The moment when...

The moment when your husband buys your 3 year old a DeMARINI baseball bat that is rated for little league and tournament play, as well as a mitt that is just his size, and then spends hours working with him on his hitting to get him ready for t-ball next year. #love #baseballproblems

Bryce actually loves it so much that he asks to go and hit. Whenever Landon tells him okay two more. Bryce will say "no I want all of them" meaning he wants to go through another whole bucket of balls. They never end up quitting after just two more-LOL.

Why this time of year is really hard for me-A Blog Post about Grades

This time of year is really hard on me. I struggle to be happy with life and especially with my kids (particularly my teenage son). I see posts from family and friends of their kids receiving all types of awards-sterling scholar, high honor roll, national honors society, good report cards,  and various scholarships. You see in school that child used to be me. I would do whatever I could to make sure I had straight A's. There were times my Mom would pay us or reward us for our grades, but lets be honest that wasn't for me but more for my sisters, cause I would have gotten the good grades regardless. However, I didn't mind the nice little bonus for getting an A. Since I'm being honest let me also admit I wasn't an angel child especially in high school I got in to trouble-lots of it. However, even when I was doing things I shouldn't be I still kept my grades up. I still graduated in the top of my class and got a scholarship.

Now fast forward 15 years. I thought my son was on the same path-through about 9th grade he managed to pull really good grades. In grade school and middle school he tested grade levels ahead in reading and was above or where he needed to be in everything else. He was pretty much a straight A student through 7th grade. In 8th grade he continued along the same path, with the only noticeable difference being a little bit of a struggle in math. In 9th grade he still pulled okay grades, but things were beginning to slip just a little bit more. Then 10th grade rolls around and all of the sudden it's like he just doesn't care AT ALL! When did music, girls, and peers become so much more important than anything to do with school?

Now my husband and I aren't unrealistic parents. We realize that every child is not able to achieve or get A's or even B's, however we also realize there are some who can. And when the reason your child is not getting the grades you expect them to get is mainly due to the fact that 50% of their assignments are big fat zeros-because no effort has been made at all-then we see that there is a serious problem. It's like a roller coaster around here do nothing for the quarter and then at the end start worrying and trying to get a few assignments in to bring the grade up a little bit.

Realizing the problem after first quarter this year, we tried to get a handle on the situation. We tried everything and anything we could think of. We tried talking to him about how this was affecting his future and the fact that we weren't paying his way through college. We took away privileges-phone, hanging out with friends, etc. We tried basing his curfew off his grades. We tried rewarding him-in fact this last quarter the stakes were pretty high-a new bat (costing roughly $350) for the grades we asked him to get, and still nothing. Now it's the end of the quarter the end of the school year and he's scrambling again trying get some grades up, so at least he's not failing.

In the meantime I am just sitting here wanting to scream and pull out my hair and trying not to cry every time that I see a post about the accomplishments of one of my friends or families kids.

And regardless, even though I am not happy with his choices, I am trying to just love my child, and remind myself of that. And remember that no matter what happens I really do love him, and we will get through this phase in life, one way or the other.

Exhausted

Spring Time is Crazy between practices and games for baseball, softball, and soccer, late nights, and early mornings, work, school, church callings, and everything else. At times we all just feel exhausted!!!

Poor kid is worn out-I just wish I could sleep like that!

Starting the Season with some Wins

Softball Season is officially in full swing. After holding several practices and the first few games the team has officially adopted Bryce as their team mascot. LOL He honestly thinks he is part of the team. All of the girls love him! He talks with them, hits and catches with them, and even runs bases. They all get a kick out of it and some of the girls say he can hit better then they can-HAHA!

 

 Chloe's favorite position to play is catcher and for the most part that is where she plays. However, she also pitches, and when Landon gets a really wild hair plays a little third base. Usually Chloe pouts though, so he usually just lets her catch. Seriously though she is the best catcher on the team, so we usually want her there anyways.

Chloe loves the Hunger Games. She reminds Landon and I of Katniss with her attitude and spunk. It was only fitting that her helmet have the mocking jay symbol on it. All of the girls love her helmet and want to wear it if it is available when they are batting. Plus it fits with our team name since we are the Flames-Chloe is officially the "girl on fire". Sorry if you haven't read or watched the Hunger Games this last paragraph is probably gibberish to you.

 During games Bryce spends his time hanging out in the dugout out and learning the cheers or playing at the playground with his BFF Sophie (she is the younger sister to one of the girls on our team).

Chloe Catching

The purple flames have started out great with a 2-0 record. The whole team is "on fire". I think this will be a fun season. Looks like Landon did a good job with his draft picks :) Not only that but the girls really seem to mesh well together and get along, so that makes it even more fun.

Flames Celebrating a Win in the Dugout

#purpleflames

Softball Season Begins-first game called early due to rain

Man we have been having a lot of rain around here. The day came for the first softball game of the season and of course it was rainy hard and freezing cold. Landon is coaching Chloe's team again this year. They are the Purple Flames.

Anyways this was not a rainstorm I was willing to sit through, especially with Bryce. Honestly I couldn't believe they didn't cancel it to start with. So Bryce and I opted to sit in the truck and watch what we could, which really wasn't much. After two innings they finally called the game, and honestly if it was up to the girls they would have kept playing the whole thing they were having a ball playing in the rain and mud, despite the cold. Of course Chloe asked for hot chocolate as soon as she got in the truck.

#purpleflames

Family Movie Night and Birthday Celebration

My Mom and Jeff came to town, so of course it called for the planning of a fun family activity. We wanted to do an outdoor movie night, but since the weather was not good we ended up holding it in my Grandma's Garage. The kids thought it was pretty fun. Along with the movie we served pizza, breadsticks, popcorn, and treats. There was even cotton candy via special request from Bryce, cause that is his favorite treat to get when we go out to the movies.

 That day just happened to also be Landon's birthday, so after the movie we had some Ice Cream Cake from Coldstone to Celebrate.

A few little boys couldn't resist taking a few little tastes of the cake before it was lit and served ;)

Rainy Day Soccer Game

It always makes me laugh when people ask me if I think they will cancel a game because of rain, or wind. Seriously we have sat through the worst and coldest win and rain, and even snow, and only on a handful of occasions have they ever canceled. The two main reasons they will cancel are lightning and if the field conditions become unsafe. Even with lightning they usually don't cancel, but will have a delay and then start again when it is safe.

I think it is hardest on the parents and fans to sit through games with bad weather cause at least the kids are running around and usually still having fun despite the weather conditions.

A few Saturdays ago we sat through a cold and rainy soccer game, which ended in a another tie. BOO! I hate ties...I wish they would just do a shoot off or something rather than end in a tie.

Whenever she has played in a cold or rainy game Chloe's first words when she gets in the car are always "can we go get hot chocolate". LOL usually we readily agree, since I could usually use one too.