Baseball

We wrapped up another fantastic sport season last night - specifically the NW CO Rec League 8-10 baseball season! - and I hesitate to say that I'm glad it is over. 

Granted, no more long, hot uneventful games and no more out-of-town trips. But then also no more exciting plays being made when you least expect it and no mare car trips with several cute boys in their baseball uniforms singing pop tunes in the back seat! 

I think I will kind of miss it.... and I know Hamp will! He loved baseball this year (winning nearly every game helped!) and in the second-to-last game of the whole season he finally got his hit - a beautiful double! I have never felt so proud for him. And I know that he finally felt worthy of his team when he sent that ball sailing into the outfield! 

Consequently we had a perfect tournament week. We stayed in the winner's bracket and then managed a very exciting win last night for the championship! It was one of those feel good games that made the whole season worth it, where every kid really shined and played their very best. (I am not afraid to admit that I was even brought to tears when our sweetest & youngest kid on the team got his first hit! Oh what joy we all felt for him as he ran to first base!) Hamp made a perfect play at second base to get an out, and everyone was happy to go out on such a high note.

Highlights from the 6-week season:

perfect evening for a baseball game in Meeker!

Hamp played 2nd base...

... and 3rd base sometimes!

even with only 7 players - we pulled out a win!!!

the best part about out-of-town games:  the post game fun at Taco Bell!

CHAMPIONS!!!!!

Clearly, Hamp was happy about a good season and about playing ball.

Once awarded with their CHAMPIONS hat, Hamp declared he was never going to take it off...

... I guess he was serious, because this is how I found him this morning in my bed!

Sam's favorite shirt

Once upon a time, on a random afternoon of running errands, Sam found a treasure.

While dropping off items at the local thrift shop, the boys were given the opportunity to pick out a new shirt.

While Hamp predictably selected a brown sports tee, Sam chose a beautiful, lavender, velour, long-sleeved, embellished shirt which he has worn enthusiastically ever since!

So far this summer, Hamp & Sam have enjoyed many adventures that 6 & 9 year old boys normally love - baseball, rivers, camping, bike riding, friends, swimming, forts, and of course on hotter afternoons: the water hose!

Well a few days ago the boys certainly found a new adventure in their own back yard... and while I was irritated at having a mud pit in the yard, I couldn't help but delight in hearing and seeing their joy from getting dirty!

Which brings us back to Sam's treasured purple velour shirt... 

As you might notice from the pictures above, he wore it right in the mud pit and as it turns out, mud really clings to velour!

So Sam had to say goodbye to his favorite purple shirt.

But never fear, the thrift shop is near!

And while making another donation yesterday, Sam was able to find a new treasure...

A happy Father's Day

We took the weekend to get away, unplug and play in the forest!

It was a much appreciated escape - we took a little hike, played by the river, read books, roasted S'mores for dessert and wondered about what animals were creeping outside our tent at night!

(don't worry, it was just a chipmunk!)

The best part was waking up Sunday and realizing it was Father's Day - so the boys each jumped up and gave Dad a big hug over some cereal for breakfast! That, and teaching his sons how to make a proper camp fire, might have just made his weekend!

The elk were out by the river and we saw hundreds of them in the valley - with everything so green and the sun shining just before setting, it made for some beautiful moments!

I'm just so grateful for Jason and how he is raising these boys - I hope they grow up to be as good as their father one day. ♥

Last day!

So... an update!

Lest you think this week - given Hamp's behavior! - was all bad,

I offer you a modern-art video creation from the mind of the delinquent himself... 

(oh, what little boys come up with when faced with the restrictions of being grounded!

Here's to hoping summer is filled with stuff like this!)

And once we were all rolling and back in the school groove - it was so quickly over!

Friday was the last day of school - and everyone celebrated in fine form:

Sam & his kindergarten buddies played at the park, had pizza for lunch, and a half-day of fun, games & dancing at school!

Dad & Hamp were having a blast up at the high school track:

Meanwhile, Momma & Gabe took a long hike up the mountain and stopped for a photo at the top!

