Baseballl Opening Day 2017

Here goes nothing!  All three are playing baseball this season!  Let's go Dragons!

Blastball!

With all the rain we have been getting, the Spring baseball season has seemed to drag on forever.  Reed's coach gave out trophies and congratulated the team on a great season of fun.  Reed was really excited and proud!

What happens when you are really excited?  You roll around in the grass with your brother.  Then you roll in dog poop.  

Come on!  We are out of here!

Pro

Been here.  Done this.  The Blastball game is over, and Reed knows what to do.  He lines up and puts his hand out.  The Coach attempts to tell the other kids to line up and put their right hand out, and then he finally tells them to follow Reed's lead.  

Reed is professional grade.  Time to league up!  

Play Blastball

Reed was all business this morning at blastball.  It was the first time to meet his coach and teammates, but he quickly let them know he knew what to do.  Coach told him that he could go first to show everyone how it is done, and he did just that.  He creamed the ball and ran through first base, skipping the unnecessary first base honking.

When it was his turn to field the ball, he was baseball ready.  The stopped the ball hit by the first kid and looked for a first baseman to through it to.  Of course, no one plays the bases in blastball, so he ran to first.  He beat the kid to the base, so he wanted the kid out.

He had a great morning, but he was confused when coach said he wasn't going to give out a game ball.  Reed had to ask the coach twice just to make sure. 

Blastball

Reed loves blastball!  

He has been wanting to get the game ball for weeks, and today was his turn.  He was very proud and eager to show off his prize.  

Reed's Blastball Season Ends

Today was Reed's last day of blastball.  He has loved every Saturday, and it has been awesome to watch his excitement.  He loves the wearing the uniform, talking about baseball, practicing baseball, and anything else baseball related.  John Chris has done a great job at coaching this team of misfits, and they all have had a blast this season.  Reed was thrilled to get his very own trophy.

Official team photo

Reed's first official baseball picture

Reed and his favorite Coach

What a day of fun!

We started the day with a little blastball.  Reed's team cracks me up, because they still all run after the ball.  Instead of being a team, they race each other to the ball.  Today it was a team pile up.  

Ryland played in the foam pit at Brady's birthday party.  It started out fun, but then became a nasty mess of mud foam.  All the kiddos had to be hosed down before enjoying some baseball themed grub. 

We finished the afternoon playing at home.  Reed had some "headless" fun with the Lego men, which freaked me out a bit, but I was pleased to see a little OCD trait.  

The boys played a little rough house while Ridley grinned with delight that she could see them all.   She was playing, too!  

Play Ball

Reed loves to play ball, and he is so excited for Saturdays.  He is really interested in baseball, and he pays attention to the game.  He gets "baseball ready" when he is in the field.  

One lucky player gets a game ball after each game, and it was Reed's lucky day.  He played very well and stayed engaged always learning new skills and having fun.

Blastball

Today couldn't have come soon enough!  It was finally time for Reed to enjoy playing ball.  He has been so excited this week, and it was obvious that he was having the best time.  He ran the bases like a man on a mission for home plate.

Part of the Dragon Green Team

Walker, Nash, Travis, Reed, and Luke

"Baseball ready" 

Reed's first chance to bat off the tee. 

Season Ends

Ryland had a wonderful blastball season, and he is sad that it is over already.  He has really looked forward to playing ball with his buddies on Saturday mornings.  After the last game, the players received a fancy trophy from their coach.  Ryland was so proud and beamed with pure joy.

 

Only 2 minutes after we walked in the house, Ryland dropped his prized trophy.  Needless to say we had to get the super glue out to fix the poor thing.

Blastball Saturday

We enjoyed another beautiful morning at the ballpark.  Ryland had a blast playing blastball with his buddies and playing in the dugout. 

 

 

Reed liked playing with the siblings.  I caught him checking out Jewel while having a snack.

 

When she came over to him, he looked away.  He was totally playing hard to get like he was too cool.  Well, I hate to tell you Reed, but she was after your snacks.  I love these fun little personalities.

 

 

Finally...

Blastball has been a sore subject at home the past few weeks.  Ryland played one Saturday about a month ago, and he has been asking everyday since if it was time to go play again.  He didn't have a game for two weeks for Spring Break and one week it was raining. 

We finally had a beautiful Saturday morning, and he was ready.  It was obvious when he walked out to the mound, glove on, and turned to see when the other team was coming out to bat.  Finally, he gets to play ball.

Blastball

Ryland started his second season of blastball today.  He is on a completely new team but with several of his play group buddies.  It is amazing how much difference a year can make, because he was pumped and ready to go this year.  He wasn't hesitant or shy about a thing.  He wanted his baseball shirt and hat, so he could get after it. 

 

 

Reed had to get in on the action too, so he ran a few bases with John Chris.  I can't wait to see him play next year.

 

 

Blastball party

We officially wrapped up Ryland's Blastball season today with a party and a trophy.  He was so excited and thrilled to get a star trophy.  Coach Dan was awesome, and Ryland had a blast.  He insisted that he wear the complete uniform to the party. 

 After receiving their trophies, Ryland, Keegan, and Charlie thought it would be most fun to bury them in the nearby dirt.



The snacks were yummy!  Baseball shaped PB&J sandwiches, cupcakes, and cheese puffs.  Awesome!



Us parents saw this coming.  When you put a bunch of boys near a ditch, they will play in it.  The boys all took the opportunity to roll down the hill into the ditch.  Good times!

More blastball

This is the last Saturday of Blastball games.  It is pretty sad, because Ryland absolutely loves it.  I am amazed at how much he changed in just the 8 weeks.  At the first team meeting, he wouldn't even participate.  He cried and threw a fit, and John Chris and I wondered if he was ready for team sports.  Here we are at the last game, and he is having a blast and being his silly self!

Blastball 2012

Ryland's Blastball team photo

As you can tell, they are a very serious team.  I love looking at the different expressions on each little guy.  It cracks me up.  It is amazing that this picture even exists, because it was a tough morning of herding these guys to one spot at the same time.

Our boy, Ryland, loves baseball.  He looks forward to every Saturday, so he can head to the ballpark.  He calls his teammates his baseball mans.  I am very happy that the experience has been awesome.  I will say that his grip needs a little work.  :)

Blastball

Today was the official start of Blastball for Ryland. He looked so cute and sporty in his uniform complete with cleats, bat, and glove. He was very excited to hit the ball but told us he didn't need his glove. He was going to just bat.

All the boys line up a little behind the pitchers' mound and wait for the ball to be hit. Once the ball is hit past the fair line which is about 5 feet from home plate, the boys chase it down. Whoever grabs the ball first, holds it in the air and screams BLASTBALL!

After everyone gets a turn, the teams switch places. The boys take turns batting off the tee. If they hit it past the fair line, they run to first base. The base makes a honking noise when the kids jump on it. They then continue to run around the bases.

Ryland had a blast. He actually loved chasing after the ball and using his glove. He is looking forward to next weekend to play more Blastball.