My Birthday

It started out like any other day; got up, got ready, got the boys ready, dropped The Lime off at school and then I had nothing to do until 12:00 (nap time for Doodlebug).  So, my partner in crime and I went to Deseret Industries and walked around for 2 hours!!!!  I made sure the iTouch was charged, he watched it peacefully in the cart (yup, I let him watch it for most of that time to ensure I had a quiet shopping experience), and I browsed the entire store.

I thought I found a cute top and pair of shorts but the top was too small and the shorts too big.  Then I had another top in my cart that I decided to put back.  I didn't end up buying anything but just being able to look around for that long was a treat in and of itself.

On the way home, we stopped at Nordstrom Rack and Marshalls for more browsing. 

I didn't feel like making lunch so we snuck through the drive-thru and got my guilty pleasure Original Chicken Sandwich & onion rings from Burger King.  Doodlebug and I shared a sandwich since I knew we'd be going out to dinner, too.

Doodlebug went down for a nap and I got to work making my cake.  It's been an annual tradition to have a rainbow chip or Funfetti birthday cake, and Raleys offers you a free cake mix for your birthday, so Funfetti it was.  My original idea was for more of a rainbow look but it ended up more unicorn.  Oh well, it tasted good.

Before I knew it, it was time to get The Lime from school. Shortly after, my friend, Selena, and her kids stopped by to sing to me and shower me with gifts and cards. One of the boys made me three cards, bless his heart. She warned me that if I didn't like my present, I could return it and her feelings wouldn't be hurt. As soon as I opened it, I wrote her a note and told her she was on crack for even thinking I might want to return it! It's so darling.

LaVor was able to come home early from work and we headed to Spaghetti Factory for dinner. We used to eat there all the time when we were dating but have only been 3 times since we moved 4 years ago (and it's so close!). Everyone enjoyed it, it hit the spot, AND we got to sit in the trolley! So fun.

We came back home, opened presents, sang "Happy Birthday" and dug into the unicorn cake.

It was a sweet day and the next year looks to be promising, too.

"The War Goes On"

The April issue of The Ensign has been published and I especially enjoyed the article titled "The War Goes On."

It pointed out a lot of things I had never really thought about yet they make so much sense. I thought the easiest way to do this would be to copy the article and add my thoughts along the way.

"Anyone who follows international news will agree that we live in a time of 'wars and rumors of wars' (D&C 45:26). Fortunately, everyone on earth is a war veteran. We have been battling the hosts of evil in an ongoing war that began in the premortal sphere before we were born.

Because we had not yet received physical bodies, we fought the War in Heaven without swords, guns, or bombs. But the fighting was just as intense as any modern war, and there were billions of casualties.

The premortal war was fought with words, ideas, debate, and persuasion (see Revelation 12:7–9, 11). Satan’s strategy was to frighten people. He knew that fear is the best way to destroy faith (so much fear about EVERYTHING nowadays). He may have used arguments like these: “It’s too hard.” “It’s impossible to make it back clean.” “There’s too much risk.” “How do you know you can trust Jesus Christ?” He was very jealous of the Savior.

Thankfully, God’s plan triumphed over Satan’s lies. God’s plan involved moral agency for mankind and a great sacrifice. Jehovah, known to us as Jesus Christ, volunteered to be that sacrifice—to suffer for all our sins. He was willing to lay down His life for His brothers and sisters so that those who repented could come back clean and eventually become like their Heavenly Father. (See Moses 4:1–4; Abraham 3:27.)

The other advantage that helped Jehovah win the hearts of God’s children was the powerful testimonies borne by His supporters, led by Michael, the archangel (see Revelation 12:7, 11; D&C 107:54). In premortality, Adam was called Michael, and Satan was called Lucifer, which means the “lightbearer (I had no clue!)."  That may seem like a strange name for the prince of darkness (see Moses 7:26), but the scriptures teach that Satan was “an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God” before he fell (see D&C 76:25–28).

How could a spirit with so much knowledge and experience fall so far? It was because of his pride (In my opinion, pride is the source of most of the contentions of the world.) . Lucifer rebelled against our Father in Heaven because he wanted God’s kingdom for himself.

In his classic talk “Beware of Pride,” President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught that Lucifer “wished to be honored above all others” and that “his prideful desire was to dethrone God.”  You have heard too that Satan wanted to destroy man’s agency, but that was not the only reason he fell out of favor. He was cast out of heaven for rebellion against the Father and the Son (see D&C 76:25; Moses 4:3).

