Baseball, Baseball, Baseball

 I have not posted on this blog since April.  My apologies.  It's one of those things that with every week that  went by, the thought of catching up on life's events started to become almost overwhelming.  I couldn't post everything, so I would just post nothing.  But there has been one thing that's been a constant in our lives since March, and that's baseball.  Now that the season is over, here's a post.

Nate as catcher, Chris at bat.

The boys played in Minors level, and both had a great season.  They love this sport, and it showed in every single game.  There were 2 games where they played each other, which was fun.  We sat in the middle of the bleachers and cheered for both. 

 

 Chris was safe as he crossed home plate.

 "Good try!"  Brotherly check-in.  Maybe next time......

 They each had a win against each other.  Their eye-black brings good luck before sunny games.  It's smeared on with a burned wine cork, so my contribution to the season is making sure that they have corks to burn.  :)

 Remember how Chris and Nate were such avid supported of the Concordia University team that plays in our neighborhood?  Well, the admiration goes both ways, and this group of players showed up to cheer on Chris at his game...

...and Nate at his.  This was beyond cool, and these boys will never forget how special they felt!

But wait!  There's more!  After the regular season ended, the boys continued to play ball on the Honors team for the league.  They were on the same team, and were happy to squeeze a little bit more baseball in before calling it a wrap.  Gr'aunt Karen and Gr'uncle Dick came and watched their final game on Wednesday night.  What a nice way to end the season!

A Day In The Life of Mama

 The pencils need to be sharpened!

My boys have been begging me all year to be allowed to come and spend some time in my classroom.  So when I found out that yesterday was Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, I saw it as the perfect opportunity.  They were excited!

 Nate leads a reading group.

 Chris leads his reading group.

Correcting papers.  

These boys were pooped after their day on the job! 

I think they'll be sticking to 3rd grade for a while.

Giraffe Painting

 Nate and I had a date last night.  Just the two of us.  We went to Vine Gogh, where I was a few weeks ago and painted my chicken.  When I saw that the painting of the evening was a giraffe, I knew that I had to sign Nate up for the class.  He loves Giraffes.

 The place was filled with adults, and Nate was the only kid there.  He just made the cut, since 9 years old is the minimum age for the evening classes.   Phew!

 It's starting to come to life.  Nate was eye-level with the nostrils (which at times looked like the eyes!), and I think that at times getting the perspective of the whole giraffe was challenging.  Always good to step back and take a look!  That's what artists do.

 After 2+ hours of painting on a Friday night (and definitely past his bedtime!) I could see Nate's steam running out.  But he felt good about his painting and had tons of fun!

The finished product.  Of course, Nate wanted to add the signature mole to giraffe's chin.  This way, there will be no mistaking who the artist was.  I love it!

Tradition at Neil Kelly

Chris and Nate's tradition at Neil Kelly.

It feels like the kind of story that finishes the newscast on a week night.  I love it! 

Baseball Opening Day 2013

Another season of baseball is here.  This year the boys are playing in Minors, and for the first time, they are on two different teams!  The next few months will be filled with baseball.

They love this sport.  I love watching them play this sport.  Here's to a great season!

Scientists

 Both boys participated in their school's first annual science fair.  Nate grew bacteria from culturing various surfaces around the school, and Chris tested the temperature of boiling salt water.  Very exciting.

We have entered the era of goofball expressions on their face at picture time.  

Nate's expression was due to his mother taking his picture while others looked on....Chris has the expression of his altar ego, Niner'.  Don't ask.

Chicken!

 Last night I went with some friends to Vine Gogh..a guided artist bar.  The painting of the night was called Portland Chicken.  Not being much of an artist, I wasn't sure how my final product would turn out.  But not to worry.....it was a ton of fun and I love my chicken!  I will actually hang this work of art on a wall in my house.

It was a packed house and the class was sold out!  32 chickens came to life and they were all unique variations of the same thing.

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 My chicken nearing completion.

Chickens!

Grow Oak Tree, Grow!

 Yesterday we got our new tree.  The boys and Dan helped plant several trees in the neighborhood by working with Friends of Trees.  

