T-Ball for T-Boy

This past week Tristan started t-ball. I was really excited because I've always looked forward to the days of having a son and being that "soccer mom" or in this case "t-ball" mom. It's fun to now have the dance on Stella's part and sports on Tristan's. Tristan was so excited to start before we even left the house! He kept asking me when we could leave because he didn't want to wait any longer. When we got there he did NOT want to go out and play with everyone else. We have a few neighborhood boys that are on his team and our good friend, Bart, is their coach. Once he got to go up to bat he was enthusiastic about the game again and started to finally get into the game.

He seems to enjoy the batting part and chasing the ball, but running the bases is another story. Half the time someone has to walk him from base to base just because he doesn't find that part entertaining enough. I figured it might be a slower sport that wouldn't keep his interest, but it's a fun sport to start out with and see what he likes and is good at! He seems to enjoy it and is having fun. And it's always a good time for the parents to get a little laugh at their kids expense. It is pretty dang cute to see so many boys chasing one softball only to not know what to do with it once they have it. Ah, good times! He does look pretty studly in his baseball hat!

(No, Tristan is not grabbing himself even though it looks that way!)

Call me Toothless

Today our little Stella lost her very first tooth! Of all places she lost it during sacrament meeting. She said to me, "Mom, my tooth is cold." I knew it was because it was completely dead and it was obviously holding on by a thread. I grabbed a tissue from my lesson bag, gave a short tug, and BAM! It was out. She didn't feel a thing. I had warned her about my dad and not to let him see it because I have vivid memories of him trying to pull out my loose teeth with pliers. I can still taste the metal. So instead of trying brutal tactic's such as those I just let it become loose enough it would just come right out, and it worked. We are now on our way to the wonderful big teethed gawky period. Hopefully Stella's won't last as long as mine did! Although, she is much prettier than I ever was at that age. So now I have re-named her Toothless.

Memorial Day Thoughts

I came across a few poems that I liked and wanted to spend a moment to remember those who have passed on. I have lost two people that I have known and loved dearly. My Grandma Robbins and my nephew, Liam. The pain seemed unbearable at times. I still continue to miss and think about them on a regular basis. However, I know that they are with the angels doing God's work. I look forward to the time I will get to embrace them and tell them how much I love them.

I also want to pay my respect to those who have fought (continue to fight) and died for our country. They do what so many are not brave enough to do and put their lives on the line for our freedom. Our country would not have the many privileges we enjoy today without the many generations of military men and women who fought for what they believed in. And to them I am grateful.

When I'm Gone
- Mrs. Lyman Hancock
When I come to the end of my journey
And I travel my last weary mile,
Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned
And remember only the smile.

Forget unkind words I have spoken;
Remember some good I have done.
Forget that I ever had heartache
And remember I've had loads of fun.

Forget that I've stumbled and blundered
And sometimes fell by the way.
Remember I have fought some hard battles
And won, ere the close of the day.

Then forget to grieve for my going,
I would not have you sad for a day,
But in summer just gather some flowers
And remember the place where I lay,

And come in the shade of evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west
Stand for a few moments beside me
And remember only my best.



Freedom Is Not Free
- Kelly Strong
I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

May Mania

May has been a very busy month for us! Lots of good things going on here. I already posted our Disneyland trip, which was an amazing family getaway! We also celebrated Stella's 6th birthday! She turned six while we were in California so she was able to spend it with the princesses, which is fitting. Before that we had a party with both the Robbins and Duffin sides. Since Bill, Stella and I all have birthday's that are less than 2 weeks apart we usually combine all of our birthday's together and celebrate. Stella got lots of fun gifts and was definetly spoiled! When we got home from our trip we did our birthday/Mother's Day celebration with the Carroll's. It has been since Christmas since we got together and it was great to hang out for a few hours!



Another exciting event at our house would be potty training. Yes, potty training. Not usually too exciting, but seeing how it only took one week and minimal accidents I am thrilled with no more diapers! Tristan has done better than I imagined he would do. Especially since he is one that HATES any kind of change. Even if it is for the better. He starts pre-school in August so that was the final push for us to get him on the potty. We wanted to wait until after Disneyland to potty train so afterwards we had no more excuses. I am really proud of Tristan! He has done so well! He is officially big!




Stella's class does something called 'fairy tale friday' at school. At the beginning of the year the parents sign up for a specific fairy tale and one day they are assigned to come in and read the story and have an activity for the kids to do. I of course had Cinderella! Stella's favorite. This was more stressful and more work than I anticipated! Of course I did make it harder on myself than was necessary.




I decided to make sugar cookies and decorate them for the kids. I did blue for the boys and pink for the girls. I tried to make the whole thing not such a chick story so the boys would have some fun. We played a memory-matching game and the kids really enjoyed that. It was fun to see Stella in her school enviornment and spend some time with her class. Stella was a good helper as usual with getting all the cookies ready the night before! That alone is worth all the extra work.



Stella is finishing up with dance until next fall and will have her ballet recital the end of June. I am really looking forward to that. Her dance instructor says that she has improved so much since the beginning of the year and is really impressed with her! She has also started swim lessons. It seems to be more like lounging in the pool time for her. She doesn't seem to want to do some of the techniques they are learning so we will have to practice extra with her. And Tristan will be starting t-ball soon. I am very excited for that. I'm sure it's not too exciting to watch yet, but it's the beginning of sports activites for him so it will be fun to see what he is good at!