Magic in Minnesota

The rest back in the room did us all well, then we grabbed some food in the lobby and headed back in the car for the game. It was tough getting tickets to the game as all of the Twins this year have been sold out. This was the inaugural season for Target Field, the Twins are a good team, and the fans were very excited. We got standing room only tickets, which I was a little concerned about, before we got there.

We parked the car about 5 blocks from the stadium and walked through downtown Minneapolis on a beautiful night. The stadium was packed, and we were wearing our Rays gear to support our team. The stadium was really nice, and many fans were talking to us about how nice it is to have an outdoor stadium after years of playing indoors. We started on the 3rd base line watching the game, and meandered around as the game progressed. It was a great game, with the Rays tying it with two outs in the 9th, then winning the game in the 10th innings. The Twins fans were shocked, but instead of cursing at us, many were telling us good game, as if we had played! Ahh the difference between northeasterners and mid westerners.

After the game we went down by the field to take some pictures and had a nice conversation about our trip with some of the ushers. Everyone was just so nice to us the whole time we were there. O bought a tshirt the reads "Chicks Dig the Outdoors", a play on the old commercial with a twist on the Twins new stadium.

We walked back to the car, the city still bustling on a Thursday night. Another full day complete on this wonderful excursion. Tomorrow we leave for South Dakota, a long day on the road before a 3 day stop in Mt. Rushmore land!

HALLOWEEN

Halloween has come and gone, probably my least favorite holiday. Dressing up has never been a big thing for me, walking around asking people for candy, I don't know, it's been a long time since that was exciting for me.

However, the kids do love it, and it's fun watching them run around and enjoy it so much.

The CEO and I were invited to a grown up costume party, and after about a month of debating, we settled on Princess Leia and Han Solo. A shopping trip to about ten different locations was all it took to complete my ensemble. The CEO got her hair done, she looked great. As my friend Frank told me at the party "as long as you are near Leia, everyone will know who you are, otherwise you just look like a weird dude." We had fun at the party, and I did get to meet one of the Eagles players who is from the area, so that was pretty cool.

After GMA, GPA and Oma came over for dinner, I walked around the neighborhood with the kids. It was a nice night, and we had a great little walk. The kids got lots of stuff so they were happy, and I got to enjoy what felt like a little simpler old fashioned Halloween. From the Fall Harvest Party, the the costume party, to trick or treating, it was a great weekend.

FALL HARVEST "PARTY"

The Tornado had his first Fall Harvest party at school a couple days back. We played a couple games, ate some fall type snacks like apples with caramel, did some crafts, and went on a hayride. This is the Tornado with one of his friends. He had a great morning, had a lot of fun and it was neat seeing him with his buddies.

It wasn't supposed to be a party, the teacher didn't want a big fuss. The assistant said at the end of the day "it was the perfect amount of fun". The CEO and I had to laugh at that one. She's a little passive aggressive, and maybe we were too, but gosh darnit we wanted the little guy to have some fun! In the end it all worked out just fine.

ANYTOWN USA

We woke up early on Wednesday and hit the road to Minneapolis. It was supposedly an 8 hour drive, so we had a full day of driving ahead of us. Little did we know of the wonderful treat that was waiting for us at about the halfway point.

After about 3 hours of driving, the CEO spurts out "Hey, the Bridges of Madison County are at the next exit!" Of course we decided to stop and see what it was all about.

This picture is the oldest of the bridges, and is right off the exit. We all got out and walked around, reading about the bridges, and just enjoying the quiet in this tiny spot. A sign indicating where the visitors center was pointed us to our next stop. The tiny church which now acts as the visitors center held a bunch of little trinkets and info on the bridges. The CEO talked to the man who was running the center and he told us about Winterset, which was about "5 miles" dwon the road. He told us about several bridges that were there, a hedge maze and a tower in a park that he though we would like to visit.

The gang hopped back in the car and pointed towards Winterset. About 15 miles later we started to pull into Winterset. The first thing we saw was John Wayne's birthplace. A tiny little house on the corner of a little street off the main drive with a statue outside. We took a couple pictures for Opa and continued into town. After a little driving around we found the park. The kids really enjoyed the hedge maze as they did it over and over. Next we got back in the car and drove down the dirt and gravel road to find the tower. It was an old stone tower, and was pretty cool. The kids went to the top, you could see for miles, and they pretended they were knights and royal figures. We hung out for an hour and headed back to "downtown" for lunch.

Winterset might as well be called Anytown USA, because it is exactly what you think of when you imagine a small, middle America town. Or at least it is for me. Basically the town consists of the courthouse in the center of a square, with stores and offices, all two stories at the most, surrounding the courthouse. The restaurant that was in the movie The Bridges of Madison county is on the square, although we didn't eat there. There was no traffic, no trouble parking, and the few people that were walking around had nice smiles on their faces. I went into the drug store, I couldn't believe it when I saw a little counter where they were serving dessert. Did I get lost and end up in Mayberry?? The lady at the counter was teasing a customer she knew about the black eye he had, how great is that!!

Everyone piled back into the car and off we went having had enjoyed a great slice of Americana. As we have moved west on the trip, things have gotten more tranquil, more relaxing, and I've felt more and more together with the family. When you take away all the other stuff in life that distracts from being together, you really can enjoy the people you love. And I'm really enjoying the trip.

A SATURDAY AFTERNOON

The CEO is out of town, leaving me at home with the three little rascals. I had a CPR class to go to in the AM, so they spent the morning at a friends house. We got home and had some lunch, and with my back really bothering me, I laid down on the couch and the kids watched a movie.

I had told them that after a little rest we would be planting a bunch of flowers as a surprise for Mommy. They were a little grumpy about the idea, but said OK, they would help when it was time.

We went outside at about 4:30, and began digging. The weather was great, and they were enthusiastic about helping. Sometimes they start that way, but finish a little less enthusiastic. Not today though. They were digging, they were planting, they were carrying, you name it they were doing it. We were joking with each other, telling stories (mostly them and me listening), the Tornado was drumming on the empty flower pots on the porch. It was delightful.

About 3 hours later, as the sun was setting on the river, the Tornado and I got the hose out and sprayed some water on the flowers. The girls were cleaning up, putting the shovels and gloves away. We all kind of stood there, admiring the work, and I told them for the next 7 months as they are playing outside they can watch the flowers grown and admire all the hard work they put into planting them and helping them grow.

Kind of like me watching them...

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Goals are good. Goals help motivate you and help you stay focused. Goals can be the journey that lead you to the destination. Goals shape the process for success.

Expectations are not good. Expectations are a distraction from hard work. Expectations weigh you down, put undue pressure on the outcome, which you may not be able to control. Expectations focus on the results only, and lose sight of the journey that help you get to the desired results. Expectations can sap the joy from the daily pursuit of success or happiness.

