Monday, May 31, 2010

When I like kids

My favorite. Trever sleeping. Well, crashing. Hands sweetly crossed, almost like a rotten angel.

Harleigh, Tylee, Maddy, Ariel, and Jimi. Outside playing nicely together.


Peyton and Preslie. Not much else to say, cute cute babies that I can hand back over when they get cranky. Peyton looks so much like Jimi when she was that age.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

My 2010 Junior Wolverine softball team

I ended up coaching the junior level softball league this year. I won't lie, I was intimidated at first and very nervous. It had been 16 years since I had actually played ball myself and I was sure I could bluff my way through the younger girls but these girls were 13-15 year olds. Jimi was technically too young to move up but since I was coaching, and she has the talent, they moved her up. Her best friend Destiny who is just a little older than her couldn't play because her aunt (WONDERFUL woman who raises her) was just too busy to get her to all the practices and games so I volunteered to take her to everything, so I had her on my team too.

They took the pictures in Kernville down by the river. They all turned out really good. This is Destiny and Jimi. We treat Destiny like one of our own kids. Her and Jimi have been great friends for a really long time. I'm hoping they keep each other holding tight to that iron rod and stay out of trouble.

I didn't know at try-out times that I was coaching that level so I didn't get to see all the girls try-out. Draft time I blindly choose. I did know who I wanted to pitch but that was about all. I ended up with 4 girls who had never played a day of ball in their life, and another few that was there only for the social aspect. I was worried at first and we started off a little rough but when we got rolling we took off. We have one more regular season game this Thursday in Kernville at 5:15 (if anyone wanted to go) then a playoff game, then our regular season is over. But... I am coaching the all star team. Normally by this time of year I am ready for this all to be over. This year I'm just not. I'm loving it! I can't wait to do it all again next year.

This is my team this year. We are the Michigan Wolverines. (did you know wolverines are super ugly?)So this is who we have. From left to right:
Top row: Assistant coach Scott Tedrow, he has coached a few of these girls before. He was a good asset because he knew most of them better than I did and knew the rules better, besides the fact he umpired for me so I didn't have to. Then, Adriaunna, she had a great attitude. She got nervous in serious situations but never ever had an attitude with me. Then Skylr, she loved to be out there playing she wanted to play all the time. Then Brandi. She is Scott's stepdaughter, an AMAZING catcher, she's in high school. The first practice I thought oh boy she is going to have the worst attitude in the world. I was wrong. She was so respectful, friends with everyone and just a great girl. Next to Brandi is Bobbi. I have so much to say about this girl. She is an athlete! She is an amazing pitcher but I knew I could put her anywhere and she would be great. She always called if she was going to be even 2 minutes late to a game or practice. Her mom had a stroke during the season and almost died. She spent most of the rest of the season in rehabilitation home trying to learn to talk and walk again but Bobbi always came to play with her game face on. NEVER an attitude and nice to everyone! Her mom will be at our last game, we are so excited to see her. The Shy, she had never played but came from a family who did. She showed so much improvement! Her biggest setback was that she wasn't aggressive enough, and she got nervous when she was up to bat. Very sweet girl. Then my sexy assistant coach Jim, and me!
Middle row: Erica, Alex liked her. They went out twice but it's over again. She was a nice girl with very little attitude. She was a good hitter. Next is Cassi, she was friends with everyone, her biggest problem was her own confidence in herself. Then it's Karli, she's Erica's twin sister. She played third on and off. She definitely wanted to play sometimes too much. She was a hitter too and really showed a lot of improvement through the season.
Bottom row: Destiny, played second, and center field for awhile which was great because that's where we were getting killed at first. It showed the other girls that we weren't putting them in the outfield because we thought they were no good. We could always count on Des to hit the ball, even if it wasn't to the outfield she ALWAYS hit the ball. She gave me a little attitude but that's because she's just like one of my own kids. Then there's Marissa. Great fast pitcher. Another athlete I could probably put anywhere. Great girl most of the time, but sometimes her head gets way too big. She is a good hitter and an aggressive runner. Jimi, she is a great athlete too. She was a great shortstop and depending on who was pitching she either played shortstop or first base. This was her first year playing first and I was impressed. She's really aggressive and she's a great hitter. Scott worked with her just a few minutes on her batting and after that she was hitting them to the fence. But of course she gave me TONS of attitude. She listened a little better to Jim but when we were really having issues with her we would have Scott talk to her, she listened to him. Then there was Brook. Another one I was worried I would get lots of attitude from. NO WAY! This girl is so sweet. She had never played a day in her life and at first it showed. She struggled first with sliding but improved on that. Heck she improved on everything. She can hit the ball like crazy. She is an aggressive third baseman but we also loved her in center field because she can catch anything! All she needs is a little aggression on base running and a little more experience and she will be amazing. She may even make our all star team.
Our record ended up being 8-6. (we won 8) we actually had a harder first half but started catching up towards the end of the first half and only lost one game the whole second half and that was only by 1 and it was called because of lightning, so we could have won.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

I think I love Smile Box.


