Bengals Make it to the Championship!

Jack's had quite a baseball season this year! He has really come a long way. He's a consistent hitter--almost always getting on base, and he even made a thrilling catch during the season. It was one of those high, hanging pop flies that kids his age almost always misjudge and drop. Jack just got in position, hung in there, and squeezed when the ball dropped right in his glove. It was great.

But the real season highlight came when Jack's team won both of their tournament games, and won the opportunity to play for the division championship! We couldn't believe it!

Jack played a great game...he had lots of good defensive plays out in center and left field. And...he almost hit one out of the park! It was sooo close--it hit the left field fence on a fly (it was almost literally right in his dad's face!). Jack got a double out of that one. He had a ton of support, too--Peach, Reen, Patrick, Justin, Papa Dex, and my friend Stacy all made it out to the park to root for Jack. It was a lot of fun, but pretty exhausing, too, as it was 90 degrees, muggy, and buggy. The gnats were really annoying!

In spite of all that, the excitement was almost palpable as the Bengals fought their best fight to win that game. All the rooting made us really sweaty and kind of aggravated (see photo of Sam.)

But alas...in spite of the Bengals' best efforts, the Lions prevailed and took the championship. But hey, don't feel sorry for Jack. Just check out that cool trophy! I think that when Jack saw that, all his disappointment melted away. He really likes awards :-).

On a side note, Jack also tried out for the all-stars after the championship game, but didn't quite make it this year. But don't be surprised if he makes it next year...he's an up-and-comer!

Father's Day Excitement

We had an exciting Father's Day weekend this year. Significant events include:

• Robin got a new car;
• Jack's baseball team played in the championship game (see next post);
• Robin's dad came to visit...

And what else? Oh yeah! Our deck caught on fire and nearly burned down. Jeez...almost forgot about that one. Such excitement!

So here's what happened. Robin and I had both been in bed for a while when I woke up because I thought I heard the doorbell ring. So I nudged Robin to see if he heard it or if I was just dreaming. As I was asking him, we heard people talking outside...so Robin jumped out of bed and looked out our bedroom window (which overlooks our deck in the backyard). He yelled, "Oh my God...the deck's on fire!" and took off down the stairs. I glanced out and saw huge flames engulfing the top corner of the stairs--the flames were probably 10 or 15 feet high. By this time, people were pounding on the door. It was three teenaged boys; they happened to see the fire as they were driving by and called 911 and woke us up. I wish I had gotten their names...who knows what would have happened if they hadn't seen the fire or thought to stop and get help. We were sound asleep and had no idea what was happening until the doorbell rang.

Anyway, Robin had rushed out to the hose in the middle of the backyard and tried to put out the fire as best he could, while I called 911 again to make sure the fire trucks were coming. Fortunately, the boys saw the fire early--so although it was raging and very tall, it was pretty much contained to the deck stairs and Robin was able to extinguish most of the flames before the firemen got there. When the firemen arrived, the chopped up the steps so they could shoot the water underneath the deck and make sure there were no hot spots that could flare up all over again. They didn't even have to use their hoses. From start to finish, the whole escapade probably took about 20 minutes. We're just really, REALLY grateful that things unfolded the way they did and that no one was hurt and no significant damage was done--especially since it has been so dry lately. It could have been a major disaster.

Jack, Sam, and Papa Dex slept right through all the commotion.

"See-food" at the Indian's Game

In late May, we took the kids to an Indian's game downtown, which is always a good time. The park is really nice, and there's not a bad seat in the house. Sam even enjoyed it this year, and spent a lot of his time entertaining the people behind us. As you can imagine, we ate lots of yummy junk...popcorn...hot dogs...pizza...well, you can tell from the photos that it's actually stuff our picky kids enjoy. Jack really got into the game this year--and he seemed especially impressed with a guy named Brian Bixler (I think he just liked the guy's name). He was really rooting for the home team, but the visiting Knights pulled it out in spite of a strong Indians rally at the end.

For the first time, we stayed for the entire game so we could see the fireworks at the end of the game. We don't usually go to fireworks due to Robin's tendency to get road-rage and crowd-rage (well, just rage in general), so this was truly a first for both our kids. I think they were impressed with the show, but neither of them were too fond of the noise. Jack was kind of ambivalent when I asked him if he ever wanted to see the fireworks again, and Sam said the noise scared him. But...he didn't act scared during the show, so who knows!

The Personal Best Award

Jack's school has an awards ceremony on the last day of school. We were thrilled to find out that Jack was going to be honored with a "Personal Best Award"--but we had to keep it a secret from him so he would be surprised. Jack's teacher wrote us the nicest letter about what a pleasure Jack was to teach, and how special he is...it brought tears to my eyes, to tell the truth.

