Steps to Broadway: High School Musical

Two summers ago N signed up for theater camp at our local community playhouse.  He was a singing, dancing ape in Tarzan and fell in love with the magic of the theater.  Since then, he's performed in four other shows and worked tech on three others.  Three of the shows he performed in and all of the ones he worked tech on were at the local theater.  The fourth show he performed in was the spring musical at his high school.We're fortunate to have an amazing community theater right in our town.  The productions are always top notch, including the summer shows put on by the kids.  Kids in 7th-12th grade stage a full on musical.  The program has become so popular that this year they are having two camps.  Yes, N is attending both! Last night was the opening night for the first summer show, High School Musical. N had his first lead role as Ryan Evans and he knocked it out of the park.(We can't get away from the baseball terminology in this family)

To say I am blown away by N's talent is a gross understatement.  He quite simply amazes me every time he steps onto the stage.  He acts, sings, and dances with such enthusiasm and energy.  No role is too small for him.  Whether he's a lead or has a small part in the ensemble he gives it 110%.  I have no idea where he got this talent.  But he has it in spades.  At least in my totally biased opinion! And judging by the number of people who take the time to tell me they saw him in this play or that play and how much they enjoyed watching him and how talented he is, I'm not the only one who thinks so!

We had front row tickets for opening night and as I sat there watching him up on that stage last night I felt myself tearing up.  (Big shock there!)  My middle baby, independent, determined, wickedly smart and funny, and who has always followed his own path in life, has found his niche. A niche where he is comfortable and happy, that has shown him the path he would like to pursue in life, wherever it may lead him.  Once again, I have a kid intent on pursuing what some would call a crazy dream.  Perhaps.  But I am enough of a dreamer myself to encourage him to pursue it as far as he can so that he never has any regrets.  In the meantime, I'll look forward to enjoying every minute of this crazy ride with him.

 With J and A after last night's performance

No I didn't fall off the face of the earth

Wow! Almost two years have passed since my last post! Guess life got in the way of blogging! Happy to say I'm hoping to rekindle my posts since i do enjoy the outlet blogging affords me.  For now, I'll fill you all in on what's been happening since my last post. Which really means updating you on my kids because everyone knows that's what this blog is all about.

I'll start with J.  My oldest baby is now 20, yes 20 years old! He went off to Belmont Abbey College and was quite happy there.  He loved the school, the baseball tram, and college life in general. Unfortunately, things didn't go as well as they should have and he has spent his second year of college back at home attending the local college.  He's done well and is set to return to Belmont Abbey for the spring 2017 semester.  Baseball is even still on the table which gives him great motivation.  In addition to school, J has been working at our local Publix and helping to coach his sister's Little league team.  He has a real knack for coaching and  think he may be considering a coaching career.  Time will tell.  So keep him in your thoughts and prayers for a successful return to the Abbey and the ball field!

N has discovered his niche in the theater.  He go involved in the excellent community theater in our town two years ago and has appeared in several productions.  He' not only an excellent singer and actor, he also loves working the tech side of shows.  He thoroughly enjoyed his first year of high school.  A big change is coming for him this fall though.  The other high school in town is starting up a fine arts academy.  N applied and was accepted.  He's so excited about getting to immerse himself in theater.  This summer he has his first lead role as Ryan Evans in High School Musical at the community playhouse.  He'll be turning 16 in September which hardly seems possible.  He's starting to think about college and talks about his future on the stage all the time.  I seem to have a knack for producing kids with crazy dreams!

That brings me to A.  My sassy girl is 10 years old and as sassy as ever.  She loves playing baseball, though she is considering a switch to softball.  And she is still heavily involved in competitive baton twirling.  In fact, this past year and a half has been a time of tremendous growth for her as a twirler.  She's twirling at an advanced level and holding her own against some very tough competition.  This summer she'll be competing in three different national competitions for three different twirling organizations, in three different states.  Stay tuned for updates from the road as we travel the country!

School just ended for us and we're enjoying our summer.  In addition to the baton trips, we have a trip planned with my family and a weekend trip with an awesome group of friends.  We're also hoping to sneak down to Miami for a quick visit with Coach C.  He just finished his second year of law school at Georgetown and is interning with a law firm down south for the summer.  So the summer is sure to fly by and it will be time to return to school before we know it. In the meantime, I'll be posting on a regular basis.  I hope you'll enjoy sharing our summer adventures with us!

Another Goodbye

Or maybe I should say so long til later, because it's not like we're never going to see him again.  Today we bid Coach C farewell as he heads off to Georgetown Law School.  We're proud of him and excited to see him pursuing his dreams to the fullest.

 When we first met Coach C back in April 2011, none of us had any inkling of the wonderful friendship we were about to be blessed with.  I was simply hoping for a decent baseball coach for my kid.  What I got was so much more.  Coach C was certainly a fabulous coach.  He also became a true friend to all of us, a treasured member of our family.  Hubby and I often joke that he's our honorary fourth kid.  To J he has been coach, mentor, friend, and brother, always encouraging, pushing, and challenging him to pursue his dreams.  He's been a terrific role model to all the kids, always showing them kindness and love, even while arguing endlessly with N.  N loves to match wits with him and Coach C is always happy to oblige.   And he remains A's hero, the object of her first crush, and without a doubt one of her favorite people in the world.

