Batter Up!

This year was the first year for Harper to play "pitching machine" softball.  Part of her team from last year moved up and they named themselves the Critters!  Our season ended just last week, but we were supposed to end weeks earlier and we didn't even get to make up several of our games.  It was a very rainy spring and this did not help the softball field stay playable. 
It took Harper almost all season to "connect" with the ball.  She was so used to hitting it everytime off the tee in t-ball, that this was a shock to her system...and her ego.  She was upset at first but decided to concentrate her efforts in the field.  The first several games, she did an excellent job stopping the ball and getting it to where it needed to go.  Once it got hot out though, she quickly lost interest as each game went on.  In fact, the last game of the season...I couldn't figure out why she wasn't putting her glove down to stop the ball and come to find out...her glove was full of sunflower seeds.  That little turkey!  The next inning...I assure you...her glove was empty! :)
Back to batting...she did try hard at the batting cages, but with such huge breaks between games (due to rain) she lost momentum.  It really took until the last 3-4 games of the season for her to realize that she could hit the ball!  She was so proud of herself.  Her follow-thru still needs a little work and she hit right to the first baseman multiple times...even fast runners get out then!   The third to the last game of the season...Harper hit a great hit out to short stop and she got on 1st base.  The other girls on the team hit behind her and she was batted in to score a run! Woohoo!  Softball is a work in progress, but Harper loves it and she always asks when the next practice or game is.  Now...we wait until next year!

State Track Meet

Last weekend, we loaded up an ice chest and chairs and headed to Norman (the meet was at the OU Track & Field Facility) so Harper could compete in the State Hershey's Track Meet she qualified for in May.  In our local event, she did great...but we talked to her all week about the competition that would be at this event.  And boy were we right!  She was competing in the 100 m first.  There were two heats of girls and when the gun went off...I knew the competition was steep.  She ran her little heart out though.  It was so hot out that when they got done running, they had an individual helper to spray down each runner.  In her first heat she got about 4th or 5th, couldn't tell.  She was immediately so disappointed in herself.  Little did we know that when they called the names of the girls to compete in the finals...her name was called.  She did compete in the finals of the 100 m for 7-8 year olds.  She got 7th, but that didn't mean she got a ribbon.  Again, more diappoint from here...but we pepped her up and we at some lunch and waited.  After quite a bit of waiting in the direct sun...she was tired.  Then they called for the 50 m race.  Again, she ran in her heat and qualified for the finals.  This time, she just had to wait on the field to run.  It was great to see her interacting with the other girls.  She met a ton of new friends and seemed to really enjoy that part.  The 50 m finals proved to be very difficult; she placed 8th.  She wanted to win so bad...the winner gets to go on to compete in Hershey, PA at the national meet.  She was a little sad at first, but we told her how proud we were of her.  7th fastest at the State Meet...not to shabby for a girl who usually does distance run.  Most important thing...She had FUN!!!

Father's Day

This year for Father's Day, we decided that the whole family should head out to the farm to help Boppy with wheat harvest.  Harvest is soooo late this year but it actually worked out as a perfect Father's Day adventure for the whole family.  When we arrived, Harper and Owen showed me around the place (as if I hadn't been there before) and then they headed off with Boppy and Daddy to haul some hay before lunch.  Not too long after, Uncle Cole, Aunt Melanie and Hazen arrived to get in on the Farmin'.  Hazen rode the tractor with Boppy and helped haul a few more hay bales while the rest of us got lunch ready.  We had a super yummy lunch of meatloaf and cheesy potatoes...all the dads loved it!  After opening up some Father's Day presents and some really funny cards, we all headed to the field to start cutting wheat.  The kids rode with Boppy a few time around the field and then Richard and I hopped on the combine.  We were about half way around (on the complete opposite of the field from the pickup) and a torrential rain storm came.  We hurried back to dump the wheat and headed back to the barn.  Our day ended in a rainy, muddy mess...but it was a blast while it lasted.  Happy Father's Day Boppy, Daddy and Uncle Cole!

Turtle Races...just as fast as I thought!

The Turtle Races have been a long standing tradition around here, so of course I was excited for Owen and Harper to participate at the first of June.  Problem is...it has rained so much around here that there aren't any "good, fast" turtles to be found.  But Boppy and the kids scavenged all day to find one red-eared slider for the kids to race.  They named him "Flash"!  So we headed to the race with Flash and Harper was able to borrow a turtle from a friend.  It was huge and super feisty.  Problem was...she wouldn't hold it because of those attributes!

They called for Owen's group at the beginning and we took his turtle out to the middle of the ring.  I stepped back out and Owen held on to Flash.  When they said go...Owen let go and Flash...just sat there!  He did nothing...head and feet tucked in...like a rock.  I just knew Owen was going to kick him but he gave him a little nudge and still nothing.  Needless to say...Owen's turtle didn't win!  Flash should have been entered in the costume contest! :)

Harper had her friend Gavin take her huge turtle to the center of the ring.  When the said go...her turtle took off.  It actually won 2nd place!  Woohoo! 

After the races, we fed the ducks with our friends and then headed home.  Next year we will have to go hunt turtles where our friends did!  Or just stick to the costume contest!

Viva Elvis!

Elvis was the theme of Harper's Dance Recital this year..and boy was she excited!  She loves Elvis!!!  Her class performed to Love Me Tender.  She said she wished they would have gotten another song, but I love that one...and it was great for Ballet!
The night of Harper's recital, we (along with my family) headed down to Bricktown to eat dinner before the big show.  However, the big show of the evening was not the recital...it was the weather!  Bad weather started moving in, but it was coming straight towards our house so we couldn't go home.  We headed to the recital instead.  Everything seemed fine when we arrived, but quickly worsened.  There were tornadoes everywhere and were projected to come to the Fine Arts center where we were.  So, everyone headed down to the basement under the stage...all 200 or so people that had actually showed up for the show.  After about 2 hours, we finally got to come out...no damage where we were.  And the show "must go on"...so Harper's class got to perform.  As soon as she was done, we headed back home.  Took us almost an hour to get home due to the heavy rain, but we made it safe & sound.  And there wasn't any damage to our house...thank goodness!  We were so glad we got to see Harper perform and that everyone was safe!

Cowgirl in Training!

At the end of May, Harper got to attend OSU Cowgirl Basketball Camp.  It was a 3-day camp and we each took turns taking her up to camp each day.  At first, she was a little nervous because she didn't know anybody, but by the last day...she was friends with everyone and talking about going back next year.  Those Cowgirls take their camp seriously and she learned a ton from them.  She was so excited for the last day.  They got to wear their camp shirts and have the girls sign them.  She has watched these girls play and looks at their poster on the back of her door every night...they are her superstars!!!