A Bit of This, A Bit of That

My oldest is trudging along with her broken hand. As least she can still play Guitar Hero......

Hubby went and bought Guitar Hero 80's Edition the other day, so they have been having fun with that.

We also got a new toy for the whole family too........

Let me just say the Wii Fit is WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE it!! Yout get to do so much with it! The youngest one loves doing the yoga on it! I tried it out this morning and did a little running and hula-hooping. Let's hope this is the kick start to help me get back in shape! It keeps track of your weight and time spent on the Wii Fit as well! (I do do other stuff as well besides just the Wii Fit)

And THEN!, yesterday at my oldest's game (we still go watch and support the team) I brought my camera to take pictures and one of the coaches has an older daughter who went to the Brooks Institute and has this amazing lens (pictured below). Well, he saw me taking pictures last weekend and this weekend he brought up the lens for me to use! I was in HEAVEN!! Plus hubby just bought me a 4gb Compact Flash drive for my camera so I had PLENTY of space to store pictures. He said he's going to let me use it tomorrow too. Yippee!!! The quality of the pictures was SO much more amazing than the ones I took with my regular telephoto lens. It also has a hood though, so that might have helped as well. I'm going to get a hood for my lens and see if that helps too. But this is my next purchase, for sure. I am going to save up for it. While I would LOVE to have a sports lens, those are like $6,000 and I certainly don't have the money for that. I'll settle for this, thank you. :)

It's a Good Thing I Brought The Camera

It was a VERY hot weekend this weekend, but I did bring the camera so I could get shots of my oldest playing softball.





She had a pretty good day for the most part. She had some FABULOUS bunts (she is the queen of bunting after all), some great catches, but it was a LOOOOOONG day.


We got there at 6:30 a.m., and didn't leave until 7:30 p.m. If they had won both of their games at 10:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. they got to go home. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. They lost the 2 o'clock game, which meant we had to stay even longer to play a 6 o'clock game. Talk about a LONG day for the girls! They played 3 games already and then they had to play ANOTHER game.


By the time that last game came around the girls were just spent. You could tell. They just didn't have the energy like they did earlier.


Then mine came up to bat. She was watching the ball pretty well. She swung at one and got a strike. Then the next one she swung at and it fouled (at least that's the way it looked) and her 3rd strike she didn't even swing at. And I thought that was odd she didn't even swing.


So she comes back to the dugout and you could tell something was wrong.


Turns out that 2nd strike that we thought was fouled? It actually hit her hand. And in softball, if the ball hits your hand, it's considered part of the bat, so she thought she was going to be called out if she said something. And the reason she didn't swing at the 3rd strike was because her hand was hurting so bad she couldn't swing.

She was CRYING when she got back in the dugout. She looked at me and you could SEE the pain in her eyes that it hurt so bad. We iced it up. We had the coaches look at it. We all thought that her pinky was the problem.

After the game (and no, she didn't go back into the game), I decided that I wanted to take her to the emergency room, JUST to get it it checked out. Better to be safe than sorry.

So we headed on down there and got there around 8ish.

We didn't leave until 1 a.m.

If you bored and like to people watch, go down to the emergency room on a Saturday night.

Because you're going to find some interesting people down there, because we certainly did!

After we finally saw the doctor, they took x-rays. While we were waiting, my oldest and I got very giggly and silly because we were so exhausted from such a long day.

We both thought it was probably just a bad sprain or bruised or something like that.

The doctor came back in and said, "It's broken".

Both of us were in shock and dismay.

We didn't REALLY think it WAS broken.

And then they told us that she needed a cast.

She was DEVASTATED and started crying.

She LOVES softball and there is 2 weeks left in All-Stars.

But now she has to hang up her bat.

I knew something was wrong though. I could tell.

It's called Mother's Intuition. I keep telling everyone it's a powerful thing.

But she said she is still going to practice. She can run and she can catch the ball, she just can't throw it or bat. She will be in the dugout cheering her team on for these last 2 weekends, and watching with envy, wishing she could be out there.

Bur for now, until practice on Tuesday, she is on the couch and elevating her hand.

And this cast will be a part of her for about 3 weeks.

Next Stop, 1st Grade...

My baby is no longer in Kindergarten.

Wow, how time flies! I can't believe she's already done with Kindergarten!

Softball, Softball, Softball

This is my life these days.

And has been for the past month.

And will be for another month.

But I actually don't mind.

I have very much enjoyed getting to know more parents on the teams.

And I enjoy watching the games.

I think I am very much going to miss it when we're done next month.

We'll go from softball every single day to nothing, in about 4 weeks.

Wow, what will we do with ourselves then?

And this next tournament this weekend I AM going to finally bring the camera.

Ways to Entertain

This is just one of the MANY ways my youngest entertained herself at my oldest's softball games this past weekend.

Other ways included riding her scooter, coloring, coloring with sidewalk chalk, running up and down the grassy hill, and cuddling with me. I'm just so glad that she is finding ways to have fun, having to be dragged around every weekend to softball games. I'm also glad that the fields that we have been going to have grassy areas, and sidewalks to color and ride on. That makes it easier and funner for her.

