~165 miles for a Coca-Cola~

It wasn't the hotel,

or the pool,

or the Jacuzzi that got his attention. 

Not the breakfast buffet,

 or 3 days of playing against the toughest elite baseball teams.

It wasn't the lunch out with just mom,

or the big comfy beds with 4 pillows each,

or the pizza party after a victory.

It wasn't downloading new songs for an

"Indiana Playlist" on his iPod,

or hearing his mom sing 'Pontoon' over and over in the car.

It wasn't the 104 degree temperatures, or hail storms, or rain delays. 

You want to know what was worth the 165 mile drive this past weekend?

The look on Austin's face when he saw this touch screen 

Coca-Cola machine. 

He thought it was the bees-knees.

And when his little brother and dad drove in the next day,

we had to go back to show them.

It was just that cool.

Any drink you can imagine in any flavor you can think of. 

Austin went nuts about the Vanilla Coke. 

Derek tried the Raspberry Sprite. 

Dad went for the Orange Coke.

I opted for the Indiana Water... I wasn't disappointed.

Have you seen one of these new dispensers?   



~this moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

~visualize~

Right before every game, my son's baseball team is called into a huddle to visualize.  No talking, no listening, no words spoken.  In this brief moment, thoughts of hitting, running, catching, batting, fielding, fly balls, singles, doubles, triples, home runs, outs, pitches, and *who knows what* are all racing through their minds. For all I know, one of them is thinking that he needs to double knot his shoe lace or he'll trip, or that he should have picked a grape Gatorade instead of orange.  Reguardless, I often wonder about what each person thinks about for his own mental game.  Do they have confidence in themselves or are they scared?  Can they see themselves succeeding or do they see failure?  

Austin commented after a game that something during the game happened that he had visualized before the game and that it works.  Does it work?  Can we visualize something and actually make it happen? Is it luck or coincidence or will power? If we want something bad enough can we achieve it? Of course we can!

Then I think of my own life.  My family and friends.  Are we taking enough time in our own busy lives to really sit, think, not talk or listen, just visualize?  We should. We can.  We can learn from our children. 

All of us are capable of hitting a home run...in life... or on the field. We just have to see it. And then take a chance and swing.


(*On a side note, I visualized my house being cool again and guess what?? It is! Mr. Air Conditioner Man came through and this mama is a bit happier, and cooler!)

~reminder~

Two kids on two different ball teams at two different fields.

It's bound to happen.  We have to split up and one parent goes with each child.  I'm sure some of you have experienced this, also, through the years. I feel for the families with more than two children... it has to be even harder!  And this is just the beginning.  It'll be this way all through high school.  We hope that maybe when Austin is a Junior and Derek is a Freshman (or when they are a Senior/Sophomore) they might be on the same team at least one time. I'll keep my fingers crossed.  

Considering that Nathan is Derek's coach, he always gets to pair up with and see Derek play baseball by default.  I get to travel with Austin and take him to his practices and games.  As much as we enjoy watching both of our boys play ball, as parents, we wish we could see it all. Be both places at once. Cheer them both on.  We call or text each other with updates all through the games.  We lay in bed that night and fill each other in on the other boy's game/practice.    

As a little reminder to Derek that his mama is with him, even though I cannot be there physically, I started a tradition last year.  I tie a tiny piece of yarn around his shoelace so that when he goes up to bat he knows his mama is with him.  Last year it was grey.  This year, green.  Every night when we have to split up and go our different ways, I give him hugs and kisses, tell him to have fun and do his best, and then I reach down and touch his shoe and remind him that he can look down at that yarn and I'm right there with him.  Then I look up and see his big beautiful smile, and take that image away with me so that I, too, can be reminded of his love when we are apart.

Green Yarn 2012

   

Grey Yarn 2011

~no particular order~

We are full swing into baseball season around here. Every evening this week you'll find us at a ballpark. 

Practice and games.

This weekend we'll spend both days at a tournament for our oldest.

