First T-ball Game

Let me start by saying I have never laughed harder, or loved my son more. This was simply funny.

Picture 1: The T-ball star - smiling from the dugout.

Picture 2: Listening to the OTHER TEAM'S COACH about what to do.

Picture 3: digging his heels into the dirt, not paying a lick of attention to the game. Picture 4: Dad coaching him on what first basemen should actually do.

Picture 5: Joseph, telling the coach how things are supposed to go. (He's behind the coach)

Picture 6: Joseph in the ready position, waiting for the batter.

Picture 7: the coach is showing Joseph what to do. (like he DOESN'T KNOW!!!) Notice he is batting left-handed here. He catches right and bats left. Whoo-hoo!!Picture 7: Running to first base after hitting a single.

I cannot wait for the many years of watching this little boy play ball. :)

My Superhero

Several months ago, Joseph received this great book about "How to Be a Superhero", including a cape, mask, armbands, etc.

The letters stand for : Super Joe, who arrives by Car and Train. No Joke.


He thought that it would help him fly, if he could jump off of the stool, and make his cape billow in the air. you can see how much it helped his flying...

Man, this kid is so cute. I cannot resist his cuteness and charm. Can't do it.

The Toledo Zoo

Last Friday, I took the day off of work, (Joseph was out of school anyways), and I surprised him by driving down to the Toledo Zoo for the day.

This zoo kicks butt. Serious butt. It's cheaper than Detroit, and you could actually see all of the animals...

Including the Rianforest exhibit, which had SO many cool frogs and toads.

Joseph LOVED the hippos. (Why!!?!?!?)

And they had Bald Eagles there...(did you know that Bald Eagles actually are owned by the Department of Interior, and are "on loan" to zoos. AND...only injured Bald Eagles can be kept in captivity??!)

And the giraffes were out...they looked hilarious running.

This was Joe....after he wasn't able to sit in the VERY FRONT car on the train. Sheesh. Life is so tough!

So - for all you rockstar moms that are looking for a great and CHEAP daytrip...do the Toledo Zoo. We loved it!

Too much TV

This is proof that Joseph watched too much TV. You know that commercial for the Swiffer thing? He. Knows. The. Song.

The dancing was not inherited from me...or Big Joe for that matter. But, he also knows the CreditReport.com commercial, and the theme song to Curious George, and to countless movies.

Tball Boy

Had to show pics of the boy in his new uniform. So unbelievably cute!!!!

Check out the guy in action!! (be sure to go to the website for this)

Easter Morning Egg hunt (Of sorts)

So, Little Joe got into some trouble on Saturday afternoon. and he knew it. So...we woke up on Sunday morning, and found a pile of plastic eggs at the foot of our bed. It seems that Little Joe woke up early, found some eggs in the living room, and felt that because he had gotten in trouble, he shouldn't have these eggs. So, he collected them, and placed them in our bed, then went back into his room.

ARGH!!!

So, when we woke up, I had some convincing to do that the Easter Bunny loved him very much, and Mommy and Daddy love him very much...you get the idea. Once he realized that it was OK to have found the eggs, he was off hunting again.


The Easter bunny didn't hide any candy though. He (she?) knows that Joseph doesn't like candy, so there was none included. (Plus the fact that the Easter Bunny's buyer couldn't find any of those luscious Reese Peanut Butter Eggs.) but - there was a BIG SCORE with the Bug Marbles.

Also hidden by the Easter bunny: a kite, a truck and a sticker book. The eggs were full of Money! Joseph liked that!! Dad didn't like unwrapping the truck out of the packaging!!

Hiking along the Rouge River

We went hiking in Hines Park last Saturday...and had a great time. The weather was perfect. My niece and BIL went with. We found lots of fun stuff - the witch hazel (Hammamelis) was blooming. So pretty.

And the artwork...so beautiful!! This is under the Venoy Road Bridge. This is also where we saw the homeless person, and his campsite. Try explaining THAT to the kids!!

