Where have I been ??

Since last Saturday I have been lost in a haze of baseball.
If I don't write it down now I will forget.
Stick with me I am not a great writer.......it's a long post with no photo's !!

It's been crazy,coupled with all the usual stuff and getting ready for back to school.
I've drunk more take out coffee than I should and eaten so irregularly I've forgotten what a decent meal is at a decent time of day.
It was like groundhog day !
So 8 of the last 9 days have seen us in Lachine(a 90km round trip) 3 of those days beating rush hour traffic........4 of them freezing our butts off wondering if it really was August still!
The plus side was I was at least sitting each night with one of my bestest pals,Carine,so we could at least joke about it and have a fun time.
If you have no interest in baseball I'd just given up reading now !!

We lost a game last Sunday(7-6) so that meant to stay in we had to win every game because loose 2 and you're out.
We had most of our players give or take 1 or 2 every game.
Tuesday we win.
Wednesday we win.
Thursday we win.
Friday we win taking us to the finals.
Our opposition hasn't lost a game,so even if we beat them Saturday we have to play again Sunday to determine the winner.
This may be little league but there are rules regarding use of pitchers,number of innings,amount of rest,a pitcher can't catch in the same game,all that sort of stuff.
It's normally not a problem.
When you've played 4 nights in a row it is ! The up side to playing so much ball.......they were playing like a team should play.......and with each game they wanted to win even more.

So Saturday,lovely cold wet August day........everyone expected the game to be cancelled..........we played.
Us,the parents were wrapped in blankets under umbrella's......some were wearing winter hats and luckily one brought a huge flask of hot chocolate !!
We were winning,13-4 I think,when the game took a turn and all of a sudden it was 13-11 with 2 on base, 2 out..........when that ball was caught in the out field,the kids went berserk all running out and charging on W and so did we,jumping around in the stands,forgetting we'd sat there in the freezing rain for close to 3 hours.

Which brings us to yesterdays final.
The weather was better,slightly.
We had an almost full team.
Pitchers were good to go.
Play ball :)

Carine's son B pitched a 3 up 3 down first inning,just like that.We came on and scored 3.
Bottom of the 4th we are 5-1 up when they call a 10 minute rain delay.
It broke the momentum and before we knew it we were in the the bottom of the 6th 5-6 down.........1 run to stay in the game and play another inning.
J comes up to the plate.This kid can hit and can run like lightening.I don't remember what the count was but he hit that ball to the out field and made it all the way home.
6-6
7th inning...no scores
8th inning...no scores
9th inning...no scores
into extra innings........this is little league,we normally play 5 sometimes 6 innings !!
10th inning...no scores
11th inning....they score 2 runs.
We need 2 to stay in 3 to win.

Tense is not the word.
No one can sit down we are all pacing and shouting encouragement,well actually were were screaming encouragement,that would be more like it,I'm surprised any of us had voices left.
It all becomes a bit of a blur here.
We score 2 runs.
8-8
We are 1 out with bases loaded,Adam,is up to bat,it's the bottom of the order.

I will be the first to admit my son is no all star baseball player.He gets his sporting genes from me,unfortunately.
But,what he lacks in talent he makes up for in determination,effort and enthusiasm.
He strikes out a lot,more than he hits....but I know he can hit.
Last night that was to his advantage........they swapped the outfield positions.
All I can think is we just need one run.
I don't remember the count,Stuart was coaching first base and said something to him,I didn't hear what it was.
I don't know if it was Stuart's comment or channeled anger from being benched for 3 innings or both.
He hit the ball and you can tell from the sound what sort of hit it was.......that ball was going and it flew between two players and he gets a double,brings two players home.....not that it mattered,we only needed one.

All the kids piled out the dugout onto him and that's all I saw as all of us mums were jumping and hugging and going berserk too.......the end of an amazing,intense crazy 9 days !

Everyone gave it there all.
The kids were tired(we were tired!!)but they played like we've never seen them play.
Sure there were tears of frustration at times.
There was shouting and yelling !
They totally deserved the win.....they sure earned it.
B pitched 5 amazing innings,J pitched 6 amazing innings.
Everyone did what they had to do.
I am so proud of my son for doing what I know many people thought he couldn't.

