Ball game #2

Last night Tanek had his 2nd t-ball game for the fall season. Here he is all ready to go. He is having so much fun playing and is getting better at it. I am so glad he has a good coach that is all about the children playing. We played the Braves last night and there are a couple coaches on their team that think they are playing in the Major league. To say they were intense would be kind. Their sportsmanship left very much to be desired. These kids are between the ages of 4-6 and maybe a few 7 year olds. Most of them have only played one or two season's or for some this is their first. They are learning "how" to play. Our coach wants them to have "FUN". Imagine that. Learn how to play the game. Of course it is fun to win, but he mainly just wants them to have fun and learn the game. NOT so with all coaches. There were 2 on the other team that wanted to win at ANY cost. IF it meant yelling and screaming at our coaches and pitching a fit if things didn't go as they thought well so be it. They certainly showed their kids what was most important. I am just SO thankful that we don't have coaches like that.


Before we left Tanek told me he might get to play catcher and that I could take his picture. I was so glad he told me that because I wasn't going to take my camera because I had got quite a few pictures on Saturday. Sure was glad I took it. He is the cutest little catcher ever and he does a good job. He throws the ball back to the pitcher whether they want it or not. He took his job very seriously. After a few long innings all the gear was getting a little heavy and uncomfortable. It weighs more than he does I think.

Just got to love that sweet face.

It was a nice evening for a ball game. Not too hot and not too cool. The sun wasn't in our eyes and it was just pleasant weather.

All this protective gear gets pretty heavy after awhile. Hopefully the rest of the season will go smoothly. It is a shame when sports are ruined by over zealous coaches that evidently think if they win it makes them look big. Glad that Tanek wasn't aware of what was going on with them. He is just having fun. Most of the kids at this age don't even know or care what the score is and it isn't really supposed to be an issue. It was with this coach and his sidekick last night. Most of the coaches at this level are for the kids, but I guess there always has to be one or two.

Today was the first game of the fall season. Tanek is doing so much better than he did in the Spring. He is running faster and hitting the ball harder. He had 2 good hits today and actually got to come all the way into home. He is having so much fun.

Today he had 2 proud grand-ma's out there taking pictures.

Standing on first base with his coach waiting to run to second. His coach is so good for these boys. He doesn't pressure them at all, but teaches them to play the game. He is very patient with these little kids as they are learning what to do. He does get pretty excited when they do good too. He always encourages them. I am so glad Tanek has had him for a coach both seasons.

Below are a couple video clips I took.

Story Time at the Library!

On the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month they have Story time at the Library. The lady who reads the stories is very good and she really holds the kids attention, plus she does little activities to keep them busy. After the stories before they begin their craft they always do the hoky poky. The kids seem to love this. I snapped a few pictures of the kids doing the hoky poky.

I love to see little kids being "kids" and having fun. We try to go often and Tanek loves it. He also enjoys picking out books to read. It is a fun thing to do and gives us a good variety in home schooling.

The Many Stages of Waking Up!

Last week when Tanek spent the night I woke him up to go to story time at the Library. Only it wasn't story time last week it was today. But...this is what we go through to wake up. He almost always wakes up happy even if you have to wake him up early. He just takes a little while to wake up. Here he is sound asleep.

The light goes on and it is time to cover your head up.

Not wanting to wake up yet.

Nana took the blankets away.

I am waking up now, can I have one of my blankets back? And all smiles!

Pluto needs to wake up too. He is going to the Library too.

The first thing he wants to do before he gets up is look at his newest Lego catalog. He has a long wish list. He LOVES Lego's.

He would like the 900+ piece of the fire station and truck. (Don't bring them to my house please)

So many things to see and imagine how to play with.

Look Nana, I like these too!

After looking through the catalog it was time to get up and get ready to go to the Library. Even though we had the wrong day we checked out some books. We had story time today and he really enjoyed it. The icing on the cake was we found a book about Lego town with construction workers. Now that was a find. He is so much into Lego's, construction machinery, and "cars" from the movie. Anytime you can find something that has to do with any of that you have hit a bulls eye. This little book is an early reader too, so he is enjoying reading it. He has spent at least a couple hours just looking at it and reading it and commenting on all the different Lego people and equipment. Today was our best day at the Library. We have had a good day. Story time, playtime at the park and lunch at Johnny's and then we finished school. Now he is playing with his cars and racetrack. We will soon read some more then it will be dinner time and bath time. Busy day. Between school, Library and ball he is one busy little guy and keeps this Nana from ever being bored. Life is good!

