I am now officially a trend setter!

This is Dallin's new fashion statement; he apparently wanted to be just like his mother!Yes, Dallin is wearing a boot like mine, only smaller. I have often told my boys to quit wearing their socks so they have an inch or two of sock flopping off of their feet. I warned them someone was going to get hurt and break something. As usual, they did not listen. They were both wearing their socks 'floppy', and messing with each other when McCade stepped on the floppy part of Dallin's left sock, (this was an accident), causing Dallin to stumble backwards and catch himself with his right foot. He screamed and yelped; I thought he had just twisted it. However, after 30 minutes of what was obviously intense pain, I took him in. At first they thought it was just a bad sprain, but 24 hours later the radiologist called the clinic and told them Dallin had greenstick fractures on the second and third bone in his foot. Now he gets to wear this for four to six weeks. On the upside, he can take it off and go swimming. (That is very important to a nine year old in the summer!) On the other upside; it is nice, as a mother, to have your children prove you right.

In another streak of good timing, Dallin finished his baseball games the Thursday before. This is his team; they were the Mariners. Dallin is fourth from the left in the front.

This is the baseball kid!

Dallin in his batting stance.
This is one of his best buddies; Byron. He was also on his team.

Mac and Tacey are still playing ball, so we are still at the park a great deal of the week. Enjoy the video!

McCade playing first base.

McCade batting. I personally enjoy him hitting home plate with the bat.

The softball queen, playing her game.

Have a nice day!

Danielle

Quick One

Do you know why this Snowman is smiling? Because he could live here with ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR of losing his life. It snowed last night. With this June snowfall it means it has now snowed at least one day of each of the last ten months.

This is a quick post; we are all well. I am up to my hairline in stress; Thesis being due on Friday. We are playing lots of baseball and softball, wishing it would warm up.

Danielle

Baseball, Softball etc.

Tonight was one of those nights where I needed to be two places at once; it seems to happen alot with all three kids playing sports. Mac and Tacey had games at the same time. I looked at the schedule with the kids and we collectively decided that I would go to Mac's game tonight and Tacey's next time. Anyway. . . Mac hit onto base twice, struck out once and caught a beautiful pop fly to get the hitter out when he was playing short stop. His team lost 15-7.

I did make it to the end of Tacey's game; she was catching (and doing a pretty good job at it). She said she did hit and made a run. Her favorite part when she was batting, strangely enough, was when the pitcher threw the ball and hit her in the hiney. (She likes to brag about her war wounds. . . ) I thought it was pretty good to actually hit her hiney, since she really doesn't have one. That particular wound balances out where she got hit in the stomach when she was pitching to the Junior Girls team at practice this morning; the team she Assistant Coaches. The little girl who hit her felt really bad, Tacey said that one didn't hurt but the one on her hiney did. She also played first base and catcher. They usually shuffle the girls around so they get experience playing different positions, but except for the one inning she played first base, she was catching. From what I saw they would have had alot more outs if the girls playing the bases had been really watching the game. Either way they won 19-18, and got free ice cream from their sponsor; who just happens to be restaurant. Tacey got the ice cream gene from all of her great-grandpas, grandpa and dad, so now she especially motivated. . . .

I think that is it!

Danielle

Day Camp

Isn't he cute?

Mac is going to day camp for cub scouts. His wolf leaders were taking the boys in his den for 3 hours of fun in the park with a tons of other equally energetic cub scouts. Even though I could have sent his brother, who is a bear, along I decided to give Mac a day to be an individual as opposed to half of a pair. He was however, a little concerned. He commented that he and Dallin always helped each other when they went to new places; he wouldn't have that if Dallin stayed home. Of course he was fine when he got there and saw all of his friends.

Have a happy day!

Danielle

Hours at the Park.......

