Spring is HERE!

How wonderful to live in an area where there IS a spring! The temps are getting higher, the sun is shining more, and spring sports are here! Opening day for Major League Baseball is in 3 weeks and we couldn't be happier! Right now is March Madness and everyone, including Elijah, is watching their brackets to see who will win! I (Stacey) will start my new job with the Gwinnett Braves on April 17 and Zach and Joshua have started their seasons. That means that our weekends are busy and spent at Peachtree Ridge Park most of the time.

Zach had his 2nd soccer game EVER this past Saturday. He is SO funny to watch! He played 3 of the 4 quarters, running around the entire time. Not with or even really near the ball, but he was having a blast. However, he did manage to kick in his first goal ever. He loves the action and has a great time, even though he doesn't really know what he is doing. We enjoy watching him too. All the boys are 5 or 6 and very few have played before, so it's just a bunch of cute kids running around a ball. They don't keep score or anything. What energy!

After being rained out last weekend, Joshua started his 3rd season on baseball this past Friday as well. He started off playing 1st base and did great! He knows how to get runners out and back up the catcher when need be. He also got his first chance at pitching in the first game of the season. He was ready! We knew beforehand so we had been warming him up all week. He had a few walks and they lost the game, but he's getting his groove back. They had another game on Saturday. Unexpectedly, he pitched again! This time he got 2 strikeouts! Then, on Sunday, he played some first and shortstop. He went 1 for 2 with an RBI. He also got 2 big outs in the bottom of the 4th inning that helped them win their first game! For this, he got one of the game balls. He was SO excited! He has loved baseball and wanted to play since he was 2. It's like a dream come true for him.

Sports isn't the only thing that the older boys are excelling at, though. They both brought home their report cards this week and they were great! Zach got almost all E's with 1 or 2 S's and Joshua brought home STRAIGHT A's! He made the honor roll of excellence, or whatever they call it. He's always been an A/B student, but this is his first time with all A's. We are so proud of both of them. They are learning so much!

Elijah is still Elijah. He gets dragged to the park quite a bit for games and practices. He enjoys making friends at the park and playing on the playground. He spends his days with me at work at the church or grocery shopping. We have a great time together. I'm trying to enjoy it before he is off to school as well. He is so cute! He wants to know everyone's name and then introduces himself and me (as Mommy). He is also Zach and Joshua's biggest cheering section. He loves to encourage his brothers!

Steven is still chugging along, doing quite well considering the market and economy. God continues to be good to us and bless us beyond measure. As I said before, I will start working for the Gwinnett Braves on April 17, opening day. I have a few trainings before that. I am so excited to be part of baseball and this team in particular. Just being at the park almost everyday is going to be fun! If you are nearby, grab some tickets and come see me! I'll be there every game!

Zach's FIRST soccer game!

This is precious! Zach had his FIRST soccer game EVER this past Saturday. He decided, with some prodding from his parents, to give soccer a try instead of Tball this spring. (A bit more action). He had only ONE practice before this game. (The other was snowed out, if you can believe that!) The clip is about 5 minutes long. Zach is the cute blonde, #99. Steven is doing the yelling and commentating. The other sweet, angelic voice you hear is Elijah's. He is mimicking Daddy. I, ashamedly, missed this momentous occasion. I was on a retreat with some friends. Please keep in mind that he has NEVER played soccer before...EVER. But he says he sure had a lot of fun. Isn't that what it's all about?

Elijah Reads to Mommy

Elijah's favorite story to read at bedtime lately is "Whacky Jack". It is a story about a raccoon boy and his dad playing baseball (of course) outside. Jack can't catch or hit and just keeps getting whacked on the nose by the ball. But the dad encourages him to keep trying and he will become a champ. One day when Jack and his dad go play baseball outside, Jack actually catches the ball! Then he gets a hit! Dad tells Jack that he knew Jack could do it and, for whacking the ball, would call him Whacky Jack from now on.

We have read it so much that Elijah has memorized it. Now he reads it to me and Steven. I managed to catch SOME of it on video. Very cute!

School Parties

Steven and I were both able to go to the kids' school and attend their parties. It was a lot of fun! I think the kids were glad we came too.

First, we went to Zach's Kindergarten class. It was also pajama day, so everyone had on their pjs. That was fun to see. It was also great to see how Zach interacts with other kids in his class as well as his teachers.

When we got there, they were having story time. They each have a spot on the carpet where they sit. Zach is constantly updating me on who he sits next to.

Then they got to decorate cookies. It was a lot of fun. And yummy too! Zach got to eat some, and so did Elijah.

Then we got to go to Joshua's 2nd grade class. Here, Joshua is sharing his snacks with Elijah. He liked that!

This is Joshua with his best friend, Tobi. According to his teacher, Joshua and Tobi are inseperable. They play together and get in trouble together.

Joshua also had a small part in a little play that they put on at the beginning of the party. He was boy #6, I believe. It was cute!

Elijah's 3rd Birthday

Elijah celebrates his 3rd birthday with a Transformers cake. His cousins, Shayne and Sherrie, Aunt Garalyn, and Grammy and Grandaddy have come to celebrate with him.


We took him and his brothers to Chuck E. Cheese's. We had some pizza and played his favorite games. He LOVES Mario racing!



He also likes skeeball. However, he can't seem to roll the ball hard enough to get it over the lip. Mommy has to help him.




Lately, he has really gotten in to Deal or No Deal. He doesn't pay attention to what he's doing. He just really likes pusing the number buttons and saying "No Deal".

I can't believe Elijah is 3 years old! He is so smart! He knows his ABCs and colors. He can count too, at least up to 26. However, he can't do 2 or 3 with his fingers yet. He also isn't potty trained and doesn't want to be. I have offered him 2 M&Ms if he will sit on the potty. But he just yells NO! He is going to be a toughie!

Christmas

Christmas marks that we have been back in Georgia for a year now. Hard to believe that it has been a year already. We are enjoying being near family and the warmer weather.
Unfortunately, this Christmas was tarnished a bit by the death of my grandmother, Erma "Money" Hall. She died just a week or so before. Glad we were here so we could go to the funeral. She was 93 and lived a long, happy life. We miss you, Money!

This year was also a bit strange because, for the first time EVER, Steven's parents were not here on Christmas Day, so we didn't go to their house. They took a trip up to Maryland to be with Steven's sister and her family for Christmas. For the first time in my life, while living in GA, we didn't have anywhere to go on Christmas Day. But Steven's brother had mercy on us and invited us over for dinner. So we got to enjoy a nice, leisurely morning with the kids, opening presents and playing with new toys. It was a blast! I'll post some pictures soon!

The Kindergarten Thanksgiving Play

Kindergarteners are SO cute! That's the age when they still do sweet things at school for holidays. Zach's class did a Thanksgiving play that Steven and Elijah and I were able to attend. As you will see, Zach is the Town Cryer. His teacher said she gave him that part because she knew he would be loud and would not get stage fright during the performance. He is definitely my child! I just wanted to share the short 4 minute video of the play with you. Hope you enjoy it!