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Thursday, April 25, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Random
- Kate corrected me when I was singing "Thrift shop" this afternoon. I said, "This is really awesome," a clean version of an un kid friendly lyric. Kate said, "no Daddy, it's 'This is Being awesome.'" I said, uh, okay, sure. That is the lyric then.
- Kate's first T Ball game was last night. In the first moments, to my dismay, she knelt in the grass and wanted no part of it. I threatened her with playing in her room all morning the next day. I pointed out that two of her school friends were on her team. I don't know which words resonated, but she got up and played. And was being awesome!
She got her hits and admired them from the batter box, finally hearing the people (including Jack) yelling, "Run! Run, Kate! Run!!" She proceeded from base to base, as told, uh, every so often. In the field, she tried hard the first inning, even getting her glove on a ball once. To her surprise: she suddenly looked in her glove and there it was. She tossed it in the general direction of first. The next two innings, well, her interest in fielding a ball kind of waned. But she stood up throughout,,which was something.
- Reanna's Bat Mitzvah last weekend. The kids danced and played and easily made friends with previously unknown relatives or kids of similar age. Jack decided this kid named Miles was his second cousin, though I do not believe they are in anyway related. Both were fascinated by year-old Alex, especially Kate, who sort of babysat him for much of the weekend.
Both were very good at the 2-hour service, which was impressive. Jack was sitting next to second cousin Miles, which helped. Kate moved from Emily's to Grandpa's to my lap. But hey, no one had to go to the bathroom or get a snack, so Aces.
- Jack had his first baseball game tonight. Hit Ok, threw ok. He and I could probably stand to practice a little more if he wants to make the Summer Travel team. Weather is starting to get nice, so we will get out there a little more. And, uh, I will talk him out of throwing the football instead.
- I told Jack he had another new teammate, somebody from the waiting list who was added to the team. He said, "Great, more people for the outfield." One of his statements that's funny because it's true.
- Kate's first T Ball game was last night. In the first moments, to my dismay, she knelt in the grass and wanted no part of it. I threatened her with playing in her room all morning the next day. I pointed out that two of her school friends were on her team. I don't know which words resonated, but she got up and played. And was being awesome!
She got her hits and admired them from the batter box, finally hearing the people (including Jack) yelling, "Run! Run, Kate! Run!!" She proceeded from base to base, as told, uh, every so often. In the field, she tried hard the first inning, even getting her glove on a ball once. To her surprise: she suddenly looked in her glove and there it was. She tossed it in the general direction of first. The next two innings, well, her interest in fielding a ball kind of waned. But she stood up throughout,,which was something.
- Reanna's Bat Mitzvah last weekend. The kids danced and played and easily made friends with previously unknown relatives or kids of similar age. Jack decided this kid named Miles was his second cousin, though I do not believe they are in anyway related. Both were fascinated by year-old Alex, especially Kate, who sort of babysat him for much of the weekend.
Both were very good at the 2-hour service, which was impressive. Jack was sitting next to second cousin Miles, which helped. Kate moved from Emily's to Grandpa's to my lap. But hey, no one had to go to the bathroom or get a snack, so Aces.
- Jack had his first baseball game tonight. Hit Ok, threw ok. He and I could probably stand to practice a little more if he wants to make the Summer Travel team. Weather is starting to get nice, so we will get out there a little more. And, uh, I will talk him out of throwing the football instead.
- I told Jack he had another new teammate, somebody from the waiting list who was added to the team. He said, "Great, more people for the outfield." One of his statements that's funny because it's true.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Happy Kate
Kate's been off from school this week, basically; 3rd-5th grades have testing in the mornings, so kindergarten kids are off until 1 p.m. The first day we got donuts and ran a couple of errands, and the second day she had a morning playdate.
Today Kate slept in, and was very cheery, so after we dropped Jack at school, we ran a couple more errands -- returning books to the library, and mailing birthday cards at the post office.
At the library, we dropped books in the overnight return box. Kate wanted to do her own books and gave a happy little noise as each one dropped in.
Walking the short trip to the post office, I took the direct route while she took each long, winding path. I went up the steps, she took the access ramp that went back and forth and back and forth. She ran so as to beat me, and laughed when she did. I let her.
Inside the post office, waiting in line, I stood while she climbed back and forth over the ropes that separated the line from the windows. Often I tell her not to. Today I just watched, letting her climb over and back, over and back, laughing happily at her agility.
We walked back to the car, or rather I walked, she skipped.
Today Kate slept in, and was very cheery, so after we dropped Jack at school, we ran a couple more errands -- returning books to the library, and mailing birthday cards at the post office.
At the library, we dropped books in the overnight return box. Kate wanted to do her own books and gave a happy little noise as each one dropped in.
Walking the short trip to the post office, I took the direct route while she took each long, winding path. I went up the steps, she took the access ramp that went back and forth and back and forth. She ran so as to beat me, and laughed when she did. I let her.
Inside the post office, waiting in line, I stood while she climbed back and forth over the ropes that separated the line from the windows. Often I tell her not to. Today I just watched, letting her climb over and back, over and back, laughing happily at her agility.
We walked back to the car, or rather I walked, she skipped.
Sunday, April 07, 2013
Spring!
It's been a cold spring, rainy and snowy and less than ideal for being outside. So the last couple of days have been pretty nice.
Saturday began at Home Depot, the idea being to get flowers and a wheelbarrow and whatnot. But there was a kids carpentry activity going on, and jack was entranced. He got a little orange apron, and he and I made a bird feeder. Took a picture of him when we were finished and it was an easy, natural, and proud smile.
At home, swept up in the carpentry fervor, Jack wanted to do more building. So we found some scrap wood, the fact that I throw nothing out occasionally pays off, and made him a little toolbox. Came out pretty nice, if I do say so myself. He happily filled it with cool-looking tools and stray nails and such, and then set about instructing Kate on How to Be a Builder.
Later, while Kate had dance class, Jack and I went to the ball field to practice. We met a couple of his teammates and a couple of other dads, hit some balls, fielded some grounded, made some throws. At times Jack messes around and doesn't take things seriously, then I remember he is only 8, then he focuses and gets a nice hit or makes a nice play, then he doesn't...it's a fine line. Anyway, felt great to be outside. Couple of times, playing short, he ranged to his left to field a grounder and snagged it in his glove while on the run. It actually looked natural, like an extension of his arm.
Today we went to Teatown Lake Nature Center, hiked 1.5 miles around a lake, saw some cool owls, an eagle, and vultures -- all animals that had been in some way hurt and couldn't have survived in the wild. "Education Ambassadors" the signs called them. Kids loved the animals, and most of the hike, making up little games with leaders and followers, captains and navigators. They were game for everything, even when the wind off the lake was pretty strong and we were all chilled.
