CAIDEN'S PLAYS AT 1ST BASE

CAIDEN HAD SOME REALLY GREAT OUTS AT 1ST BASE. HE LOVES PLAYING 1ST BASE, AND REALLY LOVES FOR JERRY TO TEACH HIM NEW TECHNIQUES SO HE CAN IMPROVE ON WHAT HE IS TAUGHT. I LOVE THE FACT THAT CAIDEN RECOGNIZES HIS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS AND RESPECTS COACHES CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, AND REALLY TRIES HIS BEST!

CAIDEN'S AWESOME HITS

CAIDEN HIT A LOT OF HITS IN THE GAMES!! HE GOT 2 DOUBLES, A WALK OR TWO AND A COUPLE OF SINGLES. ALL IN ALL, HE DID GREAT!! OH, HE ALSO GOT HIT IN THE HEAD WITH A BALL, HEY, THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE HELMETS, RIGHT?!

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER: BEST FRIENDS

THE BOND BETWEEN MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IS SO SPECIAL..WE ARE FREINDS, WHO RELY ON EACH OTHER FOR MORAL SUPPORT, WE ALWAYS CONSIDER EACH OTHERS FEELINGS, BUT MOST OF ALL, WE LOVE EACH OTHER WITH A EVERLASTING LOVE!!

BAILEE AND HER BALLPARK BUDDIES

I LOVE MY BAILEE GRACE SOO MUCH. SHE IS SO SUPPORTIVE OF CAIDEN AND HIS BASEBALL ENDEAVORS. SHE IS ALWAYS THERE, GETTING GATORADE FOR HER DADDY AND HER BROTHER. SHE SITS OUT IN THAT HOT SUN, WATCHING CAIDEN PLAY. AND YES, SOMETIMES SHE COMPLAINS, BUT SHE KNOWS THAT MOMMY,DADDY, AND CAIDEN NEED HER TO "BE" THERE FOR SUPPORT. I LOVE HOW SHE COMES TO ME AND SAYS"MOMMA, YOU NEED ANYTHING, IF NOT, CAN I HAVE SOME MONEY TO BUY A SNOW CONE??" GOD BLESS HER, SHE HAS BEEN A TROOPER. SHE HAS MADE ALOT OF FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY, MOST OF THEM SHE SEES DAILY, SOME EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, BUT THEY ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TIME!! I JUST WANT TO SAY "THANKS" TO MY GRACE GIRL, SHE IS AN AMAZING LITTLE GIRL WITH A BIG HEART, AND I KNOW SHE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF HER BROTHER AND EVEN MORE, SHE IS GOING TO BE A GREAT MOTHER, FOR SHE IS LIKE A "MOTHER HEN" TO THESE BASEBALL BOYS!!! LOVE YOU BAILEE!!

A BASEBALL UNIT: ALWAYS TOGETHER

WE ARE A UNIT OF TOGETHERNESS, WE ARE THERE TO SUPPORT, ENCOURAGE, SHOW OPTIMISM, BUT MOST OF ALL WE ARE A UNIT OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

SUPPORTIVE MOMS!!

WHERE WOULD OUR BOYS BE WITHOUT US MOTHERS!! WE ARE THE ONES WHO WASH UNIFORMS, TAKE THEM SWIMMING AFTER GAMES WON, BRING THEM GATORADE IN THE DUGOUT, BUT MOST OF ALL, WE ARE THEIR TO SUPPORT THEM IN EVERYTHING THEY DO!! THANKS, BASEBALL MOMS, WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH YOU!!

