We are BACK!!

Hello Hello... It has been so long since I've posted that I hope you all are still tuning in.  Well, even if it's just Joey's mama then, "Hi Nana!!"  and here we go.  
We have had so much fun in the last couple of months since we last blogged and I've got lots of pics to share so this will be a long post...  Grab your coffee, or frappuccino, or something equally as fattening and take a look: (I realize my Queen song is still playing... you'll see why at the end of the post!)


First up:  Lauren and her team have been reveling in their Valley Championship.  They designed rings, attended a Winter Sports Award banquet, saw their names in the paper numerous times and have watched the video and looked at pictures of the night over and over and over.  Wait, maybe that's me - not Lauren :)
Lauren and 2 of her soccer teammates were honored by the Bakersfield Jockey Club (retired and current coaches, athletic directors, and High School sports supporters) at a luncheon in mid March for being an "Outstanding High School Athlete".  She received a huge plaque and we were invited as well so we heard her coach say some very sweet things about her and her "magical head".  Very funny!  And yes, her black eye was STILL hanging on!

Amanda, Lauren, and Hallie, who kicked that beautiful corner kick straight to Lauren's head :) with their coach, Max Bluemel:

She was also lucky enough to be chosen as an All-League second team defender.  In the new Power League that was formed this year, it was very humbling and an honor to be chosen for that by the other coaches in the league.  Several of the seniors on her team were chosen for first team and All-Area as well and Amanda, her good friend, was chosen Defensive MVP of the entire league!  Cami, their amazing mid-fielder, was deservedly named Player of the Year, and Lauren's coach was chosen as Kern County's Coach of the Year!
What a dream of a season for a freshman who loves soccer!!  


And, to top it all off, we just received a letter telling us that she is a finalist in the "Play of the Year" category for the Kern High School District's inaugural "Promoting Excellence in Athletics and Activities" (PEAAK) awards ceremony.  Staff members from all the  High Schools nominate and she is apparently a finalist so we get to attend a huge awards ceremony at the Harvey Auditorium in May.  Wouldn't that be fun if she won???  She is the only freshman among all the finalists for all the categories... pretty crazy!  I'll let you know how it turns out, but we aren't expecting anything and it's such an honor for her just to  be nominated!  That black eye may just have been worth it.  


Along with all the soccer fun, Jake and his Dad started up playing baseball.  Joey helps coach the Cardinals and Jake is playing against some older boys, so it is a good experience, but a pretty tough league!
Here we are at one of his first games - it was very hot outside, but Sophie was such a trooper cheering for her "Bubba".


Check out that cool sign behind him :)  How lucky that he was playing some left field that day!

And also a little second and third base!  

Batting has given the younger boys a little trouble this year because it is their first time to bat against a live pitcher.  It takes some getting used to!  Jake is making huge progress though at each game!  After standing and not swinging, to swinging but still striking out a few times, he then started fouling off a few, and at the last game even  drew some walks on 3-2 pitches.  When he got on base at the last game he even stole second and then third base!!

Maybe he should be looking at the pitcher and not at me :)

Jake's biggest fan:

 And, then in learly April, we had our annual Lutheran Schools Track meet.  You may remember from last year when my kiddos scored several ribbons and even Sophie ran her own little race! This year was just a little different.  Sophie has become extremely!! shy in certain situations.  Like so painfully shy that I am very worried about the whole pre-school transition next year.  She has no desire to hang out with anyone she doesn't know super well - even if there are great toys and fun things involved!  She clings to us like I cling to my Starbucks gold card!!  Anyway, this year she was having absolutely no part of the toddler/pre-school race even though she had been telling me all day that she couldn't wait to  "win the race and get a ribbon"  and she was "going to run super fast!" all the way to Mommy at the end of the track.  See for yourself how super fast she ran:

Even though Daddy showed her exactly where Mommy was and told her how excited she would be to get a ribbon, she would not let go of him!

