Volcanoes Baseball Game

The kids love going to Volcanoes baseball games. They had an Awesome 3000 night where all the kids wearing their Awesome t-shirts got in free and got to go onto the field to meet the players. The kids were soooooo excited about this. We were also ready with a sharpie to get some autographs.

They loved seeing the real dugout!

The players have a lot of patience to give all these signatures. It was really cute to see how exciting this was for the kids.

Ellie brought a softball, one player said he had never signed a softball before. She also got a minibat at the game and Jack got a hat.

New rooms

The first week of summer we worked like crazy to organize the kids' room so they could each have their own room. Ellie is 10 and it is time for her to have her own space. So we finally got the bunk beds separated and look how they slept for the first night. They are such good buddies. But by the second night Ellie was ready to sleep in her room with the door closed. I'm not sure I like the closed door. We have also been on a hunt for posters to decorate. Ellie put the CD player in her room and was very excited to go buy CD's. She is definitely growing up.

A little more All Stars

Ellie's team played one more game and lost again. The second game was much tougher and it was also really hot. It was a really good experience for Ellie and she improved in the week and half she participated in All Stars.

Base running is not her specialty but she tries hard.

She swung and the ball fouled off her hand which really hurts. The first ump sent her to first base until the field ump called it foul and brought her back. She handled it great. Her finger hurt and was swollen but she hung in there.

The official line up, this is nothing like the regular season but she said she liked this part. She is the girl on the end.

Jack, Kameron, and Kian

Doug and Nathan with their dueling big cameras.

Worn out!

All Stars

For the first week of summer Ellie has been practicing every day for at least 2 hours for softball All Stars. She is on the 9-10 year old team. This was a much bigger deal than we ever realized. First we moms worked like crazy on pennants for each girl, yard signs, and goodie bags etc. When we got to the game we realized this was not your ordinary game. They had 2 real umpires(not just a parent in the field). They checked all the equipment, wouldn't let anyone enter or leave the dugout. They even had to get special permission to let a couple girls go to the bathroom. They announced their names and had the girls line up on the field. I'm sure it was overwhelming for Ellie. We are so proud of her for being out there. She was in the dugout the first three innings. In the fourth inning she got up to bat twice. She fouled a ball off her hands and her finger was really hurting but she hung in there. She got walked twice and once was able to come home. Then she played third base. Her team lost by the mercy rule after 4 innings but they really did very well. Final score 24-14. I was very proud of her. She will play again tomorrow and we will have more pictures coming.

The pennants we worked on. I had three days in a row of going out to Michaels for supplies. Somehow I always seem to end up in charge of softball things.

We arrived early so the team had some time to play uno in the shade.

Up to bat

She's on base

Love the jersey

Playing third

The team with the coaches

Man she looked cute. One of the parents brought the matching eye green stickers

Summer begins with a bang

So much for lazy mornings and relaxation. Summer began with swim team and softball All Stars for Ellie. This meant a 9:00 swim practice and a 2 1/2 hour evening softball practice. In between I learned that there are all sorts of mommy duties required of all stars. Each girl needs a pennant to hang in the dugout and a lawn sign in front of the house. So each day I had a Michaels craft store run. Then my mom and I have been working in the kids' rooms to get them organized so they can have their own room. I signed up for this craziness and it is really good for Ellie. I am so proud of her. Luckily at each practice Jack has some of his friends so he has been a good sport about going to these practices. The first softball game is tonight so I will update with lots of pictures.

Ellie is a really strong swimmer

The boys don't play their DS the entire practice but I have to say thank goodness for the DS

The decorated car ready for the big game

And yes I was part of the team decorating all those lawn signs.

Happy Father's Day Doug

Father's Day 2010 was a very low key day for us all. Ellie's birthday always falls very close to Father's day and that always is where our focus goes. This year we were especially tired after Saturday at Bullwinkles and a sleepover. So Doug was happy to get to sleep in very late. I made him a big breakfast and the kids were so excited to give him their presents. Then we had plans to go visit a nursery or do something else Doug would like but everyone was too tired. We just laid around and watched baseball. We went to our favorite Sunday night dinner spot, The Ram. That is Doug's favorite. Thanks for being such a great dad and understanding that the middle of June is really devoted to Ellie. We love you!

Birthday Party

We had Ellie's birthday party at Bullwinkles in Wilsonville. We had Ellie invite two friends and then we got them the day pass. We told Ellie if we had fewer friends we could do a little more for a party. Both of her friends were on her softball team. We also took the younger brother of one of her friends to play with Jack. After hours at Bullwinkles the girls came to our house for pedicures, manicures, makeup, hair, dancing, movies and sleeping over. What a great time. Jack spent the night at his friend's house so the girls had the house to themselves.

Ready for the skytrail

Antonia ready to balance

They ended up doing this track a whole bunch of times. I was hoping to wear them out :)

Bumper Boats, Doug was having a good time squirting the girls from the side.

Kassidy

Tonia

They got really wet

While the girls were on the bumper boats I took the boys golfing

Me and my girl

They loved the frog hopper. I bet the girls did this at least a dozen times.

They also loved the Max flight roller coaster and worked it out so they all took turns riding together.

Lazer tag, Ellie was the high scorer for the green team

Air hockey with Dad

We have smiles after hours at Bullwinkles

She wanted a softball cake so we had them make the ball yellow instead of white

The girls are all pointing to where they play on the field

Showing off painted toes and fingers

Look at the fabulous straightened hair and makeup

Yes that is me in the top of the picture. And yes I fell asleep before the girls. I think this was around midnight. A long but super fun day!