One dad said to me right after,it couldn't of happened to a nicer kid......and he's right :)

Regional Champions..off to the Provincials we go !!

Woo! Hoo!

A layout

Here's one for the challenge this week on the American Crafts blog.
It was to use 2 Remarks stickers on a page.
I used a journaling tag and some of the mini letter stickers that I have used on virtually every page I made since I bought them.....I even ordered another pack because I knew these were going to be a must have !


American Crafts Supplies:
Paper: Craft fair (Elenore battington)
Backyard (drip)
Spring & Summer (Teapot)
Thickers: Cappuccino
Remarks Stickers: Journaling(coloured)
Letters(Hannah and Henry)
Chipboard: Numbers and Stars

Other supplies: Cardstock:Bazzill.....Scallop Punch:Stampin'Up!

10 Years....

.....today since we arrived in Canada.

I can not believe how fast the time has gone.....it seems like yesterday and yet so much has happened in those 10 years.

Wow ! Really,10 years !

I feel that might be worthy of a layout.

A layout for Friday

Yes,I was suppose to post this one yesterday but my battery went flat before I could take a picture and then I couldn't and still can't get photo shop to work...had to use Picasa.


This was originally for the American Craft challenge this week,hence all the AC product on the page.Looking at it here on the screen,I'm sure it needs something on the black near the letter stickers,I think I'll have to go and rummage and see what I can find !

So at last I found time in between all the other everyday stuff to scrap,I've really missed it and the pile of photo's I have waiting just keeps getting bigger ! Hopefully this week I'll find some more time.I have a clean and tidy space just waiting.

I can't believe that in 2 weeks today the kids will be back at school..........summer has flown by.

Lots to do this weekend,since it is our first one at home for nearly a month,including.........

• catching up on weeding(yawn !!)
• clearing out the garage
• stacking wood in the garage
• having family over (the boys are excited to see their cousins again)
• Strawberry daiquiri's(right Nic !! )
• an alfresco yummy dinner Saturday
• a long walk
• hopefully some time to sit and relax in the fabulous weather that has finally shown up !

Hopefully back next week with another page or 2.

Last weekend

We headed off to meet our friends at their cottage.
The weather was as hit and miss as it has been all summer.
Friday night when we arrived and sat out admiring the full moon over the lake it felt almost Fall like,there was that chill in the air.
The up side to that was it produced an amazing mist the next morning.

I haven't been into getting up very early this summer,which isn't like me at all.I need to rectify that starting next week,I always have to start something on a Monday !
So Stuart headed down to the lake,while I admired the mist from the cottage.
He took these pictures (should click bigger)within about a 10 minute period.


I'm annoyed with myself for not going down,it looks so beautiful and peaceful and annoyed with Stuart for not dragging my butt down there with him :)

Should be back tomorrow with a layout............yes,I actually scrapped...woo hoo !!

To blog or not to blog......

That is the question.

Right now I am enjoying just hanging out at home with the boys.
Taking it easy....still nursing a poorly shoulder....another reason to stay off this evil computer :)

I'm dying to scrap again........it's been so long.
I have a desire finally to make new slip covers for my much loved but sad looking sofa's.........I think I have at long last found the perfect fabric.I covered one of the sofas 5 years ago and I remember what a huge project with much swearing it was but it needs doing again and sooner rather than later.
In fact I have desire to generally spruce up my entire house,finish all the unfinished projects,shelves,photo's in frames,new cushions that sort of thing....the house needs a pre fall boost !

I'll leave with just a few photo's from our vacation.
The first day we went to watch the Blue Jays play the Red Sox.It doesn't look it from the photo but we had a great view,better than last year.
I was pleased as the roof was open...unlike last year.
The boys loved it,Ad cheered extra loud due to the fact we were seated in a mainly Red Sox area !!
Anyway,a great day was made even better by the fact we won...Go Jays !!

We spent some time at our friends cottage and lots of fishing was done.
Stuart's tackle box is just one big box of goodies to Ol!


It is the season of these.......

Of course I took a ton of photo's of them (again)
My boys were patient with me though and when I turned round one night from snapping away on a walk after dinner I saw this.......


...I think it's my favourite of the trip.

Back sometime :)