The Rays were picked to be one of the top teams in baseball this year, and the players and fans all "expected" a World Series appearance, if not the title too. There has been tension the last few weeks of the season, the players were showing it, the fans were feeling it. As the playoffs started last week, it was nothing like the 2008 season. That was a joyous romp, let's just work hard and see where we end up. This felt like duty, like a failure if we didn't get to the finish line. Well, 5 games and 2 Cliff Lees later, the Rays are done. Many fans took to booing a couple players last night at the game, because "expectations" were going to go unfulfilled. The manager didn't pull all the right strings, the hitting coach was a bad teacher, the pitching coach lost his touch with a couple of the pitchers, some of the players underperformed, etc etc etc. I could see the stress, heck HEAR the stress in O's voice as the 9th inning came and went. Part was disappointment, part was knowing she would hear it from her Yankee friends at school. Many fans left in the 9th inning because the result wasn't to their liking.

I was hoping the players would come back out and allow for us to cheer for them for all the good times they gave us this summer. And there were some great times! The walk off win on opening night against the Orioles, the grand slam by Bartlett in the 8th inning to tie the afternoon game against the Twins, some great defense in almost every game, many great pitching outings from Price, Soriano and dominating and being quirky, DJ Rally Kitty, Cotton Eyed Joe, the team scoring 9 runs on the Bear's 9th birthday, and winning in the 10th when we went to see them in Minnesota. Taking friends to the game, enjoying the concerts like John Fogerty, Train, Bret Michaels and the Village People. Running the bases, dancing on the field, playing home run derby. It was a great season. Mostly it was great because we did it together as a family. I'll remember this summer fondly because of the baseball trip we took, and the trips to the Trop to see the Rays play. I think the family will remember it forever too. The Tornado keeps reminding me of things we did at the different parks, like riding the frog on the Merry-Go-Round in KC. The goal of having fun with the family and creating lasting memories was achieved!

I've been guilty of foisting expectations on the kids this school year, and this baseball season is a reminder that doing so is a mistake on my part, and unfair to them. They should have goals to work hard in class every day, to behave, be good friends, and Be Like Christ. They should not be "expected" to get a certain grade on every test, quiz or homework. They should not be "expected" to do the right thing all day every day. That is most certainly and obviously going to lead to disappointment and frustration for everyone, and probably resentment towards me.

They have all had their growing pains this year in school, and I've been too focused on the outcomes I'm afraid, and not focused enough on helping with the process. I don't want them weighed down by the pressure of expectations from me or from themselves. Rather, I want them to flourish with the knowledge that they are doing things the right way, and that in doing so they will give themselves the best chance to achieve the goals they have for themselves. Yes I know they are only 11, 9 and 5, and maybe they don't have explicit goals they are shooting for. As a kid their only real goal is to be happy, and it's my job to help them figure out how to be that way.

So, thanks to the Rays for another great season. Thanks to baseball for reminding me of another life lesson. Sorry to O, Bear and Tornado for putting unnecessary expectations on you. I promise to try to do better in the future, allowing you to enjoy the journey of being little kids, even if that journey leads to a detour on occasion. Sometimes detours unveil a different and better path to our goals!

KANSAS CITY KIDS

When we left St. Louis, about an hour out of the city, it seemed like we entered a different world. There was corn lining both sides of the highway, and as far as you could see. CORN! EVERYWHERE! But it wasn't just the corn, and the lack of cars filling the interstate, there was a sense of a slower pace of life. You could see it in the way people were driving, the bumper stickers on the car, the interactions at the fast food joints and gas stations. And it was all really pleasant.

We got into Kansas City around 4pm, checked into the hotel (it wasn't our favorite of the trip), then headed to the field. Kauffman Field is the home of the Royals, and it isn't a new stadium. But from the moment we walked into the stadium, it immediately became one of my favorites. We were there early and got the really nice t-shirts we are wearing in the picture. The place wasn't going to be full, the Royals stink now (think they will be pretty decent in 2012), and it was a Tuesday night against the White Sox.

They had an awesome area for kids, including a "Little K" field where the kids could hit, run the bases and catch. The Tornado hit some pitches on the field, rode the merry go round, and did a couple other things. Then we headed in towards the seats, and tried unsuccessfully to get a batting practice ball. The Tornado enjoyed running back and forth in front of their wonderful fountains while the girls called the players looking for a ball.

Batting practice ended, we headed up to our seats behind home in the upper deck. We grabbed some barbeque for dinner, good but not as good as I was hoping to get at the real Arthur Bryants, and took our seats. The game was good, the Royals lost 4-3, and although the park wasn't full, the fans were really into it!

As the sun went down, I sat and watched the game, with the fun crowned scoreboard in front of me, I just really felt peaceful. I could see the sun setting, a slow but steady stream of cars driving by on the other side of a small field outside the ballpark, the Tornado drifting into sleep, and my three lovely ladies all sitting with me. The night was warm, but comfy, it was everything you could ask for on a summer night.

The game ended, and we left for the hotel. Everyone was just about asleep before we even got there, so it was a quick lights out once we were inside. I laid in bed and reflected on the day. 16 hours earlier we were in downtown St. Louis, spent 3 hours at the zoo, drove for 4 hours across Missouri, then spent 5 hours at the ballgame. I was amazed at how good the kids were in the car, at the zoo, and at the game with each other. Despite being tired, I think they sensed the relaxed atmosphere that I was feeling too. I've often wondered how or why people would live in a place like Kansas City. You aren't near the beach, you aren't near the mountains. You don't typically think of it as a high earning area, nor is it a growth spot. It's not a cultural hot spot, and it's not full of tourist attractions. So why live here, move here, stay here? Because it's a nice place, with nice people. It's a simple place, in a good way. We will see you again soon KC.

The First Phone Number

When the Big O was in first grade, she came home one day and said she "liked" a boy named Donovan. A year later she played on a basketball team with him, I was the coach, and she still liked him. I got to know him a little more, I knew him from working in the school at lunch. He's a nice boy, always uses his manners around me. Anyway, O told Donovan that she liked him, of course he got nervous, and they stopped playing on the playground and in PE together. Over the last couple years she's "liked" other boys, and that usually lasts a couple weeks.

So here we are, 4 years later, and she told me one day that she likes Donovan again. She had told the CEO first, and was nervous to tell me, but finally got around to it. The other night I was downstairs on the coach, and the CEO came down and told me O wanted to talk. I went back up, and she was crying. She asked if I thought she was a "girly-girl". After finding out what she meant by that, I told her that she isn't a girly girl, she's tough when she needs to be, feminine when she needs to be. I told her she's just like the CEO in that regard. I went back downstairs, and the CEO thought O had told me the news, that she asked Donovan for his phone number.

Two days went by, O never told me that she had the phone number. An opportunity came up, and I asked if she called Donovan. She blushed, said no, and we talked about her having the phone number. We talked about not over doing it, trying to play it cool and just enjoying being his friend. I also told her that I hope she feels comfortable talking to me about things like this, even though I'm a guy. She just kind of smiled, nodded and went back to shooting.

