Believe it or not!

Ok, I know that my blog has been dead for a long time now...but hey life is busy. Maybe this little entry will be enough to jump start my blogging habit once again. So enough about that! Here's a little spring summary of our life...

We got to sit through almost 4 innings of Matty's first baseball playoff game tonight (IN THE POURING RAIN). I'm sorry, I pay good money to live in "sunny" California. This is not baseball weather! His game was called/ended due to the rainy weather. They were ahead 1-0, but not sure if they will have to finish the game before moving onto round 2 of the playoffs. It has been a challenging season for Matty. He started off feeling like the worst kid on the team (which he wasn't), then he started making contact with the ball at the plate. They funny thing to me was that he thought he was the worst because he was striking out often, when most of the players on his team had the same problem. He didn't notice that strike outs were a team struggle. In the end, I am just happy that he is having fun being on a baseball team and that he wants to keep playing baseball. He had me worried there for a while. I was beginning to think we jinxed him when we named him "Mattingly". He has learned a lot this season about perseverance.

Tomorrow night is Olivia's first playoff softball game (highly doubt that game will happen, dumb rain). We are the #2 seed. We have to win 2 games to make it to the championship game. I really think her team can do it. She made me so proud last Saturday when she hit a hard ball off of the best pitcher in the league. She got on base and got an RBI. It was a very big moment in our game and I was so happy for her when she came through for her team when they really needed it. She is having so much fun with softball. It's hard for me to believe that she is old enough to be in the dugout singing softball cheers with her team (wasn't I just doing that??). Livie is very busy with school, homework, reading, school choir, playing the recorder, piano lessons, and now she is in beginner band at school (playing the flute). She loves spending time with her friends from school and from her team. Sometimes I feel more like her manager than her mom. I tell her all the time that she has a better social life than I do. It's ok, I love that she is involved in positive things. If only her allergies were better :(

Nathan is so close to finishing his Kindergarten year and that makes me so sad! I love everything about Kindergarten and I just don't want it to end yet! He is so smart and so funny. I am just happy that the "funny" hasn't become a problem at school like it can at home. He is everyone's friend (boys and girls) and I love that about him. He has become a pretty independent little boy. He really doesn't want me walking him up to his classroom anymore but I told him "too bad, I'm doing it anyway". He recently had his first ambulance ride when he accidently ate a small Snickers at school. I could really live a calmer life without those allergic reaction experiences. He has turned into a baseball stud this season. He is playing "coach pitch" and he impresses me each game with his hitting and fielding. He loves playing first base (of course, all the plays are to first base). He looks forward to every game and practice. His season ends this Saturday and he is going to miss playing on his Yankees team. Maybe soccer in the fall?

Derek is the champion little brother. This boy goes to at least 5 baseball/softball games a week and cheers for his siblings and their teams. He has learned some cheers and he loves to run out at the end of the game to put his hand in the huddle for the after game cheer. He follows Nathan's team to go and shake the other team's hands. He dresses for the game (his own baseball pants, an old t-ball Yankee shirt, his Yankees hat and his black high top Converse shoes). He's the cutest little bat boy out there. He can't wait for it to be his turn and I don't blame him. He gave me the greatest Mother's Day gift. He decided that day that he wanted to use the potty. I wasn't planning on potty training until after the baseball season, but he is doing so well with it. So independent and so excited about using it. How bad is it that there is a little part of me that is sad to see him wearing big boy undies? How did he get to be 3 so soon? He is completely addicted to his Razor scooter and he tells me he loves me at least 10 times a day. He likes to sing to me and it just melts my heart.

David is a very busy man this time of year. He has lots of school activities going on that keep him at work late into the night, but he makes the time to help Matty's team as an assistant coach. The two of us are having fun coaching Nathan's team. We have a great group of kids on the team and really nice families. These parents help out on the field and in the dugout. It helps make our experience enjoyable and not stressful. David and his dad recently built a mantel for our fireplace. It is almost completely finished and I really like how it looks in our house. I wish he had more time for projects. He's good at them and I know he enjoys them. Someday. He his recovering from the butt kicking his Lakers suffered in the playoffs. Hopefully the Yankees won't disappointment him as well. He had a proud daddy moment a few weeks ago when Olivia completed a research project/presentation on "Why Everyone Should Be a Yankees Fan".

As for me...well my spring days are filled with wife & mom duties, coaching 2 teams, volunteering in classrooms, chaperoning field trips, teaching the 6,7&8 year old kids each Sunday, fighting my battle with allergies and trying to get some exercise. I am beginning to really enjoy running. I have to admit that I am looking forward to the kids being on summer vacation. No homework and no school schedule to keep up with. Can't wait to swim, play, watch movies, BBQ, camp, visit family & friends, sleep & relax. Just a few more weeks to go :)

I think one day I will look back, read this and think, man I was busy! And believe it or not, I think I will miss those days.

Next post will include some pictures!