Together the six of us have enjoyed  baseball games, dinners, chess games, debates, laughs, and good times. I think we're all going to miss being able to get together on a more regular basis.  But I'm confident there will be a lot more memories made.  After all, roads were meant to be traveled, and this friendship got it's start traveling to baseball tournaments.  So even though things will forever be different with Coach C at Georgetown and J at BAC, it doesn't mean they'll be any less special.  Our boys have bright futures ahead of them and I'm so grateful to get to see them achieve the greatness I know they're destined for. I have no doubt they'll make us all proud.

Summer Update

Kind of left everyone hanging after my last post!  Sorry!  My only excuse is that April and May were a whirlwind, filled with lots of exciting moments and milestones.  A recap:

J wrapped up his senior season mid April.  His team was knocked out of the district tournament after one game and he hung up his high school cleats for good.  The team banquet followed on May 4.  After four years of ups and downs, he was ready to bid high school baseball farewell and move onto the next chapter of his career.  On May 6, J officially signed with Belmont Abbey College to play baseball for the Crusaders.  He had a signing party at school with friends and family in attendance.  It was one of my proudest moments as J's mom.  Knowing how long and hard he had worked towards his goal, and to see the joy in his face as he signed his letter of commitment was so very special.  Here he is with Coach C at his signing party.

And a shot of all of us, including my parents and brother,Coach C, the school athletic director and two of his high school coaches. 

Next up was A's First Holy Communion on Mother's day.  My last baby has reached this important milestone in our catholic faith, which is so hard to believe.  She should still be crawling around in diapers and here she is, eight years old.  I so enjoyed taking her shopping for a dress and veil and was pleasantly surprised when my often times rough and tumble little girl chose a very girly dress and veil along with a tiara and gloves.  Here she is on her communion day:

Two weeks after A's communion, J graduated from high school.  I'm trying to figure out where 18 years went!  We were able to celebrate with many family and friends, on both his graduation day and with a big party the day after.  My aunt and cousins were able to make the trip from Virginia to be with us which meant so much to J.  Here are a few photos from the weekend:

 Our graduate

 Hubby and J

 Me and J

  

A rare shot of the five of us

In the few weeks since J's graduation we have been settling into our summer routine.  N is attending a three week theater camp at the local playhouse.  He will be performing as a singing ape in eight performances of Tarzan at the end of the month.  A has two baton competitions this month.  The first is the regional competition that is being held about an hour away from us.  The second is a big competition in Myrtle Beach.  J is training with Coach C to get in the best shape possible before he leaves for college.  Speaking of Coach C, he graduated from the University of Florida last month and is headed to Georgetown for law school this fall.  We're so proud of him, even though we're going to miss him like crazy!  Luckily, my aunt and cousins live right outside DC, so it will be easy to visit him while visiting them. For now, we're all just enjoying spending time together, knowing that the summer will fly by at the speed of light.  All too soon it's going to be time for me to pack up the car and drive J up to Belmont Abbey, eight hours from home.  I get weepy every time I think about it, though I always knew that his dreams of baseball would likely take him away.  I have mentally prepared for it as best I can, though I know my heart is going to crack into pieces when he actually goes.  But I know he'll be doing what he loves and that will make it easier.  And I'm already making plans for us all to be in the stands for his first game as a Crusader!

Update From The Diamond

J is four weeks into his junior baseball season at school.  So far the team is struggling a bit, with a record of 2 wins and 8 losses.  Hopefully that record will improve as the season moves along.  As for J, he is personally having a good season so far.  When the season first began, J didn't get to play for the first several games.  Paying your dues and doing  time on the bench is just a part of high school baseball. It's what he does with the opportunities he does get that matter and he's making the most of every minute of playing time.  He's played the last six games, and has done really well.  He's been playing second base, which is very different from first base, which is J's best position.  He's handled it well, working as hard as he can to do a good job for his team.  At the beginning he made some mistakes, but the past few games he's done really well, fielding the ball with skill and finesse.  He's settled into a rhythm with his hitting, too.  The first few games he put the bat on the ball, but ended up grounding out or flying out.  There were a couple of unfortunate strike outs.  But the last three games he's gotten legitimate hits, beautiful line drives that will hopefully keep coming.  There's still a lot of season left and J really wants to make his mark.

Last night's game was a special one for him.  Even though Coach C has coached him for close to two years, he had never been able to attend one of J's high school games since he's away at school during the school season.  He's home on spring break though, and for the first time got to attend a game last night.  We kept it a secret from J for several weeks, wanting to surprise him.  He ended up putting two and two together though since he knew Coach C was home.  He was both excited and nervous, saying it would be strange having Coach C there as a spectator rather than a coach.  And more than ever, he wanted to play well so he could make Coach C proud of him.  Happily, he did just that.  Coach C was very pleased with how J played.  An added bonus was that Coach C's roommate T and his dad, Coach P, who helped with TP last summer, also came to the game.  Not only did they help with TP, they specifically helped J when he was working to fix those bad habits he fell into.  It meant the world to J to look up from his spot at second base and see part of his TP family there to support him.

I never doubted for a minute that J would play well with Coach C there.  Not only was it his pride on the line, but he simply wants to please Coach C, who has done so much for him.  Beyond that, they just have a quiet, unshakable bond that always warms my heart.  It's been nearly two years since J decided he wanted to play travel ball.  A chance phone call to the owner of TP set it all in motion.  Not only was J lucky enough to get Coach C for a coach, they were lucky enough to forge a bond of friendship that is as strong off the field as it is on.  For Christmas, J gave Coach C a baseball with a picture of the two of them on it.  Under the picture are the words, "Coach and player by chance, friends by choice."  Those words perfectly sum up their relationship.  

