Mother's Day pictures

Every year, we take the traditional Mother's Day pictures with Mommy.  This year, we took them in Kingsport.  New place, same picture setup.  Mommy gets some good pictures with her two boys.  She loves them so much and the boys love Mommy so much as well!

Kissing Mommy at the same time!

Mark, Mommy, and Jack

Mother's Day trip to Tennessee

This year for Mother's Day, we were in Kingsport to see Mimi and Poppy.  To make it even more fun, Aunt Janet came up with Kate and Macy (Uncle Jarett was working).  The kids have so much fun nowadays.  They loved being in Kingsport with Mimi and Poppy for Mother's Day as it was something that they had not done before.  Jack and Mark had a blast.  The weather on Saturday wasn't the best, although we made the best of it.  Jack, Mark, and Daddy threw the baseball around inside Mimi's garage as it was raining pretty hard for the better part of the day.  We also celebrated Macy and Kate's birthdays, which are in April and May.  We also saw Poppy several times at his hotel and everyone enjoyed seeing him.

On Sunday, we went to church and then out to eat.  It was really nice to be with Mimi on Mother's Day.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Kate is reading bedtime stories to all the younger kids while Mommy and Mimi listen in.

Macy works on a craft project.

Jack and Mark work on their craft project.

Bath time is always exciting.

Jack, Mark, Macy, and Kate

Who is holding hands there?  It is Jack and Mark.

Mimi with her four grandchildren.

Mimi, Jack, Daddy, and Mark.

Rain Delay inside our house?

The boys obviously love baseball.  It extends not only from tee ball to NC State baseball to playing at SAS, but even to interesting tidbits of baseball like this.  They took a sheet and made it to be the tarp that is used when it is raining at a baseball game.  Look what they did in our living room.

No playing right now.  The tarp is on the field.

Last time to run the bases

After the weekend series with Coastal Carolina, the Wolfpack has very happy after sweeping the Chanticleers.  It was time to run the bases one last time for Jack and Mark.  The boys were ready.  They were wearing their jerseys and baseball pants along with their baseball cleats.  They were able to really go all out.  In fact, after everyone finished, nothing was happening so they asked if they could run the bases again.  We said sure.  So they ran it again (and slid into home as well).  Then they walked up to the guys that were coming out of the bullpen and got some autographs.  They were so excited.

Right before the end of the game, Grandpa and Mark take a moment to relax in the shade under an umbrella.

I have already lost my hat.  That is how fast I am running.  - Mark

Here I come closing in on first base.  - Jack

Daddy with his two boys.

Mommy with her two boys.

The second time around the bases.  Who is going to get home first?

Hey guys.  Can you sign my baseball?  Also, let's get on a run so we can see you at Omaha!

Anyone need to hire a few good worm catchers?

After tee ball, the boys told Mommy that they needed to find some worms or bugs.  They got these baskets that they can put some worms or other sort of bugs and watch them inside the house.  They really were excited about doing that.  They felt like such  big boys.  They had a good time digging holes to find the worms and/or bugs.  Look how hard they worked on it:

This is where I will keep the insects and worms I find.  - Mark

This is where I will keep the insects and worms I find.  - Mark

Jack, the proper angle to start digging is this.  Do you understand?  - Mark

Mark, using your foot here to get the shovel deeper is an advanced technique.  I have already mastered it.  - Jack

Tee ball time

Another Saturday, another tee ball day.  The boys love their tee ball, and so do Mommy and Daddy.  The boys are really starting to get really good playing tee ball.  We even hear comments from some other parents talking about how well the boys play (and they don't know we are Jack and Mark's parents).  It is really cute.

Here are some pictures from tee ball:

Ready to show everyone how to hit a homer! - Mark

Running at full speed! - Mark

Is this ball going to the fence?  - Jack

SAFE!!!!!!!!!! - Mark

SAS Spring Festival

SAS has an annual spring festival, which is a family friendly event that has things for all ages.  When we got there, the boys automatically wanted to go play on all of the bounce houses.  They started with a horse race, then also went on a slide, shot basketball, and just had a great time.  After we ate dinner, we found some their friends from Children's House.  It was so cute to see how excited they get when we see their friends from preschool.  They then want to hang out with them.  It isn't like they didn't just spend the previous 8 hours with them, but of course this is different and they want to be with their buddies.  How cute!  This year, they wanted to stay for the fireworks for the first time.  They enjoyed watching the fireworks with their buddies.   Everyone had a really good time at the SAS Spring Festival.  Thanks SAS!

Here are a couple of pictures from the event:

And we're off.  Jack has the early lead over Mark.

I think my horse didn't get the memo to go fast.  - Mark

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! - Jack\

Here I come! - Mark 

After dinner, it was fun time with Alex with Ben.

Fireworks time.  Notice that Alex is prepared for loud sounds.

Alex isn't the only one with hands over their ears.  Look at me! - Mark

Last Bike Day

On May 2, it was time for the last Bike Day at Children's House.  It was an exciting yet sad time for everyone.  It was hard to believe that it was the last ever bike day for the boys in preschool.  With the cool and wet April weather, bike day was moved back to the beginning of May.  It was a very pretty day for the most part and Jack and Mark really enjoyed riding their bikes.  Each time they have done this, they have really enjoyed it.  And each time, they have gotten better and better riding the bikes (and before that...their tricycles).

Here are some pictures from bike day:

Look at me as I go flying down the road.  - Mark

Watch out.  Here I come! - Mark

Daddy and Mark

Mark and Mommy

I am ready to lead the class.  - Jack

2 buddies.  Jack and Drew.

Can I smile any bigger?  - Jack

Daddy and Jack

Mommy and Jack

Jack in the newspaper

As we just mentioned in the previous post, the boys ran the bases after the Georgia Tech game as usual. After they ran the bases, a photographer for the News and Observer pulled us over and told us that he had a good picture of one of our sons.  He had a great picture of Jack.  He had a good one of Mark, but the picture of Jack was taken just at the right time.  He said that it would be a 50/50 shot to be in the Monday edition of the paper.  He got Jack's name, age, and city he lived in.  He then asked Jack what his favorite part of going to the games are.  Jack's reply was "Watching NC State play."

All of his photographs were uploaded to the following location:

   http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/04/27/3816798/first-look-georgia-tech-nc-state.html

Here are the photos that he took:

Jack running to first and Mark is getting ready to start. 

The money shot.

Another good money shot in our opinion.

The next morning I started receiving texts early with pictures of Jack.  He had a pretty big photo on page 2 of the Sports page.  Check it out:

More Wolfpack Baseball

On Sunday, after we went to church, we went to the ballpark on a glorious sunny day to watch the Wolfpack take on the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech in the rubber game of the series.  It was sunny...and warm.  The boys of course had on their baseball uniforms so we had to keep them well hydrated.  They did a really good job of drinking a lot of water.  We all enjoyed the game as the Pack pummeled the Jackets 7-1 to take the series two games to one.  After the game, it was time to run the bases.  Although they are old pros at running the bases, they still really enjoy it.

Here are some pictures that we took after the game:

Sign my hat, Brett!  Please!  - Mark

Jack, Brett, and Mark

Jack prepares to throw a fastball.

Here it comes! 

Here is the pitch from Mark.

Mark and Jack with Carlos Rodon.  Notice the beam of sunlight coming down from above.