Tacey had her first Softball game tonight. She has been up to her ears in the sport; attending a clinic yesterday, today and tomorrow, assistant coaching a Junior Softball team, (she plays Senior Softball), and assistant coaching Tee-Ball. She was happy her team got pink shirts; her favorite color. These shirts come as part of the package when we pay the sign up fee. But her sponsor and coach asked us to chip in some more money so they could get everyone matching black baseball pants, black visors, hot pink socks complete with Snoopy playing baseball, and ribbons to tie their shirts. (The girls roll up the sleeves and then tie ribbons around them through the neck of the shirt to make it look more like a tank top. Shane thinks it looks really silly; I told him to get used to it because it was a girl thing.) Her coach said their first goal was to intimidate the other teams by how good they look. This is Tacey dressed in the final result. Her team lost, but she had a good night. She played first base the first innning. Then she got to pitch the second inning; which really made her happy. She wanted to pitch last year, but the coach of that team wouldn't let her. She threw as many strikes as she did balls, and caught a pop fly to get one of the girls out. She also controlled the ball well and got it to the right bases to make the right plays. The third inning she played third base. She never got to hit, but never struck out. She walked onto base twice, and stole her way around every time. She likes to slide; she's not afraid to get a little (or alot) dirty. This is video of her pitching!

Dallin also had a game, he didn't hit but walked onto base twice. He has a good eye and a little strike zone. He made it home the second time, the first time they got the third out while he was on third base. He also beautifully fielded a ball and got it to the right base. So, it was a great baseball night for him! (His team also lost.)

This is Dallin warming up for his game.

McCade had practice tonight, so you will begin to his game results next week.
That's it for now!

Danielle

The end of School & lots more baseball.

Tacey just finished her first year in Middle School. This is their logo/mascot. Yes, those are baby potatoes dancig. Shane and I think they look like dancing terds.

Well, Tacey spent 3 days at 6th grade science camp this week. They went to a 4-H camp in Alpine, WY. The first day was excessively warm and many of them got sunburned. The second day they woke up to snow and it rained from then on. Thankfully, Tacey has inherited the sneaky gene. There is a traditional, completely planned, absolutely impromptu water fight the last night of camp; boys against girls. Tacey wore her rain poncho and switched teams mid fight. Now, the boys knew this, they didn't get her wet. However, the girls didn't know this, so they didn't get her wet. Considering it was 10:00 at night and 38 degrees, I think the sneakyness was a good thing. When she unloads her camera we'll see if we can post a picture or two. She also announced she had an end-of-the-school-year party at her friends house that night. They roasted marshmellows and hot dogs and drank root beer. Then they played night games. Ah, the joys of picking up your children at midnight. She has another party tonight; the life of a socialite.

Dallin and McCade will now be at the same school; which is one less place to combat drive for a dropoff next year. Hooray! Dallin was sad. His class made yearbooks for each other and the other students wrote him wonderful messages that made him realize he had many more friends than he thought. They also wrote about themselves. This is what Dallin wrote;

"I like Algebra and Math. I like Math and all the books I read. My favorite book is Summer of the Monkeys. I am terrible at spelling, but I am a good kid."

Things like this make a mother cry.

McCade was peppy as usual. He's just glad he has no more homework.

THEN, we got the perennial parental privledge of freezing while we watched 2 hours of baseball in 45 degree weather. Dallin hit the ball the first time up to bat and was brought in by his friend's double. Can I say there are few things more fun in this world than the look on Dallin's face when he runs into home? The next time he got up, he struck out. And the last time he got up he was walked on to base, and was brought in by his friend's home run. (He friend had a very good night.)

Please remember all the wonderful people who have fought and are fighting in many different ways for the freedoms we enjoy this weekend.

Happy Memorial Weekend!

Danielle

Real Men Play Baseball in the Rain

Dallin is still playing baseball, and I have to say that he and his team never once let the unpredictable Idaho weather distract them from playing their hardest. However, the wind would come from the west and be cold, then the northeast and be even colder. Then it would come from the east and be warm. Frankly, it was all a bit random. We did get cold rain during the game; I wondered if they were going to call it. The sky looks cool though! They never did call the game, and the boys played hard in the rain. I sat, once again huddled in my blanket. Dallin kept his head and remembered to jump out of the batter's box when one of his teammates was stealing home even though he was getting very wet. He did play right field as well as center field. He also was walked onto base, and then stole his way around and scored a run. I know his team won, but as we all know I am not the most baseball-savvy person; I don't know by how much.

Danielle