Turning 7

Tomorrow A turns seven.  I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that my youngest baby is seven years old, but there it is.  The past seven years have been quite the adventure.  I thought it would be fun to do a picture review of A's life.

Here's  our princess at a month old in her baptismal gown.  Is anyone surprised to know that A screamed throughout her entire baptism?

On the beach in Ocean City, NJ as a toddler.  She's always had that boundless energy and spirit.

Visiting Disney for the first time at two years old.  Note she liked to pose even back then.

Capturing ducks at the petting farm as a three year old.   I can't remember if she was screaming or laughing in this picture.

Four years old, running tame at the Little League field.  She went to the ball field for the first time when she was three days old.  Is it any wonder she's such a little baseball fan now?

This was taken in Hawaii when she was 41/2.  It captures her sassy spirit perfectly.

For her fifth birthday, she had a princess glamour party.  

At five she met Coach C and decided he was the object of her affections.  She continues to make us laugh on a constant basis with this one.  This was the first picture ever taken of the two of them and resides in a frame on her night stand.

Her brothers have adored her from day one.  Even when she aggravates them, they can never stay mad at her for long.

Her Christmas dance recital when she was six years old.  Yet another picture that clearly captures her sauciness.

Taken a week ago at her baton competition, our sassy girl just shy of seven years old. Whatever she does, she does it with sass and style.  She keeps us on our toes every minute of every day.  And every day with her is a pure joy.  To know A is to love her and I for one love her to the moon and back.  Happy birthday baby girl!

A Month of Milestones

January is going to be a big month for us.  First up, J is taking the test to get his driver's license on Thursday. Yes, he's almost 17.  I've made him wait until I felt 100% comfortable, or as close as I'm ever going to feel to 100% comfortable, before allowing him to get his license.  I can honestly say this is the scariest milestone I've faced as a parent.  The thought of him out on the road by himself scares the hell out of me.  But part of my job as a mom is to let him spread his wings.  So I'll get through it.  Somehow.

Another big milestone this month is my birthday.  I'm turning 40 in less than two weeks, which I guess is supposed to freak me out.  I can't say that it has.  Not yet anyway.  It's a bit startling to realize I'm at the tail end of another decade of living, but it's also kind of exciting to be beginning a new one.

A week and a half after my birthday, A turns 7.  This freaks me out a lot more than turning 40.  I've blinked and my youngest baby is growing up on me.  It makes me nostalgic to realize that for us, the baby days are done forever.  At the same time, how can I not be looking forward to another year filled with A's unique brand of sassiness and charm?  Whatever she has in store for me, it's sure to be entertaining!

So we're starting 2013 off with a bang.  May it be as filled with love, happiness, and blessings as 2012 was.

Pageant Traditions

Today our school had our annual Christmas Pageant, which is one of my favorite days of the entire year.  I tend to be a very sentimental person, and the pageant brings it out big time.  This simple retelling of the story of Christ's birth, in which every child in our school participates, is as much a part of our Christmas traditions as pajamas on Christmas Eve and leaving cookies out for Santa.  I can still vividly remember the first time I saw it, when J was in pre-k.  I was amazed at how much this humble little performance touched my heart.  Twelve years and twenty four performances later(two shows each year), it still moves me to tears.  I have loved watching my babies grow up participating in it.  Each year is a little bittersweet, signifying the passing of time and the speed at which they're growing up.  The first grade angels are my favorite part and tonight I watched my last angel make that walk down the church aisle, sassy smile in place.  I've been the head homeroom mom since J was in 5th grade and N was in kindergarten, which means I'm responsible for overseeing a lot during pageant week.   I, along with my dedicated group of homeroom moms, assist with costumes  rehearsals, and prop repair.  The day of the pageant, we set up for the reception that follows the evening performance, assist with dressing kids in costumes, and generally do anything that needs doing to ensure the pageant goes off without a hitch.  Pageant week is both exhausting and exhilarating, and I love nearly every minute of it.  During the reception, I enjoy standing back and watching families come together, kids congratulating each other on another great performance, alumni having mini reunions and reminiscing about their own pageant years.  At the end of the evening, as I'm locking up the parrish center, observing the school and church in the dark and quiet, I'm struck how much I love our school family, and how lucky my children have been to grow up surrounded by the love and faith our little school has in such abundance. 

Holiday Celebrations

Hard to believe that Christmas is just over two weeks away.  Like everyone, we're in a frenzy of holiday preparations.  The kids still have two weeks of school before the break and it's business as usual with all of their activities.  However, despite the frantic pace we do have some fun things planned to enjoy the season. Some have already happened and some are hovering on the horizon.

N's chorus had two concerts last week.  The first was a performance with Christmas with the Celts at our local performing arts center.  The second was a holiday concert with an adult choir and a bell choir from a neighboring town.  Both performances were an outstanding kick off to this month of celebrating.

Our school had a float in the annual Christmas parade this weekend.  A rode on the float dressed as an angel.  She smiled, waved, and sang the entire parade route.  Hubby and I walked the parade behind the float, while J participated in the float of one of the local Little Leagues.  N missed the parade in order to participate with some of the other school kids in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat at the local playhouse.   They sang two songs as the chorus in the production, participating in five shows over four days.

