A Boy and His Passion

Another t-ball season is upon us and we are in full force. Andrew is in his element! To say that the boy loves baseball would be a gross understatement. He is obsessed with the game. If there is the least bit of sunlight, he is asking to be out front playing, having you pitch to him to practice his hitting, or just playing catch.

The spring season started out a bit more exciting than the fall. Apparently fall ball is not as big of a deal. Spring ball kicks off with opening ceremonies held at Olsen Field (the Aggie's baseball stadium). That was way fun for the kids. They got to run the bases and play down on the field before the ceremony kicked off. (hence the collage at the top!). From there, the season was in full swing...

Andrew is on the Mariners this season. It took him a while to get over the fact he is not a Red Sox anymore (his first t-ball team)...a bit confusing for the little ones, the fact that we switch teams every new season. This season started off well. Here is our first game. It kicked off with a good 5 minute down pour, but that didn't stop us. Andrew is number 4!

The kids hit the ball solely off the tee for the first few games, and then started the coach pitch. Each batter gets three pitches. If they are not successful in getting a hit, then they get to try it off the tee. Andrew bats about 50/50...50% of the time hitting it from a pitch and 50% of the time hitting it off the tee. He loves the fact they get to try to hit a pitch. He sure has his hitting routine. He comes up to the plate, hits home plate a few times with the bat, puts the bat up in ready position, looks at the pitcher and nods that he is ready. It is priceless!

It is amazing how much the team improves as the season goes on. They are really starting to understand the game and the strategy behind playing in the field...where to throw the ball, who is in charge of each area on the field, throwing the ball instead of just running it everywhere!

I attribute this vast growth in learning to the fabulous coaching. Josh is an assistant coach this season. He near ceases to amaze me with just how patient and loving he is with all the little ones.

It has been very exciting to watch, for both Mama and Andrew's biggest cheerleader, Ainsley!

The Aggies at the Bat!

What would spring time be without a bit of baseball...well, I would be alright skipping it, but my Dad loves him some baseball, so to the ballpark we went!

What a motley crew we keep company with, but they do look good all decked out in their Aggie maroon. No strollers at the ballpark, so Ainsley hitches a ride on Daddy's shoulders. To bad there's no room for me up there...

No baseball game is compete without a bag of salty peanuts to crack open, eat, and then throw the shells on the ground. And of course Poppop can not go alone to buy his goodies, the crew has to go with him.

We were playing Baylor and the Ags actually won the game...a feat not duplicated too many times this season. But when you got your Nana, Poppop, peanuts, and a coke...who cares what the score is. Life is pretty dang good!

Coming into Her Own!

Ainsley is on her way to becoming a truly girlie girl! She loves all things girlie...which is so funny to me because I was quite the tomboy growing up. She is more girlie girl than I am! :) She loves to be up on her stool, in front of the bathroom mirror, participating in whatever grooming activities the adult monitoring her is partaking in. Whether just brushing her teeth, or putting on lotion, or applying make-up, she wants a piece of the action. She is growing up to be such a sweet young lady, I just love her so much. Let me show you a glimpse into the Wonderful World of Ainsley:

1. She does everything with a touch of style. She doesn't just draw with chalk, she lays on her tummy and kicks her feet while drawing with chalk!

2. The girl makes wearing pig tails and eating ice cream look adorable!

3. She is 2 and already enjoying Southern Living magazine, but we are going to have to work on her reading while driving!

4. She is already a little mama. Ainsley's baby dolls are very well taken care of. Before putting her babies down for a rest, she swaddles them and sings them "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!

Once asleep, she lays them down in her new baby bed (with bedding made exclusively for her by her Nana Rohr - bed, pillow, and baby quilt!).

5. She has many wonderful women in her life, that share with her their wisdom and love...and push her on a swing (pretty easy to make this little girl happy)!


6. Ainsley has many wonderful men in her life who help show her how a little lady should be treated...and take her for walks to the park!


7. Ainsley has a brother whom she just loves and often imitates! Here is her latest Andrewism:

8. She loves her "princess toes". I painted her toes for the first time several weeks ago, and now she is in love with what she refers to as "princess toes"!

The Wedding Season!

