A wonderful week at home!

Well, tomorrow will mark a week that we've been home together, and it's been a Doozie!  We have unpacked, "played house" [ i.e. cooking with our stuff in our kitchen, using unnecessary dishes and appliances :) ], had LJ's first week at school, worked out at the gym, played/worked all over the back and front yard, cut LJ's hair, enjoyed a friends' birthday, and watched the tide roll from the comfort of our own living room.  Life is GOOD, my friends!  We hope it finds you doing wonderfully!!!

Haircuts at home require the outdoors and a treat...something like candy corn :)

Sweet face enjoying his spot in the sun

Reunited!  Smudge is SO happy we're back!

...and so is LJ!

Having a BALL ... :)

...shooting Lance with the hose :)

Working hard = tongue fully exposed!

At Baby Isaiah's birthday party, everyone got to paint a pumpkin!

Speaking of Baby Izzy, check out that tu-tu :)

...and those precious legs!

First Day of School!

Today was LJ's first day of "school" - Mother's Morning Out for 1/2 day on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  He had a BALL!  I am so glad he enjoyed himself!  While he was in school, Lance and I had breakfast and We unloaded the car and truck.  Sport has been SUCH a big help with packing, unpacking, everything.  Today, most of the stuff just got moved into the garage, but it was step one!  It's gonna take a while to get all organized, but we'll get there.  We hope you are doing great - we sure are!

1st Day of School!  

Walking with Daddy to the car

Before walking in to his classroom

Is he glad to be home, or what?  Those are Lance's Air Jordan's and a real Bama jersey.  He loves it!

We LOVED having Sport!  He and LJ are BUDDIES!

A little blip :)

I usually try to refrain from posts about baseball.  Writing about a major success or downfall might be followed by the opposite observation the following game, fickle sport!  Too much of a roller coaster!  Anyhow, I wanted to give Lance some "props" for his 2009 title of "Most Pleasant Surprise" for the Rays team.  Lance had a great season, and we are preparing for an awesome off-season!  Here's the copy/pasted version of the 2009 Awards given by the Tampa Tribune.  The full article can be found by clicking HERE.  What an honor!  Welcome home, babe!

AWARDS

Most Valuable Player - Ben Zobrist

Starting at every position but pitcher and catcher increased his value exponentially even though his offensive numbers would have been impressive enough on their own

Outstanding Pitcher - J.P. Howell

Versatile lefty led staff with 2.94 ERA and added seven wins and 17 saves while serving in variety of roles up to de facto closer

Rookie of the Year - Jeff Niemann

Led what looked to be a well-established rotation in wins and pitched consistently well before hitting a wall late in the season

Most Consistent - Carl Crawford

After posting the worst individual season of his career in '08, C.C. returned to his game-changing ways with an impressive showing in steals, walks and power

Most Pleasant Surprise - Lance Cormier

Signed with minimal fanfare in mid-January, he was slotted in as a long reliever, did a nice job there, and continued to get outs when moved into a meatier role

Biggest Disappointment - Pat Burrell

The franchise's biggest offseason signing since the Hit Show days didn't come close to meeting anyone's expectations

Biggest Regression - Dioner Navarro

Watching the young catcher slog through a miserable season, it was difficult to remember he was an All-Star a year ago

Best In-Season Addition - Randy Choate

Following a path similar to Grant Balfour's in '08, the veteran became a reliable bullpen fixture after being brought up from Durham on May 25

We made it!!

Well, we made it home!  LJ and I are here and about to sleep in our own beds.  We arrived late this afternoon, and "Aunt Rach" picked us up from the airport.  She so generously offered to take LJ to play at her house while I did a quick grocery trip to get the essentials.  LJ hopped in her car, (after retrieving his ball, Orioles bat, catcher's mask and glove from the house), and headed to play with Uncle Wood.  I hopped in our sweet friends' Jarret and Anna's jeep, (what a blessing!) and headed to Publix.  After a long day, (picking up Sport, Lance's friend, from the airport, playing at the nearby mall, getting LJ to nap in his stroller, then traveling to Alabama), my "grocery thinking cap" was NOT on.  I forgot MILK.  Anyway, we'll just enjoy our pinwheel and/or eggo waffle with juice in the morning!  By the time I even got home from my quick trip to the grocery, it was about 8 p.m., so I wasn't going back.