This week, I'm hoping to get to my holiday baking.  I usually bake an assortment of goodies to share with friends and family. I also need to finish up my gift buying, which is nearly complete.  Friday night A has a performance with the baton team in the Christmas show the dance school puts on.  Saturday we're going over to Busch Gardens for Christmas Town with some of my family and some of my brother's work friends.  They're supposed to have light displays, special Christmas shows, visits with Santa, and some of the roller coasters will be running.  The kids are really looking forward to it.   On tap for Sunday is dinner with Coach C.  He's coming to the house and I'm going to cook a Chinese feast.  I'm hoping it turns out well since I'm just starting to delve into Asian cooking.  We also have some Hanukkah gifts for Coach C and it will be nice to spend some time with him, visiting and catching up.

Next week will be a busy one since our annual school Christmas pageant takes place late in the week. It's my favorite holiday activity and the true kick off for Christmas in our family.  This year N will perform in the choir and A will be a first grade angel, one of my favorite parts of the pageant.  I'll for sure be keeping a tissue handy because I cry every year at this beautiful telling of the Christmas story.

After that, the kids will be out of school for two weeks.  We don't travel anywhere for Christmas.  Most of my family is right here, as is hubby's mom.  We'll host the annual Christmas Eve get together for the family, complete with new pajamas for the entire family.  The pajamas are a tradition started back when my brother and I were kids that continues to this day.  Kids and adults alike all have new pajamas to sleep in on Christmas Eve.  I'll take the kids to Christmas Eve mass in the afternoon.  My mom and I will return to church for the midnight service as well.  Christmas Day begins at our house as soon as the kids are awake, which will be early.  You'd think A, being the youngest, would be the first one up.  However, J is without fail always the first one awake, wakes up his siblings, and calls the rest of the family so they can get here in a hurry.   Everyone will gather to open stockings and gifts from us.  Then we'll move onto to either my mom's or my aunt's to open gifts there and have breakfast.  The gift opening will conclude at the third house where we'll have Christmas dinner.

Whatever your holiday traditions are, I hope the season is filled with much love and joy for you and your loved ones.  Remember to slow down long enough to enjoy the traditions and celebrations unique to your family, and to count the blessings in your life.

Saying Goodbye

Pets have always been a treasured part of our household.  I truly can't imagine our family without our four legged friends.  Sadly though, in the past two years we've had to say goodbye to all but two of our pets.  Two years back, we lost our cat Andy and our black lab Dixie within two weeks of each other.  Andy from cancer and Dixie from hip dysplasia.  Barely two months after that, N's guinea pig Smores passed away after a brief illness.  This left us with two dogs.  Missy, a yellow lab, and Dakota, a Catahoula Leopard/ Australian Cattle dog mix.  Sadly, a week ago, we had to say goodbye to our sweet Missy.  She had a skin cancer that caused tumors to form inside her mouth and all over her body.  She was almost 16 years old, and lived a long, happy life.  However, her passing has hit all of us hard.  You see, I adopted Missy and Dixie,  when J was 14 months old.  My own beloved childhood dog had passed away at the age of 16 and I coped with my sadness by bringing home two roly poly, 8 week old puppies who would bring us nearly 16 years of love and friendship.  From the start, the girls, as we liked to call them, were a handful.  They were mischievous and playful, wreaking havoc in our house and yard.  Yet despite the chewing, the digging under the fence, the running away(one time they were missing for three days) and the endless trouble they got into, those puppies grew up to be two of the best dogs a family could have asked for.  They were sweet natured, endlessly patient with J, and later N and A, and gave us all the unconditional love and loyalty that only dogs can.  When they were 7, we adopted Dakota.  It took a few days, but they eventually welcomed him into the family and he quickly became attached to both of them, but especially to Missy.  When we lost Dixie, Missy, who had always been the alpha dog, went through a long grieving process.  Over the next two years she aged more rapidly than she had in her first 13 years.  I honestly believe that if we hadn't had Dakota, she might have grieved herself to death.  When she first began developing the tumors back in late March, we had two options.  Costly surgery to verify what the was causing the tumors, or letting nature take its course.  At her advanced age, we opted to not have the surgery.  We wanted her final months to be as happy and comfortable as possible. And they were.  She didn't really develop further tumors until late August and even then, she was still her happy self.    These past weeks were rough as we struggled with knowing when  the right time to end her suffering would be.  Hubby and I both seemed to struggle with the decision more than we had with past pets.  For some reason, we had a really difficult time letting go of her.  I suppose because with Missy's passing comes the end of an era.  She and Dixie grew up with J, and were faithful companions to all the kids.  And my Missy was always the leader.  She loved and protected all of us, the other pets included.  Her absence is felt greatly.  The house feels empty and even a week later I still find myself expecting to see her lying next to my bed when I get up in the morning, or basking out in the sun in the backyard.  Poor Dakota is lost without her, and I have no idea how to explain to a heartbroken dog that the one he loved most isn't coming back.  We had Missy cremated and her ashes were returned to us on Thursday.  When Dixie died, we had her cremated as well, but never buried her ashes.  The kids felt that she and Missy needed to be together.  So sometime soon, when the kids feel ready, we'll lay our girls to rest together, which is how I think they'd want it, if dogs had feelings on such matters.  They were inseparable until Dixie died and I like to think of my two roly poly puppies being together again.  If dog heaven has a fence, it's a guarantee the two of them will be digging under it to go off an adventure.

 Mimi(Missy's nickname since J couldn't say Missy as a toddler) and Dixie  taken when they were about two years old.  

