Spring Training

There has been quite a bit of baseball around here lately.  Yesterday, I finally got tired of preventing Hyrum from hitting Rex and Lyle with the bats---all of whom wanted to hit at the same time.  Some pipe and foam tubing and I had three Ts and a perfect solution. I was amazed at how long they kept at it.  It looked like "Spring Training"

 Rex consistently bats left-handed.

Lyle consistently bats right handed.

Hyrum is very conscientious about his footing.

And of course, who caught the brunt of it?  Yes, cousin Jhett---Hyrum's bat right between the eyes.  

He hadn't been here for 5 minutes.

Sariah at her Tball game on Tuesday.

Rex and Lyle at the boys' baseball game.  Lovin' their shades.

(Nice shadow, huh?)

And, the B-man turned double digits yesterday.  Ordered mud pie for his birthday cake.

 His favorite birthday present.  His own diving catch in center field.  

This is the best journal entry I could get out of him.  It was a diving bobble catch.

I had to take this picture this morning. 

I couldn't help but think of my dad making these blocks for me many years ago.

Today's Joys

Today was a gorgeous spring day after what seems like days and days of wind.  (I might have to post my yesterday's kite story a different time.)

So, out came the sidewalk chalk and the bubbles.  I sat on the little front yard hill with Rex and Lyle as they blew, and blew, and blew bubbles---squealing and chasing with delight. 

I worked with Talmage fielding and practicing first base.  He really wants to play first base.

Bryant got out his BB gun and made his first kill.  He shot a Robin.  He felt really bad about it and ended up burying it and placing a wooden marker.

One of my greatest joys is when I observe my children being thoughtful towards one another. 

I watched Hyrum, Rex, and Lyle, meticulously and patiently use their tiny fingers to pick up spilled air soft BBs so they could wrap them up and give them to Bryant for his birthday.

Sariah wrapped up some leftover Easter candy and attached a note, "Good Luck Being 10."

Bryant read Rex and Lyle their bedtime story tonight.  On the way up the stairs, he asked if he could do that again tomorrow night. 

Prayers

Although we have been saying bedtime prayers with Rex and Lyle for many months now, they each said their own bedtime prayers for the first time tonight.  Something about their first utterances to divinity for a lifetime of expressions of gratitude, pleadings, and their most valuable personal relationship made tonight a marked moment in time.

As I've been watching out the window for the better part of an hour, I was driven to the computer to try and catch up on some moments I want to keep forever.  You probably can't tell, but in the distance are two little boys captivated by and following their big brother Talmage.  I think they are making mud pies.

We've had a few hair cuts.  I think it's cute long, but it was getting a little excessive.

 Lyle BEFORE

 Lyle AFTER

 Rex BEFORE

 Rex AFTER

So glad I had my phone on me for this one...

James took this one...

 Then told Rex to scoot over next to Lyle...

 So cute.

Yesterday, the things that made me smile...

A violinist on a unicycle.  (His violin is on his back.)

A little T-ball player in a hot pink trench coat.

I couldn't help but smile when after his bath and PJs last night, 

Ispotted Hyrum down playing by the lambing shed in the dirt.

Life is good.

Spring Break

Last year for Spring Break with 10 month old twins, we decided to let each of the kids choose an activity for the week instead of trying to make a trip.  This year we thought something along the same lines was a good idea since we'll have two family reunions to make it to this summer.

 

Sunday afternoon we went down in Grandpa's field and flew kites.  Even Rex and Lyle were able to hold on to a kite for awhile.

 

Monday, we met up with friends at the McGee playground and then had a picnic.  The weather couldn't have been nicer and little faces showed their first signs of sun.

 

Yesterday, we met up with cousins at the Mesa park where the zip line is the hit.  Again, picture perfect weather.

 

This morning we hiked Badger Mountain.  Of the many times I've hiked Badger, today was the most picturesque.  Wild flowers, the songs of birds, and a lot of sunshine.

 I'm sure the kids wish the dog was ours, but it's just the friendly hiker/photographer who graciously took our picture for us.  (We look like quite the crew don't we?  Love it!)

 

Hyrum is hosting his cousin Adam's "Flat Stanley" this week, so Stanley got to go with us. 

 (A few jokes were made that we were glad he was "Flat Stanley" and not "Fat Stanley".)

 

It was so interesting to me to watch the personalities of my husband and kiddos as we hiked. 

(I "brought up the rear".)

 

James at times was not only carrying Lyle on his back, but Hyrum in his arms whenever Hyrum was tired or had scraped his knee.  Our strength and protector.

 

When some big birds came out of nowhere and we wondered what they were, without a second thought Talmage told us they were Sage Grouse.  I'm not sure he was right, but he's done the research to sound credible.

 

I could see Sariah singing to herself and choreographing with her arms as she walked.

 

Hyrum was the one who remembered Flat Stanley and he carried him the whole way up and down.  He found a fascinating green caterpillar.

 

As I carried Rex, I could see the shadow of his hand waving.  He's a social little guy.

 

Both he and Lyle went beserk whenever a dog came into view, "Gog! Gog! Gog!"

 

If I could have chosen anything in the world to do with my family today, I think it would be to do just what I did.