I Always Said...

I was never going to own one, I always said if I ever went to New York I would get something else to remember my trip there....You know a postcard, a thimble, or a pencil sharpener (all of which I collect from the places I've visited). I was NOT going to buy a shirt, purse, or bag. I would rather get a coffee mug, key chain, or charm.

But I was NOT going to get anything that had this on it...

But then the weekend before I left my mom went clothes shopping for me (I hate shopping and mom does a great job shopping for me!) and she came home with a gift for me, in which to remember my time in New York.

When I got here & Lynn saw it, she told me it was great but if I wore it into New York City she was not responsible for me and anything that might happen to me. After all, I knew the risks of wearing a shirt like this in the heart of Yankee land...

"Strike Three...

...Game over, Giants win the World Series!!"

And thus ends another baseball season.
The Giant's won for the first time since moving out to California, where as Texas is still without a World Series title. I'm happy for the Giants as I would be for any team that wins the World Series (unless you happen to be the Yankees or Braves). Yes, I do wish the Rangers had won, because I would LOVE for Texas to have a World Series trophy, but I'm glad that the Giants won.

This year like many years there is a feeling that something is missing, but then there is also the reminder that there is always next year. Unlike years gone by I did not cry myself to sleep nor did my dad give me a hug right before I went to bed and said "Next year will be here before you know it!".

Yes, there have been years where my dad held me & let me cry because my team lost or the season was over. As I have gotten older I don't cry (well....Maybe I do), but I do wish the season would keep going, but dad is always there with a hug and the Next Year talk.

This year was different in many different ways...

This year I cried in early September when the Astros were eliminated and then again in late September when the Red Sox lost, (No, I am not joking.).

This year the 'Stros didn't pull us along all through out the year, the let us know early on it would be hard for them to make it to .500 ball, let alone the post season. And the Red Sox gave it a good run in the end, but should have tried sooner.

This year I watched the World Series by myself for the first time ever. Sure I talked about it with dad the next morning, but I found it wasn't the same as being there with him watching the game.

This year I am going to do my best to wait until December to start missing the games & to start watching replays on the computer or ESPN Classic.

This year I learned that most of my enjoyment of the sport is not the sport but the time spent with dad while enjoying America's pastime.

Now, to count down the days until I see dad again, Christmas & then Spring Training...

Wednesday's Day Off

This past Wednesday for my day off I went to a Yankees game. :D In case you haven't caught it yet, I am a HUGE baseball fan and was missing my baseball games. The hard part about this game? Well, it was a Yankee game (Top of my dislike list), my dad wasn't able to come with me, and it wasn't the old Yankee Stadium. But I took what I could get and went to the game, calling my dad more then once, silently cheering the Orioles (as I wanted to go home alive!), and taking as many pictures of the stadium that I could.


I got there a few minutes after the gates opened, and enjoyed batting practice, Monument Park, the Yankee Museum, and looking around the park. (FYI for those baseball fans planning to go to Yankee Stadium, there is really no way you can get autographs while at the game.)




I greatly enjoyed my day off and can now add one ballpark and two more teams to my list of visited parks & teams watched. :D

Wednesday...A Day Of Firsts.

• First time to go to a game without a family member.
• First time to go to a baseball game all by myself.
• First ride on a New York subway
• First time to go to Yankee Stadium.
• First time to see the Yankees play.
  
• First time to see Lance Berkman in anything other then an Astros' uniform.
• First American League game to watch live without the Red Sox playing.
  

And another big thing that wasn't a first, rather a second. For the second time in 12 years I went to a baseball game without my dad. The last time was in 1998 and my mom went with me. But other then that one time dad has ALWAYS gone with me to a game and it felt really odd to not have him with me. (Just in case you didn't know I LOVE my dad and greatly appreciate that he takes the time from his days to spend time with me at ballgames. :D )

Sportsmanship (Or My Lack Of It)

As someone who has enjoyed sports & games her entire life, sportsmanship was something that my parents worked very hard to instill into my attitude at a very young age (That and how to be humble, but I'm still working the humble part!). Of course, it was easy being a good winner, what was hard was taking a loss and having a good attitude, and not dwelling on it to the point of never getting over it (again, I'm still working on that part).

