April Extras

CCE Take Your Kiddo To Work Day

I didn't know too much about this specific day but I had gotten one email from Kaden's teacher asking us the parents of her kiddos to let her know if we were planning on taking our kiddos to work with them. I wasn't sure. Kaden hadn't said anything about it but I also didn't want him to miss out on the opportunity. Fast forward to school letting out and he came home asking if he could come to work with me. I would love him to have had him at work with me all day but it just wasn't the week for it. Daddy came to the rescue & Kaden was super stoked.

At first he was asking to take his iPad and the Nintendo Switch but it didn't take long until I explained how this day would work. If he was going to work with his dad, then he would shadow his dad. Justin assesses damage on vehicles. So, I got Kaden a notebook where he had to record the make, model and year of each vehicle followed by a drawing of the vehicle they were working on and lastly take a few pictures of the damage. It didn't take long and he was on board---and when I got home he wanted to show me each of the cars they looked at. 

Logan was a little upset he wasn't able to go (it's actually an all school thing) but we turned it into a 2nd grade opportunity. We reminded him that next year, he will get to go as Kaden has to spend his day at school. That didn't really go that far for Logan and somehow he got a Sunday Funday at the movies with his dad out of it. Guess Kaden and I will spend a little one on one time too--there's always room for more of that.

Royals Rumble Tournament

Baseball was finally here for the boys. At least they were crossing their fingers it was & that weather wouldn't be a factor once again. Their team had yet to play a regular season game but made the decision to enter into a couple tournaments this season, one at the beginning of the season and one towards the end of the season. They were guaranteed three games for the weekend...if the weather held out. Like I said, fingers crossed. 

Games were scheduled for Saturday at 11:30 & 1:15.

This was what I saw at 7:30 am. 

Fully dressed. & for this particular day that meant, 4 shirts, two pairs of pants & socks with FOUR hours to go until game time. They were really putting it out there to the universe.

Fun little fact. They got to pick their numbers this year. Kaden chose 87 because he loves Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots---could be Travis Kelce too but it's not. Logan chose 14, it not only was his basketball number, my number growing up but it was also right behind Matthew's number of 13. He looks up to Matthew and he's a good kid to look up to. 

Around 8 that morning the boys started sliding practice in the house. Their energy was off the chart & we needed them to conserve that so I suggested that we rent a movie. The Greatest Showman it was. Grandma Sara was super pumped as she had yet to see it and both boys love the movie so we all took to the couch and settled in for the next hour and forty minutes.

During which I snapped a few picture of the boys--I wasn't sure their jerseys would ever be this white again. We tried a few "game face on" poses but I prefer the smiles. 

Finally it was time to load up, games were on. We grabbed a quick picture with Grandma Sara and headed to the ball fields. 

This would be the first time the Aces would be hitting off the machine this year due to the fact so many practices have been canceled with weather issues. I mean, it's snowed for the first three Sundays in April--that's more than all winter! We honestly weren't sure how the team would do and I'll admit, I was a little nervous but we settled right in. We were the home team and after the first inning it was tied 2-2 and then the other teams bats went to work, at no fault to our boys. They got single after single with an occasional double and before we knew it the game was over. We lost that game 22-7 and they didn't even allow us to try and make up some kind of ground, which looking back, we should have been able to because scoring plays a role in the tournament seeding. On the bright side, we had our first game under our belt and had a few things that we knew we could work on. & that team had just slaughtered the team they played right before us, so we weren't out of it. On a different note, the wind was horrible. The boys were freezing but doing their best to hang in there. On one specific play, a pop fly went out to center field and Ben was right there, at the last minute the wind took it and changed the course of the ball and it hit him right above the eye. You could hear it from the stands and everyone went silent. He didn't go down. He kept with the ball & then the coaches ran to him. We got his mom packed up and off they went to the hospital. The boys were all so very worried, we were too. They sent us a picture from the hospital as they waited for the results stating they were following along on Game Changer--Ben is such a warrior. CT came back clean with no broken bones, he just would need to wait until he the swelling went down so he could see to play.

The boys missed him dearly.

We had a few minutes between game one and game two. The boys were FREEZING. We did our best to shield them from the wind and put up tarps around the dugout, blankets on the benches & handed out hand warmers galore. They were all able to grab a quick bite snack and a drink before taking the field again. This time, the outcome was more in our favor. We were at bat first and from swing number one the boys didn't look back. Our bats went to work and the boys played a very sound defensive game to come out on top 19-10. Now, mind you this was a 7U team, so mostly 7 year olds, I guess they may have the occasional 8 year old but mostly 7 year olds--but we have a few ourselves. Matthew, Caden, Drake, and Luke are all 7, Logan is still 6 but will turn 7 next month, so we've got ourselves a young little team too and they showed up. 

My favorite part--the South boys covering the middle at 2nd and short. & also Logan's never-ending smile (even in 20 degree weather) & Kaden's sportsmanship and encouragement he showed. These things meant more than any scoreboard. 

