Snow Day - April 23!

The Bond

Montour Falls

Sam and I had a day together at the end of his Spring Break. I worked in the morning, on a GORGEOUS day, and decided staying inside, when i got home, and doing housework, was NOT an option!

The original thought was to venture to Ithaca and show him Taughannock Falls (~50 min away)... then reconsidered, given the time, and picking up Thom and Hank by 5... and opted for Montour Falls. Closer, and I don't think he had seen it (or remembered, if he had). We made a mini picnic, hopped in the car, and DROVE. Windows down, music cranked.

We went to Montour Falls first, oohed and ahhed, visited the local coffee shop AND wine bar (niiice), grabbed a latte and a cookie and hopped in the car again. I recalled seeing 'The World's Longest Slide' close by, in Odessa, on a drive years ago (I think Thom was just a baby). I FOUND IT AGAIN!!! - - and yes, while long, it was MUCH longer in my memory.



So, of course, we stopped to slide down it. I even did, too. And the metal slide popped and buckled when I went down, reminding me again why Weight Watchers is a grand idea! We played on the playground there for a while and then hopped over to Watkins Glen, hoping to hike the gorge for a little bit (we had time!).

Unfortunately, it was still closed for the season, but we were able to throw rocks into the water and run up and down the newly constructed stairs to the main entrance.

A VERY NICE DAY with my 'little' guy who is only growing faster and taller and older...

Baseball, Kites & Eggs - OH MY!

Two and a half MONTHS (not Men!) since my last blog update. No more babble about it - let's get right to it!

BASEBALL!!!

Sam has started baseball for the first time ever. No T-ball, not even catch, really. His first practice was last Thursday. He had asked me if there was a way to play baseball on a team months ago, and when a Corning Little League flyer appeared in his take-home folder from school, it was a no-brainer. They even gave me the option of just writing a check toward costs instead of selling candy bars. YEAH!! - on a few levels!!

Thom, keeping warm (brr!)

Our friend Christa, who often bestows her son Owen's clothes and 'goods' to us when he's/they're done with them has come through once again in giving us a semi-worn glove, some shoes (baseball or football? Not sure) and baseball pants. THANK YOU CHRISTA! Sam is PUMPED for the next practice. He never talked about soccer with this enthusiasm.

What up, T?!

And while he was just learning the terms and moves, he's by no means "out of his league" in skill. I'd say all the kids are right in the same range. His very first swings at the ball were to be expected, but grew in skill within FIVE swings, so i'm seein' some hope here! Because this is a combo pitch/T-ball league, Sam will probably (at least intially) fall into the T-ball group. In fact, most might. The first swing hit only air! The second swing knocked the T over. The third swing knicked the ball. BUT THE FOURTH SWING sent the ball flying almost to the pitcher! WAY TO GO SAM! I did not capture that swing, nor that smile, but it was priceless.

Swingandamiss!

During practice i noticed two big things he needs to work on: 1) listening to his coach and paying attention and 2) BENDING at the knees to scoop up balls that are rolling toward him. He was trying to use his feet, ala soccer. Um - no. So i wanted to productively address these to him at the van when everything was done. I started with "Sam, you did AWESOME out there, i'm so PROUD of you. You looked like you were having fun! (much nodding and smiling)... But i think there are two main things you could work on next time..." and he said, "I think i know what you're gonna say, Mom. I should pay more attention and i should work on my catching." I said, "yup. Those are the two. You got it." I actually sensed a tone of "caring" and "seriousness" in his words, like he LIKES this sport and wants to do well at it. Perhaps a bit premature, but it's a feeling I got.

His first game of the season is April 21. More updates to come!

KITES!!!

The other day was SO WINDY and Sam tossed out, "Hey Mom... today would be the perfect day to fly a kite, wouldn't it?" I agreed. Then he said, "Well... could we?"

Now i was about to do my lazy, standard, "I don't know bud... we'll see" kind of CRAPPY line. I realize it when i'm saying it, and really want to get out of that zone of being LAZY when i have a kid (kids!) that craves the outdoors. NOW IS THE TIME to hang on to that goodness.

Way to go, Thomas!

So NO! - instead i said, "yeah actually... YEAH, let's do it." He ran to get his Star Wars kite that our friend Natalie gave him a while ago, but couldn't find it (where is it!?)... but we had another $0.69 Lord of the Rings kite hanging at the front door, a plastic jobbie from the Sal-Val (aka Salvation Army) that Ron picked up. It's got Frodo's face on the whole thing! Totally goofy and totally cheap, but....

... GUESS WHAT!?!?......

... That sucker flew like a charm on the very first SHOT! I was pumped. Dare i say that throughout the entire couple of hours we were at the park, either flying the kite or playing on the playground, *I* might have been the most into that fluttering piece of plastic goodness. I was mesmerized with how the wind caught the kite and pulled it tightly. I loved feeling the STRENGTH of the wind in the string and handle. A couple times, i was able to max out the string and that was this very cool feeling! Like some kind of ACCOMPLISHMENT! Really fun!



We will be doing this again. And i will be shopping for a slightly nicer kite, or maybe even look up plans on making one. I've got a ton of fabric around - maybe a cool patchwork number! ;-)

EGGS!!!

The Easter Bunny visited our house. Now sometimes he hits other houses MUCH harder and MUCH "sweeter" than ours, but the Telford Boys did not go without this Easter. Between the few plastic candy-filled eggs hiding around our property (8 to be exact, 4 for ea boy (Hank stayed warm inside!)) and craziness at the UU later that morning, I'd say Easter was a pretty successful holiday. I can't wait to eat a big ol' egg salad sandwich for lunch today! YUM!