summer vacation

Hello folks! Summer break has officially started around these parts. We are four days in. But whose counting? Last Wednesday, Miss Petite and I met the big kids at the bus stop with "last day" treats. She was very excited about passing out surprises to each kid that came off the bus.

Then we congratulated the newest second grader...

...and fourth grader.

Yikes!!! Next year I will have a 4th grader, a 2nd grader and a kindergartner. *blink, blink, blink!*

We have been getting to know our newest family member. And, yes, I've accepted her as one of our family even though our introduction to each other was a little rocky. I allowed her nest to stay and she has kindly not pooped all over my front porch. A compromise? I think so.

She's surprised us with "The Bird Project" which we've enjoyed immensely. At last report, there were only two eggs, but shortly after a third appeared. We read robins typically lay four eggs but between 3 and 5 is normal. Our Ms. Redbreast has decided her clutch is three strong much like my little irish family. Which makes me like her even more.

Now we wait. According to our online searches on egg hatching of robins, we have about a week to wait. Ms. Redbreast dutifully sits upon her clutch and waits as well.

Last night a few friends came to visit to kick off the summer vacation right! We had our first sleep over in this house as our friends came to us from California. Kids in every nook and cranny giggling, reading, and playing. A few tears were shed about going to sleep and we are all a little loopy from the lack of, but it's all in good fun.

We spent the morning eating breakfast at the local cafe, playing games and climbing trees. What's better than that?!

Today actually felt like summer for the first time. Although the sun hasn't been terribly sunshiny, the weather is delightful. I've enjoyed the windows being open and filling the house with that delish summer smell. We said goodbye to our friends this afternoon and then the house was suddenly quiet.

We occupied the rest of the day with watermelon jolly ranchers and being lazy. There were lots of things I thought about doing but in the end decided I was too tired to do any of it. The summer has just started, we've got lots of time, right?!

the story of third place

The boys in my life have played their first AAA competitive baseball season this Spring. It was tough and fun. The amount of rain outs and rescheduling alone was overwhelming. Many lessons were learned though.

Baseball is the ultimate game of life skills; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose but there is always a lesson to learn within the game. Lessons one can apply to their life which I love. I feel like I can talk to El Fuego until I'm blue in the face and to him I sound like the adults from Charlie Brown cartoons. However, for some reason, when the rules and skills from baseball are applied to real life, it clicks.

My Mr. Hawthorne is a firm but fair coach. He wears his emotions like his clothes. I thought his hat was going to pop right off his head from the pressure he was feeling for his team, the Mariners.

You see, the kids had managed to squeeze into the championship games and this was THE final game. If they won this game, they won the third place spot. But if they lost, then they walked away with another hard lesson learned.

It was touch and go at first. Our team was behind by six runs at one point. I worried about how I would lift the spirits of my players once we returned home. Slowly, our players picked away at the opposing team until it was down to the wire. A real nail biter of a game. 

Eleven to twelve. Mariners up by one. Bottom of the last inning. This was it!! Mr. Hawthorne put El Fuego in to pitch clean up.

The pressure was intense!

El Fuego cracked a few times declaring he couldn't continue on. Through the tears he managed to strike out two players, but he also had a player on first and a player on third, both itching to steal another base.

Finally the pressure was just too much for El Fuego. He walked off the mound in tears. The game, and the win, was on his shoulders. Ultimately, he didn't want to be the player to lose the third place win for his teammates.

Mr. Hawthorne switched El Fuego to catcher and the catcher to pitcher. Quick thinking but worrisome none the less. The other team threatened to steal second and home which would score a run for their team and put the teams into a tie.

But then it happened.

The player on first was in position to steal second base. Our pitcher threw in a pitch. Their batter missed. El Fuego caught the ball, popped up and threw a line drive down to our first baseman. The stands went silent, every parent holding their breath. Our first baseman caught the ball. SMACK! The sound of the ball hitting his glove echoed. The field rep yelled "OUT!" and the Mariners erupted, flooding onto the field hugging and jumping and celebrating.

El Fuego broke down once again, emotional from the pressure and overjoyed with the win. The eye of the tiger his coach proclaimed. It was an incredible experience!! Third place never felt so good!

(Celebration!)