What was a little funny was Jack being disappointed we didn't see more animals, owls flying about us, snakes slithering by as we walked the trail. I tried to explain that just being in nature, hiking, feeling the air and the sun, was the appeal, but realized I was the same way as a kid, as we went on numerous trips out to get wild flowers and such. I wanted to see animals, not this rippling water, swaying tree stuff!
Anyway, it was a nice hike, and I am convinced Jack and Kate will one day write about such trips themselves, fully appreciating them.
Saturday began at Home Depot, the idea being to get flowers and a wheelbarrow and whatnot. But there was a kids carpentry activity going on, and jack was entranced. He got a little orange apron, and he and I made a bird feeder. Took a picture of him when we were finished and it was an easy, natural, and proud smile.
At home, swept up in the carpentry fervor, Jack wanted to do more building. So we found some scrap wood, the fact that I throw nothing out occasionally pays off, and made him a little toolbox. Came out pretty nice, if I do say so myself. He happily filled it with cool-looking tools and stray nails and such, and then set about instructing Kate on How to Be a Builder.
Later, while Kate had dance class, Jack and I went to the ball field to practice. We met a couple of his teammates and a couple of other dads, hit some balls, fielded some grounded, made some throws. At times Jack messes around and doesn't take things seriously, then I remember he is only 8, then he focuses and gets a nice hit or makes a nice play, then he doesn't...it's a fine line. Anyway, felt great to be outside. Couple of times, playing short, he ranged to his left to field a grounder and snagged it in his glove while on the run. It actually looked natural, like an extension of his arm.
Today we went to Teatown Lake Nature Center, hiked 1.5 miles around a lake, saw some cool owls, an eagle, and vultures -- all animals that had been in some way hurt and couldn't have survived in the wild. "Education Ambassadors" the signs called them. Kids loved the animals, and most of the hike, making up little games with leaders and followers, captains and navigators. They were game for everything, even when the wind off the lake was pretty strong and we were all chilled.
What was a little funny was Jack being disappointed we didn't see more animals, owls flying about us, snakes slithering by as we walked the trail. I tried to explain that just being in nature, hiking, feeling the air and the sun, was the appeal, but realized I was the same way as a kid, as we went on numerous trips out to get wild flowers and such. I wanted to see animals, not this rippling water, swaying tree stuff!
Anyway, it was a nice hike, and I am convinced Jack and Kate will one day write about such trips themselves, fully appreciating them.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Baseball
Wednesday night was Kate's first T-ball practice, Thursday Jack had baseball practice. The thing to mention first is that it was pretty cold both nights.
I kind of thought Kate would be touch and go, and so she was. First she clung to me. Then she knelt on the ground and buried her face in her hands. Then she cried. Then when I tried to stand her up she went limp. Nothing I hadn't seen before, but always difficult. I cajoled, threatened, warned, implored....20 minutes later, she was about the same. Not participating.
Finally, by offering to restore the TV privileges I had taken away, she stood up, went over to the coach, joined the team. She batted a little, not as exuberantly as in the backyard, but I will take it. She stood in the field near a girl she knows from school and actually seemed happy. Totally oblivious to the ball being hit by other people, of course, but having fun. Babbling happily on the cold walk home, too.
Next week is another practice. It will be warmer, and I dearly hope Kate, in her second experience, is more comfortable.
Jack is a little different. I don't remember his first T ball practice (I know he was a year older), but I am pretty sure he was more into it. The sport is far more male, obviously; I am not sure he has had a female teammate in three years. Anyway, to him practice is like a big party. He loves playing baseball, loves hanging around with his friends ... The ones he knew beforehand, and the ones he's made 15 minutes into practice. He's good that way.
He's going to be trying out for a summer travel team, which has up to 4-5 practices or games each week. At that point he will either get really into baseball, or not enjoy himself because it is a little more serious...should be interesting.
I hope they will both be into it as the season moves forward. And, you know, as it gets a little warmer.
I kind of thought Kate would be touch and go, and so she was. First she clung to me. Then she knelt on the ground and buried her face in her hands. Then she cried. Then when I tried to stand her up she went limp. Nothing I hadn't seen before, but always difficult. I cajoled, threatened, warned, implored....20 minutes later, she was about the same. Not participating.
Finally, by offering to restore the TV privileges I had taken away, she stood up, went over to the coach, joined the team. She batted a little, not as exuberantly as in the backyard, but I will take it. She stood in the field near a girl she knows from school and actually seemed happy. Totally oblivious to the ball being hit by other people, of course, but having fun. Babbling happily on the cold walk home, too.
Next week is another practice. It will be warmer, and I dearly hope Kate, in her second experience, is more comfortable.
Jack is a little different. I don't remember his first T ball practice (I know he was a year older), but I am pretty sure he was more into it. The sport is far more male, obviously; I am not sure he has had a female teammate in three years. Anyway, to him practice is like a big party. He loves playing baseball, loves hanging around with his friends ... The ones he knew beforehand, and the ones he's made 15 minutes into practice. He's good that way.
He's going to be trying out for a summer travel team, which has up to 4-5 practices or games each week. At that point he will either get really into baseball, or not enjoy himself because it is a little more serious...should be interesting.
I hope they will both be into it as the season moves forward. And, you know, as it gets a little warmer.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Friends
It was a sunny afternoon, more or less, certainly more so than it has been the last few weeks. The kids and I went outside, and ran a few football drills in the backyard. I know, it's baseball season, we've got these three-player routes though.
Anyway, after doing that for a little while, the neighbors kids and their Mom were outside, so we invited them over. Kids played, we chatted, and somehow while talking about being at home with the kids, and not working in an office, she asked me if I had friends.
Kind of a strange question, although it made a little more sense in the context. Anyway I eventually said, well, most of my friends are the parents of kids in Jack and Kate's classes. Dads I meet through, oh, baseball coaching and whatnot. Used to make friends at work, Boston and Denver and so forth, but not so much with the working from home thing.
She went off on a tangent about her writing and such, while I thought about my lot. All the friends I make are other Dads! Oh sure there is the occasional fantasy football league mate, can't forget those guys. But mostly there's family and other Dads.
Your friends are usually the people you have stuff in common with. I guess that's why if I talk to high school friends, we generally talk about high school stuff, music and old movies maybe; college friends, we talk about, I dunno, the newspaper and drinking; twenty something friends, work. And today's friends, we talk about all that stuff, and our kids. Because really, that's how we became friends, and maybe why we're friends.
