My coffee's still too hot for me to drink, but it smells great. The sprinkler's on low in the front yard, the neighborhood is quiet, it's barely morning. I can hear Cyndi about to get up.
It'll be a busy day ahead, a typical Saturday for most parents with kids. Jack and I have team photos this morning, then rush to church for cousin Brendon's first holy communion, changing our clothes in the car I guess to meet Cyndi and Rylee there, then probably some reception with family and off again to Jackson's piano recital.
Rylee just marched in and gave me a hug. Time to check the camera.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Saturday Morning Post
A spare moment to add a couple of new pics. Cyndi and I finished some morning chores inside and outside and now it's time to get ready for another baseball game. Pete's going to come by later with a lawn aerator and the three sisters and their hubs are leaving the kids and going to Prairie Star tonight.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Machine Pitch, Word World & Speed Racer
Just a short little note today, I hope. A lot has been going on this week, some of which has been horrible, but by the end of the week all seems promising. I'm never going to talk about horrible stuff here, but here's a clue: April 15th fell during this past week.
Yesterday was one of those great days. The weather didn't look promising to start. In fact, there was blowing snow in the morning and the temperature turned cold. I spent some of my workday dealing with little league admin stuff, and I didn't get to go for a run. Then I had to leave work early because there was an early game. Cyndi had tacos ready at home. At Jackson's request, I ran by the storage unit to pick up a tent I bought a few years ago from a neighbor's garage sale for $1.
Got home and Rylee ran out the door with new pajamas, still on the clothes hangers. He doesn't often get new things. He was so excited. For several evenings now, whenever I dressed him for bed and struggled to convince him to wear clean pajamas, I made a deal with him that we would get him new pajamas: at a minimum they had to have numbers on the them and they had to be "ssschort-sschleeved". A race car on them would be an extra bonus. Sure enough, Cyndi found him new short-sleeved pajamas with a number on them AND a racing car. When I cuddled with Ry later yesterday night in his new pajamas, we found out that he was wearing Speed Racer pajamas, a new kids movie about to come out.
Ry has also been talking about his birthday in early June, when he turns three. He's very interested in the theme. He talks about the birthday cake and the candle on it that he will blow out. At one point, he talked about Thomas the Train on the cake, then Handy Manny, but more and more he talks about Word World, a PBS show he and Jack watch in the morning before Jack goes to school and they are eating organic toaster waffles with Trader Joe's maple syrup, cereal, usually Fruit Loops, in bowls with straws, and fruit, banana or apples, and drinking chocolate milk in sippy cups. They love the show, but it is so new that I'm afraid there's very little in Word World toys or birthday party supplies yet.
This reminds me that the boys are very good at picking out funny lines and snatches of dialogue from movies and then saying them over and over at funny moments, with much laughter and delight. Wish I could remember them. The classic is the gingerbread man, who says "Do you mind? BORING!" You had to have been there, I know. It comes complete with an imitation of the voice and inflection and all the gestures.
Jackson had his second machine pitch game. He did great. The weather got sunny and warm just before the start of the game. The wind died down. The kids did so good, and I was glad to see that everyone was letting the kids play and hit and encouraging and congratulating both sides. Our team was really hot at the plate and Jack got a hit at every at-bat, then ran around the bases, one at a time, and when he reached home waved to Cyndi and Ry in the stands while everyone cheered the run. In the field, he is so enthusiastic, chattering away, hustling for the ball, involved in the game even though I found out he didn't know why the pitcher fields the hit ball, throws it to first, and the first baseman throws it right back to the pitcher. We play our players at all the positions and so far have worked out "rules" with the other team's coaches that let everyone play and have a good at-bat.
When we got back home, after collecting all the equipment and putting away the field, I pitched the tent in the boys' room. That was a dream come true for them. It was like that day at the toystore: pure joy.
Yesterday was one of those great days. The weather didn't look promising to start. In fact, there was blowing snow in the morning and the temperature turned cold. I spent some of my workday dealing with little league admin stuff, and I didn't get to go for a run. Then I had to leave work early because there was an early game. Cyndi had tacos ready at home. At Jackson's request, I ran by the storage unit to pick up a tent I bought a few years ago from a neighbor's garage sale for $1.
