Thursday, May 31, 2012

On to summer


On to summer
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

It's the end of May and school, baseball and soccer are all in their last couple weeks. I spent the day in Baltimore for the second of four board meetings and I'm looking forward to another weekend of very little scheduled activity. The year is flying by quickly.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Bleeding


Bleeding
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The Red Cross was in the building today to take blood. I hate needles but it gets easier every time.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Flags


Memorial Flags
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Put some new flags out in the cemetery for the veterans today. The long, relaxing weekend is coming to an end.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Sun Burn


Sun Burn
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Two days at the pool and we are all a little red but pretty relaxed. Had a nice dinner with Nicole's friend Jessica in old town tonight but have mostly stayed very close to home.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

First Jump of the Season

Pool's Open


Pool's Open
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

First day of pool season. I think we will be spending most of our weekend here.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Iron Bird Sky


Iron Bird Sky
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

The boys got their last game until next week in last night under a threatening sky. The game was looking like it would need to be postponed but we got it in, just before dark. Sam is still on a hitting tear with 1st and 4th inning triples, as well as a couple stolen runs after a couple pitches got past the catcher. He's 800 for the last two games with a HR, double, and the two triples. I love that he is listening to the coach and swinging the bat much better than earlier in the season. Dylan is swinging better as well but not connecting with that many. He is however walking a bunch. He seems to have a pretty good eye and doesn't swing at things over his head which is a flaw many kids have. He almost always scores when he's on base because of his speed so that's a good thing.

The Iron Birds won again last night and are in first place (6-2-2) going into the much needed Memorial Day Weekend break. The break is much needed for Nicole and my nerves since the boys would probably play everyday if they could. It's a little more nerve racking for the parents in the stands but we have some really good and positive parents on our team. No "take it too seriously" kind of folk but let's face it, we are all tied up inside wanting them to do well.

No big plans for the long weekend, just hitting the pool and finding things to do close by. Should be relaxing.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Here's Lookin at Ya


Here's Lookin at Ya
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

I don't post many pictures of myself, mostly because the other people in my family are more interesting. Anyway, I was playing with some photo's taken in Photo Booth for possible inclusion on social network sites and decided to post this one. I look better in black and white so here I am in my late 40's.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Baseball Bracelet


Baseball Bracelet
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Dylan hooked me up with a baseball bracelet he made in school last week. I'm not a big bracelet guy but I can make an exception for this one.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Game Balls


Game Balls
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Sam and Dylan got game balls today in a 10-8 loss to the River Dogs. Sam hit a bomb home run to deep left center to give the team a spark in the bottom of the 6th and Dylan played some great center field, hitting his cutoff man to catch the runner at second. Sam also had a single and a double, a 3-0 batting performance. The Iron Birds won last night and re still in first place in the league. They need to stay tough as we head down the stretch.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Happy Birthday Momma


Happy Birthday Momma
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Rain forced a cancellation of hitting practice so we went out for dinner again. I've been configuring her new mac book pro that I gave her this evening. Nice little laptop.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Birthday Dinner


Birthday Dinner
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Mother's Day as well at Virtue Feed and Grain.

A Hitter


A Hitter
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Dylan had been struggling at the plate this year and was developing a bad habit of going to the plate hoping to get a walk. He wouldn't swing at anything. I think he finally got past that with a nice hit to advance a runner to third, who then scored and he had a walk.

Another Exciting Tie


Another Exciting Tie
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Our 9am game today was another one for he never say die Iron Birds. Down 4 in the bottom of he 5th and Sam smacks a deep ball into left center for a grand slam home run. His second HR of the year. Unfortunately, they couldn't get the winning run home in the sixth but a tie is better than a loss. All the moms got flowers after the game. A good move by the coach.

Friday, May 11, 2012

That Was a Game

I did not expect kid pitch baseball to be all that exciting but six games in and it just keeps getting better. We lost a heartbreaker on Wednesday in the bottom of the sixth with a grand slam homer but tied a game we were out off most of of the night with a three run homer in the bottom of he sixth tonight. We were getting crush most of the game against he iron pigs and needed four runs to tie in the last inning. The kids fought back and scored one run before getting two outs. That's when Jonah came to bat with two runners on, two strikes and three balls. He drilled a shot to the right field corner and ran his ass off to score. The tie kept us in front of the Iron Pigs in the standing at 4-1-1. That was the biggest tie I've ever witnessed. We have bother game at 9:30 in the morning. I hope the boys can sleep.

Sent from my iPad

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Vikings Rule


Vikings Rule
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

Good to see that Minnesota is vested in keeping the Vikings around. I know it's a lot of money but it is a good business decision to keep Minnesota involved in the biggest money making league on the planet.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Sports Month


Sports Month
Originally uploaded by homerclees.

May is all about one game after another but it because of the weather, it's hasn't been that bad yet. Of course the postponed baseball game on Saturday needs to be played at some time and we may get another postponement tonight based on the weather report. The boys are enjoying soccer but at 0-3-1 they are less than thrilled about the record but the two of them have all the teams goals (Sam has 4, Dylan 1). They are still undefeated in baseball but the four teams in the league are all fairly good so that won't last if they can't get their hitting in gear. The schedule is just one game after another for the next four weeks then it's summer vacation time and a lot of travel.

Got haircuts last weekend and went to a party at the Wards house. Adien has been in one for the kids classes every year since kindergarten. The boys love a good party where they get to stay up late and run around with friends. We also looked at new Mama cars and got the kids some fancy indoor soccer shoes and yet another soccer jersey. Indoor soccer shoes seem to be all the rage in elementary school.

Thursday, May 03, 2012

4-0

The boys played a tight one tonight against the Iron Pigs but came out on top 4-3.  The team plays great defense and has some solid pitching, probably the best in the league but the bats were silent throughout the lineup.  Sam has developed some sort of hitch and is on a 6 straight strike out streak and Dylan seems to be getting on base by walking but almost refuses to swing in hopes of walking. 

They are both doing well elsewhere, Sam is taking the lions share of the catching duties and had a nice past ball out at home (wild pitch, Sam got the ball at the backstop and threw to the pitcher covering home plate, catching the runner trying to steal home from third and ending the inning) while Dylan scored one to the teams runs by stealing second and then third and home when the throw to second went into the outfield.  Once he gets running, he can cover some ground. 

I'm at a loss on what to do with the hitting problems.  Sam hit fine in the first two games and hits everything in the batting cage and it has always taken Dylan a while to get back into the swing of things but this is rough.  It doesn't help the the rest of the team is not hitting all that well either, except for a couple kids. 

Oh well, it is kids sports.  We have the same team on Saturday and they looked pissed that they lost.  They were undefeated at the start of day too.