Durham Charm

I figured it was about time to give a shout out to the great city we live in, Durham, NC.  We have spent a lot of time this summer finally exploring the "new and improved" downtown area.  I guess it all started with baseball, a common theme in our house right now.

This picture was from when Landon returned from going through the autograph line of the Durham Bulls Baseball players for a second time to get the play book signed for his brother (he has his ball signed first).  It was the sweetest thing. I am not sure who was happier, Landon or Connor, and that made my heart smile.

Landon got the chance to participate in the Pepsi Durham Bulls Baseball camp.  He went for three days from 9-2 and was able to be on the field, coached by various players from the team and have a first hand tour of the "players' quarters".  To say he enjoyed it, is quite an understatement.

All smiles right there.

And, one for mom, with the field in the background.

Such a beautiful field.

Landon's first station, where the players were talking to them about stretching, hustling and lots of other baseball lingo.

More instruction.

Stretttttttchhhhh.

Landon throwing the ball, getting some individualized coaching in his left ear there... :)

Since Connor was with me, we took the opportunity to head out while Landon learned more baseball and explore downtown.  We couldn't get passed the elevator without sitting down beside Wool E Bull!

Tobacco Campus.  This was our first stop and what a beautiful one.

We stopped at Saladelia and got a black and white cookie and freshly squeezed lemonades.  Connor was super impressed and even shared a bite of his cookie with me.

Next stop, at the advice of our wonderful Durham tour guide and neighbor, Sam, we headed to Central Park.  It was under construction, but what little boy does not like cranes?

He made sure to go climb the big cardinal.

Play on the slide and play structure...

And, of course, crawl through the bull.

Next stop was Parker and Otis.  You might find this crazy, but I had never heard of it.  We didn't know what to expect, we just knew that Sam knew Durham and we trusted his recommendations.
So, we parked in the Brightleaf Square parking lot and entered through the back, through this cute little gate.

Inside, we found a wonderland for little ones, just as Sam described.  They had the neatest little gifts and knick knacks.  They also had food that looked delicious and lots of unique wines.  I could have spent an entire day in there.

So could've Connor...and sitting on this back porch, reading and sipping coffee, yes, Durham, great move with this little gem.

And, King's Sandwich shop!  This was the neatest little place.  Lots of local folks came, stood in line and the cashier knew them by name.  They all seemed to know each other too, or just had got in a friendly mood just being there.  Connor thought it was cool to order at the window.

Even cooler was to eat in the car.  He said, "Mom, we are definitely coming back here. I want her to learn my name too and know what I usually order.  This is the best cheeseburger I have ever had!" Once again, thumbs up, Sam.  Thumbs up, Durham.

Back to the stadium we went and Connor wanted to pose in front.

He also thought these statues were the best and were worthy of a photo op.

Another bull to get his picture made with.  He asked me if he could get inside this one...

And, another bull.  The bull to the left (Hit Bull Win Steak) was the original bull from the movie Bull Durham.  Cool things you can learn from hanging out at the ball park.  ;)

Because we were family of the campers, we got to go on the field as well.  Connor was big stuff.

We found Landon at this station when we returned, the scrimmage station.  They had just finished up and were getting ready to head in for autographs.

One eager little ball player!

The lighting was bad in these pictures, but you get the point.  Landon was beyond thrilled.

This picture is a good visual.  That is my boy's genuine smile, right there.  He is just plain happy.

Here is when he went back through the line to get the book signed for his brother.  I love the expressions he has in these pictures.  He was so happy to be doing this for his brother.  These two. What a bond.

My heart just melted.

Time for another pose.  Strike it boys!

And, we ended our tour of downtown with a visit to The Parlour.  Yummmmmy.

Homemade goodness on a hot summer day with the boys I love most in the city we live in and love. Doesn't get much better than that!

We returned on Friday again with little Lindsay Jane.  As you can tell, they all were gifted with Durham Bulls t-shirts.  Who can resist when they are 50% off?

My three little Bulls fans!

Landon's first drill...running...on your mark...and get set...

Go!!!!!

Wheels, I tell you, this boy has wheels.  He definitely beat the throw and I dare anyone to try to run from home to first faster.

Connor and Lindsay Jane got to sit in the dug out.  BIG stuff, right here.

Another picture with Wool E Bull.  Connor was thrilled, Lindsay clung to my leg...no matter how many times I tried to convince her that he was not real.

Durham cuties.

And...here are some shots from a game we got to go to a week before the camp.  We decided to take Landon's buddy, J.D. for his birthday gift.  J.D. and Landon played baseball together this year and loved it.  It was very cool to have J.D. with us.

Lindsay Jane did a great job keeping up with these boys...as usual.

She loved popcorn time with daddy. Just as an aside, we got the bottomless popcorn and filled that bucket 4 times!  Yep, cost us 7.00.  The way to go when you have 4 little people with you!

Love this one of me and Connor!

He loves Cotton Candy!

He just loves baseball...

Another cotton candy lover!

And, Tori and Katie were superheroes and came with us.  It was great having them with us.  It certainly made the ratio better with 4 kids to 4 adults, but they are just plan fun, regardless.

Me and LJ!

The girls were in back and the boys in front.  What a great great night!!

And, the Durham fun continued with a trip to Barnes and Noble with this little guy.  We live near Southpoint and frequent the mall area, which is where the Barnes and Noble is.

Brownies, books, giggles and a heart to heart about his upcoming 3rd grade year.  Priceless.

