Connor's very first season of baseball has drawn to a close. What a great experience!
Connor's first baseball team, with Dad (Coach Jeff) as the dugout coach.
To celebrate the end of the season, our Oakland Athletics team met at a local restaurant for lunch. It was nice getting to know the parents and kids better; it made me sad we didn't get to know them better during the season. What a great group of families!
Connor and some teammates enjoying lunch.
At the end of lunch, Coach Ben presented the boys with a special gift and thanked each of them for their contribution to the team. It was a neat little ceremony to recognize each teammate. As a bonus, Connor and his teammate Jack were both presented with special medals from the League for their home runs during the season. Very cool!
Coach Ben sharing a gift and some final encouraging words with the boys.
Connor with his special medal from the League for his home run during the season!
Connor with his coaches at the team party.
What a fun surprise!
The boys at their team party.
One thing about this season that was so special was our head coach, Coach Ben. I'm not sure if I've ever met such a kind, encouraging, and uplifting coach. He never had a harsh word to say and always remained positive despite our losing season. Connor made sure to write him a thank you card, and I couldn't help but share the sweet words which were well-deserved by the Coach.
Connor's note to Coach Ben.
Connor with Coach Ben. Awesome experience!
While that concludes my updates from Connor's first spring season of baseball, I do have one more little surprise to share from Connor's season. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, here's a little highlight reel for the grandparents. I was able to catch a few videos of Connor's batting and pitching but not of his catching, which is a bummer since I thought he did great at catcher.
While Connor was enjoying his first season of baseball, Kaitlynn was enjoying another season of soccer. She has been playing through a local league and always enjoys the springtime weekend games. She was READY to get started!
First day of soccer, WOOHOO!!
This year, Kaitlynn was excited to be joined by one of her best friends, Lily. They were able to sign up on the same team and have really been enjoying the time together.
Kaitlynn and Lily ready for their first soccer game together.
Lining up at the first game.
Water break on the sidelines.
Love these two!
After Kaitlynn's second game this season, she was so excited to be handed the game medal for her perseverance during soccer that day. She was SO proud of herself and we were too.
Kaitlynn got the game medal!
Connor congratulating his sister.
Big smile for that medal.
Jeff coached one of the soccer games this season. We might be biased but we think it was their best game!
Love these girls and their smiles. This was the game when Lily won the game medal.
Towards the end of the season, Kaitlynn launched herself on a mission to get a goal. She was figuring out the game more and more and learning what it takes to score. After getting SO close all season long, she became so focused on getting a goal during her last couple of games. You could see the look of determination on her face from across the field, but despite how close she just didn't get her goal. She cried some tears of frustration as she watched a couple of her teammates score, and we felt bad that she didn't reach her goal.
But then, due to the long rainy spring season with some cancelled games, the league scheduled one final playoff game. We had to shuffle some plans but we made sure to give Kaitlynn this last chance to play. She was pumped!
Ready for her very last game.
Love that sweet smile.
Around the time that the first quarter ended, the skies got a little dark as a little shower was moving through. It started sprinkling, but soon the sprinkles turned into a full on downpour! The teams kept playing through the rain, and the rain didn't stop until near the end of the game. The kids, coaches, and spectators were all soaked! But it was awesome to see those kids continue playing without complaining. So tough!
Our favorite moment of the game without a doubt came sometime during the second quarter. One of Kaitlynn's teammates was throwing in the ball from the sideline. They were close to their goal, and Kaitlynn managed to take the ball, dribble, and SCORE!!! Oh my goodness, you would've thought Kaitlynn had scored in a World Cup match by the way Jeff and I cheered and screamed from the sidelines! Kaitlynn's face lit up as she ran to Jeff for a twisting, twirling hug and kiss. "I made a goal!" she yelled excitedly. "I made a goal!!"
But then we heard the referee's whistle. Turns out that Kaitlynn's goal didn't count due to a technicality (the player throwing in the ball actually touched the ball first before Kaitlynn kicked it in). DARN it! Kaitlynn was initially upset, but we told her that the goal still counted for us even though it didn't get the team a point. After how hard Kaitlynn worked all season to get that goal, we were so proud! And during such a rainy game, so awesome!
Hard to see but it was POURING and they were soaked through!
Soaked through but smiling and proud of her goal!
I tell ya, we were SO PROUD of her all season long. She had fun and she played hard. She formed a goal and worked every game to achieve it. She was knocked down again and again and got right back up to play. She had a great attitude and never complained even when she couldn't quite reach her goal.
