Onto the Championship

Last night, in an extra innings nail-biter, Ryker's baseball team won their semi-final game.

They only had eight players, which has been a theme of this year's team.

*When you only have eight players, you're obviously missing a fielder AND you have to take an automatic out every time the 9th hitter would be batting.

I'm so proud of this team.

And #8 is my favorite.

He's played a solid first base this year.

He is a PATIENT (almost too patient) batter.

He makes me crazy, but I sure love him!

Watching Burke coach these boys (so many of whom we've been on other teams with) is a joy for me.

He is good with the boys and they really look up to him.

Last night, he didn't get to the game until after 8:00 because he was stuck at work.

I had his bags of seeds and a drink ready for him!

Love these boys!
They play in the championship tomorrow night!

 

2026 Family Pictures

I'm completely, totally, infinitely obsessed with these humans.

Our family continues to grow and change and it's really something to behold.

Kaydon moves to the Dominican Republic in just under two weeks.

I needed to get these done before that day... when our family will change again.

Diana has a little nugget growing in her belly.

That little guy will be in our pictures next year!

Next year...

Oh, next year Cooper is graduating.

Aria will be NINE.

Kaydon will be married with a son.

And we'll just keep growing!

 

Father's Day Weekend

This weekend was BUSY.

Gigi is exhausted.

Gigiing is a full-on workout, Friends.

Saturday, Jackson and Isis celebrated their four-year anniversary.

They brought the girls to me at 3:30.

These girls are smart, feisty, sassy, funny, and BUSY.

Add to that three very independent and stubborn (in all good ways), it's a lot of work to keep these girls alive and happy!

Kaya is a good helper, though.

Uncle Kaydon spent time with them.

He's only here for a couple more weeks.

I feel like he's trying to soak it all in.

They built a train set and the girls loved it.

They colored until they attempted to color on Gigi's couch.

That ended that activity.

Papa got home from work and took over.

Thank the Lord for him!

After they left, Syracuse City let off fireworks for Heritage Days.

They do an amazing show.

It's at the end of our street.

So, Burke lit the tiki torches and we cuddled on the patio furniture to watch the show.

Sunday, everyone came over to celebrate Father's Day.

The babies LOVE that the big pool is up.

They swam and swam.

(in floaties and more floaties)

I set up this little plastic thing that was advertised as a sandbox.

Papa bought a better sandbox, though.

So I set this up and put water in it just in case the little ones decided they just wanted to wade in the pool.

It was perfect and the water was so warm!

Celebrating Burke is easy.

He's the best.

The favorite.

The dad.

The papa.

The fixer.

The doer.

I feel unbelievably blessed.

 

Backyard Update

There is constantly someone working on the backyard.

Earlier in the week, I moved dirt to start filling holes in the lawn.

The patio furntire arrived.

Porter, Kaydon, and Burke got it all put together on our beautiful new brick patio.

Burke, Ryker, and Kaydon leveled part of the area around the pool, made a smaller brick patio, moved some gravel, and it's beautiful.

The entire space around the pool will be done with gravel.

Yesterday, we had Hudson for a couple hours.

Hudson was all about getting in the pool.

Gigi and Papa got in and he LOVED it.

Afterwards, Papa went and sat on the furniture to "relax."

Hudson imitated every little movement Papa did (per usual).

It was SO funny.

Later in the day, Cooper and his friends came home and swam and swam.

Little Caesers filled their bellies.

Later, they had a fire.

The yard is getting there!

I am endlessly grateful!