Little League Spring 2012

Yesterday was Opening Day for Josh's spring baseball season. He moved up a league this year and is on a new team, the A's.



Look ma, no hands (or arms)!



The team has only had a few practices so far, and they lost three players before the season even began, giving them a roster of 9 (in a league that plays 10 at a time). So the coach is still figuring things out. This weekend, the team had two games -- one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Josh played third base and was the lead-off hitter.





Josh got the team started with a hit in both games.



He made it to second on a base hit in today's game, thanks to some heads-up base running.



Then he scored the first run for his team in both games too!



He didn't get a lot of balls hit to him at third base this weekend, but he kept his head in the game and had a great time.



His team won both games, against some good competition. Josh is already asking if we think his team will make the playoffs (after just two games!). Let's hope their beginner's luck carries on!

Lucas's Spring 2012 Soccer

Lucas is once again playing soccer with the Jets, the same team he's been with for four seasons now. Returning to the same team has helped them pick up their skills very quickly. They have played three games so far, and they've done really well in each of them. It's hard to believe 4-year-olds can be so productive and skillful -- you'd think it would be like herding cats. But they are really playing soccer out there, even at this young age, and they are even starting to spread out and attempt passes and teamwork.



Lucas is still one of the smallest players, but he is fast. And he is good at dribbling. Once he gets the ball, he can usually take it all the way down the field to the goal.



Here he goes again!



Lucas scored FIVE goals his first game!

He scored several goals the second game too, and at least one goal in yesterday's game (sometimes it's hard to tell who kicked the ball in, but he had one on a breakaway that was all him).

Keep up the good work Lucas! We are so proud of you!

Fort Worth ISD Art Show

For a second year in a row, Josh had some of his art work selected for the Fort Worth ISD Elementary Art Show. This year, he had two pieces featured!

First, he had a drawing with a story:





The Magic Flower

Once there was a flower. The flower got shined by the sun. The sun shined on the flower and [it] growed silver and golden. Then the flower became a magic flower.


I love the lettering in his title.

His second piece in the art show was a leaf drawing.





He was once again very proud to receive his ribbon. In fact, he had baseball practice that night and at first we thought we weren't going to make the art show. He really wanted me to go by myself and at least get his ribbon. But as it turned out, we had heavy thunderstorms and practice was cut short, so we made both events.

And no trip to the library is complete without Lucas cuddling the big library bear!

Brahmas Hockey

We decided to use some Christmas gift money to buy tickets to see the Dallas Mavericks play the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, Lucas immediately vetoed the idea. He's been to see the Mavericks once, and it was much too loud for him, even up in the nosebleeds. I think the indoor fireworks they set off when they announce the players were really the problem, but he never recovered from that and could not enjoy the game. We ended up leaving our seats and sitting in one of the lounges for the rest of the game, so Josh and John could enjoy it. That was more than a year ago.

Even so, Lucas was not ready to return, and John and Josh went to the Mavs game without us. Lucas chose a hockey game as his event, so we were off to see the local minor-league team, the Brahmas, play some ice hockey.



After a slow start (0-0 in the first period), it got really exciting, with lots of scoring in the second and third periods and an eventual tie, which led to overtime and then shootouts. The Brahmas won! It's been a few weeks now, and Lucas is still talking about it. I don't know what got him so interested in hockey, but he really enjoyed it. It didn't hurt that each of the boys received a hockey puck with the Brahmas logo on it.



We were in the sixth row (there are only about 10-12 rows; it's minor league, after all) so we had really good seats, except when a few pucks cleared the glass wall and came shooting in our direction, nearly giving me a heart attack. But as far as the view, it was great. Everyone had a great time.

Another great report card

Congrats to Josh on another great report card. All A's and one B, and he brought his conduct scores up too. Only 10 weeks of school left now!


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