Jake's Birthday List

Jake's celebrating his 10th birthday in a few weeks (June-23)... and he's got his list-

Coming Soon-

Jessica's BIG AWARD
Jessica and Destiny after the Par-tay!

Exposure

It's almost summer time in Austin.  What's that mean for you, the average BLOG reader, you ask?  It means swimming pools with a graduated 7th grader (going into 8th after summer), a graduated 4th grader (going into 5th after summer) and a graduated 3rd grader (going into 4th after summer).

I took the kids for our first trip to the pool in almost a year.  OK, so it's more like 6-months as the weather allows pool time until October.  Any ways, the kids were real excited.  We swam, played keep away with a beach ball and wrestled with each other.  After a full day, I climb out of the pool and look down... this is what I see-

Yeah, I'm going to need a new pair of swimming trunks.  Later, Jacob tells me that he was "pushing off" my body to swim away, and that he thought he "felt" something rip... yeah, something ripped alright.

Most Awesome Picture Ever?

I think this is one of the most AWESOME pictures ever-

Stephanie Soccer

Stephanie's soccer team (given the immensely intimidating name: Breeze) played in their final games of the season this past weekend (ok... maybe it was a couple/few weekends back).

To give you a little history, Barbara and I are vehemently opposed to all that "Academy," and "Select," and "Travel Team," soccer.  This means that Stephanie is continuing to play on her "recreation," soccer team.  But we have this final, last weekend of the season tournament.  The tournament was in Pfulgerville.  It was a a pretty short drive (25-min) to the fields in Pfulgerville where teams from Central Texas assembled.  Basically the Breeze were again taking on the heavily favored Academy teams from... well... all over.

I'll cut through the drama... Stephanie's team won every game and entered the Championship Game playing against a team from Buda.  As it turns out, our coach and their coach new each other.  Unfortunately, our second half comeback of scoring two goals fell short, as we lost in the Championship 3-2.  Here are some pictures of Stephanie and her team.

I don't take game/action shots with the iPhone, so here's Stephanie high-fiving the opponents after the game-
















Here's Stephanie's team preparing to receive their trophies-

And here's Stephanie collecting her trophy and a heart-felt congratulations from the coach-

Your chance to SPEAK UP

I've discovered that in this world there are two kinds of people... there are GIVERS and there are TAKERS. As I evaluate our relationship (BLOGGER and READER) I've come to realize that I am a GIVER. Sadly, you appear to be a ... yeah, you're a TAKER. I give words, pictures (I'd like to give video, Jessica says it's possible but what does she know)... and what do you give? Other than Jessica, you can't seem to manage even an occassional comment on the BLOG.  You know what that makes you??? You guessed it.


Here's the question that you should all consider, with much trepidation and then comment upon...

Suppose for a moment that I have a BIG Price is Right wheel. On the wheel are all the integer numbers between 1 and 99. When spun, the wheel will land on a single, utterly random number. The number spun then INSTANTANEOUSLY becomes your new age (in years). Spin the wheel and become a new age... something random between 1 and 99. Instantaneously you'll miraculously have the body with that many years on it (your mind stays as-is). If a 9 comes up, have a nine year old body. If a 91 comes up... you'll get the 91 year old body you deserve. Today, you have to make your reservation for when you're going to spin the wheel. You can reserve a day 10-years from today to spin... you can spin it today... you can spin it 90-years from today.

OK, here's the question-
When would you make your reservation to spin the wheel?

Broadway (as promised...)

I'm sure you guys were beginning to doubt that I'd ever actually complete this little post.  You know, it's the one I've been saying, "Coming Soon" and, "Up Next" and, "Just Around the Corner... "  Yeah, you guessed it, it's the breakdown of Jessica's

BIG NIGHT ON BROADWAY.

One thing everybody knows about Broadway is that if you want to see an actual show, you have to show up early for tickets.  In New York, people line up days before tickets go on sale, and it wasn't any different for Jessica's production of Annie.

Yeah, it was an hour before they were even going to open the doors on the last and final night of the show and the line still went out the door.  The energy, the excitement, it was palpable.  And do you know the word on everybody's lips out there in a heightened state of anticipation?  No, of course you don't, you weren't even there.  So let me tell you the word... the word on everybody's lips was, "Jessica."

Then, with little fanfare the doors swung open... the crowd cheered and then an eerie hush as everybody looked around wondering, "Would it be OK if I pushed the poor sap in front of me out of the way and RAN IN!"  Alas, good Christian order prevailed and everyone walked in... in order... unable to wipe the grin of wonder off their face.

Shows started Thursday night... the 2nd on Friday night... and the final two on Saturday (matinee and evening show).  After, what seemed like, an eternity the lights dimmed and the theatre teacher Mrs. Novak (could be Miss, I'm not sure...) came out and gave everyone the once over on how audiences on Broadway behave.  I snickered, squeezed Jacob's knee and let everyone SUSH him instead of me.

I'm not sure about the heads in front of me...

As you know, Annie starts in an orphanage at night.  All the kids in bed when the youngest wakes up with a nightmare.

Once the show ended, I took a picture of Jessica and a couple of her thesbian friends-

Blurry picture Audrey, Jessica (I think, maybe Jessica's on the left) and Alyssa (I think she has the plant in her hand)...

