May-d in Grants Pass

I'm seriously behind! So much has been going on this month! Here goes...

 

 

Jared got his first hit in the minors! A single!  Hit it to the beginning of the outfield! (Usually he gets on base by being walked or beaned with the ball) .  He got the game ball that day! And I got to be there!!We thought we'd signed him up for coach pitch. Get to his first practice, he is literally half the size of most of his teammates. Malia mentions that a few of the boys on his team are in her school class...(4th graders)... Hmmm...4 practices later and after getting his uniform we discover, he is in fact in the minors, kids pitch. Gulp. He loves it. The coaches have dubbed him, "Big Foot", or sometimes, "Wheels". His teammates and coaches are really good to him. He has improved so much!! Go Orioles!! :)  

Jared really made my day with this!

 

       The helping with homework surprises me. Some days it is like pulling teeth, especailly getting him to read aloud to me from the paper books his teacher sends home. I often want to bang my head against a wall repeatedly afterward. (Apparently that kind of crazy behavior he finds hilarious...I blame my Samoan genes and growing up in LA ;) ).Yeah, I'm kind of a work in progress

 

       Malia saw these roses when we were at Safeway. She really wanted to buy them. I remember a friend of ours having handed out roses to women.   She and her kids loved brightening someone's day. We weren't sure what to do for our moms for Mother's Day, so we spent the weekend delivering roses to some special women in our lives (couldn't get to them all), in honor of our moms. The kids really enjoyed it. We love you Mom, and Mom Hatt!! We can't thank you enough for the positive influence you have been and are to us, and those around you! XOXO!!





Wow! Derek is almost  done with preschool! The kiddos all wanted to huddle up under our "April showers, brings May flowers" umbrella. Too cute.

 

 

Boatnik Parade today. Makayla marched with the 7th and 8th grade band this year.  Where's Makayla? She's right in front of the sousaphone towards the center of the picture, behind a flute. Can you see her?  (You'll probably need to click on the picture to enlarge it).

Thirteen on Wednesday... Sniff, sniff... 

Holy Snikes Batman, they made out with ridiculous amounts of candy. They agreed that Daddy picked a good spot this year. They were very sweet about sharing candy with others who didn't get as much as they did.

 

Sigh. Wednesday the phone rings. Private caller on the caller idea. I answer it. It's 9-1-1 dispatch. Is this repeats our address and phone number? Yes. Suzanne? Yes? Did we place a hang up call? Makayla, Malia and Jared are gone (and would not have done so). I didn't. I look at Derek. Sigh. I think I know who did. My 4 year old. I ask Derek if he dialed 9-1-1. Yes, you told me I couldn't watch Monsters, Inc, so I called 9-1-1. I explain to the dispatcher and add that the other day at the store he stopped by a payphone and says he's going to call 9-1-1. No, I told him. We don't need to call 9-1-1. We don't have an emergency. I apologize to the dispatcher. She confirms that everything is okay. We hang up. Derek,  we only call 9-1-1 if there is a fire, if someone is in our house that should not be, if  someone is really hurt and we need their help to cure them, ok? Ok. A few minutes later, doorbell rings. A police officer is at our door. Similar conversation occurs. Takes my name, birthdate. Listen to your mom, ok? No more calling 9-1-1 unless there is an emergency. You can get in trouble. Derek has the hugest grin on his face and is bouncing around like crazy. Ok. Officer leaves. All this after our levy for more funding for more beds in our prison and deputies (among other things) does not pass. Sigh...

 

Two years ago, while Jason is working on baseboards in our bedroom, he goes wandering around the neighborhood looking for me, and a police officer escorts him home. Last year, he pulled the fire alarm creating a fire drill at Lincoln. This year he prank calls 9-1-1.  What'll it be next year? Actually, I take that back, I don't want to know....

 

Last week Makayla invited 7 of her friends to the mall to celebrate her birthday. (It didn't do any good trying to repeatedly explain prior to the day that I had enough seat belts for 5 of her friends and the two of us...) She had a blast. Spent way too much of her hard earned money (and a little of ours, since it was in lieu of throwing a party we gave each of the girls some lunch money), she got some pretty cute stuff, and made lots of memories. I got to be the invisible chaperone/chauffer.  She very clearly explained that I was not to follow them around, just stay in the building. Ha, ha. That was fine with me. I forgot to take pictures.  (I'll post pictures of her purchases, etc. later).  After 5 hours in the mall, the girls were finally ready/needing to leave. I joke that Jason's pragmatism have rubbed off on me. There was a time when it wouldn't have felt as long as it did last week! :) When they excitedly showed me their treasures and went on about all of the fun they had, I felt it was worth it. 

 

Malia, Jared and Derek have been telling me who they want to take to the mall for their birthdays!



 

Yes, we have May-d some memories here in Grants Pass this month, and then some. Life is good. :)