Indians Game

On Monday (September 11th), we went to the Indians game.  We had the season tickets from Matt's work, and surprised the boys Sunday night telling them we had tickets for Monday.  However, that wasn't the only surprise we had for them.  We told them once we were already at the game that they both got to do something really excited and special.  Landon learned that he would get to throw out the first pitch of the game, and Keegan learned that he would get to be the person who announces, "Play Ball" before the start of the game.  The look on their faces as we told them about their surprise was priceless.  They were so, so excited.  We didn't tell them earlier than that because we didn't want them to be nervous.  We just wanted them to be excited and to have a good time.  Well...mission accomplished!  It was such a fun night.  

Landon and Keegan both did an excellent job with their pre-game tasks, and we got to see the Indians win their 19th straight game that night too.  Plus, the boys (and all of us) were on the jumbo screen in the outfield multiple times, which was so exciting. To make the night even better, my parents happened to be in town visiting us so they got to go with us to the game and watch the boys be stars!!!  Since we live so far away from family, it's a rare occurrence for our parents to witness special events live (not just from videos or pictures we send them).  So, this was extra special for myself and for the boys that my parents were able to watch that special moment in person.  

Matt's work has season tickets, which means they earn reward points throughout the season.  The points have to be redeemed or you lose them.  Matt is in charge of redeeming the points and can get a number of things with them.  This year, one of the things he purchased with the points was the first pitch of the game and the "Play Ball" announcement.  Matt assumed that this would just be raffled off at work for one of the employees to use.  When he told his boss (the owner of the company) that he bought those items with the points, his boss told him to take his family.  Matt explained that he didn't buy it for our kids, but rather for the company.  His boss said he knew and understood that, but wanted him to take his family.  Pretty awesome boss, right? Thank you Vocon...it was definitely a night that none of us will forget, and we are so blessed to have experienced it.  

All of us waiting on the field for the festivities to start

The boys on the field

Great pic of Dad and Mom getting ready to watch the boys

Keegan getting ready to record, "Play Ball!"

 Keegan with the Indians mascot, Slider

 Landon walking to the mound, right after his name got announced (Picture from the big screen)

 Getting ready

 All set

 The pitch...it was a great one!  He did awesome!

Getting an autograph from the catcher

 Walking off the field when he was all done

Landon showing us the ball he used to throw the first pitch that the catcher autographed!

Keegan on the big screen making his announcement

A closer view of him

Selfie with all 6 of us

 A family pic between innings

 The whole family made it on the big screen again during the game

 Keegan being silly and super excited for the 19th straight Indians win

Matt and I are so proud of our little baseball stars!!  What an unbelievable night!

Ninja Championships

Last weekend, Landon and Keegan both competed in the Ninja Championships at FMU Fitness where they take classes.  The Ninja Championships are just like the show, "American Ninja Warrior".  This time, the course was even set up outside just like the show.  The kids are divided up by age and their courses vary depending on their age.  Every kid gets to run the course the first time, and they all advance to Stage 2.  The second time they run the course, they get timed.  Only the top five kids from each age group move on to Stage 3, the final stage.  

Landon and Keegan were both in the top five after Stage 2 and got to compete in the final stage.  Both boys did AMAZING each time they ran the course.  Keegan was the only 5-year old to finish all of Stage 3 and he brought home 1st place.  Landon had four returning champs (including himself) in his age group this time so it was good competition.  He did great and ended up finishing in 3rd place, just seconds behind the top two.  

It was another exciting night at FMU!  We are so proud of our ninjas and love watching them compete.  I think Matt and I actually get more nervous than they do :).  As proud as we are during the competition, we are equally as proud of the boys for what they do outside of competing. All of the money raised during this event goes to "Smiles for Sophie Forever" which helps with pediatric cancer.  The boys, along with the neighbors, decided to walk dogs the week before for donations.  They ended up raising close to $50!  They took half to FMU that night and donated it to pediatric cancer.  The neighbor took the other half to school to donate to the hurricane victims.  

We absolutely love that the boys already understand how important it is to give back.  This has also helped the boys see that we are so blessed and fortunate to have everything we do, especially our health.  Our hearts break for the five families at FMU that are dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer, and families everywhere who are dealing with cancer. We constantly keep them in our thoughts and prayers.

Here are some pictures of our little ninjas...