Why did you and I fight against the devil? We fought out of loyalty. We loved and supported our Father in Heaven. We wanted to become like Him. Lucifer had a different goal. He wanted to replace the Father (see Isaiah 14:12–14; 2 Nephi 24:12–14). Imagine how Satan’s betrayal hurt our Heavenly Parents (I believe that Heavenly Father loves Satan, just as a parent on earth loves their child despite the choices they make.  But that doesn't mean they condone those choices!). In the scriptures, we read that “the heavens wept over him” (D&C 76:26).

After a heated campaign, Michael and his armies prevailed. Two-thirds of the heavenly hosts chose to follow the Father (see D&C 29:36). Satan and his followers were cast out of heaven, but they were not sent immediately to outer darkness. First, they were sent to this earth (see Revelation 12:7–9), where Jesus Christ was to be born and where His atoning sacrifice would be carried out.

Why were Satan’s hosts allowed to come to earth? They came to provide opposition for those who are being tested here (see 2 Nephi 2:11). Will they eventually be cast into outer darkness? Yes. After the Millennium, Satan and his hosts will be cast out forever.

Satan knows that his days are numbered. At the Second Coming of Jesus, Satan and his angels will be bound for 1,000 years (see Revelation 20:1–3; 1 Nephi 22:26; D&C 101:28). As that deadline approaches, the forces of evil are fighting desperately to capture as many souls as they can (makes sense as to why things are the way they are.).

John the Revelator was shown the War in Heaven as part of a grand vision. He was shown how Satan was cast down to earth to tempt mankind. This was John’s reaction: “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

So how does Satan spend his days, knowing he has no time to lose? The Apostle Peter wrote that “the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

What motivates Satan? He will never have a body, he will never have a wife or a family, and he will never have a fulness of joy, so he wants to make all men and women “miserable like unto himself (If you think about it, how many "sins" involve the body?  It's because Satan doesn't have one but wants us to harm ours.)” (2 Nephi 2:27).

The devil targets all men, but especially those who have the most potential for eternal happiness. He is clearly jealous of anyone who is on the pathway to exaltation. The scriptures teach that Satan “maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about” (D&C 76:29).

The war that began in heaven continues to this day. In fact, the battle is heating up as the Saints prepare for the return of the Savior.

President Brigham Young (1801–77) prophesied “that the Church would spread, prosper, grow and extend, and that in proportion to the spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, so would the power of Satan rise.”

I think all of us would agree that this prophecy is being fulfilled as we watch evil infiltrate the societies of the world. President Young taught that we need to study the enemy’s tactics in order to defeat him. I share four of Satan’s proven strategies and some ideas on how to resist them.

Satan’s Strategies
1. Temptation. The devil is brazen when it comes to putting wicked ideas into our minds. The Book of Mormon teaches that Satan whispers unclean and unkind thoughts and sows thoughts of doubt. He nags us to act on addictive urges and to entertain selfishness and greed. He doesn’t want us to recognize where these ideas are coming from, so he whispers, “I am no devil, for there is none” (2 Nephi 28:22).

How can we resist this direct temptation? One of the most effective tools is to simply send Satan away. That’s what Jesus would do.

The New Testament account of the Savior on the mount of temptations is instructive. After each temptation the devil presented to Him, Jesus used a two-step defensive technique: first, He ordered Satan to leave; then He quoted scripture.

Let me give you an example: “Get thee hence, Satan,” commanded Jesus, “for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). The next verse records, “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him” (Matthew 4:11). The Savior’s defense was very effective!

The biography of President Heber J. Grant (1856–1945) gives insight into how President Grant, as a young man, resisted the devil. When President Grant recognized that Satan was whispering to him, trying to plant doubts in his heart, he simply said out loud, “Mr. Devil, shut up (love this!).”

You have the right to tell Satan to leave when you are confronted with temptation. The scriptures teach, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

The other part of the Savior’s defense was to quote scripture. There is great power in memorizing scripture, as Jesus did. Scriptural verses can become an arsenal of spiritual ammunition.
When you are tempted, you can recite commandments such as “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy,” “Love your enemies,” or “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly” (Exodus 20:8; Luke 6:27; D&C 121:45). Scripture power not only intimidates Satan, but it also brings the Spirit into your heart, reassures you, and fortifies you against temptation.