OUACHITA STORM:10 YEAR OLD TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAM

WE HAD A WONDERFUL 1ST EXPERIENCE AT TRAVEL BASEBALL. SOME OF THE BOYS HAD ALREADY DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT THIS WAS OUR TIME!! IT WAS A BLAST!! WE WERE AT THE BALL FIELD ALL DAY!! YES, WE GOT SUNBURNED, BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT. WE PLAYED 2 GAMES SATURDAY, AND WON BOTH!! WE ELIMINATED THE SECOND TEAM!! OUR BOYS PLAYED SO GREAT!! CAIDEN DID GREAT AND ALMOST HIT A HOME RUN!! IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR FILED AT HOME, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GONE!! THE FAMILIES GOT ALONG GREAT AND SO DID THEIR SIBLINGS WITH OUR SIBLINGS. WE SWAM, ATE, SHOPPED AND PLAYED MORE BALL!! I HAVE SOO MANY PICS, SO MY POSTS WILL BE ALOT!! WE THEN PLAYED SUNDAY, LOST THE 1ST ONE, BUT WON THE SECOND. WE CAME IN 3RD PLACE!! THAT IS GREAT CONSIDERING IT WAS OUR 1ST TOURNAMENT!!! WE WILL PLAY AGAIN IN 2 WEEKS AT ULM!!

FLAGS REPRESENT FIGHTING SOLIDERS

ON OUR TRIP TO BAKER, WE PASSED THROUGH SEVERAL TOWNS THAT HAD MANY MANY FLAGS OUT. THERE WERE FLAGS EVERYWHERE. BEAR WITH ME, I HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL PICTURES ALONG THIS TRIP, BUT THE HOTEL'S COMPUTER WILL NOT LET ME PUT THEM ON MY BLOG, SO YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT TILL SUNDAY BEFORE YOU CAN SEE THEM!! SORRY, AND I TOOK PICTURES OF THESE FLAG,ETC. WHEN WE PASSED THROUGH JERRY'S FAMILY TOWN OF WINNSBORO, BAILEE TURNED TO ME AND SAID," MOM, YOU KNOW THAT ALL THOSE FLAGS SHOW ALL THE PEOPLE THAT FOUGHT IN THE WAR, AND THAT THEY DIED,IT IS SHOWING RESPECT FOR THEM". WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING LITTLE SHE IS!!! I THEN PROCEEDED TO ASK HER IF SHE KNEW WHAT TODAY REALLY MEANT, AND SHE ANSWERED,"OF COURSE I DO MOMMA, WE ARE CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY,THE DAY AMERICA WAS FREE". I AM SO GLAD MY CHILDREN CAN REALIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR HOLIDAYS!!! I AM SO GLAD I LIVE IN A COUNTRY WERE I HAVE FREEDOM, EVEN MORE FREEDOM FOR MY FAMILY!!

4TH OF JULY FAMILY MEMORIES

WOW, IT IS AMAZING HOW MUCH YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING!! I LOVE FOR MY FAMILY TO TRAVEL TOGETHER. IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO REALLY ENJOY SOME QUALITY TIME TOGETHER. GOD JUST KEEPS ON BLESSING US!! OUR FAMILY HAD SOME REALLY GREAT CONVERSATIONS ON OUR WAY TO BAKER. BUT, WHAT IS REALLY WONDERFUL IS THAT WE WENT THROUGH THE LITTLE TOWN OF WINNSBORO, WHICH IS JERRY'S MOM AND DAD'S HOMETOWN. JERRY THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL OUR CHILDREN HIS 4TH OF JULY CHILD MEMORIES. HE SHOWED CAIDEN AND BAILEE WHERE MIMI'S HOUSE WAS THAT SHE GREW UP IN. JERRY SHARED ALL THE UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES HE HAD WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS, HE THEN SHOWED US WHERE HIS GRANDPA USE TO WORK. CAIDEN AND BAILEE WERE SO INTERESTED IN HIS 4TH OF JULY MEMORIES. WE ALSO PASSED MY HIS AUNTS PLACE, WHERE WE CELEBRATED OUR FIRST 4TH OF JULY AS A WHOLE FAMILY, WHEN WE BECAME OUR FAMOUS FANTASTIC FAMILY OF FOUR. BAILEE WAS JUST 4 MONTHS OLD!! I CAN STILL REMEMBER THAT LITTLE RED,WHITE, AND BLUE DRESS THAT SHE HAD ON!!! CAIDEN GOT TO RIDE HIS VERY FIRST HORSE THERE!!! PAPPAW ELLERMAN TOOK PICTURES OF HIM ON THAT HORSE, AND I STILL HAVE THAT PICTURE FRAMED!! I REMEMBER ALL THE CHILDREN THAT WERE THERE, AND BELIEVE ME, THERE WERE MANY!! ALL OF JERRY'S AUNTS WERE GATHERED AROUND THE TABLE, SHARING FOND MEMORIES OF THEIR DEAR MOTHER, JERRY'S GRANDMOTHER, AND SHARING HER TRADITIONS WITH THE FAMILY!! I WAS A LITTLE SAD ABOUT TRAVELING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO "MY" TRADITIONAL 4TH OF JULY, BUT GODS PLANS FOR US THIS 4TH OF JULY WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. MY CHILDREN GOT TO SEE THEIR DADDY'S 4TH OF JULY TRADITIONS AND THEY WERE SO INTERESTED IN KNOWING IT AND HOPEFULLY CARRYING SOME THESE MEMORIES ON WITH THEIR CHILDREN. FAMILY IS SO IMPORTANT TO US AND MY CHILDREN HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE TRIPS LIKE THIS. HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY!!