Sarcastic Comments....

We were in the car driving home today and my oldest was talking about how it's not fair that she's younger than "everybody" else in her class. Yea, not everybody baby..

"Yea mom, when everyone else is having their sweet sixteen, I'll be having my Quincinetta!"

I laughed so hard at this comment!

Especially since we have no ounce of Spanish or Mexican in our blood.

"Field Day"

Today is "Field Day" at her school.

Which means the Junior High kids get to wear tank tops, flip flops, and even their bathing suits under their clothes if they want to, to school.

After lunch, they all get to go outside and basically play in the water. They have this HUGE water slide (Sue, similar to the one you had), and lots of fun water activities for them.

How fun is that for them!!

I think the most fun for them, is getting to wear tank tops and flip flops! Heehee!

They used to be able to wear flip flops to school, but now they can't. Don't know why they can't, but they can't. Well, at least when she gets into high school, she can wear flip flops every day if she wants to. Unless they change that rule by then...................

Counting Down...............

Soon hubby will be off the ship.

Less than a week left.

Finally we will all be together again.

And then we are going to shoo the kids somewhere so WE can be alone. :::::::::::smile:::::::::::::

Even Still, 26 years later

I was flipping through the channels tonight and E.T. was on Nick At Nite. It was the last 1/2 hour of the movie, so I sat and watched it.

Still, after watching it countless times, I still cry when he comes alive and gets to go home.

Art in the Schools

My oldest is taking art as her elective this trimester at school. They've been working with clay and this is her latest project she brought home:

Isn't is so freakin' adorable??!!!! I love the lips on the fish!!

I'm so proud of her and all her accomplishments!! She's a Straight A Student, has made the All-Stars team for both softball and soccer now, and she has that creative gene inside her to be an artist as well! She wants to learn how to sew this summer, and so I'm going to teach her. I hope that she picks up on it quickly. The only thing she needs to have with it is patience and willing to sit and listen to the little details.

New Cousin

Yesterday we drove up north for the day to go to my MIL's surprise birthday party. While we were there I got to see my newest niece. She's the Christmas baby in our family. We were so excited to meet her and so was my oldest:




She loves babies. She reminds me of me. :)

Even though I spent about 5 1/2 hours driving that day, it was actually a nice relaxing break from our usual, which happens to be softball. Every....single......day..........

Don't get me wrong, I love that she's in All-Stars, but it's definitely something we have to get adjusted to.

Thank goodness hubby will be home in less than 3 weeks though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Party Invitation

My youngest is VERY excited to have her birthday party. Never mind that it's like 4 months until her birthday. She's getting to have it at a place called "Bears, Buddies and Toys". It's like a "Build-A-Bear" place. She so wants to have a sleepover too, but I'm sorry, I'm not going to have a sleepover party for her until she's a few years older. I'm not that crazy. She's even started making invitations though:

Let's just hope this invitation isn't a sign of things to come when she's a grown up........

Tickle Me

Out of my youngest's mouth, who stayed home from school today..............

"You know what would make me feel better? If someone came and tickled me.....but not my feet"

Come on, can anyone resist that???


Yea, neither could I.

All-Stars

This is the face of my oldest who just found out that she made All-Stars for softball. :)

Giggling...

I would have taken a picture of them tonight, but I didn't want to interrupt them.

My oldest was reading a story to my youngest and then they started goofing around with each other and laughing and laughing and giggling, while I was in here on the computer checking something.

As much as I wanted to go take pictures of that, I enjoyed, I mean REALLY enjoyed just sitting here the other room listening.

Listening to them together when they are happy like that makes my heart swell with joy and love.

That even with the bickering they do at times, they get along still.

And that's what matters.

I want them to always have a good relationship with each other, throughout the rest of their lives.

I Got My Present

Okay, so today is a much better day, starting off. :)

The girls made a Happy Birthday sign and blew up balloons for around the house. My eldest made me breakfast and got all my stuff together. Isn't she so sweet!!!

Then I stopped by the post office this morning, hoping that they hadn't taken my package out for delivery yet, and it was there!!! So when we got to the girls' school, I opened it up, and this is what was inside for my birthday.....

And here's the box that was inside the bag.....

And here's what was inside the box......

I had told hubby that I wanted a bracelet like this and to have the girls' names and birthdates engraved on it. I read about it in a magazine just a couple of months prior of how this woman decided to to get herself a bracelet for herself for her 40th birthday. Well, hubby said that he wanted to do that for me.

Thank you SO much my wonderful husband!!! Even though you can't be here with me on this day right now, you are with me and I got your present on my birthday and that's the next best thing.

What a Way to End My 30's

Okay, I was all prepared to write this whole post about how I'm turning 40, and how I was going to reflect on my life so far. About how in my 20's I first moved out with my friend, Stacie, and then a year later, moved in with my other friend, Susan, and how I met my hubby and got married and had my first baby when I was 27. And then how in my 30's I had my second baby, lost 30 pounds, lost my mom, bought our house and much more.