Here we go...

Top THREE favorite things at a baseball game:

(in no particular order) 

Derek

Austin

Soft pretzel

Off to a ball game now!

And I think I might just have a soft pretzel for dinner.

It's ball season, baby...

I can bend the rules a little.

OK...nevermind...I'll be good.

No, wait, I can't.

Alright....

You talked me into it. 

I'll just get "lightly salted".

That's better.

But the cheese sauce stays.



~opening day~

Tomorrow is a holiday in our house.
It's on the calendar.
We take off work early.
We grill out and have lots of goodies to snack on.
We'll eat Peanuts and Hot Dogs and Ice Cream from our Cincinnati Reds cap bowls. 
We love baseball...
and especially our Cincinnati Reds!!

They boys are deciding which shirt to wear.
Bruce, Votto, Phillips, Cueto, or Rolen.
They have them all... in red or black.
I've got my flip-flops ready. 
Just need to paint the toes.

We surprised Austin last summer and redecorated his room one weekend when he was staying with his grandparents.  His room was originally a peach color.  We got by telling him it was "light orange" for long enough.  Our boys have more OSU and Reds stuff than we have room for.  So, it was only fitting to keep with similar colors and stick with the sports theme. 

The pennants in the first picture were something I found at a local store years ago.  I snatched them, just wasn't sure what to do with them at the time.  So, when we redecorated his room I wanted to incorporate them somehow.  I decided to hot glue little clothespins on the backs of each one and hang them from twine in his window.  Austin separated them between the two leagues... American and National.  Now he can move them around and keep track of their standings all year. He's all about the stats!!  (I've recently bought gray blinds that hang under the pennants, too, for privacy. They just aren't in these pictures.)

This old printers drawer use to hold my mom's miniature collection.  I thought it would be perfect next to Austin's desk so he could display some of his Lego and Halo guys.  It's usually empty... as they are often found scattered about the house.     

Just thought I'd share a quick peek inside his room.

I'm off to bed now.

Can't wait for 4:05 p.m. tomorrow!

Sweet dreams of home-runs...

Go REDS!!!

~this moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by Soule Mama

 

 

~last night~

finishing:

this book before the big brother and I have an "Adventure" and go see the movie 

missing:

 a friend who lost their battle earlier this week, as I look behind at the beautiful backdrop of my boy's practice field

wondering:

how in the heck that boy of mine is fielding that baseball and not breaking his left foot?!?!

proud:

of all the hard work, dedication, and love this boy shows towards the sport

amazed:

by the 'Spring' sunset my boy and I shared on our ride home together

Happy Spring to you and your loved ones!

XX

~this moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

~this moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

~take me out to the ball game~

Being a mom of two boys is the most wonderful gift ever. 

I had two brothers and always played sports with them and the neighborhood boys as a child.  My mother says I had a golf club in my hand from the time I could walk.  When we weren't on the course, we often hit the tennis court for fun.  In the summer you would find us either swimming at the pool or water skiing at a nearby lake. Winter shifted us onto the beautiful white slopes skiing.  Every season we were active doing something.  

The same thing holds true with our family of four now.  Wrestling, basketball, football, and baseball fill our calendars throughout the year.  We enjoy other sports, also, as our schedules allow.

Baseball seems to be the one sport that is a common passion in our family~ both playing and spectating.  Our older son has his first indoor practice tonight and it will mark the beginning of a new chapter in his life.  He will be on a new travel team this year and is really excited for this opportunity.  Austin has big, BIG, dreams.... he's very competitive and passionate.... and I LOVE that about him.  There is nothing stopping this boy!

My mind swarms with thoughts of visiting new ball parks, feeling the hot sun warming my back through the lawn chair, the smells of grass & soil, tasting the oh-so-salty-popcorn and hearing my son decide what color Gatorade he'll choose, the sound of a bat cracking, and the cheers from spectators. 

I will always be your #1 FAN, Austin....

in baseball and in life.