I have to be honest, I'm got the good sportsmanship down. It's been a long time since I've played a sport, but the last time I lost I do remember making a point of going over and congratulating the winner. When I'm in a show ring with my goats and someone else ends up first I do my best to at least tell them well done. (Sometimes there's not a chance due to either one of us rushing to get the next goat in the ring.) And as a coach for little league you have to have good sportsmanship. You have to line up and congratulate the other players, no matter the age, the team, the winner, even if you don't feel like it.

But the one place where I have the hardest time for good sportsmanship is bound to get a laugh from everyone....The time when I have the hardest time showing a "Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing." is when it comes to the Houston Astros.

Ask me what happened in the 2005 NLCS and I can tell you the plays that led up to Pujols' home run, that caused us to lose. Then there's that home run that was hit by the Astros in 2001 that the ump called a ground rule double because he saw it land in front of one fence, and missed the second fence in the bull pen.

And I can't forget today when he could call a strike to save his life and threw Roy Oswalt out in the third inning. In what could very well be Roy O's last game here as an Astros.

Yeah, I know the number one rule in baseball is not to argue with the ump, but then the ump has rules he should follow as well, and this one didn't seem like he could. But then it could just be my unsportsmanlike conduct showing, and it showed again a few minutes later when an Astros hit a pop up and I muttered, "Oh good!! Hit the ump in the head...Get on base AND take out this ump!!" Yes, I know it was both an unchristian and unsportsmanlike attitude, but at that point all I cared about is that we were down by four runs, the ump had just thrown out my favorite pitcher and it just might well be the last time I would see him in an Astros' jersey.

Yes, I know as the eldest child & a coach to many impressionable young children it's not an attitude I should have. It's one of the MANY areas in my life I am working on. And at this rate I think it will be one of those areas that will take many prayers and years to accomplish.

So, there's your warning. If ever you go to a Major League Baseball game be well prepared for me to not only cheer my team on, but to also yell at the other players (nothing bad I promise!) and to argue with the ump.

Have You Ever....

Heard about a famous person that died and you thought, "Oh, I'm sorry for his family!", remembered something that he did and then moved on with your life? You knew about this person, but you didn't know them, only a few things that they had done in their life. Yes, I'm sure you have, we all have. I know I have esp. with watching baseball & politics I hear about people dying, but I never really think more beyond the first thought of I'm really sorry for their family.

Now, have you ever heard of a famous person (or not so famous person) and you were really saddened by their death? Not because you knew that person. But from what you knew or saw of that person? You remember the things they did how that person acted in the news, etc. and the fact that you would never see then in the news or on the field again saddened you?

Well, that's how I feel right now. Sunday morning Jose Lime died at the age of 37. As if the fact that he died wasn't enough it's his age that gets to me. Shoot, that's in 16 years for me, by the time Dixie is driving!

Jose Lima was a pitcher for the Astros from 1997-2001. I started my years of baseball watching watching Lima pitch. He was in my top three for favorite players--Yes, right there with Bagwell & Biggio--in 1999 when I went to 21 games, my dad made a point when buying tickets to get those games in which Jose Lima was pitching, of those 21 games I went to I believe that Lima pitched 10 of them.

No, he wasn't famous, unless you were watching the team that he was playing for. No, he did nothing great. In fact if you look at his career stats you would wonder what did he do. He had more loses then wins and in a sport where ERA means the lower the better....Well, he failed in that as well.

But he made the game enjoyable to watch even when your team was losing or he was in a slump. He was the type of person that you watched and knew he was playing for the love of the game and not for the money he would get. (A point proven in the past few years where he played for $2,000 a month.)

