100531 - Play date

100531 - Up and everyone, including Lilly, over to Newcomerstown. We got there as GpaB was cooking lunch and we started playing in the yard. The Cole's were not far behind and they joined us for lunch and the some play time with bubbles and a sprinkler ball thing. D&i took a walk downtown where the junk store was closed, but we managed to get a skateboard and some Chinese food. Drove home late and everyone straight to bed.

100530 + Nervous Shine

100530 + Up and all to church. G even stayed in his own class (I stayed too, but in the background)! Home and L packed lunch and we headed into the middle of no place to the New Straightsville OH Moonshine Festival.

It was extremely hot out today and the festival was extremely small. The majority of the 30 or so people attending sure looked Luke locals and we felt nervous and obviously out of place.
They had some cool cars there on the 1 block festival and some fair food and games/rides that were sure to suck any remaining income out of the locals.

We did find some shade and a historical cave that we hiked to, where the unionization of coal minors started.


Back to the car and greatful it was still there in tact and with the AC blasting we headed for a more civilized area.
We drove north for about an hour and ended up at Buckey Lake. I had the boys remove their underpants and just wear their short so they could get wet if they wanted to (GOOD IDEA!). We found a beach and the boys had a blast!
We were lucky enough to find a geocache there too, L's first find on her own! The boys trades some stuff and then into the car and headig home in their underpants. I stopped at a little pizza shop there and got us some food that we ate at a questionable skate park. Having had enough nervous encounters for one day we headed home, got the boys cleaned up, watched the rest of Iron Man and then off to bed. The boys said it was a fun day.

100529 - Transplant Beating

100529 - Up and to visit one of our houses to pick up a package sent there for me. Then a stop at the bank before heading home for some yard work. The boys and I trimmed a couple branches and transplanted some grasses. We took a break for lunch and ate under the tree.
Moved some ivy to the west side of the house and cleaned up Lori's rock garden. LDJ&G headed to the ball field while I got a shower. Then I grabbed J's DS and a lawn chair and ran, no really, I ran to the ball field. The boys played a really good game, D got hits everytime up, but still it wasn't enough... 15-12 another defeat in the heat. A quick pit stop at Meijer & Home Depot before dinner at Panda Express. Home and cleaned up the yard, showers and D&J playing on the patio in their boxers.
Inside for a movie, the Rocketeer, and smores.

100528 - Light Beating

100528 - Up and chained to desk all day. Scooted out a couple min early, grabbed the rest of the family and caught the premier of 'The Prince of Persia'. It was a really good movie, full of action and all the boys loved it. Out of the theater, got some subs, home to eat and change for a night baseball game. D got a hit everytime he was up, but the fielding errors aloud run after run to come in. Gma&paW came down to witness the 25-3 beating we took under the lights.

100527 - Made it to the Play

100527 - Up and across the street to work. We had one presentation and then a pretty fun team building event. The Cindy & Lee rushed me to the airport where I was able to JUST catch an early flight home. Made it home and the fam picked me up. L was having a stressful day and almost ran over a guy :-o Got home, got a couple of things done the Gma&paB showed up and we went to dinner.
After dinner we split up and L took G to his baseball game and I took D&J along with Gma&paB to D's play. It was a cute little musical and I was glad i could get there to see it! After the play outsde the school we found Gma&paW that showed up to see it too. We met up with L&G and all headed out to get some ice cream.

100526 - Golf sucking confirmation

100526 - Up early and over to the office for all day meeting. I learned a lot about what others do here and gave a presentation on what I do to the sales team (it went very well). After work we all headed to a small par 3 golf course where we had a little tournament...
At dinner awards were given for a hole in one, the best team score and the worse team score. Yeah baby, u know I was on the worse team! We had a great dinner, met a lot of new folks and had a very fun and productive day. Back to the hotel stuffed and tired.

News from home: Howdy called me tonight with news that he got a hit every time he was up tonight, and one was a TRIPLE!!!! Way to go Howdy!!!

