TBall Begins!

The boys have been asking me for weeks now when tball begins. :) We weren't even sure if they were going to get on a team this year because they miss the age cutoff by a few months. But, I petitioned to get them in this year because they were so ready. And thankfully I did, because I don't think they could have waited an entire year! :) 

From the minute they stepped out onto that field, they played hard, and were smiling the entire time. Coach Bill, their fun and kind coach, is truly amazing. He knows how to encourage and help each of these little four and five year olds....not a simple task! And he has helped the boys learn how to be team players, has encouraged them and built them up, and has really made this whole experience fun. I am truly thankful for him. Their team is the Red Sox, with official jerseys and everything! 

For their first game, Dylan got to play first base and Lucas was shortstop. It was so fun to watch, I don't think I have laughed and smiled so much in a long time! If you can imagine about 25 four and five year olds running around a baseball field, most people not really sure where to go and what to do, some playing in the dirt and picking flowers, some with mitts on the wrong hands. Hilarious! I loved it! Dylan and Lucas actually made a play too! It was adorable. The ball was hit right to Lucas at shortstop, he scooped it up and threw it right to Dylan at first base who got the runner out. They were both so excited, as well as their coach. Dylan just stood there afterwards looking at the runner like "Hello! I just got you OUT! You have to go!", not realizing that in tball no one is out. :) He was a bit confused until I explained to him that everyone gets to run the bases because most people are just learning about baseball. :) All in all, Dylan got four people out in that first game, and keeps reminding me everyday how many plays he made! :) Both of them did such a good job and had a blast, I was such a proud Mama!!!

 Go Red Sox 2012!!!!

 The boys wanted the numbers 5 and 1 so that when they stood with their backs to us, we would see "51", just like Ichiro! :)

 The happy boys after their first official TBall game!

 Dylan smacking the ball!

 Lucas running home....look at that stride! :)

 Lucas throwing that ball to first just like a pro!

This last one is Dylan, all dressed up to be the catcher!! He was so excited to get the chance! 
We have 12 games this season, as long as some are not rained out. I can't wait to see more plays by my boys!

Thinking of You....

Been thinking a lot about my Dad lately. This weekend I was able to go visit him at the memorial park, and it was decorated so beautifully for Memorial Day. It was a neat experience to be there, American flags all over, and just sit and talk and cry with Dad. Sometimes I still can not believe that he is gone. I sometimes expect to just pick up the phone and be able to tell him something about the kids, or what they have said about him that day. But then I remember I can't just do that right now. I miss him.....

I just wanted to share a few pictures. He was such a proud father, and grandfather. He loved all of us so much, his family was the highlight of his life. The first pictures are of myself and him, Dad with his eldest daughter. And the second two are of Emery and Dad, him with his eldest granddaughter. I absolutely love this last one. Seeing my father with my daughter is something I will never forget. I am just thankful that he got to spend five months with her before he passed. Love you Daddy....

Easter

 Easter this year was a pretty quiet affair. Teage was still hurting pretty badly from his surgery and we didn't want to venture too far from home. So, my mom and Teage's dad came over in the morning for a fun brunch, and then we went to Grammy's house for dinner and a scavenger hunt. Overall, a really fun day, though a bit subdued from our usual Easter routine. :) We did get some great pictures of the kiddos all dressed up, and it was Emery's 10 month birthday as well.

 The boys with Tutu!

 Giving Papa Christensen a huge hug after receiving Easter candy from him!

I just realized that we didn't get any pictures over at Grammy's house. Darn! David and his girlfriend had set up a great scavenger hunt for the boys, as well as Grammy doing a hug Easter egg hunt outside. They had a ton of fun!

E is 11 Months!

I can't believe Miss Emery is 11 months old!!!! Only a month away from a year! I am not ready!!! :)

Right now she is so close to walking, she is standing up all on her own, and practically running around the ottoman and chairs. :) She also saying "Mama" and "Dada", though I think Mama is both for me and for more food. :) She is waving ByeBye, smiles all the time, loves to laugh and have fun, and is fiercely independent. She loves to eat big people food, is about done with baby food, and is signing "all done" when she is finished. One of her other favorite things to do is dance! Every time a song comes on she starts bobbing her head and wiggling. It really is adorable. We love this little girl, she brings such joy and happiness in all of our lives. She truly is a light to all of our lives and we love her tremendously. She is pretty darn adorable too! Still has blue eyes!