We have had two weddings in the past two months, hence two trips to the Panhandle of Texas. Aside from the million hour round trip, we so enjoy going back to visit! It is safe to say that both of these weddings were unique! The first it snowed for and the second took place in Palo Duro Canyon. Not much else will top them.

What fun, what fun...a big time was had by all! Who doesn't like to go to weddings? Everyone gets cleaned up, dressed up, and parties down! Not to mention all the yummy cake. Speaking of cleaning up, boy do we do it good! Not only did Ainsley get a new dress (as modeled below), but Andrew got his first suit!

Boy does he look sharp. And what first suit is not complete without a puppy playing ball tie? He and his Daddy...the suit men.

Regardless of how many weddings we attend, I am still glad to be where Josh and I are in our marriage! It makes me very thankful and reminds me of just how blesses I truly am.

Spring has Sprung!

What a beautiful spring God has blessed us with. The weather is absolutely lovely...and we have had cabin fever! What better cure than to get out and work in the yard? And work we have done. Last year, we were not so on the ball. We had a garden, but kinda started it late, so it was just a tilled up corner of the back yard. Well, College Station is not known for its good dirt, so we (Josh) decided to build some raised beds in an attempt for more veggie success. He constructed 3 beds, with the help of his lovely assistants! We ordered some good dirt and it was delivered to our front door...literally! From the dirt pile, Josh hauled many a wheel barrel full to the back. I was purely the wheel barrel filler and the dirt pusher arounder, while Josh was the wheel barrel mover. Also, our friend Jeff came and helped too...which was greatly appreciated by me!!!

Once the beds were prepped and ready to go, we were ready to plant. This year, we planted most of our veggies from seed! The tomatoes, broccoli, and basil we started from plants, but the carrots, peas, green beans, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and cantaloupe all from seed. We are anxious to see how everything does! The kids really got into the planting! It is fun to watch them...they have loved this whole process. What kid wouldn't love to play in the dirt and the water? Now, from that list of items planted, let me say that I am the only one who will eat everything! the neighbors will be on the receiving end of many free home grown items!

Not only did we work on the veggie garden, Josh also put together an arbor we moved down here. We made the mistake of putting it all together before getting where we wanted it. Now let me tell you, this thing is one heavy hunk of wood. We ended up having to hoist it over the fence. Glad the neighbors were not out, because I am sure it was quite a comical sight! But after a short eternity we got it over and it sits in front of our gate waiting for some pretty vine to grow up it and be beautiful!

After the veggie garden and the arbor, Josh redid the front flower bed for me. Of course I did not like what was planted there when we bought the house and of course we riped it all out, only to start all over! He built a little retaining wall for me and filled it with the same good dirt we put in the veggie garden. Next, the garden fairy (aka. my mom) brought us a ton of plants from her and her neighbor's gardens. It is now so pretty and everything is growing and filling in!

In between helping move dirt, plant seeds, and building an arbor, the kids have so enjoyed being outside and soaking in the sun.

Easter 2010

We sure had a big time this Easter. Andrew has really started to grasp the real meaning of several religious based holidays. We have had several conversations about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, being buried in the tomb, only to rise again 3 days later...hence the celebration of Easter. He has decided the eggs and their hunting are just an added bonus. Ainsley has not quite grasp the whole meaning of the cross and resurrection, but boy can that girl hunt an egg!

In case you didn't quite hear it, she says "Egggg" in her low, husky voice as she finds hers on the table. Not only has she caught on to finding them, she has realized they each have something in them, which she has to immediately look into before moving on to the next.

Here we are in our Easter Sunday best. Ahhh, when did these babies get so big?

A Big Day For Josh!

I have come to decide that after 30, birthdays are pretty well done. I mean really...who wants to admit one more year? All the important milestone birthdays are behind you and the next important one is like 65 when you can retire. Anyway, they are a reason to celebrate and eat cake. I am all for eating cake.

Gammie and Poppy (Josh's step-mom and Dad) were in town for this blessed event, Josh turning 32. We went to Texas Roadhouse for a celebratory steak. Who knew that they would put our boys on a saddle and have them imitate a chicken with 2 take out boxes for wings and 2 paper cups for a beak.

Like I said earlier...who wants to admit another year AND then get put on a saddle? But when your 5 year old son can take part...it makes it all worth it!

