Baseball

The Rays are awesome and I am proud we have a great baseball league in the area. Evan has been playing Little League baseball for a few years now but this year he has taken a great interest in the sport. We have been able to go to a few Rays games this past season. The finer points of baseball seem to be clicking with Evan. I think a love of the sport has definitely emerged for him.


Evan is playing Little League Winter Ball. This is where he gets to improve on skills necessary for the spring season. This season he moved up to a kid pitch game. No more machine pitch for him. I am seeing a lot more kids get hit by balls. The kids are just learning how to pitch and boy do those balls fly around like crazy wild things.



Trey is not crazy about going to all those practices and BB games. Sports are not his thing. Zane seems to have taken a liking to the sport. He will dress up like a baseball player for Halloween.




Evan moving away from a crazy pitch ball.















Evan trying his hand at pitching.














Evan and his daddy having a mid-game conference.













Evan playing catcher position for an inning.

Zoo Day #8

Zane and I headed to the zoo for the morning with a friend. It has to be for the morning only as we both have to leave by 12:30pm to pick up kiddies from school.
My friend knew it was going to be a gorgeous fall day and she planned this event last week. I am so glad I agreed to go with her. I feel so busy these days with volunteering at the boys school, housework and such that I never seem to find the time to relax with friends and enjoy the moment. Next time we will have to go with all our friends because Zane kept asking them.

Zane and Ian.















Karlise wearing Bella. Too cute!

Cracker Country

Making Rope

















Evan grinding the corn.

The whole second grade at Evan's school went on a field trip this past week to Cracker Country at the Florida Fairgrounds. This is nothing like visiting when the State Fair is in progress. During the off fair times there are docents at every station giving a tour and allowing the kids a hands-on experience. Second graders are much more independent and reliable for their behavior than a preschooler and kindergartner. I really enjoyed the day with Evan and his friends. It was relaxing and fun with no fuss from the kids. I feel blessed to be able to have these experiences with my child. I know that one day he will not ask me to go on field trips with him.




The clothes must be washed!













Candle making

















The finished product

















Playing Games

















If you are wondering about the purple shirts. That is his teachers favorite color. The kids will wear these shirts for all special class events. Evan was not thrilled with the color. Oh well!

Finished Pumpkins

The boys decided to paint their pumpkins instead of carve them. They want to preserve the pumpkin as long as possible. Evan and Trey were upset when they found out a carved pumpkin rots much quicker than a whole pumpkin. I told them they can carve my pumpkin closer to Halloween. I will sacrifice mine. This made them happy.


Trey's painted his with a bat, haunted mansion, Dracula and a ghost. You can see the blue ghost and Dracula in the picture.


















Zane loved painting his pumpkin with all sorts of colors. I spray painted his red after he saw his brothers had theirs spray painted.

















Evan painted a happy and mean face on each side. On the other sides he put the word 'BOO' and a mean looking creature. You can see the mean face in the picture.

Is That Fall Weatherl I Feel?

AHHHHHHHH.........cool weather and Fall has arrived in Florida. At least for the day. Tomorrow all could change. That is how it goes in sunny Florida.

The house windows are open. A cool breeze is blowing throughout the house. I love it!! Since Fall is upon us the boys and I headed to the local pumpkin patch. Pumpkins, pumpkins....everywhere was orange.

Epcot Day

The boys had off from school so we headed to Epcot for the day. The weather was beautiful. On the warmer side but with less humidity. This was our second time to Epcot so we tried to see and do all the stuff we missed the first time around. And boy did we miss alot of things our first time around. The boys had a blast. They love walking around the countries.

Dancing Queen

Haley has taken dance for over ten years now. Here are some of her finest moments. I am proud to say I have never missed a recital.

The Haley Years

Haley reading to Evan. Haley and all her cousins(my boys) as newborns.

Sweet Sixteen Haley

Today is my baby girl's sixteenth birthday. My sweet baby niece is sixteen. I call her my baby girl because she is the only girl in the family. She feels like my own child....minus the giving birth part. But I was front and center for her birth. And I was the first person to physically touch her when she emerged from the womb. My sister gave birth at Labor of Love in Lakeland. The midwives invited me to touch her head when she was coming out of the birth canal. From that moment on Haley has been a force in my life. I love her like my own child. I would do anything for her. I want the world for her. She is an awesome young lady. For the next couple of days I am going to run through a photo history of her. I want you all to see the baby girl that turned into a beautiful child that turned into my sweet sixteen Haley!

Double LockDown

First I must admit my last post was about a week behind posting schedule. The locks have been in place since about the first of October.






That said....my little thief is on smart kiddo. And he has friends that are much older than him to help him out. Zane has figured out how to use the fridge lock. The food in our house is no longer safe.



I had to go out today and buy yet another but different style lock to double lock the refrigerator. I figure he may know how to unlock one but he is too young to be coordinated to unlock two even if he can figure it out.

If this doesn't work I may have to be admitted. Just thought I would let you all know.

Prison Food

Or should I say the food is in prison from a certain little boy. Either way.....we are in lock down mode at the Hydock home. From who?? Why Zane of course. The little thief has a sweet tooth for anything sugary and has no desire for "real" food. He will forgo his breakfast, lunch and dinner and opt for anything with sugar behind mommy's back. He grabs what he can from either place and runs and hides. When Zane has disappeared he is eating stolen food. Once I found him under the table trying to open a zip lock bag of brown sugar. I guess he sniffed out the sugar like a starving animal. Yes....I believe he is very hungry...thus the behavior. Another time I went into the garage to change out the laundry and came back to find he stole the snacks from the boys lunch boxes I was preparing on the counter. I found him under the covers in his bed munching away. He has actually gotten into the refrigerator, unzipped the kids lunch boxes, eaten their snacks and zipped back the boxes all while I was showering. They were upset with mommy that day at lunch when they had no snack. Boy was I surprised at complaining boys after school! I could go on and on with examples of his thievery but you all get the idea.



I am amazed that after having three children I have resorted to this kind of kitchen prison. I am still surprised by what my children throw my way. All I can say is what next!?!