It is Friday...

My plans for today are limited to working, supervising the grounded teen, and heading to the base gym for an appointment concerning nutrition and exercise. My doctor has given me a new label, which I am trying to shake, if I can only lose 10 to 15 pounds in the 3 months. So, my project for the next 12 weeks. The problem is that some of this weight has become really good friends with the rest of me...having been hanging around here since my eldest was born, more than 15 years ago.

Oh, and we have our LAST softball games for the season tonight...at 8:45 and 9:45 p.m. It's going to be a late night...and that's a hard time for me because that is when my blood sugar tries to tank on me. Then tomorrow, the kids are wanting to spend the day with some friends from church and Jason has drill.

Do you have plans for your weekend?

A quick note to say...

...life has gotten CRAZY again. I pulled out my calendar and started putting in things that are planned for the next two weeks, and ohmygranny this is gonna be fun!

Tonight starts the band season...Band picnic at 6:00, but the oldest has to be there by 5:00, so we're all going then. She's home right now, making cookies to take, and we have to figure out what other dish we're making to take... Oh, and Jason has his first two games for Fall Softball.

*Tomorrow is the Band Freshman Car Wash and I go to the Ladies' Brew Group.

*Sunday is church and a baptism at the beach later in the afternoon.

*Mondayis a band rehearsal and football tryouts for #2 child and Jason has a duty day.

*Tuesday is new student orientation at the high school and Jason's Brew Group.

*Wednesday is band rehearsal, orientation at the middle school and Brew Group for military families.

*Thursday is Open House at the elementary school and the band is playing at their first home football game.

*Friday Jason has two softball games.

AND THAT is the week BEFORE school starts. I still have to work and feed kids and clean the house and do laundry, and sometime I have to shop for all the back-to-school stuff that we haven't had the money to buy yet.

So, if I'm not here at some point, you'll probably find me curled up in a corner somewhere, sucking my thumb and rocking back and forth....

...or nursing my glass of wine!

Wrapping up the week

This week has been quiet.

I think I could get used to this having my kids home. They're keeping the laundry caught up, and the dishes washed, and the house picked up. It's an amazing thing!

Yesterday two of the girls were invited to a birthday party/pool party here in our neighborhood. That's one really nice thing here is that there are a ton of kids for them to play with.

We've also had sick kids this week....just a fever and tiredness...2 days on the couch, taking Motrin, and they're up and away again.

Last night was the last games for one of my husband's softball teams. Tonight is the last one for the other team. I have a friend who is moving tonight and tomorrow, so I am going to help move some things tonight, and then come home and pick up the kids to go watch the last games.

This weekend is drill weekend, so Jason will be gone all day tomorrow, too, for work. Our oldest has a doctor's appointment on Saturday morning, too, so it looks like I won't be going to Ladies' Brew Group on Saturday morning.

The next couple of weeks are going to be a little busy, with plans for July 4th and then Women of Faith in DC. Anyone else going to be there? I can't wait!! Last time I got to go to Women of Faith was in Billings, MT, two years ago. It was extremely refreshing. I need refreshing right now!

Well, work is calling...better get back at it! What are your plans for the weekend?

And the words everyone has been waiting to hear...

BASEBALL IS OVER...at least for our house! YIPPEE!!

Today has been a busy day...Actually, the whole week's been crazy...as if it's not crazy on a regular basis....

Monday was the 4th grade D.A.R.E. graduation.

And more baseball...Jon's team lost and was out of the tournament (can I just have my moment now, to jump up and down and cheer?...okay, done now)

Tuesday was Softball practice and rain.

This morning was my 12-year-old's 5th grade promotion and awards ceremony. (with LOTS of pictures).

Tonight, more baseball.

Heather's team lost (again, need my moment...).

Justin's team won...and got trophies...

