Baseball Begins

Whenever Corbin is asked what his favorite sport is he immediately replies "Baseball!"  He has a natural love for it.  We try to practice other sports with him and he has no desire, but if we bust out a baseball bat he is ready to go. So you can imagine how excited he was to start playing on a team.  He is doing coach pitch baseball with I9.  It's a great place to start while learning the functionality of the game.  He has two friends from our ward on his team too, Abe and Garrett.  For their first game and practice they did a great job! Corbin nailed the ball ever time he got up to bat. He really is so good.  Several parents came up to me and said that Corbin has a natural talent for baseball.  I was so proud of him, and happy to see him doing something that he loves so much. It was funny because some kids would have smiles on their face having so much fun, but Corbin was always so serious.  I told him it doesn't have to be serious he can have fun and play too.  When he does anything he really puts his heart and soul into it.
The funniest part was when they were all in the out field.  A ball would be hit out to his team and not one but all 7 children would go for the ball.  I think someone forgot to tell them that they were all on the same team.  In fact, after everyone separated from the pile there were two kids still fighting over the ball.  We all were laughing our heads off.  There is lots to learn, but definitely a great start the season.

Coach prepping the team

Look how serious he is

Friend Garrett

Friend Abe

As a Man Thinketh

An old friend of mine introduced "As a Man Thinketh," by James Allen to me many years ago, and I have loved it ever since.  I just picked it up again and thought I would share some of the amazing gems between the pages.  You may think this is similar to "The Secret"  but I feel that his motives and direction have more of a Heavenly Perspective.  I believe that this concept of thought mixed with faith provide a great formula for building character, happiness, and inner strength in this life.  This is just a taste testing and then you have to go buy your own copy. :)

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he"
"Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms of the soul obey him."
"Man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild."
"Circumstance does not make the man, it reveals him to himself."
"The sole and supreme use of suffering is to purify, to burn out all that is useless and impure.  Suffering ceases for him who is pure."
"until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment."
"The strength of character gained will be the measure of hi true success."
"To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one oft he pathways to attainment."

And there you have it!  You'll love this book.

Kindergarten

We have an official kindergartner!  I'm not sure who has had to make a bigger adjustment.. Corbin, Kayla, or myself.  Corbin was so excited to go to school!  He was so cute... taking in everything he said, "look how many people are here." Overwhelmed I'm sure.  Texas doesn't take kindergarten lightly.  They start school at 7:35a.m. til 2:40 p.m. 5 days a week.  Talk about an adjustment.  I could see that Corbin was tired and taking in a lot the first week of school.  He liked it, but wasn't sure he wanted to be there that long.  He kept telling me everyday when I picked him up that he missed me.  Oh man, and I missed him.  He and I have been little partners since the day he was born... now I had to share him. It has been an exciting and emotional adjustment for sure. Kayla has felt the change too.. we have fun together but she misses sharing the adventures with her brother.
I love the school he is at.  They have an amazing program, and we because of our landlord got to handpick his teacher.  I can already tell that she is amazing.  She received teacher of the year last year.  The day he started school his Gigi got to be there with him.  That's why we have such a great picture. She's a wonderful photographer.

JP's cousin also came and stayed with us for a few days.  He was an Olympic swimmer and took ttime to help us with Kayla's swimming.  Kayla is like a fish in the water.  She never wants to get out and has a natural gift.  She is already swimming freestyle and learning her backstrokes.  She swam across the entire pool the other day.  I couldn't believe it because she is only 3 years old.  Crazy, but Kayla doesn't do anything half way.  She has incredible determination to excel.

We finally saw the bats! If they didn't fly this time we weren't going to try again.  We were convinced that it was an Austin joke on the new comers... but we are here to say that they are real.. There were millions of them! It was impossible to get a picture that would really capture the experience.  This picture sort of looks like Gotham city... You can see the swirl of bats flying away from the bridge.  It was crazy cool!

We also recently went to Seaworld again for Labor Day weekend with JP's boss and his family.  We have now been twice and still have only seen 1/4 of the park and shows.  I don't know how anyone could just get a day pass and get it all done.  It's nice to be able to take it a little bit at a time.  You should have seen Kayla with the Sesame Street characters.  She was scared to death of them.  We did finally get her to hug them.  Seaworld is magical!  We love it!
Kayla has just started up preschool here... and I can't get the picture off my blasted phone.. But she feels so big and lets face it, she acts it.  I am actually helping teach her class, and she is not happy about it. What?  She's three and she already wants to be free of me.  :(  She is so independent and might I add feisty.  But I love her for it.  She keeps life exciting.  Right when I thought parenting was getting easier Kayla turned 3.  I can never take my eyes off of her because she is always coming up with something mischievous to do. She has big blue gorgeous eyes that melt ya even when she's being a stinker.
Anywho... we are doing great!  Loving life and all it has to offer.
Did I mention that JP loves his job!  It is not easy.. but he loves the challenge and is doing an amazing job.  we are grateful to be where we are, when we are.  He'll kill me, but this is a recent headshot of my man. I love him and thank God everyday for him.  I can't stop falling in love with him. :)