Baseball Games Can Be Scary...

The night started out like any other of our summer evenings... hurry up and get home after work so we can head out to a ball game!! On this particular evening, Zach was playing a double-header against another local high school team -- North High. During the 2nd game, Zach came up to bat and hit the ball fast and hard... right into the pitcher!! The next thing we saw, the pitcher just dropped to the mound and lay completely still for a good ten seconds or more. By the time people were rushing out to check on him, he was trying to get on his knees. Zach's coach called 911 because the kid was having trouble breathing and swallowing. He did manage to tell the coaches and trainers that the ball hit him in his collarbone, then bounced up and hit his neck. The pitcher's father also ran out to the field to see about his son, only to collapse on the field himself, so another 911 call was placed. We ended up with three cop cars, two firetrucks, and two ambulances arriving on the scene. The paramedics determined that the baseball must have struck the adam's apple and partially lodged it into his airway... once they squeezed his neck, the adam's apple moved back out and he was able to breathe and swallow better. Turns out the father that collapsed has a history of cardiac arrest... they think his blood pressure probably spiked when his son got hurt. The paramedics also noticed that his pulse was thready, so they wanted to take him to a hospital. Both the pitcher and his father went to the hospital that night. And throughout all of this, Zach just felt TERRIBLE... it was really hard for both teams to continue the game after this incident. I am just so thankful for some of the parents from the opposing team that came up to Zach after the game to let him know that "it was OK", that "these things happen", "baseball can be dangerous", etc. etc." The best part was the next day at Zach's practice... his coaches let him know that both father and son were OK and recovering fine...

Okoboji 2010

It is that time for our annual trip up to Okoboji... only one change was made this year. We traded Zach in for a younger girl!!! LOL

Due to Zach's busy summer schedule and also having a basketball camp the same week that we were going to be in Okoboji, Zach decided to stay home so he wouldn't miss out on all these things. This was a big step for both Zach and us (his parents!) to leave him home ALONE for a whole week!! Needless to say, he followed the rules and earned himself a higher notch on our trust level!! It probably helped that all the neighbors and friends were "looking out" for him and his schedule was so busy that he didn't have time to find any trouble!!

Since Zach wasn't going with us, we let Brianna bring her best friend, Madi! It worked out really great - the girls got along great all week, and the bonus was that I actually got a little free time to myself since Brianna had someone to entertain her!! They spent the week going to the movie theater on the resort, shopping in the souvenir shops, and lots of swimming!! We also spent a day at Arnold's Park towards the end of the week! This is always a great time for us up there and it always seems so short... before we know it, it is time to come back home. (Actually, this time we really did have to cut it short -- we came back two days early because Brianna really wanted to go camping with her Girl Scout troop on that Friday night!) I didn't get the camera out much while we were there, but I am posting some pics from Arnold's Park...


Madi and Brianna posing by the Boardwalk:

Brianna and Madi on the Log Ride:

CJ is "hanging around" with his new friends!:

School's Out!

The kids got out of school on Friday, May 29th!! Look out summer, here they come!! Of course, not sure if Zach will get to enjoy much of it... he has a full plate. Every day consists of weight lifting for football at 7am... then basketball practice/workouts at 8:45am... followed by baseball practice at 11am.... there are even going to be some weeks where he has a sports "camp" in the afternoons, and we can't forget about the baseball games in the evenings!!

Back to the school note... both kids brought home awesome report cards and will be advancing to their next levels... 11th grade for Zach and 5th grade for Brianna!!! GREAT JOB KIDDOS!!! Keep up the awesome work!!!

Congratulations, Jessica!

Congratulations and Best of Luck to my cousin, Jessica!! Now that you have graduated from High School, we wish you the very best of success in the rest of your endeavors!! Love you!!

History Project Reception/Ceremony

Brianna completed a 4th grade Sioux City History Project back at the beginning of the year. This is a required project for every 4th grader in Sioux City. Once the projects are completed, they are judged by people from the Sioux City Public Museum. Out of the 800+ projects around the city, 91 of them were selected to be displayed in the Public Museum! Brianna was one of them!!

These selected projects were on display for two months. On the final day, a reception/ceremony was held and each participant was awarded with a Certificate of Achievement from Tom Padgett, the mayor of Sioux City. Here is a picture of Brianna getting her award:

Mother's Day 2010

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!!! We had a great Mother's Day weekend... my niece, Avery, was baptized... and we also spent the weekend in Laurens with Mom!!! We had a nice Sunday dinner and I had Sydney and Brianna help me clean the kitchen and dishes so Grandma could relax!! I got cards and letters that Brianna made at school for me (those are the best!!) and I also got a card from CJ and the kids, with the "promise" to get me flowers and plants. I want to plant flowers and get some color going in our yard, so this is my gift! Now I just need to find the time to go pick out what I want!!! Hopefully soon!...

Avery's Baptism

My niece, Avery, was baptized on Mother's Day weekend!! My sister had her baptized back in our church in Laurens, to make it easier for the godparents and other family members to attend. Avery's godparents were her great-aunt Barb and great-uncle Rich. The baptism ceremony was held just before the Saturday evening mass at church. Afterwards, we went back to mom's house for supper, gifts, and cake! God Bless Avery!!

Avery getting the holy water poured on her head:

Grandma Joan, Sydney, Father Riecks, Jen, Avery, Matt, Grandma Phyllis:

The Godparents -- Rich and Barb Larson: