Karrick's first baseball game

Karrick had his 1 st baseball game yesterday. He is a AA Cardinal on accident. Somehow Karrick skipped t-ball with the 5 and 6 year olds and ended up on the 7/8 year old team which is machine pitched. I am in Texas, Tim's car broke down on the way home from work and TJ was at his own ballgame so Callahan stepped up to the plate. He got Karrick dressed and walked him the 2 blocks to his game.

Well, my little baby was a shinning star. 3 times up to bat, 3 hits, 3 times on base and 3 times hitting home plate to score 3 runs!! And none of us were there to cheer on our adorable 3rd child. Except my middle man Callahan...I am so proud of him, what a great big brother. Karrick's team the Cardinals won the game. I spoke with karrick on the phone last night and he was bouncing off the walls with excitement.

When we found out Karrick had been put in the wrong level, he could of stepped doen to t-ball, but he wanted to stay up with the big kids "I'll get better faster" was his comment. I might add that he has little crush on a little 7 year old...older woman named Allyson or Alice as Karrick calls her. He had me print out htis picture and make 2 copies. "Can I have a playdate and give her a copy?"

I will miss karrick's second game tomorrow, but daddy will be there to cheer our little man on!
I am so proud of all my boys..how they pull togetherand help each other out

USLA National Meeting, Galveston Texas

In a few hours I am heading to the United States Lifesaving Association's National meeting in Galveston Texas. Guards come from all over the US, including Hawaii. I am meeting my best friend Erin and many guards that I have known for over 25 years. 5 of us from Chicago will be attending this conference. The picture above was taken in Galveston in 1991 at the National Lifeguard games.

It's funny my friend Erin lives 30 min away in Beverly where I grew up and the only time we seem to get together is at these meetings across the country. See you in a week

20 years and kickin again

Date night...Oak Brook Mall for dinner and a little shopping

I bought this 1990 Mazda Miata 20 years ago from a trader  that I worked with downtown. It originally was white and I drove her for 6 years until I was too pregnant with TJ and too big to fit behind the wheel. Tim then drove it for years until she died and we packed her away in our garage in Oak Park. Then life became car pooling in a mini van. 5 years ago we shipped her to Lombard  where she stood still under a tarp for 5 years. 2 weekends ago Tim and Callahan pulled her out and spent many hours driving to and from the auto store, then fixing her up. Due to their hard work and diligence we now have a fun new car for the summer.

Real men are not afraid to carry Abercrombie bags with scantily clad men on them. I bought a way over priced beach bag and some teeny tiny shorts better suited for a 17 year old, but adorable non the less. I had a $25 gift card that sucked me in.

How cool driving at night under the stars

good night baby

A special ring from a special lady

I woke up this morning and thought about my ring. I was given this ring by my dad after my mom died. It was my mom's and she wanted me to have it. I rarely wear it because it is too big and I'm terrified of losing it. I wore it today after I rolled tape around the band multiple times.

When I was small, my parents seemed to go out on dates every weekend. That's my memory, but it could have been every month. Anyway when they went out, my mom always put on this ring. I called it the kaiser roll ring, because the diamond encrusted ribbons fold over like a kaiser roll.
Maybe I thought about it because we are coming up on the 6 year anniversary of my mom's passing. Tears flood my eyes as I write this...does one ever get over the death of a mother? My mom was a spectacular woman filled with dignity, intelligence and humor and was taken from us way to soon. Had she lived she would have been quite ill and that's not what she would have wanted. God does things for  a reason, but it still hurts.
I Love you and miss you desperately Mom

some cool pictures

Karrick had pictures at 8:15  this morning; so after I took some shots in front of my house. There was a misty fog in the air and the dew was fresh. I just love the rose shot. I used my  55-250 mm lens with f/1:4- wide aperture and a fast shutter speed. It just blurred the grass into this beautiful green background. The tulip is crisp and dew kissed. What I love (click to enlarge photo) is the green reflection in the 2 dew drops on the upper right side of main tulip. Possibly my favorite shot ever.  I can't wait to buy a macro lens...I'm so inspired now

Lombard Lagoon

Picture Day

Saint Louis Cardinals

Today is picture for Lombard Baseball. I used to dread picture day due to all the chaos, but in Lombard it's quick...in and out in no time. An added perk,  it's held  across the street at our school because we have the biggest gym

Sword fights with order forms is a must. Check out Karricks new "Michael Jackson" shoes. You know that world famous basketball player #23

After, I took Karrick to McDonalds for some pancakes

"I sure do love my Cardinal car...it's way beast"

Enjoying Earth Day

A beautiful Blue Heron captured my attention

I have the day off today and after I dropped Karrick off at school, I rode my bike to the park 2 blocks away. I have been uninspired in my picture taking and blogging lately. When I uploaded today's shots I was stunned at the beautiful colors. I had my zoom lens on and my camera set to landscape which helps capture the vibrant colors. It was so peaceful in the park...just me, the birds and the womderful sound of nature

Click on photos to see the beautiful colors

The pond has these beautiful red and yellow leafy plants...Is it a liliy pad?