2. Lies and deception. The scriptures reveal that Satan is “the father of lies” (2 Nephi 9:9). Don’t believe him when he whispers messages such as “You never do anything right,” “You are too sinful to be forgiven,” “You will never change,” “No one cares about you,” and “You have no talents.”
Another of his oft-used lies is the following: “You need to try everything at least once—just to gain experience. One time won’t hurt you.” The dirty little secret that he doesn’t want you to know is that sin is addictive.

Another effective lie that Satan will try on you is this: “Everyone else is doing it. It’s OK.” It’s not OK! So tell the devil that you don’t want to go to the telestial kingdom—even if everyone else is going there. (I have notes in my scriptures from a fireside I attended as a youth.  It says: O.N.E. - Once won't hurt, Nobody will know, Everybody's doing it.)

Although Satan will lie to you, you can count on the Spirit to tell you the truth. That’s why the gift of the Holy Ghost is so essential.

The devil has been called “the great deceiver.”  He attempts to counterfeit every true principle the Lord presents.

Remember, counterfeits are not the same as opposites. The opposite of white is black, but a counterfeit for white might be off-white or gray. Counterfeits bear a resemblance to the real thing in order to deceive unsuspecting people. They are a twisted version of something good, and just like counterfeit money, they are worthless. Let me illustrate.

One of Satan’s counterfeits for faith is superstition. His counterfeit for love is lust. He counterfeits the priesthood by introducing priestcraft, and he imitates God’s miracles by means of sorcery.

Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, but same-sex marriage is only a counterfeit. It brings neither posterity nor exaltation. Although his imitations deceive many people, they are not the real thing. They cannot bring lasting happiness.

God warned us about counterfeits in the Doctrine and Covenants. He said, “That which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness” (D&C 50:23).

3. Contention. Satan is the father of contention. The Savior teaches, “He stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another” (3 Nephi 11:29).

The devil has learned from centuries of experience that where there is contention, the Spirit of the Lord will depart. Ever since he convinced Cain to kill Abel, Satan has influenced siblings to quarrel. He also stirs up problems in marriages, among ward members, and between missionary companions. He delights in seeing good people argue. He tries to start family arguments right before church on Sunday (So, we're not the only ones?!), right before family home evening on Monday night , and whenever a couple plans to attend a temple session. His timing is predictable.

When there is contention in your home or workplace, immediately stop whatever you are doing and seek to make peace. It doesn’t matter who started it.

Contention often begins with faultfinding. Joseph Smith taught that “the devil flatters us that we are very righteous, when we are feeding on the faults of others.”  When you think about it, self-righteousness is just a counterfeit for real righteousness.

Satan loves to spread contention in the Church. He specializes in pointing out the faults of Church leaders. Joseph Smith warned the Saints that the beginning step to apostasy is to lose confidence in the leaders of the Church.

Almost all anti-Mormon literature is based on lies about the character of Joseph Smith. The enemy works hard to discredit Joseph because the message of the Restoration hangs on the Prophet’s account of what happened in the Sacred Grove. The devil is working harder today than ever before to make members question their testimonies of the Restoration.

In the early days of our dispensation, many priesthood brethren, to their regret, did not stay loyal to the Prophet. One of them was Lyman E. Johnson, who was excommunicated for unrighteous conduct. He later lamented having left the Church: “I would suffer my right hand to be cut off, if I could believe it again. Then I was full of joy and gladness. My dreams were pleasant. When I awoke in the morning my spirit was cheerful. I was happy by day and by night, full of peace and joy and thanksgiving. But now it is darkness, pain, sorrow, misery in the extreme. I have never since seen a happy moment.”

Think about those words. They stand as a warning to all Church members.

I am a convert to the Church. I was baptized when I was a 23-year-old young single adult attending medical school in Arizona, USA. I know firsthand how Satan works on investigators to confuse them and discourage them when they are seeking truth.

All during my youth, I had watched the examples of Latter-day Saint friends. I was impressed with the way they conducted their lives. I made the decision to learn more about the Church, but I did not want to tell anyone I was studying Mormonism. To avoid pressure from my friends, I decided to make my search a private investigation.

This was many years before the internet, so I went to the public library. I found a copy of the Book of Mormon and a book called A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, by Elder LeGrand Richards (1886–1983) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I began to read these books with great desire, and I found them inspiring.

While my spirit was yearning to learn more, Satan began to whisper in my ear. He told me that in order to be completely objective, I needed to read what was written by the critics of the Church also. I went back to the public library and began to look around. Sure enough, I found a book that discredited the Prophet Joseph.

