spring baseball

i feel like i have to post a little something about spring baseball.  not only do we love the rangers this time of year, but little league consumes our lives during the spring (and fall).  i jokingly said when we got the game and practice schedules at the beginning of the season that i was just going to pitch a tent at the park.  i was only halfway kidding.  we live on hot dogs, nachos, and popcorn during these two months and usually need to take out a small loan to fund the kids concession stand purchases.  it's a bad time of year to be putting on an extra 10 lbs right before swim suit season, but we can't get enough of it, well most of us. i love it, the boys love it, allan loves, it, and that about covers it.  anna doesn't love it, but she tolerates it well thanks to the concession stand!  most of the pictures are in video form, so i'll post a couple of the boys hitting.  somehow, we always forget to bring our camera to games and the iphone doesn't zoom all that great.  luke started kid pitch this year and sam is in his last year of pee wee.

dugout ~ one of the faves among the boys

luke on the cardinals

gampy's 70th birthday

my mom decided to throw my dad a 70th birthday party.  you only turn 70 once and it was a delightful party.  my parents are great hostesses and the turnout was great.  i don't have many pictures from the actual party day, but we got to stay through the weekend and had a great time with them on sunday.

flower picking, bb gun shooting and fishing

love this

a perfect tree swing

she could swing for hours

thanks mom and dad for a great birthday!  thanks dad for being such a great dad and gampy.  we love you so much!

easter

every year we go to a big easter lunch at allan's parents house.  it's proving to get more difficult as the kids get more involved with sports, but it's always a great day for everyone. the best part about the day is the great easter egg hunt. each grandchild is assigned a color for the day and a number of eggs to find. everyone leaves happy because they each get the same number of eggs and the big kids can't take from the littles!  she's so creative!  here are some pics to recap the day. and a few more from easter morning.

luke wouldn't be caught dead wearing this, but aren't these two cute!

trying to hide the fact he's eating all the candy he's finding

checking out her loot

sam and pops on the hunt for one last egg

all dressed up

a silly picture from sam

anna's birthday

sweet anna rose celebrated her 8th birthday in march with a skating party at skate town, circa 1970.  she and her great friend brianna both celebrate birthday's in march and decided to do a combination party.  it also helps that brianna's mom is one of my best friends too and we are always looking for a good deal.  ;)

anna and brianna carrying out their loot

anna with three friends from school

her adorable cake made by my talented mother in law

she got a new bike

and a family party with a sheet (sheath) cake

anna rose, you light up our lives with your sweet spirit, your creativity, and your great personality!  you laugh at things that most kids your age would never get, your maturity amazes us!  you are a wonderful big and little sister and rarely complain about the numerous baseball games that we drag you around to.  you are a beautiful ballerina and a joy to our family!  we love you sweet girl!  happy 8th birthday!

fredericksburg

right after sam's birthday, we took a trip to see some of our favorite people, jake and helen.  jake and allan have been friends since the nursery at church.  that's a long time!  and i couldn't be more thankful that i got to be a part of their friendship and become friends with helen.  about 7 years ago, jake and helen moved to fredericksburg.  :(  it was bittersweet for us.  we see them a few times a year and it is always a special time for us.  we shopped, we ate ice cream, we got a sitter and went on a date, and we climbed enchanted rock.

sam really wanted this stuffed animal and i said no. if you've ever seen his collection, you would totally get why i said no.  isn't it cute though?

this was luke's first time to feed a baby and hold a baby while walking.  that happens when you are only 3 years old when your youngest sibling arrives.

at the bottom of enchanted rock

inside a cave at the top of enchanted rock

on top of the world

brothers.....

me and my sweet girl heading back down

and the amazing host and hostess for the weekend!

thanks jake and helen for hosting our family and most of all for being amazing friends!  we love y'all!

rodeo time

we go to the stock show every year and the rodeo every other year.  this year was a rodeo year.  i love the rodeo.  i don't know if it's the atmosphere, the cowboys, or a little of both, but it is one of my favorite activities. :)  this year proved to be no different.  here are some pics (all taken with the phone) so quality leaves a bit to be desired.

all dressed up, luke's to cool to wear a hat anymore and anna's was too little.

and we ended at a fort worth favorite...dutch's hamburgers.

sam

this is post is so late.  we celebrated sweet sam's birthday back in february.  he wanted to do an "all boy party" this year.  however, he wouldn't pass the invitations out at school or the thank you notes because he didn't want to hurt the girls feelings.   here are a few pictures from the friend and family party!

celebrating 6 at van grow art studio

there was painting

and junk robot creating

and of course tie-dyed cupcakes

after we left the fun art party, we headed back to our house for a little family celebration and more cake of course.  sam's favorite food is none other than....pizza.  so, pizza it was!

celebrated by lots of family

love this picture of him

and the amazing cake my very talented mother in law made

sam, you are such a blessing to us.  you love to be just like your big brother and we couldn't be more thankful for that.  you have such a servant's heart, you love baseball, you love school, and you bring us so much joy!  we cannot believe our baby is 6!  you will be an amazing big brother some day soon.