Gorgeous whatever it is

reflection that looks like an oil painting without a photo editor

                                            

My Blue Heron

This duck kept doing dives

Baseball season

TJ had his first game tonight...it was only a practice game, but a game non the less and we won. TJ is a pitcher and 3rd baseman. I snapped this picture (didn't really take any pictures) and I can't believe how old he looks. He definately does not look like a 13 year old...not sure what I'm feeling, but it's really hard to see your baby almost grown up

Makin peace with the bees

I got my camera baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

After 2 weeks in the shop, I finally got my camera back. The entire flash had to be replaced.

Two yards down is this lovely Lilac tree and it is my view to the West from my deck. Love my 250mm zoom lens

These 2 pictures are just fun lighting shots

After my horror with the hornets  and bees

 last year; we are taking no chances after seeing our flying friends again. Tim found 4 holes in the ground and went directly to the store. Since then no bees, hornets, birds or squirrels have been seen...joking on the birds and squirrels...kinda.

Swear to God, after I wrote is post I went outside to drive TJ to baseball and what is laying on my front porch? A dead giant black bird...no joke

It had to of crashed into my gleaming storm door...right?

My weekend son Ben was kind enough to bury it in the backyard.

Oh, and the crutch is not for insect batting practice and hopefully not for big black birds either...it's just random shit we have lying around due to a house full of boys. Why that stuff finds its way out of the garage is a  mystery to me. Sometimes it's ok not to know.

Last night we dropped the Rat Pack off at the skate park in downtown Glen Elynn before  me, Tim, TJ and Karrick went to dinner

TJ's volleyball dinner and awards night at the middle school

pictures from crappy camera. It was held at GWMS in the cafetaria

Coach Hrbeski had some glowing complinments for TJ before handing him his certificate

and a little kidding about TJ going out for baseball and not volleyball in high school as the seasons coincide

Karrick's bird sculpture

How cute is Karrick's bird and nest he made at school?

There's my little Karrick hanging with the big boys

Oh no! first baseball injury of his life...but not the last. After practice karrick got a ball in the cheek bone and he still wants to stay up with the big boys

My Boys

What a great relaxing weekend. Tim and I went out to dinner on Friday then went for Coffee and books at our local Borders. Saturday we pulled out some deck furniture and I soaked up some much needed sun. I leave for Galvenston Island, Texas next week. I seriously needed some color.

Karrick had baseball practice and I kept noticing that he is way smaller than the other kids on his team. Karrick is a little above average in the height dept, so it just stuck me as a little funny. I asked the coach after practice what the age limit was and he said 7-8 year old, AA baseball....CRAP!  Karrick should of been in single A t-ball with the 5-6 year olds. I was wondering why the Tee was never brought out. The coach said karrick was keeping up just fine and Karrick said he wanted to stay up in double A

SO....

he's the team peanut!

 At this level they use a pitching machine and if you don't hit it then they pull out the tee. The bases are 15ft  further apart and they play an extra inning (4)

The boys spent most of the weekend in the back yard grilling, talking by the fire, playing volleyball and lots of jumping

Awwwwww

A great way to spend a Friday afternoon...jumping together on the trampoline

Callahan on Callahan

You will never find his name on a mug or a pencil, but WOOHOO on a t-shirt

the face?

 that's Sally she lives in the mirror and joins us every morning and I mean every morning. Quite creepy I might add

A pretty girl

Penelope in her Easter outfit

My favorite tree

the boys with their baskets after a tough hunt. TJ's was up in the attic, 10 more minutes and he'd have a melted mess

No, Cal isn't injured. That's grandma's chair that Cal loves to pop wheelies in. The Easter egg hunt went on and off for 4 + hours we were able to locate 17 of 19 hidden eggs. Nice job Brian, it was tough

Cute cute puppy Patrick

I need my camera back! Once you go SLR you'll never go back to the point and shoot...I hate em, it's no fun taking pictures

My flash is being replaced on my SLR. I had to bring it to a specialty shop and I'm hoping to have it back by the end of the week. I think the boys are enjoying me cameraless