Spring Training

That's right. It's baseball season. We've spent every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday with a mitt in hand and a bat in place. 

Today was actually Eli's last game, and he earned the game ball! Jeff has been quite impressed with Eli's knack for the sport. It's so fun to watch Eli gain a passion for something, and not only something, but something that Jeff also loves. 

Another little dude picked up on the passion the minute he picked up Eli's baseball bat. When we took Jonah to Eli's baseball games last year (when Jonah was 1 year old), Jonah spent the entire game trying his hardest to make a break for the baseball diamond. This year is no different. 

Jonah is obsessed with the sport. He will sit and watch the entire game play out. He will cheer at appropriate times and yell, "Go, Buddy!" whenever Eli's up to bat. He just gets it. Today he found a hairbrush that was a close enough resemblance to a bat that he insisted on bringing to Eli's game. He swung that thing for 2 straight hours at the park with pretty accurate form. 

I can no longer trace the train of thought that chugged me towards the idea to potty train Jonah, but we hopped aboard and introduced this hands-always-on-his-hips guy to the potty. 

He loved it. It was like I was finally letting him do a thing he's been waiting two years to do. After showing him a few potty videos on YouTube, he was gleefully running around the house shouting, "POTTY TIME!" every two minutes, begging me to take him to the bathroom. This has been a much different experience than it was with any of my other boys!

Jonah quickly learned he doesn't like having wet pants, so many afternoons this week have been spent in the nude. I enjoyed this moment when he attempted to position his potty on his bike in the hopes that he could ride around without the fear of having an accident or the fear of missing out on any fun. 

We are one week in and it's looking pretty good! A couple mornings he has woken up dry, and he still expresses much excitement about the potty. He's always trying to keep up with the big boys and he doesn't back down from a challenge, so here's to hoping our training efforts don't get derailed! 

As luck would have it, the people who used to live in our house accidentally shipped a meal delivery service box to their old address. I was delighted to open the door and find a box of dinners--especially on potty training week! I called the company to make sure I could rightfully benefit from the mix-up and sure enough, the food was all mine! You could say I felt like a chef in...training...all week long!

This was just the reward I needed for enduring a week of never letting Jonah's bare booty leave my sight, 12 straight hours each day of listening to YouTubers serenade Jonah into noticing his bodily functions, and cheerfully cycling wet towels through the wash to pretend like the hourly accidents were a non-issue. Every potty training mom deserves good food that appears on her doorstep. 

Next up is the training...wheels! Eli had his first Pinewood Derby. Eli had meticulously drawn his car design the first night he got his block of wood. Jeff helped Eli put all his plans into action. Many hours in the garage and many sandpaper sheets later, Eli was ready to let it roll!

We did not take 1st place, but we did take home many tips that Eli is hoping to be able to use for Pinewood Derbys to come. (Eli is also hoping there will be many Pinewood Derbys to come even with the changes to scouting program.)

Now on to...safety training! Backward construction hat helmets are better than no helmets, I suppose.

Talk to this guy about safety! He's got the headwear and the eyewear covered!

Leave a broom out back for one day and next thing you know, you've got four little boys racing around a well-groomed motocross track. 

Our Monday garbage man tradition is still going strong. 

However, our loyalties to the garbage man were tested when we found this group of firemen TRAINING for a fire--hose and all!

Carson is training to be an artist. We already knew that.

Here's the spring part of the training! I've been loving the desert flowers in full bloom. Especially because we were sure this tree was dead two months ago. Now it's blooming with beauty!

The last thing in training is me! Sunday was Mother's Day where mothers everywhere are reminded we are in training to become more of the person we want to be. I'm glad to have four boys who remind me of my priorities and force me to consider my values as I try to teach them all the things that are important to me. We're all in training together just trying to make each other a little bit better.

And with that, the train has arrived back to the station. Hope you enjoyed the ride and we'll see you next spring!

Carlsbad, Final Tour

We had to squeeze in one last trip to Carlsbad before my parents finished their mission. I got all the boys showered, clothed, and hairstyled before getting myself ready. In the 5 minutes it took me to blow dry my hair, Jonah reappeared like so. This is why I don't do their hair, people!

This was our mood four hours into the car ride.

But it was all worth it once we got to see our favorite Carlsbadians. 

First stop was the San Diego Safari Park. 

Next stop was the flower fields. I've spent the last 3 years longing to see the flower field in bloom but we always went out at the wrong time. With an April visit, we were in luck. Just look at how pretty all those flowers are...

I laughed so hard when I saw my arm's positioning in the above picture as it perfectly covers all the flowers my face is leading you to believe are awesome. Let's try that again...

We had to do one last run through Annie's Canyon which required a healthy dose of patience for those walking with Lincoln. Lincoln grabbed a stick and felt it was his mission to cross out all the footprints he saw in the dirt the whole way to the canyon. 

We finally made it. Lincoln was a trooper and did the whole thing by himself (minus just a couple critical bottom hoists). 

Then we made one of our more regrettable decisions and went to the beach. It was cold. Jonah fell completely into the water right when we got there and there was no stopping the older boys from jumping through a few waves. Total beach time: just long enough to get a few pictures. 

To the bath to warm up! This was the fateful moment Lincoln discovered the goggles that were tucked away in our swim bag. 

After getting all cleaned up, the boys experienced their first Hibachi dining experience at Benihana. 

They were so into it and did a great job trying all the food...wait...what is that around Lincoln's neck? 

Ahhh. Goggles! Lincoln and the goggles were inseparable the rest of the trip. 

Okay, so I guess he did take them off to dye eggs, but I guess we are using the term inseparable loosely here. 

Jonah and Carson got in some early morning dabs before heading to a park on Saturday. 

After being in a total desert for the last 6 months, all these flowers and beautiful colors looked so foreign to me! 

The goggles have returned much to everyone's delight. 

We came home from the park to word that there was a lizard loose in my parents' house. We had just the guys for a job like that. 

Catching this little guy may have just been my favorite part of our trip. It was so funny to watch 5 boys vs lizard battle it out in the nicest room of the house.

After an obligatory Chuck-E-Cheese's trip that remained undocumented by me, it was time to hit the road (and the hay for some of us). 

We loved our last visit to Carlsbad and are sad to see our favorite vacation spot go!