One and done

  

Today was a busy one.  Saige’s ball team played in the tournament in Pomona.  They played against Osage City.   Saige’s team has struggled a lot this year with fielding, with hitting and I think being on the younger end of the 15u age division.  Tonight didn’t go well for them.  They played hard. It was hot.  They struggled with completing plays.  It was just not their night.  Or for that matter, not their season.  I do think Saige had some fun.  I do think she is planning to play next year, and is already thinking about ways to improve.  I’m proud of her for keeping her chin up when things didn’t always go well.  I appreciate the people who gave their time to coach her team, and I hope these girls will continue to play because I do believe they will improve with time, and more practice.  

That being said, one team down, one to go!  

Norma has fully adapted to life with electricity and air conditioning.  I have to laugh when it is time for potty breaks she doesn’t really like going out.  When it is time to come in, she is usually more than ready!   She and Carlos are getting along much nicer now.  She and Ollie are besties. Blitz….well she tolerates her and I notice nips her to keep her in line. Which is exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted Blitz to train the puppy.  

The girls stayed with Aunt Mal today.  Aunt Mak has figured out if she brings them for a swim, they take great naps!   I love how, even though she can’t talk get, Wrenley gets what she wants.  And what she wants is auntie Harper.  

Mallory took some birthday/4th of July photos for Madison. Ok I am so in love with the wagon picture.  I cannot wait to get it into a frame.  But the one above, the one where she is making her F you face- that one I will love forever!   I have said from day 1 she is a kid with a million faces!  She knows how to use them too!  

The skies a were amazing this morning!  

Jim helped me wrestle Ollie into the bathtub.  He looks so clean and fluffy!   Unfortunately it didn’t really help the smell much!   He loves to roll in gross junk!  

And that’s all I have for today folks!   Exhaustion and the need to sleep are winning currently.

Colin tries out 26

 

Today is Colin’s 26th birthday.  It has been a shockingly fast ride to this place in life.   I am so proud of this kid - who is not really a kid anymore. He is building a great life for himself. He has a great woman by his side, and a job that he loves. He really and truly seems happy, and that makes any parent proud and happy.  

I was a bad parent and forgot to send a gift in the mail last week.  Luckily, Mallory decided to make a quick trip down for his birthday dinner, and she was willing to deliver for me.  Jim picked out a Bass Pro gift card.  Colin thanked me, and told me he plans to use it to buy his noodling license tomorrow.  Which brings me to my next point. This boy has never had an ounce of fear.  I think that all of the fear he should have comes out in me instead.  He never learned to ride a bike- not the way we think of with dad holding the bike up while you learn to balance. Nope. He just begged Jim to take off his training wheels, got on, and took off pedaling down the road.  He also had no idea how to stop, so he just crashed the bike -  and came up giggling. He was 4.  I had a mini stroke.  Jim smiled and clapped.   And that’s how it has been his whole life.  Want to jump from a plane?  He will go with you!   Want to go noodling?  He knows a spot, Want to do a dangerous job but have someone make it seem like it is amazing and fun?   He will let you job shadow him.   Once I asked him why he always liked doing dangerous things and he responded  "I am living my life to the fullest mom!”     Indeed you are.  And even though it occasionally gives me anxiety, I love watching you succeed, have fun. and do all the things you dream of.  Happy Birthday - we love you!  (Thanks for the bday photos Spencer!).

Also today, we started tournament time.  Harper and Saige are both playing in the same tournament.  Harper had her first game tonight.  Her team played against Burlingame.  At one point, Harper’s team was down by 8.  She walked over to the fence and said “At least we can stay home later this week!"   She was wrong.  They came back and won by 1.  So now we get to go back all week long!   No complaints from anyone there!  It was hot tonight though. On the way down the bank clock said 101.   As the sun started to go down, I thought wow too bad we didn’t have a later game, it’s nice out now!   As I drove home, the bank clock said 98.  Maybe I fried my brain out there?   My Nissan’s ac blew out.  Thankfully, Quincy purchased a different car today, and hasn’t sold her Subaru yet.  She was kind enough to let me drive it - and I was happy to have ac after the game!   Hopefully I’ll get my car back soon!   

Evelyn also played in her tournament game tonight.  Her team lost.  I guess she was like yeaaaa now we can stay home momma!  Maybe she was hot?   

I guess if you need me this week, I’ll be sitting in Pomona. 

Last game for Harper

 

I was laughing to myself about my husband. He is truly one of the most softhearted people on the earth.  He had all the dogs outside working.  They were moving dirt into some holes around the yard and he had all the dogs helping him.  He was teaching Norma to ride in the truck.  He was taking them for rides down the road, which our old dogs love and he is hoping that Norma will love to “go for a ride” as well.   He is already in love I think.   The man loves dogs.  He would never admit it, and honesty, he wouldn’t ever be the one to stop off and buy an Amish puppy - he has more self restraint than some of us.  But when these things drop into his life, he just makes them part of his world.  It makes me happy.  I might add that he had the neighbor’s dog helping as well.  He is quite popular among canines.  

