Gabe's Baseball

We signed Gabe up for another round of baseball, this time in the fall.  He did baseball last spring.  Its about $65 for registration but at least we didn't have to buy any baseball gear this year since we bought everything last year.
Gabe is pretty non-competitive and non-athletic (at least, relatively), so it was hard to get Gabe super excited about baseball.  But for the most part, Gabe seemed to enjoy baseball.  It was hard to get him to focus sometimes, and he had (and still has) a few bad habits that made it difficult for Gabe to get the most out of baseball.  Erik worked with Gabe a little bit, but Gabe really needs more practice and one-on-one time for him to excel.  When Gabe put his best effort into the game, he was a real good hitter!  We may put Gabe in baseball again.  I think it is good for him to do something different from his typical computer-book-crafting-TV routine.  Baseball teaches teamwork and that practice pays off! Its also great because he can get some exercise in!

I love this picture!

The team!

Elisa and her friend, Abby at big brothers' baseball game

Up to bat!

Out in the field.  The optimal time for Gabe to loose his focus.

A video of Gabe not hitting the ball.  His very last hit of the season.  Fortunately, he's hit the ball many times before and I'm sure he can do it again!

A Few of My Favorite (Recent) Pictures

 Here's a few of my most favorite pictures that I've taken recently.  No theme or order--just pure and unfettered adorableness captured by my new phone camera.  These were all taken in November 2015

Me & my Bean.

 9 months.  I love that there is a wee little bit o' ginger in his hair.

 Gotta love this girl and her goof-ball smiles!

 My handsome boys, minus Gabe

 A girl and her bike.  May this bike bring her many happy childhood memories!

 The beautiful Houston temple, as seen from the passenger's seat of the car

My cute Gabe.  He's a goof but sure has a heart of gold!

Happy Halloween!

 This year's Halloween was a fun one!  Ian's costume was an impulse-buy because it was so cheap--$9 shipped on Amazon.  It was a little froggy costume that came with a lily pad that made croaking sounds.  I thought the frog costume would be great because I could be a princess, like princess and the frog! Also Gabie was a frog for his very first Halloween.  I let the big kids choose their own costumes.  Elisa wanted to be Hello Kitty for the longest time but she changed her mind a month before Halloween and chose to be Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony.  Gabe's costume was no surprise--he chose to be Mario.  I ordered the parts for Elisa's costume separately on Amazon, it added up to be $40, but it was gift card money.  I ordered a wig (it came with a tail that we didn't end up using) and a pack of wings, ears, and tail.  We had matching light blue pants in her closet and I used one of her old light blue shirts and painted Rainbow Dash's cutie mark on the front.  Elisa was so very excited about her costume!  For Gabe's costume, I ordered a hat and mustache combo on Amazon but I had to send it back because it looked ridiculous and it wouldn't even stay on his head.  I ordered a different hat and that one worked out much better because it is just a regular baseball cap so he can wear it anytime.  For the gloves he used Elisa's dress-up gloves and the shirt was just a red shirt I bought from Walmart.  The overalls were made by me.  I didn't want to spend $30 on a cheap-o costume when I could spend $10, make my own, and have something much nicer! The mustache can from a $1 pack I found at Walmart.  I was a princess, I used an old costume I made from way back when Gabe was a baby.  I bought a crown and some false eyelashes.  I can't stand wearing those! I don't know how other women can wear those things on their eyes all day!!

Anyway, I'll just narrate along with the pictures.

Elisa had a Halloween party with her friends from dance.  We had a good time!

 Some new Halloween decorations!  I had fun making a spooky version of the kid's portrait.


Some pictures from the Ward Halloween Party.  It was pouring rain so we had the activity indoors.  The kids had so much fun and we all enjoyed pizza!

  Gabe as Mario

 Rainbow Dash

 My darling froggy-prince!

 Everyone loved her wig, but it bothered me because no matter how hard I tried to pin it back, it always ended up in her eyes!

  Mama mia! Its a me, Mario!  There was another Mario there.  Gabe wasn't sure how he felt about that...

Erik went as Dr. Mario.  Which made everybody think that I was Princess Peach and Ian was either Mario frog from Super Mario Bros 3 or Yoshi.

 Elisa and her bff, Abby.  Can you see why she originally wanted to be Hello Kitty?

     My sweet froggy.  I mean, boy.

     In the candy line.  So much for "Trunk"-or-Treat.  More like Line-or-Treat.

 My and my cutie.

 Ian had his first taste of sucker, aka sugar.  He will never be the same baby again.  I have created a MONSTER.

