Day 110: Saturday Softball Tourney (4/20)

I love warm, spring Saturdays at the ball field. We loaded up the bus with food, friends and fun for the day and went out to some crappy little softball tourney like we used to do years ago. We had such a good time. The twins were held all day by everyone and Gavin made a new friend. Lakin is Tabi and Toby's little girl. They were inseparable the entire day. It was so cute to watch them play together. I really love spending time with good friends and being outside. I can not wait until summer gets here.

Day 54: Softball (2/23)

The first softball game since I was pregnant with the babies back in April 2012. It was so cold but we packed up the entire family and headed to the fields. The babies made it through exactly ONE game before they headed home with Rennie. {I was playing on a women's team.} Gavin stayed with me throughout the day and crashed around 4 for a two hour nap in the bleachers. I really like the idea of my children growing up at the softball fields. However, I think that I am done playing for a while. With three kids {two babies} it's just hard to find someone to watch them on the weekends and I want to spend my weekend time with them instead of trying to juggle playing and watching the kids. We will see what happens this summer. 

Day 146: My Biscuit (3/17)

Today started our softball season for Whoosh and WOW {our woman's team.} I didn't plan on playing much because we are trying so hard to get pregnant. It would be unfair for a team to pick up a girl and then have maybe have to drop her each month before I become pregnant. It just seems easy for both Rennie and me if I play more as a pick up or as needed player. 

I ended up playing a little this weekend. In the very last game of the tourney, we weren't getting many strikes called for us in 40 mile per hour {I may exaggerate} winds. So Cheyenne was pitching this inning and we were losing pretty bad. Chey wasn't getting much calls so he looks at the batter and says, "Here's a biscuit for you!" Meaning: I am going to pitch a ball that you should hit the sh*t out of... And the man did, right at my leg. Honestly, I don't think I ever saw it. If I did I know I was getting out of the way of it!

I cried and this is what I like to call my biscuit. 

It's freaking huge and hurts like a bitch when I walk for a long time or God-forbid I have to squat! 

This is why I am taking this summer easy while we are trying to get pregnant, you just never know.

Day 147: The best family a girl could ask for!! (10/16)



Thank you Jillian Claire Morris for the picture!!

One of the reasons we thought about going to Indianapolis to play softball is because we have family up there. When we told people that we were coming the Morris family invited us to stay with them and others told us they come out and watch some games!

Thank you to Uncle Phil, Uncle Danny, PJ, Annie, Collin, Will, Uncle Rick, Aunt Lisa and Jillian Claire for coming out and supporting us!

It meant so much to Rennie and I that you would take time out of your day to come watch us play softball!

We are so extremely lucky to have such wonderful family. It means so much to the both of us. 

A special thank you to Aunt Lisa and Uncle Rick for watching Gavin through the day! I know that wasn't your plan but we appreciate it so much!

We love you all so much!

Day 146: Playing Ball (10/15)

Thank you to Tina Thacker for posting these pictures on Facebook so I could steal them for my blog!



I wanted to include these pictures from our tourney so that years down the road when Gavin (and hopefully other children) see the blog, they will believe that we actually played!!

I love looking at old pictures of my Mom and Dad playing softball. I hope that my kids will as well. :)

Day 119: Long Day at the Ball Feild! (9/18)

Rennie and I have/will play a lot of all day Saturday tournaments. Gavin has adjusted very well to spending his Saturdays at the fields. I think he actually enjoys it, fingers crossed!

Today, we spent all day playing softball in Bartlesville for NSA State. Gavin was outside all day and had some wonderful friends to play with. He does so well with other children, for that I am thankful. He doesn't know a stranger, for that I am fearful!

As soon as we got in the car to go home, Gavin was out and slept through the night. He was exhausted in the best possible way; being outside and playing in the dirt. I grew up at the ball fields and I can't think of a better playground for our child. :)

Day 64: BTY State Champs (7/25)

BTY WOMEN'S ASA STATE CHAMPS!!

BTY: Better Than You

Top Row (left to right): Emily, Lacey, Lindsey, Netta, Amiee, Margo

Bottom Row (left to right): Tracey, Amber, Mandy, Erica, Kritter, Mel, Lisa 

Day 63: My Bruise (7/24)

I didn't take this picture, I stole it from Tracey Rodgers'  facebook page. However, since she was the girl to hit me I'm thinking it's an even trade!!

Today we played ASA State softball at Enid. It was my first women's tournament to play. It was so much fun, much more fun than I thought it would be. We played Friday night, Saturday and into Sunday.

I received this bruise courtesy of our left handed swinger, Tracey Rodgers. Here's what happen:

I was the only runner on the bases when Tracey comes up to bat. I am on first and she takes a huge swing. I see it coming down the line and my only two thoughts are:

1. I am going to get hit.

2. I have to stay on the base so that I am part of the bag and not be called out.

So I turn my body into the ball and shut my eyes. I hear it hit my leg and I stand there thinking, "Damn it, it really did hit me!!" 

Then I hear everyone yelling at me to run. So off to second base I trot and arrive safely.

I now have this love bruise to show for Tracey's and my efforts!!

Day 56: Silly Bandz (7/17)

I am sure that if you have kids or you work with kids you know what Silly Bandz are. (Of course, I had no idea of the official name, I had to Google it before I started my post.)

It seems like every kid and most teenagers are wearing one or two now adays. I have seen some adults wearing them, even some men.

They are rubber bands that are special shaped. You wear them on your wrist and they never lose their shape. Silly Bandz come in tons of shapes and colors. It's a pretty creative idea. There is no rhyme or reason to the Bandz, they are just cool! 