A Personal Best award is a great achievement for a student--in order to get one, a student has to receive all 5's in conduct for the entire school year, excel academically, have outstanding attendance, and show good citizenship. We were so proud that Jack achieved in all of those areas! I took pictures of Jack walking up to get his award, but they turned out dark and fuzzy, unfortunately. However, rest assured that he was thrilled. He told me afterward that he kind of had "stage fright" as he stood up in front of the whole school with the other winners. He also said, "Mom, did you know they said my name in front of over 600 people?" He seemed really awed by the whole experience. What a great kid.

It's Pee-Wee Baseball Time!

So this year, Jack's playing Little League baseball for the first time--his team is the Bengals. Last year, he played for a church-affiliated league. It's the same deal as last year--coach pitch--but I think this league seems a little bit more organized. They actually have more teams to rotate through, which makes it a tad more exciting. This league also has tournament play!

These are photos from opening day ceremonies--which preceded an exhibition game. It was sort of a practice game and didn't really count toward our standing in the division. Anyway--check out our team banner! I don't know if you can tell, but it had green bengal tigers on either side of the words "GO BENGALS". Each player's handprints and photos made a border around the edge of the banner.

I thought it was really cool...each team made one and then the kids "paraded" it from the entrance of the fields down to the main field with the pressbox. Then, members of the board walked around and judged which teams had the best banners. The Bengals didn't win, but they still had a rockin' banner, in my opinion.

By the way...the Bengals won their exhibition opener...a sign of good things to come, as it turns out.

Jack turns 7

Jack had a little bash at home to celebrate his 7th birthday. He invited three friends from his class: Will, Nick, and Carly (not pictured here). They had a ball--they played with lightsabers and toys for a while, and then decided it was time to sugar up! So...we organized a little ice cream sundae station in the kitchen, and the kids filed through and piled on the toppings. Then, we sang "Happy Birthday" and cut the cake--which was covered in frosting designed to look like a prehistoric landscape, complete with a couple of dinosaurs action figures that roared and lit up.

After all that excitement, we opened presents and played with them for the rest of the party. I think he really enjoyed it. He's just getting so big...it's hard to believe it!

Easter, 2007

During Spring Break, the boys and I took a road trip to South Bend to visit all the Grandparents. It was quite the adventure!

Grandma and Papa recently acquired a Wii, which Jack and Sam spent lots of time playing. Jack became quite a good Wii boxer--but I tend to think it's because he's young and has lots of energy. All that arm flailing is exhausting for us old folk. Sam, on the other hand, showed an uncanny ability when it came to bowling, but it proved to be a fluke. After a few games, he developed the Eiteljorge hook and started playing more like you'd expect a 3-year old to play. Alas!

In addition to the Wii fun, the boys spent time dying Easter eggs with Grandma. We tried to make some fancy Martha Stewart-esque eggs, but although colorful, they weren't quite Martha's style. Oh, well. It sure was fun!

We also visited Grandma Mel, who broke out BINGO for the boys. Sam didn't show much interest in the actual game...although he did enjoy razzing his big brother. Every time Jack would call out a number, Sam would call out a different number...he was like an inaccurate echo. It was pretty funny, but very frustrating for poor Jack.

The best part about the trip (aside from the Wii, of course) was the Easter Egg Hunt! The boys had a ball searching for plastic eggs filled with cash and little treats. Then, when all the eggs were emptied, the boys closed them up and hid them all over again.

I was amazed at how much fun they had with empty plastic eggs. Goes to show you...you don't need expensive toys to have a lot of fun.

Snow Day!

In late February, we got a TON of snow. Naturally, we had to go out and enjoy it a bit. Here are Jack and Sam taking a time out to pose for the camera. Try as I might, I could NOT get Sam to stop hamming it up for a nice photo. *sigh* Oh well...this one turned out to be pretty cute.

Wait. Did I say that we had to go out and enjoy the snow???

OK, maybe some of us enjoyed it more than others.

I don't really remember exactly what prompted this tantrum, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with some errant snowflakes flying off a snowball and hitting Sam at an inopportune moment.

Mess with Sam and you'll incur his wrath. That's all I'm saying. :-)

Lego-Mania!!

I have to share this picture of Jack. Check out what he built!

He got this really cool Star Wars Lego model for Christmas, and spent a good amount of time building it with Grandma Karen and Mom. He was really proud of it for a couple of days...but then decided to destroy it (just because he could!).

Warning: if you enlarge this photo, you may be subjected to some green snot (it was cold season!). If that kind of thing grosses you out, I suggest you refrain from enlarging. Just a word to the wise.

