At the Auburn carnival on the Fourth we visited the police radar baseball toss. Kenzie was clocked at 18MPH and Mason 20MPH. His first toss didn't get measured because he threw it over the fence. They had fun and got certificates, plus a bunch of little tchotchkes that now fill up the bottom of my purse. Who doesn't need more suction cup clown fish and pink feathered flamingo pens?

Mason wanted to take a second run. I waited patiently with him and then couldn't resist taking my own turn, perhaps to the surprise of some of the elementary school boys in line behind me. I was happy with my tosses - two 49's and then a 50. Not able to resist the challenge, or let me bask in the glory of smoking all the little kids, Cindy stepped up and...what!?!...threw two 44's! Bwha, ha, ha, could it be...I clearly won a challenge?? But wait, she steps up for her finale, and...smokes her own 50 across the line. (And claimed that the first two were her warm-up tosses.) I can't say I was happy for her. But, reminding me where I get my competitive genes, my dad quietly whispered to me, "you beat her 2 out of 3." Oh yeah, we were doing it to set an example for the kids. I still beat her 2 out of 3...and I don't buy that those first two were warm-up throws. But I think I can hit 52 next year with a little practice...wonder if Mason can start catching those for me.