The undefeated team

The awesome coach (I just have to add here...we've had alot of experience with coaches over the years...and this is one of the absolute best coaches I have ever seen. He motivated these 12 kids, and worked them hard, and they loved every minute of it! Thanks, Coach!)

The trophies.

The triumphant boy...

Yes, baseball is over. The husband's 3 softball teams are still playing, and the 14-year-old's team has yet to start their season. We still have a busy week or so of post-season parties (pizza and ice cream and swimming!), and then we'll be done until next spring. (I am VERY grateful that none of my children were picked for All Stars. I think my sanity would have deserted me at that point...).

Oh, and 2 more 1/2 days of school...and then I am officially insane...because I will officially have 1 child still at home, 3 in elementary school, 1 in middle school, and 1 in high school. Reserve a bed and cozy coat for me right now...I KNOW I'll need it soon!

Baseball is (hopefully?!?) drawing to a close

This is the last week of baseball games....well, until they start tournament this weekend. It's a double-elimination tournament, which means that each team plays until they have lost two games. Since two of the kids' teams are ranked as #1 in their age bracket, I'm afraid we're in for another REALLY long week next week. Last night we had two games...one of which started at 7:30 pm and the second started at 8:00 pm....ending at 9:00 and 10:00 pm, respectively. My kids' bedtimes are 8:00 and 9:00 pm...so getting them up this morning was fun.....

In the mean time, we have at least one more game this week, plus doctor's appointments for myself and the 6-year-old, a WIC appointment today, an 8th grade dance on Friday, and Field Day at two different schools on Friday. I'd like to catch up on the house (yeah, right), the laundry(who am I kidding?!?), and keep up with my work. The vacuum cleaner decided not to work, the kids are too anxious to be outside to be much help and Hubby is now coaching TWO softball teams (as of yesterday) and playing on a third, plus working full-time, and in school full-time. If it is going to get done, **I** have to do it...ALL of it.

So, if I disappear for a while, it will be because I fell asleep and slept through all the alarms....because work always goes faster after midnight, right?

My Week, in pictures

First there was a holiday, with no pictures.

Then, there were a million baseball and softball practices.

Next came baseball GAMES...

And HIS team is STILL undefeated!!

AND, her team is in first for their age bracket.

His team is dead last...but they're having fun!

And THEN art projects started coming home from school...

AND THEN I got this BEAUTIFUL necklace in the mail! How sweet is THIS?!?This was a prize from Heart of the Matter Online Magezine,

beautifully created by Kristen of Kristen's Custom Creations

THANKS, GUYS!!! It's BEAUTIFUL!!!!

And now, for some more beautiful little girls, 'cause you can never have too many cute kid pictures!!!Hope you all have a GREAT weekend!!

First there was a break...

...and then life got crazy again.

This morning:
Hubby went back to work.
I started walking again.
Kids headed back to school.
I went back to work (like I ever left...I worked all weekend)

This evening:
#4 had baseball practice at 5:00
#2 had baseball practice at 5:30
#3 and #1 had practice at 6:00
#4 was done at 6:30
#2 was done at 7:00
#3 was done at 7:30
#1 was done at 8:00
Hubby was gone until almost 10:00 (men's Bible study)
and we had to fit homework and supper in there somewhere....

I'm tired.

Goodnight.

What that post *should* have been titled...

A DAY ON THE *BATTLE*FIELD

Yeah, it was THAT bad.

Well, Justin's team won...again. Still undefeated. *Not* undefeatable...no, Justin kept saying they were undefeatable...no, little guy. NO ONE is *that*!

Jon had practice....which was uneventful. THEN, he was throwing the ball around with a couple of guys afterwards, and got hit in the temple with a ball...he wouldn't let me take a picture...(party pooper) But he left his glasses home with me today to try to get them fixed...so, of course I had to take a picture of THEM....

Frances also had her first softball practice. I think she's going to love playing softball...as long as she doesn't get hit in the STOMACH with any more balls! Yeah, she got beat up, too...again, after practice was over.