So as our neighbor's son busied himself digging a hole in our yard with a trowel, I reflected that the fact the people I coach baseball with, see movies with, and go out drinking with are generally people I meet through my kids just makes sense. We've got more in common with them than our immediate neighbors, sometimes.
I had a couple of other friends this week, of course. The ones I took to Dunkin Donuts on Monday, the Aquarium on Tuesday, and to meet their Mom for lunch on Wednesday. They're not just that, they're not mostly that, but if you spend enough time with someone, they become that. Goodnight, friends.
Anyway, after doing that for a little while, the neighbors kids and their Mom were outside, so we invited them over. Kids played, we chatted, and somehow while talking about being at home with the kids, and not working in an office, she asked me if I had friends.
Kind of a strange question, although it made a little more sense in the context. Anyway I eventually said, well, most of my friends are the parents of kids in Jack and Kate's classes. Dads I meet through, oh, baseball coaching and whatnot. Used to make friends at work, Boston and Denver and so forth, but not so much with the working from home thing.
She went off on a tangent about her writing and such, while I thought about my lot. All the friends I make are other Dads! Oh sure there is the occasional fantasy football league mate, can't forget those guys. But mostly there's family and other Dads.
Your friends are usually the people you have stuff in common with. I guess that's why if I talk to high school friends, we generally talk about high school stuff, music and old movies maybe; college friends, we talk about, I dunno, the newspaper and drinking; twenty something friends, work. And today's friends, we talk about all that stuff, and our kids. Because really, that's how we became friends, and maybe why we're friends.
So as our neighbor's son busied himself digging a hole in our yard with a trowel, I reflected that the fact the people I coach baseball with, see movies with, and go out drinking with are generally people I meet through my kids just makes sense. We've got more in common with them than our immediate neighbors, sometimes.
I had a couple of other friends this week, of course. The ones I took to Dunkin Donuts on Monday, the Aquarium on Tuesday, and to meet their Mom for lunch on Wednesday. They're not just that, they're not mostly that, but if you spend enough time with someone, they become that. Goodnight, friends.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Whole lot of random
Couple weeks, what's been happening...
Both kids were sick with fevers and coughs for a couple of days, first Jack then Kate. So I had company. Watched the Spider-man movie (please! The Tobey Maguire one) with Jack, Cinderella with Kate. Jack was appropriately into it, we had held it back for a while thinking it might scare him. Hey, Willem Dafoe, scary even to me. Kate has seen Cinderella about 20 times,and its funny, she talks to the screen and gets angry at the stepsisters every time. I tell her Mommy has a nice stepsister and she says, "what?!"
We went to Great Wolf water park. Both may have ended the trip with slight relapses, swimming for two days in a heated water park migh do that. Kate missed two more days of school with an ear infection. It was sad when she was feverish and unhappy, she missed a play date she was really looking forward to, and also lamented missing Jam Band (I think that is what it's called). But we watched a movie and read some books (frog and Toad...doesn't get old), did some puzzles too. And when she was feeling better she made a nice painting. Painting and music, those are probably her two favorite things right now.
Jack is training for first communion, which involves us meeting with Pastor and several other families roughly every other week. I have brought him a few times, Emily some, Grandma last week. She said he mentioned Uncle Scott up in heaven as someone he would say a prayer for, which was nice.
Kate and I read Mouse Soup tonight. She laughed a lot at the story about the crickets.
Will try to write more often, because I forget stuff.
Both kids were sick with fevers and coughs for a couple of days, first Jack then Kate. So I had company. Watched the Spider-man movie (please! The Tobey Maguire one) with Jack, Cinderella with Kate. Jack was appropriately into it, we had held it back for a while thinking it might scare him. Hey, Willem Dafoe, scary even to me. Kate has seen Cinderella about 20 times,and its funny, she talks to the screen and gets angry at the stepsisters every time. I tell her Mommy has a nice stepsister and she says, "what?!"
We went to Great Wolf water park. Both may have ended the trip with slight relapses, swimming for two days in a heated water park migh do that. Kate missed two more days of school with an ear infection. It was sad when she was feverish and unhappy, she missed a play date she was really looking forward to, and also lamented missing Jam Band (I think that is what it's called). But we watched a movie and read some books (frog and Toad...doesn't get old), did some puzzles too. And when she was feeling better she made a nice painting. Painting and music, those are probably her two favorite things right now.
Jack is training for first communion, which involves us meeting with Pastor and several other families roughly every other week. I have brought him a few times, Emily some, Grandma last week. She said he mentioned Uncle Scott up in heaven as someone he would say a prayer for, which was nice.
Kate and I read Mouse Soup tonight. She laughed a lot at the story about the crickets.
Will try to write more often, because I forget stuff.
Saturday, March 02, 2013
Games
Jack and I played football and baseball outside the last two days. It's been cold, but not icy, and we get outdoors when we can.
Jack likes watching football more, and at present he likes tossing the football around more, too. He says, and I can understand, that with baseball he wants to bat, which we can't really do in our yard (decent sized, but not big enough to really hit it). In any case, we spent 15 minutes throwing the baseball, which is relaxing and fun, especially watching how he has improved since last year. He's been doing a weekly Winter Clinic, and he's 8 instead of 7, so he's bigger, stronger, better.
But then we switched to football, and it's as different as the two are on TV. He runs almost non-stop, naarating plays (the zig-zag, the flea-flicker, etc.), then sprinting deep. He dives for almost everything, and catches a lot of them now. Much more so than he used to, just a few months ago. It will be interesting to see him playing baseball this year.
I also introduced him to sudoku puzzles yesterday, or he introduced them to us. He opened up the paper, we did the jumble, took a halfhearted stab at the Crossword, were basically mystified by the Cryptoquote -- how on Earth do people do these things? Then did the Sudoku, successfully, much to his satisfaction. He left a note next to my bed at night, which said, Don't read until tomorrow morning. I read it this morning: "Good morning Dad. Let's get the paper and do Sudoku! From Jack." And then a P.S. You are the best Dad ever. Uh but I don't want to brag. Well maybe a little.
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Kate and I played the Memory game today, which I think used to be called "concentration" (for you old folks out there). I will need to work with her a little on being a good sport, because not only did she totally kick my butt all over the place, but she laughed like Woody Woodpecker while doing it.
At each wrong guess on my part, I said, "Oh good grief," and she collapsed in laughter all over again.
I am not sure which one of us had more fun.