 Even when her own little posse of supporters came to cheer her on and tell her they would run with her, she would not let go of him!

 These little girls love on Sophie at school every day when we pick up Jake.  One is Audra's daughter, Morgan.  A couple others are her nieces, so you would think that they could persuade Sophie to run... but she was having nothing of it!

Oh well, maybe next year!

Jake, on the other hand, was the master of all events he attempted :)
FIRST place in softball throw for accuracy:


Choosing his ball carefully...

 Winding up...

 And, POW!  Right on target!!

 Waiting for the results...

 Yay!!!  The first ribbon of the day and it's a FIRST place!  

I know this is just a little track meet, but I was so excited for Jake!  He puts quite a bit of pressure on himself in a very quiet way.  He was dying for a first place ribbon and told me several times that he thought he might have a chance at one!  He had such a satisfied shy little smile all day long after earning that ribbon.
His friends:

And then, a bonus...
SECOND place in Running Long Jump!  Something he never practices, and only knows how to do because he has seen his sister jump for the past couple of years.  Remember she set the 8th grade record last year :)  He jumped 9' 7".  Pretty good!  He was only beaten by a boy who has a much more, how shall I say it... long jump favorable body, than Jake - much longer and leaner :)  Jake has developed into a strong, stocky, muscle-y little guy.  We tell him he is built for power, not necessarily leaping :)  But, lo and behold, he powered out a SECOND place!!

 Where there is a will...there is a way!!

And then it was on to softball throwing for distance.  This is the one Jake thought he had a chance to win, so he was determined not to let it slip through his fingers!
Unfortunately I missed taking pictures of his massively far throws, but he actually did win!!  Here he is checking out someone else's throw a little nervously.

 Waiting...Waiting... Waiting...

 Whew!!  He did it!!

Now here comes the somewhat sad part of the story.  Sophie and I headed home after that event because I was leaving for LA that afternoon to meet my friend Lisa and I needed to finish up packing.  Jake had one more event to run, the 100M dash.  He comes in second or third every year to his very best friend, Andy.  He's OK with it, but it's kinda hard to lose every year to your best friend... you  know what I mean? He loves Andy but would also LOVE to just once finish first in that race. He told me that often :)  As a matter of fact he didn't even get put on the relay team this year because he is the 3rd fastest in his class and they only took the top two to combine with 4th graders.  He was kinda disappointed...
That being said, I gave him TONS of praise for working so hard during his morning events, gave him loads of hugs and kisses, told him just to have fun the rest of the day - and not to worry about any of the outcomes!  
Well, Joey called me as soon as I got home to tell me the race was over.  The boys had been divided into two heats and, wouldn't you know it, Jake was in Andy's heat!!  But, drumroll please... my little guy ran his heart out and WON!!  He won the race for the first time in 4 years :)  Joey said his face was so determined and he ran with so much focus it was CRAZY!!  
And I WASN"T THERE!!!  I am a horrible unsupportive mother!  How does a mama miss that???  Who knew my little guy would pull it out?  He was soooo excited about that race I thought he would burst when he told me.  By not wanting to put any pressure on him, I totally missed it!  Serves me right for having no faith in my little guy...  Next time I will stay till the bitter end :)
All the fun of that day reminded me of just how lucky we are to be strong and healthy and able to spend a wonderful day with great friends making great memories for Jake. 
And, it was so much fun being able to tell Lauren (who was in LA at a volleyball tournament)  all the amazing results of Jake's events.  Usually, it is the other way around :)
So... Jake is the reason for the Champions song today... YAY for him!!! 
And once again, here is Jake's biggest fan... perched in the spot she hardly left all that day:

Lest you think that all we do is move from one sporting event to the next and never take time to enjoy the simple things in life... 
Sophie loves rain on her face, her rain boots, her bright yellow duck hat, and jumping in puddles:

Have a wonderful week enjoying the simple things :)