I love watching Blake play ball...

And, I LOVE scrapping his baseball photos, too!

You've seen me use the Generation Z line from Little Yellow Bicycle several times already. I just fell in love with it the first time I saw it at Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff. (The line is currently 25% on in the store!) I loved how it matched Blake's Tigers uniform this season.

I recently took advantage of a photo sale on 5x7 prints and may have gone overboard on ordering the baseball shots! Then I realized that I had 5x7 transparencies with the Generation Z line, so I went to grouping photos together and matching them up with papers/products for layouts.

The result was four layouts in one night this weekend. And, I love everyone of them!

It might be weird to use a guitar on a sports page, but since Blake "rocked the mound" I thought it was fitting! The gears in the line also fit with my "100% Catching Machine" title. I took two die cut papers and overlapped them "off" just a bit and raised the black top layer with pop dots to add dimension. The original photo was really dark, so I edited it and it came out a little washed out, but I loved the effect.

You might be getting tired of layouts of Blake pitching, but I'm not yet. His many faces inspired yet another layout - "the Faces of Determination." I love this kid!

Speaking of love, photos I snapped of Blake "taking a knee" (ok, so he sat on the bag...) while he was on 2nd base during a break in the game really brought a smile to my face. His buddy from school was on the opposing team, but you see them sharing a laugh at 2nd. The photo I opted to enlarge just speaks to me about Blake and his personality. Instead of journaling, I decided to pull words from the rub-ons and sticker sheets from the Generation Z line. I thought it was a neat way to describe this boy that is so special to me.

Sometime before school starts, I need to scrap more Kevin layouts before he starts to feel left out!

May Procession

It really makes me proud to hear Blake comment that this was his best week ever since he not only hit a walk-off single, but also got to lead the May Procession and crown Mary at church tonight. When church is "right up there" with baseball as far as an 11 year-old is concerned, I know I must be doing something right as a parent.


I knew the 5th grade was going to lead the Rosary tonight and Blake was taking his part of leading "Hail Holy Queen" very seriously.
The surprise came when we got there and found out that he was to lead the procession out of the church and crown the Virgin Mary. Luckily, tonight I had my camera with me. I just wish that I'd pushed him more to change out of his school clothes before going!

I am very proud of my boy!

Oh what a night!

After all the rain we had this past weekend, I wasn't counting on the boys having their scheduled baseball games tonight. However, thanks to a warm sunny day and a group of determined workers down at the ballpark, the two fields the boys were scheduled to play on tonight were ready for games.

Luckily the games were scheduled back-to-back so I could see them both. Kevin's game at 6:30 was a struggle to watch. 3-up, 3-down for the first two innings! Ugh. We were down 4-0, but FINALLY came back to win it 6-4.

Then it was off to Blake's game at 7:30 on the next field. They started about 10 minutes late. We he walked off the field right at 10 p.m.!!!

I think I held my breath the last HOUR of the game!

Blake's team was 0-2 going into tonight's game. They took a good lead right from the start. Then, in the top of the 4th, the other team came back to tie at 7. We were home, so we had last bat. With Blake on 3rd, I thought for sure he'd score the winning run. But then the batter got the 3rd out.

Into extra innings we went. No runs from either side in the 5th. Or 6th. It was the bottom of the 7th and we had one out and two runners on bases. Blake stepped up to the plate and hit the winning run in.

Yes, MY kid did that. This kid:

And you should all be so proud of me because I didn't cry even though I was so proud that I could have. You should have seen his face and all the kids jumping up and hugging each other...and chest bumping! If I had had my camera with me, I would show you...but it was in the truck.

Oh, and I learned a new term tonight, too. That thing Blake did - hitting the run in to win the game...that's called a walk off single. I think I learn something new on each trip to the ballpark!

Underclassmen, beware!

There's a new safety patrol manning the halls at school this year!

And look who is one of the officers: Congratulations, Blake! Good luck keeping the kindergarten hall under control each afternoon. We are so proud of you!

So proud

All-star season ended tonight for Blake. We lost in the semi-finals. Again.

I am so proud of this kid for giving 100% at every practice and game. I am so proud of him for keeping his head up game after game waiting for his turn to play.

I am so proud of him for making good plays when he was in the game.

I am so proud of him for making a double play when he had the chance to play third. (The photo above was taken RIGHT BEFORE that play!)

I am so proud of him for improving throughout the summer.

I am so proud of him for all the RBIs he batted in and for all the steals he was able to make.

I am so proud of him for even trying out for the all-star team.

It was a rough season. It wasn't always a fun season, but he hung in there. He never gave up. He set a great example for Kevin.

1st day of school and a new kit, too!

Today was the boys first day of school. Yes, August 5. Hard to believe. Since Blake started school here, they've always started in the middle of the first week of August.

