Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Championship Game

Last night was Ryan's championship baseball game. We had won four games to earn the right to play for 1st or 2nd place. That wasn't that big of a deal though, since we had beaten all of those teams lots of times duing the regular season. There was only one team we lost against: the red team. And, it would be the red team we would face for the championship.

All through the day, Ryan would come up to me and say things like "the red team can hit the ball really far" or "I'm going to have to hit it in the outfield against the red team". So, I knew he was nervous. Heck, I was nervous. But, we went through the day, kept it as low keyed as possible and at 7:30 he was ready to play.

We lost the coin toss and had to bat first. Our bats were going pretty good, but that red team is really very good, so hits out to centerfield were kept to singles. We scored two runs. Red team's up. They scored 2 runs.

Second inning: we scored three more runs. Thanks to a double play by Ryan, they scored zero runs. 5-2.

To be quite honest, innings 3-5 are kind of a blur. I know there were some great hits and some amazing plays, including a diving catch made by our shortstop. At the end of five innings, the score was 7-6. Orange team was winning.

Pinto rules have a 5-run cap per inning, except in the 6th inning, you can score as many runs as you can. I knew we would need to score a few more, except that we were at the bottom of our lineup and they were at the top. Kid #1 gets up to bat and gets out at first. Kid #2 gets up to bat and gets a single. Kid #3 brought us to the top of our lineup with one out. Again, some details are fuzzy. BUt, when Ryan got up with one out, I thought I might vomit. He foul tips the ball two or three times and gets down to his last pitch (you only get 7) and rips one over the third baseman's head hitting in the 10th run. That would be the last run we would score.

Red team gets up and starts off with lots of hits. Fuzzy details. All I know is that the tying run is on third, the winning run is on second and there are two outs. I know that Ryan made one of the outs with a great throw to first base. There were some bobbled balls and errors by us for them to get there and I can see tears welling up in the third and second baseman's eyes. Ryan looks over at me and I can tell he's feeling it. "That's OK, buddy, get this out and you're done!" The next batter comes up. He makes contact with the ball and what happens next...well, this ought to tell you.



No time for losers, cuz we are the champions of the world!!


The ball went right to Ryan, he chased the guy down and tagged him and the game was over!! Moms were cheering and hugging. Grandmas were crying. One kid's aunt was doing an Indian War Cry. And, let's just suffice it to say, I've decided to rethink that whole no-Depends-until-I'm-40 thing! 10-9 was the final score. It doesn't get more exciting than that!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

sCAMPs GETTING ALONG

Sidebar: Happy Father's Day to my dad, husband, and father-in-law. Really to all dads. I know you are all the unsung heroes that work really hard for the things that people mostly take for granted...like a roof over our heads, etc. Thanks for working so hard and never complaining!

So, I guess it was about 3-5 minuted into our summer vacation that I realized my children have some "issues" with getting along with each other. Seriously, I've seen more human decency on a New York subway than was happening in my own livingroom. I decided that my children need a camp where people learn to get along and since I couldn't find one to go to, I have created one.

In sCAMPs GETTING ALONG, your scamp will learn how to interact in a respectful way to adults and peers. The sCAMP day will start off by singing the sCAMP song, which is "Let's Get Together" from Parent Trap. Then, we do our sCAMP exercises which are currently the Electric Slide, Cha-Cha slide and Crank that Soulja Boy (which is maybe a little too racy for sCAMP, but it's fun). Points are earned each day for participating in sCAMP activities and field trips...but, only if you are able to get along.

There are four goals to sCAMPs GETTING ALONG:

1. Learn to use words that are respectful and do not cut other people down. In this rude, rude society we live in, it is very easy to think that rudeness and/or sarcasm is OK. It's really not. Not at sCAMPs GETTING ALONG.

2. Learn the art of negotiation and compromise. No one can get their way all of the time. No one can be the boss all of the time. It is important to learn not only to be a good leader, but to be a good follower.