Reading this anti-Mormon book confused me. I lost that sweet spirit and influence that had guided my investigation (I have a hard time believing people when they said they felt the Spirit while reading anti-Mormon literature.). I became frustrated and was about to abandon my search for truth. I was praying for an answer while reading anti-Mormon literature!

To my surprise, I received a phone call from a high school friend who was attending Brigham Young University. She invited me to come visit her in Utah, promising that I would love the scenic trip. She had no idea that I was secretly studying about her Church.

I accepted her invitation. My friend suggested that we go to Salt Lake City to visit Temple Square. She was surprised by my enthusiastic response. She had no idea how interested I was to learn the truth about Joseph Smith and the Restoration.

The sister missionaries on Temple Square were very helpful. Without knowing it, they answered many of my questions. Their testimonies influenced me to “doubt [my] doubts,” and my faith began to grow. The power of a heartfelt testimony cannot be overestimated.

My friend also shared her testimony with me and invited me to pray and ask God if the Church was true. On the long drive back to Arizona, I began to pray with faith—for the first time “with a sincere heart, with real intent” (Moroni 10:4). At some point on that trip, it seemed that my whole car lit up with light. I learned for myself that light can dispel darkness.

After I had decided to be baptized, the devil put up a final struggle (I have never felt Satan work so strongly on me as I did the night before I took out my endowments.). He worked on my family, who did everything in their power to discourage me, and they refused to attend my baptism.

I was baptized anyway, and gradually their hearts were softened. They began to help me research my family history. A few years later, I baptized my younger brother. The friend who invited me to visit her in Utah is now my wife.

4. Discouragement. Satan effectively uses this tool on the most faithful Saints when all else fails (I see it everywhere!  Women aren't good enough mothers, husbands don't bring home enough money, children didn't make the basketball team, etc.). For me, when I begin to feel discouraged, it helps me just to recognize who is trying to get me down. This makes me mad enough to cheer up—just to spite the devil.

Several years ago, President Benson gave a talk called “Do Not Despair.” In that insightful talk, he warned, “Satan is increasingly striving to overcome the Saints with despair, discouragement, despondency, and depression.”  President Benson urged Church members to be on guard, and he gave 12 realistic suggestions for fighting discouragement.

His suggestions include serving others; working hard and avoiding idleness; practicing good health habits, which include exercising and eating foods in their natural state; seeking a priesthood blessing; listening to inspiring music; counting your blessings; and setting goals. And above all, as the scriptures teach, we are to pray always so we can conquer Satan (see D&C 10:5).

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.

It is important to know that there are limits to the power of evil. The Godhead sets those limits, and Satan is not allowed to cross them. For example, the scriptures assure us that “power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children” (D&C 29:47).

Another significant limitation is that Satan does not know our thoughts unless we tell him (didn't know this!). The Lord explained, “There is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart” (D&C 6:16).

Perhaps this is why the Lord has given us commandments such as “Do not murmur” (D&C 9:6) and “Thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbor” (D&C 42:27). If you can learn to bridle your tongue (see James 1:26), you won’t end up giving too much information to the devil. When he hears murmuring, complaining, and criticizing, he takes careful notes. Your negative words expose your weaknesses to the enemy.

I have good news for you. The armies of God are larger than the armies of Lucifer. You may look around and think to yourself, “The world is becoming more and more wicked. Satan must be winning the war.” Don’t be fooled. The truth is, we outnumber the enemy. Remember, two-thirds of God’s children chose the Father’s plan.

Brothers and sisters, make sure you are fighting on the Lord’s side. Make sure you are carrying the sword of the Spirit.

It is my prayer that at the end of your lives, you can say with the Apostle Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7)."

Opening Day & First 2 Games

We look forward to Opening Day for little league because then it means we can start playing games. We don't actually look forward to the actual Opening Day because it's chaos.

I believe I heard there were roughly 60 teams this year, with at least 10 players per team. That's over 600 players plus their families (granted, there are a lot of families that have more than one child playing). Nevertheless, we're grateful we live within walking distance of the fields and can come and go as we please without fighting the horrendous crowds and traffic.

We did manage to get a spot right against the field so I could capture a few shots of The Lime and his team, the Burlington Bees.

While we waited for the teams to line up, I made small talk with the kids on the other side of the fence (and LaVor made fun of me the whole time...even nicknamed me "The Crazy Lady") and we ate oranges.

They announced all the teams, the members of the board, and acknowledged the champions from last year. Before we knew it, "Opening Day" was over and we had the rest of the day to ourselves.

Last week, The Lime had his first two games AND he got to be catcher during both games! He loves playing this position and I think it set the bar for his confidence this season.

