Spring is Finally Here!
After April's multiple snow events, spring has finally found us! We spent a lot of the month indoors and several baseball/softball games and practices were cancelled due to the weather. Again is has been well over a month since I last updated and a lot has happened. I started uploading pictures a few weeks ago, but hadn't had time to actually sit down a write about them until this morning. I'll try to get through all the pictures with descriptions, but I'm not sure they're in chronological order.
When it's yucky outside, we move indoors.
For awhile, we couldn't get outside so the kids moved their fun indoors. Owen WANTED to be on the treadmill. I wouldn't let him go very fast though. He was on it jogging about 4.5 mph for about a 1/2 hour one day. This definitely doesn't happen often, but I was impressed with his perseverance.
Owen chugging away
Gracie wanted to hit, but it was too cold out. So, we set up the bownet in the basement. She has since taught herself to slap/hit left handed. She has even had a couple successes during games.
Finally! The first nice day that we could have dinner outside!
PTA Carnival
Much earlier in April, I took the kids to the carnival at the elementary school. They both had fun and Owen was excited to turn in all of his tickets for about 20 pieces of gum.
Dragon face
Gracie paid to put Owen in jail.
This was my birthday present from Nick. We have a door on our bedroom!
We spent an afternoon sawing and piling the trees that were cut down a year ago. You can see the pile past the 4-wheeler. You can also see that the ground was pretty soggy and Nick got the trailer stuck. oops.
Nick had a nice evening with little wind and we were able to burn the trees that had to be cut down to create our driveway a year ago. The neighbor boys are with Owen on top of the pile of dirt that is still there from digging out the lagoon.
Softball/Baseball begins
Gracie's first tournament was cancelled because it snowed that morning. However, by the afternoon, temperatures soared into the upper 40's, maybe 50. (sarcasm here) So she was invited to scrimmage with a couple 12u teams. It was a bit chilly, but at least the sun was shining. Gracie was happy to be playing, too.
Gracie catching
Getting a lead off of third.
This was a while ago, but Nick hung Gracie's curtain rod. She was pretty happy with her new curtains for her room. Owen also has some, but the rod also needs hung...someday.
Easter...again it was pretty cold on Easter, but the kids got to color eggs and the bunny came. My parents came up for church and we had lunch. They left before it snowed again later that afternoon. Crazy spring.
Back in March
This seems like such a long time ago already. We visited Iowa for Grandma Jeanne's funeral. We went up to see Annie and Chad's new house in Luther and had dinner at Hickory Park!
Owen and River at Hickory Park
Waiting to be seated before dinner
We found CY!
Waiting for Nick to decide which new pair of boots he wanted at Western Edge. Owen picked out this hat. Nice choice.
I don't have any pictures of the rest of our trip to Iowa. The day we arrived was actually really nice. We went directly to the church to practice music and meet the pastor in Grimes. After that we did a little shopping in Ames at Western Edge. Then dinner with Annie, Chad and kids, and also my parents. Nick and I went to Annie and Chad's to see their house in Luther before heading back to Grimes for the evening. The following day was colder for the funeral. We spent time at the visitations and then the service was held at the Presbyterian Church in Grimes. Following that, we headed to Ogden for a short graveside service. We saw many people I hadn't seen for a very long time.We visited with family and friends at the Methodist Church and then headed back down to the Des Moines area. It was probably 7pm before we headed back to Missouri.
I'm so proud of Gracie for being able to sing for the funeral. She did such a good job and held it together until after she was done. I think it was harder for her than she thought it would be and I could tell how much loved Grandma Jeanne and will miss her as much as I will. Thank you Gracie, for being you.
I really can't remember when this was taken. We are at Grandma Kate's.
Back to the present....
Tournament in Warsaw 4/28
Our first game was at 9am. So we packed up the car and left home by 6am. We played a double header in the morning, but didn't play again until 4pm later that afternoon. AND the tournanment was running over an hour behind. That's quite a stretch of uneventfulness. Nick got a game of wiffle ball going with the girls to pass the time. I also took Owen on a hike over by the dam and we found lots of people fishing and some BIG fish!
Champions!
The girls beat the team that they had lost to earlier in the day, so it was a pretty nice end to the long day! Not a bad first tournament.
The team with their coaches.
Yes, the lighting condition was not ideal. There were no lights behind homeplate and the only lights that remotely helped the situation were in the outfield. It was a little ridiculous. I'm glad no one was hurt.
Alyssa hit a homerun and Gracie was waiting at the plate to congratulate her!
Gracie with her teammates, Alyssa and Bella
Star Wars Night at Mizzou Baseball
Owen was dragging his feet about going to ANOTHER Mizzou event. Until we arrived and he got to see all of the Star Wars characters. He was so excited. We didn't actually go into the game, but we got to see some of the track meet, too. He saw Karissa Schwiezer win the 1500 at her last home meet, breaking her own record, the school record, and the meet record. We got to be right down by the track when she did it. It ended up being a fun night and Owen was happy that I forced him to go. Gracie was at softball practice with Nick while we were there.
Owen with Darth Vader
More characters with Owen
Chewbacca!
Watching the track meet.
Gracie's 4th grade field trip to the Capitol (4/20).
I chaperoned Gracie's 4th grade class to the stated capitol and had a fun day. I learned a lot about the state of Missouri that Gracie claimed she already knew because they talked about it in class so much. It was a fun day and I got to have a girls' lunch with Gracie after it was all said and done.
Gracie with her friend, Lydia. This is Walt Disney, who was born in Missouri.
Another pic of Gracie and Lydia.
Gracie's class on the steps in the capitol building.
I think this game was at a 12u tournament that Gracie guest played in. I can't remember.
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