O and I have always been close, I've always felt like she could talk to me, and I think she feels the same. She likes me to tuck her in every night, and I like doing that too. But lately, she seems to be going to the CEO more often with sensitive material. I understand it, it makes sense. Obviously Kristin can relate to her better, and the things that she's going through. But I don't want to be there only for the superfluous conversations, I want to be there for the tough questions too, at least some of them :)

She lost her last tooth two nights ago as well. What a difference between the reaction from her and us from losing the first one and the last one. Instead of jumping up and down, getting excited about losing it, the anticipation of the Tooth Fairy arriving with a gift, she basically handed the tooth to the CEO and went to bed. No notes to the Tooth Fairy either.

It's tough having a child going through all these changes, being so "grown up". I have to keep remind myself that I'm not losing her, or if I'm losing her as a little child, I'm getting a more mature child who I can go through new trials, tribulations and triumphs with. I want her to know that I'll always be there for her when she needs me, that I'll be her biggest fan.

Livin' the Dream?

This school year has thrown me for a little bit of a loop. I've already detailed the Tornado's bumpy road these first few weeks. Big O has had her own struggles, from time management, to the volleyball thing, to some lower grades than she is used to. The Bear seems to be doing well, but everyday is an adventure with her.

The CEO is going through a lot of changes at her work too, and that of course creates a little stress for her.

Things at the homestead have been rough too, as we need this fixed, and that replaced. With this feeling of getting nicked from every side and every turn, I have felt a little overwhelmed. I've been so consumed with the kids that I think I've lost my focus on what the CEO and I want down the road. I don't mean that in a bad way, focusing on the kids, because I love them and love spending time with them. Now that they are all in school, it just kind of struck me that down the road, they will all be out on their own. And because of that, I need to keep one eye on my dreams, and the dreams of the CEO.

The picture is a shot from a ranch in Colorado. Is that where we are going to end up? Who knows, although it almost certainly won't be this exact spot. After our trip this summer though, I do know I want to spend time out in this area as we get older. There is a sense of freedom being out there. Being able to see so far, and only seeing the land and some wildlife, just gives me a peaceful feeling.

Also, planning and dreaming has always been a large part of what makes me happy. It might be planning for a vacation, planning a training schedule for a marathon, or planning for buying a house or land. It gives me motivation and drive, and that gives me purpose.

So I'll go back to trying to figure stuff out for me and the CEO. That won't take anything away from the kids, I'll still have a large focus on them, but I'll keep an eye on me too.

He's Still The Tornado

6 weeks down, 17 years and 8 months of school for The Tornado to go. These first 6 weeks have been a bumpy ride, with multiple letters home from the teacher, tears and lies. We've talked to the teacher, and apparently he thinks he can punch his way to what he wants. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't yet understand that the teacher tells us when something isn't right.

We've talked with him about using his hands in a helping way, not a hurting way. We've talked to him about trying to enjoy being at school. Sometimes it can be so exhausting. The teacher also taught the girls, and says how different they were from him. She actually said to me,"He's either a real joy to be around, or.......he's not." Well yeah, of course he's different! And boy does that sound familiar. I actually described the Bear that way to someone back when she was his age, and that person looked at me and said, "So she's just like her father?" Is it a coincidence that the two kids I spent most of my time with are that way? Is it a coincidence that the one who spent some time with me, some with Grandma and Grandpa, and a little at day care is the more easy going one? I honestly don't know.

I'm sure he will find his groove, and settle in as the wonderfully happy guy we all know he is. It just might feel a little like storm chasing until we get there.

The St. Louis Zoo

On Tuesday the 29th we packed our things and headed out for some breakfast. Everyone was excited because we were going to the St. Louis Zoo, one of the best zoos in the country. It was a nice day, so we were sure we were going to have fun.

We saw some spectacular animals, including bears, giraffes, some really cool birds, hysterical monkeys and terrifying reptiles. We got to pet a real giraffe tail, and the kids loved seeing the peacocks just wandering around the zoo.

But the coolest part of the zoo, figuratively and literally, was the penguin exhibit. You enter a room, and it's freezing cold, and there are penguins EVERYWHERE! All different kinds of penguins too, emperor penguins, rockhoppers, puffins, you name it. They are swimming around, standing guard over the fish bucket, or just keeping watch on the rocks. You can reach out and touch them if you wanted to, they are that close to you. It was really fun to be able to be so close to something, with no glass or walls between you, that is so different and unusual. Penguins are something I'll never see in the wild, as I doubt I'll make it to Antarctica! I could have stayed in there for hours and just watched them.

As we started to leave, the kids saw a penny maker, one of those souvenir things that squishes a penny with a logo of the place you are visiting on it. We let them all get one, then found these penny books, which hold something like 36 pennies! Instantly the search for penny machines would become a focal point of the trip. They slipped their pennies into the books, and we slipped back in the car for the 4 hour drive across Missouri to Kansas City.

We had a wonderful time in St. Louis, that's for certain. We all the love the beach, and even though St. Louis is far far away from one, I think everyone left thinking this would be a fun place to come back and visit. I couldn't believe how much we got done in only 36 hours, but we loved every minute of it!

My New Position

For months I wondered what I would do once the Tornado left for school. How would I fill the day, what would I look forward to, just for me, each day. Well, a phone call came while we were out on our trip, and it was from the coach of the 7th/8th grade coach at SFX. He said he needed to talk to me, and I had a good idea what he wanted to talk about. Turns out I was right, he was looking for an assistant coach at his new job, Head Coach at the local high school for the girls varsity team.

I was flattered that he would ask me, and I was immediately interested. After interviewing with the AD, and meeting some of the girls on the team, I was excited to do it. Then, after a meeting with the AD and the principal, the AD told me this would mean not coaching the 5th/6th girls team, and not coaching the High Hoops team. I knew I couldn't coach 8th graders, but 5th and 6th graders too?

I was torn between wanting to take on this new challenge, and feeling like I was letting the girls from the High Hoops team, and Frank (the co-coach of that team) down. I had never had such a good experience coaching as I did with the High Hoops team. They worked hard, they listened, the played together, just a treat to coach. Would I regret giving that up? I called Frank and he basically told me I had to try the high school job, that who knows when that would become available again. The CEO said the same thing. Frank assured me he wasn't upset, and that he would be able to get someone else to fill in as needed. I explained to O why I did it, so I can coach her and the Bear in high school, and while upset she understood. She knows Coach Frank is a super guy, and knows she'll enjoy the team.

I've been doing the conditioning sessions with the high school team for about a month now, and it's been very enjoyable. The girls have been mostly excellent to work with, and most of them really work hard. We've had to give a couple "let's focus" speeches, but that's to be expected. I'm looking forward to practices and games starting, and seeing how both Mark and I respond to the new level of intensity. I'm anxious about it, but that's the way I am. It might take a little while for us to get a good thing going, but we both work hard at it, and we care about the kids, and I think that will serve us well in the long run.

As my Mom and Dad always say, there is a plan, God is watching over us. One door closed and another one has opened. I'm happy for this opportunity and am curious about where this path will lead.