After the tournament was over we ditched the cold for some warmth of Johnny's and the kids continued to play -- Gold Tee though. While we were sitting down warming up, we got the message that Sunday's games had been canceled and there were mixed feelings for sure. Sad they weren't going to get to play the rest of the tournament but happy they weren't going to have to be out in the snow for which it did snow. Instead we stayed in our pjs all day watching movies and playing games. 

The Cheese Stands Alone

It was first grade musical time which meant one thing...it was Logan's turn. 

The kid LOVES signing, dancing and performing. At least for now. He'd been talking about his classes performance for sometime now & how he was going to be a ranch hand. It was code for a farmer which all the extra boys and girls who didn't get an animal costume filled the role. He didn't seem to mind one bit, he was going to be the best darn ranch hand there was. 

My mom came into town for a few days and was lucky enough to catch "opening night". (There's only one night of performance but Logan still referred to it as opening night.) The program was at 7. Doors opened at 6:30. We left the house at 6:10 for the 3 minute drive to the school. Now, I didn't grow up here in the Kansas City area but I do know how these school functions work up here which meant, we needed to be SUPER early if we wanted a decent parking spot or a seat in the gym. Mom just kind of chuckled at me, thought I was being crazy but when we arrived at 6:15, there was already a line at the door waiting to be let in. You'd have thought it was a Broadway musical, not just a 1st grade program---but on the other hand, it's pretty amazing to see all the love and support these 1st graders received from their family and friends. Before getting out of the car, Logan made sure that we both had a Kleenex with us, there was going to be a sad song and he wanted us to be prepared. He seriously has one of the kindest hearts I've met. So lucky he is ours. 

The performance was "The Cheese Stands Alone"

Logan did not have a speaking spot BUT he did have to hold up the letter "S" during one of the songs. Talk about pressure. He nailed it though--held it up just at the right time and not for too long. And let's hear it for his actions -- on top of it!

I do need to take a moment and give mad props to one of his friends, The Cheese. This young man had line after line that he had to memorize and sang an entire song all on his own. I know how proud I was of my own son but heck, he just came down and held up a sign when he was told to and then went back to his spot on the stage, serious responsibility but you know. The Cheese, well, he his responsibility was at a whole other level and he NAILED it. Every single part. And his parents were beaming with pride, I was beaming right alongside them.

The program lasted 22 minutes.

Twenty-two minutes of complete cuteness and smiles were planted across every student and every guest in the gym. As talented as those kiddos were, our music teacher is even more so--I mean, 99 first graders all on one stage with zero hiccups or miscues. It was one well oiled performance.

To note, big brother South wasn't in attendance for the evening performance, he caught the first performance during school hours and headed to baseball practice with his team. Although he wasn't there, he was Logan's biggest cheerleader and supporter.

One Moment. Each Day

"Dear Momma, don't enjoy every moment, enjoy one." 

Click here for article.

A girlfriend of mine shared this article with a group of moms last week at work. It's just not any group of moms, this is "my" group of moms. I've been working with these ladies for more than a decade and we all became first time, and second time, moms together. They're my initial sounding board on all things kids -- the good, the bad, the ugly. They are as much a part of my village as anyone else. And the support they provide, I can't even begin to put it into words. Without them, I'd be beyond lost. So when one of them sends an article, you read it. And usually, it's just what you needed to read at that very moment in time. 

& thus, I included it here, so that I could find it and reread often. I can easily get caught up in trying to ensure everything goes perfectly, no matter the occasion--big or small--& it hardly ever lives up to my expectations. I wind up disappointed for no reason at all because in reality, whatever it was, had moments of perfection & those moments are what I need to focus on. This season of our life is busy and chaotic, constantly caught up in a whirlwind. So this is my reminder to find one moment. One moment a day to cherish and drink it all in. Bottle it up and save it in my heart forever.

So this past weekend, I tried just that. I tried to lose myself in the moments that were happening. If my phone was around and it wasn't a distraction, I tried capturing it. The pictures are mostly an afterthought but let's be honest, I love capturing our life and these moments may just be some of the most important ones that I will ever capture.

One. Moment.

15 Seconds of Stardom

Justin and I have been HUGE Royals fans since we were little. We knew once we had kids that it would pretty much be forced upon them to love the Royals too. They do--on their own account too. We've taken them to countless games and have even traveled to a few different ballparks to catch them playing on road trips. The boys went to game 6 of the ALCS the year we won it all -- and took part in the Ticker Tape Parade downtown with 800k of our closest friends. 

Knowing how much we love the Royals, makes this sweet surprise even sweeter. 

2018 Opening Day.

I worked from home on Monday--Logan wasn't feeling well & thankfully, I have the flexibility to be home with him when I need to be. He was vegging on the beanbag next to me in the office when I got a text from my MIL. She had just received a text from one of her friends asking if the kid on her TV was Logan. She took a screenshot and sent it to Janet and it was definitely Logan smiling back at us.

