Boys' Fall Sports

Brock and Kade have their year-round sports of swim and taekwondo respectively, but we add in the seasonal baseball and soccer too! This year we signed them both up for Fall Sports - a shorter season, but it's still a whirlwind of practice and game days! 

Kade entered the 9-10 year old league which required a skill assessment prior to a draft. Unfortunately we missed it as we were in the mountains that weekend, still Kade was placed on the Bandits team (maroon shirts). 

Playing at the new Pleasant Park field has its advantages - a turf field meant there was never any rain out days! Most games were quite sunny and I would pack my umbrella for shade from the sun!

 

Kade going up against someone from his old team, now on the opposing team!

Brock's Fall season also required a skills assessment - luckily he was able to attend and was selected for the Aqua Docs team. Brent stepped in as an assistant coach. 

Brock took a 1.5 year break from baseball as he did not play this past Spring. He was a little rusty on his game-day batting, but seemed to pick up everything else really quickly! 

I think the thing Brock loved most of all was the one on one time with his Dad. Many a night they would stay a little longer after practice and hit some balls or practice pitching. 

After a few weeks of rainy weekdays, October seemed to warm up! Even a night-time soccer game had Kade all sweaty!

Finally after several weeks of practicing for the Goalie position, Kade determined he was ready to go! He played one full quarter!

The Bandits ended up placing 8th place and were paired with the 9th place team for the end of season tournament. It was a really competitive game, unfortunately losing 1-3. Good game Bandits! (Kade is on the far right)

Brock's last game of the season was October 24th due to a rain makeup. Fortunately, the head coach was out of town for work so Brent was able to step up as Coach for that game. He was determined to win! 

Brock's at-bat was not his best that day. He got on base only due to walks. He was able to pitch two innings of that game and did a pretty good job. Alas, no pictures of him pitching. 

Brock on Third Base

Brent got his win for the Aqua Docs with a score of 22 - 3! 

Of course you can always make a game out of anything! Here's what happens when you cross baseball and soccer! 

Quick Trip to Connecticut

Early in October, Kade and I hopped a flight to JFK to go visit Aunt Beverly in Connecticut over a long weekend. Brent treated us to first class. 

We stopped in White Plains to visit Katherin - so lucky we were able to fit in a quick lunch stop with her! 

On our way in to Connecticut, we stopped at Stew Leonard's - this time spending a little time visiting the petting zoo out front!

Treated Kade to a soft serve ice cream (and a ride in the cart), which made shopping a little easier. He still wanted to press all the buttons! Picked up our rainbow bagels too!

Their pumpkin and mum outside display was gorgeous - wish we could have shopped for a pumpkin for ourselves! 

Aunt Beverly wasn't quite up for visitors just yet, so we ended up eating at Outback - Kade was very curious to see what the hubbub was all about - apparently lots of Outback commercials on YouTube. 

Kade even offered his own review of the restaurant! 

The next day, we stopped for a few things before heading up to St. Michael's. Kade picked out a halloween-themed Hello Kitty stuffy and I think it was perfect to give his sister. 

Kade had asked me about the bear we brought here last year and I responded over-confidently there was NO way it was still there. Guess what was still there when we showed up. Definitely made me tear up. We brushed off the grass clippings and overall cleaned up the area. It's a sad thing as I'm reminded how much I miss all of them, but makes my soul happy that we visit when we are there. 

We had a bit more time so stopped in to visit my Great-Aunt Bessie in the mausoleum. 

Back on the Post Road in Fairfield, I treated Kade to a Starbucks chocolate chip cookie and a Fairfield University sweatshirt. We posed for a picture with Mark Twain!

After visiting with Aunt Beverly for awhile, she wanted to nap so we took a grand tour of Fairfield - driving by my old family home where we lived from 1989 to 1992. 

Chick-Fil-A JUST arrived in Fairfield December 2023 - the town approved the fast-food restaurant, but under the agreement there would NOT be a drive-thru! 

Finally we ended up at Gould Manor Park. 

I remember playing there and I remember my mother telling us stories about her playing there and ice skating on the pond! Kade settled right in and found a group of boys to play with. 

Alas, time to eat! Picked up the pizza at Pepe's pizza at 6:15 - we were a bit early which worked out well because we got to watch them make the pizzas and send them into the wood pizza oven! Incredible how many pizzas this place churns out! 

Kade got to spend a bit of time with his third cousin. 

It was a really nice, but quick visit. The past two times we've gone up to visit have been in the summer, so it felt welcoming to be there for Fall and see the leaves just starting to turn. 

Charlotte Football Weekend with Cousins

 

This family get-together was a long time coming! Both our families were so busy during the summer the weekend we finally planned to get together, I came down with the flu and had to cancel. Rescheduled to the weekend of September 13-15 and we were honored to celebrate with Maddox's first lost tooth!!

Nancy and Brian had a cool door hanger where to leave the tooth for the tooth fairy so as not to disturb a sleeping child! The fairy then could leave a present in a built-in pocket on the hanger! 

Maddox showing off his gap on the bottom row! 

What an opportunity for a special tooth fairy book - Brock got to listen too! (Past Kade's bedtime)

After breakfast done the only way we know how - EPIC - it was time for Maddox's machine-pitch baseball game!

Maddox had a pretty good hit on his first at-bat, but his second at-bat was a PERFECT bunt - found its way nested right on the foul line between home plate and third base!

It was lovely to spend some time with Suzanne and Mike while watching Maddox play too! 

Silly sun - it always gets in the way!

How cool - their team even has names on the back of their jerseys!! I love it!

Right after Maddox's game, we swung by the house to change into Green & White University of North Carolina at Charlotte wear! I loved that Brian and Nancy had a full wardrobe of different size shirts for us to try on! 

Brian found us a parking pass too so we could join them in their parking lot for a fun tailgate - Brock and Kade's FIRST football tailgate and football game! They loved all the food and games - pizza, chips, tater tots, & hot dogs while playing soccer or catch in the parking lot. 

Almost time for game time! We opted to try to walk to the bookstore because Kade wanted a UNC-Charlotte hat. We got to walk right past Nancy's dorm when she was a freshman on campus!

Kade 9, Maddox 7, Brock 11.5, Asher 2.5

Alas, bookstore was closed..... so we hopped on the bus to get to the football game! 

Asher was a bit unsure of this bus ride! 

Yay - we arrived! These were great seats! So glad the boys had their glasses so they could actually see the expansive stadium, the football players and the scoreboard!

We worked REALLY hard to get on the jumbotron! Asher was the star sitting on Brian's shoulders!

(Look at the blue fish in the Harris Teeter logo - we are directly on that line! Brent's blue hat and my head is right behind Asher! Nancy is holding up the phone to take a picture right beside Brock!)

Awww!

Ice cream break!! And we found Kade his hat! 

I like this candid photo of Nancy and Asher - his little hand on her lap is so endearing! 

Kade really was mesmerized with the football game and everything going on! I loved that he loved his Charlotte hat! 

I wish Maddox made it in these cousin pictures too! (he was getting a dessert with his dad)

A late night for all the kiddos - and adults - we all slept good that night! The boys were treated to French Toast and bacon early on Sunday morning at Sassy's house! No wonder we got to sleep in a little bit - it was quiet!  As always, thank you to Nancy and Brian for a wonderful jam-packed, non-stop, but immensely fun weekend!! 

Kade and I capped off our time in Charlotte with a trip to Ikea.