Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

    
We spend most Tuesday nights at the ball field. Todd has returned to the game he loves and is playing softball for Ohev Shalom. At first, he just wanted to start playing ball again. But, after being asked to verbally state his softball resume, successes, failures, batting average, world championships (wink, wink) Todd knew he was in for some serious ball. And, he is. His team, the former back to back champions, is currently undefeated and they are hoping to hoist another trophy. Or, at least claim some bragging rights.
So, by the demand of the boys we go to the games on Tuesday nights. I love the ball field, and I love the game, so it is always a thrill for me to spend summer nights watching Todd play. Only I don't watch. Not much anyway, and not because I do not want to. I will focus my attention when Todd is up to bat, but most of the time I am trying to manage the chaos to a somewhat respectable level. Turner, who now runs, does so at full speed towards the field, either chasing a ball or Todd or both. My goal is to get him before he crosses the threshold of "in play," but since he is too heavy and far too active to hold the whole time, I seem to run a lot of laps. Chase and Ryder are pretty good but insist on throwing a ball back and forth.  And since they are too young and still too unskilled to do this with each other, I must play . So, between sprints through the dugout retrieving my toddler I toss a ball around with them. Then they want the food. It does not matter that we eat dinner, either there or before hand, nor that we have gotten into the bad habit of bringing milk shakes to the game, they want the seeds, the twizzlers, the pretzels, the gum!! I suppose we are lucky it is not a beer league.  We always have to take at least one pee break, and by that I mean a walk to the trees below the hill!  And, no matter how many times I say not to the boys insist on picking up the big metal bats and attempting to swing them.
But, still, it is fun.  The guys are all so nice to the boys and answer their questions and will toss them a ball.  And, as it turns out, they are paying attention to the things we tell them and they are learning a thing or two about the game we love.  Like not to put your fingers inside the chains of the fence to protect from foul balls, and why Ross wears black make-up under his eyes.
Tonight I was able to get these cute pictures of Ryder and Turner.  The picture of Chase, who spent a good portion of the evening dumping dirt onto his once clean legs and shorts, did not come out.
We left before the final out because it was getting late, but they won.  Again. We will see them all next week.