Dinner's Ready

This is a short clip of my awesome niece preparing dinner for us on Saturday. She is such a joy and the food was great, but the time with her was priceless.

A Special Week-end Road Trip

This week-end Gary and I drove up to Atlanta and picked up our awesome niece Lori. I told her she looks like a Barbie doll. Can you believe this is a picture of a 50 year old woman??? Lori is the head of Celebrate Life International. A ministry that works with "at risk" kids in schools and juvenile facilities. She is incredible. If you have ever heard her speak she is probably the most gifted speaker I have ever heard. The best way you can describe her is "Enthusiastic". She is so real, so much fun, and such a follower of Jesus. She has the ability to make you feel like you are the most important person in the whole world. She doesn't meet a stranger and she is always an encouragement. Well, anyway, Gary and I went to pick her up and then we drove to Canton, NC to visit my brother and her uncle at the nursing home.

Lori is bringing joy to these two old men . People in the nursing home are just so excited when someone talks to them and spends a little time with them. She was giving these 2 patients some encouragement and just making their day. That is what she does best. Just brings joy to whoever she meets.

We were able to have the staff at the nursing home get my brother out onto the porch and in the sun which he loves. He has had a fall and has a broken knee cap and is bed ridden right now. It was such a beautiful day that we were able to enjoy our visit outside for awhile.

We actually took these pictures on Saturday morning while we walked around Maggie Valley. It is so pretty up there and they are all decorated for fall. The leaves are just barely starting to turn, but it was beautiful. The sky was so clear and blue, the air crisp and all the decorations for fall were so pretty.

Every hotel, store, and restaurant had fall displays out. It just looked very homey.

The hubs was all decked out in his Alabama gear waiting for the big game that we watched on Saturday night.

The sky was so beautiful and blue. When we were driving that morning the clouds were hanging down in the mountains and we could so clearly see why they are called the "Smokey Mountains"

Maggie Valley is such a cute little mountain town. We found a little stand that was selling apples and we got a bag of apples, some apple butter and a gallon of apple cider. Yummy. Their apples are SO good.

On Friday night after we spent the afternoon with my brother we went to the hotel to check in and went to dinner at a little country diner. The food was very good home cooked.

That night we came back to the hotel after dinner to just chill. We had been on the road at 4 am and I drove all the way from home to Atlanta, to Canton, NC and then up to Maggie Valley. We were all pretty tired. The hubs chillin and watching a little TV.

Lori texting

And I was eating my coconut cream pie from dinner. It was SO good. Lori and I had tried to go use the hot tub but it wasn't working and the water in the hot tub and pool was NOT hot, not even warm, so instead we came to our room to relax. Lori had the adjoining room from ours.

We saw this sign in town while we were walking and I think it has a lot to say.

We were getting ready to have lunch with a young man named Jesse that has been a God send to our family. He and his family have a couple Mexican food restaurants and every Tuesday he brings my brother a meal. We were going to have lunch on Saturday at his restaurant and before we left he brought my brother another meal. All of our family loves Mexican food better than any other food, so this is just such a blessing to my brother. Jesse is a strong Christian and he brings the meal at no cost to us, and spends time with my brother talking to him and praying with him. We were very happy to finally get to meet him and take HIM to lunch.

Here are a couple pictures of Gary and I with Jesse in front of his restaurant. If you are ever in Canton, NC I highly recommend this place. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced. We sure did enjoy spending time with him and getting to know this fine young man. It is just amazing how God works and who He brings into your life and how a complete stranger can become such an important person in your life. Thank you Jesse. You are a God send.

This restaurant is in Canton, and they have another one I think it is in Henderson or somewhere about an hour from Canton. I will certainly eat there every time we are in the area. It is one of the best I have eaton at.After lunch, we visited some more with my brother and then we left and headed back to Atlanta. We spent the night with Lori and had dinner at her house and then watched the Alabama/Florida game. What fun that was. We all sat on her big king size bed and watched the game. Being big Bama fans it was like the icing on the cake to end a great weekend. Lori has many talents, but cooking isn't one of them. So she sent out for food from the Italian restaurant across the highway from her. It was very good too. She did fix some good popcorn to go with our hot apple cider as we watched the game.

We had a really nice weekend. Came home very tired from traveling over 1000 miles in 3 days, but it was a lot of fun. Loved seeing my brother and loved spending time with my niece.