3. Learn how to handle someone saying no to you without taking offense. It is important to ask for what you want. Otherwise, as my dad always saud, you have no chance of getting it. If you ask for it, you at least have a 50% chance of getting it. However, when someone says no...roll with it, baby.

4. Learn how to laugh at yourself more than you laugh at others. We all make mistakes. And, if you're me, you make tons of them. If I can get the sCAMPers to not take themselves so seriously, they won't feel like they have to point out everyone else's mistakes to keep people from noticing their own.

We also hope to have fun!

We even have a theme verse:

Romans 14:19 "Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification."

And, sCAMP names:

Trisha: Charlie (this is from a recent viewing of Top Gun)
Jonathan: Twig-O (I have no idea)
Jaden: Blaze 897 (It's his Webkinz login name)
Ryan: Poop (I think because he didn't want to play, but now he's stuck with it)
Hayleigh: Baby Bug

Trisha's comment on the first day: "I'm really surprised, but this actually kind of fun." :)

sCAMPs GETTING ALONG...where children learn to get along, and are surprised when they sometimes have fun!!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Thriving (?) with five.

With the kids on summer vacation, I am running at least a good 3-4 days behind in life. My dear friend Amy, who is a journalist, like a real one, made reference to my blog in her writingsover at Strollerderby. Something about people who thrive with five children. (She's also tagged me for a meme, but as previously stated that will take 3-4 or days to get done!)

One thing I noticed about having a large family is that we do things differently than people who have small families.

When you have one kid and two parents, you can run a double-team type of defense. The kiddo isn't getting away with anything. If one parent isn't watching closely, the other one is. Sure, the wiliest will still get away with something every now and again...even Terrell Owens will catch a pass once and a while while double teamed, but for the most part, that child is well covered.

When you get to two kids with two parents, you have to move to more of a man-to-man defense. If the parents guarding child A isn't working, you can switch. A kiddo can certainly sneak some thing by you if you are not paying careful attention, but overall it's a tight defense with very little shenanigans going unnoticed.

When you get to 5 kids, really your only option is to run sort of a zone defense. You know you are going to give up the little passes. They're going to get some 7 or 8 yard runs, you just hope to God you can contain them and keep them from scoring big. And, that's really the only thing I have found that works in keeping the sanity with a large family...the small things just have to go.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

So, I had Jaden's transition meeting on Friday. Since he will be moving up to a new school, we got to meet the new people and tell them all about Jaden and what he will need. As expected, the meeting went fine as far as Jaden was concerned. It was just that Hayleigh is getting harder and harder to take places. I think that she probably spotted something very dangerous to stick in her mouth over in the corner and she proceeded to spend the entirety of the meeting trying to get over to it.

ONe thing I had forgotten since having an almost toddler is that if you are going to have a squirmy little person grasping at anything and everything trying to get out of your arms, well then it's best not to wear, say, a lower-cut shirt. I remember that there was some talk of Jaden in the cafeteria, blah, blah, blah, but I don't remember what we decided because half way through I realized that my right bra-covered boob was hanging out for all to see. Hello!! Whatever it takes I guess to get the services my son needs.

I'm not so sure I'm ready for toddlerdom.

Also, at the end of the meeting I told the new principal, "Oh, by the way, I like to have my triplets seperated." He gasps and says "You have triplets!!" I found this somewhat refreshing, actually. I just always assume we are the freak show family of the community and everyone knows that we have triplets...one in a wheelchair plus some more. (That's how I've heard us described anyways) Apparently not. I remember when we went to Kindergarten registration everyone kept saying, "These must be the triplets" and "Here come the triplets" like we were a circus act or something. This guy didn't even know. I think I like that better.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Arizonaaaahhhhh!



Here's where Rob and I stayed for our trip to Arizona. Isn't it lovely??? It was for our 15 year anniversary. Bob and Linda answered the call and bravely watched all 5 kids for 4 whole days. I did keep a very rigorous laying schedule, I must say. I'll miss my lounge chair. You all need to go. Really. Leave your kids and go. It was awesome.