With all the partying and celebrating and dancing and hiking, it was no surprise when we found these three curled up on the big bed at 8:30pm! Guess we'll have to ease our way into summer...!

Suspended belief

Well it is the last week of school.

I expect the kids to be super excited, and of course this week their learning is unstructured and hands-on (read outdoor activities, games and extra recess!!!)

No, seriously the school has done a great job this year of planning some great activities for the kids - Parks & Wildlife sponsors fly fishing demos on the courthouse lawn, there are guided hikes on the Rec District's new trails above town, a local florist sponsors a garden that the kids plant and maintain, there are trips to the library, and the Pool staff runs water safety demos - all to keep the kids focused on good learning and healthy activities for the summer!

So when I got a text yesterday from the school principal that my child (Hamp) was in trouble I was sure it was something laughable and relatively harmless...

Uh, no.

Turns out, he punched a kid.

(at this point I was hoping for a situation where I could say, "I know the other kid deserved it, but we still do not hit people." Or at very worst say, "even if he hit you first, you don't hit back!")

But neither was the case. The other kid did NOT deserve to get bopped, and Hamp threw the first punch.

There are 2 kickers to this story:

     #1 - Hamp got angry over a stupid four-square game!!!

     #2 - until today, Hamp had perfect attendance for the school year!

Yes, today Hamp was asked by the principal NOT to attend school today. Specifically, he was suspended! (oh my gosh, it is this goody-two-shoes mama's worst nightmare!!!)

My mission today has been to make Hamp's sojourn at home as un-fun as possible so as to drive the point home that one never wants to risk being suspended from school! So I made a to-do list for him - with plenty of drudgery and house work that might turn him off from ever thinking he might want to just "stay home"... The list ranges from the ever-so unpleasant (scoop the poop) to the mildly annoying (cut your hair, read) but it kept him busy for most of the day. And without any tv, iPad, computer games or friends to play with all day I think he is starting to understand the value of getting back to school tomorrow! Regardless, I sure hopes he learns the value of keeping his hands to himself and not letting a little friendly playground competition get the best of him!

hmmmm, maybe if I post his to-do list right next to those ever present house rules he will somehow remember them when playing four-square at recess!!!

Windy Cactus 2013

Remember this?!

Well, we may have skipped it last year but we were ready and rearing to go for the Memorial Day weekend traditional camping/mountain biking/hiking adventure in the desert! 

It was warm (hot?!), windy (but no one lost a tent!), and the perfect 24-hour get away!

2 boys, 1 large dog, 4 bikes and lots of camping gear - it was tight but we made it!

Sam didn't waste anytime getting on his bike!

Meanwhile, the adults didn't waste any time getting settled for some sunshine & conversation!

Despite the miles of fantastic single-track biking and all the great amenities of camping in the desert... there is still debate as to the REAL reason we all like to go to Fruita.

I'm not saying The Hot Tomato isn't great, but I'm also not saying I wouldn't go to Fruita without stopping in for some excellent 'za, hand-crafted beers, and pretty awesome atmosphere!

If you sit on the patio (which you would naturally do anyway!) they will let you bring your dog in with you!
Gabe was happy to be with his people, and the kids were happy to spread the love!

Alright - so getting down to business: let's bike!

It was such a joy to watch all these kids get out and do some pretty sweet single-track without hesitation or fear (ok, so it was equal parts joy and panic, from a mother's point of view!)

~ and as an added bonus, no one had to pull cactus spines out of anyone's heinie this year! ~

But I truly was so proud of how the kids rode and how adventurous they were on the trails...

Hamp on the trail...

and Sammy bringing up the rear...

It might have been all the dessert sand that was crusted in every nook & cranny of their sweaty little bodies, but I thought they looked like they were the kings and queens of summer!

THE DIRTY DOZEN!

p.s. Happy Birthday Liam!!! ☺
check out birthday wishes and more pics here!

Spring in Meeker!

Thanks to my friend at the local paper (and coffee shop!) for sharing this photo with me - it was taken Monday, May 20. While we were getting rain here in town, apparently the Flat Tops were getting something a little more substantial!!!!