not push it!  However, after spending the entire summer wearing pull ups every single day, I am over it!

So, I swore once we returned from our little KC get away, it was down to business and Miss E would forever be done with diapers!

I talk a big game sometimes.

I couldn't do it.  You can't make them do something they aren't ready for.  And I'm lazy.

 

And then, one night about eight days ago, something clicked.  She pooped in her potty and it was bye, bye diapers! 

Except at night.

She's had one accident in those eight days!  Just one!  Very proud!  She does it all by herself, no constantly asking or forcing her to go.  She'll disappear from the room only to find her pooping on her own; she likes her privacy :)  I contemplated putting a pull up on her when we went to Salina one day and Wichita the next, but told myself there's no going back; it'll just confuse her.  And she did great! 

She's a public bathroom champ!  Ewww!



She's even experienced peeing in the grass on the side of the interstate....only because big brother needed to go so she thought she did too.  And after squatting for nearly ten minutes, she may as well have just peed her pants because her legs and clothes were soaked.  Chet and I still gave her a big fist pump!

The only thing she somewhat needs help with is putting on her panties....



I guess I'll say it again....bye, bye diapers!  Sad my baby is growing up, but definitely happy to see you go!




Thursday, August 8, 2013

KC Get Away

Like last summer, our family and my parents decided to take a little get away to KC....a little vacation is better than no vacation!  And we were happy to have my brother's family join the fun!

Something new this year, a Royals game!



It was HOT, and our seats were right in the sun along first base line, but thankfully, it was an evening game, so we didn't have to put up with it too long.  To avoid the heat before the game, we spent our time in the outfield.  On our way out there, a random gentleman stopped Chet and gave us four tickets ($10/ticket value) for the kids.  The ticket got them a bracelet and allowed them to do all the activities an unlimited amount of times....score!  There are still kind people in the world, and we are thankful for them!



































They rode the carousel SEVERAL times!  It was Evee's first time....I think she'd still be riding if we let her!



































Cru wanted a chance to bat, but wasn't big enough :(  So Chet distracted him and the girls with a little golf....



































Umm, Miss Reese....she is a mini golf stud!  Trips to the Country Club this summer have paid off.





By this time, Chet and I had heard enough whining about being hot, thirsty, and hungry, their feet hurting from blisters (mommy's included), and Reese having major butt issues from sweat and not wiping good enough....we were ready to call it a night and the game hadn't even started!

But we stuck it out....



Kids throwing out the first pitch to a few of the celebrities at that game....Paul Rudd, Rob Riggle, and Jason Sudeikis.  Olivia Wilde, Johnny Knoxville, and several others were there participating in a wiffle ball tournament.



Reese was totally into the game.  Asked lots of questions, payed attention, and Cru....



Despite our good seats, poor little man struggled getting into the game; he kept asking when it was his turn to play.

The kids didn't get a chance to run the bases in the outfield before the game, so being the smart mom that I am, I asked the kids IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 6TH INNING if they wanted to go run the bases....little did I know, it shut down at the 7TH INNING!



We hustled with our bleeding-blistered feet, weaved through people, then finally took our spots waaaaaaaaaay at the end of the looooooong line.  And literally seconds later, a gentleman came up behind me and said, "If you guys are in line, you are the last ones."  Holy moly, praise Jesus!



I have a video on my phone of them running....they loved it!

We missed the 7th inning stretch and Take Me Out to the Ballgame sung by none other than Johnny Knoxville.  Chet said it was classic, as you can imagine.

Then, the game was over.  Royals win!

Bring on the fireworks!







Aunt Casyn and her boyfriend, Steven, met us at the game.  Kids, of course, LOVED having them there!







Such a fun night!  Although, I think Chet would agree with me that we'd like to go back minus kids sometime ;)



We started the next day off right with breakfast at Panera....everyone's favorite!





Next, after breakfast, Deanna Rose Farms.  BEST.PLACE.EVER.

My brother and family were a bit delayed in meeting us because Charlee was sick all night, but they made it and that's all we cared about!

What an experience for our kids!  I swear they would be so happy living the simple life....old fashioned school, tractors, barns, panning for stones, milking cows, living in tee-pees, riding horses, feeding goats (ok, maybe not that....I've never heard such shrills as I did when they tried to feed baby goats bottles!), fishing, wagon rides, and just enjoying the scenery.






































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Cannot wait to go back!

From there, we hit up Fritz's...another must according to Reese.

Our friends told us of a newly built one in Shawnee, instead of traveling down to Crown Center.  Holy cow, it was awesome!  Clean, no lines, clean, and NO LINES!




































Even though Chet got a little frustrated with our non-working phone, we will definitely go back there as well!



We spent the rest of the day at the hotel pool....in the rain.  Kids loved it!  Then, we went out for supper....at 9pm.  That's what you do on vacation, right?!
































































































We ended our trip with a day at the Legends....shopping and T-Rex!










































What's a family vacation without a few hiccups, like Uncle Ty getting into a wreck, Charlee getting sick, Grandpa losing Cru in the hotel, and maybe just maybe losing our patience a time or two.  I'm just thankful we had that time together.  Thanks, Mom and Dad!  Can't wait to do it again....minus a few parts :)