Quest for Abstracts

My quest continues for more abstract photos. Here are a few I've taken this week.

Make Some News!

Hi All,

Just received word that the Buena Park American Little League Major Athletics (Christopher's team) is featured in the Orange County Register - Westside Weekly edition. The article includes pictures from the Tournament of Champions (TOC) championship game against the Major Yankees. The spread is written primarily about the TOC game but it mentions the team's strength and victory run throughout the entire series.

Take a look and enjoy!

(Be sure to highlight the following link, copy and paste it into your address bar; or view the link above in the title).

http://epaper.ocregister.com/Default/Client.asp?enter=true&skin=OCW&Daily=OCWWestsideWeekly&AW=1151075488154

2006 All-Stars

It's that time of the year! All-Stars season. As the Buena Park American Little League Major All-Stars prepare for their upcoming tournament run, here are some photos taken during "Picture Day". This is Christopher's No. 21 jersey.

On the field...

District 29 T.O.C. Champs

Congratulations to the Buena Park American Little League Major Athletics - First Place as District 29 Tournament of Champions!!!!

Players

Brandon

Christopher ("Papo")

Christopher ("UB")

Colton

Ervin

Isaiah

Jeremy

MIchael

Peter

Ryan

Tyler

Uriel

Coaches:

Angel

Dave

Jeff

Randy

Steve

June Shout Outs!

June 17 - Steve's birthday

June 18 - Scott (Mustang's coach) birthday

June 20 - Kathleen's (sister-in-law) birthday

June 26 - My birthday

Anyone else? Email me or respond to this blog.

Saturday, June 17th

Hi All,

I thought you'd like to know that Saturday, June 17th is Steve's birthday. Why didn't I tell you sooner, you say? Well, let's just say "life" got in the way this week. We can talk about that later. And yes, he's well-over-the-hill so don't let his young, active, energetic personality fool you.

If you know his cell number or can stop by the field or the house, please help me and the kids wish him a very Happy Birthday today! Thanks!

How Fair Is This?

Summer came earlier than I had expected and the kids aren't out of school yet, and my entire Nadal side of the family (that's my dad side for all you tennis fans!) are gathered in Vegas. What's wrong with this picture? How fair is this really that I am at home and the only one who hadn't made arrangements to be in any of the luxury hotels at Vegas gambling my life away? Here's why:

10. Some people, like myself, work

9. Some people, like myself, go to school

8. Some people, like myself, have kids

7. Some people, like myself, have weighing obligations

6. Some people, like myself, have ZERO money (this is always a good one!)

5. Some people, like myself, didn't ge the invitation (no joke, either!)

4. Some people, like myself, don't fair well in 120 degree weather

3. Some people, like myself, have to stay behind to keep all of you updated with the goings-on!

2. Some people, like myself, have a husband's birthday and Father's Day to deal with

and the number ONE reason is................

1. Some people, like myself have a son who is playing in his first ever T.O.C. Championship game!!!!!!

Cool, huh?

To Serve and Protect

Isn't that the sole purpose of a Mother? To serve and protect? You'd think I'd be the first one to take a bullet for one of my kids, right? I would think so. But where did I break down? Watching the BPALL Yankees play versus the Diamondbacks altered some of my better judgment. We were sitting out in the parking lot just behind center field - directly across (oh about 200 feet out) from home plate. Tail gate party. I never really liked them much either. Against my better judgment, I tell you. I sat there on one of the coaches truck reluctantly. I wasn't comfortable in my trusty lawn chair that I tag along with me to every game. I was too short to look over the yellow tubing on top of the fence and I certainly wasn't going to duck down, chin to my knees to see under the yellow tubing. It just wasn't very womanly. So I opted to sit on the back of the truck on the tailgate. Fine. If I have to I have to. Ariana took over my red and black chair and was looking quite relaxed in it too. She "owned" that chair and it fit her well. So the game continues. Just moments before a kid on the Yankees hits a homerun, I thought to myself : "If a fly ball comes out this way, should I catch it?" In the time it took me to snap to and come back out of my cloudy daydream, I see the ball coming right at me. As it becomes to descend almost on top of me, I faintly felt my right hand go up as if I were going to be the heroine and catch this screaming fly ball. About a million things ran through my mind: Do I catch it? Wait, it's my right hand. I write with my right hand. It's going to sting. I'm going to look awfully stupid if I attempt to catch it and it hits me on the head or it pops out of my hand. What if I catch it on my eye? What if I misjudge it completely and it hits my head? What if I break my hand trying to catch it bare-handedly. How stupid do I really look. I have no glove. What an idiot. Put your damn hand down. Who do you think you are?" It wasn't worth the humiliation. So I bent forward and slightly to my left to avoid the ball completely. Wrong thing to do. I had no idea it would come down and hit Ariana on the back. "Where the hell did you come from? Why are you sitting directly behind me, Ariana? Weren't you sitting in my black and red trusty lawn chair safely to the left of me and on the ground? How did you get up here?" All these questions raced through my mind and now I was feeling like the boob I was avoiding to be in the first place. "Good one, Mom!" I heard over and over again echoing loudly in my head. I jumped up after a slight sigh of relief only to realize "Oh my gosh! She's hit!" I jumped and turned around quickly to grab her and felt her breath get faster. And now I could hear her crying. Her chest and stomach were rising and falling faster and faster. "Get ice," I yell to one of the kids. And here I sat with only one thing to say, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Now I sit here guilty and feeling low as I write this. Way to go, Mom! Way to serve and protect.

The Passion of the Chris

How do you sum up the year of praises and successes? In a word? A sentence? A phrase or a paragraph? It would serve as an injustice to ask them to "leave it at the field" when their very fabric is made up of hard work, blood, sweat and tears. All this for the love of the game.

From the fan who arrives to cheer his beloved team to victory or defeat, to the crew who meticulously manicure the fields...All this for the love of the game.

Practice Sessions

It's not often I get the privilege of watching Christopher's baseball practice mostly because of my school schedule, but when I do, one of the things I enjoy is finding the candid moments that are worthy of a photo opportunity. You will see Christopher and his dad out on the field together discussing baseball because there is always something to learn. Knowledge feeds the mind and soul. Education quenches the passion. And the result is success.

My School - Cypress College

I thought I would share some pictures of Cypress College since it's gone through a makeover. I remember when the area where the Libary, Learning & Resource Center (LLRC) is located now was nothing but dirt and an open field. It is still going through a few more phases. This is a view from inside the learning center - computers and study area. The small sign says, "No cell phone use". I tried to get a better picture of it but feared that I would get caught using my cell phone. My defense would have been, "I'm not using my CELL phone...I'm using my CAMERA!"

The architecture of the LLRC is quite beautiful. Here are several views of its exterior:

The LLRC is adjacent to the man-made pond. It's become a popular gathering spot for reading, meditating and talking loudly on your cell phone. The irony.