Finally a Party

My sweet Andrew turned 5. Can you even believe it? It happened back at the beginning of December, so one would think I'd be a bit more able to grasp the fact than I am. Crazy...just crazy how time flies. His party was on the 6th of February and I was actually our 2nd attempt at his birthday party. We had originally scheduled it in December, had invitations out, family coming down from the Panhandle, everything in order...right up until the Friday before his party on Saturday when he decides to run 104 fever. Bummer! We canceled and tried it again.

One can never tell what the weather will be doing in February. We have had LOTS of cold and rain, so scheduling a party a the park seemed doomed from the beginning. Well, my little family prayed the sun to come out and it did...for 1 day, the party day. The weather was absolutely beautiful. Our sweet friends and family gathered at the park to help us celebrate!

Andrew wanted a Scooby Doo party. So we Scooby Doo'd, complete with a mystery! To kick it off, the kids made a set of Scooby Doo ears. While they were working, someone stole the birthday cake!!! Thankfully, they left a clue. To find the cake, the kids had to drop Scooby Snacks into a jar until they came across the next clue. While dropping his Scooby Snacks, Elan found us the next clue hidden in his bone!

After the Scooby Snack drop, we got a clue about mummies. The kids had to wrap Caleb and Jasmine into toilet paper mummies in search for our next clue! After wrapping, and wrappping, and wrapping, Andrew found our next clue!

The mummy wrap led us to the body parts laboratory! The kids had to reach into a sack and decided what each "body part" really was. We had witch's fingers, werewolf intestines, bat brains, eye balls, and a Frankenstein's brain. They ended up being carrots, spaghetti, raisins, pelled grapes, and cauliflower! Luke found our next clue hidden in the bat brains.

After the body parts laboratory, we headed off for a scavenger hunt. Each kiddo was responsible for finding 2 ghosts, a bat, and a Frankenstein. Emily saved the day by finding a ghost that revealed that cake was hidden in the trunk of our car!

Sure enough...these meddling kids solved the mystery and everyone enjoyed some Scooby Doo cake. What a fun time we had and what beautiful weather to go with it!

Happy Birthday Little Man. (2 months after the fact)

The Game the Wasn't!

Gammie and Poppy came to visit. They wanted to see Andrew in action on the basketball court. They arrived on a Sunday, the game wasn't until Tuesday, so we had some time to play.

Monday we ran some errands. Gammie has 2 weddings she is planning, so we helped with some wedding shopping! After errands, we decided to play Putt-Putt (I bet you can guess whose idea that was...Mr. Andrew). College Station has an indoor, black-lighted, western-themed course that Andrew just LOVES. Well, who knew the dark horse of the group would be Gammie. She gave Little Man a run for his money, with Poppy close on their heals. Ainsley was purely along for cheating purposes. She was kind enough to help your ball in if she deemed it close enough to the hole!

While on our wedding errands, we went by Hobby Lobby. Andrew does not care for Hobby Lobby...he says they have "borrrring" stuff. Poppy told Andrew they would go look for the young men's aisle. Look for and found! Poppy treated Andrew to his first model care kit. A Lamborghini...Poppy informed us Andrew has expensive taste! Here is the final product:

On Tuesday, Josh took off work and we all took the trip 45 miles south of here to Brenham...the home of Blue Bell ice cream!!!! No one had ever been, so we decided to take a tour of the factory. What a neat experience. We would recommend it. You get a cool hat like Andrew has on in the snowy picture, plus you get a huge scoop of your choice at the end. On the way home from Blue Bell, it started to snow. Let me say that again...It started to snow. It is February, in College Station, and it is snowing big cotton ball flakes. Well, it didn't take long and everything in College Station was canceled for Tuesday evening...including the ball game Gammie and Poppy had come to see! BITTER, but we did get some good snowy pictures out of the deal!

You can't be in the Shield's house long without one or both children bringing you a book to read. Andrew has started reading some on his own! There is a series called Bob Books. They are great for beginning readers. Here Andrew is reading TO Poppy! And little Miss Ainsley has stacked her spot at Gammie's feet, looking at an I Spy book!

Game or no game, we sure had a good visit! Being 8 hours away, we do not get to see them that often, so we treasure the time we do get! Thanks for coming Gammie and Poppy!