Tiny Tennis

Provo High Lady Dog's, yes, I said Lady Dog's, (umm, can we come up with a better name?) has started tennis. I think Tiny has a fantastic back hand. Her cross court stroke nearly always comes up a winner. Tiny did not play tennis last year since she wanted to focus on softball and not mess up her batting swing. Having lettered in softball as a 10th grader, she found she really could handle the two sports.

Living in Malaysia, we gave Tiny private lessons for 3 years. She played on the court behind the condo. 12 US dollars a lesson :)

Have fun in H.S.

Good for you Tiny.

Thankfully PHS will allow the girls to romp around in more roomy attire than the Victorians wore. No teenie tiny waists!

Does this ball go over the net?...no, but it is a fun shot anyway.

Eyes on the prize

I have always been a tennis fan, and a Chris Evert fan. Someday I will take a really good tennis photograph like this one.

credit: UPI/THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE

Rally Cry!!

Married to a Glad man you learn to love sports! I mean with 5 boys in that family, and a sports nut father, Glad children played ball, any ball!!! Their sisters played or cheered too.

But, how is it that I only just learned late this baseball season that flipping your cap is "man talk" symbolism for.."root, root, root, for the home team!"?

Christina looks like she smells something stinky, and Dave looks like he just noticed crap on his shoe.
No wait...it is just me taking photos at obscure moments.

I was organizing some photo's when I ran across these great pictures taken at the local Pioneer League Championship game. These two went to at least 15 games last season. The Orem Owls lost to some team from Bozeman, Montana. Tiny's best friend worked at one of the food stalls, so they even scored free food at every game. I Love America!!!

Dog Days of August (Go Lady Dogs)

The Lady Dog's Never stop playing softball.
I like this shot of Tiny because you can see where she held back the swing on a high ball. Look at those arms!

This is a good one too. You can see the damage where she was hit by a ball. Way to take one for the team, TINY!

Finally some freakin' tomatoes already. This was my first crop of the year, and I only got a handfull! What the heck? Our spring was too cold.

Will you just look at this amazing Cobb salad??!!??!! This came from Gourmet Magazine;August 2008 page 103. Again, my picture of the salad was better than the magazine. In my head anyway.

City League Champions...Whoo-hooo!

"Typical Chinese High School Team all girls (same hair cuts mandatory)"

I have never gone through a sports season as a parent. Okay we did go through volleyball in Malaysia, but that was way different than here. Those Chinese High Schools had drill sergeants as coaches and really butch 16 year-old's playing our tiny little 13 year old American girls. And it was fun, but they always played at our American school because our gymnasium was only one of three enclosed gyms on the island, and few of their parents came to cheer them on, so we didn't get defensive. We went into the game knowing we would get spanked, and knowing that their coach would scream at the girls in Chinese, (probably very directly about our girls).Dalat International School Gym. Open windows and right on the Indian Ocean, beach is about 100 feet out the window.

Jordan and Malaina played the radio and guitar respectively so, we didn't have any of their games to go through. But Christina is the one who likes sports. And more importantly, she is my baby! So, you can imagine my angst when she suffers losses and mess-ups. She is a team player and this year was quite an eye opener for me, for gentle readers, it seems that I suck as a parent. Here are a few reasons why...

• I typically have the biggest mouth on the home team. (Not a "good-ly" trait)
  
• I seem to be the only one who heckles the ump. (Also a "thou shalt not")
  
• I am the only parent who forgets which side her kid is playing on and sometimes root for the wrong team.
• My husband (Dave Jr.) can really yell at an ump, almost as good as Sparky Anderson or Billy Martin, and I am not ashamed!! (way to go Dave Sr., he learned from the best!)
  
• I yell at the other parents who criticize my kid.
• I didn't know that a batter can run for 1st on a 3rd strike if the catcher drops the ball!! (stupidest rule in the game). Therefore I lack knowledge of the damn sport.
  
• I hate the other parents on the opposing team who act like I do. I HATE them. (especially that fat cow....she knows who she is!)
  
• I didn't know I had so much hate in me?!? I had no idea it was there, festering beneath the sad shallow layer, that is my skin.

Pathetic loser right? Can you just picture me sitting there with Kujo like spittle dripping from my lips? I am the crazed, rabid sports mom from hell right? Please give me a shout out if you are like me. I know my sister-in-law Rena is like that. She went through years of team athletics/politics with Viewmont H.S. She says my brother wouldn't even sit with her at any of the games, she was so bad.

So, not to make this post ALL about me, I would like to congratulate the Provo City League Sunbirds for taking the city championship! Kudo's (not Kujo ) to Tad Walch and the girls!

Dave is in the blue hat. Tiny is pictured above.
10-1 record

"Hail Provo High"

This is Christina up to bat in her first day for Provo High JV Softball. I cannot begin to relate how freezing cold it was. The wind was absolutely biting through to the marrow. These girls "cowboy'ed - up" and played an awesome game. Christina really has taken advantage of attending a larger school and is getting involved in all that the school has to offer. I appreciate her going out of her comfort zone and having fun in sports this year. I cannot wait to see where the season takes the team. I also love heckling the the umpire, It was fun giving him a hard time.