His little friend Cohen was batting.

At Saturday's game, I overheard a mom say, "Wow! That kid looks like a real catcher! He doesn't even have knee savers on!" I hope the coach continues to work with The Lime and allows him to play catcher throughout the season.

It's been a blast watching The Lime play. This year is polar opposite of last, where I had to beg him to get ready for practice and games. It's quite enjoyable to watch when he's having so much fun out there.

When he's bored, he chews on his glove

Meanwhile, while he's playing, Doodlebug is zipping along on his scooter, making new friends, or petting dogs. LaVor snacks in the bleachers :)

We're all having a blast at the ole' ball game!

Fun Run

The Lime stayed home yesterday with bad allergies (although we originally thought it was a cold) but was determined to go back to school today for their Fun Run.

He was able to gather $160 worth of donations from family that earned his class a wacky hair and pajama day. The Lime didn't participate in either one :P

The staff from Apex got the students pumped up and ready to run. The Lime said he especially liked the girl with the microphone.

Doodlebug and I found a spot in the center of the field and were ready to snap photos of the kids (I'm one of the photographer parents for The Lime's class).

The race started and the kids were off in full force!

The Lime started coughing so I encouraged him to walk, since this wasn't necessarily a race. But he wanted to keep up with his friends so he kept on going.

There was a break in the rain and it actually ended up being pretty warm. So warm that the water intended for drinking was used for pouring on heads instead.

Several kids were able to run over 30 laps and The Lime finished 26 (or was it 29?). At the end of the event, one of the teachers got to pie the principal. That was probably the highlight of the whole day!

I was glad The Lime felt well enough to participate and that he received such great support from our family. I'd call the event a success!

Birthday Time!

I heard the shower turn on this morning and realized it was a new day...LaVor's birthday to be exact!

He kissed me goodbye, I wished him a happy birthday, and that's when it all started on my end. 

After Doodlebug and I dropped The Lime off at school, we went to our baby-sitting gig and then straight to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for the cake.  Then we swung by Leatherby's to grab some Toasted Almond ice cream, since you can't find the darn flavor in grocery stores.  Lastly, we grabbed a handful of balloons at the Dollar Store before heading home. 

I put Doodlebug down for a nap and went to work.  Cakes went in the oven, coconut pecan frosting was made on the stove, and I whipped the buttercream up with my mixer.  I normally make a small sign and put it on the table.  But The Lime got a large roll of paper for Christmas, and it still hasn't been used, so I made an extra large sign for our main man.  I wrapped the presents, grabbed the cards from my drawer, and we were ready to celebrate!

As soon as LaVor walked through the door, we all shouted, "Happy Birthday!" Even little Doodlebug, who is improving his words each day, managed to say it.

LaVor got to choose where we went to dinner and we were thrilled when we pulled into In N Out's parking lot!

When we got home, LaVor Skyped with his parents while he opened their card and gift; another gift card to Men's Wearhouse so he can buy a new pair of slacks.

Then we lit some candles, sang "Happy Birthday", and dug into the delicious cake.

LaVor opened our gifts (a Yeti rambler and new church shirt to go with his new slacks) next.

And then it was time for bed. Because that's what happens when you're 2 years shy of turning 40 :)

We loved celebrating our special guy and are grateful for every second we get to be around him. Since today was the last day of the month and things get crazy at work, he decided to take Friday off instead. We are anxiously awaiting to spend an entire day with him!

A Long Time Coming

Since, eh, December I've been wanting to go to San Francisco.  Since The Lime just started baseball, and our Saturdays are now booked until June, we thought this weekend would be the perfect time to go. 

We didn't necessarily rush out the door yesterday morning but we did make it to San Francisco before lunch, so I call it a success.

Our initial plan was to go to Tartine Bakery, grab some pastries, head across the street to look at some knives for LaVor, and then take our treats to Dolores Park and enjoy them while the boys played.

Here's how the plan actually turned out:

As we were crossing the second span of the Bay Bridge, The Lime exclaimed he REALLY had to go to the bathroom (he got a new water bottle and has been drinking water non-stop.  It's great for his health, bad for road trips).  I told him we weren't stopping until we got to the bakery so he'd have to hold it. 

We got off the freeway, drove through the city, and ended up in the extremely crowded Mission district.  It was a glorious day and everyone was outside enjoying the sun...and I mean everyone.  We drove around and around and around looking for a parking space while The Lime crossed his legs in the backseat.  We went this way, that way, backwards, and forwards and there was NOTHING.  I repeat NOTHING.  So after an hour, I dropped The Lime and LaVor off at the bakery to pee and told them I'd circle around to pick them up.  Another half hour later, and still no parking space, I picked them up (with treats in their hands) and we decided to forego our original plan and go straight to lunch (since it was after 1:00 by this point).

