Monday, March 12, 2007



Woo Hoo--A WONDERFUL Championship Weekend!


Yep, that's my girl Delaney with the First Place Trophy from our first travel softball tournament of the season! Her team--the Birmingham Thunderbolts--won out of a field of 7 other teams in the 10-&-under league. We really felt like this was a good team, but you just never know until you get out on the field and play in a real game. Going into the tourney, we felt like we would compete, but we were so pleasantly suprised (thrilled!) to win it all!

It was a very tiring weekend, that's for sure. The girls played a total of six games--two on Friday evening and then four on Saturday (the more you win, the longer you play--since it is a single-game elimination once you get into tourmanent play around noon on Saturday). On Friday night we won 13-3 and 12-1 (with Delaney pitching that entire second game) and then on Saturday we lost 4-12 in the last pool play game, then came back and went undefeated in tournament play 12-0, 11-5 (with D pitching in that game!), and 5-2 in the championship game (we had to come back and play again the team that had beaten us earlier that day; in fact, both that team and the one that we beat 11-5 had been undefeated and were the top seeds up to that point). We played just great and we were so proud of the girls!!

They are sweet girls and Delaney really likes all of them; and the coach is an amazing "teaching" coach who has got them really in the mind-set of playing well. (And he has a very realistic attitude toward winning; after they won their first three games, he told them, "We came out here and met our goal for the first tournament of the season. We won three games. So now, let's just go out there and do our best and have fun." That attitude really drove them to keep winning, I think!)

Anyway... sorry for my rambling (I could go on and on, as I'm sure any of you with kids will understand!! LOl). Here are some pictures from Friday night of Delaney pitching and hitting . . .







And then on Saturday (we put on our purple uniforms!), some pics of Delaney pitching again . . .



Watching the ball. ..


Having a huddle with the coach . . .


Playing centerfield (this is the first time D has played outfield on a team since she was like 5, but the team is so strong all the way around that she understands where she contributes--through pitching, and then through subbing in at second base and outfield) . . . (And hey, how about that purple Alabama cap she put on? LOL)

Hitting (she struck out once during the weekend and most of her other hits were infield drives, with the exception of one good hit to the outfield; she didn't hit as well as usual, but still pretty good). . .


She LOVES to run bases (just let her steal and slide and she is one happy girl!) ...


And laying down a bunt (she had a gorgeous bunt on Friday, that she hit and it landed dead on the dirt about a foot off the base) . . .


And then the celebrations begin . . .


Way to go Thunderbolts Purple!!!!!



And then my FAVORITE picture of the weekend. She just loves softball. Can you tell??



We are all still giddy over the wins this weekend, but now it's back to reality!! Another tournament this coming weekend, so time to move on I guess!!

This week, I've got going on . . .
* Take McKenna to golf practice (Yes, she joined the golf team at school!!!)
* Have my calendar class at Scrapbook Mania (I'm teaching paint techniques)
* Walk three times this week (still trying to get going with my Lent challenges to myself)
* Watch McKenna and Delaney's park softball games (they both have games tonight!)
* Query a few article ideas
* Wait for results on Gary's heart monitor (he had a 48-hour monitor installed this morning)
* Fill out my NCAA tournament brackets (I've got something planned for all of my blog readers in regards to this, so be watching around mid-week!)
* Enjoy the Weather!!! (It's hitting 80 degrees today!!! Yee-haw!!)

(I just HAD to put this song on my video bar today. It is one of the sweetest songs ever--"Father and Daughter" by Paul Simon--and it reiterates the feelings I have toward Gary. Softball season always puts his love for his girls in the forefront of my mind, because he loves to be out there cheering them on. He has never coached for McKenna and is doing it this year for her park ball team. And he has always been Delaney's biggest fan! But he is really the most wonderful father in all other ways as well. So, this song's for you G! And the rest of you--enjoy!)


21 comments:

Adrienne said...

