Rangers 10 - Marlins 1

So tonight was Peter's first game of coach pitch baseball! It was an exciting event and all had a good time. Being the head coach I was a little nervous as to what our first game entailed, considering we were up against last seasons first place team, the Rangers.

All of our kids played great, given that 7 of the 9 have never played organized baseball. Despite some untimely bathroom breaks, lots of overthrows, a ton of strikeouts, and an opponent that put 5 runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning, Peter, and the rest of the Marlins, gave it a valiant 5 inning effort, but came up just a few(9) runs short of a win.


Peter played catcher and really enjoyed being behind the plate. He did a great job and is starting to really grasp the concepts of the game.


The team was cheered on by the whole family, including some cousins who came out for the night. We look forward to a wonderful season and many more years to come of little league ball.
It was the first game of the first season for this budding little ball player, who when I tucked him into bed tonight and asked what he thought about baseball, he replied, "Dad, it was the funnest thing ever."

P.S. Peter went 2-3 with 2 singles and the teams only RBI. (Run Batted In for those non-baseball fans)

Success Again!

It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that.




1. I successfully did four push ups this morning! I know that doesn't seem very impressive, but doing four means that yesterday I did three, and that all week I have also subjected myself to an equally modest amount of lunges. Castles are built with small stones!

2. I, without shedding a single tear, successfully did a little less with dinners this month so I could spend a little more on diapers. Maybe next month Luci will see why purchasing Fillet Mignon is so much more enjoyable than a large box of diapers...

3. I loaded and unloaded the dishwasher twice every day this week, meaning, the stack of dishes in waiting never grew higher the rim of the sink. They don't seem nearly as depressing when not spilling out all over the counters.

Reading Before Bed

And no, neither of these pictures were staged, just the wonderful reality I walked into after cleaning up the kitchen a few nights ago.

What a blessing these kiddos are!

Cuddle Bugs

Luci has been studying hard in the classroom...

Or maybe "reading" is just another excuse to cuddle with her big brother.


In fact, Luci is so fond of it that cuddling has become an official activity in our house. I was refused a hug the other day, without hesitation, because, and I quote, "no, my cud Pia now!" And when I reminded Isabelle of her horses accidentally left to pasture on my living room floor, I was put in my place with an exasperated response, "I can't now mom, Luci needs me to cuddle with her." But not all the results of cuddle time are heart ache and rejection for Mommy. The other children have learned well the manipulation of childhood infatuation. Now, before I can summon the composure to once again interrupt my work to address the frantic screams of "No Luci, NO, not the..." my children suffer a severe bi-polar attack and in a remarkable display of vocal tenacity, they begin to express delight and amazement at how they just realized the sibling in the other room desperately wants to cuddle, immediately. Within moments the unsuspecting bystander is being lead down the hallway with Luci and her blanket in the lead.

Once I, by way of the voice in the other bedroom, found myself subject to a violent need for physical connection with my fourth child, the only drawback being that, as pictured above, the official act of cuddling requires you sit sideways in the chair. As my initial attempt at "cuddling with Luci" was exactly what you would expect of a mother sharing a chair with her child,... sideways... I have not suffered any subsequent attacks.

But Luci, thankfully, continues to need it with her siblings daily.