Opening Day Baby

Opening Day of Baseball
I love opening day. You get to see everyone you can think of and you can watch 14 different games for free! Daughter made her tball debut at the same time son made his pitching machine debut. And would you believe they batted at the same stinkin time each time at bat. But they each had a world of supporters. My grandmother came in the windy cold and cheered on all 5 of her great grandchildren all morning!


And of course their was Nana who was most concerned with the wind and no jackets on the kids. All the grandparents had a tough job. You see not only were my two playing at the same time but my twin nephews were also playing at the same time!

There was Paw Paw and Bec Bec.
There was Karen and Madison who had to work really hard. She had to run back and forth between son and daughter's game to tell me what was going on so I could run back and forth.
I still can't believe the twins are old enough to be playing ball. They are super cute and I even got to steal a minute to run to watch them too!
Welcome to the gun show! Just kidding. These two cousins both sporting the #3.
Daughter and her Carter! I mean how cute are they? Makes you want to come watch them play doesn't it? Or at least be a Cubs fan!
The pink helmet is on and it is game time! She got a double her first time up to bat and I think she smiled the whole time. I heard a daddy telling his son, "the girl on your team is hitting better then you!" Oh I love crazy ball park daddies!
And every time across the plate she had to slide. Hilarious. Aunt Chell asked her where did you learn that? "In my socks on the hardwood!"
But this little boy is my favorite first baseman. He got 6 outs and made a double play defensively. His first time up to bat he got a triple. And the only reason I know is because husband would give hand motions showing me. It was awful not being able to watch all of each child. But I know by the end of May, I will have seen enough! And these kids are loved and cheered for by so many others then just me and husband.
I love this picture because my grandmother is sitting there with her head wrapped up watching him hit! This was her third game to move her chair and watch in an hour!

Team Roach Rocks!

Ball is back!!

Son is back at it...but this ain't t-ball. I don't think I am raising the next Big Poppy but wow is it fun to watch your son play sports. He is in machine pitch this year. He is with his same coaches from years past and we are happy to be back with our same friends and new ones! He will be sporting a Marlin's uniform. If there is one thing he is not happy about it is the teal uniform!





Daughter has always marched to the beat of her own drum. If you say blue she says purple. It is her way or no way. She decided this year was going to be gymnastics and t-ball. Well we quit gymnastics last week so she could focus on something else...and so mommy did not feel like a crazy person. She has wanted to play t-ball for a year. We told her last year she was too young and then she saw kids younger then her playing...we were busted. So this year she is playing t-ball with all her favorite peeps.

Her two Jonah's!

Her Carter.

Yes, she is the only girl and I'll let you know when that will bother her!

Donut Wars

Dunkin Donuts in new to our neck of the woods. But my good northern friend has been raving about it for oh so long. When they opened here it shut down four lanes of traffic. I mean people waiting hours for a Dunkin Donut. Daughter is now a fan of doughnuts after finally agreeing to "try" one at a baby shower. If you know anything about daughter, her thighs are the size of my wrist. She needs all the help she can get eating fat! So one day after school we went to see what all the fuss was about.
These are the three doughnuts we brought home. I am not a huge doughnut fan. I mean I like it but it is not something I ever buy. I have had my fair share of Krispy Kreme's and prefer them warmed. However, Dunkin Donuts won me over hands down. Their coffee might be better then Starbucks...(gasp brother in law Terry) and their donuts as they like to spell them are just splendiferous. The donut is thicker and cakier then the Krispy Kreme which is lighter and sugar glazed. Friends it is goooood.
This is when son had the swine flu but he and daughter both agreed best donuts they had ever eaten. I feel like a trader on my southern roots for voting for the typically northern donut. I have learned that it is a North vs South donut war and this Confederate momma just wants to eat what the Union eats.

Barefoot

Our church participated in a One Mission Celebration this past week. I have been a Christian my whole life and have never been moved as much as I was this past week by missionaries. It changed my heart and how I view missions. On Sunday, we participated in Shoes 2 Share for victims in Haiti. Husband, son, daughter and myself left church barefoot. I know that my kids will remember the day they left church barefoot more then they will remember any canned food drive or money left. And the video features one of my favorite people...even if they did spell her last name wrong. You are still famous to me and my little girl! (We love you Molly GRICE)

I Heart Her

How can she be going to kindergarten next year?

Gone But Never Forgets a Thing!!

