Traveling fan club

Trying to squeeze in some visits to see my brother play baseball while juggling our own kids' activities almost took an act of Congress.  To make it happen, we had to divide and conquer.  Doug and Cooper went to Tulsa one weekend and then I met my college bestie in Southern Utah the next weekend.

It was Doug's first trip to Tulsa to see where Bennett has lived and played for the last 3 years and Cooper was lucky enough to tag along.  They used buddy passes (thanks, Jay!) to fly to Oklahoma City and then they drove to Tulsa and got there in time for the first of 3 games.  They got to meet a bunch of Bennett's buddies and go to breakfast and dinner with them.  The highlight of Cooper's trip was getting to hit in the batting cages with Bennett and his teammates.  When you're 14, there might not be anything better than hanging out with a group of fun college guys.  Unfortunately, they had bad weather in Tulsa and one game was postponed to the next day after Doug and Coop left.  They got home just in time for some Easter dinner.

The following weekend, it was my turn.  I flew into SLC and my friend, Lori picked me up there and we made the drive to Cedar City in the snow.  Yes, snow.  A spring storm moved in for the 3 days we were there and forced us to sit through freezing cold wind and even some snow.  But, as miserable as the weather was, the trip was so fun.  Lori and I got lots of girl time in the car and hotel and we got to spend a lot of time with Bennett and my family.  My aunt and uncle even joined us as they were en route from Montana to Santa Fe.  On Sunday, Lori and I got to do a spa day before I flew home.  It really was a great weekend.

The draft is just around the corner and there is a lot of anticipation in our family about what might happen.  But, honestly, as excited as I am about that, I'm more excited to see where life might take this kid.  He's a good person to the core and an amazing brother, uncle and role model to my kids.  I never knew 21 years ago (when I was in college myself) that I would be this close to him.  I changed his diapers and felt more like a mom at times, but now he's truly just one of my best friends.  Love you, B!  Thanks for being you.

These photos are backwards (the boys went to Tulsa on Easter weekend and I traveled the following weekend), but here they are:

Cheering B on in Cedar City

Watching the pitch

The whole fan club including my aunt and uncle

Spa day!

Despite the freezing cold, hard to beat that backdrop!

Nothing like a trip to the Cedar City Wal-Mart to keep entertained

Couldn't convince him to buy it

Yes, he really is that tall!

Tulsa time!

Watching the pre-game action

Breakfast with the gang, including Casady and Bennett's roommate and stud pitcher, Chi Chi

Bad weather in Tulsa kept the boys busy with the tarp

Getting some action in the cages with B

Looking on with anticipation

Enjoying his new camo ORU hat

Spring Break 2012

It is a little bit difficult for me to write this blog entry about Spring Break because it's entirely possible it will be our last for a while as a family.  If Cooper makes the high school baseball team next year, he won't be able to go with us because they have games during Spring Break.  I actually got really sad on the drive home thinking about this.  It has been our family tradition for 13 years.  We only missed one year in 2004 because Kinley had just been born.  Cooper's first trip to Scottsdale was when he was just 14 months old when the two of us went alone to visit my grandparents.  Now, he's 14 years old.  

We had an awesome week--pool every day, two Rockies spring training games (one of which we got to use my dad's amazing tickets and sit in the 4th row!), the traditional hike to the top of Camelback, lots of fro yo and the Sugar Bowl, jogs along the canal, shopping and sleeping in.  We even went bowling. And, we had perfect weather all week and all came back with a little too much sun.  

This year, we made the trek via the Grand Canyon.  Neither Doug nor I had been there since we were little and it was simply breathtaking.  Our kids are old enough that they appreciated it, too.  Kaiya continued her journey to keep doing handstands all over America by doing one at the Grand Canyon overlook and another one on top of Camelback Mountain.  

My dad stayed to greet us on Saturday and we really enjoyed having some time with him before he left on Sunday morning.  

Perhaps the neatest thing about the whole trip, however, was seeing the finished product of Cooper's labors at the computer.  He has taught himself how to make and edit iMovies, which has come in really handy for school projects.  Each day, he had me upload pictures from the day and he also had his portable handheld camcorder.  

The file is too large to upload here, but here is the link.  It's about 7 minutes long, but worth viewing.  I cried watching it.  Enjoy!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ5JD3RI9AQ

On top of Camelback for her 4th year in a row

Grand Canyon

Getting old enough to enjoy just kicking back

Nighttime dips in the pool are so fun!

Up close and personal with the Rox new catcher, Rosario (it's truly amazing how close you can get to the players at Talking Stick.  That place is just incredible!)

This is one of Bennett's former teammates at ORU, who is now moving up the ranks with the White Sox.  So cool!

Second year in a row hanging out with these fun kids from Chicago, who were also there on Spring Break. 

No fear

Took about 15 minutes to unload on day 1 before they were at the pool

Love this shot!  Nice way to celebrate making it to the top of the mountain. 

Doug and Cooper's handstands

One of several trips for "fro yo"

On our way to go bowling . . . doesn't she look ready?

The trip would not be complete without the Sugar Bowl!