HAPPY 4TH FROM OUR FANTASTIC FAMILY OF FOUR

GOD HAS BLESSED AMERICA SO MUCH AND IN TURN, HAS BLESSED OUR FAMILY. HE HAS BLESSED US WITH CONSTANT GIFTS, GIFTS THAT ARE PRICELESS, THE GIFT OF FAMILY!! GOD BLESS !!

OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

GOD BLESSED AMERICA! HE BLESSED US WITH MEN WHO WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR OUR COUNTRY, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE FREEDOM. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOTITE HOLIDAYS AND CAIDEN'S TOO. HE STILL THANKS GOD IN HIS PRAYERS FOR THE SOLIDERS THAT FOUGHT IN WAR AND AND FOR THE MEN THAT GAVE US FREEDOM!MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

OUT WITH THE OLD; IN WITH THE NEW

I NOTICED A LOT OF CHANGES IN MY CHILDREN'S ROOMS TODAY WHEN I WAS STRAIGHTENING UP THE HOUSE. I DIDN'T SEE THE OLD TOYS THAT THEY USE TO PLAY WITH. I DIDN'T SEE LITTLE TOY FIGURINES, LIKE STAR WARS OR POKEMON, AND I DIDN'T SEE LITTLE PLASTIC DOLL FIGURINES STRODE THROUGHOUT THE ROOM. THERE WERE NO CARTOON DVD'S AND CERTAINLY NO WORDS LIKE" HEY, LETS PLAY WITH THE SPIDERMAN WEB BLASTER". I SEE I-PODS AND PLAYSTATIONS, HANNA MONTANA SING-A-LONGS,AND YES SPORTS TROPHIES AND MEMORABILIA. MY CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP AND DOING IT FASTER THAN I WANT THEM TO. CAIDEN'S MENTAL CAPACITY IS FAR BEYOND HIS YEARS. THESE TOYS THAT HE USED TO PLAY WITH ARE NO LONGER A PART OF HIS LIFE. NO MORE PLAYING IN SANDBOX, OR SWINGING ON THE SWING SET. MY CHILDREN CONSIDER THESE THINGS TO BE "BABY" STUFF NOW. AND RIGHTFULLY SO, BECAUSE AS WE GROW OLDER, WE LEAVE BEHIND THOSE THINGS THAT WERE ONCE FAMILIAR TO US. WE HAVE TO LEARN THAT PUTTING UP THE OLD, WILL BRING IN NEW THINGS, NEW TRADITIONS, AND NEW HOBBIES TO HELP US GROW INTO OUR OWN INDIVIDUALS. YES, I AM A LITTLE SAD, BUT WE MUST LEARN TO PUT AWAY PAST THINGS AND WELCOME FUTURE THINGS. AS I SAID BEFORE, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE AND WE HAVE TO WELCOME IT WITH AN OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE. SO, I ACCEPT IT WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SOON AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE OUT WITH THE OLD, AND IN WITH THE NEW, AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN. FOR CHANGE IS ALWAYS CHANGING.....

