Baseball....

 I have to say of all the sports, baseball is not one of my favorites - I enjoy it, but it's SLOW. I like soccer, no, I love soccer and volleyball because everyone is in on every play. Baseball, not so much. Only if you're the pitcher, catcher, or batter. Lucas and Abbey wanted to play, so we signed them up for a new league in the area. Love the shirts and hat. Love their enthusiasm for playing and the friends they get to meet and play with and the parents I get to hang out with too. :) Abbey played t-ball with Coach Porter and the Rangers. Lucas played kid pitch with Coach Farris and the Orioles.

 t-ball there are more parents on the field than kids....haha!

 other children ran around bare foot and the eldest of this family ran around with her friends who weren't play either.

 we went to take team pictures and Abbey was petting a dog!!!

 playing catcher

 On to the big kids.....what is that kid doing in right field!?

 the little brothers - Mo and Mitch

 yes mom, I will pay attention

 the sisters - Lea is the one in the pink and light jean shorts

 first at bat - wahoo! Go Lucas!

 first pitch and bam! you could hear the hit all around the field. He was still standing so that was good. I heard several friends yelling for me, but I was already there. I held back because the coaches were helping him. So I stopped to take pictures. :)

 This really is my favorite picture. I asked him if he was okay, he told me yes and I said good, get on first base and run to second. :)

 He made it to second! :)

 and then Boston got hit by a pitch. Poor kids - it was a rough night for the batters and pitchers.

 A new game:

 Team photos: sadly these are the best ones. haha!

 Coach Scott, Brad, Hugh, Enoch, Logan, Max, Carson, Coach Steve

Mason, Lucas, Jonas, Boston, Jared, Josh, Devon

 got a piece of it - foul ball

 Finn - love this kid.

 running the bases after the last game

 Abbey and Ethan

 Coach gifts and one last team photo. A beautiful night to end on.

 Awards night - honestly could have been just fine not having this and just getting the trophies at the last game.

 Abbey and Jonathan

 that pretty much sums up how we felt about the evening - it was HOT.

Spring soccer

I LOVE SOCCER. If I could play with them, I would, not coach, play. I would join a women's league if there was one in this little corner of Phoenix.

Spring soccer has come and gone, but we still have some fun memories and photos to look back to.

Due to field issues, only the younger age groups were able to play, so we signed up Lucas and Abbey - they have improved so much since their first season - it's fun to see them all grow and play together with their friends and teammates each season.

 Lucas and Stevie Faller - this game was pretty intense and it was the last game of the season.

 she got a toe on it and poked it past Lucas, but it looks cool

 one intense goalie back there and these girls on the team were awesome! do you like the little arm to the stomach and she fights for the ball!? Reagan, Alizane and Sophia

 I can't remember their team name - they should keep the same name along with the same coaches so I can remember it. :) 

Coach John, Lucas, Samhith, ?? ,??, Estavon

Sophia, Regan, Alizane, ??

 these 3 crack me up - they dressed up for 'twin day' at school, but I didn't get a picture of them together. I have one now!

 Not to be left out - the rest jumped in the photo

 a trophy is only as good as what you can drink out of it - red Gatorade.

 Abbey's team:

Coach Dyson, Abbey, Drew, Zane, ??

Jaron, Darrien, Clara, ??

 awwwww, these 2 - love them! Drew scored!

 this girl loves to be moving and getting the ball - she is in this game to win it! :)

 Back to Lucas and a little coaching strategy  - amazing the are all paying attention with such focus.

 To entertain the rest, we send them on races....

 and Mo finds a shady spot out of the heat to play my kindle. complete with back support and kindle support. hahaha. Lea is nowhere to be found - she was off with her friends...

GOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and an impartial referee.....Jeff)

 this is how she waits for a throw in.....are you scared?! I love it!

Spirit Week - we've got spirit yes we do!

We've got spirit - how bout you!?

I'm not totally prepared for spirit week every year, but the kids love it, so we make it up as we go along. :) It give them a chance to dress out of the normal uniforms and me a chance to find cheap, usually free ways to help them participate.

We have:

Crazy hair day

Abbey had crazy hair day and pajama day.

Twin day: (I made the shirts with freezer paper logo and bleach in a spray bottle)

Lea an her friend Jeramiah - she came up with the glass on her own - pretty good match

 Lucas, Samhith and Estavon

 Jersey day: the infamous Risenmay/Fitzgerald combo....

 Flashback Friday - I made Lucas' shirt from a stained uniform shirt with permanent markers and rubbing alcohol. Lea had all those clothes in her closet. :)

I realize that's only 4 - I think the first one was crazy sock day - that's every day for my kids. Happy spirit week!

caught up

I'm almost caught up to April......only about 2000 pictures from April til now. Our Europe trip is completed.

Back in the USA

 We took a taxi from the hotel to the airport - no trains.

 

 saw this guy in the South Carolina airport - knew he was famous, but didn't know why. Say yes to the dress - Atlanta.

 how to get a sincere smile.....photo-bomb your own picture with a goofy face.

 Love France and Love England - until next time!

We arrived home to this: missed our kids.

London Temple

 Beautiful, serene, peaceful, quiet. Away from the noise and chaos of the city life, away from the distractions of a civil wedding. Again this was my favorite, very favorite few hours of the trip. I would have given up all the rest to just be there for the few hours of the Temple sealing. (The sealing is not that long, but I wanted to stay there for hours)

 wonderful maid of honor and friends - waiting out the cold while Alyssa and Duncan froze taking pictures around the Temple grounds. :)

home.