LAKE DAY WITH FRIENDS!

 Ridge invited the boys to go to the lake for the day! They had the best time riding in the boat, snacking, riding tubes, cliff jumping, etc! So grateful for this friend group! 

JV BASEBALL - FRESHMAN YEAR!

February 9: They do tryouts differently at ALAQC then any other place. Instead of just posting the numbers on a door or a website...they called each boy in individually and told him if they made it or not. Jared and I showed up early and sat in the stands. We didn't want him getting cut and possibly crying in front of the boys so we wanted to be there to scoop him up and take him home. Each time a new boy would get called back back we would get nauseous, our hearts would break for the poor boys who got cut. FINALLY it was Eli's turn...Jared and I literally could have vomitted. We couldn't sit in the stands any longer and went and casually hung out by the doors where he would be coming out. Finally it opened and he came out. He was straight faced. We shouted his name and he just stuck his arm out and gave us a thumbs up. We made him come back to us and tell us what happened and we didn't believe him at first. We could not have been more excited for him!! We were so proud of him! He made the JV team!! Sweet Kati was calling us and so nervous with us! She even brought him a treat the next day she was so happy for him! 

March 1st: Today my heart is full as I got to watch Eli wear his high school uniform and play for the first time in a game as a high school baseball player. He was 3 for 3 for his at bats and did a decent job of pitching! First game of the season and they won 19-3! 

This JV team has been something else. They all came together and became good buddies. We spent more money in buying Eli dinners then we did in baseball fees - ha ha! After each game these boys would all get together and go eat dinner together - mostly Wendys. 

May 10th: Eli finished off his first season of baseball at ALAQC! They ended the season 9-4. Eli had 44 at bats with: 4 walks/hit by pitch, 1 strikeout and the rest were all hits! He hit in the 1, 2 or 3 position! 385 batting average, 487 slugging average! He received his scholar athlete award for a 4.0 and higher! We are so grateful for Coach Thompson and all he did for Eli! Love his new friends (Kyle and Brady especially) he made this year! 

His home game number is #12, his away game number is #6 -  ha ha! This kid changed this year...he went up to the plate so confident every time. He LOVED being apart of his school team and it showed. So proud of him and so grateful for all this team did for him this year! 

7th GRADE BASKETBALL!

The twins and their friend crew all tried out for the 7th grade basketball team. It was quite the ordeal. Me and Kati found out there was no numbers, no names, no clipboards...red flags galore!! How is this going to be a fair tryout when they don't even know who anyone is. Well ALAQC quickly learned there was a new sheriff in town and Kati and I sent letters, called and she had meetings - all we wanted was a fair tryout. 

Out of 6 of them, Tyson and Ridge were the only ones who originally made it. Tyler was put on a come back next week list and if the football players don't make it, you will. We were not happy.  Something was wrong. They ended up telling the rest of the crew to come back on Monday too. In the end...They all ended up on the team except Mikey because he didn't go back by choice. 

They had 15 players and split them up into 3 teams. Tyson was team 2 with all his friends and Tyler was team 3. Tyson started off strong but then tanked. He got in his own head and was so stressed about losing his spot on team 2 that he didn't play good. Finally with 2 games left in the season I forced him (he was PISSED) to talk to Coach. Coach had a very long talk with him and he left smiling. Coach told him things to work on and assured him that this late in the season he would not be moving teams. The last 2 games you could for sure see his confidence coming back. 

Tyler dominated on team 3. He knew he was the best one on that team and he took that confidence and ran with it! One game he made more points than anyone on his team, two 3-pointers, lay-ups, etc. He was on fire! At half time it was so awesome to see his team run up to him and pat him on the back and he walked out with his team grinning from ear to ear basically thinking his s#!t don't stink! And that game - it didn't! 

The first 2 games were magical - Tyson would take the ball, dribble it down court, pass it to Tyler and SWISH!! They were the unstoppable duo! 

One weekend Ridge and Nash decided to buzz their heads, but the twins chickened out that Saturday night...so the next day we drove out to the Halls and Adam buzzed their heads. Monday Mikey did his and then Tuesday Stockton did his. Then before we knew it - they started a trend at their school and every day a few more kids would show up with their heads buzzed - it was hilarious! 

The boys are lucky and have good grandparents willing to come out and support them and watch them. They also are surrounded by good friends always cheering them on, good friends parents that are also their biggest fans!