You're just supposed to wear them on your wrist. You can trade them with friends and get all kinds of different shapes.

I have always wanted a few but I thought, "I am 27 years old and I am not walking into a store to buy Silly Bandz!"

So the next best thing, steal one from a girl!!

OK I didn't actually steal it from Taygen. She kinda gave it to me or I made her feel bad and she gave it to me in guilt! Either way, I got my first Silly Bandz!

When I went to Walmart today, I came across the display of Silly Bandz and stood looking at it thinking of an excuse to buy a set. Of course, now I owe Taygen one!! So I bought a set of Body Parts Silly Bandz, only because I have to pay her back!

Taygen is the daughter of a fellow softball player. Her mom has become a friend of mine, who is also doing a Project 365 with a blogspot blog. Natalie took pictures all day yesterday and posted some on her blog:  Welcome to Graham Central Station. I actually "borrowed" the following picture of Taygen and me!! Thank you Natalie, I hope that you don't mind!!

PS I haven't always stolen from this wonderful family, Taygen gave me the Silly Band!! OK, OK maybe I did steal the picture, but it's a great picture. :)

Day 21: Whoosh Softball (6/12)

Another Saturday, another tournament. Our softball team is from all over the state of Oklahoma. I love the team name, Whoosh. I don't know where it came from honestly, it started out as an opposing team's name. We ended up picking up some of those players up and our name became Whoosh.

We started some, for lack of a better word, cheers today that hopefully will stay with us in the coming years. When a player hits a home run we now yell, "Put in the book, Whoosh" and as we all "good job" each other after the game we just say "Whoooooooooooosssssssssssshhhhhhh."

I have always enjoyed the traditions or what some may call superstitions of the game. I have some of my own. One you can never, ever step on a foul line when crossing on or off the field and two the bats in the dugout cannot be crossed! I know silly superstitions; they probably don't help my game but I can't seem to let them go. It's just part of the game.

I am tired, it's 11:23 PM right now, we played 5 games in the Oklahoma heat, made the two hour drive home and the second thing I do is sit here and blog, the first was put my baby boy to bed.  So if this blog seems to jump from one subject to the next, please forgive me, I am tired.

Before I finish my post I do wanna give a shout out to my Whoosh my players. So I can remember the team I played with today.  In line-up order:

1. Damond
2. Kritter
3. Cheyenne
4. Margo
5. Jeremy
6. Me!
7. Rennie
8. Netta
9. A.J.
10. Amber
11. Lance
12. Erica

Go Whoosh!

Day 20: Rennie's Mask (6/11)

You may be asking yourself, "What is this?" Well it's almost the weekend and summer weekends mean slow-pitch softball. Still haven't answered your question have I?

As you know, Rennie and I play adult softball. Rennie has pitched slow-pitch for years. Even after his cancer he still continues to stand on the mound and pitch to men and women 53 feet away, the closet infielder to the batter.  So your still asking yourself, why does an adult softball player need a mask? Not even for batting but for pitching?!

Well, it can be dangerous. The pitcher's mound is in the middle of the field. So many players try to stay away from hitting "the middle." The reason is because it is so close to the batter, it's considered an unwritten rule to not hit at the pitcher...

...BUT IT HAPPENS, and happens often.

The reason it happens is because a batter, usually a man, hits "up the middle." It may not be on purpose (most men are able to control where they hit), it may be on accident but regardless, a man hits "up the middle." This pisses off the opposing team and the middle is now "open." Meaning that any player can hit at the pitcher and it's consider appropriate behavior.

Back to why Rennie has a helmet for pitching, when Rennie was 21 he developed cancer in his nasal passages. After the first surgery to remove the cancer, he also lost his cheek bone and part of his top jaw bone. Therefore he has a large mouth piece that supports the eye socket muscle and gives his face features.

Many other pitchers wear a helmet to protect themselves from those hits "up the middle." I have been after Rennie for years to buy a helmet but he refused, thought of himself as invisible or that it wouldn't happen to him. 

Enter into our lives, Gavin.  I again urge Rennie to get a helmet to wear for Gavin's sake. Lo and behold a helmet is bought. THANK THE LORD!!

If you don't believe me about players hitting the middle, check out softball players hitting the middle on youtube. It happens nightly and it can be deathly.

Day 7: Softball (5/29)

Because this is my first softball picture (probably of many!) I will tell you why co-ed adult softball is such a large part of our life. So here is the story of how Rennie and I met:

I was at OSU attending college. I was in close to my last year and was playing intramural softball. I wasn't on a really good team, I was pitching and batting pretty close to the top of the line up... (ok ok I was batting fourth!!) but anyway we were getting beat horribly, probably being run ruled because of this I wasn't in the best of moods. Anyway after our bad bad loss, I was walking to my car when this man gets our of his pick-up and approaches me. He asked me if I played co-ed with a team in the city, then asked if I wanted to play league and a few tournaments. I said sure and he told me practice was on Saturday at the city fields. I showed up for batting practice on Saturday and took BP. I was hitting well and then hit one over the fence. After that practice Rennie invited me to league games and tournaments.

I always like to say that Rennie recruited me!! Anyway, we continue to play ball during the summer. It's a wonderful way to relax, hang out with friends, have fun and be active. I always say that I am getting to old to play during the summer but each year I come back. Even Gavin comes along now on our weekend trips around Oklahoma, and sometimes out of state. It's wonderful family time.

Today, we played in Enid, OK. It was a ten team tourney, we won our games and ended up winning the tournament.