Stan the Man and Fredbird

After a brief stop at the hotel, we headed over to Busch Stadium for the Cardinals game. We waded outside for a little, admiring the many statues they have outside the ballpark. The girls asked questions about Lou Brock, Red Schoendienst, Bob Gibson and Stan Musial. I told them about the players, and that Musial was Grandpops favorite player. What is interesting about that is that for some reason, Bear's favorite player is Albert Pujols. She has read a couple books about him, has a couple of his cards and was very excited to see him play. A little treat for Bear was the we got to see El Hombre play 3 times on the trip. Musial is a legend of course in St Louis, and his stats and bio are all over the stadium. It was nice to see such a display of history.

We popped into the team store so the Bear could add to her mascot collection, then took a tour of the stadium. They had a fun little area for kids, O and I couldn't figure out how to play the xBox baseball game, while the other two played on the mini playground. We walked to our seats, down the right field line, and settled in. Not more than 5 minutes passed, and there was an announcement that Fredbird would be standing for pictures on the opposite side of the stadium for the first two innings. ARGH!! I walked the Tornado and the Bear down to see him, and we got our picture taken with the Cardinal mascot. The kids were excited and happy that they got to see him up close. It's so neat to see the kids that way.

The game progressed, a great pitching matchup between Dan Haren of the Diamondbacks and Chris Carpenter for the Cards, the Cards were losing. The chants of "charge", were kind of weak and hollow, and O said "this is supposed to be the best baseball city in America?? C'mon people!" I had to laugh, seeing as how her main experience is with 15,000 other fans at the Rays games we attend. But then, the Cards exploded for 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th to win the game 5-4, and the place went crazy!! O responded "that's better". She's so funny.

We walked around and took some more pictures, then walked back across the street to our hotel. The Diamondbacks were staying in our hotel, and lots of fans were in the lobby waiting for players to enter. We saw a few players leaving the ballpark, the girls wanted to see Justin Upton. I took the Tornado up to the room, and the girls hung out downstairs with the CEO for a couple minutes before retreating back to the room, not having seen anyone.

But it was a tremendous day, full of wide-eyed enthusiasm for all the new things we had experienced. For some reason, this day kind of felt like the beginning of the trip, and that we had lots more excitement and learning in front of us!

SHOW ME!

We staggered out of bed Monday morning, after a long Sunday, and set out for another full day. We had planned on visiting the Arch, and then a Cardinals game at night. First we grabbed breakfast/lunch at a local restaurant, then walked to the park and the Arch. The people of St. Louis were all so nice, in fact an usher at the Reds game told us we would be amazed at how nice everyone was. And she was right! While it was a little hot, everyone was doing well with that and the walking. I don't know if it was because they were excited to be in a new place, or what, but all the kids really got along great. It was so nice to spend the fun time with them, when they were all so happy to be together. As we walked around the city, I told the kids that their Aunt was born in St. Louis, and that I had lived there when I was just a little boy. They thought that was cool.

We got to the Arch and it was fantastic! There is a tunnel that runs underground between the two legs, that is 630 feet wide. Underneath, they have a wonderful museum that depicts Lewis and Clarks' travels across America. Since that was going to be a large part of our future travels on the trip, it was a real treat to see the kids point out and ask questions about whether we were going to this place or that.

After about 90 minutes, it was our turn to get in line to ride the tram to the top. They have a Disney-like setup, where you wait in this area for a while, then in that area for a while, then in the last area for a while. That was pretty tedious, but the kids hung in there great. Although the Bear did have some strange film on the inside of her mouth, we never did figure out where that came from. Anyway, we finally got to the trams, and HOLY COW WERE THEY TINY!! We barely fit all five of us into the compartment, and that was with the CEO and I leaning forward the whole time. The ride took about 5 minutes, and then there we were, 630 feet in the sky, looking over the city of St. Louis! The view was spectacular, even though the CEO felt a little uneasy. We stayed up top for about 15 minutes, pointing out different things in the city, we had a great view of the park and our hotel, and the Mississippi River. Satisfied that we had seen it all, we got back in the tram car and rode to the bottom.

Next we left the Arch and walked over to the Mississippi River, which is right next to the Arch. The river was really high, the kids couldn't believe it. They dipped their feet into the water, splashed for a minute or two, and it was back to the hotel to get ready for the game.

It was a special afternoon, watching them learn so much about St. Louis, and really enjoying the learning. Running in the park, darting from one part of the museum to the next, gaping out the windows to see down below. It was special too because I enjoyed learning about those things too. Of course, as the Bear always says though, the best part was sharing it with my family.

The Next Chapter Begins

So we are done with the first two weeks of school, and what an eventful two weeks it was! Let's take them one at a time.

First, the Tornado had his first full week of school. He's pulling the same routine with the socks/shoes that Bear pulled everyday. I told him he was out of luck because I had extensive experience dealing with this tactic. He's apparently doing well in school, with the possible exception of sharing. Yes he's one of three kids, but since he's the only boy and with 4 years in between, it's as if he's an only child. He relayed a story to me about his teacher telling him to get more rest one night so that tomorrow wasn't such a "big deal".

One thing I've learned though, is that changes can be a big deal, particularly for a little kid. He asked me why I wouldn't help put his socks on for him anymore. Well, you are in school now and you are a big guy who needs to do it for himself. He responds, but you just did it the other day?? I didn't really consider how much adjusting he would need to do going full time. He's had to grow up so much all at once, and I think he's had a little bit of a struggle doing that, and it's been a little bit of a struggle letting him do it.

On to the Bear. Her teacher is probably the most soft spoken person in the school, but somehow she's managed to butt heads with the teacher, at least in her mind. She's feeling pretty good about herself these days, as she knows how good of an athlete she is; she's popular with the other kids, including the boys; and she does well in school. Despite these things, she's always looking for attention it seems. I can't figure it out, and I'm hoping it calms down a little as she gets older.

Adding to her self-esteem, she won an election to become a class representative. She won in an old fashioned run off, where the teacher counted the run off votes, one by one, aloud. The Bear came out on top, I can't imagine the devastation that would have occurred had she lost so publicly. But she won, so all is well in the land of the Bear.

As for O, it's been a rough two weeks. First, she started middle school, and part of that change is that she changes classes/teachers every period. This wouldn't seem to be a big deal, but she likes her routine, and this different schedule every day has thrown her for a loop.

Secondly, she tried out for the volleyball team on the 3rd and 4th days of school, and got cut. Never mind that she has never played volleyball, never practiced it, so not a huge surprise that she didn't make it. This turn of events did present an opportunity for me to discuss working for things you want, preparation, and enjoying what you do. She told me she enjoyed doing the triathlons, and missed that we haven't done any lately. So by the end of the next day i had a training schedule put together, and we've been working that. I love going out there with her and spending time exercising. It's a great time to let them talk and just listen, she opens up so much more.

Finally, O lost out in her bid for class representative. She's in a mixed home room with 7th and 8th graders, and two older kids won. She understands it, but mix in that her sister did win, and it sure hurt. One of the kids who won has been giving her a hard time at her locker every day too. That was a little salt in the wound. We talked through a strategy to try to avoid him, and hopefully this issue will go away. 6th grade was my least favorite year of school - I told O that maybe we hit the refresh button and say 6th grade starts for real tomorrow. Here's hoping it works!

