That time of year, where things get crazy with school.  Joseph has an all day field trip next week and I am going as a chaperone.  Then Jacob has 2 different all day field trips.  Benjamin has a 4-5 hour field trip and I have signed up as a chaperone.  Not to mention all the field days.  Of course two of them have stuff on the same day, so I can only make it to one of them.  14 more days of school!

One more week of baseball!  Next week the team gets to play on the big boy field ~ our local minor league, of sorts, team.  It has been fun to see how the kids have improved.  I think half the battle is figuring out the rules and learning how to move with the ball and keep it straight as to where you are suppose to throw the ball, based on where the base runners are.  During tonight's game, one of our boys was playing third base and the ball was thrown to him and he forgot to touch the base to get the runner out.  The coach, who loves baseball and can be pretty intense, started talking to this boy. He is always looking for teachable moments.  I was sitting next to the boy's mother and when she saw the tears in her son's eyes, she got upset and walked over to the coach and told him to stop, that the kids are only first and second graders.  She went on to say that she was tired of seeing all the kids cry.  A coach, from the other team, who was coaching third turned around and told her that the coach was only saying positive things and building her kid up.  A very tense situation.  After a bit she came back and sat down.  I tried to encourage her with how hard it is to watch those interactions...she was not really interested in a conversation with me at that point.  I just wanted to tell her she might think she is helping her son, but she really should sit back and let coach handle it.  I think too many parents rescue their kids and try to shield them from life.  He was not being spoken to rudely, the coach was bringing constructive criticism and trying to encourage him at the same time.

Totally random thought...  .One of my boys has this thing about clipping toe nails.  Seems like every other day he is clipping his nails.  Actually, you can't even see any whites to the toe nails because they are so short.  Sure enough, one of them got infected.  We headed to the doctor.  Ended up getting medicine for it and was told if they continue to clip, it could mean removing part of the toe nail.  I was hoping that might be some good motivation, but not sure that it will be.  Time will tell on that one.   Yet one of the many ways that I have tried to came along side them and instruct/help and they are not really interested, so I just remind them that it is their toe nail, not mine!

Our neighbors have their townhouse for sale.  Their unit is an interior unit, just like ours, so I have been anxiously watching to see what it sells for, so we would have a direct comparison for our place.  It has been on the market 3 weeks and no offers.  In our market, some homes are getting offers in less than a day.  So a little disconcerting.  I do think they priced it a little high, as my realtor thinks the same thing.  However, the biggest concern prospective buyers are mentioning is the building in the back.  In the end we will be like any neighborhood, but maybe all the noise, etc for the next year or so has people concerned??   I guess it has made me kind of back of on actively looking, knowing we might have a hard time selling at the moment.  I don't think our place will lose any value through it all.

Bree sure enjoys all the gophers in the field.  Anytime I see a field of gophers, I just imagine Bree.  So many little critters.  It would be hilarious if the gophers would play that game like I have seen in arcades...where they pop up and then back down.  Would drive her nuts and keep her running and digging for hours.  She also uses the pool daily.