Things

Not much going on here. Life is just chugging right along. I refuse to post another picture of a baseball bat or soccer game so that doesn’t leave me much to talk about since that takes up a lot of our week!

One GREAT thing that did happen….Mike and I have decided to go back to church and start the kids in Sunday school. This is a decision that has weighed heavy on my heart for years. I have talked with many people, questioned many people, heck, I even talk with my students about church and their experiences (or lack there of) with religion. If I am honest, I am not a fan of organized religion. I have many reasons behind it, far too complicated to address here. However, I have always appreciated my parents for giving me the opportunity to decide for myself what place religion would have in my own life and I need to provide that for my children too. I have not been doing that. By not taking them to church and educating them about religion, I have not allowed them the opportunity to make their own decisions. It is MY job to provide them that. And so we will. I know I will have to overlook some things, participate in some things I am not too keen on, and bite my tongue a few times…..but I still feel good about this decision.

In other exciting news…..

We got the garden planted! Onions, two kinds of lettuce, and sugar snap peas are planted. Green beans and basil will come later. Maybe a broccoli plant or two as well. This year we fenced the whole thing (imagine the size of a double bed, not big at all). Mike wanted to double the size this year but I would like to have a couple of years of success before getting too out of hand!

My flowering bushes and clematis that I planted last year came back and the new clematis has tons of buds on it! Can’t wait to see how that comes out. We are putting in two new trees this spring too. We were steered away from the variegated maple with leaves like THIS because of our horrible soil. Looking at a red maple or possible a linden. Not the messy linden’s that drop junk on the ground…one like the one we have in the front. I like the triangular shape it makes. I don’t care so much about how long it takes to grow because I am hoping to not live here in 20 years when it will actually make decent shade.

My dad who has been battling leukemia finished a trial he was a part of at the Mayo Clinic. He’s feeling good and back to himself! I am very thankful for that. He caught a virus while on this trial and was very sick. It was a long month of worry and doctor appointments. He has a bone marrow test on the 6th to find out how the cancer responded to the treatment. Thankfully my sister can join them as I am being subbed out 5.5 times in the month of May. FIVE AND A HALF TIMES! Seriously, who does that to a teacher in May? I feel so bad for my students. And a little sorry for myself too.

Made my plans to go and see my friend Tammy in IN for July! I am so excited. We will see them twice in June and then once in July. I will be so spoiled.

Between Chicago, Indy trip, Mike’s trip to Canada, and he wants to do the Dells again this summer…..we might never be home! :)

There a few more things to tell, but duty calls. Mike is in meetings until late, late tonight so I am on my own and the boys need supper and then I have get Connor off to soccer. McDonalds drive-thru is looking better and better.

Happy Monday,

LB

 

The Machine

 

We found a pitching machine a couple of years back on clearance and snagged it. It pitches at 40 mph and we take it out every once in awhile and let the kids practice. We won’t let them put the balls into the machine, only bat. It’s pretty accurate but every once in awhile the wind takes a ball and sends it sailing in some weird direction. For this reason, Connor got beaned by a pitch last year. His immediate reaction was to blame Mike because Mike was running the machine. That cracks me up…..as if his dad would try and nail him with a ball!

Because of his bruising, he was always a little nervous batting afterwards and would pull away from the pitch.

But Dory must have forgotten about that event last summer because this year (including the batting cages in Florida which were 55 mph) he stuck right in there and had a lot of great hits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noah got in some good swings as well. It’s by far the best weather we have had for spring in a long time so he’s had lots of practice throwing and hitting every night. Try-outs are next weekend so I wonder if it will make a difference. Try-outs just assure that the teams are equal. All ability levels are evened out on each team. Mike will help coach this year and it’s something everyone is looking forward to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let the games begin!

Punto’s Post

 

Everyone in my family knows Nick Punto is my favorite MN Twin. I like him for numerous reasons:

1. He’s not a superstar and I never find myself drawn to the obvious.

2. He’s scrappy. How many players sacrifice their bodies and slide into every base? Ha!

3. He’s sneaky. Notice how many throws to first base the pitcher will do when Punto is on that base. They know he’s gonna steal.

4. He’s always talking with randoms; the third base coach, the guy spraying down the grass, the umpire…..I just like that. Says something about his character, I think.

