Summer Sluggers

This Summer, the kids were able to participate in the Shelley Baseball program.  We moved in just days before sign ups ended, so we were fortunate to get in there.  Not being familiar with the program, I wrote on the sign up sheets to keep Tanner and Ashlyn on the same team, as in Rigby they had co-ed teams at this age.  When we showed up for practice on the first day and looked around, we saw boys... and more boys... and NO girls!  Poor Ashlyn!  If I was an 8-year old girl stuck on an all boy team, I would have died.  I would have switched her onto a girl's team, but she never acted like it bothered her for a second and she said that she liked being on the same team as Tanner!  What a champ, it sure made it easier on me as we were already balancing our time between Ian's team and the twins' team!

The Shelley league was a refreshing change for us, as Rigby has the kids hitting off a batting machine by the age of 6!  Neither of them were getting a lot of hits last year and it was very discouraging.  This year they played coach pitch and it was so fun to see them able to slug it out there and also get a chance to learn fielding, as other kids were able to hit the ball too!  I can't believe how much they are growing up and it is getting so much fun to watch them.

 Ashlyn

 Tanner

 And then there's Ian...

This boy is so determined to be the best at sports that it is a riot to watch him.  He is all business and it isn't worth hitting that ball off the tee unless he can whack it to the moon.

He is also a very intense fielder... usually ...unless of course there is an interesting bug in the field :)

And this little trooper was a champ through the whole ordeal, rain or shine, wind or 100 degree weather every night at 5 p.m. he was there cheering for his siblings.  He soaked it all in and learned all the tips and tricks to baseball... so much so, that by the time he is 5, he will likely be drafted into the major league when they see his mad tee-ball skills.  That is to say if I am able to get him to his games by then, not quite sure how this is all going to work when I am driving five kids to five different practices and games!!!