The Doctor is in !!!!

Somehow I've given him the nickname this baseball year of the "doctor". I think it's more of a mad scientist thing but he's very fun to watch. He's in a tournament now until this weekend 

     

In between the fourth and fifth inning of a serious game here late in the tournament I hear some of the kids chanting regular baseball chants when out of nowhere I hear this opera singer joining them in chorus.... I wonder who that could be

 

My softball girls

Second place....!!!

     Well, they certainly cant come in first place every time.  Laura's team came oh so close, they had to win both games to get to the championship game and that they did....but in the championship game they just lost it in the last inning.  It was a wonderful ride though.....nice girls.....Laura will continue on and play in a summer league with girls her own age....for once!!  and of course the swimming continues for her...busy gal

Catherine's school mask

     Its a fourth grade thing at their school.  Each kid has made their own mask and eagerly awaited showing it off to us.  Catherine couldn't wait to show off her new face!!!

Lelacher field tourney

     Jimmy got to play in a minor league ballpark with his team.  They might not think its a big deal, or maybe they do, but its so fun just watching them play where the big boys play.  He did exceptionally well during this tournament, even though it was cut short by rain.  We sat in the stands and soaked it all in.....fun time!!!

Annual bike ride to school day

    

     Oh yeah, we look forward to this all year long.  The kids ask me about riding the bike to school during the last week of school all year long....Its stress because they think i'll forget.  Its a fun tradition since Jimmy was in the younger grades and has just gone on since then.  Its pretty fun.  We wait until the bus comes so that all their friends can see them riding along the street.  I have to ride to school to pick them up too.  It really isn't that long of a ride either way but its fun for them to be signed out from school and do something different.

     We ride on the sidewalk down the main street.  I think it gives them a little bit of freedom to do the big kid things.  Catherine went out in front and stopped at all the intersections and, as always, did the proper thing of looking both ways before she let us approach any danger.  The bus lies by us and Bonnie the bus driver honks loudly followed by waves of all the school children inside.  Its a fun tradition, one which we have another year remaining on....unless there are more kids coming!!!

Now Jacks a champion too!!!

     The 'Doctor' has taken first place!!!  His team lost game 1 of a three games serirs (when he went to Barry Manilow) and then they took games two and three.  They were some exciting games, up and down, up and down.  Ever so exciting and it was finally decided in the last inning of game 3.  Its life and death for him.....The trophy makes it all okay......way to go Doctor!!

     Jackie with umple eddie.  The ump was quite proud of his little guy

Looks like we made it

 
 
 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what a blast this night was.  I had been tipped off that the tickets were on Groupon and sure enough, they were so I scooped up 5 of them, and on the floor too.  Well, I knew Jimmy wouldn't come, even though I asked him-I think his answer was a quick 'I don't think so'.  oh well, and believe it or not the hippie wasn't too keen on it either but she was going to go up until her softball game had been rained out the night before so she was a no-go also.  I had asked Theresa if she wanted to join us....and of course she would!!!  Erin filled in for Laura, Catherine was sick but wouldn't miss it for the world either and jack, well Jack had a playoff game and I gave him the option to opt out but he was sure this was Barry's last concert ever and he didn't want to miss it.  I didn't have the heart to tell him that he'll probably have another farewell tour in a couple of years....

We started off the night at Fire and Ice on Boylston Street.  The kids really love this place.  you go and get your own raw food and stick it in a bowl, they cook it right in front of you.  The kids seem to really like this place.   From there we jumped on the green line and headed over to the Garden.  Regardless of other modes of transportation you could take, the trolley is still exciting and fun to go on.  After finally jumping on the right trolley we headed the four stops and bounced our way into the garden.

They had a opening act who wasn't that bad, a trombone guy, but he went on for a little bit too long. Our long awaited man finally did come on and from there it was two hours of nonstop dancing and singing.  The kids were by far the youngest at the concert.  In fact, I think they were the only kids in the place. 

 Overall, I must say, we had a blast.  the kids danced the whole night.  The old ladies around us asked the kids how in the world they know the words to the Barry songs and they pointed to me with a giggle.  so funny and fun too.  Jack spent a lot of the night in the aisle dancing and swaying his glow in the dark wand that they handed him when we came in.  oh, the laughs we had just having fun and dancing.  My legs hurt me more from dancing all night then from running the race on Sunday.

Kat on zipline video

Screaming from the first second....funny funny.....The kids were allowed to go ziplining in the school field before the race.  Its a pretty fun thing and I guess they do it in school for some part of gym.  Laura had already done it last week.  I know its scary, especially with the accidents on the ziplines within the last few weeks.....Jack wasn't allowed to go on because he's too young.  I was surprised that Catherine did it so willingly.  She told me beforehand that if Jimmy did it she can do it.  Either way, it was funny as hell to watch

Road racing

It was a two mile race, a perfect distance for the kiddies to run/walk.  I told Cat and Jack if they have problems that they have to go off to the right and collapse there and i'll follow and scoop them up if need be.  The girls were off at the starting gate to a blazing start so I thought for sure there would be at least one of them to get off the route, but they both stuck with it and had some good times.  I think Laura was right at around 14 minutes for 2 miles.  I stuck with jack and he took a little bit of a detour but he still finished strong.

Catherine ran with her friend Sydney and I think they were around 20 minutes or so, finishing strong, as you can see.  Catherine Q was smarter and she walked most of the way.  Jack's buddy Matthew came to the race to watch and cheer everyone on....
After the race we all went over to Eileen's house and had a nice little barbeque and saw Brandi and her hubby and kids.  They had come into town from Arkansas.  It was also a party for Kristina's high school graduation.  Both Matthew and Catherine Q joined us over there and had a blast playing the yard all day.  oh, in case anyone is wondering, I survived the race with a stellar time of....I actually forgot, but it was around 21 to 23 minutes. 

Zip lining

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udXO4mgdv7A
Her yelling during the whole thing is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time...click on the hyper link and you'll be able to hear her
 

 

 

Strawberry picking

Field trip to the mills for cat

Once again i was lucky enough to be the chaperone for this group of kids.  I've known these kids for quite some time and have been lucky enough to go into the class as well as be with them for some great field trips.  Here we all went to the cotton machinery at the Boot Mills.  Its a loud place when you go inside  but its a working mill.  The kids were great and we got to eat our lunch outside together.  We traveled over there by bus and of course it was all singing in the back of the bus.  There are alot of funny kids....i think the teacher was a little mad at me because we were making too much noise.....oh well, life goes on.

Of course we took the trolley from downtown to the mills, we were old pro's at that of course.

Baseball Jack

     Here is our little buggah and his favorite sport.  He's having a great year in the minor leagues and has been pitching and hitting the heck out of the ball.  Its such serious business for him to be pitching and striking everyone out.  He has hit his fair share of batters this year too.