Oh I'm first! DANG you have a lot going on!!! And it IS beautiful!!!!

Anonymous said...

Woo hoo! Go D!!

My son just began practicing for spring baseball on Saturday. He pitches too :)

Anonymous said...

Love that picture line up! You are so creative! ( *nods at the extra bonus scrapbook layouts below!*)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Delaney! That's so great!
and I LOVE that song. So sweet indeed.

Unknown said...

The pics were great!!! You have a good photographer!! :)

The song was so sweet...

~grey said...

awesome photos.... being a parent with kids in sports... is a challenging yet rewarding job.

Glad to hear it is so nice out for you!

~grey said...

oh and I love that song...

thanks!

Cheryl Wray said...

Adrienne--You made it first!! I was late getting my post up thismorning, so my early-readers didn't show up. LOL The weather is gorgeous outside!!!
Jen--Oh, how fun with your son pitching. Good luck to him!!!
Regina--Thanks!!! I LOVE pictures!!
Gin--Thanks! We were excited (can you tell? lol)
G-Yep, my photographer is pretty good I guess! :)
D--I knew you would understand and appreciate the weekend story and photos!

Cheryl Wray said...

Amanda--Hee hee!!! I knew YOU would appreciate our softball weekend more than ANYONE!!!! Come on down South and you can cheer for D!

~Telah said...

Congrats on the weekend achievements! I've got to get my bracket together too. My husband and some of his buddies at work have a group put together on Yahoo Pick 'Em and he lets me participate. :) BTW, I wanted to let you know that I sent your RAK you won from me to Scrapbook Mania, since I could find that address pretty easily. I hope you don't mind. I addressed it to Cheryl Wray, Design Team Member. Hopefully, you'll get it that way. :)

aimee said...

Congrats Delaney!

Your pictures are awesome! What kind of camera do you use?

Leah said...

You're just a little bit proud of your girl huh? LOL Great pictures.. I love how your excitement comes through on this post. You really are a sports fan aren't you? :)

Congrats on the tourney win!

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Delaney!! How very exciting. And what wonderful pictures too.

Anonymous said...

What a GREAT weekend indeed! :) Loved, loved, loved, all your pictures! I LOVE that song by Paul Simon too! :)

Cheryl Wray said...

Telah--I love doing the brackets. So much fun! I'm hoping to work on mine tomorrow! That's great about sending it to Scrapbook Mania. I had forgotten that i was supposed to send you my snail mail address. Sorry . . . but thanks!!!!!
Aimee--I'm lucky to have a hubby who does sports and portrait photography. LOL We have both the Canon 10D and 20D (I took those with the 20D). It's a great camera!!!
Leah--Oh yeah, just a LITTLE proud and I'm a LITTLE bit of a sports fan. Ha ha!! I love it! One of my favorite things!!
Amy--Thanks! She was beyond excited!
Maria--I love it when pictures turn out well and really capture an experience. Those do!!

Michelle said...

Congrats to Delaney and her team on winning! What exciting times; the photos were great too!

lusi said...

Hi Cheryl! Sorry its been so long :)
Congrats to Delaney!!! Those photos are AMAZING and yes she does look like she loves it so much!
Have fun in class and with the fam!
Lus x

Run-alyn said...

Wow.. you got some amazing shots.. what kind of lens did you use.. or where you sitting right up next to them!! Great pics!!

Jennifer said...

congrats on the win!

Susie Q said...

What super pictures!! Congrats Delaney!!
Ah Mom. You arem't proud are ya?? *laugh* Naaaahhhh....
That is so cool.
Keeping busy too! Yu are a dynamo dear Cheryl...and I am keeping Gary in my prayers.
Love to you all,
Sue

Phats said...

Woohoo Congrats on the big softball win!! Great pictures,

I am very interested in your bracket Cheryl, especially in my contest the 8/9 game ;) hahaha! BTFU!