Saturday, April 21, 2012

Play Ball!

I can't believe that I have the energy to write this after the crazy day that I had -- I will let the pictures do most of the talking ... 
9am: Opening day ceremonies for Ethan's baseball team

Here come the Brewers!





10 am: Opening day ceremonies for Olivia's softball team (at a field 25 minutes away from Ethan)
a little fun before the ceremony





 11am: Olivia's team photo & Ethan to the field for his game
No, this is not the official team photo!
12:00: Ethan's game
a little sisterly love for good luck!
Sadly, this was Ethan's only at bat during the game and he got hit by the opposing pitcher (who happens to be one of his best friends!)






It's never easy to be sitting on the bench ...
 Even though they lost the game 9 - 8, the kids played a good game and managed to have some fun!


2:30: Drop Ethan at the house for lunch and get Olivia to the field for her game

It wouldn't be a game without my kids panhandeling Joy, myself, my parents, my sister and/or pretty much anybody who is sitting near us for concession stand money.  Luckily between the suckers (oooh, sorry Aunt Leigh Ann), the tooth fairy, and Easter money from Grandma & Pop Pop, they managed to get their sugar fix for the day!


It is hard to be the little brother sometimes 
3:00: Olivia's game


Go Hurricanes!!
I may be wrong, but opening your eyes may help a little!


Nooooo, don't swing at the high pitches!
Run like the wind Olivia ...
Olivia is still coming into her own as a softball player;  sometimes it is just more fun to daydream and play in the dirt!


ooops, there goes the ball ...
4:00 -- OK, now I know that they were calling for rain all day, and we watched the big gray clouds rolling in, but I am convinced that Olivia's "rain dance" (performed while she was simultaneously playing shortstop) brought it on much sooner effectively ending her game in the 3rd inning:



4:30 Pizza for dinner, and bedtime for Mommy -- can't wait to do it all again!


Sunday, April 15, 2012

A Diva is born?


Last night was our Elementary School's Talent Show, I know that is enough to send shivers up any parent's spine, but there were actually a lot of talented kids -- whether one of them was Olivia is up for debate ...

Olivia began the day, like any diva should, with primping and pampering -- a mani, a blowout, some glitter spray, and a little make-up -- so she could be stage ready.

Then there was the photo shoot of Olivia and her BFF, Abby before they left for the show.


They certainly looked like stars
They arrived at the auditorium ready to go and waited in the seats marked "Two Awesome Girls".
They performed Lenka's song, "The Show".  Olivia had a pretty bad case of stage fright,  but she still managed to do a fantastic job (according to this stage mom anyway!!) -- check it out:




Looking like the Diva she will prove herself to be
A little later in the show, Olivia was part of a group act with her Brownie troop.  The girls sang "I recycle -- Don't Just throw it" to LMFAO's tune of  "I'm sexy and I know it".   Although they practiced quite a lot, the girls had a hard time singing the same words at the same time.  At the talent show rehearsal the girls were downgraded from individual head microphones (which really emphasized their lack of cohesiveness) to a few girls holding microphones (which led to fighting and "hogging" of the microphone) to a single stand microphone placed as far away from the girls as possible!

The night of the show, the stage hands set out 4 stand microphones -- for 7 girls.  Without a leader backstage to place the girls strategically, mayhem ensued ...
OK --  so she LOOKS cute ... but lookout for those pink shoes
Ummmm ... possibly some microphone "hogging"
"I just can't take it anymore"
"Seriously ... back away from the microphone ..."
Let's just get off the stage ....
Here is the video of their performance which pretty much speaks for itself ...  please vote for us if we end up on America's Funniest Home Videos:




One friend feared that Olivia would be grounded until High School for her lovely performance (actually she spent the night at a friend's house so that I wouldn't kill her as her punishment was being contemplated), others suggested sending the video to The Ellen Show, while most saw the humor in the situation.   My friend, Elise, has gone above and beyond offering to represent Olivia in the case of Olivia v. The Tree.  Olivia's soon-to-be-hired lawyer feels that, although it appears as if Olivia is the instigator, she is really the vicitm, she backs this up with some inciteful legal acumen.  Here is an excerpt from her legal brief:
  • Exhibit 1 – The tree is clearly not in the correct spot. There is a significant spacing issue between the tree and the environmental activist to her right. Said Tree begins her performance closer to her correct positioning but as soon as lyrics start she quickly moves to the left so that she herself is directly in front of the microphone. This incorrect positioning is further supported by the adorable Tree Huggers on the far left who packed together like sardines.

    Exhibit 2 – Olivia attempts to notify said Tree of her incorrect placement but the tree is unwilling to rectify the situation. This is visible when the tree is seen pointing to the right arguing with my client. 

    Exhibit 3 – I will argue that the kicks are not true kicks but gentle reminders of the incorrect positioning outlined in exhibit 1. 

    I would also call upon the crowded secret sharing green friends to the left for testimony as they seem equally dissatisfied with the way their environmental cause is being represented. 

    Finally, I credit Olivia with standing up for herself given the injustice that was occurring – an act can be very difficult for young girls to do.

If the case is not thrown out for insufficient cause, I will let you know when the court date is set!

In the end, the diva got her flowers, thanked the little people, and will live to wreak terror on the next person (or tree) who dares to keep her from the microphone!