Jack likes watching football more, and at present he likes tossing the football around more, too. He says, and I can understand, that with baseball he wants to bat, which we can't really do in our yard (decent sized, but not big enough to really hit it). In any case, we spent 15 minutes throwing the baseball, which is relaxing and fun, especially watching how he has improved since last year. He's been doing a weekly Winter Clinic, and he's 8 instead of 7, so he's bigger, stronger, better.
But then we switched to football, and it's as different as the two are on TV. He runs almost non-stop, naarating plays (the zig-zag, the flea-flicker, etc.), then sprinting deep. He dives for almost everything, and catches a lot of them now. Much more so than he used to, just a few months ago. It will be interesting to see him playing baseball this year.
I also introduced him to sudoku puzzles yesterday, or he introduced them to us. He opened up the paper, we did the jumble, took a halfhearted stab at the Crossword, were basically mystified by the Cryptoquote -- how on Earth do people do these things? Then did the Sudoku, successfully, much to his satisfaction. He left a note next to my bed at night, which said, Don't read until tomorrow morning. I read it this morning: "Good morning Dad. Let's get the paper and do Sudoku! From Jack." And then a P.S. You are the best Dad ever. Uh but I don't want to brag. Well maybe a little.
-------------------------------------------------
Kate and I played the Memory game today, which I think used to be called "concentration" (for you old folks out there). I will need to work with her a little on being a good sport, because not only did she totally kick my butt all over the place, but she laughed like Woody Woodpecker while doing it.
At each wrong guess on my part, I said, "Oh good grief," and she collapsed in laughter all over again.
I am not sure which one of us had more fun.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Vermont, and more skiing
The first day we went skiing at Okemo, and got up pretty early to do it. Quick breakfast, quick drive, I had no idea it was less than 20 minutes away. Rented skis, checked in, dropped both kids at their lesson, insanely got on skis ourselves, thought we were crazy all the way up the magic carpet, fell a bunch on the way dpown, but kept doing it, and got better. And had an absolute blast.
We checked in on Kate before lunch. I walked in and asked after her at the counter. The woman looed at a sheet behind her, then said, "The good news is, she's not on The Cry List." That's right, there's a cry list. And Kate wasn't on it! She then checked with the teacher, and came back to say, she's doing fine. "She's apparently a little stubborn," she added. Emily and I laughed at that one. OH, not our Katie!
We collected Jack from his lesson; the instructor spoke well of him but seemed reserved, which was weird because we couldn't believe how well he did later with us. Maybe he ran over the guy's foot or something. We had lunch with Jack, which was a blast, 'cause we were all starving and ate everything, and then skied together. It was funny, because he was basically lapping us. "Go straight," he encouraged. "Fast!" as we made S curves down the mountain. He just cruised on down, stopped on a dime, turned to avoid people. Considering it was just the second time he had been on skis since a very introductory lesson two years earlier, I kind of couldn't believe it. Amazing! Better than us already. He probably could have handled the lift, I thought, since he didn't know enough to be concerned. And he continued to encourage us to speed up, as he lapped us yet again.
Eventually we got a call saying Kate was done (refusing to continue, in fact, which is fair; it was a longer lesson than we intended anyway), so did a few more runs, Emily collected her, and we took turns doing runs with Jack. Kate had a blast sliding down a little slope on her butt, saying "Wheeeeeeee!"
It was an awesome day. Got some pictures of happy skiers, cruised home weary and sore to shower up for a steak dinner, and spent the rest of the snowy weekend sledding, making a snowman, hiking in the woods, and playing. Kate laughed a lot during sledding, even when she fell off the sled halfway down (which was typical). Emily and Jack had me in a near-panic when they wandered off in the wood exploring and were gone for what seemed like an hour. I went after them, only to find them way behind the house with walking sticks, looking at deer and bunny tracks. Not lost, not hurt, but walking trails my family and I walked 35-40 years ago. If there is a better way to spend a Vermont weekend with kids, I don't know it.
Crazy it took us so long. It won't again. To quote George Eliot, thanks to the front quote of The One and Only Ivan, "It is never too late to be what you might have been." Hey, maybe not.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Skiing
Took the kids skiing today. Kate had a little weekend cold, and we weren't sure yesterday if we'd take her, but she seemed fine this morning so we tumbled into the car and went. We'd scheduled lessons for both, with Kate in a beginner one and Jack, who'd had the beginner lesson two years ago, one step up.
Besides Kate's cold, we considered bailing because it was really cold, and windy, and we had this worry that they'd both be freezing and have a miserable experience. But again, we shrugged it off and went anyway.
And good thing we did. Both of them completed their 3-hour lessons -- with a brief break for hot chocolate and snack -- with flying colors. Jack seemed to fall a ton the first hour, but I didn't see him fall at all in the last hour. Kate, by the end, was doing some slow zombie walking and some flopping, but she kept getting up, kept doing the next run, kept smiling.
It was cold, but it was sunny. They were tired, but they kept doing it. At the end, when I brought Kate back to the lodge to return her rentals, she could barely stand. But she did. And we got her back into her boots, and then Jack showed up, windburned and red-cheeked and exhausted, but fine. (Said he wanted to ski more, in fact.)
I didn't ski a lot as a kid. I remember having lessons a couple of times. I don't know if I didn't like it, didn't want to push myself, didn't want to get pushed, whatever. But I wish, now, I'd skied more, and I'm glad, now, to see Jack and Kate doing it, and enjoying it. In a few days, we're planning to go again.
We went to a diner and ate burgers and fries, cruised home, spent the afternoon relaxing. Kate went to bed singing about having a great time skiing. Jack figures he's knows how to ski now and doesn't need another lesson, which is the way he is; already knows all there is to know, until of course he finds out he doesn't.
Anyway, I was proud of them today. I don't care if they become big skiers. But it's cool to think they might be.
Besides Kate's cold, we considered bailing because it was really cold, and windy, and we had this worry that they'd both be freezing and have a miserable experience. But again, we shrugged it off and went anyway.
And good thing we did. Both of them completed their 3-hour lessons -- with a brief break for hot chocolate and snack -- with flying colors. Jack seemed to fall a ton the first hour, but I didn't see him fall at all in the last hour. Kate, by the end, was doing some slow zombie walking and some flopping, but she kept getting up, kept doing the next run, kept smiling.
It was cold, but it was sunny. They were tired, but they kept doing it. At the end, when I brought Kate back to the lodge to return her rentals, she could barely stand. But she did. And we got her back into her boots, and then Jack showed up, windburned and red-cheeked and exhausted, but fine. (Said he wanted to ski more, in fact.)