Keegan on the cargo net

Pulling the sled

On the monkey bars

 Landon pulling the sled

After Landon crawled through the tunnel

 On the rings

 On the I-beam

Keegan - 1st place

 What a cool trophy

 Landon - 3rd place

Landon and his friends (Logan & Merrick)

Our sweet ninjas

Love these boys so much and so, so proud of them! :)

Pittsburgh

On Labor Day, we went to Pittsburgh for a Pirates/Cubs game.  Pittsburgh is only about two hours away from us, so it wasn't a bad drive at all.  The weather was gorgeous and it was a 4:00 game.  The boys had a blast cheering on the Cubs and seeing a new ball park.  Matt and I went to Pittsburgh to watch a Pirates/Cardinals game when we were first married, but the boys had never been. Landon and Keegan got autographs before the game from Rene Rivera and Wilson Contreras, so they were really excited! We had amazing seats, in the 3rd row right to the left of the Cubs dugout at the on deck circle.  The players were really close to us! Since the Pirates were winning big, we left in the 8th inning so we could get home at a decent time. 

On the bridge (walking to the game) with the ballpark in the background

Landon with the Roberto Clemente statue

 Landon waiting for autographs

Keegan getting his ball signed by Contreras

Landon made this sign that said, "Will do burpees for a bat!"  Several players read the sign, but he didn't get a bat.  Maybe next time!

This was the view from our seats

 A selfie with Daddy and Landon

Kris Bryant getting ready to hit.  This is how close we were to the players and the on deck circle.  My friends (Autumn & Brittany) are obsessed with Kris Bryant so I took this for them :)

The boys stood here for a second between innings and ended up getting two balls handed to them from the bat boy.  They were pretty excited!

 Showing off the balls they got

 Family selfie before we left the park

Headed home with one last pic of the boys and the ballpark in the background

What a fun day!

First Days of School

And just like that, both of our boys are in school all day, every day.  I can't believe how fast time goes, and that we now have a 3rd grader and a Kindergartener.  That still seems so crazy to me. I'm so lucky that as a teacher I have the summers off to stay home with my kids.  We have so much fun together, and it's so nice to just have the whole day to do whatever we want. As much as it's nice to get back into routine, it's always hard for me at the beginning of the school year.  No teacher really wants the summer to come to an end, but I miss my boys so much during the school day.  I'm used to spending all day with them, and it's definitely an adjustment those first few weeks of school.  Such is life though, and we will make it through just like every other year.  

Landon started school on August 30th, and Keegan started school on September 1st. Landon had a great first week (3 days) of 3rd grade and Keegan had a great first day of Kindergarten.  We are so proud of these two boys.  They love school, and they are so well behaved at school. They are sweet, smart, caring, and hard working.  We couldn't ask for much more, and are so blessed to be their parents. 

Landon is at a new school this year with 3rd through 5th grade.  That means he is on a new bus and has new (early) school times.  He gets on the bus at 7:04 in the morning and is off the bus by 2:40.   He is in a class with four of his really good friends so he is really excited. Landon is also in the gifted program this year, which we think will be challenging, but so fun and rewarding.  He seems to have a great teacher too, so I think it will be a really good year!  We are excited to see what 3rd grade has in store for him!

The kindergarten building starts later.  Keegan gets on the bus at 8:28 and off the bus at 4:10.  Landon no longer gets picked up at our driveway, which makes me sad.  However, he gets picked up right across the street so it isn't bad.  Keegan gets on the bus with his friend, Hadley, two driveways down. He rides the bus with three of his friends, and also has a couple people he already knows in his class which helps a lot.  He seems to have a wonderful teacher that we have only heard great things about.  I think Keegan will love Kindergarten and we are excited to watch him learn and grow all year!

Here are our annual first day of school pictures. I feel like the boys look sooo big in these pictures 

:(.  Landon was a little embarrassed this year to take them because there were already people waiting at the bus stop across the street.  He made us happy though and still took a couple :) 

Our big 3rd grader, Landon

 Our big Kindergartener, Keegan

 This is the first time that Keegan is riding a bus.  He was so brave though and did great! And I didn't even cry until he was already on the bus and driving away, when he couldn't see me!

 My friend helped out at lunch on the first day and sent me this picture of Keegan!  I was a little nervous for him to buy lunch, but everything went smoothly and he got food!  It looks like he is sitting by himself because he is at the "safe" table.  Matt and I got a super sweet email from Keegan's teacher during the day that said Keegan was being a super friend.  She said he volunteered to sit at the "safe" (allergy free) table with a boy in his class because he was sitting by himself.  She also said that he was having a great first day.  That email made me feel so much better!  And, we are so, so proud of Keegan for being so sweet and sitting with that little boy so he didn't have to sit by himself. 

Getting off the bus at the end of the day

Hadley and Keegan after their first day of Kindergarten

Matt and I can't wait to see how our boys will learn, develop and grow this year.  GO EAGLES!!