Thankfully Janet's friend was able to rewind her TV and take a video of the entire commercial for us & I instantly went to our TV and turned on the game hoping to see it live but no such luck. I was able to record the replay of the game and even though the replays are often shortened due to TV time allotment, the commercial still aired. Without further ado...

The cool thing about this, it's a Sunday Family Funday at the K promo video so it should air ALL season long. The other cool thing, Logan isn't the only one in the video, our friends' daughter Kiley makes an appearance too. She's the little girl at the very end when the screen goes blue running behind Logan. I honestly thought this video coverage was from a few years back because Logan looks sooooo little but then I saw the back of his shirt - 17. Blue Crew 2017 and this just happened to be the day after his 6th birthday. We met the Griffiths out at the ballpark to celebrate Logan's and Mac's birthdays & since it was a Sunday, the kiddos ran the bases. Justin has the footage of us running the bases on his phone and sure as shit, there's a camera guy picking up Logan as he turns seconds base heading to third. 

Guess being in front of my camera all those times prepared him for this moment--zoning in on the camera for a few seconds and then jogging off every so cutely. So be on the lookout for a #RaisedRoyal blonde hair boy on a TV near you. 

Birthday Weekend for the Hubs

Justin's birthday this year fell on a Monday, NCAA Basketball Championship Monday. Most years it falls on the weekend of but this year, the night of. So we knew that if we wanted to do something special, we should do it over the weekend. Saturday Logan wasn't feeling well at all and even left our subdivisions Easter Egg Hunt early. When I got home I gave him some medicine and before we knew it he was feeling good. We knew this would probably be short lived so we headed out to Top Golf as quickly as we could--it's all Justin wanted to do. 

We got there and had to wait about 15 minutes so we played a little pool. Boys didn't mind one bit as they are always begging to play pool. I believe it was Kaden and I vs. Dad and Logan -- we were winning and then I scratched on the 8 ball. Yes, I was a little rusty.

Logan decided to hit first which also coincidentally was his only hit. He crawled up in my lap and went to sleep--the poor guy just wasn't feeling it. 

So Justin and Kaden took over. 

That evening we invited Justin's mom and Craig over for dinner, they brought Joe's KC and we took in a few games of basketball. KU ended up losing, which we were all honestly disappointed but Villanova was still in it and that's were our chips lied so dad and I were in the money. 

On Monday evening we sat at home and watched the game together--it wasn't super eventful but it was still pretty awesome when you get to celebrate someone like Justin. The boys were very thoughtful this year and showered him with UA tights and undershirts for baseball practices & a new Royals backpack from Nordstrom--it's pretty dope. Happy 37, emphasis on the 3, not so much the 7!

Easter & Snow

Typically our Easter weekend is full of sunshine and spring flowers--this Easter was the exception.

It snowed. Yes, on April 1st.

But, it didn't ruin all of our Easter fun. That Saturday our neighborhood held their inaugural Easter Egg Hunt. Logan woke up with a tummy ache & a slight fever. When I suggested he stay home from the hunt he broke down. When I suggested he go, he broke down. 

So we settled on him going and if he wanted to come home early, then we would bring him home.

He pushed through for a good 20 minutes and then he was done. Justin took him home and when I arrived back home we gave him some medicine in hopes it would help out. It did and in a matter of minutes he was up and moving around. He didn't want to miss out on any Easter Fun. 

The next morning, Easter Morning, the boys were up bright and early. Easter Bunny still does his thing around the South house. Although, both Kaden and Logan mentioned they knew EB wasn't real from the egg hunt but they were excited for the real one to come and visit while they slept. 

We kept the Easter baskets this year to a minimum--some Under Armour tights and a shirt plus some candy and bath bombs--which are calling my name. 

Soon after our guests started to arrive--we were hosting brunch again with Justin's mom & Craig, Becky, Adan and Colton, Justin's Aunt Barbar and her son and DIL, Justin's Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Gary and then Uncle Bob. The house was full. Uncle Bob and Stoli became instant best friends--Gus, well, he was left in his kennel, he has a little too much energy for our guests that were joining us.

Since it was snowing the Easter egg hunt had to be held inside. The boys didn't seem to mind too much -- and neither did their hair, we should really try harder on that! 

Like most years, I purchased each of the boys a Lego set & then split the pieces into 11 large eggs. Since I had to ensure they all found ONLY their Lego pieces, I added their initials to the eggs. They were only allowed to pick up 15 small eggs and the large eggs that had their initials on them. Last year it was color coded but I didn't have the eggs to do that this year and this added another element of fun---the boys would find an egg, check it out and then sneak away so that they wouldn't give it away to the other two.

After the hunt we quickly celebrated Justin's birthday. He would turn 37 the following day & that couldn't go by without celebrating.

The weather was yucky but the company and the good was as good as ever & being with family, especially family we don't see very often--is always special.