We drove to North Beach where, once again, I dropped LaVor off at the restaurant and the boys and I drove around and around looking for another stinkin' parking spot.  This time, we only had to drive for about 5 minutes before we found something.  I grabbed their scooters from the back and we raced our way to LaVor.  We had about a half hour wait so we scooted around Washington Square, admiring the grown men playing laser tag.  We saw them on the way to the restaurant from the car and they all had the same shoulder bag with a Giants logo on it.  I also noticed some sort of device strapped to the side.  When we saw them in the park, they were talking into headsets and shooting things.  The Lime thought they were "police guys" so I had to stop them and ask them what was going on.  They were an urban laser tag group and invited me to play.  I graciously declined and we all got a good laugh out of it.

Doodlebug was especially quick on his scooter as he weaved in and out of people, accidentally clobbering some guy in the ankle.  Thankfully, the man was nice and thought Doodlebug was cute.  What wasn't cute was the little stinker thinking he could take the hills and me biting my finger, hoping he wouldn't crash (he didn't).

Our table was finally ready and we ordered right away since we knew exactly what we wanted.  The Caesar salad arrived first, with three anchovies adorning the top of it.  LaVor and I teased each other about trying one and The Lime pestered me to try one.  When I offered him the same opportunity, he became SO offended that he refused to talk to us, look at us, or put a smile on his face.  Then I cut Doodlebug's extremely large slice of pizza in half and he went off the deep end.  I managed to finish one slice before we asked our waiter for boxes so we could leave.  This trip was not going as planned  :)

Since we were just down the hill from Coit Tower (and none of us have ever been), we decided to take a peek.  What darling houses along the way, I must say!  The view up there is pretty spectacular, too.

I spy with my little eye...

We had the opportunity to go to the top but the line was long and after the issues at lunch, we didn't want to risk the boys going cuckoo...again.

On our way down, LaVor took advantage of the stair railings and did a little sliding. A couple was walking in front of us and the gentleman commented (sarcastically) on what a wonderful example LaVor was being. So LaVor slid down the next railing and had The Lime do it, too.

Thinking we might be able to find a parking space in the Mission since it was later, we headed back to the knife shop before they closed at 6. This area was still packed so I dropped The Lime and LaVor off and sleeping Doodlebug and I filled the car up with gas.

The Lime REALLY wanted to go to the beach so after I picked them up, we drove up Van Ness, took a left on Geary, and drove as far as the road would take us...directly to the beach. The sun had already set but we could still see where we were going. LaVor stayed in the car with Doodlebug while The Lime and I checked out the Sutro Baths. Good golly, we wished we could have seen what it was like during its heyday.

I asked The Lime if he wanted to go down to the beach and he did. So we pretty much felt our way and enjoyed the sound of the ocean since we couldn't see it very well.

The lack of light didn't stop him from having fun. I'm glad we made the effort to stop, even though it was dark, because it made The Lime so happy.

Rather than driving all the way back across the city, we took the Golden Gate bridge home. One last hooray for our day in San Francisco.

Baseball 2017

We heard from our coach last week but with the rain we've received, there's been a delay in practices. Finally, we had a break in the weather, the fields were able to dry up a bit, and The Lime was ready to play.

This is the coach's first year participating and he seems really excited about the opportunity. The coach The Lime had for the last two rounds of baseball moved up to the AA division, which we were sad about, but I think Coach Travis is going to be super. He's a firefighter in Redwood City and recruited his dad to help him out. So far, so good.

The Lime is excited to be one of the older/more experienced players on his team. Two boys from his t-ball team are playing with him again and a friend from his class at school. It's always nice to see some familiar faces!

Since it was their first practice, they reviewed the basics of throwing, catching, and hitting. The Lime jumped with eagerness as they moved onto the next exercise.

His favorite place to be...the outfield  :)

LaVor was thrilled with everything in this picture

While The Lime practiced, Doodlebug whipped around on his scooter and begged to pet every dog that walked by. He's such a riot.

He does this thing where he keeps his head down but looks up with his eyes. It's creepy but hilarious all at once. Here he was, snacking on Goldfish while giving me "the look", except this is a toned down version.

This is going to be a great season and we can't wait to get things rolling! Play ball!