I didn't ski a lot as a kid. I remember having lessons a couple of times. I don't know if I didn't like it, didn't want to push myself, didn't want to get pushed, whatever. But I wish, now, I'd skied more, and I'm glad, now, to see Jack and Kate doing it, and enjoying it. In a few days, we're planning to go again.
We went to a diner and ate burgers and fries, cruised home, spent the afternoon relaxing. Kate went to bed singing about having a great time skiing. Jack figures he's knows how to ski now and doesn't need another lesson, which is the way he is; already knows all there is to know, until of course he finds out he doesn't.
Anyway, I was proud of them today. I don't care if they become big skiers. But it's cool to think they might be.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Ice cream
Jack had his winter clinic baseball tonight, so Kate and I dropped him off, and then we headed to Carvel, because there was an event of some sort where you buy lots of ice cream and 25% of the proceeds go to a fundraiser. Plus we got to meet Fudgie the Whale!
Kate had been afraid of Santa, so I couldn't be certain she'd be ok with a ballpark mascot sized Fudgie. But she walked up to him, and we shook hands, and she beamed "Hi, Fudgie!" And then we got ice cream, and she watched Fudgie, and showed me how he did a little dance where he threw his flippers in the air, demonstrating. And then she posed for a picture, and hugged Fudgie goodbye. And she babbled happily all the way home.
That's pretty much it, suffice to say that it was as much fun as you can have getting ice cream in February.
Kate had been afraid of Santa, so I couldn't be certain she'd be ok with a ballpark mascot sized Fudgie. But she walked up to him, and we shook hands, and she beamed "Hi, Fudgie!" And then we got ice cream, and she watched Fudgie, and showed me how he did a little dance where he threw his flippers in the air, demonstrating. And then she posed for a picture, and hugged Fudgie goodbye. And she babbled happily all the way home.
That's pretty much it, suffice to say that it was as much fun as you can have getting ice cream in February.
Friday, February 08, 2013
Winter
We didn't have much snow last winter. I think it snowed in late October and then once more after that. So it was pretty cool when it snowed two weeks ago and we made a snowman, and then snowed this morning and is still snowing now, 14 hours later.
We made another snowman, or really I did and convinced Kate to help me with the face and getting the carrot and stuff. Jack went inside, uh, he probably had something else important to do. Kate posed for a picture.
After lunch it was snowing and snowy and beautiful, and the kids needed some exercise, so I talked them into heading down to the little playground. And Jack suggested we bring his sled, which was an awesome idea I would like to take credit for. I did get it out of the shed and blow it up last night!
We traipsed down to the park and Jack, for the first time in two years, zipped down the hill at the edge of the park, a fairly decent incline, laughing all the way. And Kate ran down after him, laughing almost as much. And I kind of thought she might be a little wary of the hill, but in fact, she wasn't. Or rather, she took a turn anyway, and afterward said, "that was so scary!" and "can I go again?"
They went down separately, and together, over and over again. I am pretty sure it was Kate's first time sledding. It was pretty cool.
We made another snowman, or really I did and convinced Kate to help me with the face and getting the carrot and stuff. Jack went inside, uh, he probably had something else important to do. Kate posed for a picture.
After lunch it was snowing and snowy and beautiful, and the kids needed some exercise, so I talked them into heading down to the little playground. And Jack suggested we bring his sled, which was an awesome idea I would like to take credit for. I did get it out of the shed and blow it up last night!
We traipsed down to the park and Jack, for the first time in two years, zipped down the hill at the edge of the park, a fairly decent incline, laughing all the way. And Kate ran down after him, laughing almost as much. And I kind of thought she might be a little wary of the hill, but in fact, she wasn't. Or rather, she took a turn anyway, and afterward said, "that was so scary!" and "can I go again?"
They went down separately, and together, over and over again. I am pretty sure it was Kate's first time sledding. It was pretty cool.
Monday, February 04, 2013
Baseball
Jack had baseball tryouts Saturday. He will be playing regardless, but this was a chance for him to move up from Rookie, where he played last year, to Minors. So we loaded his gear into the car and off we went. It was kind of cool; he was clearly excited about the whole thing, even though we stressed it didn't matter which level he played at.
We checked in at the gym, threw our jackets on the stands. At first I thought I would be able to watch. Uh, no. Kids were shuttled into a smaller gym, given a number to stick on their shirt (#205 for Jack), and parents were sent into the hall. Then kids were sent into the bigger gym and the heavy doors slammed shut.
We stood in the hall, me and the other Dads. Maybe there was one Mom. At one point we heard a kid wailing, like he had taken a ball in the face. Not Jack! Whew. Maybe 20 minutes later, Jack came out. "I need my bat!" he said. It's in there, I said. He ran back in.
Evidently they all fielded a few popups, a few ground balls, made some throws, ran some bases, hit some pitches. I asked a friend who was helping out later on how Jack did. "jack did good," he said, both encouraging and noncommittal.
We headed out and Jack seemed happy with himself. Said he hit 4 of 5 "in play," which sounded promising. I told him I was proud of him whatever happened, said either level would be great. And meant it.
We checked in at the gym, threw our jackets on the stands. At first I thought I would be able to watch. Uh, no. Kids were shuttled into a smaller gym, given a number to stick on their shirt (#205 for Jack), and parents were sent into the hall. Then kids were sent into the bigger gym and the heavy doors slammed shut.
We stood in the hall, me and the other Dads. Maybe there was one Mom. At one point we heard a kid wailing, like he had taken a ball in the face. Not Jack! Whew. Maybe 20 minutes later, Jack came out. "I need my bat!" he said. It's in there, I said. He ran back in.
Evidently they all fielded a few popups, a few ground balls, made some throws, ran some bases, hit some pitches. I asked a friend who was helping out later on how Jack did. "jack did good," he said, both encouraging and noncommittal.
We headed out and Jack seemed happy with himself. Said he hit 4 of 5 "in play," which sounded promising. I told him I was proud of him whatever happened, said either level would be great. And meant it.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Quarterback Princess, etc.
Went outside yesterday afternoon to play football with Jack. It was bitterly cold, but it was clear, and it was a football Sunday, so we bundled up and went out. Kate was inside playing, and I didn't think she'd be interested, but within a few minutes of us going out, I heard the door opening.
She was dressed in her winter jacket, comfy zebra hat, pink gloves, leggings, sparkly pink boots, and her pink princess dress. And she wanted to play football.
For 20 minutes or so, we drew up plays that involved one of us snapping the ball, then handing it to another, pitching it to the third, and then throwing it downfield to Jack. That was the usual rule, anyway, since Jack could catch the long passes, and I could throw them, and I was glad to let him do the running.
