Hello San Fran!

This one time we thought about driving up to San Francisco for a Dodger Game at AT&T Park. Then we put it out of our minds and went back and forth on the whole thing. Then two days before the game, we bought tickets. We re-invited Scott and Carolyn, they booked a Marriott. The Underwoods vacuumed the car and filled the tank. And come Monday morning, we all piled in and we were good to go!! 

The hotel was A-mazing. Right in the heart of downtown and only a few blocks from the stadium. Excitement filled the room as we started mapping out our adventures!! Graham is in such a map fascination stage...

The big boys went to batting practice and came back with 3 baseballs!! Trip.made.

The Kershaw obsession continues. Thank you Clayte for claiming to eat a turkey sandwich before every game. We now have a sub lover.

This one tried to jump on board the turkey train but still can't kick the picky stage. Good thing he's cute. 

The game was so fun. I mean, it didn't end joyfully...but we were still glad we went. 

The next morning we hit the streets! Graham and Bennett lead the way...skipping and hollering down every block. 

He loves me. He puts up with my pictures.



Sooooo, we may have accidentally got on the RIGHT train going the WRONG direction. Woops. Oh well...It was a lovely tour of the city.

Little Bink in the big city. Ain't no thang. 
(Speaking of thang: currently winding a toy a stranger gave him on the wharf. He calls it Buzz Lightyear. Actually it's a fat mummy. Bah!)

Our 2 day trip was such a tease and left us wanting more. More family adventures. More eyes full of wonder. 

We just want these boys to realize the world is so much bigger then just Roehampton Avenue. 

That people need the Lord's love and grace from Dodger Stadium to AT&T park. And beyond. 

We'll be back, San Fran. 

Hello Surprises.

I'm not going to pretend. Today started rough. Rough and early. All 3 boys at Nolan's checkup at 8am? And they wanted us there at 7:45? Psh. We were there at 7:56 and I was thrilled. Three boys, two with hack coughs, and one in a hitting/kicking phase...the office suddenly felt very small. 

Then after a breakfast picnic, 

(The happy part of the morning! I was thinking "yeah, we've got this day back!") there was an oldest child who thought he could slide down a wet slide on his feet. Meltdown. His on the outside and taking anyone in it's path...and mine boiling on the inside. 

But after we got home, settled in, play-doughed it up... I found this:

And I have to smile. Emergency landing! Boys. Aren't they just the best? When I find myself thinking "why am I repeating myself over and over?"... I am forced to pause and admit, "Oh wait, you're 4 and 2."

 Thank you Lord for a wipe box surprise today...

And also thank the Lord for this 6 month, tall and skinny, joy bucket. 

Because 95 height percentile was no surprise at all. 

Hello Soccer!

Welp, thanks for making me a soccer mom, Graham! You just wrapped up your first season ever of team sports. Thank goodness for FUN sports. One practice a week and one 40 minute game for 6 weeks. Done and done. It was so fun. I felt us starting to cross over into the next stage of childhood and it was awesome. And ADORABLE.

Raise your hand if you "pish-poshed" cleats and shin guards for the first practice. Guess we should have gone to the parent meeting. 
A trip to the "sports store" was immediately scheduled. 

First game. Graham could hardly contain his excitement. He waved, he smiled, he danced! 

While running by us, he said, 
"Can you believe I'm playing kick soccer?!" 

At one point he kicked the ball and immediately looked over to us on the sidelines and said "I kicked it!"
We pretty much cracked up the whole game... 

Some of your biggest fans...

Wouldn't you know our first game would be against Miles Fults and his San Francisco colors? So.fun.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for coming all the way up for G-unit's first soccer game!!

The North Field. Barf. Otherwise known to Graham as the field of the game he just watched... Stitches in the shin put him on DL. 

Thanks Uncle Zach, Aunt Cait, and cousins for coming to Graham's soccer game!! 
This was the game where the other team fought each other and it cost them the game. 

Never judge a team by their ethnicity. Kyle.

Thanks Ga-wy, Papa, GG, and Grandma and Grandpa for coming to Graham's soccer game. 
Graham was so excited that everyone at Grandpa's birthday dinner could come to his game...since he invited them all himself. 
Graham refers to this game as the one where he was the only one kicking the ball down the field and then kicked it at the goal and missed. 
We remember it smelled like fish. 

Last game. Goalie became your favorite position.

 Coach even gave you the medal for "Craziest Goalie". 
You got some great stops! 

Like I said, biggest fans. 
And the perks to being the biggest fan. 

You are so loved, little soccer player. 
So easy to love...you invited your whole team to Aunt Cait's after the game. 
And then invited your coach to go to the playground with you. 
Such a sweet pea. 

Way to go "Yellow". 
(That's what your coach called your team. Creative, eh?) 
You were undefeated. Maybe one tie? But ties are the worst. So let's just say, you didn't lose any games... 
But also you had FUN. And that's more important. And you're 4. 
So I'm confident in that statement. 
And you're already planning your team for when you're 5...