The Not So Rained Out Softball Game

I know this isn't a good picture. I took it from my phone. And seeing as I've had my phone for almost three years now, it doesn't have the latest phone technology, so we're just going to have to deal with this picture.

This was at Jared's softball game. It would have turned out better but I was sitting in the truck because it was raining. Plus, the windows were fogging up. I had to have them partly down so I could see. I wasn't about to sit with the truck running for over an hour.

I know what you're thinking, "Oh, that's why it's such a horrible picture." Yep.

If you can make it out, Jared's up to bat.

I took a chance and parked behind the field. Usually we park on the opposite end of the field, but I knew it would start raining any minute and didn't want to hike back to the truck in that, so I sat here and prayed a flying ball wouldn't hit our truck. We see that happen many times to cars who park just a few down from us.

They're game was at 9'o-clock but it didn't start until 9:35, which meant it wouldn't get over until 10:35. Way past the kids bedtime.

And mine.

Right before they're game started it started raining pretty good and was lightning. And with the wind blowing the rain around, we thought they'd cancel the game. But they didn't. So I watched the whole thing from inside here. It was cold outside, so I was a baby tonight. The kids joined me about half the time. And the other half they ran around with friends getting soaked.

It was a harder game for them. That wind made the pitching nearly impossible to throw good strikes.

Highlights of the game...

*Jim got a home run his first time up to bat. I honked the horn to cheer.

*Jared did some pitching and from what I could see, didn't have any close calls with getting smacked with the ball (Thanks goodness! That's my biggest fear!) 

*And he hit a triple his second time up to bat. First time he got walked.

*They won 15-12!

*And everyone survived the rain.

Sorry Bandit

I've been keeping a secret the last few days. I've only told Jared and T.J.. I've felt so bad about it. And if word got out to Hunter, it would break his heart. So it's a good thing he fell asleep during prayers tonight and didn't hear what Cody prayed for.

As Cody was finishing his prayers tonight, he ended with, "And please bless Bandit cause she hasn't been looking so good lately." It was a sweet prayer. And all I could do was burst out laughing.

You see, Bandit is our cat. Actually she's Hunter's cat. We've had her for about 5 years now.

And on Friday I accidentally shot her.

I know, I'm a TERRIBLE person.

I can't even post this without laughing either. What's wrong with me?!

Here's the scoop on what happened Friday morning...

After waking the boys up for school, I heard the stupid rooster outside. You know, the rooster's we've been trying to kill for a couple weeks now. The stupid things have it down to a science now when we are coming after them to shoot them. So we have to take other measures to try and trick them. This morning I was trying to be sneaky and go around the house a different way, hiding behind our lilac bushes and sneak up on him.

No I wasn't in camo. Although, maybe that would help. I should make a mental note of that for next time.

Anyhoo... So I'm sneaking around and what do I see? Bandit in our garden pooping! Oh that irritates us so much. We've had it with the cats going in there after we till up the garden to get it ready for planting. So an idea comes into my head...'Shoot just underneath Bandit to scare her away from doing this again'.

Good plan, don't ya think?!

So I get into position. My pellet guns already pumped (45 times mind you. That was going to be a powerful shot from a pellet gun.). So I aim. I had it pointed two inches below her. She had no idea what was coming. And with her holding still, it was going to be a piece of cake. So I shot. Bam! She took off and ran out of the garden and that's when I noticed it. She was LIMPING! Oh I felt HORRIBLE!!! I got her in the back left leg. I realized something, that stupid pellet gun is off. I knew it had been for a while now but I didn't think it was that bad. And I had to find out just how bad on our cat. Poor Bandit!

After running out of the garden, she stopped and turned her head to look at me with that look of shock like, "I can't believe you just shot me!" Then she turned back and limped a few more feet, then turned her head again with that same sad, pathetic, shocked face full of disappointment. Oh I felt so bad! And what makes matters even worse, she's pregnant. She continued to limp towards the pile of trees we are still cleaning up from last year. She ducked down inside and didn't come back out. I tried and tried calling her but she wanted nothing to do with me. I don't blame her. You know why?

All I could do was laugh.

And laugh.

And laugh.

It was a laugh of shock at what I'd just done, but I was still laughing. And Bandit knew it. I just shot our kitty and was laughing! How horrible is that?!

I couldn't tell the boys. Hunter wouldn't be able to go to school from being so upset by it. So I just text Jared and told him. I had to tell someone!  He texts back with a response.... "Good job. T.J. will be happy." Ya, that was comforting. Thanks Jared. He hates cats. So does T.J..

I ended up telling T.J. later that day. He was happy about it, too. But I never told Hunter or Cody.

Over the weekend, I got Bandit to come out and let me pet her. Poor thing's been limping pretty good still. But she comes out to eat and laze around in the sun. She's been a pretty tough cat, so I'm hoping she'll pull through.