(more tears and more celebrating)

(El Fuego and Mr. Hawthorne coming off the field)

 

(the team)

(our first baseman and El Fuego)

(collecting his trophy, still emotional and oh so happy)

the usual suspects

Last week El Fuego and his third grade class has their end of year party. The room mom took a bunch of pictures. This one cracked me up!!

the bird project

A couple weeks ago, a very determined robin started building a nest upon our porch light. She was extremely messy during her construction phase. I was slightly annoyed by her building and she was slightly annoyed that my desk is in the front window. We had a few stare downs, she and I, but in the end she managed to get her nest built. And, I reluctantly let it be in spite of the mess.

Roughly five days ago, after we made peace, I noticed the construction had come to a halt. Her nest was complete. So I cleaned up her feathering droppings and snapped a couple pictures of her progress announcing "The Bird Project" to be finished. Because this wasn't her first attempt at nest building upon the porch light. In fact, this was her third attempt which might explain why she and I were at war.

She would start to build and I would tare down and clean up.

Over the last two nights, we started to noticed Ms. Redbreast sitting in her nest and our presence wasn't scaring her away. It was odd being that we had never actually seen her in the nest that she was so adamant about building.

This morning, my suspicions were peeked, so I climbed up, yielding my camera, to take a gander. I was pleasantly surprised to find two shiny blue eggs. I waved my white flag and made a decision right then and there not to fight over the porch light anymore.

Robin = 1, me = 0.

So there you go. I thought "The Bird Project" was done, but in fact, it's only just begun.

Stay tuned!

UPDATE:: Hours after posting The Bird Project, Ms. Redbreast surprised us with egg #3.

father's day 2011

Today is Father's Day, but it was also Little League day. We took the family to the ball park and celebrated Mr. Hawthorne in style. Talk about two birds, one stone!! We took a lap around the field and even managed to score an autograph. Then we watched the Mariners win! Happy Day!

This picture has a funny story. When you are on the parade lap there is a person about every two feet who tell you to "Keep Moving" even if you stop for a half a second. It is slightly annoying. The Mariner Moose came running up and I was under pressure to snap a quick photo. Mind you the lady working the lap is telling me to shuffle off but the moose is standing still. So I went as fast as I could and this is what I got.....my camera setting was zoomed in and I cut Miss Divine out of the picture. Oh well.

Autographs!! Miss Divine and El Fuego squeezed in.

Behind home plate even though we were in the nose bleed section. We now know why it's call the nose bleed section as El Fuego had himself an actual nose bleed.

Happy Father's Day to the BEST dad in my life!

We love you!

dear dad

You've missed it....

end of the year parties

This week has gone by in a flash! I can hardly believe it's Friday let alone the end of the school year. The big kids are wrapping up their last few days of school. Next Wednesday they are let out for summer vacation.

In anticipation of the end, both classes had EOY parties yesterday complete with water balloons, sack races, egg relays, lunch, and ice cream truck visits. I was on hand for both to snap a few pictures.

The 1st graders enjoyed a pizza lunch and loads of games.

Ohhhh, so close!

The 3rd graders celebrated in the afternoon and were rewarded with a stop from the ice cream man.

Then the kids played sports and ran around until their faces were beat red.

baseball

The boys in my life have been playing one heck of a baseball season this year. It's been filled with ups and downs to say the least. They are currently on track to play next week for the third place spot. Which for playing competitive baseball for the first time, that is a pretty awesome accomplishment. I wish them best of luck and congratulate them all on a season well played!

roller skating party

Miss Divine up and decided to turn eight in the midst of all the chaos. With out even asking I dare say. Where does the time go?? One minute you have sweet babes babbling and cooing. And, the next moment is filled with raging hormones, sports, BFFs and whether or not an outfit looks cute. She, of course, has been nothing but thrilled about being a year older. I must admit 8 is a pretty magical age to be. And, I only wish for Miss Divine that hers is filled to the brim with it. 

We celebrated her actual birthday with a roller skating party at the local roller rink. It was a blast!

Probably the easiest party I've ever hosted. I loved it! 

After the party, we surprised Miss Divine with a trip to the bike shop so she could pick out her birthday present. She has been clunking around on the same wee bike since she was four and it was painfully obvious she had outgrown it as her knees practically bumped into her chin when she rode it.

That evening we took her to Red Robin for the obligatory song singing and ice cream sundae. (Her choice). 

Happy Birthday Miss Divine!

We love you!