He was the one man I wanted to get an autograph from--All most more so then Bags or Biggio--and the one man who would sit for hours on end giving autographs, if he had the time to do so, he was always signing before and after games--even when the Astros lost--and always made a point to get the kids first.

I remember the day that the Astros traded him (I still have the newspaper clippings) I walked out to get my coffee before church (yes, I was drinking coffee at the age of 13!) and dad called me over, sits me in his lap and says "Katie, I have some bad baseball news for you." And lets it hang for a few seconds while he takes a sip of his coffee, leaving me to think that the ballpark had blown up, the Astros were out of the play-offs for good, or someone had died, "The Astros traded Jose Lima." O.K. I think, not as bad as I thought, but it ranks pretty high up there!

My dad sent me an e-mail telling me that he had died (I was milking for someone else and he knows I like to read obituaries). As I'm reading the title mom says "Oh, yeah Katie Lima died." and not two minutes later dad comes in to tell me "I'm sorry Katie, but Lima died.". To my sisters they had no idea, to me he was the guy that I remember when I think about those men who are in it just for the money.

After the Astros traded him, I continued to watch him, he might be the only person who I have ever done that for. I'm more a team type of person. I am a person who watches the game to enjoy it and see how the team works together, even if I can tell you each person's stats, weakness, and advantages on the field. Unless it was Jose Lime, well then those days I watched the game to watch him and it was tons of fun watching "Lima Time"!

I'm sure that there are very few people (if any) who are reading this who have any idea what I am talking about. But again, this goes back to being my blog and talking about what's on my mind. :D

Lima will be missed, there aren't all that many people now a days who play like he did and who show that they enjoyed the game like he did. But I still watch the game and enjoy it.

Today Was.....

Was Dixie's first Major League game, Astros vs. Rays. No it wasn't her first baseball game as she has been to both Noah & Timothy's games.

The Tampa Bay Rays for reasons that partly make sense and partly don't are my mom's team. While the Astros for all the obvious reasons--I've only lived in the greater Houston area for 21 years & watched the Astros for 12 years--are my team. :D

Of course I had to sit through the entire game listening to my sisters back mom up & my dad crack jokes about how horrid the Astros are. After all "the team that is going to win the World Series is playing the worst team in baseball."

To top it all of the Astros had to lose a lead and let the Rays win. I'm not sure how much Dixie enjoyed the game (and no she doesn't win the medal for being the youngest Carlson to go to a game), as she slept through most of the game, but I do know that the boys enjoyed it.

I'm sure that there are very few people reading this who care about baseball, but it's one thing that I love and enjoy talking about it, plus I've waited 6 months to watch the Rays & Carl Crawford steal bases like Biggio used to, and to top it all off I couldn't think of anything else to talk about.

Y'all enjoy your week, while we on the farm work at getting ready for some major farm tours, summer, more birthdays, along with normal life. :D

Meet Jack Norwoth

"Katie Casey was base ball mad.
Had the fever and had it bad;"

Every herd this before? I didn't think so, neither had I until a few years back. :D What's this have to do with Jack Norworth? Well, he wrote this, it's part of a song. A song that every American has at least herd, if not know it...Rather know the chorus to it. Have you ever sung "Shine on Harvest Moon"? Then you have sung another of Jack Norworth's songs.

Yeah, I'm sure at this point I really have you confused, I'm good at that! lol Jack Norworth was a songwriter & vaudeville performer in the early 1900s. While riding a trolley to work one day in 1908 he saw a sign that read "Baseball Today at the Polo Grounds". Hespent the next 15 minutes writing a song that would been sung thousands of times every year for the next century (or more).

The interesting thing about this is that this song was written about a sport that Jack had never seen and would not get to enjoy for another three decades. He wrote two versions of this song, leaving only the chorus the same in both versions, the chorus the part of the song that everyone sings and thinks is the entirety of the song.

