Keeping busy ...

The hubs has been on a road trip since Wednesday and doesn't get back until Sunday.  The best way to get through an eleven day road trip is to keep busy.  And thankfully the kids keep me plenty busy these days!

Between tball, swim lessons, physical therapy, and playdates, we. are. busy.

Last Saturday was Abby's Opening Day for her tball.  She had her individual and team pictures taken, walked in a parade (which introduced all ball teams for Hereford Co.), and joined in the fun of a Spring Fair.  

Pictures went well and of course Abby posed like she was in a fashion show. :)

The parade was fun for the kids and was actually Abby's favorite part.  I warned her at the beginning that the firetrucks were leading the way and she immediately covered her ears.  Poor girl ... maybe one day she won't be bothered by loud sounds.  The parade led the kids right into the Spring Fair, which was full of things to do.  Abby loved the bounce house slide, enjoyed making crafts, and had lunch with her little buddies.  It was a great day! 

Stay tuned for the first tball game .... it's this Saturday! Looking forward to cheering my little girl on! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Oh, Abby....

Our own little version of NYC's "Naked Cowboy."

Why not keep the party going?

Since turning ONE only happens once, why not keep the party going?!  After having Levi's first birthday party in Florida, I wanted to have another small get together for my family here in Baltimore.  This time around we kept it simple ... pizza, salad, cupcakes, and best of all ... family.    

Of course Levi loved the cake ... again.  It was just as messy and just as funny as watching him try cake for the first time.  But this time .... this time I remembered his birthday hat! :)

You would think she'd know baseball.

When we got back home last October, Abby decided she wanted to do gymnastics again.  She loves gymnastics.  The bars, balance beam, trampoline, and the rings.  You name it, she loves it ... and she's actually pretty good.  It was great for exercise and she made some sweet friends too.  Before heading back to Baltimore for this season, I had thought about what Abby would do up here.  The hubs and I knew we wanted her to do something ... something to keep her active and make new friends.  We just didn't know whether to stick to gymnastics, try dance, or pick a sport.

Then a friend mentioned that her boys were playing T-Ball.  It really couldn't have been more perfect.  Abby would already know two buddies on the team, we could have dinner together after the practices (our hubbies work together), and it would be a sport that Abby could connect with.

So it all started last week ... and it was quite entertaining.

The day of Abby's first practice, she talked about T-Ball nonstop.  She was ready and it sure sounded like she knew exactly what to do.  Doesn't this picture look like she knows baseball?

Well... this is what happened next.  She hit the ball, dropped her bat, and chased after her own ball.  Yes, you read that right.  Instead of ending up on first base, she landed herself right in the middle of a three man pile up.  Ahhh, at least those are her two little buddies.  What good sports!

Then it was her turn in the outfield.  She was ready to catch the ball and paid a bit more attention than her other teammates.  For a little while anyways.  At one point I looked up and Abby was playing on the playground next to our little practice area.  What?!?! Who knew there was playground time in the middle of baseball practice?!

Close to the end of practice, Abby kept coming over and saying she needed more water and complaining a bit that her legs were tired.  In the last few minutes, she decided she needed to rest instead of chase down more balls.  

I'm so excited for Abby.  I can't wait to see her learn more about a sport that consumes so much of our life.  I look forward to seeing her work with her little buddies as a team, play hard, and get better.  It may take us a while, but she'll get there.  After all, she does have a coach at home that knows a little something about baseball. :)

Opening Day '13 - Here WE go!

Although it doesn't quite feel like it should be here, it's officially underway and in full swing.  Baseball season is back and the Birds are ready to play!

Opening Day was different for us this year, but different in a good way!  Jim and I decided to get a suite this year, splitting it with one of his teammates families.  Having sat in the stands during Spring Training and realizing how tricky it would be to go to games this year, we thought it might make our lives a bit easier to have the suite for each game.  It gives the kids free roam in a safe space, a place to hold toys and store our own food for games, and a chance for our family to see a game together, all in one area.

Opening Series started off in a BIG way!  The kids and I were able to share Opening Day with tons of family.  My parents, sisters, bro-in-law, niece, nephew, aunt and uncle, and lots of cousins! The suite was full ... and that's exactly what we were hoping for. :)

Love these two.  What sweethearts!

Abby was ready to cheer her Daddy on from the beginning.  She is starting to "get" what Daddy does and is so happy when he's on the field!  The loud noises are still a problem ... poor girl plugged her ears most of the time she spent outside our suite.  Thank goodness she could get relief whenever she wanted to and could head back inside.  Levi was a trooper ... crawled around, played with his toys, ate everything in sight, and took a snooze in his stroller.  

Emily and Justin were awesome cousins as always and were big helpers for me.  Thanks for entertaining the littles - they LOVE you guys.

Like I said before, it doesn't feel like it should be here.  But I'm excited to see where this season takes us.  I'm excited to get to more games this year.  I'm excited to share these moments with family. 

Let's go Orioles! Here WE go! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Sleepy Boy

There's just something about it :)

There's just something about Easter and everything that comes along with it.  Spring, sunshine, egg hunts, friends, family, church, Jesus' resurrection, and the feeling of rebirth.  The sense that this is a time of all things becoming new.  And who doesn't like that feeling?

I have always loved Easter.  I liked the dressing up for church, the new Spring clothes Mama would always buy for us girls, and I enjoyed the time spent with family.  

Because Easter has always been one of my favorites, it makes me smile to see Abby love it so much.  She was full of questions this year ... sparked by reading Easter stories, Sunday School, and church.  It's so special to watch her grow and learn in her faith.  And as she always says, "I'm happy to have Jesus in my heart."

Our church usually holds an Easter Egg Hunt, but this year we decided to try something different.  We hosted a Jerusalem Marketplace instead and it was a super fun, super awesome event!  Definitely the best way to interact and learn more about the true meaning of Easter.  

So the Thursday before Easter Abby had her besties over for our very own egg hunt.  The Mamas and I put little trinkets in the eggs and let the girls have at 'em.  It was so cute and I'm already looking forward to planning a much bigger eggstravaganza next year! :)

Poor Levi played with the Easter basket, but didn't have much luck finding his own eggs.  There's always next year! :)

Easter Sunday was extra special this year.  It was the first Easter in a long time (maybe since Jim and I have been dating!!!) that we were able to spend Easter Sunday together.  We've never been to an Easter church service together before .... because it's always during Spring Training or the beginning of the baseball season.  So it was such a blessing to have the whole day ... together ... as a family. 

Abby was so giddy about finding her Easter basket, left behind by the Easter Bunny.  Levi had better luck with the egg hunt Easter morning and found a couple eggs all by himself.

After the morning excitement of Easter, we all got dressed up and headed to church.  It was a beautiful service.  Then we spent the rest of the day with some of the Branca crew.  As always, dinner and desserts were amazing and we enjoyed their company!

Hope your day was just as extra special and full of blessings as ours.  Happy Easter! :)