100525 + Play Date & Fly

100525 + Up and working, L took D&J to a playdate that they reported was quite bizare... JG&I walked back to school and met D and walked home with him.

The fam then dropped me off at the airport and I headed to Boston. I met up with Cindy & Lee and we made it to dinner at outback and our hotel. We did pass the memorial of Bunker Hill on the way.

100524 - Pump Leg & Hit

100524 - up and had a crap morning with the banks. G learned to pump his legs on the swing, which he demanded I witness. Yep, he can do it!

I took a run today and D&J rode their bikes with me. It was HOT, so I had to get clnd up after the run. A fast dinner then we divided forces, I took D to his baseball game and L was to take J&D to his last soccer game. J had to skip the soccer game as he had bad stomach pains... Gma&paW showed up at D's game and GpaW got G so he could watch the game. D got hit by a huge kid and was walked, but hit every other time he was up. They still lost 25-1... Ugh!
Home and met the new neighbors, out for the Bible Bangers and it wasn't so great... Home and to bed.

100523 - Last LOST

100523 - Up, Seth home, L to Church, DG&I hanging out, Nicole & Lena over, L home, L Lena & Nicole to a wedding shower, playing games wit D&G, Jack home from camping. ALL BEFORE LUNCH!!!!
Made lunch and we ate as J told us about his camping adventure. Everyone exhausted (& grumpy) so each boy got a room and a bed and rested for a bit.
I woke J up and we rode our bikes to his friend Meridith's bday party. Home and D & I planted some lilac bushes & talked to the damn neighbor that wants to cut more trees down }:-| G up and we all rode our bikes to get J. They had a zip line the kids rode on for a bit. We rode our bikes home, met Up with L and headed out for some geogaching.

Our first one was no longer there, but somehow J was able to did a deer laying in some brush (he has amazing eyes!). On to the second one and we found it! The third one was deep in a woods and no luck there either, but a nice walk.



Grabbed some food on the way home and had dinner, then down to the basement to watch the final LOST. It was a long night, but a good ending to a GREAT series.

100522 - Ball Game & Fire

100522 - Up and Jack was picked up for a camping trip. LDG&I headed to the ball field. The picture above shows some happy boys, as they just, and I mean JUST, won their first game! D had an awesome game, in one inning at short stop he got 2 of the outs for the inning and he hit every time he was up! The game came down to bases loaded and a full count... Our boy threw a strike and the game was over, they won with that one pitch. I took the team to DQ and bought them ice cream.
Home and D had his buddy Seth over, L mowed, I trimmed the front tree & bushes, and help the neighbor Joe take some metal posts out of his yard, G followed D&Seth around... The Brandts came over to help is fire up L's mother's day fire pit and have a couple beers. We got G to bed and I stayed up with D&Seth watching Critters. Bed late, boys even latter

100521 - Up and worked a full day. The fam to City BBQ for dinner. Then home in the rain and watched the old puppet version of 'Thunderbirds' and an old claymation dino movie.

100520 - 2 Games

100520 - Normal work day, normal very fast dinner and to the ball field. G was all suited up, got himself in the car and was ready to go, 'come on guys!'. He did good with the warm ups and ran the bases like a pro. No knocking kids down tonight (thankfully), Buthelezi did beat them to the base and yelled 'OUT!'










Then up the path a ball field or two to Howdy's game. They were a bit out of control like monkeys on the bench. So I cleaned things up while the were on the field the next inning and when they came back in the order was enforced: 'sit down unless I call your name', 'no one has a bat unless I give it to you', 'no more gum unless you get a hit'... Yeah but they like me ;-) It turned into a real close exciting game and they all did really well. D played catcher for 2 innings and did great. J was on the playground most of the evening.
Home cleaned up the boys and got them in bed. L&I settled in for a relaxing night of the season finally of 'Grey's Anatomy' and were tense and on the edge of our seat for the full 2 hours...