Do I have you really confused now or are you just dying to find out what song I'm talking about? (Or have you all ready Goggled the Katie Casey part and know the answer?) I promise you I did not make any of this up! Look it up yourself if you don't believe me. :D

1908 version of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

Katie Casey was baseball mad,
Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the home town crew,
Ev'ry sou
Katie blew.
On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No,
I'll tell you what you can do:"

[Chorus]
Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

Katie Casey saw all the games,
Knew the players by their first names.
Told the umpire he was wrong,
All along,
Good and strong.
When the score was just two to two,
Katie Casey knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song:

[Chorus]

"I am NOT The Mom!"

I love coaching, I have since the first time I did it four years ago. It was Tim's first year playing & dad's first year to coach and I was there right along with them, telling the kids that it's more important to watch the ball then the bugs, I promise!!

There's nothing like passing along the joy of baseball. The only catch was always reminding them to watch the game and not the clouds. It was also tons of fun to walk up to the field and have all the kids run up to me shouting "Look Miss. Katie, see how far I can throw the ball?!?" Or swing the bat, or run, etc. I missed not coaching the following year, but felt a wee bit of my knowledge level.

When I helped dad coach Tim's team I was 17, it was great, I was old enough for the kids to listen but young enough for them to relax around me & have fun.

Now this time around I am helping to coach Noah's team (yes, it is his first year). And again loving it. I still don't know how I got the job, but I am thankful that dad thought we could make the time for me to do so and to sign me up for it.

There is one thing that has changed this go around, that I never even thought about...I'm four years older & to these young children of five I seem a lot older then that. Old enough for them to think Noah is MY child!!

I keep getting "WOW! Look at what your son just did!" or "Your son is using my bat!". It took me a while to realize they were talking to me and not one of the other coaches. "Ummm....I'm not his mother." "Oh, you not? What are you then?" "His older sister." "Oh, ummm...." as they walk off at least a slight bit confused.

I wonder if I will ever get it across to them, or if it is all that important. It gives me a good laugh to see their face when I tell them that and I think it's even funnier to see Noah as he tells them that I am not his mom rather his sister.

At least they still listen to me and I am still able to pass on the joy of baseball to them. Even if I am still telling them to pay more attention to the ball then the bugs and that they really out to keep out of the dirt and tag the runner.

Sports News, What Fun!!

I wait for years for this, no matter where it is, no matter what the date I'm there parked in front of the TV to watch the Nations file in announced in three different languages, while the whole world watches to see who is the best at each sport.

Yes, I am talking about the Winter Olympics, though I do enjoy watching the summer games as well there's just something about the winter games that draws me more than the summer games. I've looked forward to every four years to watch the games since 1998 and the Nagano Olympics.

No, please don't ask me which is my favorite sport I go back and forth between spots. Ask me now and I might say speed skating, ask me in thirty minutes and I will tell you Luge. But then I can't forget Skeleton, Curling, Bobsled, Skiing or Hockey.

On another sports topic, the Astros' pitchers and catchers reported to Florida today to mark the start of Spring Training and we found out in the last two days that Timothy and Noah will both be playing for the Astors in the Waller little league. Noah for T-ball 5 (which dad said he would never do, until he saw Noah the last couple years) and Timothy for the Minors. What fun!! :D

Super Bowl

Yup last night was the Super Bowl and I milked goats and went to bed.  Unlike Christin who when she watches the Super Bowl watches it for the adds, (if she can get away with that) I watch it for the game as I do sometimes enjoy watching football every once in a while.  This year I didn't really care, we weren't going to anyone's place for a "party", there wasn't a team I cared to watch (I even forget who was going).  I had no real interest in watching and as I had to milk the goats I didn't have an option.

So, I milked the goats, and went to bed very thankful that tonight was super bowl night and by the time I woke up it would be over and we would be one step closer to the start of another baseball season.

Yup, that's how I look at the Super Bowl--Just one more step towards baseball season starting.  We are within weeks of players reporting.  And while some football fans moan about the lack of football and others rejoice over being the Champions, I sit back and enjoy the fact that we are less than a month away from games being played in Florida. 