You might also notice that there are fake flowers in the truck.  We have been battling squirrels eating all my flowers in the pots at the end of our driveway.  I had them really looking nice.  They have disappeared one by one.  I tried putting out other types of food, hoping the darn squirrels would eat that instead.  And they did.  But then made dessert out of my plants!   I read online that they won’t eat geraniums, but it’s getting late enough that the plants in the stores are fairly picked over. For this year, I am resorting to fake flowers.  Squirrels are jerks.  ;)

It is hard to stay mad at squirrels when I get to wake up to this though.  I guess I will decorate with fake flowers and stop hating on the wildlife, because every day I get to live here feels like a blessing.  

Harper played her last regular season games last night.  The games were against West Franklin.  (The same team that run ruled Saige’s team twice).  Now I am not one who gets overly emotional about ball games.  I will freely admit that even after having kids play ball for the last 25ish years I still do not know all the rules.  I love watching my kids have fun with their friends, I love people watching, and I absolutely love a good ball park nacho, spitting sunflower seeds, and seeing people I haven’t seen in a while.   My girls like to play, and they are having fun but neither of the girls we have left playing are overly competitive people.  They play for fun.  And I’m happy to go watch.  My husband - he likes rules and order.  So when rules are not followed, he tends to get a little grumpy about it.  And last night, there were multitudes of things to get concerned about.  What started out as a couple of softball games somehow escalated into their coach storming into our dugout, 15 year old umpires trying to keep them from fighting, a mom jumping in to push her husband out - and parents on both sides gettin a bit mouthy.  Jim didn’t get into a fight with anyone, but he did point out each rule that had been violated, making some people in the crowd around us even more mouthy.  Nobody was hurt, their coach was ejected,  I sort of sat there wondering how things went from 0 to 75 in such a hurry.   Harper got in the car afterwards and was like uhhh mom how do people get so mad about something that really isn’t all that important?   Good question kid.  Good question.  It is likely that one or both of the girls teams will play this team again next week at the tournament.  I hope it isn’t quite as rough!   Harper’s team lost both games.  Losing to that team isn’t a real bad thing, they are pretty good.  I’m ready to wrap things up and reclaim evenings, I can make my own nachos at home.  Maybe I should add here that there are things nobody tells you about having a big family.  Or things I never really thought about.  I love having my big family. I wouldn’t trade a minute of any of it.  However, we have quite literally been doing summer ball, school stuff, 4-H, religion Ed, and whatever else for over 20 plus years.  Mallory and Madison started tball 24 years ago.  That is a long time. We have seen some stuff.  We know some folks, including ones to avoid.  We are now not only watching our kids play, but have started watching our grandkids play.  We are getting old. And grouchy.  And perhaps a bit jaded.  I am trying hard to be as enthusiastic for my younger crowd as I was for the older ones, but it is hard sometimes.  My prayers will always include that I can raise all of my kids to be good, happy, productive people.  I saw in Harper last night that we are being successful.  It made me proud of her.  Ok she’s a sarcastic, somewhat smarta$$ but she’s smart, and knows how to keep a level head.  She is good people.  

Mid week holiday

Jim has this week off.  He got his stitches and drains out yesterday.  He is feeling pretty good and was happy to sleep a little more comfortably last night.   

I had today off for the Juneteenth holiday.  Now there is little that makes me happier than a paid day off, but I spent all day feeling like it was a Saturday.   Tomorrow is going to feel like Monday I’m sure of it.  My days are all mixed up!   

I am glad I had today off.  It rained all day long!  We had at least 2 inches of rain, and that was before the latest round went through!   It was a great day to sleep in, cook a late breakfast, clean up and do some laundry, and rest a little bit.  

Mallory was on babysitting duty.  She brought the girls out to meet Norma.  Evie loves her - even though Norma was a little bit obnoxious while she was here.  She thought Evie was a great chew toy!  Today, we started to see Norma’s actual personality.  She is smart, but also a puppy who needs a lot of training!   We ended up putting her on a lead line today. It made a big difference in her attitude!   I had to run pick up a couple of things at dollar general. I brought her home some chew bones.  Carlos has taken them and was trying to hide them behind Jim.  Then Mallory came back out and brought a few chew toys from her dog’s toy box.  Carlos stole those and hid them as well!  Clearly he isn’t on board with being a big brother.  At least he has stopped trying to kill Norma though!   It is progress.  

In addition to the actual holiday, my fb memories tell me today is the 5 year anniversary of Cameron purchasing his first appliance (a toaster).  Celebrate accordingly.  

I do think that she is a good dog.  We just have to remember how much work it is to train a puppy.  I needed a project.  (I always need. Project)