Take me out to the ballgame

I’m not one of those parents that goes overboard in their kids’ activities, I promise. They have piano lessons, some of them do band at school, and they do one or two sports throughout the year. Ok, I admit, Megan does go overboard on the sporting events, what with year round soccer, then basketball, softball, church sports, and whatever activity comes along that she wants to play. But they are all GOOD activities.

Softball/baseball is one sport that all of my kids will play. Well, not ALL of them, because my oldest son, Cole, doesn’t really do sports, and that’s ok. He has many other talents. But anyway, back to the softball. John has a cute little baseball team with all of his neighborhood friends, with one of the dads as a coach (not just any old dad, this guy played football for BYU back in the day, and he graciously coaches our little boys in all sports, and I’m very thankful!). Jenna is on a team with a friend, Natalie is on a team with a couple of her friends, and Megan’s on a team with three of her best sporty friends who she plays with on many of these rec leagues. I simply can’t sign a kid up for a sport unless there is at least one friend on the team, so that I’m not stuck driving them alone to every practice and every game.

Last night I took on the daunting task of putting all the games on the calendar. I used Google Calendar so that I could put repeating events on there, and make it easier to get every thing on, then I can transfer it all to the big desk calendar that is my “brain” and stays on the kitchen counter for everyone to see and add things to. Now I’m depressed. Because today’s schedule looks something like this:
3:00-4:00-Natalie’s practice at the rec center in American Fork
5:15–John’s game in Highland. It doesn’t start until 5:45, but we have to be there 1/2 hour early.

6:15-Megan’s soccer team starts the spring tournament. The first game is tonight at 7 at AF JR High. But since it’s a game, she needs to be there 30 minutes early, and I’m picking up at least one of her teammates, so I’ll have to leave at 6:15 to do that.
7:00-Jenna’s team practice at the rec center in American Fork

And this is MONDAY night. Monday night is Utah is supposed to be reserved for FAMILY HOME EVENING. How am I supposed to have a FHE when we are running all around the city taking kids to different sporting events? And dinner? You can forget about dinner on a night like this. I’m guessing it will be something in the crock pot that people can just eat when they are home.

And it’s not just tonight. Tonight is just the beginning. It looks like there is at least one sporting event/practice for every single day this week. Except Friday. And Sunday, of course. Add to that all the stuff we NORMALLY do, like piano lessons, bells practice, activity days, young women and young men, and it’s overwhelming. Oh, and did I mention it’s MAY? May is the last month of school, so each child will be having end of the year activities, field day, dance festivals, class parties and large assignments due. And, yes, it seems mom is required to be at or in charge of most, if not all of them. Dad? Yes, dad WILL help. He does go to his share of games, and he will be definitely going to a few of these things. When he’s in town. Did I mention that he seems to go out of town a lot now? And that this month he’ll be going to Japan? No, that won’t help me at all. I do have a 16 year old, but he doesn’t have his license yet.

So, Happy May! Take me out to the ball games, and then take me to the insane asylum. Or at least come and visit me there, because that’s where I’ll be by the time this month is over.

Oh my gravy.