So for all you football fans, I am not sorry the season is over, I just can't believe that it is!!  There's something to this dairy business, it makes the off season easier to handle.  :D  

Baseball

Right about now is when I start going into Baseball withdrawals. This is the time of year when after a long hard day of farm or house work I would love to curl up on the couch with a nice cup of extra strong, dark hot chocolate and watch the Astros play.

But, I don't get to. This is the time of year where I either curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book or curl up on the couch and watch TV with my sisters.

The only problem is all my sisters are growing up and they all know how to handle a remote control or what they want to watch. So, if I don't get the remote first then I am stuck watching ranch life on RFDTV, or What Not To Wear on TLC, when I would rather be watching the History channel, Food Network, or sometimes when I can catch it Mythbusters.

But, more often than not the girls are a lot faster than I am and I am stuck watching women dress up or large families. (As if we needed to know how it feels to live in a large family. lol) So, this year when ever the baseball withdrawal hits (which it has been a lot lately, it's like when a good friend moves away!!) I am normally found in my messy room with a book, whishing that there was a game I could watch and counting the days until the winter Olympics.

Technical Support

At our house I am tech support. If anyone has a problem with anything electronic all they need to do is call Katie. The person might try one, two, or even sometimes four times. But after that it's time to call me. Be it a high tech Laser Jet printer to a remote control, if they can't fix it then they call me.

I don't really mind, in fact I enjoy doing it. The only thing I don't like is making the phone calls when I can't figure out how it works.

I have a hard enough time understanding English, how in the world am I supposed to understand someone whose native language is not English and over a phone no less? I've spent hours on the phone trying to fix the Internet or cable, and having the worst time figuring out what they are saying. Down to the point where they spell out the words for me!! It's rather embarrassing! Not to mention it drives me nuts and I do everything in my ability NOT to call, for who knows when I will end up with someone out of state?

Now, the few times in which I get someone in the states is wonderful, enough even to make me not mind making the phone call (and that's saying something!). Such as last night, I went to turn on the World Series, only to find a blank screen and NONE of my channels! So, I dredge up enough courage to make the phone call (missing out on the World Series is enough to make me want to make the phone call). So, after I get past the machine and get a live person I was relieved when I realized the person on the other end of the line was in the states! :D

After giving the info to make sure he had the correct account. (When he asked how I was related to the person whose name was on the account I wanted to answer with "I'm their tech support". I refrained and gave the honest answer--I'm their daughter.). I love how they get all the info on who has the account and who are then go on in a manner as if you are just saying hi for the first time--"All right Katie, we'll see what we can do for you today. How are you doing today?"

My answer?--"Well, I'm fine except that I've missed the first inning of my ballgame!"
Dish Tech support--"Oh, the Yankees and Phillies? We'll get you up and running ASAP!"

lol And now I know he was in the states, I appreciate those companies that have their tech support in the States!!

Tonight

7:05 this even will mark the begging of the end of the 2009 Major League Baseball season!

The World Series starts tonight and though it might be over by the Monday morning, I always enjoy watching it, even if none of my teams are in it (as the case is this year). As I have stated I was raised first an Astros fan and then a Red Sox fan, but always a Yankee hater! So, I guess you now know who I will be rooting for this year. :D

I will have to say, that at the begging of the Division Series, I was asked who I wanted to see go to the World Series. I had said that I would like to see the Phillies in it and the Yankees not. :D As it turns out I got one of my two wishes. The only thing that would have been better would to have had the Dodgers win and Joe Torrie in Yankee Stadium in a uniform other then Yankee gear.

Now, I am sure that there a few people out there wondering why I am rooting for the Phillies, esp. since I just said I have been doing so for the past week. Maybe it's because they were in the WS last year, but I honestly doubt that. Maybe it's because I tend to root for the teams that have been around the longest, but then I have been known to cheer on the Rays and D-Backs, so that can't be the reason.

