Whew...what a busy, fun, and exciting week! The 12 Year Old Dizzy Dean World Series was held in Moody, Alabama from July 18-23. There were 16 teams in the tournament from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia and Tennessee. You were supposed to finish 1st or 2nd in your state to qualify but then there were some open spots for other teams to be invited, too. We usually take off work the week of the world series but because it was held so close and neither one of us could really take off, we just decided to stay in Moody over the weekend and then drive back and forth the rest of the week. Friday night we got to the ball park about 7:30 for opening ceremonies. All the teams went out on the field for a ceremony and then there was an AWESOME fireworks show!
Our first game was Saturday at 12:30 against the Rockdale Mustangs from Georgia. We beat them in 4 innings 10-0.
Our next game was Sunday at 1pm against the Sandy Springs Storm from Georgia. They were the State Champs in Georgia. We beat them 4-1.
Monday we played Jefferson Parrish Recreational Department at 2pm. We knew from watching their game the day before that their fans were loud and obnoxious and that they might give us some competition. Well, we were right! At the top of the 6th inning, we were losing 10-4! We were the visiting team so we had one more shot at scoring enough runs to tie or get ahead or that was the ballgame. I'll be honest, I just knew we were beat! We hadn't been hitting that well and it just wasn't looking good. But, we did it! We scored 8 runs that inning to make the score 12-10 and then we got them out before they scored any! It was awesome! We were so proud of our boys for coming back like that! It was probably 100 degrees that day at least and one of their players had a heat stroke during that last inning. He left in an ambulance and had a seizure on the way to the hospital. Scary but we've heard he's okay.
Tuesday, we played Northwest, Florida at 2pm. This team had some huge, grown men looking boys on their team and had pretty much dominated every team they played. They were cocky and we were a little nervous about it. We played for about an hour and then the thunder and lightning started so we had about a 2 hour rain delay. We ended up beating them 7-0! They were not happy about it and kept saying, we'll see ya'll again. They were wrong, they lost their next game so they were out of the tournament! This put us in the championship game on Wednesday.
Wednesday we played Panhandle, Florida for the Championship at 6pm and they had to beat us twice. We beat them 14-10! So we won the Championship! It was great! Chandler has played in this tournament every year since he was 6 and the closest they've ever come to winning was when they were 10, they came in 2nd! It was so awesome to see them finally achieve this! They went 23-0 for the all-star season! Thanks to all the support of our family for coming to watch Chandler play! My dad came Sat and Wednesday. His friend Rick came with him Wednesday. Ashley and Collin came Sat. I could not believe this cause it was so hot and she doesn't like hot weather! Richard's parents were there the whole week. Russell and Jill came Wednesday night. Thanks to other family and friends for your support from home! We are so proud of Chandler and for his talents and the good kid that he is!
This is the banner Richard made to hang on the fence at the games.
2008 12 year old Dizzy Dean World Series Champions!
Hudson was really tired one day on the way home from the ball park. Notice his wooden bat tucked under his arm! He had a great time swimming in hotel pools, playing with his friends, and eating lots of snow cones and dipping dots!
This is not a good picture at all but this is the dog pile right after the last out was made to win the game.
Our State Championship banner. They now have a World Series one, too. Their picture is on the changing billboard on the corner of McFarland and 15th Street (the side coming from Skyland) for 2 weeks. Check it out if you get a chance.
Note: They both got haircuts about 5 days after this. I'll have to post pictures of that cause Chan got his chopped off!
I was so proud of Hudson and Richard. Richard normally doesn't swim in the ocean or the pool and he spent a lot of time in the ocean! He and Chandler had boogie boards and that's what they did the most. Richard got Hudson to slowly go out in the water (he loves the pool, not the ocean) and he ended up loving it, too! He started out shallow just jumping over the waves as they would come but then he got braver and even started going under! If any family remembers the gagging and screaming incident from Panama City in June, you should be impressed!
Of course we had to play putt-putt and do the arcade and go-cart thing. I won at putt-putt! It made Richard so mad!! :)
Hudson using the pillows as covers!
