The Sideline Mom

Play Ball! ..... and that's just what we did.

 

I like this picture. I did not take it. It was on the cover of the major league baseball catalog we get every year. I thought this would be a great shot to try and recreate. But just how in the world do I get this sort of angle on my kiddo when he's on the mound? I'm not exactly sure but I will give it one heck of a try thats for sure.

Speaking of on the mound. We had a first game last night. Let's all shout Hallelujah shall we. The excitement level was high.

Nerves, anxiety, excitement, buttterflies. Whatever you want to call it this guy had it. See him taking his hat on and off? It's a nerve thing. He is trying to calm himself down. I think it's cute, cause I'm his mom and stuff.

 

First game of the season jitters. They are always there. Especially with entering into the 11-12 year old age brackett. It's a whole different ballgame then folks. Bigger opponets, bigger field, bigger distance between the mound and home plate. 

But he worked it out. He always does. I was so proud. Cause I'm his mom and stuff. Have I said that before?

   

I remember not so long ago when I would take a gander over at this "bigger" field while we were sitting on the little field and think whoa, those are bigger boys, young men actually. It was intimidating. I would not even look over in that direction after awhile. Besides it would be a long time before we were ever on that field. Ha!(insert laughter at self here) Sometimes I am so dillusional.

 

He is that bigger boy now. That young man. And it seems as if I just blinked.

 

 

I am sure it was just yesterday he was just trying to figure out this whole baseball thing. Right? Wasn't he just this little bitty guy just last week?

 

Now he is striking kids who almost weigh twice as much as him.

 

And he's cranking hits to the outfield for doubles.

 It makes me so happy to see him so happy. Now if I don't stop blinking, next time I open my eyes he'll be leaving for college. Sheesh!!! ( note to self * insert toothpicks between eyelids to hinder blinking)

Over and out.

The (non-blinking) Sideline Mom

Books and movies.

I love them both. Books change lives and leave you dreaming up our own possibilities. Movies inspire and can make you more feel deeply then you thought possible and they can make you to think outside you're regular day to day mind set. I need tis often and stuff. I love them both. Books and movies.

So, this past weekend as I shuffled through the video store... hmm.. that sounds funny to me to say now days. Should I day DVD store? We don't watch "videos" anymore now do we.  Anyway as I look for movies to entertain and move me  I always find myself standing in front of the rows of possible selections, over thinking whether or not I will like a particular movie or not. Usually they are movies I have never ever heard of and look suspect. Suspect to being what I call  TOTAL TIMEWASTERS. I hate TOTAL TIMEWASTERS. But there is really no way to know for sure so I try thw suspicious ones anyway. I have watched many really bad movies. Many, many, many. But sometimes I get lucky. Really lucky. Like this past weekend.

I found this.

 

One of the most gut-wrenching movies I have ever watched. I literally felt pain as I watched it and more pain everytime I thought about the movies for the rest of the weekend. Then hope. You see the director makes you fall in love with little Bruno, (one of the main boys in the story) from the very beginning. and after that, it's all over. Get this movie, get your tissues, brace yourself then watch it. Go on, right now. Go.

Then this one.

 

I laughed and cried then I laughed some more. Then I laughed one more time. Helen Hunt and Colin Firth were amazing! A very good movie and as real as they come. I love real.

Then I got real unlucky.

This one. Oh goodness. This is one of the TOTAL TIMEWASTERS I was referring to before.

 

Now, I LOVE Mary Stuart Masterson as much as the next as the next desperate movie buff but I like her a whole lot better as Watts, the coolest drumming tomboy on the planet in Some Kind of Wonderful who says things like "Don't go mistaken paradise for a pair of long legs" or "You want shallow call Amanda Jones" or even as the stubborn Idgie in Fried Green Tomatos.  "I don't know what's worse church or jail."  But as for her directing, she has got a long way to go. This was bad. Really, really bad. Sorry Mary, I still love you and I just wanted to say that cause like, I know you read my blog and stuff.  

Anyway as far as movies go the first two are a go. As for the last just skip it. And as for books well I found a good one this weekend but I think I'll tell you about that one later cause I think I hear the boys tearing down the northern wall of our lovely home.

So until we meet again. Go watch cha a movie.

Over and out. The Sideline Mama. 

Spring showers bring May... frustrations perhaps?

