Kreek's Baseball Year

When we were first introduced to Kreek's baseball team, we were surprised. His team consisted of 1-3rd grader, 3-2nd graders, and 6-1st graders. We were very young, but we were hopeful. The 3 other teams had one 4th grader, a few 3rd graders and so one. I do believe that the teams were not formed fairly, but again we were hopeful. Well baseball is over and we tied for 1st place. We are so proud and excited for our young team. I think they surprised everyone with being so good. Here in Eldorado, little league consist of 7-10 yr olds and is player pitch. So needless to say Kreek has been hit by the ball probably 6-8 times, but he never cried and bounced right back. He played second base and left field and is pretty timid at batting, but he only struck out a few times (he mostly walked). He did score a few times. He even hit a ball and made it to second base and 2 people scored from it and that was very exciting. So here are a few pictures from the season and last night's awards (that ended at 9:30 pm). He was very exhausted this morning for school.

His team was the Giants and he had to be #7 because that is how old he is.

Random pictures

Ready to run home.

Excited after a big win

Runing home and scoring!!!

Catching the ball and throwing it to the pitcher.

Toward the end Kreek would try to hit the ball, but his timing is a little late and he couldn't hit it very often, but at least he tried.

This is him trying to get out of the way so he doen't get hit again.

Saying good game to other team.

Receiving his trophy.



He loves his trophy.

I am so glad that baseball is over!!!! Only 4 more days of school left!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaegen's Field Trip

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged (sorry Aunt Debbie). We have been very busy and things have been very crazy. In March, Tim sort of lost his main income job with the family oilfield business. Their business has slowed down and we were very thankful. I think all the James clan had been working to hard for too long and have sort of enjoyed the slowing down of the business. Tim and I were excited to have him here all the time and getting stuff done around the ranch. Well that lasted about 2 weeks and he has been non stop working. Between day working and welding he has been so busy we cannot focus on our stuff here at the ranch, but we will take the income while we can. So last week he was staying in Iraan working for Seth. On Tuesday night the kids and I were going outside after supper to clean up toys and encountered a rattlesnake on the back sidewalk. I have a major phobia of snakes and cannot get close enough to kill them, so I started calling out neighbors. The only one I could get a hold of drove all the way from town and killed it for me. I told him that he saved Tim from driving the hour and a half home to kill it for me. Then the next night (Tim was still in Iraan) at 4:30 in the morning our smoke alarm starts going off saying FIRE FIRE. I jump out of bed running thru the house and didn't find anything. Then 5 min later it goes off again. So I called Sharon's house where Tim was to see what to do. I searched everywhere and nothing. After going off one more time a little later, it has never went off again. So needless to say, I told Tim he was coming home and not leaving me again for a long while. So he came home Thursday night and left out early Friday morning to day work for a guy here in Eldorado. So Friday morning, Kreek comes into my room at 6 am crying with a severe earache. Kaegen was having her field trip on Friday at 8:00 and I had promised her I would go. So I called Sharon at 6:15 am and said can you please come take Kreek to the doctor so I can go with Kaegen. Of course she threw clothes on and was at the clinic at 8:00. She did make the comment that at least I let them sleep until 6 am instead of 4:30 like the other morning. I do not know what I would do without her. THANKS!!!! Well Kreek did have a pretty bad ear infection and was given some antibiotics. Besides all of that going on we have been busy with either baseball practice or games, ballet practice, and me substituting at school. That has been fun and exhausting. So, I promise after school is out, baseball is over, and ballet is over I will try to blog more often. Kaegen's ballet recital is on May 31st and then that is over for the summer. Also more to come is Kreek's baseball pictures, Kaegen's pre-K program and water day at school that involves fire trucks. FUN FUN!!

Last Friday Kaegen's Pre-K class took a field trip to the Nature Center in San Angelo. Here are some pictures from that.

The instructor told then to cross their arms in front of them if they do not want to touch the animals and she will just walk by and let them look at them. Kaegen had her arms crossed from the beginning. These were hissing cockroaches. YUCK!!!

Some kind of turtle.



This is a trantula.



Some kind of lizard snake, I all ready forgot, but she was not going to touch it.

This is a blue tongued lizard. She actually touched the rest of the animals.

This is a chinchila (I have no idea how to spell it, so I spelled it like it sounds.)

She made them smell the ferret before they touched it and it smelled nasty.

