When Keats and Gabe were invited late this summer to try out for a travel baseball team, Jonny and I agreed that the timing was terrible, but that the opportunity for them was great. We figured that if they weren’t meant to play, they wouldn’t make the cut.
This weekend was their first tournament. Jonny and I are totally exhausted, despite the fact that the games were here in town. We’re wondering if we are cut out for this! Granted, I am very pregnant, and Jonny is facing his big end of September deadlines at work. Like I said, we knew that it would be a sacrifice to have the boys playing this season. They have so much fun though, that it would have been so hard to say no.
The really happy news from me, is that I am up and walking again. Thank you for all your support and prayers! I am seeing a chiropractor who has been able to help me. I am not going to be running around again until after the baby is born, but I can walk slowly now with far less pain, and I just make sure not to overdo things. I didn’t think that with the condition I have that this would be possible, so I am very grateful.
When I arrived at the baseball tournament, there wasn’t any close parking. I was realizing that I would have to turn around and go home rather than park far away and walk (not an option for me) when I noticed an umpire guarding a set of parking spots for the umps. I pulled over, heaved myself out of my car and asked if I could park there. He couldn’t refuse, but asked that I tell my husband that “All umps aren’t jerks.” I smiled and thanked him. Later, he had one of the younger guys drive me back to our field from the bathrooms on a golf cart. Nice man.
After hoping to see the boys play in at least some of the games in each of their tournaments, then trying to accept that I might miss all of them between now and November, it was a real gift to get to watch them play on Saturday. I stayed home for day two of the tournament to recover, and to give Seth and our younger kids a break. They don’t enjoy watching their brothers play as much as Jonny and I do.
And the laundry…baseball laundry is a little intense. This is our first experience with white pants. The other players’ parents educated us on how to get all the dirt and grass out of those pants. I’m glad we’ve got a break of a couple weeks between now and the next tournament. I feel like I spent a lot of time with those white pants over the weekend.
p.s. Silas’ black eye–Beatrix somehow hit him with a door. She cried more than he did. He’s rather proud of it. It’s looking pretty wicked today.
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Hi Ginny,
I know all about white baseball pants. My oldest son plays for high school as a pitcher and back-up catcher.
His school colors are red and white. His rec team colors and American Legion team colors are also red shirts with white pants. He gets filthy, especially when catching. Also with sliding! haha!
There is a special baseball mix on the field with red dirt. So hard to get out. I read that you use a product called White Bright. I never heard of it.
I know lots of people have told you what to use to get the pants clean, and you have found your own method, so I hope you don’t mind me telling you what I use.
I soak the pants with grated Fels Naptha soap (one bar .96 cents!) with a little bit of Oxi Clean, in the hottest water available in my house, for about 10minutes. I then scrub the pants on a wash board. Then I use a breathing hand washer and let them sit overnight, or a few hours, depending on how dirty they are. I then put the pants into the washer with Arm and Hammer powdered laundry soap and wash with hot water. It’s a lot of work, but so worth it when he is on the field looking sharp!
Anyway, thanks for letting me add my 2 cents.
So pleased to hear you are up and about Ginny!
That must be a relief to be somewhat pain free
We had white pants for travel baseball too this year, I just used spray’n’wash which worked fine, but we don’t have the red clay here like you do.
My favorite laundry detergent is Sun and Earth, It truly has nothing in it, no smell at all, great for itchy/sensitive kids, gets all the stains out every time, we have a HE front loader and I only use 1/4 cup if that per load.
My husband has a VERY dirty job so it has to perform as well as be kind to the kids skin.
Would it be possible to get a temporary handicap sticker? I know some OBs are able to get them for their patients in need. The boys look great – what a wonderful opportunity!
I will have to see if I can get White Brite here in Canada. My darling husband plays wearing white pants also and he loves to slide/dive (plays outfield). I tried a lot of different products and it never quite got it out. We had the best luck with Windex (I know!) or throwing them in with the cloth diapers on the sanitary cycle.
Glad to hear you are feeling better.
Happy for your boys that they made the team. We’ve just started, after a tiny summer break, the hockey season. Fortunately the kit doesn’t get very dirty, but it doesn’t smell very pleasant to say the least. My boys get covered in grass stains at school and I still haven’t found anything that cleans them, I wonder if I can get Oxyclean here in France?
Glad to hear you are up and about. How is Silas’ eye looking? My little guy recently came home from the skate park with a small cut and a bit of swelling nr his eye. Two days later it looks terrible!!
http://justhavingayarn.blogspot.com/2013/09/you-should-see-other-guy.html
Take care, don’t do to much.
Kindest regards from Chamonix, France.
We don’t have white pants here, they are gray. But I have learned that if you wet it and then put liquid laundry soap on it then scrub the heck out of it, it might come clean. I was able to get the grass stains and the dirt out.