Elisa, just as stylish as ever! And full of attitude, too!

 Another Mario pose.

 Rainbow Dash is AWESOME!  Elisa is Rainbow Dash.  Therefore, Elise is AWESOME!

Trick-or-Treating night, held Halloween night in our city.  I had a lovely migraine, which I was able to keep under control with medication.  And by under control I mean not throwing up and writhing in pain :(

 Gabe and his friend, Angelica.  They are First-Grade BFFs!

 Ian, ready to go get some candy!  However, sleepiness had other plans for this little foggy's Halloween night.

 All done! Erik took them around the block until they were too tired and exhausted to go any further.

 Cutie!

 Another cutie!

Ian enjoying the spoils of his big sibling's hard work.

Gabe Starts First Grade!

 Back in August, Gabe started first grade! What a big boy we have now!  His first day was August 24th, but he caught a little tummy bug and had to stay home for the first two days of school.  Poor Gabe.  What a way to start the school year.  He is like his mommy; he hardly ever gets sick so this was just poor timing.  Not to worry, Gabe hasn't been sick since!
Gabe's teacher this year is Ms. Fuqua.  We really like her and I think she does a great job teaching Gabe.  Gabe is very happy and excited about school.  He gets a ride with his friend Angelica to school in the mornings.  The kids both love that.  I do to!  Gabe is currently doing very well in all subjects, but he is best at reading!  He is probably one of, if not the best readers in his class.  Gabe's favorite thing about going to school is the school store!  He has bought himself so many little treasures from that store that I had to buy him a special box just to store them all!  I miss my Gabie during the day, but I'm so glad that he loves school and that he is doing so well!

How Gabe's first day of first grade was spent--on the couch.

Such a handsome little man!

September Fun

 A Fun Kid's Day at H.E.B.  The kids came home with a bunch of free junk and a full tummy from free samples.  Ian tried is very first pb&J. He has no peanut allergies! The kids enjoyed coloring, making their own sandwiches, and even making their own pizza slices!  Poor Elisa had a fever while in the store and didn't even want her root-beer float.  Good thing we were in the store so we could buy her some medicine right then!

 

Chick-Fil-A hosted a princess night/pajama night, and I had a free sandwich on my calendar card.  Therefore, going was a no-brainer.  Elisa had a magical time.  She obsessed over the princesses and kept following them around!  I love Elisa's believing heart, and her sweet nature! Gabe came too but he couldn't have cared less about princesses.  He was more interested in playing and eating ice cream.  Ian slept most of the time, and was super happy when he woke up.  He enjoyed some attention by a beautiful princess!

September is still way too hot, but there were a couple of tolerable days here and there.  We took advantage of one of those tolerable days and went for a family bike ride.  I'm pretty sure preparing for the bike ride took at least three times longer than the actual bike ride itself.  Ian enjoyed his very first ride in the front seat.  Gabe was a slow-poke and Elisa whined and squealed at every little thing that went wrong.  So I wouldn't say it was an "enjoyable" bike ride, but hey, at least we got out and tried!   Both of the kids have had more practice riding their bikes since then, so they are both so much better.  Sometimes I strap Ian in the trailer that follows behind my bike, and Elisa rides her bike, and we will go way down to the Brittany Lakes park.  Elisa follows along pretty well.  I wouldn't be surprised if she rides without training wheels before Gabe does! 

   
Erik got a cute video of Ian laughing it up.

Occasionally after picking up Gabe from school, we'll stop by the park since its on the way home.  I'm surprised that Gabe even has the energy to run around after a full day of school (I know I sure don't!), but we don't stay too long anyway.  Ian enjoys the swing and Elisa loves everything about the park, except for the leaving part!

Most of the September days here in Houston are still blazing hot.  Luckily, we leave close to the beach.  I haven't taken the kids to the beach in a very long time, and I figured this would be one of our last chances, at least for the season.  We went with friends.  Elisa loves her friend Abby so much! Ian enjoyed the beach,or at least, eating the sand at the beach! Gross.  He wasn't sure what to think about the water and the waves.  I was so worried about Ian getting sunburned, that I didn't think to put sunscreen on Elisa's scalp.  Dumb thing too, because I put fixed her hair so that there was maximum scalp exposure  (unintentionally, of course) .  Duh. She had red lines on her scalp for the next week! On the flip side, Ian did not get a sunburn! Gabe was in school while we went to this beach in Galveston.  So much fun!  Elisa had a great time.  Ian slept after filling up on sand, haha!