Spring Break Part III

The rest of Spring Break was baseball, baseball, baseball. We spent Sunday-Thursday in Phoenix and saw 5 games. DH even squeezed in an extra afternoon game on our last day in town.

Sunday afternoon we went to the Rangers at the Mariners. We got seats down the first base line. The kids went to sit right on the wall, easy access to signatures from players walking on and off the field.

The best part about this game was that B was sitting on the wall with J & cousin M. A player walked passed by and patted him on the head. But what he really did was take B's sunglasses off the top of his hat. B was sort of starting to freak out but the player turned around and gave him a thumbs up. He dropped off his gear eventually came back to return the glasses. The player turned out to be Brett Nicholas, a catcher who played in Frisco last season. Brian was super excited. After the game, we hung around after the game and got his autograph.


Monday morning we went to the Rangers practice facility. Lots of excitement.

Pudge Rodriguez coaching the catchers.


Elvis Andrus walked right passed me!


The kids got tons of autographs! There were baseball players everywhere. Most of them were minor leaguers, but they happily stopped to sign baseballs/shirts/hats.

After a lot of searching, we found Preston Beck, the son of a math teacher at school. He was nice enough to stop and talk and take a picture with some of Mrs. Beck's former students.


While we were at the back fields watching Preston play, B went to find his new favorite player Nicholas at batting practice. He yelled out, "Hey, Brett, remember me!"  Brett remember that he was the sunglasses kid. After he finished batting, he gave B his batting gloves. When they were leaving the batting cages, he stopped and signed a glove!




B was one excited boy!

We had lots of fun the rest of the week.

Adrian Beltre signed autographs.



Yu Darvish pitched.



All the kids got a picture with B's favorite, Brett Nicholas


They rode the carousel.  Well, girls took selfies while riding the carousel. (I liked the warnings on the sign!)




Adrian Gonzales tossed a ball to J on his way to the dugout


We watched Elvis Andrus & Adrian Beltre do pushups after losing some sort of bet in the batting cages.


We met Darren Oliver while watching Preston Beck play.


We got a picture with all of the kids and Preston Beck. Those poor single A boys don't get much attention at Spring Training. Preston must have loved the cheering squad we brought to his game!


It really was a fabulous Spring Break trip. We'll have to do it again some day.

Spring Break 2014 Part II

On our way down to Phoenix, we took the scenic route through Sedona. We stopped at a place called Slide Rock State Park. It was a great place except for the very cold water. It would be nice to go back when it is warm enough to slide down the rocks.










We finally arrived at the fabulous house in Phoenix and waited for the other families to arrive. The S family showed up about an hour later. The kids went from heated pool to pool table to hot tub back heated pool all night. We all (including me who tried to go to bed multiple times) stayed up until the cousins arrived.

A was excited (or I was excited for her) because they brought along the very big envelope that arrived in Dallas that afternoon. We have an Ursuline girl in the class of 2018!


Sorry for the awful lighting/bad picture! I tried to get her to stage it again so I could get a better one but she refused.

Spring Break 2014

We had a great spring break this year. Last year DH & BIL#2 went off to Spring Training for the weekend. They enjoyed it and decided we should go back with the families for Spring Break this year. BIL#2 rented a big house and invited us and another family to join them in Phoenix.

Since Phoenix in only 3 hours away from the Grand Canyon, I convinced DH that we needed to make a side trip. We left Dallas at 4am and drove straight through with only 3 bathrooms stops. We made it in time for sunset. It was an impressive road trip with 3 kids, especially with B who has a teeny bladder once he sits in a car.

The Grand Canyon is awesome. We had a quick visit, less than 24 hours but we made the most of it.





After catching the sunset, we checked into the hotel. DH called ahead to confirm our reservation and asked for a room with a view. They told us that not many rooms have a view, but they managed a bit of one.


We walked down to a cafe to eat dinner and check out the gift shop and then we headed to bed. We were tired.