I know what it is like going to games being pregnant. You are an amazing mom, doing the best you can.
Ginny, I know what you mean about those traveling games. It’s so exciting to watch but the other siblings don’t always agree. A huge sacrifice for the family but down deep we all love it (I think)! I’ve always wondered how the teams with white pants get them clean game after game…now I know your secret (our’s are gray). God bless that ump–glad you’re up and about a bit more!
P.S. I still remember that article you wrote about Gabe slowing down his fast ball for his friend’s team, it made me tear up! 🙂
Your boys look so content on the field. I grew up going to my older brothers baseball games. I had so much fun playing with the other younger siblings. We became somewhat of a tribe over the years!
Amazing to hear you are feeling much better and were able to let your boys participate in this baseball season; they look like they are really enjoying themselves!
And by the way that laundry looks immaculate 😀
I don’t remember my daughter mentioning white-brite….must share (she’s got two boys on a travel team, too, but they always seem to be on the traveling end…glad you were able to have a hometown game!) I’m always on doggy-sitting duty…wish i could see them in action away!
In the first photo of Bea, where she’s looking to the left, she had a look of Larkspur about her (to me).
Would love tips on getting those white baseball pants clean! 🙂
The first day we pressure washed them outside and then soaked in oxyclean before washing. The second day I rinsed them in the bathtub and then, on the advice of other parents, I soaked them in a product called White Brite before washing in the washing machine. The White Brite worked great!
So glad to hear you’re feeling better. I hope and pray comfort and easy days are ahead for you.
I noticed the white pants in the very first picture and I was thinking….how did she get those so white? We were at the local fair all weekend showing sheep and beef….and they need to wear white shirts and black pants….and they get SO incredibly dirty. But I’m not just scrubbing regular ‘dirt’….my dirt is extra special. Good luck getting those pants clean!
The first day we pressure washed them outside and then soaked in oxyclean before washing. The second day I rinsed them in the bathtub and then, on the advice of other parents, I soaked them in a product called White Brite before washing in the washing machine. The White Brite worked great!
so happy you are feeling a bit better and able to get about! Lovely weather you had to watch all of the games. I’m sure it will get more exciting as the games go on.
My boys do not like going to gymnastic meets!
Traveling teams. Yikes, that’s a commitment. But if they are having fun it is hard to say no, isn’t it?! Love the siblings activities ~ being good sports themselves and finding ways to amuse themselves 😉
Sooo glad to hear you can walk a bit without pain. My daughter had wonderful luck with her chiropractor (he practices Nucca) with both pregnancies. Without them she would have been laid up and/or in constant pain. Keeping you in my daily prayers. Don’t overdo!
Welcome to the world of fall baseball. My 11yr old son had his first games of the season this past weekend as well. He just loves it so much and is so proud of making the team that I don’t dare complain about the stained pants.
I have found that a paste of oxi-clean and blue Dawn dish detergent rubbed on the stain and allowed to sit for a bit in cool water with washing soda and then run through the machine seems to work well. THat being said I would love to hear any tips you have.
So glad you are feeling a bit better.
We were really happy with a product called White Brite. I rinsed the pants in the bathtub and then soaked them for an hour or two in the White Brite before washing in the machine. They came out completely clean.
fun times! And so glad to hear you are back on your feet. The chiro was a godsend when I was pregnant. By the end, I was going like once a week. Hoping you get to see more of your boys games. 🙂
what a great experience for the boys. they look great all suited up.
Glad to hear you are mobile again. We have entered the world of travel baseball this season also. It is exhausting sometimes. I use Fels-Naptha soap to scrub the white pants. Works on Georgia red clay and just about everything else.
SO happy for you that you are mobile again! I had similar problems during my three pregnancies. Ouch! Praying for you!
That’s so awesome! What a great opportunity for them! And that’s so great you got to see them-and nice of that ump to let you park there! Hahah I always wonder if getting grass stains out are as hard as the commercials make them out to be-they must be!
Aww poor Beatrix! That’s the worst, hurting someone else! Once, I was playing a game with my niece and accidentally made her hit her head on the tile floor-she cried harder, but just barely. I felt horrible! I think she’s forgiven me though 🙂
Love the photos of the kids, they are just soo adorable! Your photography is just fantastic
What fun for your boys and how nice to meet helpful people, it can be so humbling. I’ve been wanting to ask you what type of laundry detergent you use? Please take this question with the greatest of compliments, I love that your children play so hard but wonder those clothes get so beautiful again!
Honestly, my kids ruin their clothes. I just use store brand “free and clear” laundry detergent, but purchased several different stain removers over the weekend for the baseball stuff . We had the most success with a product called White Brite for the red dirt stains. I used Oxyclean on the grass stains.