One thing I have learned.

This past weekend the little and the middle both played in baseball tournaments.  Thankfully, they were at the same location which makes things so much easier.  It doesn't, however, make it take less time.  We spent the better part of 12 hours at the ball park on Saturday and half the day on Sunday.  My butt now looks like a carton of the stadium cheese that I consumed for 3 meals and is shaped in the form of my pink "sports" chair.  That's a whole other issue, I'll need to take up with my treadmill this week. ;)  I must also apologize to any persons that may have received permanent eye damage from the glare coming off my glowing white legs.  I know it's a scary sight, but after my recent debacle with the self tanner I must concede to the fact that I am indeed white...very white. 

Back to what I have learned...I mean besides the fact that watching baseball is not exercise and self tanner will turn my legs orange every single time I use it. ;)  Over the 11 years that my kids have played some sort of sport I have seen a lot of crazy things.  Some day I will write a book on what I like to call "parent centered" sports and it will say that you should never go to the ball park without  your sense of humor and a good pair of headphones plugged into your ipod.  If you can't laugh at it you better be able to block it out somehow because it can get a little crazy.  The little and the middle both play on teams that are pretty solid and can win some games.  More importantly, both are on teams that have coaches with a great sense of the importance of little league baseball.  Fundamentals are important, but so is having a good time.  There is a lot of grace shown and all of our coaches continually set a great example of sportsmanship.  We are also blessed with families on both teams that are loving, supportive and kind.   I have found that this combination is rare and a gift to be treasured.  Our kids have a limited time to play sports like baseball.  At some point their time on the diamond will be done.  It might be after little league, or maybe high school; a rare few will play college ball.  I once read that your child is more likely to win the lottery in their lifetime than to play a professional sport of any kind.  That includes the professional dart circuit. ;)  Why make any of this limited time stressful for them?  Why get so worked up during games that you set a bad example of yelling at coaches, umpires or 8 year olds?  Why put the "W" in front of the spirit of a child?  If they only have 8 years to play a sport before they aren't good enough or big enough or their interests shift, why take any of the fun out of those precious years?  Bud calls me a quaker because I really don't have a competitive bone in my body, so I know that some of "what I have learned" is just my quakerness coming out.  Regardless, realizing that things end is a great way to appreciate what you have. :)    

The wine of the day is Pink Umbrella Pinot Grigio.  I was told by the local weatherman to take my tornado precautions at 8am this morning because there is a high chance of severe weather this evening.  My precautions include a good bottle of wine on the front porch watching the clouds roll in.  If anyone asks, I'll just tell them I sat outside with my pink umbrella, a perfectly logical thing to do in the rain. ;)  If the severe part kicks in, I'll throw on my bike helmet and use a plastic glass. :))

Happy Monday!