Friday, March 30, 2012

Base Burners Softball

Kamdyn is playing machine pitch softball this year and they had their first game on Tuesday night.  Oh my goodness, I loved it! 
She has played t-ball and 6U softball (which is just like t-ball) but this is so different.  It's actually competitive and exciting!!!  About half of the team is older and played last year, so we have a little experience.  As Mark would say, they are a "salty little team!"  
We missed two practices during spring break so this was actually only the third time that Kam batted with the pitching machine.  She fouled it off a lot, but I was excited that she is making contact! 
She played left-center field and actually had some balls hit to her out there.  
Let the trash talking begin!!!  We played a double-header and some of the girls on the Malvern team are from Bismarck.  I noticed them over at our dugout during the game and got tickled because it so looked like there was some trash talk happening!
We won our first game and lost the second game, but we came from behind to tie it up.  It was very exciting and I had flashbacks to my softball days.  Of course, things are so different now and we never played with a machine or stole bases.  We pitched ourselves, but Mark is quick to remind me that I played slow-pitch back in the OLD days!  My softball days are still some of my best childhood memories!
Brian worked with Kam some over the weekend and I'll post those pictures later.  Kam was sure to tell her team that her Uncle coached "real softball girls" and they were quick to point out that they were real softball girls.  I think she meant to say "teenage girls."  
Kam loves the social aspect of any sport she plays.  She told me on Tuesday morning that they were going to practice their cheers during recess.  She can always be seen clowning with her teammates, jumping, doing the splits, shouting chants, etc. and this night was no different.  My brother got so tickled watching her!   Did anyone else notice that she's the smallest player on the team?
Cooper enjoyed the time at the ball field playing but I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on him.  He and Braxton wandered off and found a downed tree to play on...
I'm not sure if softball will be Kam's sport or not, but we are sure enjoying it right now!  I'm secretly hoping that she will love it as much as I do!  Go Base Burners!!!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Lunch With My Girl

I had lunch with Kamdyn and her friend, Kaylie, today at school.  She has begged me for two weeks to come eat with her and I've had work conflicts up until today.   She tells me at least once a week that I embarrass her, so I asked her why she wanted me to come eat with her if I was going to embarrass her.  Of course, she went on and on about how me eating with her wouldn't embarrass her....I tell her all the time that she really doesn't understand how bad I could really embarrass her if I wanted to! 
As I was walking across the parking lot to join her, I saw her jumping up and down when she realized it was me.  She even threw her hands up in the air.  I'm not sure if she thought I would forget or what but, regardless, it made my day to see her so excited.
I brought her Sonic and sat and listened to her and Kaylie jabber the whole time.  I always enjoy going to eat with her and watching all the kiddos.  I had several from church run to our table to give me hugs, which is always sweet!
After lunch, Kam insisted that her teacher needed to talk to me and that I had to go to the classroom before I left.  Of course, she wasn't there but I was able to check out all her St. Patrick's goodies from their parade earlier that morning.  I think everyone is already in spring break mode--we are excited and looking forward to some fun and time off next week!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Let the Games Begin

We are in week two of spring soccer.  No more sleeping in as Cooper's game begins at 9:00 a.m. So far, he has refused to go in and play!  They are down to two boys on his team and they try to not have them on the field at the same time (because they distract each other).  This puts one boy on the field with the girls and last week Cooper refused to play.  I was so frustrated and thought we had talked  through that enough that he would play this week.  Not a chance!  This week he was hungry (even though we just had breakfast) and thirsty.... Mark and I have told him that he has committed to his team and we will continue to go even if he doesn't play.  I must admit that I was ready to eat those words on Saturday and just call it quits for the season.  And, of course, he was running all over the field as soon as the game was over.  Honestly, I think he's just ready to start baseball but I'm hoping that he will come around and play these last few weeks of soccer.  
Kam has started softball practice this week and it now overlaps with her soccer game. Once her game was over, we had to rush to get her to her first practice.   I think she has a great team of girls and I'm so excited about it.  I grew up playing softball and I'm hoping that she will love it and have as much fun with it as I did as a child.  While she practiced, Mark took Cooper to join Brian and Braxton at the baseball field to work with the boys on their hitting.

