Baseball! I always almost forget about baseball!

I would say of all of the things all of the kids are all actively doing right now, I tend to forget about baseball. I think this is because Coop's travel team does not practice super often (which I LOVE-- do not get me wrong) and also because Ben does not coach the travel team (just the spring Little League teams), so it does not take up the sheer AMOUNT of time that dance, diving, hockey, speech team, drama club, etc, do. But then! When Coop has a baseball tourney, it takes the ENTIRE FREAKING WEEKEND.

Last weekend, his team went to IL (second weekend in a row), and the girls and I tagged along to a double-header Saturday. Ben and Coop went solo Sunday morning because the rest of us needed to stay home and scramble for fall family picture clothes in the face of an 88-degree day on tap (CLIMATE CHANGE! YOU ARE EVEN RUINING MY FAMILY PHOTOS..) 

The tl; dr is that baseball is indeed a time consuming sport. MY GOODNESS. We were gone for NINE HOURS on Saturday. I felt bad telling Ben and Coop they could only stay for one game Sunday because pictures, but then the team lost on Sunday AM and they were kicked out of the tourney anyway. I feel like I jinxed them or something, and I hope I can channel that game canceling power come hockey season.

Dorothy, cartwheeling because THE SECOND GAME WAS FINALLY OVER. (Also, Coop's team won, and Cooper smacked his way out of a batting slump-- finally)

Minnie, enjoying one of several excellent playgrounds.

We packed a huge picnic basket, LUCKILY, because the park had NO FOOD to purchase.

Great playgrounds, though

Srsly

Minnie is not a fan of shoes. Because her feet are so fat? Because she is a feral pandemic baby? Both?

Lots and lots of attitude but she looks so darling.

I also packed so many toys. (Note the tea set scattered on the edge of the grass)

Aaaaand we got ice cream between games

We went for a bear hunt on a cute little wooded trail

No bears. Phew!

Really though? I love baseball because we could have a picnic, take walks, have a tea party in the grass, play at the park, etc, and still know what was happening because the games are interminable. In the best possible way.

FAM PICTURE SUNDAY!

Minnie fluffed the collar of her dress in the mirror and said I LOOK LIKE A GRANDMA. (I think because her version of Little Red Riding Hood features the wolf as grandma in a plaid nightie with a similar collar).