But Kate, also, ran downfield earnestly for passes, unmindful of the fact that she wore a dress, and perhaps didn't quite look the part. Strangely, she looked completely ready to catch the football and run through a wall.
At one point, of course, I tossed her one, it glanced off her chest and hit her in the mouth. She blinked for a minute, then dissolved into tears. But we talked her down, and then cheered her up by me hitting myself in the face with it, and then we practiced field goals, which is always a crowd pleaser.
Cold and happy and footballed out, we headed inside for dinner.
______________________________________
Emily had the suggestion that it would be funny to do a blog on the random, hilarious things they say each day. I tried, but the truth is that even while trying to do that, I forget stuff, or I don't have a pen or paper handy. But here's what I came up with over a few days last week. In general, these were statements that didn't really follow from anything, they'd just come completely out of the blue.
KATE: "Guess what? For buying lunch at school, there's not a fork or a spoon. There's a SPORK!"
KATE: "We aren't allowed to scribble-scrabble at school." What, I asked, is scribble-scrabble? She said, "It's THIS:" And then she made wild scribbling gestures in the air with her hands.
JACK: (In reference to a picture he'd drawn at school of a tree, with a bird's nest in it, and a guy approaching with an axe) "He's a Nature-Killer." Jack's nature-killer, by the way, was wearing an iPod, I guess because you've got to listen to music while you're cutting down trees with birds in them.
________________________________________
it's been pretty cold lately, and it's weighing on everyone's mind. Putting Kate to bed the other night, she sang me a song.
"I like it better,
when it's warmer.
When we don't....
have to wear.....
JACK-ETSSSSSSS!"
______________________________________________
Jack had a baseball lesson on Saturday. It went pretty well, and afterward he was pretty tired but still chattering away happily.
"I learned a baseball secret that I can't tell you," he said. OK, I said. Pause a beat. "OK, I'll tell you. You know how when you catch the ball sometimes it hurts your hand? Well, I learned that if you put these two fingers into the same pocket in your glove, it doesn't hurt!" Pause. "But you can't tell anyone else that secret. OK, you can tell Mommy and Kate. It's a family baseball secret." OK, Jack.
She was dressed in her winter jacket, comfy zebra hat, pink gloves, leggings, sparkly pink boots, and her pink princess dress. And she wanted to play football.
For 20 minutes or so, we drew up plays that involved one of us snapping the ball, then handing it to another, pitching it to the third, and then throwing it downfield to Jack. That was the usual rule, anyway, since Jack could catch the long passes, and I could throw them, and I was glad to let him do the running.
But Kate, also, ran downfield earnestly for passes, unmindful of the fact that she wore a dress, and perhaps didn't quite look the part. Strangely, she looked completely ready to catch the football and run through a wall.
At one point, of course, I tossed her one, it glanced off her chest and hit her in the mouth. She blinked for a minute, then dissolved into tears. But we talked her down, and then cheered her up by me hitting myself in the face with it, and then we practiced field goals, which is always a crowd pleaser.
Cold and happy and footballed out, we headed inside for dinner.
______________________________________
Emily had the suggestion that it would be funny to do a blog on the random, hilarious things they say each day. I tried, but the truth is that even while trying to do that, I forget stuff, or I don't have a pen or paper handy. But here's what I came up with over a few days last week. In general, these were statements that didn't really follow from anything, they'd just come completely out of the blue.
KATE: "Guess what? For buying lunch at school, there's not a fork or a spoon. There's a SPORK!"
KATE: "We aren't allowed to scribble-scrabble at school." What, I asked, is scribble-scrabble? She said, "It's THIS:" And then she made wild scribbling gestures in the air with her hands.
JACK: (In reference to a picture he'd drawn at school of a tree, with a bird's nest in it, and a guy approaching with an axe) "He's a Nature-Killer." Jack's nature-killer, by the way, was wearing an iPod, I guess because you've got to listen to music while you're cutting down trees with birds in them.
________________________________________
it's been pretty cold lately, and it's weighing on everyone's mind. Putting Kate to bed the other night, she sang me a song.
"I like it better,
when it's warmer.
When we don't....
have to wear.....
JACK-ETSSSSSSS!"
______________________________________________
Jack had a baseball lesson on Saturday. It went pretty well, and afterward he was pretty tired but still chattering away happily.
"I learned a baseball secret that I can't tell you," he said. OK, I said. Pause a beat. "OK, I'll tell you. You know how when you catch the ball sometimes it hurts your hand? Well, I learned that if you put these two fingers into the same pocket in your glove, it doesn't hurt!" Pause. "But you can't tell anyone else that secret. OK, you can tell Mommy and Kate. It's a family baseball secret." OK, Jack.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Evening with Kate
Jack had baseball practice this evening, and Emily was at work, so I hung out with Kate. I realized that I do t often spend a lot of time alone with Kate, especially evenings. If Jack has an activity, I usually take him, or else they're both here. Something I need to work on, I think, in part because she's a lot of fun.
We had brinner, breakfast for dinner, which generally means Kate eats a lot. So four scrambled eggs, an English muffin, a yogurt, a piece of banana bread, half a red pepper, and various other foods later, she was done eating. As we ate (I had been planning on splitting those eggs with her...nope), we listened to Taylor Swift and occasionally she sang along and talked about her day. "For snack I had my apple, and I think Anna stole my Cheetos. And then I went back and I looked for them and they weren't there. I looked under my bag and Brooke's bag and...." (the upshot was that her Cheetos disappeared at some point, so I told her to make sure she zipped up her lunch box when she ate snack.) anyway, she didn't seem terribly upset about the whole thing.
After dinner I cleaned up while she looked at our photo album from around our wedding, which we dug out recently for some reason. "Daddy, you look nice!....in this picture only you and Lucky are smiling, but in this one you all have nice smiles..... That's great that his name is Lucky, he must be lucky....oh is this your wedding picture? No, you aren't dressed up nice....but you have a shirt with a wedding picture on it...and so does Mommy! ...why do have birds on your floor? What's a patio? Oh, the birds are so cute! Ooh, thats a nice dress Mommy has." (laughter) "DADDY! I see your belly button!" (more laughter) "We didn't see turtles at the beach! You were so lucky!....Ooh, those flowers are so pretty!"
It pretty much went on like this for a while. She flipped through all the pictures, laughing and talking cheerfully. Then we went and watched "Diners, drive-ins, and dives," and I wished i had more food than a piece of reheated pizza for dinner. But the company was great.