After softball, I took Kam to a birthday party in Hot Springs and the boys went to Dick's to buy all their baseball equipment, etc.  We all met up for dinner with my parents and brother at Chili's later that night.
I commented a few weeks ago that my family never got together anymore.  We have always had dinner on a fairly regular basis but the last six months to a year have just been busy, I guess.  We made up for it this weekend by eating together three days in a row.  On Sunday, my mom said, "Ok, this is three days in a row.  Am I going to die?"  Not too funny, I know, but we were just all grateful to spend some time together again.  It was a wonderful weekend with fabulous weather....even the rain on Sunday was glorious as I laid on my couch and vegged for an hour or so!
I do realize these pictures have nothing to do with soccer and sports but they are the only pics I took all weekend long.  I'm going to get my camera out more this week and focus on taking everyday shots, specifically things about my kids that I want to remember.  First pic is definitely going to be of Cooper eating breakfast, which is an event at our house every morning!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Kam's PT Conference - Class Update

As I mentioned earlier, Kam's parent teacher conference was a few weeks ago.  Kam has had a fantastic year with her teacher and class and I cannot say enough good things about her teacher, Ms. Teague.  
Ms. Teague loves America and the flag and her classroom is completely decorated in Americana. 
She's also a big history buff and it has rubbed off on Kamdyn.  She told me that she always has one student that happens to and the whole class now refers to Kam as the "history buff."  She loves it!  She and Mark talk about presidents and the Civil War and all kinds of facts that I vaguely remember!  She loves for Mark to ask her questions to see if she knows the answers.  When she asks me, I normally just say "whatever you say" because I think she knows more than I do, especially about the presidents.  She is now begging us to take her to Washington, DC so she can see the Washington Monument and where Abraham Lincoln died.  Cooper and I sort of think we should just send her and Mark while we go to the beach!
For Veteran's Day, the kids made flag t-shirts to wear to the Veteran's Day Ceremony.  By the way, Kam now loves Veteran's Day and says it's one of her favorite holidays now.....makes her Pop proud!
Ms. Teague recently sent me all these pictures of Kam and her class and it thrills me.  She told me the first night at open house that she loves pictures and she knows I do too and that she knows "they mean as much to me as they do her." 

Posing with Dara in their super cool American hats, courtesy of Ms. Teague...
I'm pretty sure that Kam begged to be able to get up into this helicopter...
Ms. Teague bragged about Kam's reading skills and we were proud that she is reading on a third grade reading level.   I know I've mentioned how competitive she and Mark are with this.... we get an email every day telling us when she's read a book and Mark keeps up with her points.  He asks her almost every day if she has gotten announced (it's not official until the counselor calls it over the intercom!). 
It's really become a competition between Mark and Dane's mom, Dedee....to the point of us texting each other when one kid gets in another club.   Kam and Mark say they "can't let the Stephenson's beat us!" and the Stephenson's say, "you can't let a girl beat you!"  We've had fun with it and I truly believe it has motivated both kids to read more.  As a matter of fact, Cooper told us when we were leaving the conference/K-registration that he wanted to "verse Malachi" when he got in school.  Malachi is Dane's little brother. 

One of her rewards for the AR club was having a pizza lunch with her teacher...
Getting into the 100 point AR club was a super big deal at our house!  I think Mark has forgotten his promise to match Kam dollar for point and she's forgotten to milk him for all that it's worth! 
Her class has been a lot of fun.  At Christmas, one of the Dad's set up a Christmas tree in the classroom with the lights set to music.  Ms. Teague said that they "made memories" with that tree during those cold recesses when they couldn't go outside.
Kam and me at the Christmas party...
So thankful for Kam's teacher and classmates this year!  They have truly been a blessing.  I'm looking forward to what the rest of the semester brings.