100519 - Drizzle

100519 - Up and on calls. Took a break to walk/run, J went with me. It was drizzling a bit, but a friend of mine in the UK told we I would not be considered serious about running unless 'the weather doesn't matter', so I forced my self to do it. I was glad J went along, he rode behind me and I would shake the branches over the sidewalk as I ran under them and the water would fall on him as he rode behind me :-) Finished my day with a late call, the fam ate without me and LJ&G went to J's soccer practice. D stayed home and when I got off the call we passed a football for a bit. G joined the football passing when he got home and did really good catching. All boys in and cleaned up and to bed. L&I watched TV for a bit and then I renamed some more photos.

100518 + Rolly things

100518 + Up and worked all day then out for dinner. It is raining again here in sunny OH and all practices and games have been canceled for this evening. So we spent the night at home and played with some of Jack's new toys. Then we watched 'Little Shop of Horrors'. J was afraid their are really plants like that that really eat people...

I assured him they DO exist!

100517 - Rainy Game

100517 - Up and a busy day of unscheduled events... A fast dinner and then J&I headed to their rainy soccer game. Only 4 kids showed up at first, then the rest of the team straggled in. Jack played his favorite position goaly to start and stopped several scoring attempts despite the rain. The kids won 5 to zip! J&I then ran to the store to get some dog food and treats.
Home and I had the boys watch to original 'Frankenstein'! They liked it but thought it was pretty scary :-o I got them to bed and then ran out to meet with the Bible Bangers for our last session on Raising a Modern Day Knight. Then home with Doc to get his PC updated and hooked up to our new wireless router.

100516 - Jack is 7!!!!

100516 - Up early and Jack opened his presents from us.  He got some time to play with some things before LD&J went to church.  G&I ran errands and got tortilla soup for Jack's lunch, as it is his favorite thing in the whole world, next to pickles...  We all met back at home and had lunch.  We then prepared for Jack's party.




For Jack's party he had a bunch of his friends come over. L had some nice LEGO games a pinata, a LEGO cake and some kickball. Everyone had a blast!

After Jack's friends party we had his family party where we had a nice dinner. When all the festivities were over we cleaned up and I help him build one of the many LEGO sets he got for his birthday. Everyone exhausted and to bed

100515 + Dad's commitment Ceremony

100515 + UP in the morning and doing some things around the house.  I ran J to a birthday party then home for lunch with the rest of the gang.  We then packed up and LDG&I headed to D's baseball game.  I took G with me to go pick up J from his party and L worked in the concession stand.  Back to the game, I got to see D get a base hit and then I relieved L at concession stand duty.  I was not there long as the 'Mercy Rule' came into affect and D's team was 15 runs behind in the 4th inning...
L took the boys home and I went with Brian to Meijer to get supplies for Jack's party tomorrow.  Back home and fixed D's machine gun.  D shot Jack in the finger with machine gun so i had to take it away...  Had some beers with Brian and then got ready for the RMDK ceremony.

All the Bible Banger dads and their sons here for the ceremony.  We had a nice fire in the backyard and our leader said some nice words.  We then each had to say something to each one of our sons to let them know how proud of them we are an how much we love them.  I did the best I could but by the time I got to Jack I started blubbering and could barely make it through what I had to say...  Dylan made me cry even worse.  I have such hopes and love these boys so much.  The next part of the presentation was where we as a family held on to a sword and promised to our sons that we would raise them as knights.  At the end of the ceremony each boy was presented with a dagger.  It was a really nice ceremony and I hope the boys remember it forever, I know I will.

100514 - Work all morning and then bailed out to have lunch and look at a house w/ Jeff & Ed.  Home and finished my day, D mowed back and L mowed rest.  We hung out at home tonight getting ready for a busy weekend and watched the second half of 'Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind'.  Jack was a bit freaked out, especially when after I put them to bed and I started playing the tones to call the spaceships in the playroom.  hahahahaha!