Kaegen loved the big turtle.


They also had a little alligator in a pen. Of course Kaegen thought it was huge!

This is Kaegen and her best friend. Myranda with a HUGE snake behind them.

See the turtle swimming behind Kaegen.

The whole class and their teachers.

After the nature center tour, they all went to CiCi's pizza to eat and play. Then back to Eldorado. Kaegen had a blast.

I started this post on Wednesday and I am finally finishing it on Friday. Kreek has finally finished baseball yesterday and I will add another post hopefully today with his pictures. One thing down and a few more to go.

Easter Fishing Trip

Ever since I was a baby, my family has been going to Lake Buchanan every spring. This trip was very fun and we caught lots of fish. Tim, the kids, and I left early (5:30 am) Friday morning and headed to the lake. We met my brother, his wife, and their son at the lake.

We stayed at Paradise Point and as you can see the lake is very low.

We got out on the water that morning. Kreek rode with my brother and his family.

Kaegen rode with Tim and I on Uncle Coy's boat that we borrowed. Kreek has been fishing for a couple of years now, but this was Kaegen's first time to really fish with a real rod and reel and a hook. She had fun and adapted well. She would put the end of the rod under her arm and the reel was right at her armpit. When she would catch a fish she would instantly yell daddy. Tim was at the front of the boat and I was at the back about 2 feet from her. Did she ever yell for mommy's help? No, of course not only daddy. Tim would help her a little bit by holding the rod up, but she did most of the work and loved it. She absolutley refused to ever touch a fish, but I think I was the same way.

I don't know what it is about a boat, but it puts them to sleep everytime. I know it did with my kids. This is my sister-in-law, Alana and my nephew, Ty.

We caught 49 white bass fish on Friday morning.

My Mom and Dad met us later on Friday evening. We caught 55 fish that evening.

This was a beautiful sunset.

My dad was actually brave enough to let Kreek drive the boat back to the cabin.

On Saturday morning we went out and caught fish like crazy. Between all of us we raked in 155 fish. Kaegen and Kreek both started to get sick and run fever, but we were catching so many fish that they had to stick it out. Kaegen and I got on the boat with my dad and she was feeling pretty bad. I was fishing with her in my lap and I was just raking the fish in. Then all of the sudden I caught a fish and I knew it was a stripper. As Kaegen would say it, "Momma just threw me down." I then stood up and yelled for my dad to help me. Between him and I we got the biggest stripper that I have ever caught in the boat. I was screaming so loud.

Around noon we were still catching fish, but decided to come on in and start cleaning fish.

Here is the 155 fish we caught.

We had to use one of my dad's tote to carry all the meat in.

That evening I stayed at the cabin with all the kids since they were not feeling well. The others only caught 6 fish.

I promised the kids that they could go out on the boat on Sunday morning, so sick and all we went out. We had a little luck and caught about 18 white bass, 1 cropie, and a yellow catfish. I caught the catfish out of pure luck and accident. Since I caught him, Tim made me hold him for the picture. I have never messed with catfish and had no idea that they bite. I soon learned that they are not nice like white bass are and he bite the heck out of my fingers. So that is why I look weird in the picture and am holding his mouth open.

Just a cute pictures of my dad and my nephew.

The easter bunny did come to see us on Sunday morning and I will post those pictures another day. And I have some pictures of us cleaning the fish.

Easter Parties

Kaegen had her Easter Party on Wednesday and we made these cute bunny, tulip, egg and butterfly shaped ham and cheese sandwiches. They were a big hit and our dog, gringo, loved the outer edges of the sandwiches.



We also made some cupcakes that turned out okay also.

Kaegen wore her bunny ears to school and all the kids thought it was neat.

After snacks, they crossed the street for an egg hunt.

Ready, set, go!!!!!!!

Kreek's easter party was on Thursday when the wind was blowing 30 mph. His class was the only 1st grade class to have a party. The other three teachers did not want to mess with one. I thought that was pretty sad, but luckily Kreek has a great teacher. They walked to the local park, played, hunted eggs, ate a sack lunch and got a snow cone for dessert.

The egg hunt was very unique. Each kid brought candy filled egg with each of the kids names on them. So as you hunted eggs you could only pick up the ones with your name on it. That made it fair and quite enjoyable. At the end the parents were helping by yelling the kids names out as they stood by the eggs. With 17 kids and 19 eggs per kid it took quite a long time.