I can't pretend to like sports.  

Durel and I have been married almost ten years and my favorite part of football season is game day cooking courtesy of Pinterest.

So, I also can't pretend to feel a pang as Jack develops what I assume will be a life-long love of the Houston Astros.

Do I have several Baltimore Orioles t-shirts waiting in Jack's closet for him to grow into?  Yes.  That, I can do.  I can accessorize my feelings about my Maryland heritage.

*     *      *     *     *  

Durel, Uncle Dustin, and Jack went to Jack's first Astros game recently.  They had dude time and pizza.  They wore their shirts.  They took their pictures.  They bought their Legos(?).  

Quote from Jack the other day:  "I like to pull my shorts up, and they have to be above the knee."
Alllllrighty, then.

A good time was had by all.  Including the Lego company.

Hope you invest in a little kid's love of baseball today.

Talk soon,

Heather

catching our collective breath

You guys.  The past month has been totally ridonkulous.

Here are the highlights:

Durel and I went to ACL.  

We had three day passes because we are nothing if not ambitious.  We got babysitters and cash and went to HAVE SOME FUN, PEOPLE.  We drank beer, saw music, people watched, ate awesome food, slogged through mud, got tired of slogging through mud, and left early to go see a movie.  That might make us old, but it also makes us happy.  

In other news, we've decided that we are now "one day pass" people.  I think it's a sign of maturity.

Bright eyes, full hearts, can't handle that much mud.

Sawyer started sitting up.  

We had been wondering when SawDog would deign to sit up in our presence.  He seemed quite happy to roll everywhere he wanted to go.  I really think he just didn't feel like sitting up.  But then, he decided to throw us a bone in the form of a developmental milestone.  He's thoughtful like that.

This will also [drumroll] signal his transition from a Lamb to a Duck at school!  And that means that crawling and sippy cups are in our near future.  Apparently, I am in a time warp.  

How YOU doin'?

SickFest 2014 happened.

Sawyer had a yucky virus where he coughed a heartbreaking amount.

Jack had a yucky virus where he projectile vomited everywhere.

Sometimes motherhood is harder than law school.

Soccer stars emerged.

Last weekend, at Jack's soccer game, he and his teammates lined up, three kids across, to protect their goal from the oncoming opposing team.

I almost fainted.

They've learned how to play soccer, people.  And they are FOUR YEARS OLD.  And, they're damn cute.

Though they are really in it for the snacks.

Here's hoping you get a snack today.

Talk soon,

Heather

quakers

Jack's Pop (my dad) went to Penn.

To be clear, he went to the University of Pennsylvania, which is an Ivy League university located in Philadelphia.  Without any judgment whatsoever, it is not Penn State.  (How's that, Brynn?)

My dad is also a die-hard college basketball fan.  To Penn's credit, they have the coolest basketball arena in the country.  It's The Palestra, and is the oldest basketball stadium in continuous use in the United States.  It opened in 1927, and is still used by Penn and the rest of the Big Five today.

Image credit.  
I didn't realize it is also referred to as the Cathedral of College Basketball.  Nice.

My dad and I used to go to Philly to see Penn games together.  Afterward, we would go out to dinner, usually somewhere on South Street.  Those evenings are some of my fondest memories.  Quality time spent hanging out with my dad, seeing his pride for his alma mater, and learning about basketball from him.  Good stuff, indeed.

Penn's basketball program is, well, filled with spirit if not with success.  Penn's last trip to the Final Four was in 1979.  

But, as we know, true fans never give up.  And Pop knows that.  And so does the next generation.

Hope you don't give up on anything today.

Talk soon,
Heather