Christmas, 2006

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas at our house without a lightsaber or two under the tree. In this shot, the boys are breaking in the newest addition to Jack's ever-growing collection. It's crazy, but lightsabers are ALWAYS at the top of his wish list, no matter what occasion!

Christmas was especially fun in 2006, becase Grandma Mel, Grandma Karen, Papa, and Aunt Erin all made the trip to our house and were here to watch the boys open their presents from Santa Christmas morning. Such excitement!

We spent Christmas Eve exchanging presents from each other (not Santa). Robin was especially excited to show off a priceless t-shirt he got from his team at work. In case you can't read it or don't know the background...Robin went to Ball State, which he frequently calls "the Harvard of the Midwest." So, the girls he works with used painter's tape to add "Ball State, the" above the "Harvard" and "of the Midwest" below it.

Here he is, showing off his most prized and cherished present, sitting next to Erin, who's sporting a tribute to Ball State as well.

What a couple of characters! :-)

Halloween and Thanksgiving, 2006

Halloween was a lot of fun last year (2006). Sam is getting old enough now to really get into the spirit of trick-or-treating. At first, he refused to wear his monkey costume (which was TOTALLY adorable), but eventually, he relented. Once he was in candy mode, his costume reservations became nonexistent. He ran up the sidewalk of every house we visited yelling, "Trick or Treat! Happy Halloween!!" It was really fun!

Jack decided he wanted to be a Ninja this year. He got to go trick-or-treating with some bigger kids who came to visit with one of Robin's friends. He really enjoyed it; by the time he got back with us his bag was loaded. Both boys had a ball while they were out, but the REAL fun came at the end of the night when they got to check out all their loot.

Sidebar: Jack just found some leftover Halloween candy in his closet a couple of days ago...in June! We also have almost all of our Easter candy left. I guess that's a good thing...they don't like to gorge themselves on sweets like ol' Mom.

Now...On to Thanksgiving!

We had a grand ol' time. All of Robin's dad's family came to our house for the feast--and the boys had a ball playing with Patrick and Justin. Jack's cousin, Casey, also provided loads of entertainment. Not only did she know how to wrestle, but she also knew her way around a lightsaber. That instantly won her a special place in Jack's heart. :-) In fact, he wrote about it in a creative writing paper he did for school the following week.

Gosh..where to start??

I guess I need to begin where I left off. At the beginning of the school year (September 2006), Jack decided to join the Tiger Cubs...which is a stepping stone to Webelos and Boy Scouts. Here he is sporting his uniform with his buddies a den meeting.

The meetings were fun for Jack, but not so fun for mom and dad. We did do some cool activities during the year, like visit the local firehouse and hike through Holliday Park. However, Jack didn't seem to have much interest in Scout stuff outside of the meetings, so I think this will probably be an activity that we bag for next year. Maybe he can play soccer instead!

We're Baaaaacccckkk!

Well, after a long absence, The Jack and Sam Show is back in business. A lot has happened since last summer! I'm going to try to cover some of the more recent highlights in the next few posts. Enjoy!

FYI: This photo is from December 2006, before Jack's teeth started to grow in. It was on the Christmas card we sent out last year.

Jack's First Day of School

Jack started first grade on August 16, 2006. What an exciting day! While Jack ate his waffles and got dressed, I jam-packed his Star Wars backpack with all his new school supplies, and then Sam and I waited with him at the bus stop. Thankfully, it was a beautiful morning, because Jack insisted that we go out there at least 20 minutes before the bus was due to arrive.
Didn't he look very handsome and grown-up?? It's hard to believe he's already big enough for school.

On the Monday prior to the first day of school, I took the boys to the school's Open House so Jack could meet his teacher and some of the kids in his class. He loves his teacher...he said "she seems like someone who will never yell at me." Which is true! He also was happy to see a couple of kids from the neighborhood were in his class. So, because of that, Jack was not the least bit nervous or scared as he waited for the bus; he simply couldn't wait for the day to begin. He got on the bus without giving it a second thought. I, on the other hand, was overwhelmed. I choked back my tears and snapped a few photos.

Sam was all smiles until he realized that he wasn't going on the bus, too. Then, he was completely beside himself and kept saying, "I'm a big boy now! I'm a big boy!" Now, he waits in the house while Jack and I wait for the bus!

So far, Jack loves school and has lots of new buddies. In fact, he spent every day after school last week at a different kid's house! His new buddies include Nick, Johannes (who speaks fluent German!) and Carly, who was in Jack's class at daycare. School, he says, is fun but hard. There is really not much time to socialize! It's work, work, work! Unfortunately, all that work's taking its toll because he's already missed a day with a fever and severe cold--new germs, apparently!