Losing History

I know about sprawl.

I know about redevelopment.

I know about urban blight.

I know about structural integrity of old buildings.

But C'MON!!

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/livinginthedblog/index.php?blogid=195

This saddens me. I get it, but I just wish there was another answer. How can someone just disregard history?

This. Is. Beautiful. I cried.

How much better can it get? all horns.

(You need to go to the actual blogsite to view this post, not the email...)

My current workstation

OK, to make a long story short...I'm at First Cup (the best coffeehouse EVER!), attempting to be productive. Due to unforeseen complications with a 5-year old little boy...I am not in the office today. He woke up this morning, not feeling well...so I came home from my office so Dad could get to his office. He NEEDS to be at his office right now...I don't. I am a little more flexible, and I brought work with me anyways.

Therefore...this is what I'm doing right now:
Oddly, I'm getting a TON done! I've accomplished a LOT in the past 2 hours. And, I've enjoyed some great coffee, and a REALLY good homemade fattouch salad. (I have GOT to find a recipe...).

Family visit to the Henry Ford

At the Henry Ford, they have this really cool exhibit that allows you to "work on the assembly line", and Joseph COMPLETELY got into it.

And even better...they have a new "interactive" display where you can BECOME the hot dog in a life size hot dog bun, complete with fixing's! This is right by the Weinermobile, so it makes sense. Joseph thought it was hilarious! I thought it was rather claustrophobic.

The boys also went through the With Liberty and Justice for All exhibit, and I took my time looking at some of the displays. Breathtaking. And heartbreaking. Wow. I was really moved by some of the artifacts. Stupid hormones!!! :) Big Joe and I keep saying how we need to go there without the Little guy, so we can take the time and really read the displays, and take everything in. They have a huge part of the With Liberty and Justice for All exhibit dedicated to the Declaration of Independance, and the difficulties that we had as a new nation back then.

It's weird; the older I get, the more fascinated I become with history. Where was this fascination when I had to memorize the dates of major European battles for a grade??

My boys

This picture is my favorite picture ever. I actually printed this out over the weekend and put it in a black frame with silver lettering that says "The Boys".

Which, btw, I LOVE our new wireless printer! It is GREAT!!! I printed out a picture that my grandpa sent me of him back in the day in his Army uniform...he was SUCH a handsome guy!!! :) Anyways, I'm planning on framing that pic and hanging it on the wall. Maybe one of these days I'll actually finish my "Wall of Pictures" to hang up. It is on my "101 things to do in my life" list; a wall of family pictures all in silver frames.

Rollerblading, trying to not break any bones...

So, Santa brought a pair of rollerblades for the Little guy...and he decided to try them out on a nice Spring day. Seeing that he had on all of the necessary protective gear...we were ready to go!

Except HE WOULDN'T LET GO OF ME!!! :) And, he didn't get the "push off" part, he just kind of scooted along. Our neighbor from across the street (Miss Nikki), came over to keep me company and give Joseph some moral support for his first attempt. We do need to talk to the store where Santa bought these skates, one of the latches is broken, so it won't stay tight around his ankle. Not good.

Check out the video below. The voices you hear in the background (trying not to cry because we are laughing so hard) are me and Miss Nikki.

The Lawson Ducks

This is too cute to not share...We have ducks. In our front yard. no - Seriously - LOOK!!!
This has happened in years past, and the ducks make a nest under the front yews, and they lay eggs. Aww..how cute, right? Until the stupid neighborhood cat comes over and eats the eggs. It really is a catch-22. I don't mind the ducks. I'm glad they choose us. I feel kind of special about it. But - when the hellcat comes to wreak havoc...then I feel like I should have shooed the ducks away.

BTW - those big logs of wood are the remnants of the Silver Maple that we took out of the front yard a few months ago. It has been too cold to split firewood, and until a few weeks ago, it was all covered with snow anyways.