The CEO has been going through lots of changes at work, personnel, workflow, all kinds of stuff. That's always disconcerting, and I would imagine even more so as the sole breadwinner. She's a trooper, and tries to never bring home that stress, but it's been bothering her. I do my best to be a good listener, and I hope that it helps.

For me, the last two weeks have been an adjustment too. The house is so quiet during the day now. I've been able to get back to running, and I'm working a lot in the yard. I started my new part time job, which I'll describe in the next post. I get excited when I'm in car line and I see the three of them running to the car. I love hearing their voices when the door opens and they jump in. I love seeing their smiles when they see me. There's a comfort that I have being with them, a good feeling that I can't get anywhere else (and I mean everyone in the family). I hope I provide that for them as well.

Now Go Have an Adventure!

The day is finally here. Honestly, I never really thought it would come. For almost 5 years, pretty much 5 days of every week, for 8 hours every day, it was just me and the Tornado.

I know how blessed I was to have that time. As my friend told me, most Dads don't get to spend that much time with their kids their entire life. And that's true; to be at home with him, see all of his firsts, be there for so many ups and downs was a gift.

But mostly it was just the time together, actually just BEING together, that I treasure the most. I kept trying to think of something to do with our final day before school started, something really really special. As I thought more about it, I realized it was just the togetherness that is what I wanted to celebrate. So we woke up and had breakfast together. Then we watched a couple episodes of Phineas and Ferb while cuddling on the couch. We had a little snack, then we built some train tracks, as we did pretty much every day. We played for a while on the playstation, and had some lunch (SpongeBob mac & cheese!). We played football catch, hit some baseballs, then came in and read some books. Then it was time to pick up the girls from school, and our time as just Daddy and the Tornado was over.

At bed time I went to tuck him in, and read Zen Shorts to him. After the book, I laid down for a minute and told him how much fun he would have at school. How he was going to make some great friends, and learn lots of fantastic things. He looked at me and started to cry. I tired not to cry too, it was really tough. Then he said,"I'm gonna miss you when I'm in school." I lost it. I gave him a big hug, and told him how much I loved him, and left the room. Mommy went in and talked with him for a little. I went back in after regaining some composure, and told him we could still build tracks and play baseball and all that good stuff every day. He said OK, and smiled, and rolled over.

Mommy and I dropped him off this morning (after saying his shoes didn't feel right - ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!), and he ran to see his good friend Gray. He dropped his stuff in his cubby, and hustled to the ring toss game. Then to the cars and blocks. He was trying to get Gray to play with him, but Gray was having a tough moment leaving his Mom. After a few minutes, they were doing their thing together, big smiles and wide eyes. The teacher told them all to sit as school was ready to begin, and time for us to leave. One last hug and off we went.

I am so happy for him! He hasn't had his own friends for so long, and I know he's gonna love it. That doesn't make it any easier for me unfortunately. When I walked back into the empty house, and didn't hear "can I watch my show", or "can I have a snack", or "wanna play football catch", I felt sad. I know it will pass, and I'll find something to fill the time. But nothing will fill the light of joy I've had every day spending time with my son. I love you buddy, now go have an adventure!!

The Riverfront

The gang hit the road around 9am on Saturday, ready to roll to Cincinnati. It was a 450 mile drive through the rolling hills of Tennessee and Kentucky. There wasn't a whole lot of traffic, but it wasn't desolate either.

As the drive kicked off, I had my first and last blow up of the trip. The Tornado was whining and complaining about the portable DVD player - it's too high, it's too low, the earphones won't stay on, I can't hear, blah blah blah. Of course the movie player is supposed to make the drive easier, not harder for the driver. I let the kids know that, and they assured me we wouldn't have any more issues the rest of the trip. You always feel bad when you have to yell. They don't mean any harm, but sometimes a firm voice is needed. It still doesn't feel good though. So we got going again, and was smooth sailing the rest of the way.

We arrived in Florence, Kentucky around 2pm, just a couple minutes before the CEO. We went into the hotel room, and the kids loved it! It was a big, nice, new Homewood suites, and our room was huge. It's always funny to watch them react to the room, good or bad.

After settling in a little, we watched the US soccer team lose to Ghana and end their run, then headed over to Newport on the Levee for dinner. It was a nice shopping and dining area right on the river across from Cincinnati. We had some dinner and the kids looked around at the stores. The Bear was intent on shopping, and she was weighing her options here vs saving for the Mall of America. She ended up getting a little something, but saving most of her cash for stops further down the road. We watched a magician do some tricks, the Tornado loved when he pulled a coconut out from under his hat! It started to rain and we headed back to the hotel for the night. Some late night swimming in the indoor pool which the kids thought was pretty cool, then down for the night with a big day the next day ahead.

Sunday we woke up, packed up and headed back to Newport to go to the Reds game. It was super hot again, but there was a big storm looming over the area. We parked (after some problems with a self-pay lot), and started walking over the bridge to the game. The Bear was struggling (it's so hot, this is so long, ha), and the CEO wasn't loving it. For me though, it was another walk down memory lane. I remember going to Cincinnati as a kid with Mom and Dad, and walking the bridge to the Reds game. I always have great memories of the trips we took as kids, and it's things like walking the bridge that stick out in my memory. Not that it was the most fun moment of the trip or anything, just that it was something different.

The game was delayed for a while because of the storm, so we sat in the top row to stay covered until they told us we had to go into the walkway. The ballpark was pretty cool, and they had a ton of fun stuff for the kids to do. The Reds were playing their in-state rival Cleveland Indians. The storm cooled everyone off, and we really enjoyed the game. The Indians won the game 5-3, but it was close and the crowd was pretty into the game. Afterwards, they let us down on the field to run the bases, and that's always really cool.

We left the stadium, and headed back over the bridge to the car. A brief stop for a picture (The Bear and the CEO didn't stop :), then to the car. 360 miles to St Louis, it was looking like a midnight arrival. We stopped for dinner on the road, yay for Subway! As it got dark, we drove into a crazy rain storm, and the CEO was doing her best work behind the wheel. Between the rain, the high winds, and an already full day, it was pretty tense. As we approached St. Louis we could see the Arch, the ballpark, and with everything lit up it was really beautiful.

We parked in the lot and checked into the Westin, right across the street from the stadium. We got into the room, it was pretty tight, and convinced the Tornado he would love sleeping on the over sized chair!! By the time we all got to sleep it was about 2am, everyone was beat. A full day in St Louis the next day was waiting. One of the things that I was really enjoying about the trip so far was going from place to place, doing different things each day. It was exciting and interesting and I was loving every minute of it.

Away We Go!!

Tornado and I picked the girls up at basketball camp on the 24th, and headed out on the road at about 2pm. The plan was to drive the 500 miles to Alpharetta and arrive around 10pm. The girls fell asleep almost instantly once we got going, after playing so much hoop and so little sleep during camp.