Trip to Holiday World

Since Robin and I both started new jobs this summer, it was hard to find the time to take a real family vacation. So, we decided to do a little mini-vacation to Holiday World instead. What a fun weekend!

We arrived on a really gloomy Friday morning, just as the park opened. It was pretty muggy and cloudy all day, but it never really rained, so we were able to spend all day at the amusement park. Much to Robin's chagrin and my relief, Jack was a little too small to ride the big roller coasters. However, he went on anything and everything else. Nothing scares that kid!

Sam was actually able to go on a lot of the rides, too. Holiday World is a really nice park, especially for little kids. There's an entire section that's devoted to smaller kids--it's got a fabulous jungle-gym type thing with water fountains that shoot up from the ground right in the middle. There are also shows for kids in that area, as well as a little nursery-rhyme themed roller coaster and a kids' sized choo-choo train ride (when I say "kids' sized", that's what I mean. I had to cram myself into a space that was about the size of a suitcase. Not my favorite ride.)

The weather was much nicer on Day 2, so we spent most of our time at the water park, although I didn't get many photos there as I didn't want to wreck the camera. Robin and I took turns going on the bigger slides with Jack, and we finished up the day at a wave pool, which both kids absolutely loved. So, while it wasn't the 5-star Disney vacation, it was still a lot of fun and a great weekend.

Bowling Extravaganza!

The last weekend in July turned out to be a bowling extravaganza for the Eiteljorge clan. First, Jack's Kindergarten buddy, Gary (sitting to Jack's left in the photo), had a birthday party at a bowling alley/game room downtown. What a riot! Jack had a blast (note the "chakas" in celebration of a fabulous frame). And...Gary's mom let him have an extra piece of cake, which never fails to make Jack's day.

Later the same evening, the whole family attended the Bruns' annual duckpin bowling party at Fountain Square. Sam wasn't too fond of the bowling shoes, mainly because he suffered a minor foot injury (from leaping off the third step right onto an action figure!). In spite of that, he managed to bowl up a storm. Here you see him just getting ready to let go of the ball. I love this picture!

We all had a great time bowling and visiting. Stacy and Chris always make the evening a lot of fun, and it's really nice to be able to catch up on what's been happening with them since we don't get to see them as often as we'd like.

Our Toothless Cutie-Pie

So, as you can see, Jack's been keeping the tooth fairy very busy lately! His little toothless grin just cracks me up. What a heartbreaker!

Unlike when he lost his bottom teeth, there are no permanent teeth in sight. I think that he may have wiggled these out before they were really ready. We may be enjoying this cute little smile for quite a while... :-)

Arrrggghh, Matey!

NOTE: I took these before Jack lost his teeth and forgot to post it! Oh well..better late than never.

Shiver me timbers! Jack's been invited to a pirate party this weekend. He's excited...here he is practicing his "scurvy dog" look. And, as luck would have it, the last McDonald's Mighty Kid Meal he got had a blow-up Pirates of the Carribbean sword in it! Timely. He has been practicing his best swashbuckling maneuvers on Sam.

Of course, Sam enjoys acting like a pirate, too.

Visit from the Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy made another visit to our house on Friday night (might I add, "finally!!"). Jack's front tooth was hanging by a thread for days, but he refused to let anyone pull it out. It was supremely gross! He could actually bend the thing all the way back so that it was kind of laying on the roof of his mouth. I really have no idea what kept it in there for so long.

Thankfully, it just sort of dropped out as he was getting ready to take a bite of his waffles Friday morning. He didn't even realize it happened; I was giving him some juice and saw it bounce on his lap! He was thrilled. The tooth fairy left him a whopping two dollars, which he promptly deposited in his piggy bank.

Jack and I weren't the only ones who were excited about his tooth. Sam was pretty thrilled, too!

Fun at the Zoo

The zoo is always a favorite early summer excursion for us. For the past few years, we've been going on Memorial Day weekend, because many people around here are at the Race and it's not too crowded. Our zoo has a really neat dolphin show with an underground "dolphin dome" that's kind of like a huge aquarium...you feel like you are inside the tank with the dolphins. The show is also fun. Jack likes to sit in the "Splash Zone" near the tank, so I've designated Robin as the Splash Zone chaperone. I sit in the stands with Sam. :-) The boys also like the seals, walruses, and baboons (of course). Here you can see them standing in front of the Ring-tailed lemurs. Don't they look like they're having a ball??!!

This year marked a significant Zoo milestone for Sam...for the first time, he really didn't want a stroller! He was anxious to walk on his own like his big brother.