We found out last week at Open House that the boys would have a new bus driver this year - Kevin's 3rd in as many years! The route looked the same, so I assumed the bus would run at the same time as last year. I always get them out the door a little early on the first day to take pictures and also "just in case" the bus runs early.

First, I took the annual shot in front of the front door. I like to see how the kids grow each year and also from the first to last day of school. I always take a full body shot and a close up. They were laughing really hard this year, but it made for some genuine smiles. We were extra early to wait this year. We ended up with a lot of time to kill. I got two invitations to the gun show. No, there's rarely a dull moment with these two!

Tom encouraged the boys to go to the end of the driveway to wait. They waited a few minutes and then broke out into dance... Then Kevin realized he didn't have his glasses!!! I guess we got used to how he looked the first 7 years he DIDN'T wear glasses. Four months later, sometimes we don't notice if he's not wearing them. Luckily, I had time to run in and get them. And clean them.

The bus was still no where in sight, so I took another photo so Kevin's glasses would be included.

The house was QUIET today! The USPS paid me a visit with my Personal Scrapper August kit. I had time to break into it and create a layout even! I completely scraplifted a layout by design team member Heidi/anbzmom. I loved her LO which also used sports photos of her two boys. I'm always inspired by her sports pages.

This afternoon the bus finally returned to drop of my boys. They were both smiling. Both had a great day. Blake, especially, can't wait to go back tomorrow!

I think it's going to be a good year!

We're 2 for 2!!!

Last night we got the call...Blake made the Minor League All-Star team!!! We are so proud of him. We are going to have a busy summer with two boys on two "travel" teams, but we are all looking forward it.

Congratulations, Blake! You deserve it!!!

Baseball and Blake

While we anxiously await the Minor League all-star announcements, I wanted to share a few layouts I made at the end of May for Blake's album.

For most of the season, Blake had played catcher and has done a great job! One game he had a very close call against one of his best friends from school. The boy was called safe. At our next game, the boys grandmother stopped me and gave me an envelope with pictures she'd taken from the game they'd played against each other. We joked that she had the instant replay!

I made these two layouts using the WRMK "MVP" line.I also pulled out some photos of Blake's first year of Rookie league. Three years ago...he was Kevin's age. Man, he's grown!
Finally, here is a non-baseball LO, but it's for Blake's album. These photos are from his swim lessons last summer. He has become a really good swimmer - not bad for a kid with a mom who is terrified of water!

I am really enjoying having both my boys out of school for the summer. I'm afraid this might be the last summer that I can look down to Blake though. He's growing up fast!

I know I am blessed...

We often get lost in the routine of the every day, but tonight I had some alone time with this great kid - my firstborn. Kevin had his last basketball game tonight which conflicted with Blake's Cub Scout meeting. Usually when we split into different directions, Blake goes with Tom and I have Kevin. Since Tom was coaching Kevin's team, I was on Cub Scout duty.

It's rare that Blake and I have time alone without Kevin. It was a quiet drive to town tonight, but after some events over the past few days, I had been reminded how great he is - and I'm not being biased!

Blake came home with his progress report - all As. I've always known he's smart, but now he's working hard and doing what we've known he's capable of producing. Saturday he'll compete with the academic team in Governor's Cup competitions.

I received an email from his religious education teacher telling me that she enjoys having Blake in class. He's a "very smart and polite young man." That made me feel really good. He's 10. I've volunteered at school and have seen how most 10 year olds act. It's good to know that when I drop him off every Wednesday night, that he's acting like he should.

At the end of Cub Scouts tonight, another mother complimented Blake. As a parent, that makes you feel like you are doing something right.

To enjoy our 'alone' time tonight, I thought I'd treat Blake to an ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins. But when we drove by, the store was PACKED. On to Steak & Shake we went for a shake, but their drive through was LONG. I asked if there was anything else he wanted and he said Sushi. Yes...sushi! That was fine with me if he'd split the California Roll with me! I tried to call in advance, but was put on hold until we pulled into the parking lot. Once inside we found out they were short-handed and there would be a 25 minute wait.

So, being the good kid he is, Blake told me we could just go to McDonald's. I bought $1 sundaes for all three of my guys and they ate them together when Blake and I got home.

Earlier this week, I scrapped a couple of 8x10 photos (above and below) that we'd enlarged to use on Blake's posters when he ran for 4-H President earlier in the year. He didn't win, but he ran a good campaign and had a couple of great looking posters.
Last night I scrapped this layout for Blake, too. The photos are from field day at school last May.

Blake still asks me to come to school for programs and hugs me when I arrive and leave. I've heard those days may be numbered (public affection with Mom). However, I hope we can keep a close relationship so that he's never ashamed to hug me in public!