 

It's been raining here in middle Tennessee forever. Yes, forever, and no, I'm not exaggerating. Ok maybe a little, but it rained enough earlier in the week to X out all of the boys practices and nix they're first games of the season today. I'm depleted. The fields are full of water and squishy. So the ball and gloves lay dormant. As well as the bats, cleats, uniforms and my delightful and normally placid personality. Some may not find sports an acceptable way of entertaining your children for hours, days, weeks, months and years on end, but for me people, it has saved my ever lovin life (and sanity). "And that's all I have to say bout that" (name that movie)

Have a glorious day!!!

Peace be with you.

The (at the moment till the fields dry out) anxiety-ridden Sideline Mom

 

Creative thinking. And other news.

What do you do all day when mom (aka- your teacher) is sick with the flu and you can't do any school work? You take your math counting blocks and build a museum, that's what you do by golly!

 

Last week while I lay morbidly still and unable to move my limbs due to the flu induced coma I had found myself in, my boys had to fend for themselves. At the time this little guy did what he does best, he got creative and entertained himself. He's good at this even though, if given a choice he would rather bug someone (his brother) rentlessly to play along with him. On this particular day when I was able to get up just long enough to make my way downstairs, get a cup of hot tea and nearly pass out , I found him here being  so... so.... architectural. It's just so him.  I had to snap a pic. Thank God they managed on their own. I'm grateful he is a creative thinker. It's a good thing.

In other news I've been asked to shoot the Make a Wish event again here in  middle Tennesse  this April and I am really looking forward to it. 

Last year  it was a child sponsored event in a fitness setting where everyone worked for wishes.

 

This year it will be dinner and entertainment soiree at the Mercedes Benz dealership here in Franklin where the famed "best running back of all time" Herschel Walker will be attending as well as country singer Jessica Andrews. More celebs to be announced. I am excited and looking forward to it and really honored and grateful to be a part of something this special once again.

Guess I better shake the dust off  the ol' lenses as I have not so "snap happy" over the last several months due to the whole educating my children/homeschooling thing. 

And I am still on the mend from the flu if you can believe it. Tried to work out yesterday and thought I would not make it out of the gym without a stretcher. Seriously. And when I speak I still kinda sound as if I  am wearing an underwater breathing apratus. Man that flu has the claws of a grizzly. Dug in deep for good.

But grateful to be on the mend and:

my boys

the gift of  photography

spring

choice

hope

 and a little show called American Idol (I think it's one of the best seasons ever-how bout you?)

Peace be with you.

The Sideline Mom.

 

Coming out of a fog and a certain DVD release.

The flu bug bit me. Bit me hard. I'm lucky in that I hardley ever get sick, but this time forgitaaaboutit. Today is the first day since last wednesday that I could actually speak and not sound like some weird robot from a terminator movie. (there were robots in the terminator movie right?) Anyway, it's also the first day I could actually pick my mucus filled head up off the pillow and not think I was going to pass out.  And... to top it all, it bit me just as I was hitting my stride in my new and much needed workout regimen. Just as Stella was really gettin her goove back  it came and knocked me off the dance floor. Dam flu bug .. oh how I dispise your ugly fangs. So now while I am feeling a bit better I am still very weak and listless. (it took me an hour and a half to get a shower and dry my hair last night) So, my new workout plan will just have to wait until I can actually lift my arms above my head again. That may take a few days. (or seven)

 But there was one very important thing I did not miss. Well, Austin would not let me miss this very important thing. You see,  I now have my eldest precious punk enamoured with the fascinating allure of the Twilight saga. (I am such a bad mom) And the DVD of the Twilight movie came out last saturday but.... the whole crazy world was having Twilight parties friday night so that you could buy the darn thing at midnight (good Lord what is the world coming too!!)

All for this... this nutty thing right here. 

 

Thee most epic romance since Titanic. See it even says so right there on the DVD cover.

 

So for several hours I walked around Borders with tissues in hand while my eyes poured water and I repeatedly blew my nose. I looked (I'm sure) curiously odd to all the moms of the screaming teenage girls who swarmed the place. They were staring at me. Seriously. I can only imagine what they were thinking. Here's how it played out in my mind.

moms of teenage girls:  why is she so upset? Is she crying,  she looks like shes crying. Is she in love with Edward too? Does she need a cookie?

