Baseball season

And then somehow baseball season was upon us yet again.

But not before rain and mud season.

Dogs are fun.

This year Scott started pitching and has really enjoyed it.

Cubs game one with the W and Scott got the first game ball of the season to boot.

And then got to go to dinner with his buddy.  Nothing better.

Owen played for the White Sox this year and got to have his best friend, Maddox, on his team.

Not to mention that Brian got to be the assistant coach (thereby making me the default team mom and dugout boss!)

It was a fun beginning of the season that's for sure!

One of my favorite traditions is that Scott brings his game ball to show his teacher from kindergarten (who also happened to be his 2nd grade teacher this year).  Its just about the sweetest thing!

After school football out front because these kids don't play enough sports.

Icee bribes on picture day for the white sox:

Cheers to a great baseball season!

Turning 9

Also in February we celebrated Scott turning 9.  I can't even believe it.  It seemed like we celebrated all week.  We had friends over after sports for dinner and "cake" (Scott doesn't like cake so it was actually cookie ice cream sandwiches)

Had baseball practice on Birthday Eve

Read to Apollo on his last night of being 8

And woke up as a 9 year old!

On Scott's actual birthday we took home the boys' good friends and went to the climbing gym

The boys had a blast climbing and then coming back to the house for more dinner and "cake".

It was the perfect birthday week!

Mammoth & February

In February we joined our friends for our family's first trip to Mammoth and the boys first time skiing.

We signed the boys up for ski lessons for two days (they each ended up doing a full day and then Scott did the next half day)

But before we headed to the hill we obviously needed some last minute bacon:

Scott and Brian, pre ski lesson

Owen playing in the snow drifts outside our house.

Day two was snowing so hard that Owen opted not to ski so he and I stayed back and played in the snow all day!

We had plenty of time for sledding and snowballs while the dads dug out our cars from the snow (3 hours).  I have honestly never experienced this much snow in one time in my life (and that's saying something after living in Canada).  It was pretty magical.  Thankful for friends with big trucks though, since we drove up in a prius. 

Back at school and celebrating the 100th day.

Owen loves building and tinkering.  Here's another creation he worked on:

We met up with friends for hikes with the puppies

Went bowling

Enjoyed a crab dinner with our besties (enjoying the spoils of our white elephant gift exchange from Christmas!)

And kept on playing basketball, football and starting baseball practice for the spring.

Nothing like playing all the sports.