PLAY ball...

I like my little town. There are a few things that really make me not just like it, but love it. One of those is the Opening Day of baseball season. Every year we mark it on the calender and plan for a whole day of baseball and fun.

The morning starts off with a parade of all the teams - from tiny T-ball players, through the boys of summer baseball players and the softball ladies.
I feel blessed to live in a community where people stand with pride when the flag is presented and an Opening Prayer is heard. This is a day when you can't help but know you are having a slice of American Pie! Thank, God.
DS#1's baseball team heading into the parade.
After this gathering, the ball games begin and the day isn't complete until you sample the Annual "chicken-que".

DS#1 watches his little brother in his 1st baseball game.

Late in the afternoon finds both DD and DS#1 tired and sleepy and catching a rest in the shade.

DS#2 is very serious about all this baseball - his team tied their 1st game and he got to pitch!

Get your garden on!

A few posts back, I showed you my strawberry pot; well, look what I got to munch last week? Can you believe how quickly this grew and ripened?

This week I am potting 10 heirloom tomato plants (I am only planting non-hybrids this year because I want to harvest my own seeds for next year), cucumber seeds and pepper plants. I also want to find some annual herbs to put in my empty strawberry pot. So, tell me, how does your garden grow?

Easter Photos!

We had a wonderful Easter, I hope you did too!

Gosh, I love this man!

Stumphouse Tunnel Adventure

Last week was Spring Break for my crew. We didn't take a trip or anything, and were disappointed that we only had one decent weather day. On our one good day, the boys and I decided we would head up to Stumphouse Tunnel and Isaqueena Falls to do some "adventuring". As a Mom, I am trying to remember that boys like adventures and plan activities that fit that bill without causing injury or bleeding (or at least much of it).

At this point, I don't think they were sure if my idea of adventure was the same as theirs, but they did know we had to have flashlights for this one!

The opening of Stumphouse Tunnel.
Heading in! Of course, DS#2 (Mr. throw caution to the wind) is leading the way.

Taken with Night Snap Shot mode so you can see the walls inside.

Now they are definitely glad we brought the flashlights!

This is one of my favorite shots, taken as we were leaving.

I earned some brownie points by letting the boys climb some rocks!

Boys!

View from a lower part of Isaqueena Falls

Isn't she lovely? I can't leave all my girliness behind!

Isaqueena Falls, which is located right next to Stumphouse Tunnel.

The boys, after climbing down the falls.

DS#1 took a shot of me and DS#2 at the bottom of the falls.

I felt pretty good after this adventure because DS#1 said, as were were leaving, that this was "way more fun that going away for Spring Break!" HooAHHH!

For more information on a Stumphouse Tunnel adventure of your own: http://www.oconeecountry.com/stumphouse.html

The value of Reading...

The other night, the kiddos and I took our dinner to the park to have a picnic and play. After eating DS#2 headed to the play area. I, being an attentive Mommy, watched him climb up the play structure and into the yellow, spiral, tube slide. I sat there, all content and soaking up the warm evening while joyous sounds of children playing surrounded me, until I realized (see...this is where the attentiveness comes it!) DS#2 hadn't come out of the slide. How long does it take to come down the slide? Maybe 30 seconds??? Well, he had been in there for far longer, so I called out his name. He finally pops out. So, I have to ask him, why on earth it took him so long to come down. He shrugs his little shoulders and answers, all matter of factly, "People have written lots of stuff in there and I wanted to read it!" Oh, Boy! That reading thing has really paid off...geez.

The Attack on Easter Village..

This is our Easter Village. It finds itself on the coffee table this spring. My youngest DS2, (Dear Son born 2nd), was so excited about it this year because, at 7, he deemed himself old enough to set it up completely on his own. How sweet, right? I thought so, until I realized life with little boys is never, ever predictable...

Yes...it looks like life in Easter Village will never be the same.

I don't know who are the good guys and who are the bad guys, but it looks like those pastel living bunnies are going down.

No, no I never saw this coming; and apparently neither did Bunny Homeland Security.