Baseball Season Ends

Saturday was our last baseball game. It is hard to believe how quickly the season went this year. Parker's team had a couple of really nice plays their final game. It ended on a sweet note with Katie, his teammate with Down Syndrome. She was the final person to bat and had the biggest smile on her face as she rounded the bases to come home. Afterwards, we went to Cold Stone as a team and passed out their medals and team balls. Parker is already counting down to playing next year!

Parker's First Ball Game

Friday night we went with the Gray Family out to the Stockton Port's Baseball Game. They are the minor league team affiliated with the Oakland A's. The seats were great and the stadium was really nice. It was fun for Parker to watch how the big boys play up close. His major fascination though were the food vendors. They had all of his favorites--hot dogs, nachos, snow cones, churros, etc. The game ended with a fireworks display.

The Real Reason I Moved Back to Brentwood...

So I told everyone we moved back to Brentwood to be closer to family, but the REAL reason occurs for just a few weeks between May and June--Cherry Season! Maggiore's Fruit Stand opened Friday morning and I was there by 8:45am and the only reason it took me that long to get there is that I had to stop and get cash out. Baby has been craving cherries for 3 weeks now and I thought I would just about die before the cherries came on. I ate at least a pound between the fruit stand and home. Over half the container was gone by lunch time and my tongue was fuzzy from the acidity but it was soooooo worth it! The cherries and I go back a long time. They were just about the only reason I didn't hate my parents 100% when they moved us from Fremont out to this little hick town called Brentwood when I was the fun age of 13. It became an annual tradition for my dad and I to go and pick cherries and now it is something that I have passed on to Parker. He is a cherry fan now too!

Diaper Duty

Never say never...tonight Parker learned how to change a diaper and swaddle a baby at our hospital's sibling class.



He actually did a really good job and only carried the baby around upside down once. We got a little tour of the hospital and watched a video on becoming a big brother or sister.



His favorite parts were the huge chocolate chip cookies they served and the blue hospital bag they gave each child. 34 days and counting until the real diaper duty begins!

Little Sluggers

Today was our last day with Jill and Tyler. We were all sad to see them go and had such a great visit with them. Right now as I write, they are on the plane about to land in Phoenix. Our next visit from the Mendoza Family won't be until July and by then our baby will be here to join the kids. We spent the morning visiting with them and then we went to Parker's game before they left for the airport. Parker was very excited to have his baby cousin cheering him on in his own baseball uniform. Here are some pictures of both our little sluggers.

My Little Pyro

Last night was our ward's annual Priesthood Commemoration Campout/Father and Son's aka Girl's night out for the mom's. Parker has been counting down for weeks. He packed his own bag this year. It was equipped with 2 flashlights, a soccer ball, 2 bags of marshmallows for roasting, a beanie to wear at night, and one really big stick (thanks Papa Tom! :)




He was so excited to camp with his friends and cousins, Nicholas and Daniel (my Uncle Jeff's boys) and brought them each a stick as well. All he could talk about was the fire pit and how he couldn't wait to catch the tip of his stick on fire and blow it out. I gave both he and Justin strict instructions to please come home with all of their flesh intact. Fortunately, the phone never rang and no emergency room visits were required. The boys had a great time running around, playing in the fire, and going down the zip line. Can't wait for next year!

Early Mother's Day

Parker came home Friday with my Mother's Day gift he made at school. He was so cute about it! He told me not to look in the back seat of the car because he had my present there and wanted it to be a surprise for me. Then he asks, "Do you like pens with flowers on them?" How could I not laugh! He is so sweet and innocent! I tried to make him wait until Sunday for me to open his gift, but he couldn't wait, so I opened it once we got inside.





In his card he wrote, "der Mom I will dowe innyfng for you. Mom I will biy a puppy for you. Mom I will biy a Wii for you. Love Parker." Imagine my surprise to find a beautiful flower pen and note pad that was inscribed with "Moms are special...she makes cookies for me"--what more could a mom ask for!