100513 + Priceless

Grey 9 month baby pants = $8.99
Red stripe baseball socks  = $9.27
Nike black batting gloves  = $14.99
little league batting helmet = $19.95
Nike size 10C cleats             = $24.95
Grant, plowing over 2 kids as he tagged them out in his first T-Ball game =
PRICELESS
Grant's first official hit!

20100513  UP and I went to the court house downtown for a hearing...  D&J to school, when J gets home LJ&G are heading to a friends bday party.  In court we won our judgment on the tenants that did not pay us, now to get blood out of a stone...  Home did books for REI business then worked rest of day.  Ate dinner on the go and then dropped J off at his buddy's house, he is going to the circus with them tonight (thanks Obie).  Then LDG&I headed to Ds baseball practice where I ran the pitching machine until the battery died.
THEN THE MAIN EVENT!!!
Grant started T-Ball tonight.  He has not stopped talking about it for DAYS!!!!  He got his shirt and hat and was all ready.  Out onto the field the kids practiced running bases, fielding grounders and hitting off a tee (all this bored Grant, of course...).  Then time for a game.  grants team was up first and the cluelessness began.  It was hilarious, the ball goes over there, they kids look at it, the batter doesn't run... holy man...  Grant got up, tapped his bat on home plate a couple of times and >POW!< he hit the ball, dropped his bat and tore off to first base!  That's how it done!  They went one round in the batting order and then Grant got to take the field, right up front as pitcher...  The kid on the other team gets up to bat, hits it, we encourage him to run... Grant fields the ball, chases the kid down and knocks him over as he tags him out!  Next kid, same thing, hits it, grant gets it, PLOWS him over tagging him out! hahaha, ok ok so we had a talk with him...  Net kid up, hits it, Grant fields it, throws it to first, the first baseman misses it...  Grant walks over to him and says 'you're suppose to catch it!'.  He tries that for one more play and gives up more tagging, no more plowing kids over though thank goodness!    He was pretty proud of himself and we are too!  Way to go Granny Panties!  To Dairy Queen for an ice cream snack and home for bed!

100512 + Worked all day, fast dinner.  DG&I went out to get baseball stuff for G & presents for J's birthday.  Back home and L gave the boys hair cuts and we watched the first half of 'Close Encounters of the 3rd kind'.

100511 - Dinners

100511 - Worked all day.  L to mother daughter banquet in Newcomerstown.  DJG&I to Cici's Pizza for dinner. Poor J had to cry in the resturant as they no longer have the white sauce he loves there...  Home for a bit of outside fun and then down to the basement to watch the original 'Blob'.  All boys upstairs for bed and while they were in the bathroom I got a blanket, covered myself and laid on the playroom floor...  When Grant and Jack came into the playroom I started moving and Grant was certian the Blog was right there in his playroom :-o  hahahahahah!!!!  I got them to bed and then watched Lost and renamed photos until L got home.

100510 - Captured

100510 - Worked then dinner.  Time for a bit of fun in the backyard as D&J forced G into L's Mother's Day fireplace present...  L&J to J's soccer game where he did really good.  DG&I to D's baseball practice w/ pitching machine.  Grant was a big help to the coach while I helped the boys with their batting.

100509 - Mother's Day

100509 - Everyone up and to the Farm. We went to Camp Mowana for lunch and met Louise, Stephanie, Michael, Diane, Casey, Mary & John there. We had a nice dinner and the boys were going nutty wanting to burn off energy.
Back to the Farm for a gift presentation and then out to the calf lot to try out the new gun. The boys did really good shooting and really like when I vaporized a can of pop with the 22-250 ;-)
In the evening we headed to Bob Evan's for dinner and met the Dolce's there. We then drove home and all to bed.