We had brinner, breakfast for dinner, which generally means Kate eats a lot. So four scrambled eggs, an English muffin, a yogurt, a piece of banana bread, half a red pepper, and various other foods later, she was done eating. As we ate (I had been planning on splitting those eggs with her...nope), we listened to Taylor Swift and occasionally she sang along and talked about her day. "For snack I had my apple, and I think Anna stole my Cheetos. And then I went back and I looked for them and they weren't there. I looked under my bag and Brooke's bag and...." (the upshot was that her Cheetos disappeared at some point, so I told her to make sure she zipped up her lunch box when she ate snack.) anyway, she didn't seem terribly upset about the whole thing.
After dinner I cleaned up while she looked at our photo album from around our wedding, which we dug out recently for some reason. "Daddy, you look nice!....in this picture only you and Lucky are smiling, but in this one you all have nice smiles..... That's great that his name is Lucky, he must be lucky....oh is this your wedding picture? No, you aren't dressed up nice....but you have a shirt with a wedding picture on it...and so does Mommy! ...why do have birds on your floor? What's a patio? Oh, the birds are so cute! Ooh, thats a nice dress Mommy has." (laughter) "DADDY! I see your belly button!" (more laughter) "We didn't see turtles at the beach! You were so lucky!....Ooh, those flowers are so pretty!"
It pretty much went on like this for a while. She flipped through all the pictures, laughing and talking cheerfully. Then we went and watched "Diners, drive-ins, and dives," and I wished i had more food than a piece of reheated pizza for dinner. But the company was great.
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Sleepover
For his birthday this year, Jack wanted to have a bunch of his friends over for a sleepover. We ran it by the usual suspects for parents, they all signed off on it, so we said, Ok. Pizza, chips, Fudgie the Football ice cream cake from Carvel, Avengers movie DVD....check, check. Then more trips out for balloons, candles, plates, juice boxes, chocolate chips for cookies, more potato chips to replace the ones I ate....
Jack was beside himself with excitement all day. Counting down the hours. Looking out the window (Jack, it is still two hours before anyone will be here). Random whoops of enthusiasm. Finally, around 5, the first friend showed up. Jack spirited him up to his room while we made smalltalk with his mom. Second kid shows up, Jack comes downstairs long enough to collect him and again disappear. Repeat.
For the first hour or so, they ran around the house. It was like kids getting out of school or prisoners getting out of jail, I guess: they just wanted to run and yell and tell fart jokes. And since Jack had received the Fartmaster 2000 or whatever for Christmas, not my fault!, they had a lot of fun with that last one. Indeed, I was unaware it was possible to have a running conversation about farts for as long as they did. It was really impressive. You know, in a way. They ran, they laughed a lot, they were happy. It was cool.
We ordered pizza. You would think a bunch of boys would polish off a lot of pizza, but it was more like they didn't want to be bothered with stuff like eating. I think they did polish off 2-3 juice boxes each, because all that running around yelling makes you thirsty. Then we brought out Fudgie the Football (Carvel makes a Fudgie the Whale cake, and they make the same cake in football shape, thus Fudgie the Football) sang Happy Birthday, and the kids wolfed it down (along with a whole lot of chocolate chip cookies....hmmm maybe that's why they were all up so late....) and rushed off to watch The Avengers.
I expected them to be riveted, but in fact, a couple wanted to watch, a couple wanted to talk, or ask questions, or have more cookies, or another juice box, or play NintendoDS. There was some random tension over differing motivations, and then the team Assembled and finally we...uh, they...were all focused on the movie. At one point they acted it all out, pretending to be Thor, or Hawkeye, and arguing which hero was coolest. Jumping around in their pajamas (midway through they decided to change) --- you know, just like real superheroes. Pretty cute.
They went up to bed around 930 I guess, and what followed was laughter, yelling, more fart jokes, and of course one boy nervous and wanting to go home. And then stay. And then go home. After an hour or more of that, I took him home. He came back for breakfast the next morning. Kind of rough, but we also expected it; for most it was their first sleepover. They were all up past midnight, a milestone they celebrated with raucous cheers, and then slept...until 530 a.m. Ouch. They woke us up, natch.
Coffee, breakfast, happy, tired kids, and then it was time for them all, one by one, to go home. Some, I would later hear, had long naps that day, others (like Jack) were just behind and groggy for the next 2-3 days. But they all had a blast, and we...uh, they....got caught up on sleep eventually.
Maybe a year from now we'll do it again.
Jack was beside himself with excitement all day. Counting down the hours. Looking out the window (Jack, it is still two hours before anyone will be here). Random whoops of enthusiasm. Finally, around 5, the first friend showed up. Jack spirited him up to his room while we made smalltalk with his mom. Second kid shows up, Jack comes downstairs long enough to collect him and again disappear. Repeat.
For the first hour or so, they ran around the house. It was like kids getting out of school or prisoners getting out of jail, I guess: they just wanted to run and yell and tell fart jokes. And since Jack had received the Fartmaster 2000 or whatever for Christmas, not my fault!, they had a lot of fun with that last one. Indeed, I was unaware it was possible to have a running conversation about farts for as long as they did. It was really impressive. You know, in a way. They ran, they laughed a lot, they were happy. It was cool.
We ordered pizza. You would think a bunch of boys would polish off a lot of pizza, but it was more like they didn't want to be bothered with stuff like eating. I think they did polish off 2-3 juice boxes each, because all that running around yelling makes you thirsty. Then we brought out Fudgie the Football (Carvel makes a Fudgie the Whale cake, and they make the same cake in football shape, thus Fudgie the Football) sang Happy Birthday, and the kids wolfed it down (along with a whole lot of chocolate chip cookies....hmmm maybe that's why they were all up so late....) and rushed off to watch The Avengers.
I expected them to be riveted, but in fact, a couple wanted to watch, a couple wanted to talk, or ask questions, or have more cookies, or another juice box, or play NintendoDS. There was some random tension over differing motivations, and then the team Assembled and finally we...uh, they...were all focused on the movie. At one point they acted it all out, pretending to be Thor, or Hawkeye, and arguing which hero was coolest. Jumping around in their pajamas (midway through they decided to change) --- you know, just like real superheroes. Pretty cute.
They went up to bed around 930 I guess, and what followed was laughter, yelling, more fart jokes, and of course one boy nervous and wanting to go home. And then stay. And then go home. After an hour or more of that, I took him home. He came back for breakfast the next morning. Kind of rough, but we also expected it; for most it was their first sleepover. They were all up past midnight, a milestone they celebrated with raucous cheers, and then slept...until 530 a.m. Ouch. They woke us up, natch.
Coffee, breakfast, happy, tired kids, and then it was time for them all, one by one, to go home. Some, I would later hear, had long naps that day, others (like Jack) were just behind and groggy for the next 2-3 days. But they all had a blast, and we...uh, they....got caught up on sleep eventually.