LJ was enamored with the house the minute he saw it.  I put up the garage door, and he FULL ON kissed and hugged his Lightening Mcqueen car and big baseball container containing all of this "sports toys".  It was like Christmas!  He's fast asleep in his baseball bat bed, probably dreaming of his morning walk, (McQueen ride), in the morning.  After our early wake-up, (most likely), we will take a stroll down the street.  Him with his car, my with my coffee...Sounds wonderful!  

Lots to do, lots to unpack, old stuff to clean out, new stuff to bring in, but WE'RE HOME! Right now, it may feel like a vessel with lots of tuning up needed, but in a week, it will be completely home.  It's just missing one person, and he'll be here Monday! Welcome home!!!!!  

The Pictures I promised :)

The other day, Mr. Bob took us out on his boat.  "Mr. Bob" is our neighbor here in St. Pete.  We love him and were so excited to spend the morning with him before Lance headed off to Texas.  Here are a few pictures of our excursion off the Coast of St. Pete Beach.

Here is how Mr. Bob gets his boat.  It is in a warehouse with LOTS of boats, he tells them which one is his, and they send out the lift to get it.  They put it in and out of the water for him - none of that crazy backing in trailers...it's for the dogs!  :)

Here's a picture I like of LJ before we got on the boat.  Doesn't he look so ready to get on?

Mr. Bob drove us around, looking for dolphins, going under bridges and stopping at "Shell Island".  This is a picture of us docked there.  We waded out, looked for shells and swam a bit.

Bonding time.

On Friday, LJ and I met some old friends, The Yates', and had lunch and playtime at the mall.  Look at sweet little Kamryn!  She's 14 months.

New Background

Well, how do you like it?  The orange line across the top of the blog that said "Pyzam.com" finally got on my nerves enough for me to fiddle with it during LJ's naptime.  That, and the fact that no matter what background I chose, the middle was always black!  That kept me from getting the most out of cute backgrounds like this one, (see the pink?) ...cute, huh?  So, I have a few pictures on my camera that I need to download, but I'm about to call it a night.  I'll try and do it tomorrow.  Rookie's not-so-subtle bark is letting me know he needs food, water, and a walk...or all of the above!  If I don't go soon, he'll start nuzzling my hand off the keyboard.  :)  

This week, we are really feeling the proximity of the off-season.  In one week, I'll be headed on a plane with LJ back home.  We'll spend the weekend getting him used to his home again, (he hasn't lived there in 8 months, but it will take all of 2 seconds for him to fall in love with it again).  He starts "school" A.K.A. Mother's Morning out on Monday, so I want him to be rested and settled.  Lance will arrive sometime Monday, and we can begin our off-season! This year has been the most stable, drama-free, by far, and we might actually arrive back in Alabama with a little left in our tanks.  Between a fantastic team, neat people, an apartment close to the stadium (short commute = more time together), and a fun baseball year for Lance, we have been SO blessed!

Tonight, though, I'm pretty tired, and I can feel the call of home....most likely because we are so close to the finish line.  It's Friday night, Lance is out of town, and I am missing not having a Friday or Saturday, (or any other night for that matter, with him.  It's been 8 months since we've lived in our home and 6 full months since I've had him for a night, aside from the random Monday or Thursday off day if he's in town.  It's a TOUGH 8 months, I must say, but the HUGE, TREMENDOUS blessing of the off-season is just around the corner.  It's totally worth it!  After all, who gets 4 months like that in the end?  I'm excited to show up at Chic-fil-a as a family, laughing and eating supper together.  LJ and I did this by ourselves tonight for probably the 20th time this year, (we really like that place!) and tonight was the first time Lance's absence was SORELY apparent.   Not for long, though!  Not for long!  Soon, we will be going from adjusting to being apart to the adjustment of being together.  I cannot wait for that adjustment!  :)  

So, here's to a great year, the blessing of 8 months for Lance to do what he loves and the 4 amazing months that lie in front of us.  We can't wait to visit with y'all, hug you and sit and chat for hours.  After all, where do we have to be?  :)  Come join us when you can!  For now, I have to go, a cold wet nose is nudging my fingers off the computer and out the door.  :)

Just because...

Isn't he so cute?  He's definitely our favorite elephant!  I wanted to share.  We are doing great - trucking through our last ten days, organizing, packing up.  I can't believe it's almost time!  We hope you are well, too - Roll Tide!  We'll be there soon, Big Al!