Our Life in Pictures

Things have been so busy since school started that I've really fallen behind on my blogging.  I'm hoping to be able to get back to regular posting soon, but in the meantime, I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite pictures from the last several months.  So here goes:  our summer in pictures.

 This is A in her sparkly TP shirt that my friend C made for her.  She wore this outfit to the majority of the games over the summer.  She's convinced it's a good luck charm for the team.

 A and Coach C's pregame ritual.  He hit her ground balls before every game she attended.

 Is she the cutest bat girl ever or what?

I just love this picture of my sassy princess.

 My all time favorite picture of A and Coach C.   She has this one in a frame on her night table.

 A competed in her first swim meet in July.  Here she is swimming butterfly.

 This was J's game changing hit in TP's championship game.

 Here he is at first base after his awesome hit.  That's Coach K with him.

 Coach C presenting J with his championship medal.

 After the big win.

 N playing mini golf in St. Augustine.

 N and cousin M

 This is hubby and I with Cousin B at her high school graduation.

 Hubby and Coach C during an intense chess game at our hotel in Jupiter.

 N doing duty as bat boy during the Junior Olympics tournament.

Most of the family at cousin B's graduation.

So there you go.  A sampling of my favorite pictures from the summer.  I'll get back to regular posting soon, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy this peek into our family album.

Baseball and Little Girl Dreams

This weekend was another busy one, with J having four games.  The first two on Saturday were for the high school's fall team.  Then yesterday the TP fall team traveled about 2 1/2 hours to play against a community college team.  J was excited about that for two reasons.  First the opportunity to play against a college team was both a thrill and a challenge.  Second, this college is located in the same town as Coach C's university, which meant we'd get to see him.  He doesn't coach the team in the fall.  With the distance and his school schedule it just isn't practical.   The owner of TP takes over during the fall, and while I do think he does a wonderful job, we can't wait for Coach C's return to the field next summer.

We had a great day, that started off with breakfast with Coach C.  He had plans for the afternoon and was unable to attend the games, but we left home early so we could spend time with him beforehand.  Following our breakfast reunion, we headed over to the nearby college field so J could take batting practice and get warmed up with the team.  I'd like to report that TP blew their opponent off the field, but I'd be fibbing.  This team was quite good, and presented TP with a very big challenge.  They unfortunately lost both games.  However, the experience was a valuable one.  J himself had both good and bad aspects of his game.  His hitting was off.  He had two strikeouts, a ground out, and a fly out.  While disappointed he didn't make a better showing, he says getting the chance to face quality college pitchers was worth it.  It enabled him to see what the game is like at the next level so he can work on improving his own skills in order to be ready.  Fielding he actually did pretty good.  He played right field and first base, making some good plays at both positions.  Those fielding mechanics have come a long way  since the start of the summer when he was having his difficulties.   Our friends  K and K were able to join us with their children for the second game, making an already good day even nicer.

Of course, A was thrilled to see Coach C yesterday.  It's been about six weeks since he returned to school and she's been missing him.  She still has a huge crush on him, and is actively planning their wedding again.  I always take him a care package when we visit, so this time she wanted to get involved.  She made him a little cake in her Easy Bake Oven, frosted it, and had me pack it carefully with the other goodies we had for him.  Saturday night she was so excited we had a hard time getting her into bed, and from the moment she opened her eyes yesterday, she was full of energy and excitement.  I lost count of how many times she asked if we were almost there yet.  We beat Coach C to the restaurant by about three minutes and she anxiously kept watch for him.  He greeted her with a big bear hug and from that moment on she was attached to his hip.  She kept up a running chatter during breakfast, and was thrilled when he ate the cake she made for him and told her it was delicious.  Later on she told me that was the best part of her day.  Honestly, I don't know when this crush of hers will start to fade.  She absolutely adores Coach C and has been telling me lately that I need to let her marry him before he becomes an old man.  I just laugh and tell her she can't get married til she grows up.    Her response is usually eye rolling along with some exasperated sighing.  Maybe one of these times I should ask her when she'd like me to schedule the wedding  just to see her reaction.  Although knowing A, she might take me seriously and try to drag Coach C to the altar!    I admit watching her innocent pursuit of Coach C still makes me laugh, especially because it freaks hubby out a bit, her being his baby girl and all.  Coach C, as always, is a champion, taking it all with good humor.  After all,  A has him wrapped as tightly around her sassy little finger as she does the rest of us.  A is already asking me when we'll see Coach C again, and even though I don't have an answer for her yet, she's happily making plans and dreaming her little girl dreams.  

