Sophia is getting ready to play her first season of softball! She's jazzed. Her Auntie Gina took her to chicks and let her pick out whatever cleats she wanted - Sophia chose the blue ones! She also got a helmet and a new softball... This morning we went to the park and played catch for a while. She was so excited that she wore her helmet and cleat just to toss the ball around.

I think I might cry at her first game. She is just growing up so fast. I know I keep saying that, but each day when I look at her little face, she looks a bit older. I need to start writing down the stuff she says. By the time I blog, I always forget, but she says some of the darndest things!

Nature is one of the ways that God reaches out to us in love. My soul is fed so easily with a walk around a lake. I don't think Monet could ever capture the beauty of a real landscape as God created it. Well, of course he couldn't - he's not alive!

Sophia hanging at the skatepark again! Zack skated for three hours today! When we left, a bunch of 18ish year-olds were yelling later Zack... He's such a little boy, but when he gets out there and skates, it's serious business! The big guys respect that.

There are rules at the skatepark, but none of them are followed. Zack is just about the only kid there with a helmet on, and I don't even make him were elbow and knee pads like the sign says. And, don't even get me started on the kids that ride their bikes and scooters in the skatepark. It is just plain out dangerous!!!!

That's it for tonight! Tomorrow Zack is getting the Student of the Month award! It's not even student of the week so not everyone gets it! OMW - I hope there is no bumper sticker. I CAN'T become one of THOSE moms!!!!

Growing Up Way Too Fast

The kids will hate these bathtub photos, but it won't be long until they realize that it's icky to take a bath with your brother/sister! This is how the day began...
Then a little cartoon network (brain rot)...

Then school in the in between (no pics)...

Then the important stuff...

Zack mastered the half pipe today. He can actually go all the way up and catch his wheels on the metal strip and then back down and up again. I give him kudos because he wiped out many times before getting it. He is so outgoing. He just grabs a "big kid" and will say, "Hey, can you teach me to do what you just did"? They almost always oblige!

He's a dreamer.

And he falls down, but he always gets up again!

Park bathroom as a back drop - why not - it's urban, right?

Posers...

Zack is on the Red Sox this season! He is beyond excited to get started. And, today I signed Sophia up for softball! It is about time she stop being a spectator and get out there and use up some of her endless energy! I think I'm gonna cry at her first game. My baby is growing up WAY too fast!

This week is a busy week. We are having dinner with Auntie Gina tomorrow evening followed by some baseball glove shopping and then on Wednesday we meet with Auntie Julia (my sister who is 4 years younger than I), and then on Thursday we get to go to JoAnne's house for dinner and fun with her kiddos!

The kids continue to do well in school and even though it seems like all we do is play, we do get our homework done, and the kids even have chores!

Beach 2009

Last weekend, Michelle and I packed up the kids and headed for Balboa Pier. She was shocked when I said that they would want to get into the water, but sure enough, they did!

I just wanted to be sure to post these pics before too much time passed. I have been a slacker about blogging!

More of His Passion

He skates with the big guys, and he loves it!!!

The Red Bull VW came around and handed out Red Bulls - I let him drink it because it is already bad enough that he has to have his mom there taking pics!!!

Sophia is a good sport. She watches him patiently, and always finds some dirt to play in...

Summer-like Days

This week it has been down right HOT in Southern California! I had to dig the kids' shorts back out of the rubbermaids! We've been spending many an afternoon at the park playing baseball together and enjoying the various "lakes" in the north OC.

I am so blessed that these two get along so very well.

Poor guy got a piece of a wood chip in his eye.

Zack creates his own way of swinging when all of the big kids' swings are taken.

Scootering out to the baseball diamond for some mother and son fun!

Of course, we had to stop at the lake several times before we made it to the field.

After practice, Zack downed a Diet Coke. I never let him drink Diet Soda because of the bad stuff in it that has been proven to cause health problems, but this time I gave in to his unusual request. He usually wants water! I should add to that the fact that I am a Diet Coke addict!! It definitely is my vice!

In this next pic, I see a little teenager... sigh!

This is how we roll out to the field! I think I need to get Zack a baseball bag with a swish in a color other than pink! This bag is his mudder's.

Tomorrow Zack has baseball tryouts. He is playing in the minors with 7 and 8 year-olds. He seems to love the game and loves to play catch, field balls, and of course, he loves to be at bat. We'll see how he does. As long as he has fun and gives it his all, the season will be well worth the $150 it cost to play!

Zack had another week of 100%s on his tests. He also moved up a level in his Accelerated Reading program, and he was Student of the Week!!!

I got two letters from the school this week regarding Sophia. The first said she is not fluent in English, and the next said she needs glasses! She is not completely fluent if by that you mean that she understands all English words and concepts. However, she is conversationally fluent. As far as her eyes, well I am all over that as you know. I am holding off on the surgery until I find the best doctor available!

She had her first two afternoons of tutoring this week, and I already see a difference. She says words randomly and says, "Mom that starts with a ____." So she is progressing, and I'm continuing not to worry!

Today we walked our two miles around the lake, and Sophia insisted on holding my hand the entire way. My hand was SO SWEATY!!! I started to insist that we not hold hands when it dawned on me that one day I will WISH she'd hold my hand in hers. I'll miss the feeling of her tiny little hand in mine. So I sucked it up and enjoyed every minute of our sweaty palms. I'm not sure why she was wanting to hold hands. Usually she is so darn independent!