GIRLS GONE WILD: SHOPPING!

BAILEE AND I WILL SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER, GETTING OUR HAIR DONE, OUR NAILS AND GETTING GOODIES FOR OUR TRIP THIS WEEKEND. I ALWAYS ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH HER AND LETTING HER EXPERIENCE THE LIFESTYLES OF WOMEN!! GOTTA TEACH HER YOUNG!! WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT GOING TO BAKER THIS WEEKEND. IT WILL NOT BE ALL ABOUT BASEBALL, FOR BAILEE AND I WILL SHOP,EAT, AND THEN DO WHATEVER COMES TO MIND. I AM SO GLAD A HAVE A DAUGHTER TO DO WONDERFUL THINGS WITH. I WANT HER TO KNOW THAT I AM ALWAYS HERE FOR HER. I WANT HER TO BE ABLE TO COME TO ME WITH TROUBLES THAT LIE ON HER HEART, AND EVEN MORE, I WANT HER TO SHARE HER DREAMS WITH ME. I WANT HER TO KNOW THAT I AM HERE TO LISTEN, AND GIVE ADVICE AND MOST OF ALL, BE THE ONE TO SUPPORT HER IN ALL THE ENDEAVORS OF LIFE THAT SHE PURSUES!! HAVING A DAUGHTER IS A BLESSING!!

EAST OUACHITA STORM: OUR TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAM 2008

JERRY AND SOME OTHER COACHES HAVE PUT TOGETHER A TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAM: THESE PLAYERS ARE MOST OF OUR ALL-STAR PLAYERS. WE HAD OUR FIRST PRACTICE TODAY. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICS, THIS IS NOT NORMAL BASEBALL PRACTICE. THESE COACHES ARE TEACHING THE BOYS PRECISE TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE THEIR BASEBALL TALENTS. IT WAS SUCH A PRETTY DAY TO BE OUT THERE

ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED ANOTHER CHILD, BUT IT LOOK LIKE I WILL JUST HAVE TO SETTLE FOR CAIDEN AND BAILEE....AND THEIR FRIENDS!! ITS NOT THAT I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT BEING THE MOTHER OF TWO, I'M ECSTATIC ABOUT BEING THE MOTHER TO JUST ABOUT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD! I LOVE THE SUMMER TIME, I LOVE THE SOUND OF KIDS LAUGHING AND PLAYING, JUST THEM, BEING KIDS, ENJOYING THE TIME THEY SPEND TOGETHER. I ALSO COOK FOR THEM, AND I LOVE FINDING NEW THINGS TO TRY, USUALLY THEY LIKE IT, AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY USUALLY TELL ME . WELL, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKE MY OWN CHILDREN AND MINE WOULD DEFINITELY TELL ME THEIR OPINION!! I ALWAYS HAVE DRINKS AND SNACKS ON HAND, BECAUSE THEY OFTEN TELL ME THAT PLAYING PLAYSTATION BASEBALL MAKES YOU HUNGRY, THEY SAY IT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A "MENTAL SWEAT" OUTBREAK. BAILEE AND HER FRIENDS LOVE TO HANG OUT IN HER ROOM WITH SINGING KARAOKE TO KIDS ROCK AND HANNA MONTANA. MOST OF THEIR PARENTS WORK AND I DON'T SO WHY NOT!! THE MORE THE MERRIER!! THEIR PARENTS TRUST ME AND FURTHERMORE, TELL ME TO TREAT THEN LIKE MY OWN, AND I DO. WHEN THEY BECOME ROWDY OR TOO LOUD, I TELL THEM TO CALM DOWN, JUST LIKE MY CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY ARE MY "OTHER" CHILDREN . THESE PICS TELL A STORY OF SUMMER FUN, LIVING LIFE THEIR THE EYES OF ALL MY CHILDREN, BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE AT MY HOUSE!!