How did I end up with a family that has 12 baseball practices in one week?  This isn't quite how I imagined things when they were little. 

First, I grew up in a family of girls.  My sisters each had a boy already when we were expecting our first, and that was back in the dark ages when most of us didn't know whether to paint the nursery pink or blue.  I didn't have a conscious idea of whether a boy or a girl was on the way, but subconsciously, I guess I never imagined that an actual, real live boy might actually be coming along.  In the first moments after he was born, nobody mentioned "girl" or "boy", so I had to ask.  A boy?!?  REALLY?  WOW!  What will I do with a BOY?  :o)  Well, I quickly realized that he was just the baby I'd always wanted, and I loved him to pieces.  Then came boy #2... and boy #3.  Boy oh boy, I knew all about boys now; they are wonderfully fun little critters.  As a matter of fact, everyone in our generation of our family has all boys now except us.  On both sides - even our cousins. 

So, what do little boys like to do?  Play ball.  Yes, we started with the big bouncy kind you get at the grocery store, but eventually we graduated to organized sports.  At first it was more of a social event for us parents I guess, b/c 5 year olds can have a pretty good time in their own backyard without even buying a uniform.  But we did it.  They loved it.  Pretty soon we were committed fall and spring (that would during be all of the prettiest months of the year here) to soccer teams and baseball teams.  I gave up on cooking most nights when we had practice, and allowed the kids to have horrible things like Happy Meals and concession stand hotdogs.  The kids love that, too.  Have you ever seen a vegetable in a Happy Meal? 

So here we are, scheduling the rest of life around baseball practices again.  If we let one play, we have to let them all play.  They have Big League hopes and dreams, and in the meantime, they have something to be passionate about.  I'm bracing myself for the season ahead and investing in hot chocolate and a comfy folding chair.  GO BARONS!!!