Busy Busy :-)

The girls and I both ended our school Volleyball seasons with a 2 week break before the club season got started...so....Craig and I went on a little fun trip :-) (is that bad parenting?) :-) We headed to Michigan with the Bourlands and Putzs for a weekend of fun and football. It was so cool to put faces to many of the names that Kelsey always talks about. Craig and I definitely hung like college students the first night and paid for it :-) It was a great time even though it was a quick trip!

Strolling the Michigan Campus

I was so fascinated by the red and orange leaves :-)

Our first pub stop :-)

Craig and JJ at the M hockey game

In the big house...an atmosphere I have never been a part of!

Group photo on campus...good thing jj's arm is long!

Craig and Gabe on the sidelines :-)

Carly, Kelsey and I staying warm

Thanks so much JJ and Kelsey for taking us back to your 'hood' :-) Such a good time!!

Gotta Catch Up!!

It has been such a crazy busy last few weeks in the Bauer house. Lots of proud moments for Craig and I :-). Codi's elementary volleyball team played in the district championship game this past week for the 2nd year in a row!!!! After losing game one, (and noticing the extremely nervous look on Codi's face)....they settled down and won the next two games!

Champions!!

Proudly displaying the trophy!!

w/ her close friend Sloan :-)

Our kids are so lucky the grandparents come to every game!!

Pretty sure dad was nervous too :-)

Love the excitement in her face!!

The same night as Codi's championship, my JV team ended their season with a very exciting match against Ironwood...making our season record 17-0!! Such a great group of girls!

Last night was Carli's Homecoming Dance at school....we met with a small group for pictures, then a much larger group for more pictures :-) Carli looks so beautiful and so grown up :-( She learned very quickly that the heels just down right hurt your feet...she didn't have them on long!

Carli and Kayla

Love this!!

On to the next house...:-) such cute dresses!!

This was the big group before they headed to the dance...:-)

Codi Spikefest Tournament~~

The big elementary volleyball tournament was this weekend...which mean't Codi was in vball heaven :-)....She just loves playing and looks forward to these tournaments where they get to see all of their friends from club that are at other schools. Her elementary team went through Friday night with no losses...Saturday morning pool play with no losses...beating some very good teams...Codi was playing awesome...smiling ear to ear!! In the semi finals...they played a team that they had played several times and had always beat them...this time they couldn't put them away....they ended up in 3rd place...which was still a great feat even though they couldn't pull it off in the semi finals!! Codi had a great day...it was so nice to just sit in the stands as a parent and watch!! :-)

between match picture fun :-)

2011 Wildcats---Codi in Pink :-)

almost eye to eye with my baby :-/

Codi and McKenna both on the All-tournament team!!

All of the all-tournament kids

:-)

Codi and Grammy!

Cousin Emily watched the entire day~~ :-)

Happy Bauer House!!!

I wish I would have kept a ticket stub from every game that we have gone to this season...our whole family has been so lucky going to pretty much every home stand...we even got into a routine where Craig would come to the games towards the end of the week since he has to get up at 4am and needs his rest...since school and volleyball have started...it has been harder but we are still making it :-)...We have even brought some homework so that it can get done during down time :;)...This last Friday, our whole family was lucky enough to be there when the dbacks clinched the division!! It was such a cool experience and the field and crowd was electric!!

Friday nights game :-)

Dbacks pulled it off in the 8th...JJ got the save...and I'm pretty sure I high fived complete strangers :)

Sometimes I share and let Carli hold her too :-)

Saturday's game Addison was with us the whole game...she was perfect!!

Sedona!!

We headed up to Sedona late Friday night with the Schmitts...we didn't get in until about 10:45pm so everyone went right to bed!...this is the picture we woke up to!!...not to mention the sound of the creek as an alarm clock!!


On our hike...kind of some beautiful scenery!!





The girls played vball for several hours Sunday morning! We had gone up to Flagstaff all day Saturday to watch NAU play in their tournament...Kelli played awesome and it was an exciting 15-13 finish in the 5th~~

Hailey*Carli*Codi*Megan*McKenna

Carli and McKenna rock hopping :-)

Back to the Rat Race :-)

This week was one of those weeks where it doesn't really seem real that we are back to the school/volleyball routine...but by Wednesday...it was very real!!! School started Monday...Codi is the big leaguer at school starting 8th grade...and Carli has begun her sophomore year!! Does not seem possible :=( It is wonderful to have Carli come with me every day again this year...although most of the time, she is doing the driving since she has her permit!!! She is constantly wanting to drive...and marginally pouts if I tell her no!! Codi doesn't have to leave as early in the morning as we do...I hate leaving her every day....volleyball at her school will begin next week which she is very excited for!!! Centennial Volleyball started a week before school did this year which definitely has its advantages!! Carli and a handful of her closest friends made the Varsity team...which was very exciting for them. I have been a part of the CeHS program for 15 years....it is so weird to look over to the Varsity court during practice as see her there!! The competition for some playing time is very tough...I think she is up for the challenge :-) Once the awful guilt of making cuts were over...I was very excited about my new JV team also. They are top notch kids that have shown in a week that they are committed to get better :-)

Annual first day pic :-)

Craig is always very glad when we all have to get back into a routine....he hates being the only one to wake up so early!! Every once in a while he chills out and takes a break from the 'things I gotta get done' list....this is what happens :-)

LA/San Francisco :-)

The girls and I just wrapped up the summer vacation with such a fun trip to California!! We drove over to LA on Friday to meet up with the Kollen Family...I like to use the expression to get my Kollen fix :-) The Dbacks were playing the Dodgers so we went to watch 2 of the games there and joined them for a family bbq. On Sunday Caril, Codi, Kelsey, Addison, and myself flew to San Francisco to invade JJ's workation :-) I hadn't been to San Francisco since my college vball days. It is safe to say the we probably put some serious mileage in walking the Union Square area shopping. We made a trip to Fisherman's wharf before the game on Monday, and drove over to University of Cal-Berkley on Tuesday afternoon...the campus is gorgeous!

Carli carried Addison during some of the shopping adventures :-)

Union Square Area...good to see Codi smiling during shopping :-)

Driving down Lombardi street :-)

Typical tourist picture

I had to put this in....it was so windy down on the water...getting a picture was tough!

Kelsey, Me, and Addison--who was a perfect baby the entire trip!

View of SF from the pier

The best part of the Wharf...Clam Chowder :-)

The girls in front of Dodger Stadium--We had a great time there with some of Kelsey's family! Dodger Dogs were only $1!!

In front of AT &T park...It is a very nice park and has been sold out every game this season!

So....this kid has turned into a total baseball junkie!!! I don't know where she gets it from :-) She was a nervous wreck watching most of the time :-) Both games we were there the Dbacks won...making her nerves all worth it!!

After a dback win :-)

The end of a great night....clam chowder, a beer, a win, and a save!! :-)

Visiting the Cal campus...the Golden Gate Bridge is far off in the left of the photo :-)

We were looking for a college party to crash :-)

You can ride to the top of this tower to see out over the campus and town.

This was such a fun trip....the girls were very good---as a mother it is priceless to watch a huge smile on your kids' faces knowing they are loving and appreciating the experiences that they are so lucky to enjoy....they both love this little one too.. :-)