batter up!!...

....it's sissy's turn!!

after grant & payton's (pics soon!) game it was audrey's turn....

on her way to play ball!!

...the kids LOVE their backpack bat bags....as do we ~ they're easy for them to carry :)

pre- game pep talk from coach, a.k.a daddy!

audrey is one of the oldest in her league this year....and i must say that is a nice change....she really is doing well all around....so well that in a very weak moment i agreed to let her do all-stars this summer...have i lost my mind!?!?...

and for one moment let me reiterate how ridiculous i feel those face masks are in the field....yes, i know they are protecting them....yes, i know a ball straight to the face could be devastating....but honestly!!....the boys don't wear them....we never wore them growing up playing softball...why in the world do they have to?!?!..

time to hit.....love that form!!!

so, i guess the serious face & competitive gene comes honestly...

...i mean, was there ever any doubt :)

brett & i have always said we feel for our children because we are both so competitive and sports crazy!...but we do always hope to instill the fun of the game into them first & foremost...and sometimes that is easier than others, right coach?!?!

LOVE this pic with our third base coach....a.k.a. good friend emma's daddy :)

both so serious!

SCORE!

i snuck into the dugout for a few shots....

love my beautiful baller!

the kids did great...and had a lot of fun....but i think top *fun honors* goes to THE cutest little 4 year old!! she was so footloose & fancy free and just beyond excited to be playing like her big sister...we are quite happy to have her on our team and looking forward to watching her sis play up in the next league!!

...and of course a post game talk from coach and a one - two - three - GO GOLD STARS!

all our little ballers for the day....

so . stinkin . cute !

take me out to the ballpark...

....take me out to the game!!

(disclaimer - obnoxious, long post with LOTS of pics!.... i'm warning you!)

grant's FIRST t-ball game!!!

i honestly can not believe my baby boy is big enough to play ball....melt . my . heart!...

the traditional family pics before the game! grammy & my sister and her family made it up for the game...my nephew payton had his own tournament in birmingham this weekend! it was a saturday FULL of ball games...audrey had her first game too!...but that will be a post of it's own :)

and can i just say that i'm not sure if i am ready for all this!!....but ready or not, i better hold on because this spring is going to be a wild ride...most saturdays the kid's games will be at almost the same time & across town from each other....wow, my preview for the next 10 years!

here he is....ready to play ball!!

...a boy were we lucky to get all our games in saturday...we battled on/off thunderstorms all day....

our boys!!...and we were quite glad payton was there!! more on that later :)

ummm, how stinkin' cute are these three???

the best part of playing ball is playing with friends!!

audrey, bella & the two cuties above's big sister!!

these boys were ready to play ball!!

...but as you can see from the gentleman is the background we had to wait a bit....really, making twelve 4 year olds wait almost an hour to play ball!?!?....needless to say the sandlot field finally got ready and the boys were beyond ready to play...

my little baller...ready to bat!!

a few words from coach...

..and yes, brett is helping when needed with grant's team but is already committed to head coaching audrey's team (thank goodness) so we for once didn't over commit!

way to go grant!!

i mean, look at his face!!!

he took this ball playing very seriously.... LOVE IT!

umm, cutie on second....you better move, grant's coming!!

that's my boy!!

moving on to third...

wouldn't you just love to know the conversation going on here...

and he's off again!!.....i think the tongue makes him run faster...lol!!

time for a little fielding...as only 4 year olds can do!....so serious again....by the way, this gets us into a little *trouble* later...

one more time to bat and a wave for mom!!

back into the field and the trouble begins....

see grant wanted the ball.

and apparently all his friends kept getting the ball.

yup, that's a problem.

so what does he do??

goes to get the ball, however he can...yup, tackling his friends to get said ball...

.ugh.

well, grant also does love being yelled at lovingly told that he can NOT tackle, run over, steal from his friends to get the ball...

"but daddy, i WANT the ball! i told them NOT to touch the ball! it was MY ball!"

"it's ok son...just go out there, run your fastest and be the first to the ball. but do NOT take the ball from your friends!"

...and the ever present coach's pat on the butt to send him on his way...

yeah, that pep talk didn't work so well...we needed reinforcements...

pay-pay to the rescue (yes, he will be 30 and we will still call my nephew pay-pay)!

sometimes a little coaxing from our most awed cousin helps more than daddy!

now he's back in the game :)

it was an adorable game and the kids, generally, had a great time....though some held a grudge a moment longer than others...

but there is ONE thing that will make everything better.....after the game snack!!

and i must say, grant talked about that game all day saturday and sunday....still steaming over the fact that his friends got the ball and he didn't....whew, at least we know he has a competitive streak in him - a mile long!!...we tried explaining, we tried showing but all in all until he gets back on that field next saturday & gets that blasted ball in his hand it's really not gonna matter....oh the joys of boys!!

more posts to come...audrey & payton's games...but i'll give ya a little time to recover from this one :)