The Roots of a Friendship

This past Saturday, J and Coach C spent a few hours doing some hard core training.  Afterwards, Coach C brought J home and stayed for dinner.  During dessert, we were reminiscing a bit about TP's trip to Auburn University last summer and how a moment during that trip became the defining moment of when our friendship really began.  That moment came when hubby decided it would be fun to spill the beans to Coach C regarding A's then newly formed crush on him.  He did this by knocking on Coach C's hotel room door and proceeding to ask him if his intentions were honorable.  Coach C was understandably a bit puzzled, and stated that he always had honorable intentions.  That's when hubby dropped the bomb(with a perfectly sober face) and said he was glad to hear that seeing as how Coach C and A were getting married and having a hot tub honeymoon. (That last part was a quote from A, who has a fondness for lounging in hot tubs.)  Now, I was not in the room for this conversation, but both hubby and Coach C have described his reaction in great detail.  Apparently Coach C turned about as red as a TP jersey and started stammering and stuttering until hubby took pity on him and reassured him he was just messing with him.  After that, there were really only two choices.  We all would become great friends or Coach C needed to run like hell as fast as he could away from our craziness.  Happily, he stuck around and we've nurtured a friendship that has become quite special to all of us.  I know others may look at us and think the friendship is a bit unorthodox.  I imagine  most people don't get as close to their kid's coach, especially one as young as Coach C.  It definitely started on the field, with Coach C and J forming a coach and player bond that is special all on its own.  Readers of this  blog know where that bond has led.  Coach C continues to train and mentor J not only in baseball, but in life.  J values his opinion highly, and looks up to him, like an older brother of sorts.  As the oldest, J has plenty of experience being the big brother, so I think it's been nice for him to have someone fill that role for him.  He is close to my brother, but he's 16 years older than J, whereas Coach C is only 3 1/2 years older.  So it's a different dynamic.  The rest of us love and value Coach C's friendship very much as well.  A of course continues to crush on him, still has plans to marry him, and gives any girl she thinks is getting too close the evil eye.  He, as always, indulges her, treats her like a little queen, and in general, spoils her rotten.  I imagine as she gets older her crush, which is really a huge case of hero worship, will turn more into viewing him as an extra big brother, who will always hold a special place in her heart. Coach C gets a kick out of N and his uniquely quirky personality.  The two of them spend time playing chess or video games and N usually has Coach C shaking his head or laughing at something he says or does.  Hubby loves nothing better than giving Coach C a hard time about everything  from work, (Coach C works part time at hubby's store) to his future nuptials with A.   Coach C gives back as good as he gets, impressing hubby with his quick wit and refusal to let hubby gain the upper hand in their verbal duels.  As for me, I simply love Coach C like one of my own kids.  He won my heart early on, when he saw something in J on the baseball field that others had failed to see.  Since then, he's continued to work tirelessly with J, he's good to my other kids, and is always appreciative of my work for the team.  After our stay in Jupiter, during which he spent a lot of time with us, eating meals and just hanging out, he sent me the sweetest message about how much he loves and appreciates our friendship.  It made me cry, and realize how very much I, too, love and value our friendship. The TP season is coming to an end and I'm not sure what next summer holds for J.  He'll be too old to play on the current TP team, which means he can't play for Coach C.  However, many of the parents and the other coaches are trying to convince Coach C it would be a great idea for him to move up with the current group of boys. I don't know how that all will turn out in the long run, but whatever happens, I know our friendship with Coach C will remain strong.  None of us could have foreseen on that sunny April day when J tried out for Coach C that the six of us would forge such a special bond.  This friendship may have gotten it's start on a baseball diamond, but it's roots run strong and true.

A Graduation and a Tournament

This past weekend, we traveled to Virginia to attend Cousin B's high school graduation.  Along the way, we stopped to visit some friends in North Carolina.  We hadn't seen them since September, so it was nice getting to spend a little time with them and catch up.  We spent the night at their house and continued on our way to Virginia Friday morning, arriving at my aunt's home shortly before 5:00.  She had gotten tickets for my dad, hubby, J, and Cousin M to attend the Yankees/Nationals game that evening, so they left for the metro station shortly after we arrived.  Much to J and my dad's delight, the Yankees beat the Nationals; in fact, they swept the entire three game series of the weekend.  Saturday morning Cousin B graduated, a fact which is hard to wrap my mind around.  She, cousin M, and J are all one year apart in age; she's 18, M is 17, and J is 16, all with February birthdays.  Her graduation marks the beginning of a three year period where we'll have a graduation every spring.  They've all grown up so fast.  I can still picture them as toddlers, ages, 1, 2, and 3 playing together.  They've always been extremely close and I hope that closeness continues as they move into adulthood.  I'm glad we made the trip up to share in B's special day.  I only wish we could have stayed longer.  J, hubby, and I came home Monday.  N and A stayed behind to go to Ocean City, New Jersey for the rest of the week with my parents and the rest of the family.

Which brings me to the second part of this post.  A recap of TP's tournament in Boca Raton.  Obviously we missed this one and from what I've since been told by Coach C, that's not a bad thing.  To call this tournament a disaster is putting it mildly.  The trouble began early in the week.  By Tuesday night, we still had no game schedule for a tournament that was supposed to begin Thursday.  Wednesday Coach C finally heard from the director.  The tournament start date had been pushed back to Saturday and the end date extended from Sunday to Monday.  Right away this caused problems, since everyone had planned their hotel stay around the original dates.  Several parents also had to work on Monday and were unable to stay past Sunday evening.  A call to the hotel solved the lodging issue.  The sales manager there was extremely understanding and wiling to do whatever he could to accommodate everyone.  Games were scheduled for Sat(two games) and Sunday, with Monday being dependent on how they did in those games.  However, by the end of the day Friday the schedule had been changed to one game Saturday, one Sunday, and one Monday morning.  Saturday afternoon I got a text from one of the other moms that they lost 5-2.  Then Sunday morning, I texted  Coach C and told him to be sure to let us know how that mornings game went.  He replied that the game had now been moved to 6:00 in the evening and a couple of our players were going to have to leave, which left the team severely short staffed.  That's when the fun really began.  Following that game I got a phone call from Coach C and he was seriously riled up at the tournament director.  The man had apparently been misrepresenting the tournament to everyone.  It was supposed to have been held at Florida Atlantic University, but had been moved to some high school fields.  Why?  The director owes FAU money from a previous tournament.  Needless to say they weren't allowing the use of their fields.  After Sunday evenings game, the director again tried changing the remaining game schedule.  By that point, Coach C was fed up and began questioning him as to why all these changes were necessary.  He tried explaining that players were having to leave due to parents having work and other obligations.  The director's response?  He threw TP out of the tournament.   From what Coach C told me, other teams were having the same issues with this director.  If you want my opinion, I think he's shady and is pocketing the entry fees.  Each team paid a pretty heft entry fee, yet many teams never played the minimum of guaranteed games.  My guess is he was inventing reasons to cancel games so he didn't have to pay the field fees and pocketing the money instead.  I would also wonder if the games were ever actually booked to begin with.    The very idea of this guy profiting off the backs of young players makes my blood boil.  We all know there is craziness and dishonesty in youth sports unfortunately.  But this level of corruption is a new low.  He misrepresented the tournament from the start by affiliating it with FAU, and likely has pocketed money from numerous teams.  I don't know if anything can be done to stop this guy.  But you can bet that Coach C and every TP parent will be certain to tell this story to anyone who might be considering registering a team for any tournament being run by this jackass.        

