put me in coach, i'm ready to play...

It's that time of year again: baseball season. Opening day for Little League in Chandler was March 19th.  Lincoln is on the Colorado Rockies this year.

The annual fly over.

The kids with balloon baseball man.

The cheering section.

Linc has been playing catcher for at least a couple of innings each game.

He's so cute all geared up!

Way to catch that ball!

Catcher in action.

Playing first base.

 

Running past 3rd, headed for home!

spring break.

The kids continue on their year-round school schedule and they enjoyed a two-week break in March. While they were on break, Matt's mom was visiting. I was fairly busy with a work project and Matt was busy traveling for work during this time, so we weren't able to take any out-of-town trips but we did get the kids to the park several times, saw a movie, and headed to the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix.

Grandma, Cassidy, and Lincoln at Veterans Oasis Park

The kids enjoying a walk around the small lake at the park. 

Time for some fun learning!

A giant telescope.

The kids' reflection in the giant telescope.

The kids in the "weather" area making a vortex.

Lincoln posing with the world's first 3D printed car.

Going old school playing Donkey Kong. 

The outdoor water area. Lots of interesting stuff to play with here.

Can your paper airplane fly through the hoops?

It sure can! 

Linc at the paper airplane-making table.

The kids challenging each other's minds.

Standing inside a giant stomach.
It even made digestion (and other) sounds!

 

Linc laying on a bed of nails and he came out without a scratch. Amazing!

read across america.

Here, the kids are enjoying a picnic lunch as they read books together on the school grounds in celebration of Read Across America day.

Cassidy and Alyssa reading a Mo Willems book.

Two peas in a pod.

Lincoln and a couple of classmates celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday by reading Ten Apples Up On Top!

i'm a daisy scout.

Cassidy joined Girl Scout Daisies in September and she's been busy earning the petals of the Girl Scout Law ever since. She also participated in Cookie Sales for the first time and she exceeded her goal!

Cassidy with her troop leader at her Investiture Ceremony.
This ceremony is a time to welcome new girls  into Girl Scouts and for returning girls to re-dedicate themselves, and is a time for them to recite the Girl Scout law and promise. By doing so, Cassidy received her insignia tab, membership pin, and world trefoil pin.

On my honor...

A congratulatory handshake!

Mom pinning Cassidy.

It's cookie time!

Anna and Cassidy at the first cookie booth.

Thanks to Anna's mom for the awesome cookie booth decorations and setup! 

Cassidy and her "Flat Daisy" at the cookie booth.

Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies? 

On a walkabout around the neighborhood with a wagon full of cookies.
Cassidy and her "shy" personality did amazingly well speaking up and showing off her sales skills.

Cassidy and "Flat Daisy" selling cookies in the neighborhood!

Phew!  I'm exhausted after selling so many cookies!

At one of the final cookie booths, YiaYia was in town so she got to help sell cookies with Cassidy.

happy birthday, dad.

Matt is officially on the other side of the hill this year as he turned 41. Happy birthday!

Father and son.

Matt and Cassidy showing off the traditional Simpson's Trivia desk calendar that he gets for his birthday every year.

 

Matt's new cornhole boards, a gift from Julie and Irene.

doing some "baking"...outside.

We've recently been watching lots of the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. This inspired Cassidy to head outside to make mud pies, chocolate soup, and all sorts of other creative food items. This girl is not afraid of getting dirty.

Time to mix the mud pies!

Chocolate soup?

i got a new bike...it's blue!

On the top of Cassidy's Christmas list this year was a new bike. She was about done riding Lincoln's old Lightning McQueen bike. She wanted a "big girl" bike and she wanted it to be her favorite color (at the moment, at least): light blue.

Santa came through! He delivered just what she wanted to our home in Arizona AND he wrapped a picture and put it under the tree at Yiayia and Papou's house.

Cassidy holding a picture of her new bike, which was waiting for her in Arizona.

Back home in AZ, testing out the new bike.
Nice that she could hop right on in January and start riding!