While we were sitting there watching Justin's game, hopeing they'd hurry up and be done because Frances was waiting for us....I sent the rest of the little people to the car, and on the way, Leah got run over...by some boys who were wrestling and running away from each other.

Tonight, we have another night out at the ballpark...hopefully no one else gets hurt! Two practices tonight, two games and two practices tomorrow night....

....please, no trips to the ER!!

A day at the ballfield

Maybe I should call this a week at the ball field.
This week we have umpteen-dozen games and practices....
Justin has a game tonight....
Heather had a game last night...
and they WON! (despite the attempted cheating by the coaches of the other team).

Frances has her first practice tonight for the softball team...there WILL be pictures of her, as soon as they actually have uniforms....

So, now we're looking at kids' games on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, plus practices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and hubby's games on Thursday night and Friday night.

The taxi driver has to go now...because I have to be there to actually WATCH Justin's game....and there are other people who would like to eat before we leave!

The weekend begins...

Hubby is done with bowling for now...but he started softball games last night...a double-header last night and another double-header tonight.

Eldest daughter's softball team has not even started practices yet. I need to contact that coach again. At least I got her paperwork done this week...she's applied for the World Languages Academy through the public schools here...now we just wait to see whether she has been accepted, and whether we will be driving her to school daily next year, or she will be riding the bus that picks the kids up at 6:30 am. We're also waiting for a call back from the kid with Global Expeditions...she's applying to go on a missions trip to Tiajuana in July...but he was suppopsed to call back yesterday, and never did...

#2 child has a baseball game tomorrow, as does #4. Baseball practice tonight was for #2 and #3. Somehow we missed 2 practices on Wednesday night. Argh.

I have Brew Group in the morning, and then get to come home and play taxi driver, and sit out in the sun and add to the sunburn I got last weekend.

Between all of the rest of life, I have work. And house cleaning. and blogging. And keeping up with the rest of the family. And Laundry. And shoe shopping... because we all know boys' shoes can't possibly last longer than 2 months. And I would sure love to sleep in for a year or two.... oh, and there is a case lot sale at the commissary, because, of course, it is payday weekend...so there will be 90 million people at the commissary....debating...should I go? Should I *not* go?

Hope everyone else has a bit more relaxing weekend than mine promises to be. Have I ever mentioned that I can't wait for baseball to be finished?!?

Weekend Plans

I love weekends. I love having everyone home and doing things together. It seems like we don't get to do that very often, and this weekend will be no exception.

Tonight, two kids have baseball practice and hubby has (hopefully) has his last bowling night for this league. Then, the kids get to have their Friday night movie night...tonight they're watching Enchanted. Friday night is also date night for hubby and I...hopefully we can fit that in this week!

Tomorrow hubby has drill...he'll be training some people to take over so he doesn't have to go back on Saturdays anymore!! YIPPEE!! Three kids also have baseball games, plus we have laundry, house cleaning, showers....and homework for the oldest.

Sunday is church...we meet in a school, so we go early and help set up, and then stay for both services and help with the break down afterwards. THEN hubby has softball practice, and I'll bring all the kids home. The kids all take afternoon naps on Sunday... family tradition that means that we all have a nice quiet afternoon.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this, I need to get to the store for birthday presents for the 12 year old birthday boy.

Okay, must get to work....hope you all have a great weekend!!

My Spring is starting to look CRAZY!!!

This morning, our family went down and signed up for Spring baseball/softball. We have 4 playing this year. Two girls and two boys. Three playing baseball and one playing softball. At the staggering expense of $220 to get them in. I certainly hope that we don't have any more expenses! I know we're going to have to buy uniforms, and gloves and cleats. And try-outs are March 1st. THEN we start practices, and games start the first week of April. ACK! At least the fields are on the base, right next door to us, and all of the games will be on the same set of fields. Let me just say, though, that I am NOT looking forward to April, May and June!