You cannot talk about Durham adventures without including the American Tobacco Trail!

Connor and I tackled it!  We had a blast riding from a shopping center near our house across the new bridge over I40 E (Connor's favorite part) to Target, where Connor got to use his tooth fairy money to buy more Pokemon cards.  Oye.

And, one other special spot to finish up with our Durham Charm Tour, Dulce Cafe and Gelato at Sutton Station. Connor and I went for our second trip and have names this little gem, "our special spot".  We love their macaroons.  :)  Here, Connor was getting a little spoiled (4 macaroons), as this was the 2nd to last Thursday with just mama before Kindergarten starts.  Stan and I decided to allow some extra special mommy time for Connor, putting LJ in daycare instead of him on my day I flex work from home.  It has been amazing, how very much it has helped his confidence.  He and I have shared some really precious times.  Today, we explored more of Durham together, came home and snuggled while reading a book and then Connor built some forts with our cats, giggling the whole time while I got some work done.  As I write this, both boys are at another Bulls game with Katie and Tori.  It seems the fun here in Durham never stops...

And, that, my friends, is just a small sampling of why Durham is so charming.  Hope you enjoyed my Durham appetizer...

For the Love of the Game

Sitting in a quite house while Lindsay Jane naps and the boys bond with their dad.  I am thinking about this picture and this little boy.

You can see the red cheeks.  This was taken after his last game of the season this year with the SDLL. He was on the "Braves" with Coach Ryan.

He was not crying because they lost, he was crying because baseball was over.  It broke my heart in some ways, but it also has come back to my mind so many times since then.

This little boy loves baseball.  He is very talented at it, a natural.  But, it is his love of the game, that stands out to me.  It also makes me pause as I reflect on this gift that God has given Landon.

It almost sounds weird to say that, but this game is what has helped Landon to believe in himself and to recognize the person God made in him.  I have mentioned previously what a hard year Landon (and I) had in 2nd grade.  This season came along at the perfect time.  The time when Landon needed a boost more than ever.

Thinking about baseball and how it has helped Landon also makes me think about a conversation Stan and I had with dear friends recently.  We were talking about some of the challenges of raising children and about our own challenge, as high achieving parents, to let go of the idea that our children's performance in school academically or socially is what defines them and the success they can achieve.

We talked about the bigger picture, the bigger gifts, the Lord's perspective versus the perspective of our culture.

If none of my children ever make the honor roll, it doesn't matter.  If none of my children play any sport in school, it doesn't matter.  If none of my kids get a scholarship to college, it doesn't matter.  If none of my kids go to college, it doesn't matter.  What really matters, is that they follow God and they know they are loved for who he created them to be.  Success is not measured according to letters behind ones name, rather, the use of special gifts and talents given to us and to our children for God's good work on this earth and ultimately in heaven.

Seeing Landon love baseball has truly been a gift.  It was a gift to him, to me, to our family, to his grandparents and extended family and to his teammates.  He was a team player, he was a good sport, he worked hard, he gave it his all.

In the end, baseball made Landon's year.  But, it wasn't just baseball, itself, it was what being on that team and using his gifts taught us all. It shifted our perspective.  It helped us to really live into the truth that success in the world's eyes is different than "success" in God's eyes.  God created us each differently and those differences are what make His kingdom greater.

In this instance, I think that His kingdom is becoming greater because of what Landon and his parents are learning about each person's unique gifts and how those gifts are used in surprising ways.

More important than Landon being a talented baseball player, he loves God and is really able to articulate his special relationship with Christ.  He is learning humility, kindness, forgiveness and the importance of honesty.  Baseball has built his confidence in a way that has enabled him to recognize that God made him special and he has been able to build on his faith from there.

You just never know what you are going to learn from having kids. Or from baseball.  :)

He learned to hit.  He learned patience.  He learned eye-hand coordination.

He learned to take his turn.

He learned concentration and focus and how both of these take effort and self control.

He learned to be ready, be alert, think quickly.  He learned to pay attention.

He learned rules.

He learned flexibility, each member of the team having to play each position.

He learned to take direction and learn from another adult (who by the way, will always have a special place in my heart).  Coach Ryan really took Landon under his wing and really helped him to grow this year.  It was so timely, it was amazing.  It was not a coincidence.

He learned the joy of being a true team member.

He learned that his family loves him enough to get up early, spend Saturdays and weekday nights supporting him.

He learned the joy of victory!  He had just hit a home run in this picture!

He learned how much his little brother looks up to him.  Here, Connor was congratulating him for hitting his first home run.

He learned that his mama was also number 18...

He learned that hard work is rewarded even if your team comes in last place.

He learned that hard work is rewarded if you get the most hits in a Slugfest!!!!  This trophy has his name on it!

He learned how much the love of the game spans time and generation...

He learned many different mascots!

He learned the many different leagues involved with baseball...seeing his very favorite team, The Washington Nationals.  He learned to love the game with his Pop, who loved it first.

He learned to bond with his Pop over the love of the game in a sports bar!

He learned that baseball has been going on for a long time.  Here he was pitching to my dad on the very field my dad used to play on as a kid.  This was "John Frey Ball Field", named from my grandfather.  He learned that my uncle coached my dad and his brother to a championship on this field...

He learned that dear old mama knows a lot about baseball herself.

This game.  We love.  We signed up for fall ball as soon as registration opened.  :)

Hope you enjoyed!