Tori's a Grad

My niece, Victoria, graduated from high school tonight at the Maverick Center.

Last League Games of the Season

Max, Markus and I were sad to see the regular season come to an end. They have loved it and I have enjoyed watching them play so much.

Max will still have more super league games to play but this was his last year of little league.

Little Umpires

Max was asked if he wanted to make $20 bucks tonight at Markus' game, by his Tribe coach, Barry. Max wasn't too sure if he wanted to ump - even if it was for a peewee game. He agreed to do it but told me afterwards that he never wants to do it again! Lol

Tie Breaker

The Tribe tied with the Horns! 6-6!

Since it was a playoff game, they went to a tie breaker. It was intense and exciting with the Horns finally winning 8-7. So the Tribe is out of the tourney and won't be playing on Monday but they played a couple of great games!!!

Tribe Wins!

The Tribe just pulled out a win versus Militia! It was such an exciting game with the Tribe winning 8-6, to move on to the seeding game for championship day on Monday.

The game versus The Horns just started ... 2nd inning. Horns 1-0.

They're going to need a ton of luck to win this one! Lol

Memorial Weekend Tournament

Max and the Tribe won their first game yesterday versus the Blast and lost their second one versus Lone Peak.

Today they played the Rocks and won 10-0. Next game is versus the Militia in an hour. Wish them luck, they are going to need it. :)

13 Reasons I love Max

I want to capture this moment in time and celebrate thirteen things I love about being the mom of one very awesome boy.

1. He loves to play ball. There isn’t a day that I can keep him off the “field”. Not only does he have fun playing, he came to watch Markus' game, get some fresh air and even helped him develop a skill or two on Wednesday.

2. If you can dream it, he can build it. From Legos to trains to forts to fridge boxes turned into space ships, Max loves to create. Max will sit with Markus —literally—for hours, always patiently helping him build and imagine things. Or he will go outside and play for hours on end, just Max and his little brother.

3. Max loves a good laugh. I’m big on manners, but I’m also big on having fun. So each meal our table becomes the stage for my boy to tell silly stories and make the family giggle. He laughed today sharing Hayden and Cole's eighth grade graduation party with them at Airborne.

4. Before you know it, the sweetest hug can have you flat on your back. This boy does everything with gusto and it’s hard not to get caught up in his enthusiasm.

5. Each day provides an opportunity to take a leap. And these days that leap is off a bed, the stairs or a trampoline. But I love watching him fly into the air without a care in the world. My heart drops a bit when I realize the risk he's taking, but as the wind blows through his spiky hair and his face lights up, I can’t help but hope this fearlessness is something he carries with him through life.

6. Physical confidence is a gift. It seems Max was born to throw a ball, glide on a long board and climb mountains (well, playgrounds at least). His awareness of his body and pure strength is a quality I really admire.

7. A noisy house is a sign of happiness. My boys are usually loud. Really loud. It’s just the way they talk, play, laugh, sleep…you name it. The past few weeks have been really quiet, but most the time I love their joy for life.

8. Worms, spiders and mud are to be loved. Before I had boys, I either overlooked or hated many of nature’s simple wonders. Now I know that worms can dance. I see beauty in the symmetry of a spider web. And I’ve seen that a shovel and a little dirt can provide hours of (messy) entertainment.

9. Riding his new long board that he bought with his birthday money from his grandparents and aunts and cousins, calls for a celebration. Same goes for a bike, a scooter, a rip stick—or any other vehicle with wheels. It’s just the little things, not the really big ones, that can turn his good day into a great one.

10. There’s nothing wrong with a mama’s boy. While Max adores his dad and would choose him 7 times out of 10 when it comes to the fun stuff, I’m the one he turns to for comfort and hugs.

11. Max's perpetual smile

12. His playful personality

13. And from his first birthday to his thirteenth I have loved being his mom, every second. He has made it easy and a joy.

Max is 13!!!

My Max-boy is a teenager now.

1...2...3 Strikes

Marky's been playing a lot more aggressively lately - where he used to get walked most of the time when he was up to bat. Now he strikes out. Progress?

10 Things I Love About Baseball

1. Hot Dogs

They never taste as good as when you eat them at the ball park.

2. Fans

Even the grandparents and elderly come to watch. Many of them once watched their kids or grand kids play. And, even if the grand kids have grown, they still come out to the ball fields in the evenings, cheer on the kids, eat hot dogs and talk with the neighbors. They know something about community spirit that is special. We could all be coached by them in some way or another. They make being a part of the crowd feel like there's no other place we'd rather be.

3. Camaraderie

My boys get to yell, hit things, get dirty, spit seeds and burp without getting in trouble and I love it! They are not afraid to jump right in and get to work, make friends and have fun. Sports have a way of bringing kids together. Teamwork is a beautiful thing.

4. Strategy

There is a strategy to the game. Sometimes it's serious, sometimes its humorous. And why is it that only about half of the lights on the scoreboard usually work? It's so funny to sit in the stands and hear the debate over the score, "It's 8 to 3. No, it's 3 to 8." And, every once in a while someone will throw a meaningful look up at me in the score box, squinting through the sun, just to see if I'm paying attention.

5. Playing Catch

Tossing the ball around, watching Markus hit a line drive to get a ground rule double, this is as good as it gets.

6. The Umpires

They still grunt, even at peewee games. I've always thought that umpires have special powers. The power to intimidate. The power to be dramatic or suspenseful, depending on the call. The power to pause and play the game. And, when they really give their best, I can see right through their over sized teddy bear brawn and into their big, soft hearts.

7. Coaches

I've always thought that Dad's that coached their kids were extra cool. The dad who makes time for his kids and actually knows sports, which is a bonus, coaching out of pure love is one thing, but coaching with love and skill is another.

8. Girls Rule

Girls get to play right along with the boys. And some are better pitchers! Hailey pitched two no-runs scored innings today.

9. No such thing as Failure

A 30 percent success rate in most sports isn’t very good. But in baseball, when Max fails to get a hit seven out of ten times, he is one of the better players. In baseball how often you fail is less important than your timing when you do succeed.

10. Snacks

Need I say more? :)