Batter Up!

Summer at the Simmons house means one thing....Baseball! One week I think we had practice of some kind (Rookies, Rockies, Marlins) every night but one. And while that really makes preparing my 4 course dinners somewhat difficult, it just makes sense to be busy, I just don't know any different. Now ask me in a few years as I'm driving each one of them to different ballpark locations for games and practices. I'm already dreading it from the standpoint that I hate missing any of their games. (I make Eric text me play-by-play when I can't make it. Thank goodness for technology!)

The other thing I'm dreading....washing baseball pants. It is, by far, my least favorite chore. No wait...toilets are, but scrubbing ball pants is a close second. And then the thought of "the smell". You know what I'm talking about. The "Locker Room" smell. Yep, that will be what my house smells like soon enough. The other thoughts that make me nervous: these little boys will all be BIG boys with BIG bodies here before too long, their little ball bags will be BIG ball bags, their small, scratch that, medium appetite will become an even BIGGER appetite.

But I LOVE it. I can't get enough of it. (Must be the Tomboy in me.) I love watching them play ball. I love watching Coop aka "Crusher" get so pumped for a ballgame. Now, telling him every 30 minutes how many sleeps till his next game gets old, but seeing him dressed at 6am for an 11 o'clock game is priceless. (It's also the LONGEST 5 hours of everyone's lives.) It's been a blast watching Cooper become his own little player. You can tell he's been to a few games. The other day he asked me if I'd pack him the froggtogg for his game. (Froggtogg = a shammy like towel that helps you cool down quickly) LOVE IT! :)

Now don't think Carston and Colton are getting the short end of the stick. They, as well as Cooper, are spoiled rotten at these ballgames! They have tons of buddies to play with them, when they aren't actually playing their game. They also get the benefits of swimming with the team, eating with the team, and hanging with the team. The moms load them up on candy, pop, you name it. We bring toys, we park the car in rightfield so they can watch videos, we fill the cooler, play catch, bring tents and blankets, water-misting water bottles, and their own chairs.

And while I'd LOVE to sit with the other moms and just watch the game without taking kids to the bathroom or stopping a fight because someone ate the last Twizzler, I know that the day I do get to sit, means I'm probably missing out on one of the boy's games.

It's been a good summer in the Simmons house so far. And by the looks of it, we'll have many fun summers at the ballparks ahead of us. The cooler will be stocked, the chairs packed, baseball pants washed, and sunflower seeds bought. I love this time of year. BATTER UP!