Thursday, April 29, 2010

Giants

We signed the kids up for T-ball this year. Well, actually Jonathan is playing T-ball, Clara is playing 'Coaches Pitch'. Obviously where Clara is concerned, the coaches pitch the ball to the kids, and if they can't hit it after a few tries, they bring out the tee for for the children to hit off of. The kids are loving their first team sports! Clara's team is the San Francisco Giants.
Chris' mom came to visit us on the 13th and stayed through the weekend, so she got to accompany us to practices and even got to go to the first game! She is recently retired, and loving every minute of it!
Grandma Ginia is a huge baseball fan, so she was excited to help Clara practice a little more in the front yard!

Clara does pretty well hitting the ball on her own, though still needs the tee from time to time. (She's a lefty like me!)


Even Grandma got a little hitting practice!


Clara running the bases at practice. (That's her in the turquiose shirt and blue pants near the front of the line).


Warming up


Ready to bat


Trying the tee


Practice makes a girl thirsty!


Taking a break


Clara's cheering section


Finishing up practice with some touch-n-gos


Huddle up


GOOOO GIANTS!!!!


Before their first game on the 17th


Warming up before her 2nd game on the 24th with some jumping jacks


My Giant, #4. Puttin' on her game face :)


She's up to bat


She's got the stance...


She swings....


It's a hit! Off she goes.


Running to 1st base


Standing on first base


I love this picture. Clara looks like she's on the pitcher's mound, getting ready to throw a fast one. Really, she's simply standing on the mound, playin' the outfield, ready to catch the ball.


Mitt up, ready to catch a ball


However, it might be a little easier to catch the ball if see was actually watching for it. (Minor details!)



Good game, good game!
The leagues here on base are not win/lose. Each game is simply a chance for each team to have 3 chances to bat and to play the outfield. Once those 3 innings have passed, the game is called. Still it's a great introdution to sports for the kids, and the both seem to love playing!

Their Future's So Bright...

...They have to wear shades...
...even in the bathtub!

Little Helper

Today Jonathan was helping me put away the laundry...

Me: Thank you, Sir!
Jonathan: You're welcome, Girl Sir!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Confetti Egg Fight

After dinner we had a confetti egg fight! It's a tradition in Hispanic communities to hollow out eggs, fill them with confetti and dye them, then crack them over the head of some unsuspecting victim. We didn't go through to trouble of making our own, but I bought a few dozen at Wal-mart so we could surprise the neighbors!

Clara kept asking questions about the eggs, so Chris tested one on her before our guests arrived.

Can you tell he'd taken the whole week off (check out the beard!)


Let the games begin!


Courtney welcomed her hubby, Frank, home with a confetti surprise!


Melissa


Carrie


Alyssa


My driveway after the fight


Jose, Ray and Chris...Why are they confetti-free?


Ooops! That one was a real egg!
Everyone had a blast -- we'll definitely have to make it a tradition (even if that means I'll have to make my own). 2 weeks later I was still vacuuming confetti up in my house!

Easter Dinner

We invited all our neighbors over for Easter Dinner. It was great to have a house full of friends to help us celebrate Easter.
I made a yummy carrot cake from scratch!

Melissa, Jose, Sarah and Courtney


Logan, Carson, Frank, Matt and Frank's Dad


Clara sharing a chair with Alyssa


Carson, Logan and Hunter


Clara loves black olives. She probably ate about a whole can on her own that night.


Carrie and Izabella (our #1 babysitter!)


Ray, Matt and Frank (Matt and Frank had just come home a week prior from an 8 month deployment. It was so nice to have everyone's family back together again!)


Jonathan was loving the fact that I was allowing them to drink the Crystal light instead of milk!


Even Matthew had to eat!


Playing the Easter Bunny


Clara Bunny


Jonathan Bunny


Matthew Bunny on his 1st Easter!
No better way to celebrate any occasion, than with a house full of friends!