So Springtime brings baseball. Grace was on a modified pitch team, and Jack is playing T-ball. Parents who are new to organized sports should embrace this "multiple kid on multiple team" approach if you wish to cancel all other events in you life. It's unbelievable.

Grace's games turned out to be 3 hours multiple times per week. Unfortunately - she hated every minute of it and despite our inclination to make her see it through - we decided to let her quit - mostly because it was easier on our schedule. That's fine - not her cup of tea. She's great at academics and music. We'll have her try more sports but will never force her.

Now Jack is a whole 'nother animal. That kid's games are much too short for him. He's got the shape and the swing of Babe Ruth and more than one parent has seen him crack a pitch or dive for a catch and question whether he's really 4 years old. Thank God he got my wife's athletic gene and not mine...

We have a great time going, me & Jack. I got roped into coaching. Anybody who remembers my high school athleticism should be spitting the coffee out of their nose right now. But the truth is I'm a late bloomer when it comes to sports and I DO know kids. (There's- what - 9 quarters in baseball right?) So the parents have had nothing but good things to say about me being there - and I love it. The kids are SOOOOO funny. There's the ringers like Jack and a couple others. Then there are the kids who remind me of that dog in "Up". SQUIRREL!!!

OK - yes it has been a while. Thanks to those of you who have been kind enough to remind me. (Especially those whose names rhyme with Schmatalie, Schmamanda, and Schammy).

Lets face it - I'm busy and FB and blogging come a very distant second to tinkering in the basement and basically vegging in front of TV and passing out at the end of the day.

But I've vowed to get back into it to chronicle the chaos we call life. Problem is - I think in a linear fashion. And since it's been a year since my last post - I've felt like I have to go back and post in that order. But today I say $%*^ it.

I will be putting my life on this blog in random shots of my year home with the kids. It was a great, crazy, funny, stressful, exhausting, and incredible year. And it was the best one of my life...

Cape Cod

Cape Cod was awesome. Spent a week in Brewster, MA - on the North side of the Cape where the bay is. Calm cool waters were perfect for little kids. Very relaxing!!!!

Flying a kite at the bay


Sheila's Dad discovered electricity this way...

It's against the law to go to Cape Cod and NOT eat Lobster!!!

We stayed at Cousin John and Sue's place. Aunt Dorothy came with us and the kids LOVED hanging out with her!!!
Jack flying a kite at the bay. It was a walk from the house we stayed at.

Grace spent every day making new beach friends and was in her glory catching hermit crabs, fish, and "moon jellies".

Love this shot...
A hike in Nickerson State Park


Pretty much passed out wherever...

I flew my first kite - no I did not share.

JD had to have his wings on even in ankle-deep water. He's tough but he's still a big cream puff.
These hydrangea's were everywhere.
Sure it looks cute but I gashed my arm climbing down. Someone please remind me I'm not 12!

Memorial Day

A hot sweaty fun day

Nice Day at Delaware Park

We went to fly a kite but all I did was drag a piece of nylon on a string behind me for like an hour while my wife laughed at me....
...so we climbed a tree.

Classics of Grace

These will always be some of my favorite pictures of Grace when she was still a toddler.

Grace's First Soccer Practice

Big Day for us. This will be the first in what I can only assume is many many organized sporting events in our family's life. Grace was counting down the days on her calendar for 2 months.
When the day came, Jack & Charlie had a great time. Well, Charlie did. Jack was pretty bummed he couldn't go out on the field with the other kids. But we found an empty net and had our own game.
It was really something to see her get right into it. There she is in the pink shorts. She had so much fun and kept waving to us. We were so thankful that she wasn't the kid picking flowers and chasing butterflies on the field. (There was another kid doing that) :)
Jack and Grace helping Flynn put his socks on.