5. He seems like he’d be funny. I don’t know why I think that, I just do.

 

At the second game we went to in Ft Myers, we had seats on the first base line.

 

You know when this kind of conversation is happening, some stealing is going to happen. I got my camera ready!

 

Keeping his eye on that pitcher

 

 

 

Get back!

This happened a few times.

And he’s off! Will he be safe???

False alarm. Foul ball. Notice he’s walking back from what looks like third because he had rounded second THAT fast. Don’tcha love that? I think he might be searching the stands looking for me. Pretty sure…..

 

 

I never did get to see him steal, but there are many more games to catch that happening because Punto was named the third base starter over Harris! Woo Hoo!

Noah and I have a good time razzing each other about our favorite players and who is playing better, etc. He loves Kubel. You can be sure I rub it in anytime Punto makes a great play.

Gotta love baseball!

Go Twins!

Twins, Food, and Swimming

That title pretty much sums up or vacation! If we weren’t swimming, we were eating. If we weren’t eating, we were at a Twins game! It was a relaxing vacation.

 

We did have two days of gloomy weather while we were in Florida. In fact, the temps in MN were warmer than in FL most of the time we were down there except the first day we arrived. Because we did so much of the same thing each day, they all blend together. So, instead of a day-by-day recap, I will just highlight a few things. Oh, and I took very few pictures! Sad, but true.

 

 

We ate at Carrabba’s Italian restaurant. It was very yummy! Mike had some shrimp dish and he said the shrimp were incredible. I had a pomegranate martini that was yummy! I found this one on tripadvisor.com. Just like hotels, I read many reviews to find places to eat. Usually we are not disappointed. This place was great.

 

 

We also ate at a little restaurant called Fusion for lunch. It was at this restaurant that I noticed something about restaurants in Florida as opposed to the ones in MN. You know how you can’t go into any restaurant (or store for that matter) here in the summer without a jacket or sweatshirt? You will freeze if you do. I always carry one in the car for this reason. I hate being cold when trying to eat. Anyway, it’s not like that in Florida. You would think it would be with the heat they experience, but it’s not. I never needed a sweatshirt in any place we went, and never have in four years we have been to Florida.  Because of this, coupled with the humidity, there is sometimes a stickiness and odor. Well, this restaurant had that…an odor and stickiness. However, the food was very good. I had a mushroom and Swiss omelet with fresh fruit and it was yummy. Kids had pasta and they both liked it.

 

 

 

The last night we were there we ate at the restaurant onsite. It was called Marker 92. We knew it would be spendy, but we figured we would splurge on our last night. The food was VERY good. Mike had strawberry grouper (which the waiter told us is a native fish caught 150 miles off the coast. He had a story for every seafood dish…when it was caught, when it arrived, etc) and he said it was amazing. You know you are eating a great dish when the vegetables aren’t beans and corn, but asparagus and sugar snap peas! I had a pasta dish with chicken. The pasta was fresh, and the minute I saw the shaved parmesan on top…I was in heaven!

 

 

 

On one of the cooler days we went to The Imaginarium. It was probably more for younger kids, but we still had a pretty good time. We saw a 3-D movie on dinosaurs and ecology and visited the exhibits.

 

 Noah touching a cloud.

 

 

 

 Dad and Connor making their way through a trivia-walk. Looks sunny, but it was not warm!

 Making a TV weather forecast.

The day we visited the ocean was cool and very windy. The Floridians tells us it was the coolest they remember it. The water was icy! We still enjoyed our time there searching for unique shells and critters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time at both Twins games. It was nice to get up close to the players and get a sneak peek at the season ahead.  For sure the highlight of our time in Florida.

 

 

 

   

 

  

 

 

We were very glad to have a condo as opposed to a hotel room. Kids had their own area, could watch their own TV, and we could relax. It was nice to have the kitchen every morning to make coffee, and have a bowl of cereal or an english muffin before heading out for the day. The kids loved our huge shower and took turns using it. We certainly got spoiled staying where we did and Mike says he’ll continue to look for this hotel on travelzoo and if it goes on sale again, he’s booking it for next year. Good news for us!

 

 

 

All the time and work that goes into this trip and then it seems like it’s over in a second. Another successful spring break!