Poor Teagers

Back in February, Teage came home from playing church basketball with what we thought was a knee sprain. He walked around on it for a few weeks until we realized that it was much worse then just a sprain. And an MRI and exam later, we found out that not only did he tear his ACL badly, but also tore both of his meniscus on either side of his left knee. Yikes!!!

So at the end of March, Teage went in for the first surgery of his life. He was pretty nervous about it, but he did amazing! It really was a complicated surgery, having to take a graft from his hamstring to reconstruct his ACL, as well as repairing his meniscus'. But he really did well, and I was so proud of him. He came home really sore and for quite a few weeks had to just stay off of his knee and rest. Hard thing for Teage. :) I think it was hard for all of us to have him that way as well, the boys are not used to having Daddy down for the count!

Emery loved just sitting with Daddy and listening to music, making silly faces, and helping him recover. It was really sweet how she would just sit there with him for an hour or so. That is definitely not something she is accustomed to! :) Thankfully after quite a few weeks of rest, ice, and physical therapy, Teage is finally back to work and starting to get back into his routine. Though he misses the gym tremendously!!!

10 Months

Little Miss E has now decided that she is old enough to let go of the couch and try to stand on her own. She can pretty much hold herself up, the big girl. And some of her favorites at 10 months are crawling and chasing after her brothers around the fireplace in the center of the room, eating anything "grown up", and being a part of EVERYTHING happening in the house. The minute she hears her brothers in the morning she refuses to eat and squirms out of my grasp to get to them asap. She is still very stranger anxious and will hold onto Mommy as long as she can if around people she doesn't know well. She has a hard time letting anyone else hold her. And she already wants to let go of her second nap during the day. Yikes....of course I would have my third baby not want to sleep, ever! :)

Here are some adorable pictures of her and her brothers on Easter this year, which just happened to be on her 10 month birthday. :)

9 Months for Miss E

OK, so considering she is almost 11 months old, I would say I am a little behind. :) But with everything going on lately, I am going to cut myself a break this time. 

This little girl is learning so much everyday, it is hard for me to keep up! At 9 months some of her favorites were:

Crawling, especially up the stairs. The minute the gate is off she sprints towards them!

Her sippy cup

Pulling herself up on everything she can reach

Walking along the couch while holding on

"Bonking" people....this is a special one with Daddy. The boys used to do it too. She loves to bonk her forehead against other people's as a sign of love :)

Crazy Face- She loves to get a reaction from other people when she scruntches up her face, makes her eyes bulge, puts her hands into fists, and smiles her crazy little smile. It is adorable. 

Overall, she is pretty much adorable and we are all totally in love with her!!!!

Seaside For Mommy!

A few months ago my wonderful oldest friend Lindsay came up with a fabulous idea. :) She suggested that for our birthdays this year, we take a little trip down to Seaside Oregon for the weekend, just us girls. Well, with everything going on in my life right now, I pretty much jumped at the chance! So, we picked a date in March, got a great deal on a hotel, and we just drove! And honestly, what a great and relaxing weekend it was. We walked on the beach every day, for as long as we could or wanted, we ate when we wanted, we slept when we wanted, we drove down the beach just because we wanted to find a lighthouse.....it was FABULOUS! I had not been able to be that free and easy about anything in quite a while, so it was a special treat for me. And hanging out with my best buddy all weekend? AMAZING!!!!

Unfortunately, Linds and I didn't get any good pictures of the two of us together, of course. :) We were having too much fun to think about it! So, these were the best we could do....even though you can't see Cannon Beach in the background, at least we got one with both of us in it! :)

The second is my cheesy face with our treats of the day, and of course the last ones of the scenery of Seaside and Cannon Beach. The tree in the middle was literally blown over  by the crazy wind that day. Linds and I felt like we were being blown over as well!