After that last game, the players were honored with a little trophy and a team ceremony. Kaitlynn's coach came up to her and told her that the pouring rain had soaked through the certificates he'd prepared for some of the players, but he wanted to make sure she knew that he had named her as the "Most Improved Player" for the season. Wow, what an honor! Her efforts were noticed by all!
And now a little something for the grandparents. Here's a little 3-minute video of Kaitlynn's 2015 spring soccer highlights. Enjoy!
Why is it that every single year Connor's birthday sneaks up on me? This year was no exception but we tried to make it special for him.
On the Friday before his birthday, we picked up some donuts for Connor's classmates to enjoy during snack time at school. Connor is a HUGE donut fan and an even bigger Shipley's fan. We made a morning stop at Shipley's and he tried out a new donut, the bear claw. Now that's his new favorite! On that same day, it was Field Day at school. So he had a pretty great start to his birthday weekend.
Connor and Kaitlynn dressed and ready for Field Day.
Connor's birthday bear claw.
We decided to let Connor invite a few of his school friends over for a birthday sleepover. We ordered a cookie cake and some pizza, and they all had a great time swimming, playing football, and playing video games. I tell ya, a house full of boys that age is interesting! I'm exhausted all over again just thinking about it!
Birthday cookie cake, Houston Texans theme of course!
Always a favorite, yummy!
Connor with a few of his buddies for a sleepover.
On Connor's actual birthday, he was excited to open a few gifts. The most important thing on his list was a new Houston Texans baseball cap that has the Houston skyline on the inside of the bill. You would've thought this kid won the lottery from his excitement about that hat! Not sure if he's taken it off since!
Connor opens his birthday gifts.
His favorite birthday gift -- a Houston Texans cap.
The underside of the baseball cap, very cool indeed.
Later on his birthday, Connor had one of his very best school friends over to play. They've been best buddies for a couple years but this was the first time we managed to have him over for a visit. Those were 2 excited kids! They played and went to CiCi's Pizza for lunch, still on the top of Connor's favorite spots to eat.
Another collection of photos, this time from Easter Sunday. We don't usually buy special outfits for Easter, but Kaitlynn dug through her closet and found this purple dress that she's been wanting to wear for years but it was always too big. She tried it on and it fit perfectly. Then she found matching princess shoes AND she requested that I fix her hair extra "fluffy" that morning. She also made sure to pick out a matching shirt for Sweet Daddy. Happy girl!
We lost a family member in the Courtright household this month. OK, so not an actual family member. But sort of. After 11 years and 190,000 miles, Jeff finally had to part with his beloved Dodge Ram truck.
Poor truck, it was just costing too much money to keep the thing running. Jeff gave it chance after chance (and paid more than his fair share of mechanic bills) but we eventually had to face the sad truth: it was time to move on.
Jeff's last photo of his red truck. R.I.P. Dodge Ram, you were good to us. Note the serious expression on Jeff's face.
Anyone who knows Jeff would admit that this big red beast of a truck has Jeff written all over it. From the day he bought it, it fit him like a glove.
First photo of Jeff with his brand new Dodge Ram. Awww, he looks SO YOUNG!
Jeff and his new Dodge back in 2004.
Not only was this truck Jeff's sidekick, but it's been a part of our family through so many milestones. We don't even know our lives as a family without this truck. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and relive some memories in Jeff's truck.
By far my favorite photo of Jeff's truck with little Collin and Kevin -- wow!!
Jeff and little Connor in front of the big red beast.
Christmas caroling in Jeff's truck with all 4 kiddos.
Little Connor (with curls!) and Kevin hanging out in the back.
Taking baby Connor for a bike trailer ride.
Connor and little Kaitlynn go for a ride in Daddy's truck.
Tailgating, a Courtright tradition.
What incredible memories we've had with Jeff's awesome red truck. We are SO going to miss it. And it's going to take some time to get used to the new color and look, but without further ado....
Introducing Jeff's Truck: The Next Chapter!
Here ya go, the new WHITE beast!
He's not a bit proud!
After MONTHS of fighting the need for a new vehicle, Jeff finally admitted it was time. Then began WEEKS of back-and-forth over what he wanted and how much he wanted to pay. In the end, we all agreed that Jeff deserved a nice truck so we might have splurged a little bit. But no doubt, this one is going to take him into his golden years of retirement, ha!
Beautiful, we love it!
Jeff's very first selfie with his new sidekick. Aww.
Look at that face! He is a HAPPY camper!
After going down the rabbit hole to find all of those family pictures and memories with Jeff's old truck, it makes me look forward to all of the future adventures and memories to be had with this new one. Kind of amazing to think of all the things this truck will be a part of in our future as a family. Congrats on your new truck, Babe!