Maybe a year from now we'll do it again.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
January song
Putting Kate to bed tonight, I asked if she wanted a song. She said, "Rudolph." I said, Rudolph? It's January. She said, "Ok. A January song." I said, hmm, I don't know a January song. She said, "I have one." And she sang.
"January, is time
For playing with presents
But you can't play
With all your presents.
Because they are so pretty.......
January...is my favorite month.
Because my brother's birthday is in it.
Jack's birthday...
Is
January .....
SEVEN.
Seven!
Seven!"
"January, is time
For playing with presents
But you can't play
With all your presents.
Because they are so pretty.......
January...is my favorite month.
Because my brother's birthday is in it.
Jack's birthday...
Is
January .....
SEVEN.
Seven!
Seven!"
Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas Eve
Seriously, who has the time to write these things on Christmas Eve? Actually, I kind of do, because it's 930 and the kids are in bed and the parents are headed that way, and with any luck an hour from now they'll all actually be asleep! So today....
- jack was wildly excited and bouncy and giddy all day long
- Kate was as healthy as she has been in a week. Naturally, though, she is coughing now.
- we began a tradition of tacos on Christmas Eve. Next year I hope I don't have to run to the grocery store at 4 pm because the meat we bought two days ago looked bad.
- we went to church and the singing was beautiful. It always is. Carol of The Bells and O Holy Night were the highlights. They always are.
- got home and my parents were there. Merry Christmas!
- jack wrote a note to Santa and I helped him put out cookies. Delicious. They looked, that is.
- read the kids The Night before Christmas, as I do every year. Kate was riveted. Jack sang along, not always at the right speed.
Watched some of It's a Wonderful Life, as we also do every year. I think next year we shall watch it the night after Thanksgiving to make sure we get the whole thing in.
Now to check out the NORAD Santa tracker, then bed.
- jack was wildly excited and bouncy and giddy all day long
- Kate was as healthy as she has been in a week. Naturally, though, she is coughing now.
- we began a tradition of tacos on Christmas Eve. Next year I hope I don't have to run to the grocery store at 4 pm because the meat we bought two days ago looked bad.
- we went to church and the singing was beautiful. It always is. Carol of The Bells and O Holy Night were the highlights. They always are.
- got home and my parents were there. Merry Christmas!
- jack wrote a note to Santa and I helped him put out cookies. Delicious. They looked, that is.
- read the kids The Night before Christmas, as I do every year. Kate was riveted. Jack sang along, not always at the right speed.
Watched some of It's a Wonderful Life, as we also do every year. I think next year we shall watch it the night after Thanksgiving to make sure we get the whole thing in.
Now to check out the NORAD Santa tracker, then bed.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Sunday, Sunday
Couple of good moments today, which included some of the usual pre-Christmas running around by me, Emily, and other assorted family members, plus with Kate still being slightly under the weather, somebody keeping her company here.
- She had an afternoon nap, and afterwards I got her up to sit with me on the couch and watch some football. I told her we were rooting for Ray Rice, and she nodded in assent and obligingly cheered, "Go Ray Rice! Go Ray Rice!" I gave her a cup of water, and told her she could have an orange snack with me, but one on condition: when I gave her an orange section, she had to put the whole thing in her mouth, not take a bite of it or pick strings off it and get juice all over everything. And she agreed, so I'd peel her a section, she'd eat the whole thing, and ask for another. We sat on the couch eating two entire oranges this way, cheering for Ray Rice.
- Jack was sick last Sunday, and I went out to a football gathering, and I feel like the previous Sunday it rained or something. Anyway, we haven't been able to play football the last couple of Sunday afternoons. Then today he was out caroling and at his cousins and so forth. So as I put him to bed tonight, I said, Jack, we HAVE to throw the football around next Sunday. I don't care if it's cold, or rainy, or what, we're throwing the ball around in the back yard, because we've missed the last couple of Sundays. He agreed this was pretty bad. "Deal," he said, and we hugged good night.
- She had an afternoon nap, and afterwards I got her up to sit with me on the couch and watch some football. I told her we were rooting for Ray Rice, and she nodded in assent and obligingly cheered, "Go Ray Rice! Go Ray Rice!" I gave her a cup of water, and told her she could have an orange snack with me, but one on condition: when I gave her an orange section, she had to put the whole thing in her mouth, not take a bite of it or pick strings off it and get juice all over everything. And she agreed, so I'd peel her a section, she'd eat the whole thing, and ask for another. We sat on the couch eating two entire oranges this way, cheering for Ray Rice.
- Jack was sick last Sunday, and I went out to a football gathering, and I feel like the previous Sunday it rained or something. Anyway, we haven't been able to play football the last couple of Sunday afternoons. Then today he was out caroling and at his cousins and so forth. So as I put him to bed tonight, I said, Jack, we HAVE to throw the football around next Sunday. I don't care if it's cold, or rainy, or what, we're throwing the ball around in the back yard, because we've missed the last couple of Sundays. He agreed this was pretty bad. "Deal," he said, and we hugged good night.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Saturday at home
With people trying to get over being sick, and cookies to be baked, we spent much of the day at home. Some of what occurred:
- we watched Year without a Santa Claus, followed by Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Kate was going to be scared of the Heat and Cold Miser, I think, and then I pointed out how goofy they were. Look, he has a little trio of hims as his backup singers! "Yeah, he does!" she laughed.
- we ate pizza, because there wasn't enough room in the kitchen to cook anything or clean up afterwards. Jack settled for that; we would save his first choice, tacos, for the next night.
- I read stories to Kate, a Biscuit one (she read most of it) and then Christmas in the Manger. Jack and I read Cool Stuff Exploded.
- we made some pictures, and Kate made a birthday card for Uncle Ian.
Pretty sure we did more, but on this, the 22nd day of Christmas, I am pretty frazzled.
- we watched Year without a Santa Claus, followed by Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Kate was going to be scared of the Heat and Cold Miser, I think, and then I pointed out how goofy they were. Look, he has a little trio of hims as his backup singers! "Yeah, he does!" she laughed.
- we ate pizza, because there wasn't enough room in the kitchen to cook anything or clean up afterwards. Jack settled for that; we would save his first choice, tacos, for the next night.
- I read stories to Kate, a Biscuit one (she read most of it) and then Christmas in the Manger. Jack and I read Cool Stuff Exploded.
- we made some pictures, and Kate made a birthday card for Uncle Ian.
Pretty sure we did more, but on this, the 22nd day of Christmas, I am pretty frazzled.
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