The next morning we got up and watched the sunrise.


















After a very nice breakfast at the hotel, we purchased souvenirs and headed out. We left the park via the East Entrance and stopped to check out the sites along the way.




We went down 4-5 turns at the Grandview trailhead. A is convinced we need to take a family trip to hike down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I don't know if that will ever happen!










After leaving the park, we pulled over at a lookout on some reservation land. Brian was disappointed but he did obey the signs.




It was a good day spent at the Grand Canyon. Maybe someday we will take A's trip!

Last Y Guides Campout

DH participated in Y Guides with both the boys. Neither of the groups was super involved, mostly just participating in the 2 campouts each year. DH & B had their last campout the first weekend of March.
















As always, they came home tired but had a lot of fun.

Banner week

The older two kids had a great week this week.

All the kids participated in a Catholic Schools Week poster contest at the end of January. A's was picked to go to the diocese contest for 7th-8th grade. She won 3rd place and her poster was printed in the Texas Catholic.





It's kind of hard to see because it was a pencil drawing.

A & J participated in the St Pat's Academic Fair on Friday. J did on-site drawing and A did on-site drawing & spelling. They both placed well!






The art teacher at the school should be very proud of how well her students did in drawing.

Finally, the big news....



J got into Cistercian. He applied last year and was wait listed. He was incredibly disappointed but determined to try again. He's very excited.

Now all we have to do is wait a week or two more to hear if A gets into Ursuline. Our fingers are crossed and prayers are said.

January & February

DH sent me pictures. I think it was a hint to get back to the blog. I took it.

Here are his photos from Jan & the first week of February. 

All dressed up for the dance


A signed up for Junior Assembly. It is a group that sponsors dances for the 8th graders from area Catholic grade schools. I think the intention is for the kids to interact and get to know each other before high school. I don't think it works that way. A says hello to the kids she knows from other schools and then hangs out with her friends from school.

Skating at Clyde Warren Park


Refreshments at Katy Trail Ice House


Last Friday was Grandparents Day at school. They had a half day. After a quick lunch, they all went out with the ILs. They went downtown to the Clyde Warren Park. B stayed to ice skate on the plastic rink. The others went to the DMA for Hopper Drawings exhibit. Afterwards they stopped at the Katy Trail Ice House for refreshments. And no, that isn't A's drink, it is DH's.

Snow in Dallas




This morning it started snowing as I was driving the kids to school. I picked up the band instruments and dropped off my niece's trombone at S#2's house. I stayed to talk for 10-15 minutes and then headed to work. At the first light, a truck slid into the intersection blocking all northbound traffic. At the second, the car in front of me tried to turn right and went straight instead. That was enough for me. I didn't want another broken wrist and I was much closer to home. I turned around and worked from home.

The snow continued all morning long. School decided to have an early release at 1:00. DH picked up the kids and took them sledding at the community college. They have decent hills for Texas. There wasn't much snow, but they said it was good for sledding. 

Christmas 2013

a month or so late!

Oops. It's been over a month since I posted last. When I wrote the ICE! post I was on my death bed, day 4 of a 6 day bout with the flu. The six days was just the time spent in bed; it did not include another week or so of feeling better than miserable, but not by much. My lingering cough has finally quit lingering, I think. The flu accounted for a few weeks of blog avoidance. The rest of the time has been spent manipulating my broken wrist, trying to make it work like a wrist again. It's depressing. I dread it and I haven't been doing it enough. P/T lady told me I need to spread my exercises out through out the day to improve my motion. Try working a full time job & three kids and see if she can spread her exercises out through out the day. Good luck.

On to happier times, here are pictures of Christmas. Tonight is the first time I've looked at these pictures. I set the camera down that morning and haven't picked it up until now.


Before the rush


Boys are excited


A horrified by a camera so early in the morning


B was excited by his Dempsey jersey


Frankie found his present under the tree all by himself


He was very proud of his new squeaky ball


And they're done!