Got home and Rylee ran out the door with new pajamas, still on the clothes hangers. He doesn't often get new things. He was so excited. For several evenings now, whenever I dressed him for bed and struggled to convince him to wear clean pajamas, I made a deal with him that we would get him new pajamas: at a minimum they had to have numbers on the them and they had to be "ssschort-sschleeved". A race car on them would be an extra bonus. Sure enough, Cyndi found him new short-sleeved pajamas with a number on them AND a racing car. When I cuddled with Ry later yesterday night in his new pajamas, we found out that he was wearing Speed Racer pajamas, a new kids movie about to come out.
Ry has also been talking about his birthday in early June, when he turns three. He's very interested in the theme. He talks about the birthday cake and the candle on it that he will blow out. At one point, he talked about Thomas the Train on the cake, then Handy Manny, but more and more he talks about Word World, a PBS show he and Jack watch in the morning before Jack goes to school and they are eating organic toaster waffles with Trader Joe's maple syrup, cereal, usually Fruit Loops, in bowls with straws, and fruit, banana or apples, and drinking chocolate milk in sippy cups. They love the show, but it is so new that I'm afraid there's very little in Word World toys or birthday party supplies yet.
This reminds me that the boys are very good at picking out funny lines and snatches of dialogue from movies and then saying them over and over at funny moments, with much laughter and delight. Wish I could remember them. The classic is the gingerbread man, who says "Do you mind? BORING!" You had to have been there, I know. It comes complete with an imitation of the voice and inflection and all the gestures.
Jackson had his second machine pitch game. He did great. The weather got sunny and warm just before the start of the game. The wind died down. The kids did so good, and I was glad to see that everyone was letting the kids play and hit and encouraging and congratulating both sides. Our team was really hot at the plate and Jack got a hit at every at-bat, then ran around the bases, one at a time, and when he reached home waved to Cyndi and Ry in the stands while everyone cheered the run. In the field, he is so enthusiastic, chattering away, hustling for the ball, involved in the game even though I found out he didn't know why the pitcher fields the hit ball, throws it to first, and the first baseman throws it right back to the pitcher. We play our players at all the positions and so far have worked out "rules" with the other team's coaches that let everyone play and have a good at-bat.
When we got back home, after collecting all the equipment and putting away the field, I pitched the tent in the boys' room. That was a dream come true for them. It was like that day at the toystore: pure joy.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Catch Up
What is the purpose of this family blog? Well, today it's to give a short summary of what's been going on during the last few weeks.
Easter has come and gone, and we spent the day at The Ranch. I cooked a turkey for Cyndi, and with pot luck we had a great feast. The kids played with the electric cart and practiced golf with Don. The highlight had to be the Easter Egg Hunt. Lola came with us.
Rylee's growing so fast. Talking a lot. Explaining things with much enthusiasm and authority. He's learning fast. He adopts a different toy every day for the whole day and to take to bed at night. He still insists on his number shirt but will settle for a short-sleeved shirt and, in a pinch, the "shirt Elley gave me." He remembers that. I love that he'll ask for permission to do many things. In the middle of the night, he'll ask me, "Can I go to Jackson's room now?"
We got news that Jackson's film is opening in NYC this month. (There's a link on the home page.) He has a piano recital coming up. He loves school, and they love him. And his Red Sox team has its first game tomorrow. It's machine pitch. Somehow, I am being elevated to the head coach position even though I know practically nothing about the game. Luckily, there are others helping out with the real coaching and instruction, leaving me with the managerial stuff. We shall see.
Ariel is doing a lot of winter stuff in Alaska, and I expanded a note about her and a link to some photos on the home page.
We took a short trip to Colorado during part of Jackson's spring break. Jack was in charge of maps. For two nights, we stayed at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. We got a very good deal, as during its normal season the rates would be unbearable. Such a beautiful and wonderful place! It surrounds a small lake, with geese and swans, up against the mountains. Pike's Peak is nearby. We stayed away from the formal dining choices and had yummy fish 'n' chips and a glass of ale at their pub. (We were attacked by a swarm of sticky bees.) Cyndi got to take a yoga class at the spa complex, and the boys and I swam in the indoor pool. We saw The Bee Movie for free in their theater, followed by homemade ice cream. We took their shuttle to the nearby zoo and saw their renowned giraffes. (Herd?) We visited Manitou Springs, found a toy store, and Jack rode some arcade rides in town. We toured Old Colorado City and downtown and had a couple of unremarkable meals away from the resort.
