Baseball Under the Lights

"It's not who wins or loses but how you play the game."  "Play hard, have fun".  I've been saying those quotes to my son for years preparing him for the day his baseball team might lose (they've been undefeated for 3 yrs straight).  Well, tonight was the night.  The Lower Keys Travel Team had their first night game of the four-day tournament.  It started at 730pm, so the big lights were on - very cool atmosphere in a big baseball complex up here in "the city".  Tonight was the first time my son ever agreed to wear the eye black.  Guess he felt tonight was special.  I ran to get the camera and when I came back he looked like he just came out of the coal mines - it was smeared all over his face and he was giggling....sigh.  I was very proud of him tonight.  He played well - hit both times up to bat (only 4 innings before it was called) and got a lot of action in the outfield.  He reacted fast and threw quality throws each time.  He also handled losing waaaaay better than I anticipated he would.  He's always surprising me....what a kid. 

Brothers at the sand table

Today, after school, the kids played outside by the sandbox and water/sand table. They were so cute - driving their matchbox cars/trucks through sand tunnels...  both sitting on chairs.  I had to take a picture.  I just love how well they play together (well, most of the time, anyway).  After I took this picture, they started fighting over who could play with the purple truck....but I caught the moment while it lasted! :)

Flowers after the rain

This morning, I took a picture of our Jamaican Dogwood tree's flowers after a rain shower. I loved how beautiful the rain drops and slight pinkish color of the blooms looked in the sunlight.  

Action at home plate

Today's Travel team baseball practice was intense.  The boys were practicing getting a double play - an out on first and then an out at home plate where the catcher was practicing trying to tag them as they slid under him.  I captured some great shots!  My son is the slider here and his teammate (the catcher) is tagging him out.  He knocked my son's helmet right off his head.  It was crazy!  If they keep this up, they just may win some of the next tournament games this weekend.  :)

Laughing Gull

My son and I saw this Laughing gull perched on the same pole that the osprey was standing on the other day.  Looks like it might be a hot hang-out spot for the birds in my neighborhood. :)

Rain out

Today's baseball game got cancelled due to a rain storm... the baseball field totally flooded.  Despite the obvious dis-appointment, I had a blast photographing the boys in the dugout waiting out the rain storm! They were all hilarious.  You'd think they'd never seen rain before.  They were holding their hands out from the dugout to feel the rain, climbing the benches to watch the rain on the other side of the dugout and to see how flooded the other fields were, and just being silly, innocent kids.  Seeing life through a child's eyes is really fun...     It's what life's all about.  

Travel Baseball

Today was the first set of tournament games for the Lower Keys Travel Team.  They won both games! All the boys did such a great job! I had SO much fun out there on the field photographing all of them doing their stuff....I especially loved cheering on my little buggaboo.  :)  Here he is during Game 2 about to hit the ball.  Look at that concentration and determination!  I just love that little boy's spirit! Good day today - more baseball tomorrow!