Jared even prayed for her tonight as well. But I think he did that to make me feel bad. Again, I laughed through that prayer. I have a problem with laughing. I laugh even when I feel bad about something.

I ended up telling Cody why I was laughing and why Bandit didn't look so good. He had the disappointed look on his face as well and shook his head at me.

I learned my lesson...

Aim more then two inches away from a cat when you are only shooting to scare it. Or, reset the gun to aim better.

So sorry Bandit.

Tuesdays

Jared has Young Men's every Tuesday evenings. So to help me get ready for Trek, I've been trying to go to the park every Tuesday night to walk. The kids usually go with me and ride their bikes, play on the playground, or if there isn't anyone there on horses, they love to play on the rodeo grounds in the chutes.

Tonight was different though. Jared didn't have Young Men's due to the fact we have an early morning activity Saturday morning - a kick off to Trek. (And I'm talking early... we have to be to the church by 5:15 a.m. and to the temple grounds by 5:45 with all the youth.) So tonight Jared took the boys with him to lift and I went walking by myself.

I love walking and it showed tonight. I went from our house, to the park and around the trail three times, then down our road and back. A total of four and a half miles! Boo-yah! Now that's getting ready for Trek!

I love walking around here. I love that our park is two blocks away from our house. I love that the trail goes right around the rodeo grounds. I love seeing the horses being brushed down and saddled, and in the arena running. I love their smell. I love walking next to the canal full of ducks and looking across it to see fields of green grass with horses running across it. And tractors out working in the field next to them. I love the sunsets out here. These western skies have some amazing colors running through them as the sun sets behind the beautiful mountains. I love the fact that I feel safe here. It's home to me.

And I love my ipod. Listening to country music as I walk is so relaxing. There's some good songs with good beats that gets me going every time. Plus, I downloaded one of my favorite songs to listen to tonight. Eric Church's "Springsteen". Love that song! It's got a good beat to it. And I love the drums and guitars in it.

I was so excited to go that far tonight. Last week I only went three miles and my knee was feeling it. So to be able to go four and a half and not feel half as bad as last week was exciting. I topped off the night with an ab routine with the ball and weights, and then stretches. My workout lasted a total of an hour and 45 minutes. I felt so good!

(And by the next morning, it showed I'd lost a pound and a half! Guess all this extra exercise I've been doing is really paying off. )

Plowing Through Life With God's Help

I love this quote from President Monson. I needed to hear this. Life has had many struggles for me in the last few years. From financial struggles, to major medical problems with parents, and lately with Cody also, to just living in today's world and all the hardships it brings, this quote sums up the way I've looked at life lately. I can't tell you how many times I've felt that my life is slipping away from me. I've become so busy with these issues, and more, that it seems like there's never enough time for the things I need to get done for myself and our kids. And I'm talking the day to day stuff, and big goals I have for myself to hopefully help better our life. Sometimes it's all I can do to get through a day, knowing that tomorrow can bring on something better.

Life is hard right now. But I know that with my faith, my family and friends, and never giving up, I will make it through, just like others have when hard times hits for them. I think often about the saying, "Heavenly Father doesn't give you more in life then you can't handle." But sometimes I wonder where my breaking point is. That's where the faith thing comes in. And I plow ahead, unsure of what it brings.

Sometimes all the hard times in my life makes me think of the pioneers and early settlers of the 1800's. Before modern day inventions came about. When they had to plow acres and acres of farm land by pushing a plow behind a team of horses, trying to till the hard soil, just so they could eat and sell crops to provide for their family. Can you imagine? I've heard many times in Seminary and times since, that pioneers look down on us today in admiration of the hard times we face in life. But I look to them with the same feeling. They continued to "plow through" the hard soil and hard times in life just like we have to. We might not have to do it the same way physically, but mentally, spiritually and emotionally I feel a connection to them. And I'm thankful for their example of courage and never giving up. I draw a lot of strength from them.

I loved this quote from General Conference. I know it was something I needed to hear. And I love President Monson. Thank goodness Heavenly Father gives us people like him to help us through life.

Pleadge of Allegiance

Cody's 3rd grade class at school got to record the Pledge of Allegiance for KBULL 93, a local country radio station, and have it played on air this morning at 8:00 a.m.. How cute is that?! They recorded it weeks ago, and thankfully it was a day when Cody was feeling OK was able to make it to school so he got to do it with them. I almost forgot about it, but luckily found the reminder paper a couple days before hand. (The boys have been off-track for two weeks, so we got the reminder paper way in advance.)

I text family members and had them listen. And also found a tape to record it on. It was cute to listen. The radio announcers introduced the kids by mentioning how they read a combined total of over 3500 minutes a week. Then they played the Pledge of Allegiance with the kids saying, "God Bless America" afterwards. It was exciting to hear it!

Cody rewound the tape a few times to listen to it again. He was excited about it. If I can find a link to it through KBULL's website, I'll post it, but right now I can't seem to find one.

I love hearing kids say the Pledge of Allegiance. It never goes out of style!