And then I end up in the ER today, because of some kind of bite I got a few days ago that has swelled up to a nice plump size with an infection.

Yea. Nice.

So I go to the ER (twice, no less because I thought it was getting worse later on, but it wasn't and I was probably having a reaction to the double antibiotics I'm on combined with a bit of an anxiety attack) and they "mapped" my ankle, gave me antibiotics and then some topical cream as well, as some anti-itching medication because it itches like CRAZY sometimes!

As I "ring" in my new decade of being 40 tomorrow, I get to hobble around with a "cankle". Oh wait, excuse me HALF of a cankle from some sort of bite (I think it was probably a spider bite though) because it's only on one half of my ankle.

Nice.

Even if I do have nausea from the antibiotics, I am determined to have my hot fudge sundae from Baskin-Robbins. It's a long standing tradition on my birthday, that I get that, and I will, dammit!

Oh a positive note, hubby sent me my birthday present (however the mailman did not leave the package) and I am going to the post office tomorrow to pick it up. I can't wait to see what it is! :)

Her First One!

My baby lost her first tooth!!!! It has been wiggly for a while and last night she was playing with it and she just all of the sudden pulled it out without even trying! She was so excited but SOOO nervous at the same time! When something new or unexpected happens to her, she's unsure on how to deal with it. I could literally feel her shaking a bit because of it. It only lasted a couple of minutes and then she was all happy because the tooth fairy was going to visit her!

Here is her first toothless grin. You can see the adult tooth already coming in.



I'm telling you, this girl does not waste any time getting things done! Okay, let me rephrase that, when she's READY to do things, she doesn't waste any time. My baby is my dreamer child. You can ask her to do something and she'll be walking along to do it, find something else along the way and focus on that. Ahhh......if life were only that enjoyable, not to have a timetable, you know??

Oh, and the toothfairy gave her FIVE DOLLARS for that tooth! I'm telling you, inflation.........of course I did tell her that the tooth fairy only gives her that much for her very first tooth. All remaining teeth are only worth about a buck.

A Love Thursday Post

I love taking pictures of my girls at the park. It's such a beautiful setting and there's so many shots you can get.

Our school had their spring pictures this past week and I know exactly how my little one here smiled.....a fake painful smile. She'll be all grins and smiles until someone tells her how to pose. Then it becomes fake. A friend of mine who helps when they take the pictures was talking to the photographer and asked how they came out and he said good, why? Then she said, "My friend's a photographer" and he's like, "Oh". Yea, he knew. He knew the shot that she did. And then it hit me. My friend called me a photographer! Wow, what a compliment to me! I LOVE taking photos of my girls and I loved photography classes in high school. Hubby and I have always wanted to have a darkroom so that we can develop our own pictures (black and white), but now with the digital age, Photoshop will have to do. (Plus we don't have the space for a darkroom). So bear with me as I show off my youngest today and her many faces.......


Yea, this one? I think she picked up from her older sister. I should make a mental note to show this to her when she becomes a teenager because I know she's going to do it then too. She's going to look at me like I'm a fucking idiot (pardon my french). They all do, all the teenagers. I know I gave that look when I was a teenager.....

My happy-go-lucky little one. Enjoying life and all the fun that comes with it.

Hmmm....is she contemplating life? Is she wondering what amazing things life has to offer out there? Or is she thinking of devious ways to bug her sister..............you make the call.....

This is my silly girl who LOVES, LOVES being rambunctious and crazy and goofy. (She gets the crazy and goofy part from me....yes, I admit it, I love being a dork when I want to......)

The look of....."I love you mom, thanks for letting me play at the park"

Her gorgeous piercing blue eyes. She gets those from Daddy.

I just LOVE the look of happiness on her face in this shot.

Another favorite of mine.....

This is her. Disheveled hair. She doesn't care. She loves life.

And a "behind the scenes" shot of her just laying in the grass, enjoying herself. Because she does. She does enjoy herself. I love listening to her pretend play. She has a wonderful imagination.

And that's our day in the park. Now see? There's no way I could just pick one shot. Could you???

Petco.....Where the pets go............

To get de-skunkified, in our case.

I had the just wonderful pleasure (insert HEAVY sarcasm here) of having my dog "skunked".

I took him to the groomers this morning and then while he was there, I purchase the above product and sprayed the hell out of my house, especially in the rooms where he had been. I had to wash some bedding too, because we have a trundle bed and he got next to the bedding on that one bed. Oh joy.

And of course, it can't be a nice spring day where I can have the house open all day to help air it out.

No. It's 90 degrees here at 1:30 p.m.

I aired it out as much as possible this morning and will do the same this evening once we get back from the youngest's t-ball game.

I also have to keep him out of the one room where he "transferred" the most odor. So the oldest gets to sleep with me for a few days while it gets aired out.

Oh joy.

And here I thought I was going to get to have a nice relaxing Saturday until the youngest's t-ball game.

Well, on the positive side, he's nice and clean now.