We stopped in a very small town in Georgia for dinner at Subway, and got back on the road. The gas station where we refueled didn't have digital gas pumps, which was kind of wierd. The kids hadn't seen one of those before, the pennies scrolling along. I wondered if this would be a little foreshadowing into the types of places we would see throughout the trip.

We rolled into the hotel at about 11pm, checked in, and settled down for the night. We stayed in a nice Homewood Suites, the kids were so excited. Friday morning I told the kids that I needed to do some laundry, so they would be watching TV in the morning, then we would go swimming. I sorted the laundry (looked for a lost wrm up jersey from camp, no luck), and the kids settled in to a mini Phineas and Ferb marathon.

After the laundry, we went down to the pool, and did some races in the water. Boy, the town really earned the name Hotlanta! It was smoking!! The water felt great, and was a nice boost after a long day Thursday.

After showers, we drove down to downtown Atlanta, stopping for dinner first. We went to the legendary Varsity for dogs and fries. It's the largest drive-in in America, and the inside is huge too. There must be 50 cash registers, and employees all over the place. As you approach the counter they yell "What'll ya have!!" It's less a question and more of a demand of sorts. We had our dogs and fries and onion rings, all tasty, but we all mostly enjoyed the FO, or Frosted Orange. It was like an Orange Julius, but better, and given the heat, very refreshing.

After that, we jumped back in the car and drove down to the game, Tigers at Braves. Our seats were so far up you could barely see the field. And the sun, MY GOD THE SUN!!! It was right in

our eyes for the first 4 innings or so. But the kids were great, no complaints about the heat or sun. It was alumni weekend, and some old Braves were signing and taking pictures. I got to see Dale Murphy, one of my favorites growing up, so that was pretty cool.

The Bear almost snagged a batting practice homer, and the Tornado did snag a tshirt from one of the Braves "cheerleaders". The game got going, and it was a close one. The Braves won 3-1, powered by the 100th career homer for Brian McCann. Billy Wagner sealed the game with his 400th save, so it was a night of milestones.

After the game there was a fantastic fireworks display, which the Tornado absolutely loved. Some other things of note were the giant Chick Fil A cow, maybe 50 feet tall, and a Coke bottle the same size. The kids really enjoyed those, who wouldn't??

After the game, we endured a hot and crowded walk back to the car, followed by a maddening drive just to find the appropriate highway. As O put it, the map looks like someone threw a bunch of spaghetti on it. The CEO also managed to call right as I was trying to find the right interstate, making this challenging task even more fun. Eventually we made it to the right road, O flashed back to a lost night in Wilkes Barre "Stinkin' Mundy!!", and we finally made it back. Everyone was beat, so it was quick to sleep. A short but exciting stay in one of the big cities of the South! On to Cincinnati early in the morning.

Oh wait - I forgot to talk about my feelings! It was both strange and interesting to embark on a vacation without the CEO. Of course we all wanted her with us, it's not the same without her. But there was a special challenge in doing the first couple days without her. She keeps us all organized and focused, would I be able to do that? I think I was able to do so, and I think the kids enjoyed the day. But I was looking forward to seeing the CEO when we got to Cinci.

The Great American Road Trip

Grandpop and I had the idea ot make it to as many ballparks as we could when I was younger. We hit most of them, and made great memories as we went from place to place.

About a year ago, with the girls really enjoying baseball, and the boy understanding it a little more each day, that maybe we could embark on a similar quest.

After talking to the CEO, we decided we would break it up into four separate trips, each a few weeks long, and do it over a couple summers. We decided that the Midwest would be tackled this year. I promised we would do and see other things, it wasn't just about baseball. So we agreed, and the planning began.

I'd pick the girls up from basketball camp, drive to Atlanta, then up to Cincinnati. The CEO would fly and meet us there, and we'd continue on. St. Louis would be next, then Kansas City, followed by Minnesota. A natural break in the schedule would allow a long weekend over the 4th of July in Mt. Rushmore. From there we would head to Denver, swing through New Mexico, head to Arlington, then Houston and on our way home.

I'm a little worried about how the kids will behave over the course of 100 hours or more in the car. How will we all do spending almost 3 weeks, shoulder to shoulder, without a break? What happens if our car breaks down? What will the weather be like?

I've got a lot of concerns, but a lot of excitement too. I'm seeing places I've never seen, going places I've never been, and of course that's exciting. I'm also interested to see how we do together - like a little social experiment.

Anyway, I've got over 5000 miles ahead, so time to get started!

High Hoops goes camping!

As summer approached and the travel hoop season was ending, some parents asked Frank and I if we were sending the girls to camp. I

found a camp in Clearwater, a couple hours away, that was reasonably priced, was Sunday - Thursday, and I had heard good things about.

I mentioned it to Frank, he thought it sounded good too, so we told everyone about it. After talking to the coach in charge, and trying to relieve some parents of their worries, we had 12 girls decide to go.

As you can see from the picture, they all had a ton of fun. They were going bananas when we left on Sunday afternoon, so excited to be on their own. We told our girls to call each night before bedtime, have fun, be safe.

The first night, we talked to both O and the Bear, they sounded good. Then later, at 3:30 AM, the phone rang. I didn't think either of our girls would be nervous or scared, so I immediately thought something had happened.

"Hi, Mom - it's Bear." Yeah Bear, what's up? "I can't fall asleep, what should I do?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! Go to bed Bear!!!

When I got up to the camp on Thursday, I couldn't believe how much fun they were having with each other. 5 days with 12 girls in a tiny dorm for the first time, I thought there would be some issues. But no, they were hugging, high fiving each other, enjoying being together.

There was a little awards ceremony after, and I had asked O how she played. Pretty good she said. They announced the sportsmanship award, not O; they announced the hustle award, not O; they announced the defense award, not O. I look at O, with Frank next to me and, with a smile, say "So you didn't play defense, hustle, or act like a good sport?" She dismissively waved at me, "yeah yeah Dad, just wait". Then they announce the Coaches Award, for leadership, play and attitude. They gave out 3 in the whole camp - 120 girls. And O gets called up. Nice work kid!!

So they all made it through the camp safely. They had fun, learned some ball, met some new people, and were able to exercise a little independence. A great experience for them all.

High Hopes for High Hoops

Last summer a coach at an opposing school asked if I would be interested in coaching a travel hoops team with him. I initially said probably not, I wasn't interested in travelling every weekend, yelling and screaming at kids all the time, basically doing the things you needed to do to coach a travel sports team.

He insisted it wouldn't be that way, and he needed help. We talked about his plans for the team, and I decided to do it.

We thought we were going to have a team made up of 5th and 6th graders. As it turned out we had 20 girls, and split the two teams up. The season has now ended, and there were special moments with each team. Our 5th graders, overwhelmed by having to play mostly 6th grade teams all season, never quit and never backed down from a challenge. We went 2-2 against teams in our own division, and a coach couldn't be prouder. The Big O started for the 5th grade team, and had some good games and some not so good games. But she grew alot in terms of her play, and had a lot of fun doing it.