 Our baby Shumard Oak.  Please grow to be big and strong so we can come back and visit you in 50 years!

It's cute and all, but I'm still bummed out about the trees that we had to cut down.  I hope that I can grow to love this mighty oak tree just as much. I'm sure I will.

Birthday #9

 Birthday # 9.  The  boys wanted to choose 2 friends each to have a 'man-cave' sleepover, and do all the stuff that 9 year old boys like to do.  They played the wii, flag football, nerf guns, basketball, dancing with a strobe light, playing chess, making geometric designs with toothpicks and marshmallows, rasslin', eating, watching a movie, and finally........falling asleep.

 As always, homemade birthday cakes.  Well, it's more like home-decorated~ but you get the idea.

 The entrance to the "man-cave".  Enter at your own risk!

Big burgers with tater tots for dinner.  yum!

Getting cozy after so much fun together and watching Diary of A Wimpy Kid.

They all  crashed by about 10:45.

I leave you with a video clip of them being goofballs at their birthday dinner this evening.  

I can't believe they're 9.  Happy Birthday, Chris and Nate!

Marimba!

Nate has been taking a Marimba class as part of the after-school program.  Last night he was able to perform for the audience at the Kindergarten Round-Up. 

The crowd went wild!  Contrary to this not-so-great recording, they actually sounded AWESOME!

Chess Tournament

 Today the boys participated in their first ever regional Chess For Success tournament with 7 other students from Vernon.  All 9 of these boys that qualified were 1st timers..and they did a great job!

 Nate.  He had the highest ranking going into the tournament.  This boy loves chess.

 Chris playing game #1.  These boys are so lucky to have each other.  They are both obsessed with this game.  They play it constantly, watch strategy videos on You-Tube, then play some more.  Yes, kind of like chess geeks...but they're cool chess geeks!

Chris won 4 games, lost one; Nate won 3 games and lost 2.  

Chris qualified to compete in the state tournament that will be held next month at the Convention Center.

As  much as this was about the game of chess, it was equally about one of life's toughest lessons for twin brothers.....you win some, you lose some, and there are no guarantees that all will be equal just because you were born at the same time, on the same day. 

Good thing they love each other so very much.  

Nate will be at the sidelines next month cheering on Chris as his biggest fan.

The Mighty Oak

I found this letter last night in Christopher's stack of school work....a letter written by The Mighty Oak.  I guess that all of the talk around here about having to cut down our oak trees got to him.

Plus, I love the (old-school) red star of approval.   

Goodbye, trees!

 Back in 2006 we planted two Scarlet Oak trees in the front yard curb strip.  They were small trees with great potential~they were going to grow big and grand and be representative of our time in this house; one for each boy that would be theirs forever.

 They did start to grow, and provide shade, and become a part of our home. 

So when the City of Portland arborist told us 6+ years later that these trees had been planted where they were going to wreak tons of havoc for our gas line, water line, power lines and that they needed to go, I was not happy.  After all, they were the ones who marked where we had to plant them!  

Saturday was the day.  Of course, Chris and Nate came out to help hold the rope. 

Now all  I've got is an 8" stub of a tree trunk that I will do something with. Oh, and a front yard that looks bleak and empty. A new tree will be planted next month.  Let's hope that this time they've marked it for a place that will be fine forever.

 

Activists

There's nothing like hearing your school's name on the chopping block for potential closure to get people riled up.  Unfortunately, Portland Public Schools (which has a long history of inequities, especially to schools in our neighborhood) put Vernon on the potential cut that list and my boys were not going to take it sitting down.  They love their school.  They made signs and attended the rally on Saturday.  They also think that they're famous now because they were on the news all weekend.

 Front and center.

 Family shot.  Can you find us in the crowd?

Christmas 2012

Christmas, 2012.  Can't say it was my favorite Christmas ever.....something was missing.

 No pajamas from G'ma this year, so instead there were cozy blankets for the cousins.

 Slater siblings.

 Christmas Eve chaos. 

 Driveway art so Santa would know where to find us.

Santa did make a late night stop at our house.  Ho Ho Ho

....after Santa and before kids arrived on the scene.  Merry Christmas!