So what's next for TP?  We've decided to chalk this tournament up to crazy and move onto the biggest, best tournament of the summer.  We leave Friday to travel down to Jupiter for the USA baseball 17U East Championships.  Seven game guarantee, scout test day, and an opportunity for our boys to really shine.  I'll update from the road for this one since there will be a lot going on.  And let's hope TP brings home the trophy at the end!                       

My Birthday Girl

After N was born, hubby and I debated for a few years on whether or not to add a third child to our family.  Hubby was content with two, but I never felt like our family was quite complete.  Eventually hubby came around to my way of thinking and we found out A was on the way in May of 2005.  I can honestly tell you I would have been thrilled to have another boy but I was over the moon excited when we found out at 20 weeks that A was a girl.  My mom and I lasted less than 48 hours after the ultrasound before we were out buying all the pink and purple we could get our hands on.  And on January 18, 2006, A made her debut into the world, forever changing our family.

Even before birth A was full of sass.  She was the toughest of my three pregnancies and deliveries, giving me everything from raging heartburn to gestational diabetes.  She was feisty, stubborn, and independent right from the start, often earning herself the nickname the cranky princess.  As a toddler she was lightening quick and had a fondness for pouring everything from lotion to syrup onto the floor the second my back was turned.  More than once I found myself both exasperated and amused at her antics.  She's never been shy about letting us know what she wants, when she wants it.  And she protests, loudly, when she doesn't get her way.  A's sass and vinegar as I like to call it, is a large part of who she is. But there's also a softer, sweeter side to her personality.  She's a little girl who loves her stuffed bunny, reading bedtime stories, and tagging along after her big brothers.  She is equal parts tomboy and girly girl and part of her charm is never knowing which facet of her personality will be evident  at any given moment.  She's wickedly funny; we never know what she's going to say or do next.    Whatever it is, it usually makes us laugh, even when we probably shouldn't.

For six years, A has been turning our world on end and we wouldn't have it any other way.  She completed our family in a way that only she could.  When she was a few weeks old, I was changing her diaper  when hubby came into her room.  "You were right," he said.  I asked about what.  "About our family not being complete.  I can't imagine our lives without her."

Happy Sixth Birthday my sweet, sassy girl!  

Looking Back and Ahead

Another year has come and gone.  The old cliche about time passing faster the older you get is very true.  My kids are growing up faster than my heart wants to allow, and I'm trying to cherish every moment.

This year brought me so much to be grateful for.  My kids are happy and healthy, able to pursue their interests and dreams.  J has come so far with his baseball.  He continues to amaze me every day with his dedication and determination to make his dream a reality.  N has discovered a love of music that will hopefully stay with him for a lifetime.  He's blossomed as a singer and it warms my heart whenever I hear him sing.  A continues to be her sassy, unique self, and brings laughter and sunshine to our lives.  All three kids are doing well in school, for which I am very proud of all of them.  Hubby has a steady job with good security, providing all of us with all that we need and more.  I've been blessed with an amazing family that I couldn't be more proud of.

The year ahead promises to be filled with fun and excitement.  J will be playing high school ball again and continue his training.  In the summer, he'll play for TP again in what promises to be a fun and competitive season.  He'll be back in the pool by late spring, and is sure to go far in his junior swim season.  N is looking forward to beginning piano lessons and achieving his Arrow of Light award for Cub Scouts.  A will have three baton competitions in the upcoming months, as well as continuing with dance and Daisy scouts.  In June, we'll travel to Virginia for Cousin B's high school graduation.  The rest of our summer travels will be with TP as they travel the state for weekend tournaments.  When a new school year begins in the fall, I'll have a first grader, a sixth grader, and a high school junior, which is hard for me to fathom.  I plan to cherish and enjoy every moment of the year ahead.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy new year!  

Weekend Fun

This weekend was a typically busy one for us, though we did some not so typical stuff.  First up, N's chorus had their holiday concert Saturday evening.  Beforehand, the entire family went out for a late lunch at a Japanese steakhouse to celebrate Cousin C's birthday.  The concert was held at a nearby senior center as part of a holiday celebration for the members.  Families were  able to attend, too, and the chorus sounded wonderful as always.   The director, Mrs. S, does a great job with the group.  Below is a picture of N in his formal chorus uniform.