O.K. So, I really do why I am rooting for them.....Brad Lidge (and a few other former Astros). Brad has been one of my favorite players for years now, even though I am a team fan and never really had a favorite player there have always been one or two players that I enjoy watching more than others. Those are the players where their love of the game is shown in every pitch, catch, or at bat. And then there are the players who keep at it for years even though others would have quite long ago (I guess that goes back to the love of the game factor) and then there those who might or might not be great, but their love for God is evident in everything they do and say, and that is what makes the biggest difference for me.

Brad Lidge actually falls under all three. When playing with the Astros his love of the game was evident in every play (And yes, it’s still evident even though he doesn’t still play for us). He stuck out through the ‘hard times’ after having a horrible year his last year in Houston. But it’s his love for God that has really kept me a Brad Lidge fan, because most time when a player leaves town, you don't get to see him often and you tend to forget that he played here. But not Lidge, first of all in the post season you are always hearing of his giving up the Pujols home run, second of he was (and still is in most cases) an Astros' fan favorite. :D

But for me whenever I watch him and then see an interview and one of the first things out of his mouth is "I have to thank God for all he has done for me. Because without him, I wouldn't be here and my talent would be nothing." O.K. so it's not exactly those words, but they are along those lines. And truth be told, there are some people who say those things but don't live them out. From the few things I have seen and heard, Lidge does both and I respect him for that and having a hard time rooting against him, even when he’s playing the Astros.

There you have it, I'm rooting for the Phillies, but more so for Brad Lidge. :D On a side note, the Phillies are the first team in 9 years to go to the World Series two consecutive years.

Postseason

This is my favorite time of the baseball season and yet it also my least favorite time of the season. Yes, I know that I just contradicted myself, but it's true.

I enjoy the start of the season, I enjoy watching baseball at any and every chance that I can get during the six months that the season is running (and with MLB.TV I can get a game every day of the week for that entire six months except for the All-Star break).

But I also enjoy the end of the season, to see who comes out as the best team in baseball this year, I enjoy watching all the replays of the best plays that happened this season, and seeing who is this year's best player. I also enjoy knowing that this is the time of year when all the best plays are made, that the broadcasting is at its best and that the teams are all number one in their division.

No, I do not enjoy knowing that within three weeks there will not be another game until mid March, nor do I like the fact that the Astros' season is over.

But I do enjoy knowing that for the next two weeks there will be a game every day of the week, and in most cases there will be a game playing every minute of the day from 1:30 until midnight. (Not like I will stay up that late, but I do have an option if I am still up then.)

Now normally this is one of those times when I am off the wall--"You know if Roy pitches a great game today, then Lance and Carlos can help with their bats tomorrow while Wandy is pitching." Or "They just have to win 11 straight games and they are the Champs".

But not this year, this year my family will not have to tiptoe around me when the Astros lose, since they didn't even have a chance for the play-offs. Thankfully this year I didn't have heartbreak. The Astros were eliminated weeks before the last game of the season and didn't spend the final month making a run for it. So I knew over a month ago that there was not going to be that mad dash for the finish, that they normally make and that there was not going to be any chance that this was "The Year" for them. Oh well maybe next year!

Now, I'm off to root for the Red Sox, as I was raised first an Astros' fan and second a Red Sox fan. At least they have a chance! :D Y’all have fun this fall day as I waste away my time frying my brain watching Baseball. lol

Updates....

Let's see I do believe that I have left a few loss ends with some of my posts. :D So, to update on those things and a few things that have happened in the past few days.

• Dad and GrandDavid got home safely last night. I vaguely remember someone coming to my room around 11:30 to tell me that they were here. But being Sunday night I was wiped out and really didn't remember then coming in until late this morning. :D Dad's beat, and GrandDavid is going all over to see the changes (This is his first time to see the dairy), and those things that haven't changed all that much

• Mom is feeling green. Not just morning sickness but all day sickness. She has told us that certain foods can not be cooked in the house. (Such as any meat....)