I don't really know what they were thinking, all I do know is I looked like a weird crying woman, crying for some strange reason and  .. well... I was weird. And crying. Only I was not really crying I had the flu. The really bad flu.

So I am on the mend and hoping to get back to the gym here soon. So thats where I have been ( sorry I have not called Dad) and I will post more pics of the boys here soon.  For now I'm off to drink some hot tea and um... lets see... watch some deleted Twlight scenes perhaps. (hey I suffered for it didn't I)

Over and out

The still slightly stuffy Sideline Mom. 

Back.

Atlanta was great. Jen and I had a great time. There really is something to that old saying "let there be pillars in your togetherness" I needed time away from the boys. Being together with them nonstop has been difficult for me personally. I have really learned that I am one of those types that needs time away from my children. I wish I could say that I am one of those people that can be with them all the time but I am not. I think they need time away from me also. I will do more of this "away time" more often. Of course I have said this before but saying and then doing it is a whole other story. But I will try. Jen and I talked, laughed, shopped, talked, watched movies, talked, acted goofy, did I mention that we talked, and we had alot of this also.

Food. Prepared by none other than my professional chef brother in law Jason. He's awesome. I've mentioned him before but I must say that although he is not atually a professional chef in real life, he should be. That boy missed his calling. But the rest of us benefit greatly by him not being stuck inside a fancy kitchen in a fabulous resturant somewhere. So I'm quite happy with the way things have turned out for him. 

 

He cooked for us several nights. And although I did not get pics of all his delicious creations I did get a few.

Thanks J, you are like totally awesome.

 

And thanks to you to Jen, there is hardley anyone on this planet that lets me say exactly whats running through my head and does not think me totally insane. Did you know I really love you for that. 

    

Lets do it all again real soon.

 

Love ya as big as the sky.

Over and out.

Sideline Mama

Packing

 

Headed out of town to Hot-lanta to see my sister for our birthdays. (Notice the DOG HAIR on my suitcase  -  and he's not even allowed upstairs anymore-SHEEESH!!) Our B-days were in February but we like stretching them out don't we Jen? They last longer that way. It's not like we have to get together and do something it's just reay nice that we make the effort. It's always worth it, always. So my sweet punk boys you will have to fend for yourselves this weekend. I will miss you and um... be good will ya.

I shall return refreshed and luminous.

TOODLES!!!! 

The tale of two teams.

Ok so this is not actually the tale of two teams just yet but it will be once we get into the season a little more. What we do have is two of the same team.

 

See here. Both boys ended up with the Braves logo this year. Same jerseys, same hats same everything. This always makes for an interesting time in organizing photos for the two teams on the computer. At a glance they all look like the same team. It can drive you nuts. It does me. Don't mind the dog hair on the hats above. It's everywhere. Dog hair that is. It's the story of my life now forever. And it's going to get worse now that spring is rounding third base and headed home. The dog will literally be spewing out hair. I am depleted. Anyway this guy had his first practice last night.

 

See this look here. This would be his game face or perhaps his practice face. I learned early on not to expect a smile while he is in the zone. It just ain't gonna happen. Nope, no smiles here people. He is way too focused to smile for crying out loud. Just cannot be bothered with it. 

So off we go into another season. *sidenote*-this pic should be an ad for Easton gear- (I'm just sayin)

 

The next several months will be filled with lots of fun, dirt, good laughs, dirt, Gatorade, dirt, teammates, dirt, to and from the field conversations about how games went, dirt, wins, losses (hopefully more of the wins than losses) and did I mention dirt. Yes lots and lots of dirt. (and have I mentioned dog hair yet)   By the way have you ever noticed what a weird word dirt is? Ok focus here Sideline Mom.

Anyway,

 

we are excited for all that awaits. I'll keep ya posted of course. It's what I do ya know.

 

Over an out.

In like a lion.

It's official, I'm moving to Bermuda. This is what we woke to on this wonderful morning of March 1st and to put it bluntly it sucks, excuse my language. I'm just REALLY ready for spring. Two boys couped up all day this whole past windter with only a handful of somewhat warmer days and I am ready for a change.

    

As you can see my patio furniture is ready for a change also. It's coming undone. I can relate. I feel your pain patio furniture I really do.

On a much cuter note:

 

Got this yesterday. He tried really hard not to smile. He lost that battle.

If that doesn't warm your heart nothin will.

Peace be with you.

Until next time.