Like I said before, Richard doesn't usually get in the water so of course he didn't have any swim shorts. After trying to swim in cargo shorts, he decided to go and buy some. The only sleeveless shirt he could find at the shop he was at was a Corona shirt. How redneck does he look? And I promise, that's an energy drink in that Solo cup!
This is the banner Richard made to hang on the fence at the games. 
2008 12 year old Dizzy Dean World Series Champions!
Hudson was really tired one day on the way home from the ball park. Notice his wooden bat tucked under his arm! He had a great time swimming in hotel pools, playing with his friends, and eating lots of snow cones and dipping dots!
This is not a good picture at all but this is the dog pile right after the last out was made to win the game. 
Our State Championship banner. They now have a World Series one, too. Their picture is on the changing billboard on the corner of McFarland and 15th Street (the side coming from Skyland) for 2 weeks. Check it out if you get a chance.
Caroline, Sydney and John Evan game to watch the championship game. Don't you just love how Sydney poses on demand? (I've learned that she comes by it honest...Caroline:)
Chandler's team. Us moms were saying that it was about to the point where you needed to coaches to stand in the front cause the kids are as tall as if not taller than them!
Richard and Chandler after the game and trophy celebration. The Northport Nationals have won the State Tournament in all age groups that have played so far...5, 6, 7, 10, 11, & 12! The 8, 9, and 13 year olds play this weekend! That is really saying something!!!
My parent's were able to go and spend a long weekend up there. They stayed at a bed and breakfast. The town, Waynesville, was so beautiful! The weather was great and we really loved everything. After seeing the chapel and everything, we totally understood why she wanted to get married there.
Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen? This is Angie's nephew, Jhase. He was just precious!
Angie and Chris on the lake outside the chapel where the wedding was. 
Us girls at the rehearsal.
On the Tuesday before the wedding, we all met at a local nail salon and manicures and pedicures. It was so great! Angie's boss/friend went also. We made reservations so we had the place to ourselves and it was a lot of fun. The day of the wedding, we had our make-up done at Clinique and our hair done at a salon. Getting pampered and hanging out with just the girls was a blast!
Me and Angie
Us at the reception. The reception was a lot of fun, too. It was at a Country Club so our scenery was a golf course and the mountains. Gorgeous! Thanks for a fun weekend, Angie and congratulations!
This is Russell and Jill at a Luau couples shower they had at her friend's house.
Richard, Chandler, and Hudson were all in the wedding and they looked so handsome in their tuxes! We got some family pictures made and I think they are going to be really good!
I can't tell you how many compliments we got on Chandler that day. This picture does not do him justice but he looked so grown up and cute! His eyes were so blue! The only time I cried during the wedding was when he walked down the aisle. I just can't believe how big he is! Hudson was the ring bearer and he was hilarious. I wish I had a picture of the look on his face when he walked down. He did not want to do it at all but he was a trooper.
My boys before the wedding!
Congratulations Russell and Jill! 
Hudson with his state tournament trophy and medal. He's really starting to collect some trophies!
The team in front of the scoreboard with their winnings.
Sydney and John Evan came to one of the games on a Saturday.
The team after the Regional Championship game.
Hudson has his preschool graduation in May. It was a cute program. Caroline, Sydney, and John Evan came. Thanks guys!
Hudson with his wonderful teachers, Ms. Jeanette and Ms. Brittani. They have taught him so much and have been great!
Regular season baseball is over and the boys both had a great year. Chandler's team won first place in the tournament and Hudson's team won second place. Chandler's team did awesome the last several games that they played so it was kind of expected that they win the tournament. Hudson's team lost their very first tournament game and came all the way back through the losers bracket to come in 2nd! They had to beat the team that put them in the loser's bracket twice to win it. They beat them bad the first game but then barely lost the second game. It was intense and very exciting. Richard was so proud of those kids! Chandler and Hudson both made the first string all-star teams so we are busy with practice and tournaments already. It's going to be another fun baseball filled summer. 
