Pros and Cons of living by a Minor League Baseball Field

Pro: Fireworks.  Really awesome super large beautiful fireworks....that I can watch from my kitchen table, back patio, front yard, etc.
Con: Fireworks.  They shake the house and the cannons are so loud that they inevitably scare the pants off of the kids.  Furthermore, if we don't remember to keep them up past bedtime, the noise and vibration wake them up in one of the most terrifying manners possible.
Pro: Walking distance to the game where we do not have to fight traffic when we leave.  
Con: Idiots who park in front of our driveway or in our driveway.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have some people who are just self-centered enough to feel entitled to park in a strangers' driveway.  And yes, ladies and gentlemen, they may find that same car egged, keyed, or better yet, (when they park in front of or in my driveway) towed at the owner's expense with a ticket issued by a nice policeman when they come back to get it.  
Pro: Being able to sit on my patio and hear all the concerts (like the sexy Josh Turner on Aug. 25th)
Pro: Walking distance to any day activity for the kids.
Pro: Charlie Chukar will often entertain the kids and autograph baseballs for them.


Last night was the last home game of the Chukars distastefully tawdry 2011 season.  At the end of the game, which they lost to the Orem Owlz (7-5), they lit up the sky with a gorgeous 20 minute display of fireworks with coordinating music.  Now, I LOVE fireworks.  I think they are one of the best things in life.  Aedan like them, but doesn't like the noise of the cannons.  Ariana couldn't make up her mind.  She kept pulling the blanket up over her left eye and peeking up with her right eye, or pulling the blanket up over her mouth and nose, peeking over the top to watch.  It was hilarious.  At the end of the show, Aedan clapped and Ariana looked at him like he had grown a 3rd set of limbs.  I picked her up and carried her into the house and we all went to bed. 

Adjustment Week

So, today is Friday and I think we will finally have our routine down.  Then we have a 2-3 day weekend (It depends on whose weekend we are actually talking about.  Mine is 2 days, everyone else's is 3.) and then we have to start over.  I realize the adjustment back into school is a hard one for everyone, but I didn't realize how difficult it would be for the adults.  Nathan seemed to take to his own school routine without a hitch, but he and I adjusting to Aedan's new routine, well, that is another ball of wax.
Today is the only day I have witnessed Ariana and she cried when Aedan went to school.  I snuggled her and said, "honey, Aedan has to go to school." To which she replied (through tears and sniffles) "No, Aedan.  No cools."  Sad and sweet and absolutely adorable.  Aedan loves school and his only hard adjustment has been the change in therapy times.  His speech therapist moved the end of June, the same time he "graduated" speech therapy.  That was a difficult transition for him and he often states that he misses Miss Janet.  Now, we have had to change his time slots with Miss Chrystal and Miss Melissa and I think he is nervous about that.  After a couple of weeks, I am sure he will be fine.  He doesn't even seem to have an issue going to bed earlier, waking up earlier, or getting ready in the morning!  I am still in awe that my tiny, sweet baby boy has grown into a sweet, tall, bright, rambunctious 5 year old kindergartner and my tiny, sweet, baby girl has grown into a walking, talking, tall, cuddly, Amazon of a 19 month old.