Mom and Dad, I'll be sending you REAL copies in a few days.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album: Alex's 8th Grade Grad
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
This photo album created with Smilebox

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

who knew it would feel so acomplished

Since I scanned and uploaded those pictures for my Mothers Day post, and learned how easy it was, I have been scanning all my old pictures. Not only am I scanning them but I am naming them and putting them in the right files, like for each kid and vacations and other family. I am not quiet finished (I have a ton) but I am over half way. I had no idea what an accomplishment it would feel like. I have meant to do it for years and years and years. I am scared to loose all of those pictures. I know I still need to buy memory sticks and transfer them so I don't have a computer crash but I know I'm almost there. I would like to eventually digital scrapbook and print the kids a photo book. I still haven't done my blog yet so that could still be a long time coming. I wanted to post some of my favorite pictures though. Its also amazing how much I do remember about each picture, well and how little I remember on some of them. I do know which kid it is. There were a few of Sami and Jimi when the were first born I had a little trouble with but I did get it sorted out.


When I started finding my favorites I decided there are a TON, so I'll do each kid as it's own post. Starting with Alex.

Things I should have learned... Alex would play and play and when he would stop, he was out cold. He still does that.







Alex loved being the big brother, this is him with Jimi the day we brought her home. I nursed her and one day when she was sleeping on the couch he took his dinner and laid it by her. I asked what he was doing and he said "you don't feed her, so I wanted to give her my dinner" I cried of course, then explained the whole breast feeding thing to him. He's a great big brother.

Alex with Sami the day we brought her home. Both him and Jimi were so excited.
Alex was thrilled to finally have a brother. He was also thrilled to finally have Trever home. It was hard on them to see Trever in the hospital and not bring him home right away.
Yes I used to be super crafty. Alex's first Halloween. He was 5 months, yes crawling. I made his dinosaur costume. (look how young I was, and skinny that quick)
I think this was one of his 8th grade graduation pictures. We laughed so hard. Him showing off his muscles. Not to mention Jimi being a diva. Nothing has changed.

First trip to Disneyland

dirt heads, what else can I say

Again crafty Halloween. Alex a bumblebee, and Jimi a flower.

Alex blaming Jimi for spilling the egg dye, see nothings changed. It was her fault, but she was cleaning it up. Ok SOME things have changed.

Alex looks so old. And Trever looks so nice. (oh the date stamp on most of these is wrong Trever was only 10 months I think) Alex was 5.

Alex went with Jim on a scout camp out. They took their motorcycles. Yes the first born is always spoiled. He had his first dirt bike when he was 3.

Ran out of gas again.

Alex at just 1 week old.

Jimi's turn

Jimi was a good adorable baby. She was a daddy's girl, after going through the mama's girl phase. We moved a lot when she was little but she always adjusted really good. She was very mothering and did EVERYTHING her big brother did. She really did worship Alex.

Jimi when she was about 6 months.
Disneyland Trip

Jimi's 2nd Birthday.
Karrie just did a post on loving babies rolly polly thighs. Jimi had them.



Jimi holding Sami when we brought her home. One day Sami was sleeping on the couch. I was in the bathroom and when I walked in Jimi was carrying her, saw me, and threw Sami over a coffee table. Sami landed back on the couch, flinched like babies do and went back to sleep.



Jimi at one week old




Blurry, but she was 5 months old



Jimi about 6 months. We can't get over how much she looks like Preslie, her newest cousin. In her older pictures she looks just like Peyton, Preslie's older sister.

Jimi 11 months, she could walk

but not very well in those bigcow slippers .


Of course we are big Bronco fans.

This year they went to the Super Bowl

so we had a super bowl party.

She LOVED baths. We had a huge sink

when we lived in Vancouver WA. for the

short time we did. Adorable.

This was one reason I NEEDED to transfer

pictures, this ones damaged. Daddy's girl.


Jimi just a few days old.

Sami's turn

I feel a little bad about saying this but I have told the other kids and they all really agree. Sami was my cutest baby. I know moms aren't supposed to say that but she really was. I don't know if it was the bald head or the fact that I don't have one grumpy picture of her, not even the ones when she's just in the background. Not because she smiled when the camera came out but because she ALWAYS had a smile on her face. She didn't get hair until she was 4, and has only had trims NEVER a real hair cut. See for yourself how cute she was. She had a pacifier (sucky) the longest of all my kids, I think until she was 4. And was a sippy cup addict.

Sami's first birthday, and first baby doll.


I was pregnant with Trever (had him a month after this).



We went of vacation to South Dakota and stopped by Mt. Bedrock. Sami always hugged everything. She still does. Just ask her teachers.



She could entertain herself with anything.




Even as a dirt head she was still adorable.




She was a sucky addict. We would put it in upside down and she would flip it the right way with her tongue.



As you can see the crafty was gone by

a store bought costume. She was 16 months.

.

She was about 9 months here (I think)

This was her 2nd birthday present. No more

great fun parties by the 3rd baby too.



Sami 1 month old



First born
minutes old




Sami with her uncle Kenny. Thanksgiving in
Phoenix when Tabi and Tim lived there.
Sami was 16 months.
The day we brought Trever home.


My attempt at cute pictures. They're cute but my pictures are stupid.

She started sucking her thumb almost instantly
that was the whole reason for starting her on
the pacifier.


She was the only one I could keep in the middle
the others would fight. (different now, I can't
put ANY of them in the middle, they all fight)