The Winners of Game #1

Well Cathy, it would have been nice to have had a cheering section but I know that you were probably enjoying that little smiley guy. Congratulations to the IBC Co-ed softball team!!!

Woo hoo. We won and we had enough girls to play Wednesday night which is a victory right there. We played a team that is somewhat hard core and came out a little straggly in the beginning. One of the many highlights had to be Drew's pants falling down as he made a great catch in the outfield. I thought that only happened at Arthur Hill and on funniest Home Videos. Imagine what we could have done with that $1,000 prize! We made a lot of good plays and nobody got hurt. Oh, I'm sorry, did I say nobody? I obviously forgot about the old chick that was trying to play 3rd base. Hmmm, perhaps that old chick was me and I should realize by now that my days of being quick or fast are long gone!

When one old chick player slides into third base after being in a pickle between bases, she should remember that a). she was wearing shorts, b). people are throwing a ball at third base to throw her out, c). she can't even slightly remember the last time she slid into a base, and d). who slides in coed softball!!!!!!!!! Nobody should be the answer to d) but old chick though otherwise. We could go up by one run and the game would be over. So, safe at third after narrowly avoiding the thrower's errant ball that almost beaned me in the head, I decided that I would surely run fast to home plate. Ooh, mistake! Pain, hello...left thigh muscle says to old lady, "You are crazy. Stop running and sit down. The game is won"

BUT, is the game won? Noooooooooo, we tied the game and so had to play two extra innings. What? Robert was going to celebrate his birthday with a family dinner and we were going to celebrate Trevor's birthday with pizza after the game. Chris L. had a chance to pop out a homerun in the first extra inning. Did he? Mmmmmm, no. I think he struck out or popped out. Either way, he definitely did not hit that homer to send us home. Another inning and the opposing team scored three runs. Well, we didn't give up and Rod was there with his optimism and our team hit some great hits and we got four runs in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Is that our cheering section? Do you all hear it? It's probably still standing room only at the diamonds as they're still talking about the co-ed game of the season. There are still plenty of opportunities to watch us - Wednesday nights during the summer - c'mon over to Kochville, you'll have the time of your life. I'll take pictures during the next game so you can watch the action! Maybe Drew will wear those pants again and we can catch it on video to send in AFV.

I am loved.

The Avenue spa had the fifth graders at Kaleb's school write letters as to why their mom deserves a spa day. He was a little upset that he didn't win the prize, but all of the students received a $40 gift card for their moms. What a wonderful surprise.

Trevor made this wonderful book with words to represent each letter of the alphabet. He spent so much time with each page and coloring and drawing pictures. What a sweetheart. He just couldn't wait one more day to give it to me.

This is a funny picture because I am sitting on a chair reading, Kaleb is laying on the blanket on the yellow beach, Trevor is in the water swimming...luckily, there are no sharks drawn in the water. What is funny is that there is a man working on a ladder hanging out one of the windows - yup, Kraig is working on vacation!

Look at how thin I am! I was a little worried before he told me that I am holding sunglasses. I thought maybe I had taken my boobs off. :)

This is just a Trevor saying. I am quite a good mom, not just a good mom or a mom who tries really hard and then says things like she's going to shave his head if he doesn't stop whining. Who does things like that?

I can remember laughing at my mom, who was a sobby gal, every time we gave her a card or a gift. This was especially true when she ws going through chemo. I wish I could tell her that I get it! I was just telling a friend that I couldn't even remember the last time I cried...I am not an emotional gal, by any means. Well, forget that. I had tears running down my face and they were shocked! That never happens. Kraig had to tell me to pull it together. Oh well, I obviously dried up the tears. The boys could not wait to give me their Mother's Day gifts that they had made or completed at school. If I question motherhood sometimes, when the Bickermans invade our house, I sure do know that I am loved.

Happy Mother's Day to all and enjoy these moments with your own moms.

Pictures and Stories - part 1

After spending a couple of days at Disney, we visited with my aunt and uncle in Inverness, FL. They live across the street from a pond and Uncle Bill called to this alligator, like you would call a dog, and the gator just swam right over to the dock. The boys fed it marshmallows and loved every minute of it.

This was at Biscayne Bay, just south of Miami. We hiked out to this area and the smell was horrible!!! If you could look to the left, you would see some kind of plant spewing out some nasty smoke. This is not a place I would encourage you to visit. Our old babysitter Julie traveled with us to Florida and it sure was nice to have another adult. This was her first spring break as a teacher, not as a college student. She got paid for vacationing and thought that was great! :)

This is at Lover's Key State Park and it was very nice. We found sand dollars, star fish, crabs and lots of shells. We also saw dolphins playing and a sting ray that was caught by a little girl's fishing pole.

Kaleb became the great crab hunter. Oh, if he only knew how fitting it was that he liked to catch crabs. Mr. Crabby catchin' the crabs.

Trevor's favorite activity was playing in the sand and then dumping water on it to try and make it harden. Our condo complex can be seen behind Trevor. It was wonderful.

This one is dark on the camera, but oh well, you get the picture. Sunset, on the beach, etc.

This was the last night at the condo. It was very relaxing and I would go back tomorrow, unless it's raining there too.

Pictures and stories - part 2

Putting together the sides on day 1. It was really cold, let me tell you!

Trevor helping Dad drill screws.

This is after a long second day. We have a slide, a climbing wall, and the beginnings of a bell tower. (Kraig thinks it's just a high rise for the neighboring bees.)

Saturday morning, the boys and I decided to head out to Hartley's Timberdoodle Festival. There was going to be a worm race at 10:00 and Trevor was ready. We went early and ate the pancake breakfast and were stuffed. Luckily, we were not racing. A Hartley teacher announced that the worm race was starting and called for any kids who were participating to come on over! Trevor ran right over and stood in line to receive his world record worm. A few moments later, he came over to me and said that he didn't think that he wanted to race the worm because it was squiggly and wiggly. I sent him back over - this was the whole reason for coming out to Hartley was the worm race!!! He came back over and said that he didn't get a worm and changed his mind. Well, there was nothing else going on until well after 11:00 and we had a playset to help build, so we left.

Let the drama begin! As we're walking to the car, Trevor starts crying, well maybe wailing is a better word. Whatever, he wasn't hurt and I knew Kaleb hadn't hit him because I sent K up ahead to unlock the car. Once inside the car, the drama really begins! If you can picture Trevor in his most dramatic state, then you can imagine what these words would sound like. (If you want a personal monologue, see me at a later time) Have you ever just made a wrong decision? Well, have you? I can't believe that I didn't get a worm and race him. While sobbing, he continued his rant about making bad decisions and not having time to fix them, blah, blah, blah. He finally stopped his sobbing and ranting after I told him that i would shave him bald if he didn't stop. Well, just for future reference, that worked! Hopefully, Mr. Trevor learned a valuable lesson this weekend.

On to the playset. 249 wooden pieces and a kajillion screws, nuts and bolts. He couldn't understand why it couldn't be finished in one day. He just wanted to play on it yesterday...but he got over it very quickly once he had to start helping carry wood and put it in numerical order. Ah, math skills! I've posted pictures and will apologize for any that you have to turn your head on. I will some day master the art of turning pictures, just not any time soon.