On a gorgeous Monday night, Jake and E had their very first baseball game.
Here is Jacob, getting ready to go up to bat. Ethan is next to him behind the fence at the dugout.
Jacob got up to bat a couple of times and got one nice hit….but was tagged out on first.
Ethan got to bat once. He hit the ball several times but never in the right direction. LOL
They had such a great time and their team won that night. It was quite exciting for them.
One of the spectators. Seth.
Why we had a great time:
Jacob: We won. I got a hit.
Ethan: We won. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.
Grace: I like to watch the games. I have almost all the boys’ names on the team learned.
David: I had a great time running around playing.
Caleb: I had a great time running around playing. Sometimes Mom forgot about watching us and then I really had a great time.
Seth: I had a great time running around until my Mom buckled me into my sister’s baby carseat.
Dad: I had a great time being assistant coach.
Mom: I had a great time but left the game with an overloaded brain from: keeping track of kids, feeding the kids snacks, stopping friendly little Caleb from attaching himself to strange children and telling them embarrassing stories, nursing precious Sarah right out in the open, getting boys out of mud and dirt hills, keeping Seth from running far far away, watching handsome J and E play ball, getting jealous of my husband’s assistant coach position, stopping sibling spats, answering loud remarks about having SEVEN CHILDREN, and finally (sensing I was starting to not enjoy the time) giving up and going home early out of exhaustion to spend time with the littles, giving them baths and getting them ready for nighttime. I’ve tried various approaches to reducing stress during outings, it’s just a fact of life when you have seven children to watch it gets really tiring after awhile. The thing that helps the most is just staying positive and rolling with it with a sense of humor. If it gets to be too much, I go home rather than get mad. Sometimes that approach fails but I wouldn’t trade my large family for anything in the world……..I love them with all my heart.
However, last night Davy had a game and I left all the children home with Jacob to babysit. Rich and I watched the game together with just baby Sarah and it was nice heavenly.
Good to be Home 
I can’t wait until the weather is nice around here and we can be outside! It has been so cold and rainy all spring.Your are a busy mom, and baseball games sound crazy right now, but the kids are going to have the Best memories! (even Seth who was buckeled into the carseat! ;)Hope your today is lovely!
I’m glad almost everyone had a good time! It sounds like you made up for it at the second game. It is much easier to just have the kids at home. I know they need to go out and all that, but sometimes, it just isn’t worth it! I say this and I “only” (ha!) have four.
The spring look on your blog is so pretty….I’m really enjoying the music on your playlist too……..Your Easter pics are pretty….You have a beautiful family….We have 5 girls and 2 boys, though many of them are much older than your kiddos. Take care~ Karen
I can only imagine how overwhelming that would be. I’m glad you got to enjoy it solo, I’m sure you needed that. 🙂
yes so exhausting!!! You take it so well though..
Your last sentence expresses it perfectly. I get plenty of comments, and I only have five. Enjoy your day. The sun is shining here today. Yay! You should be receiving a letter from me soon. Love ya!
LOL. I’m glad you shared the pictures and their points of view. Love ya, Lish
You know how I survived ball games back in the day? I had one of those expandable play yards (No longer considered safe) and I parked myself in a comfy chair inside the play yard with the kids and toys. No craziness. Just watching ball games. The only rule I had was no other kids from the other moms. I had enough with my own in there!!!:)I remember the comments, too. Like….”Are these ALL yours?” or “Don’t you know how to prevent that?”Sheesh! For the life of me, I could never figure out why those things had to be said in my presence.I only had five. Hang in there. Smile and nod.
SEVEN CHILDREN!! You do know how that happens, right? LOL…don’t you just love it when people comment on big families. I always have to bite my tongue instead of coming back with some off-the-wall answer. (and I only have 5). Love the way you described the game through each of your eyes. Crazy times for the mom =). I too, wouldn’t trade it for the world!!
awesome ball pictures~ so crisp and clear! i think sports things are hard to catch.. or atleast i’ve never had much luck.and never you mind about others comments. you’re a great mom and anyone looking on can see the love among you all.. if anything, those saying that are probably secretly in AWE! ;)i saw where dawn suggested a play yard.. when emma was little we would take her pack&play and put her in w/ a bunch of toys if it was going to be a long day. love your perspective~ keeping a sense of humor and just rolling w/ it. yes. i think that’s the key to successful motherhood. 🙂 you should order this necklace and wear it to the ball games – http://www.funkyvintagekitchen.bigcartel.com/product/keep-calm-+-carry-on-charm-necklace-turquoisehugs to you across the miles~
I have to ask….what lens are you using??? The pictures are spot on clear! :)I loved the whole blog…but your last sentence was the perfect wrap up. :)))))) Funny!
i think part of the reason taht I find it amazing that others have big families is because i come from a small one. but big families intrigue me…i love to see how they interact with each other and the different ‘roles’ they have taken upon themselves in the family…and just the different kids that have emerged from the same parents. i’m sure its even cooler for you as a parent because you get to meet each of these cool people and then get to know them as the years go by. i’m sure that keeping track of the littles, watching the big boys play, seeing how Rich is enjoying the game, and spending some time with Grace is a bit overwhelming. i’m glad that you have figured out a way to deal with those times when it gets to be overwhelmin…and i’m glad that you and Rich were able to get away to Davey’s game…just a couple of you!!
You are so wise to roll with it. I only had David at baseball when Dan and Nick were playing and it was sometimes a handful. People always brought their dogs and I had to hold David a lot. I am THANKFUL for you and your seven children! They are a blessing to this world.
I enjoyed your comments about how other people comment on large families. While I didn’t have one myself, (a LARGE family…only 3 for me, and my 3 felt like enough!) I’ve heard others sometimes making very insensitive remarks. I always want to say, “If GOOD parents didn’t have children, where would the future of our world lie?” for I believe it is those children, being raised by spiritual, wise, committed parents, who give us hope. So many unfortunate little ones are raising themselves, and God help them…Yes, you are smart to allow yourself to go home when you get too tired, to not let yourself get too overwhelmed. You can’t be everywhere, all the time…Your boys…young men, really…are getting so grown up. I see muscles and strong jawlines…such handsome young men.
My husband comes from a family of nine children. I was one of five. We grew up among other relatives with big families. What wonderful times those were, filled with compassionate and caring adults, and never without a companion. You have been richly blessed.