Another great aspect of the team has been the closeness of the girls. They all have enjoyed each other, and they made some great new friends. It was a joy getting to coach these girls, and I'm thankful to have been asked to be a part of it.

VEGAS!!

7 years ago some buddies and I headed out to Vegas for the first weekend of March Madness. The kids were little, the Tornado not even here yet, and the CEO went with us. We stayed in a crappy hotel, had to get up at 6am to get a seat at the Venetian Sportsbook, and it was all fantastic.

This year, the kids are older, the CEO had no interest in going, 10 other guys were out there, the Spiders made the tournament, and we stayed in a suite on the 54th floor of the Wynn. And yeah, it was all fantastic.

A decade of perfecting CKK, folding in 1st half CKK, getting to shoot free throws for vodka-red bulls in the Wynn ballroom, all made for a great weekend. Of course the best part though, was getting to spend time with the guys, as we either just passed or just approached 40, catching up on our lives. It was a memorable weekend and a special time with friends.

The Knights of Columbus hosts a free throw shooting contest every year, ages 10-14. Big O decided to compete in it, and we went to SFX for the local level contest. They shot 15 free throws, and O olny made 6. She's a much better shooter than that, so she was kind of bummed. Her friend Sarah was the last in her age group to shoot, and made 6, so O and Sarah had to have a 5 shot shoot off. O went first, made her first three, then missed 2. Sarah missed her first two, then made her last 3. Another 5 shots. O made 3 again. Sarah made her 2 of the first 4, then rimmed out her final one to make O the winner.

On to Sarasota and the regional competition. She did great - 17 of 25!! Great shooting O, and on to the state finals! One of the cool things was Dick Cunningham was at this contest, he played on the 1971 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks with Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Oscar Robertson - the original Big O!

There were a lot of people at the state competition, not just shooters, but family members. The first girl in O's age group went out and knocked down 17 free throws. Again O was the last shooter of the group, and 17 was still the number to beat. She knocked down the first three, and looked good. Then she shot an air ball, and seemed to get rattled. Missing 3 more in a row, she never got her groove back, and finished with 12. That was good for 3rd place! It was a great experience, she had fun with her friend Caroline who was in the next age group up.

It was fun watching her shoot, and a neat time for everyone :) We were so proud of her!

The King

Sadly, we are still teaching the Tornado how to go to the bathroom. He knows how to go, but unfortunately, he still relies on us to clean his back side afterwards. He gives it a try, but then we have to do the rest.

Last week he called me to come in and wipe his rear after going to the bathroom. As I was walking in, he yells for me to stop, he wants Mommy to do it instead. Then he yells for her to stop, and drops this one on us. "Mommy and Daddy race in to wipe my heiny!"

How secure with yourself, how high must your self-esteem be, if you think people are going to race to wipe your rear end? I mean really, is it that much of a treat that I would race someone else to complete that task?

She's Making Up her Own Mind Now??

Soccer season at SFX started in early March, and Big O wanted to play. She's also playing travel hoops, and doing a number of other things at school, and of course her school work. Some of her soccer practices or games are on the same day as her travel hoop practices, so she would be pretty beat should she do both.

I was willing to let her try it, while the CEO was kind of against it. So the CEO and I talked, after the CEO had talked to O and told her no, then I told the CEO I would tell O we didn't want her to play. The CEO was shocked "you think just because you tell her not to she'll listen?" You're darn right she'll listen, she's my baby. I'm her compass, I'm her guiding light, I'm her voice of reason. She looks to me, she trusts me, she knows I know her.

I walk into her room, and tell O that her Mom and I talked, and we think it's best that she sits this one out. O asked why, and I gave her reasons for being overscheduled, focusing on her homework, getting the right sleep, things like that. She looked and listened intently, she understood. Her big hazel eyes looked right into mine, and cracked a little smile. Then came her response - "I still want to play". Umm, WHAT??? Were you not listening to my impeccable logic? I'm your light, your compass, remember?

I turned and walked back into my bedroom, tail between my legs. I told the CEO that O still wanted to play. This put the CEO in a tough position. I had been humbled, she always gets a kick out of that. But O still wanted to play, which was against her wishes.

The three of us got together and chatted it out, and decided that she could play. As it turns out, it's been fine as practices have only run into each other a couple times. She's having fun playing on the school team with her friends.

It was hard letting her make the decision herself, particularly when it was counter to what we had suggested. But I guess it's things like this that we have to let her decide, to hone her decision making skills. It's not going to be easy, I can tell you that. But she's a good kid and a smart kid, and hopefully the good ones far outnumber the bad.

She's No Sherlock Holmes

The Big O was going to Target with her mother the other day and was looking for her wallet. She had a decent amount of money in there thanks to Christmas presents and had her eye on some things at the store. They were preparing to leave and O couldn't find the wallet. The CEO gave her a lecture about being responsible, yada yada yada.

They left for the store without the wallet, and O wasn't able to spend her money. She was very upset, partly with herself I'm sure, but partly because she wasn't able to get anything.

The next morning she was still looking for the wallet, and the CEO had helped her some as well. I asked where they had looked, the CEO said everywhere inside and in her car. Now, we all know how lazy men are when looking for something. But hey, I figured I'd try to help. I walk out t the car first, open the door on the passenger side, bend over and open the glovebox. HELLO WALLET!!

I walk back in the house, find O, and hand it to her. I get a thanks Daddy, and a hug from her. The CEO comes downstairs, sees that I found it, and asked where it was. I told her in the glovebox. Instead of a "hey thanks", or a "that's weird, I looked in there", I got a "why did you put it in there when we went to the game the other day, no wonder I couldn't find it"!!!

Oh to be a Dad :)

He Was a Good Dog

The family was visiting my friend Rob and his family back in January for the evening. Rob started asking the Tornado questions about his life, etc. Then he asked, "How's Cooper, your new dog?"

After a little pause, the Tornado said, "I miss Morgan, he was a good dog." Then he paused again and said, "Morgan only liked to play some of the time when he wanted to play, Cooper likes to play all the time."

It was just nice to know that he remembers Morgan, that he wasn't too little to have memories of him. It was nice to know Morgan was his buddy too.

Let's have a Picnic

Why are kids so smart? Last week the Tornado and I were getting lunch ready and he suggested we go outside and eat "have a picnic" he said. So we did. What a treat. A sunny day with a nice breeze blowing, we sat outside and talked, watched

the squirrels and birds go by.

A great time with my buddy. Why did it take so long for us to give that a try?

The Cracker Barrel

One morning not too long ago, the whole gang went out for breakfast in between basketball games. We went to a Cracker Barrel, almost always a hit with the kids.

One of the great things about the Bear is her generosity, she's always quick to share something, even if it comes with conditions. Well, on this day, we got to see both the Bear and the Tornado at their best.