In the morning, as we were preparing to drive to Denver, the weather had changed. It was wet, blowing, and even snowing. When we got our Durango, it was completely covered with a thick sheet of ice that didn't melt until we were 20 miles from Denver and all of a sudden the weather was nice again. We went to the nature & science museum first and bought the last tickets available for the planetarium shows. (Jack is a scientist now, and is particularly interested in the solar system and the universe. It's a big topic to grapple with. And he tries to figure out where God and heaven fits in, too.) We ended up going to the LoDo end of the 16th Street Mall, parked our car, visited the bookstore there and then grabbed the shuttle. We decided to try the Hard Rock Cafe in the middle of it all, and that turned into a fun time. Cyndi got to window shop for only a few minutes while we were waiting for a table. Back to the car, checked into our hotel, and back to the planetarium for the show on the planets. (Saved full price admission by getting next to last show.) We had promised the boys to take them to this good toy store in the Cherry Creek Shopping District called Kazoo. The idea was for me and the boys to look at the toys (there was a secret budget for toys on this trip) while Cyndi shopped in the boutiques. They were so excited. They ran laps around the store like it was Christmas. We ended up getting another train or car for Rylee, a rocket, a disk shooter, a globe beachball, and glo planets to hang in their room. "Five toys," Jackson repeated for the next few days. There's a huge mall across the street, where we ate sushi (rolls, really), rice, and American entrees (strange menu) and drank overpriced wine and Cyndi found some shoes while the boys and I waited for the table. It sounds like Cyndi did a lot of shopping, but really she only managed to squeeze in a grand sum of, I'd say, about 40 minutes, here and there. When the boys and I were in the toy store, for example, she just meant to check on us on her way about but the boys managed to keep her in the toy store.
So Saturday morning comes and we get a huge, free breakfast at our hotel, and Cyndi says, let's drive around and see some more of Denver before we have to leave, and I drive to the art museum at the other end of the 16th Street Mall just before the museum is about to open. We actually go in. We see an Impressionism show. Jack walks around with little headphone gear that's programmed as a self-guided "docent tour" for children. It's a special weekend for kids, it turns out, and even the guards go out of their way to welcome children and show paintings. It was a good exhibit. We hear about a lego recreation going on in another wing and spend some time there before heading home to Albuquerque. (On the home page, there's a picture of Jackson and Rylee, with the Denver skyline beyond, taken at the art museum and a link to the lego project.)
The trip home is relatively easy, and we stop at El Pinto for dinner when we arrive back to Albuquerque.
There's more that has happened in this time, but I either can't remember that or I'm editing our life for you. I have heard some updates on other family. Sarah has a move coming up to Ole Miss. David and Sandra should be in Juneau and no longer on Sabbatical, but it's been quiet from them. Mom & Dad are "camping" and buying yet another set of tickets for flights to Hawaii as airlines continue to drop off the radar. Elley and Don and kids had dinner with us last week to thank Don for fixing our computer DVD/CD drive. Marti joined us, too, while Kristina spent the weekend with us. And that's all the news for now.
Easter has come and gone, and we spent the day at The Ranch. I cooked a turkey for Cyndi, and with pot luck we had a great feast. The kids played with the electric cart and practiced golf with Don. The highlight had to be the Easter Egg Hunt. Lola came with us.
Rylee's growing so fast. Talking a lot. Explaining things with much enthusiasm and authority. He's learning fast. He adopts a different toy every day for the whole day and to take to bed at night. He still insists on his number shirt but will settle for a short-sleeved shirt and, in a pinch, the "shirt Elley gave me." He remembers that. I love that he'll ask for permission to do many things. In the middle of the night, he'll ask me, "Can I go to Jackson's room now?"
We got news that Jackson's film is opening in NYC this month. (There's a link on the home page.) He has a piano recital coming up. He loves school, and they love him. And his Red Sox team has its first game tomorrow. It's machine pitch. Somehow, I am being elevated to the head coach position even though I know practically nothing about the game. Luckily, there are others helping out with the real coaching and instruction, leaving me with the managerial stuff. We shall see.