 
Following the concert, hubby, J, A, J's friend R, and I headed for UF, where J and R were scheduled to attend a camp on Sunday(N stayed behind to attend a cub scout event).  We spent the night in a hotel due to the early morning camp check in time.  Sunday morning, we headed to the baseball stadium for the camp.  Coach C joined us to observe the camp, much to A's delight (yes, she's still crushing on him).  J did pretty well during the camp, though Coach C did give him some things he needs to work on.  Midway through the day, Coach C left to attend an event at his fraternity and hubby, A, and I met our friend K and her three kids for lunch.  We hadn't seen them in three years, so it was nice getting to catch up.  After lunch, we met Coach C back at the stadium to watch the remainder of the camp.  Following the camp, Coach C took us on a tour of the UF campus, which we all, especially J, enjoyed.  We capped off the day with dinner out, where Coach C discussed J's training with him and outlined what he'll be doing the next several weeks.  Let's just say it will be intense!  I've included a few photos from the day below.

Fair Memories

Yesterday our annual school fair began its four day run.  We've been prepping for it for many months.  Hubby is the fair chairman, so fair prep consumes a large part of our year.  Each year presents new challenges and concerns.  The fair is the school's largest, most profitable fundraiser, so we want it to be a success every year.  This year was especially challenging for hubby because the amusement company the school has used for many years backed out on us six weeks ago.  Luckily, he was able to make arrangements with a new company and everything has worked out.

For my kids, the fair is one of the highlights of their year.  This is our twelfth fair as a school family.  Last night as I was walking around with A and J, (N was at Cirque du Soleil with his aunt and uncle) I couldn't help but think about some of my favorite fair memories from over the years.

Hubby and I worked the fair for the first time when J was in pre-k.  We worked the duck pond for two nights running and hubby was bitten by the fair bug.  In the following years he would get more and more involved in the running of the fair, eventually taking over as chairman when J was in third grade.

N was six weeks old at that first fair.  He made the rounds strapped to my chest in a baby carrier, wearing a hat to protect his little bald head from the sun.  Tonight when we go, I'm going to let him walk around with friends by himself for the first time ever.  He'll have his cell phone and be required to check in often.  It makes me nervous and a little sad to know he's grown up enough to have a little fair freedom.

A actually made her first trip to the fair in my belly.  I'd stay on my feet until my back couldn't take it anymore and hubby would plant me in a chair to rest.  Now I have a hard time keeping up with her as she runs from ride to ride and game booth to game booth.  She's fearless and rides any ride she meets the height requirement for.  

J spends his time running around with friends, or working in the game booths.  Since he's in high school now the fair is a great place for him to meet up with former classmates.  Last night he spent time working in a game booth and will take a shift as a dunkee in the dunk booth tomorrow afternoon.  Of course, in my mind's eye I'm always picturing him as he's been in years past, going from a little boy playing the duck pond to a young man doing his part to make the fair a success.

For me, I enjoy the sense of community and family that the fair brings.  All the parents watch out for each others kids, help in the booths, and share a wonderful sense of camaraderie.  It's wonderful to see the kids having fun together, the teachers and parents working together, and families getting to spend time relaxing and having fun.   The fair is a big deal,  to our school, our church, and our community.  And it's a wonderful tradition for my kids.  They look forward to it every year.  So do hubby and I.  Despite all the work the fair entails, no matter how exhausting it is, we love it.  For us it represents a special tradition we share with our children and school community.

Rainy Weekend

TP was supposed to play in their first fall tournament this weekend.  Mother nature had other ideas.  Torrential rain covered a good portion of the state all day yesterday and last night.  Today the rain is coming in short bursts, and everything is a soggy mess.  So instead of cheering on TP, we've spent the weekend inside.  We got the house cleaned and the laundry done.  J and N got their rooms cleaned up.  This morning we went to church and now I'm baking cookies.  A lot of cookies.  I'm bored and it just seemed like the thing to do.  I've got chocolate chip in the oven, dough for peanut butter chilling in the fridge, and oatmeal raisin waiting in the wings.  I'm estimating having at least 12 dozen cookies when I'm finished.  My freezer will be well stocked with about half of those.  The rest I'm boxing up to send to Coach C at college.  It's my way of thanking him for all he's doing for J.  He has roommates to share with, and they can certainly afford to eat more cookies than I can!  The kids are spending the remainder of the rainy weekend working on a school project(N), playing video games(J), and drawing(A).  It's been a very different weekend than the one we originally had planned, but the slower pace has been nice.

Time With Family

The summer is speeding along and tomorrow is a day we've all been looking forward to.  Aunt S arrives, along with cousins B and M, for a week and a half visit.  We haven't seen them since our trip to Hawaii last summer.  The kids love spending time with their cousins, and we have some fun things planned.  Aunt K has been busily making plans for a dolphin watch eco cruise, a dinner show at Medieval Times, and a visit to Disney Quest.  In between, we'll spend a lot of time hanging out around the pool, and probably hit the beach at least once.  And of course, since we can't go for more than a two day stretch without baseball around here, we'll go to a few games.  Team TP plays locally Thursday night and J is stoked because Aunt S, Cousin B, and Cousin M have never gotten to see him play.  The whole family is planning on attending.  We should fill the bleachers and give TP a good cheering section.  There's also the tournament on the weekend, though I'm not sure who all will go to that. 

We get together every year for an extended family vacation.  This is one of the "off" years, when we stick closer to home and do more low key things.  No matter where we are or what we do though, we always manage to have a great time.