The Tornado had plowed through his breakfast, except for his applesauce. Bear had not gotten through all of her breakfast, and had a couple of bacon slices left. The Tornado asked Bear for one, she said she would give him one if he ate his applesauce. The CEO and I had said nothing about eating applesauce, this was her way of controlling him and the situation. And she wonders why he says she's always bossing him around.

Well, the Tornado isn't so easily corralled. He knows what the Bear's biggest weakness is, and it's her disgust of others' bodily fluids. He's thrown up on her more than once, each time pushing her into hysterics. Then there was the peeing episode. But I digress.

He agrees to each the applesauce in exchange for a slice of bacon, and picks up the spoon. He sniffs the sauce, and makes a face. She persists that she isn't going to give him the bacon until he eats the applesauce. A titanic clash of wills was occurring right before our eyes. She's waving the bacon, just shy of his face. He's holding a spoonful of applesauce, also just shy of his mouth. She doesn't think he's going to crack, and is almost now laughing at his weakness, or is it toughness to not give in??

Finally, he plunges the spoon into his mouth and efforts to swallow the applesauce. Then came his checkmate move. He turns and faces Bear, and begins to gag on the applesauce. Not a full out gag, but a slow, growing gag, each thrust louder and longer than the last. Quickly the Bear was heading for the bathroom to prevent a possible mess at the table, and the Tornado was finishing the one spoonful of applesauce and snatching up the piece of coveted bacon.

Well played little one, well played.

Not up to Par

So I get called in to the school office one day about a month ago. The school secretary wants to know if I am available to substitute for one of the 6th grade math teachers. I had subbed for middle school math before, and O had this particular teacher before too, so she knows the kind of work our family produces.

I said OK, and came home. Later that day I got a call saying that this teacher, Mrs. Zell, decided that she would rather choose her own sub instead of having me take the class. REALLY?? Are you serious Mrs. Zell?

As it turned out I went in to sub for a different teacher on the same day, lo and behold, Mrs. Zell was there! I saw her and told her I was subbing for the 8th grade english teacher, thanks for asking.

I can't imagine why some of these teachers have a tough time getting along with parents :)

DOUBLE BYE!!!!!

Every morning when the ladies leave for work and school, the Tornado heads out to the driveway to send them on their way. He usually is sporting a t-shirt, crocs, underpants, and...that's it. Needless to say he looks a little silly.

As the car pulls away, he starts waving furiously with both hands "byyyyeeeeee, double byyyeeee, love youuuuuu, you my best friend, love youuu, double byeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

There can't be a better way to start the day then having that image and sound in your head as your venture into the world and it's challenges, can there?

The Bad News Falcons??

The St. Francis season came to a close the first week of February, and what a season it was. Between sharing a practice court with three other teams, playing 15 players an equal amount every game, and only having 4 other teams in the league this year, there were some adjustments to make.

It was the first time in years I've coached a team that collectively couldn't give a hoot if they won the game or not. They didn't really seem interested in even playing to be truthful. There were some girls that were interested and played real hard, but with this many kids, half of whom were more interested in who is crushing on them and vice versa, the basketball was pretty rough.

Interestingly though, the team scratched and clawed to a 4-3 record. We played 5 blowouts, 2 on the plus side, and squeaked out two other wins. Ultimately I think the girls had fun, I know some of them learned some good stuff, as did I. Another successful season in the Suncoast League!

THE BICKERSONS

Bear and the Tornado are like a married couple, been together for 30+ years. They don't know what to do when one isn't around, but when they are together they just are on one another constantly.

She always asks him to go upstairs when she has to go up because she is afraid, yet if he has to go up for something she harrasses him to hurry up!!

He even says she's always bossing me :)

Whenever he has to fix his seatbelt, she always sits next to him, then gives him a hard time about having to help him fix it!

Sometimes it drives me nuts, but in the end I love watching them together because I know they love each other and want to be together. As they get a little older they will hopefully cut down on the little bickering and really be the good friends I know they are.

WHEN I GROW UP...

The Tornado was talking the other day about different things when we were playing outside.

Then he said, "When I grow up I'm gonna be a Sports Man". I asked what kind of sports man, he said all kinds of sports. He does like to play sports, that for sure, but he also really loves music.

And since that day he has revised his career goals - now he's gonna be a cowboy - hopefully just not a Dallas Cowboy!!

MIAMI MEN

It's been forever since I wrote. Maybe because I've been recovering from the Miami Marathon. For months my buddy Brad, the tall one, had been saying he and Rob were coming down to Miami to run the marathon if I would do it with them. I said I would, but I really didn't think they would go through with it. About 6 weeks before the race Brad sent me an email saying they had hotel and plane reservations. Oooph! Time to ramp up the training in a hurry!

So I started to hit the pavement a little harder, managed to get two 14 mile runs in, but never got all the work done I needed to be ready. Then, like an idiot, I twisted my knee playing hoop the Monday before the race. I could barely bend my left leg 3 days before the race.

Brad raced out at the start, never to be seen again. Rob started behind us in a different corral, and was not seen again until the last quarter mile when Brad ran back to find him. It took me just about 6 hours to finish the race. Which all things considered wasn't horrible.

We had fun talking about it before and after the race though, it was great to hang with the guys for the weekend. We all finished, the course was fantastic, and we all felt pretty decent afterwards.

Congrats to all 3 of us!

DOES DADDY STILL LOVE ME?

The Tornado, as mentioned earlier, is going through a period of expanding his independence. One of those steps is wiping your own rear end. Unfortunately, he has no interest in doing this task. Yesterday, after having an "accident" on the bathroom floor, he sat on the toilet and went #2. As I was cleaning up the urine from the floor, he finished and asked me to wipe him. I told him he had to do it himself. He starts bawling, then yelling "Daddy doesn't love me anymore!!!"

I started laughing, as I considered me standing there, mop and paper towels in hand, cleaning up my son's mess while he tells me I don't love him. I assured him that I still do indeed love him, and that it's part of growing up. He sobbed "OK", and did his best.

On a side note - as we were picking the girls up at school, he comes at me with this question,"Hey Dad, why does everyone have eyebrows?" How great are kids? Who thinks of that question? Who knows the answer to that question? Well, I do now, and so does the Tornado! It's to keep sweat out of your eyes, and the shape of the eyebrow diverts sweat and rain to the sides of your face.

So thanks Tornado, I taught you something yesterday and you taught me something yesterday!

BREAKTHROUGH?

The Tornado has been sleeping on our floor for a good year now, thanks to various fears he allegedly has. Am I being tough on him? You bet! Not getting a solid night sleep for 12 months will make you a little grumpy, particularly me, who needs his beauty sleep.

Two nights ago, for about the third time in that year, we decided to stand firm on him sleeping in his room. AAAANNNNDD????? He did it!! Last night?? He did it!! He's been a joy the last two days as well, more energy, more smiles, the little guy I've know for 4 and a half years. We played baseball and tennis yesterday "Dad, I'm gonna be a sports man when I get big", and had fun doing it.

Hopefully he can keep it up, face his fears, and be the fun loving guy I know he is going forward. With only 6 months left until he starts school, I want to enjoy each day with him!