• Mom went to Collage Station in the blue van yesterday to pick up feed. This is the fist time in over a month that it's being used. :D We are all so happy! Maybe this Sunday we can ALL go to central market and then church.

• We all lived through drinking decaffeinated coffee. Esp. Thou, they threatened my family never did anything about except to mutter under their breath as they poured a cup and to point out that it is really hard to miss in the store that it was decaffeinated.

• Grace has been spending a lot of time training her colt and mare. Thou she has a REALLY bad case or friendship spoil, or something along those lines. Neither horse wants the other to leave the pen. But Grace has been hardening her heart and taking them out for training or crazy almost everyday. :D

• The Astros are eliminated, I am sure that that means a lot to everyone and everyone is very upset. lol Oh, well now I'm on to my other team--The Red Sox. Now, I KNOW they are going. :D

I do believe that is all for the updates. :D Now it's off to make sure we have enough milk for market tonight.

Just a few Thoughts

• Turkeys are the stupidest animals on the face of the earth!! I just had a turkey sit outside the window for five minutes, pecking at the window trying to get the fly that is on INSIDE of the window, while it had a dozen flying all around him.

• Chickens have got to be the second stupidest animal on the face of the earth!! Yesterday while I was at the computer I heard something hit the window, I check on what it is before I start yelling at a toddler for throwing something at the window and realize that was a chicken trying to get away from another chicken!

• It's slightly depressing when I am happily sewing away and realize that I need my glasses to thread my needle!

• Here is an 'interview' I did for another blogger; I have greatly enjoyed reading her blog the past few months. :D

• The Astros won the rubber game last night, 4-1; Wandy went 8 innings giving up only 4 hits, ending the Marlins streak of ten hits in each of the last 15 games (A record that had stood since 1937!). Now if the Astros can keep winning and all the teams ahead of them would kindly start losing. lol

• It's Friday!! That wonderful day of the week that has us all running around like chickens with our heads cut off. You know, the day when we have to get everything ready for markets, hopefully by noon, but 4 at the latest (if all goes well).....Make sure the market buckets and bags are packed, pack all three cars for market, ice chest ready to go, ice all frozen, clothes laid out, product all labeled, etc. On top of that, to make this an even busier day, we are trying to get ready for school next week and preparing to get back to our school schedule.

Taking In A Baseball Game

For those of you who do not care for baseball, this post is one that you will probably find boring. :D Sorry, but outside of reading baseball is my favorite thing to waste time on. :D

Thanks to Stub Hub, I was able to get some tickets to last night's Astros vs. Marlins game. Only six of us went--Dad, Mom, Grace, Timothy, Noah and myself. For two reasons 1)Dad only wanted to drive in one car and 2)Everyone else doesn't really care baseball and were fine with being left home. :D

We all enjoyed it, the seats were great, the game was well played, in all it was a nice relaxing night out. :D













Train full of oranges----->
















I enjoyed watching the Astros play small ball. I can't remember the last time I saw five bases stolen, and a triple in one game.

<-----Carlos Lee in the 7th Inning. He grounded out to second (I had to cheat by looking at my score card to remember that).









Valverde in the to his last batter----->

The only draw back to the game was the fact that the Astros used 6 pitchers, (Would have love to see that number at least cut in half!) And Jose Valverde ended up throwing over 40 pitches in the ninth, would have loved for that to ba a 1-2-3 inning!

Here were the totals at the end of the game. It was really nice to attend my second game of the season and have them win this one as well. As opposed to the past two years were I went to four games each and they lost all 8 games!!

Now, to watch tonight's rubber game on TV, if I can convince the girls that I don't want to watch National Treasure tonight. lol

Oh, and to let you know...The back seat of a '94 Volvo Station wagon was not meant for a 21 year old, no matter how much they want to sit next to their little brother!! lol

It's That Time of Year!!!