Ariel is doing a lot of winter stuff in Alaska, and I expanded a note about her and a link to some photos on the home page.
We took a short trip to Colorado during part of Jackson's spring break. Jack was in charge of maps. For two nights, we stayed at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. We got a very good deal, as during its normal season the rates would be unbearable. Such a beautiful and wonderful place! It surrounds a small lake, with geese and swans, up against the mountains. Pike's Peak is nearby. We stayed away from the formal dining choices and had yummy fish 'n' chips and a glass of ale at their pub. (We were attacked by a swarm of sticky bees.) Cyndi got to take a yoga class at the spa complex, and the boys and I swam in the indoor pool. We saw The Bee Movie for free in their theater, followed by homemade ice cream. We took their shuttle to the nearby zoo and saw their renowned giraffes. (Herd?) We visited Manitou Springs, found a toy store, and Jack rode some arcade rides in town. We toured Old Colorado City and downtown and had a couple of unremarkable meals away from the resort.
In the morning, as we were preparing to drive to Denver, the weather had changed. It was wet, blowing, and even snowing. When we got our Durango, it was completely covered with a thick sheet of ice that didn't melt until we were 20 miles from Denver and all of a sudden the weather was nice again. We went to the nature & science museum first and bought the last tickets available for the planetarium shows. (Jack is a scientist now, and is particularly interested in the solar system and the universe. It's a big topic to grapple with. And he tries to figure out where God and heaven fits in, too.) We ended up going to the LoDo end of the 16th Street Mall, parked our car, visited the bookstore there and then grabbed the shuttle. We decided to try the Hard Rock Cafe in the middle of it all, and that turned into a fun time. Cyndi got to window shop for only a few minutes while we were waiting for a table. Back to the car, checked into our hotel, and back to the planetarium for the show on the planets. (Saved full price admission by getting next to last show.) We had promised the boys to take them to this good toy store in the Cherry Creek Shopping District called Kazoo. The idea was for me and the boys to look at the toys (there was a secret budget for toys on this trip) while Cyndi shopped in the boutiques. They were so excited. They ran laps around the store like it was Christmas. We ended up getting another train or car for Rylee, a rocket, a disk shooter, a globe beachball, and glo planets to hang in their room. "Five toys," Jackson repeated for the next few days. There's a huge mall across the street, where we ate sushi (rolls, really), rice, and American entrees (strange menu) and drank overpriced wine and Cyndi found some shoes while the boys and I waited for the table. It sounds like Cyndi did a lot of shopping, but really she only managed to squeeze in a grand sum of, I'd say, about 40 minutes, here and there. When the boys and I were in the toy store, for example, she just meant to check on us on her way about but the boys managed to keep her in the toy store.
So Saturday morning comes and we get a huge, free breakfast at our hotel, and Cyndi says, let's drive around and see some more of Denver before we have to leave, and I drive to the art museum at the other end of the 16th Street Mall just before the museum is about to open. We actually go in. We see an Impressionism show. Jack walks around with little headphone gear that's programmed as a self-guided "docent tour" for children. It's a special weekend for kids, it turns out, and even the guards go out of their way to welcome children and show paintings. It was a good exhibit. We hear about a lego recreation going on in another wing and spend some time there before heading home to Albuquerque. (On the home page, there's a picture of Jackson and Rylee, with the Denver skyline beyond, taken at the art museum and a link to the lego project.)
The trip home is relatively easy, and we stop at El Pinto for dinner when we arrive back to Albuquerque.
There's more that has happened in this time, but I either can't remember that or I'm editing our life for you. I have heard some updates on other family. Sarah has a move coming up to Ole Miss. David and Sandra should be in Juneau and no longer on Sabbatical, but it's been quiet from them. Mom & Dad are "camping" and buying yet another set of tickets for flights to Hawaii as airlines continue to drop off the radar. Elley and Don and kids had dinner with us last week to thank Don for fixing our computer DVD/CD drive. Marti joined us, too, while Kristina spent the weekend with us. And that's all the news for now.
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