Yeah, I know what you're whinning about now.  "Where are the pictures of Jessica in the show?"  I would remind you that this is Broadway, you don't go pushing through the throng theatre goers right in the middle of the show to take a picture.  The lights... distraction... I'm pretty sure Mrs. Novak would have thrown me out.  And then Jessica would "die of embarrassment."

I also feel compelled to remind you that I, unlike my wife, am a GUY.  We don't carry still cameras around... I'm lucky if I remeber my cellphone (with a camera built-in) when I leave the house each morning.  A camera, are you kidding?

Jessica was easily, positively, most absolutely the most talented thesbian in the whole show.  She's probably the most talented in all her entire school.  I looked at her and my heart was broken - "poor orphan, can I adopt her?"  That's what I asked at the end of the show... "Mrs. Novak, can I adopt her?"

Stephanie's Book (Nail Soup)

Stephanie's 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Ryden arranged for her class to produce a fully illustrated children's book.  Each kid "illustrated" their own page in the book.  The name of the "illustrator" is in the lower right hand corner of the page.

By the way, I feel I must tell you that Stephanie used the term "illustrate" with me this morning.  How do these kids get so smart?

Cover-

Page 1&2-

Page 3 & 4

Page 5 & 6

Page 7 & 8

Page 9 & 10

Page 11 & 12

Page 13 & 14

Page 15 & 16

Page 17 & 18

END & Class Picture

ENJOY

Coming soon-

Jessica's theatrical debut - ANNIE (the musical).

Dad gets to take Stephanie on a DATE

It all started with... My loving wife leaving the house to celebrate a friend's birthday while Jacob and Jessica were invited to spend the night with a friend.  This left me (aka Dad) with a unique opportunity - one on one with my youngest, most incredibly cute daughter, Stephanie.  Who, I might add, I adore immensely.

We decided to change into clothes more suitable for a DATE.  I told Stephanie that she was in charge of selecting our attire.  She chose for me a very comfortable and good-looking (I look good in most everything) brown button-down shirt with a green tie.  Yeah, you read that correctly - a tie.  Afterall, this is an important date with Stephanie.  Stephanie chose to wear a very pretty white blouse with a baby blue cover thingie.  She also went with a couraroy (does anybody know how to spell that?) skirt and shoes.  She would be sure to point out that she chose shoes with "heels."  I took some pictures-

and a shot of just me-

I then asked Stephanie to decide what we'd do... what would we do?  What would she chose for our BIG DATE.  We decided to go with the traditional - Dinner and a Movie.  Yeah, I'm so current.  We got in the car (yes I opened her door) and on the way she asks me... I thought this was AWESOME.  Stephanie's sitting in the back seat, and she tells me I can't turn around and look at her.  She starts to ask me... "What color shirt am I wearing?"  ... and ... "What kind of dress am I wearing?"  ... and ... "Am I wearing shoes with heels?"  I think she wanted to know if I actually noticed her, and, of course, I got every question right because Stephanie (my wonderful daughter) is INCREDIBLY NOTICEABLE.

We went to an Italian (pizza house) eatery.  While there, we both made funny faces and took pictures-

And Stephanie got her picture too-

The meal was pretty awesome.  We had Canadian Bacon... We talked about how school was going and what friends she likes the most at school.  Stephanie doesn't have any problems at all opening up.  We then went to the movie where we saw How to Train Your Dragon.  On the drive home we got to talk about our favorite parts of the movie and what made us laugh the most.

Stephanie is a GREAT DATE.

Coming Soon ---

My most INCREDIBLE date with Stephanie... here's a picture to whett your appetite.

Jessica's 13th Birthday

Lets get the disappointment out of the way early.  Barbara and I executed on the actual "Party" portion of Jessica's 13th Birthday yesterday (Saturday, May 1st).  The theme was a blend of Amazing Race and Mission Impossible.  The disappointing part... we made a video, but alas, this BLOG doesn't seem to afford us the opportunity to actually post the VIDEO.  Why don't we just say... the video was a me, solo, in Mission Impossible garb, doing Impossible Martial Arts moves and it was AWESOME.  I wish I could share it with you... really, I really do.

Any ways, the hormones... I mean Jessica's teenage friends (who really are a great group to see and hangout with) showed up around 2PM.  My wife dispersed the adults helping - to all the locations these kids would have to find later in the party (as part of the Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt part).  She then showed the video and gave the kids their directions... as well as their team tee-shirt and an adult driver.

The kids tore off to their respective destinations with their "Clue Cards" in hand.  I was positioned at the YMCA... the kids struggled at my location as each team was instructed to do a particular, somewhat embarrassing activity at each destination.  The better their performance the more points they would earn.

After tearing around town, with only ONE ADULT getting pulled over by the cops... the kids finished the race and rallied back at Milburn Park.  This is where I battled the demons from he!! (that's a public BBQ pit with two LARGE BAGS of CHARCOAL spitting fire, molten lava, billowing smoke thicker than the head of any teenager... ) to provide barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers.

While at the park, we did some three-legged races, sack races and the "poop a potato game."  It worked out really well.  A little cake, handfuls of M & Ms and some presents and then all that was left to top the day off would be ... CLEAN UP.  And I'm sure all of you know how much I love CLEAN UP.

Oh... I guess there's more bad news.  I don't have any pictures.  I probably should have snapped off a few pictures with my phone, but I guess I was too busy messing with the barbecue.  The party was a blast.  Here's a shot of Jessica at her birthday dinner with just the family.  Doesn't she look mature?

Yeah... she looks great doesn't she.  Man I wish she would stop growing up...