Baseball and Field Trips

Baseball is what we’ve been doing a lot of lately. Riley’s games have really become exciting to watch as there are now boys in his league who can knock homeruns over the fence. Riley isn’t quite there yet but he has gotten a few line-drive doubles and made some exciting plays in left field. Last night he jumped to catch a fly ball, caught the ball in the air (he and the ball were in the air) but then the ball fell out of his glove. Exciting even though he didn’t get the out! Catching fly balls in the air is still somewhat rare in this age group. Riley is the youngest on his team, the only one not to have turned 7 already. And since they are playing in the 7/8 year old league, there are a few mostly-8-year-old-team that have smeared them. But they have improved some each game and had a great near-win last night. Exciting! What’s also fun is that Riley is now looking for Braves games on t.v. and will sit and watch inning after inning of a professional game.

Owen’s league is always fun to watch too. Owen is not as into the sport as Riley but then again Riley wasn’t so into it at that age either.

Football sign-up is in a couple of weeks. It seems like the two seasons get closer and closer together. We’ll be done with baseball by the end of May and then football will start practice in July and games in August. We’ll get a little break at least and only have 1 son playing in football. It’ll be at least another year before Owen is ready to try that.

We have so much to do around our house and yard too, but there just doesn’t seem to be enough time. Lance did get ½ the garden tilled and hopes to get the rest done this weekend. Then there is planting the garden, but that is the fun part for Lance. I still have those azaleas to plant and the grass is in bad need of cutting again. The chickens are in their new home although there is some work left to do there too – build a gate and then clean up all the scrap lumber.

Wednesday I went with Riley and his first grade class to Noah’s Ark. It’s an animal rehabilitation facility and also has a children’s home for foster kids. I was paired with Riley and 3 other boys for the morning adventure. Would you believe I forgot a camera?! Lance had it all setup and ready for me and I left it sitting on the kitchen counter. The trip was fun. The kids got to pet a few animals – deer, goats, lama’s, ostriches. And they got to see many more – bear, monkey’s tigers, a lion, buffalo, tropical birds, chickens and the favorite by far of the 4 boys in my group - alligators.

Hard to believe school will be out soon. We’re all looking forward to summer which brings vacation, swimming and lots of fun outside.