Okay blog readers. Who remembers Jacyln? She does not miss a beat. She never forgets a thing. But to back up this story...here is a little foreshadowing for you. I don't know if I really believe in foreshadowing but it was a literary term I had to use in high school. A long time ago, okay 3 years ago, there was a yard sale. Jaclyn and Karen were having yard sales. They lived across the street from one another. I went to sale stuff at Karen's house. We had walkie talkies to talk to each other. There were a group of runners running by the yard sale. They stopped and one runner bought Jaclyn's dining room table. I kidded with Jaclyn that day and asked why she was not running with them...she laughed and said, they are crazy.



Well here is your foreshadowing...that was my running friends, Kerri and Paige. Paige bought the dining room table. Never did I dream that I would run with those girls. Never did I dream I would live in Karen's house and Jaclyn would move. That isn't just foreshadowing, that is God's divine plan in my life. Anyway...I never even get to talk to Jaclyn and I get a box (in the first picture) in the mail. Filled with everything I need to survive my half marathon. I mean who is that thoughtful? I tried to run with her once. I never tried it again. She is a machine. I still to this day could not run beside her. But she ... she shows up when you least expect it. She is gone but never forgotten. I LOVE AND MISS YOU MY DEAR FRIEND.

I don't go all the way just 13.1

It all starts with carbs. Good friends send you Edgar's cake to carb up on! Thanks BRE!

Son got to run his last mile of the kid's marathon. He ran his mile in 8 minutes and 25 seconds.

My Grande View running buddies decorated my doors and mailbox. This all started this summer sitting on the chairs at the pool. Kerri and Tracy adopted me to tag along behind them on their runs. At first it was like pulling teeth. One would yell at me and one would encourage me. The months past by and they would always be ahead of me whispering. Whispering about how many miles they were going to make me run. Next thing I knew, they were training me for my first half marathon. Tracy was injured this fall and could not run. It was sad for her and all of us. Hard to run without her and her singing. So what does she do? She loads me songs on my ipod for me to listen to...her songs she sings to me when I hit my wall. Usually at MILE 8. Kerri never gives up on you. Even though I am always a mile behind her she is constantly cheering me on. She calls you and gives you heartache when you don't show up to run. She keeps your kids so you can run. She calls you and ask you when you are going to get your miles in...she is your coach. She is also your friend. When others were telling me I could not do it. When others were tearing me down...she was building me up. A running friend is a friend forever. I am happy for my forever running friends.

Me and my Valentine!

Grande View Hoodies, Kerri and Paige, who I trained with ...they ran all the way ...26.2!!

This is mile 5 when I see son for the first time. I was so over come with emotion that I ran up on the sidewalk and kissed him. He said, "go mommy, you can do this!!" *sigh*
My hero, my husband, my Valentine. He torn his ligaments in his ankle on mile 4. He ran through the pain and finished the race in 2 hours and 31 sec. Unbelievable. He can't walk without crutches but he says it was worth it. When I saw him at the finish I thought is he about to cry for me or is he hurt? He was hurt. When he made it to me, I took one look at him and knew he was hurt bad. But despite his pain, he stayed out there to yell at me and love me. That is the best Valentine's present I ever received. We ran our first 5k together and our first 1/2 marathon together. Not many couples can say that.
Me approaching my cheering friends on MILE 8 up the biggest hill known to men. Seeing my running buddy who is injured and can not run...the one who yelled me through many of miles while I was trying to learn to run. She would sing to me and take my water to make me run to her. It was a bitter sweet moment that she was out there yelling at me to keep running. I heart you Tracy my yankee friend. The man right behind me quit right after this. All day I kept thinking, well at least I did not quit.

Son and April's husband and boys waiting on us to finish this thing.

Me and April about to kick this thing. This is when I see all my friends. I start the ugly cry right about here.

The hug at the finish. Such and emotional and euphoric feeling.

I have cheered for this little boy so much in his short life. I have been there for every game and almost every practice he has ever had. But on this day he came to cheer his mommy and daddy. That is a moment I will never forget. He was so excited for us. I saw him at mile 5, 6, 11 and the finish. I know that is a moment that will live in my heart for ever.
April, my finisher buddy. April and I met when our son's played tball together. She and I have run together many miles and ran my first 5k togher last year. We caught up with each other at mile 9.5. We were done. But we rock so we finished!!!!
You know your true friends. They get up at dark, ride with people they don't know. Cheer you on in cold weather just because they wouldn't miss it. And if that wasn't enough. They end up baby sitting your kids that same day so you can take your husband to the doctor. And then they end the day by feeding you steak and lobster for dinner. It was a great Valentine's thanks to friends like this!
I still heart her after coaching me to do this! She is my hero. 26.2 for her! And how can she look this good after funning for close to five hours! Because she rocks! She is as sweet as the day is long and thankful God brought her in my life.

The Roach Finishers!!!