For those of you who are not baseball fans, this post will mean nothing for you. And truthfully, even if you are a baseball fan this post will only mean something to you if you are an Astros' fan. :D

I have been an Astros' fan for over a decade now, I have seen them through it all. I have seen them win it all the way to the World Series and I have seen them at the bottom of the line, at the way bottom as in, in last place. I have seen them lose, and lose again until after the All-Star break where they all pull it together and win, either getting within a few wins of going to the post season or winning and going.

And honestly I don't think I can blame them for taking half a season before 'pulling it together'. When they have to learn who everyone is due to Mr. McLane pulling together “which ever players he can” before the season starts. Sure they are paid millions to play, but honestly do you think that any amount of money can help everyone learn who is who and what they do well? Do you think millions can tell a manager where to put each batter in the line up or who to put at the hot corner (esp. when we have THREE players for that spot?!)

It takes a few months to get to know everyone, and most teams have at least two years together. But no, not the Astros', Mr. McLane (yes, with the help of his GM, but it's McLane with the pocket book), kind of throws all the players in bag and toss them around, see who he can get for pennies, and hope that they can pull a team together and win the whole season. Who does he think he is kidding? (Well, besides himself!)

I am a die hard Astros' fan and have been for YEARS!! I have been told more than once that I hold on to long and that my faith to the Astros boarders on ridiculous. Truth be told there are times when I agree with those people!! But, I love it. Yes, I do cry when they lose and yes I have been known to not talk about any baseball for days after what I think is one of the worst trades for the Astros. And yes, I do stay at the games when there is no doubt they are going to lose. But it is enjoyable!

And as I sit here typing this out, I am listening to the Astros (currently beating the Mets). They are 1 1/2 games out of first; in fact they are in second right behind the Cardinals. And I sit here saying If they _____ win this and this and this game and the _____ lose this and this game, while the _____ win this and that game, and if ____ wins five games the Astros will be in first place!!

Now, this year I have a little easier, if the Astros win and the Cardinals and Cubs lose, the Astros will be in first place.

I enjoy this time of year, and though I do wish the Astros could go the entire year in first place this just gives the year a whole bunch of enjoyment and means I can spend the first half of the year thinking about the dairy and getting everything settled with the goat's kidding and any shows we are in. And then spend the last of the year watching the Astros, cheering them on, going to games, and praying that this off season the owner just might have a bit of sense!!!

But, mark my words, the Astros will be in the post season. Now if they are going to go all the way and win? No, I will not say anything else until I see in late September who else in the play-offs, then I will make my bets and enjoy it. Until then I will enjoy this ride that the Astros take us on!!


GO ASTROS!!!!

Sand, Baseball, and Markets

Sand:
Well, we just got another load of dirt. And of course the kids are ALL over it. :D Noah and Judah wanted to know why he was back again, but when they saw all that lovely sand, they didn't ask again. :D Right now I sit here listening to Noah, Judah, and Liberty laughing as they play all over it.







Baseball:
For the past six years or so dad and I have been buying MLB.tv. With MLB.tv we get all Major League Games, except for those played in Texas. Which is fine with us, since we get those games on TV we mainly got it to be able to watch the Boston Red Sox. And any other game when we feel like it (Cubs, Cards, Rays, etc.). Normal I pay for at least half of it. (sometimes more, depending on how much money I get) though out the baseball season, I guess I need to sell some soaps. lol

Well, last night dad accidental upgraded. And honestly we have both watched it since then and we both agree we like the upgrade! lol And dad has said if I pay for the upgrade he will pay for the rest and we can keep it! I am so excited! Right now I am watching 4 games. As an add comes on I switch to the next game, so I don't have to listen to adds. This is to cool!

Market:
Mom, Grace, Seth and birthday girl Emma are on their way to the Brazos Valley farmer's market for our first time as vendors, making this a grand total of FOUR this week alone! It used to take three weeks for that. :D

That's it for an update right now. :D