100508 - Non-stop

100508 - UP and L&J to Jack's soccer game where only 5 kids showed up, so they had no substitutions and he had to play the entire game.  It was a really rough game and L was yelling at the other teams parents :-o   DG&I to baseball for pics and the fields were too wet from all this rain so they canceled their scrimmage.  The baseball team all met at a pizza shop for lunch and were loud and out of control...  Then DG&I went to a gun store, they were amazed.  Then we went to a gun show where they were even more amazed...  We did buy a .22 bolt action rifle :-)  Then we went to another gun store to buy bullets.
On the way home we called one of D's friends and we picked up Jack and went to 'Clash of the Titans' with Seth and his dad.  After the movie we got about 4000 chicken nuggets and had Seth over for dinner.   L went out to eat with her friends.  After the boys ate I had them put L's Mother's Day gift together, a portable fireplace.  They then played in the yard while I cleaned up and then down to the movie room to watch 'Back to the Future 3'.

100507 + Bounce

100507 + Up for a full fast day of work. Then J&I met some guys @ the church to get a bouncy thing to set up @ the school fair. We got it set up, J tested it and then we headed home for dinner. Chris came over for a couple beers and then we took the bouncy thing down and back to the church. Boys watched Back to the Future 2. L&I up watching TV, both fell asleep on the couch...

100506 - WorkWalk

100506 -Up in the am and getting things done. Took a long walk and worked (on a call) for the entire hour. When I got home from the walk I heard L working on her latest obsession, a table she is chiseling the veneer off of. Why? I just don't ask...

I finished up my day and then we headed out to dinner at O'Charley's and a stop at the HomeDepot. I ran in to a fellow I worked with years ago at Lucent and chatted a bit while D&G made lots of commotion...We got our supplies and headed home.

G was my driver and drove the gator back and forth with loads of sand and stone to replenish the sand box and finish the pump repairs, D&J spread the sand. Then they played int he sand got dirty and required a shower for the second night in a row, oh the calamity... Got them all to bed then to the movie room to veg out.

100505 - Very typical day, then JG&I to J's soccer practice.  Later we met up with L&D at D's baseball game, he did good.  Home all boys to bed and up late doing nuttin...

100504 - Worked all day, fast dinner.  D had a scrimmage, he did ok.  Home, boys to bed, up late renaming pictures...

100503 - Messy

100503 - Up and worked all day, out of office in time for dinner.  We had spaghetti and G got it all over himself, he must really like it!  Then the boys and I finished the installation of the pump in the backyard, it looks and works very good.  D&L mowed the yard and I played on ipad w/ the boys.  All boys to bed and Doc and I went to meet with the Bible Bangers and then to Meijers to pick up some gifts for Jack's bday and Mother's Day.

100502 + Drizzle Work

100502 + Everyone up and to church. Home, changed and to Big Boy for brunch Buffet. Then back home, disappointed that we were not heading out for adventure... So I started working: finished sorting LEGOs, then forced D&J to help me mix and pour some concrete around the well.
Now updating the blog, watching 'The Thief of Baghdad', a great old movie. Looks like we are stuck at home another day...

100501 - Up an out for games: L&J met GmaW for his soccer game. DG&I headed to a baseball scrimmage that thankfully was canceled due to the rain, so we ran a couple of errands to get some essentials: beer, chips & pop. Then we tried to go to Jack's game but it was already over, so we headed to Jim Long's to drop off some maternity clothes. We picked up lunch on the way home and all met up to eat together. GmaW stayed for a bit and then headed home for a busy evening. D went to a friends, L baked cup cakes for a party tonight, JG&I watched a movie about GIANT spiders invading a town and cleaned up LEGOs. L got everyone together and we headed for a party at the Roser's for Jason's first communion. Home and watched movies all night while renaming photos on the PC.

100430 - is it possible April is gone???
I worked all day and L&the boys spread some mulch. I worked as long as possible trying to avoid spreading mulch... Then I came up with the idea we could get something to eat, so we went to City Barbecue and had fried pickles. Home and got tangled in the web and was forced to spread mulch...
After the boys got ready for bed we queued up 'Back to the Future' for the late night movie. The boys loved it and want to see the rest of them. Got them to bed and stayed up late playing on to iPad and PC.