Rule Rock Band

Barbara and I put the kids to bed and then ended up staying awake
until after midnight rocking out to Rock Band.

Guess who nailed a PERFECT 100% score on HARD doing lead vocals? Das
right BABY, Mr Man Daniels. The song you ask that yielded my perfect
vocal score? .... Ummm.... Well, it was "Heart of Glass" by Blondie.

Should that affect my masculinity?

Nah, I didn't think so either.

- ERIC

Lunch

For lunch... I ate a McRib.

Yes, that McRib.

Nothing in November...

I'm sure you noticed that last month, in November, the BLOG was more dormant than my St Augustine grass in... ummm... November.  And I'm also 100% sure that you asked yourself daily (or at least weekly), "why hasn't Eric updated the BLOG?  I need... I need... I'm doing my part, I'm babystepping, I'm checking the BLOG... Why?"

Well, I let my wife use my computer.  She said, innocuously enough, "I just need to copy a file.  It shouldn't take more than a few minutes... "  Me being the Good Husband, of course I said, "Sure.  Here you go, take your time I'm in no hurry.  No hurry at all.  It's not like the fate of the free world hangs on every word that appears on our BLOG."

Twenty minutes later, this is what I see on my screen-

Now you know the mystery... the file copy took "23,679 Days and 25 hours."  Yep, that's enough to chew up anybody's November.

Jessica's Holocaust Theatrical Performance

Before going any further, I should probably come clean and be honest with you - the reader/experience-er.  I pulled the video I took for Jessica's class performance of Kids of the Holocaust.  Whoops... there's another lie - I don't really know the name of the play they did, but it was about Jewish kids trying to survive the Holocaust.  It was based on actual diaries and journals found at the concentration camps.  As you can imagine, there weren't very many laughs to be found in this performance.  It was VERY EMOTIONAL... just ask my wife or her sister as both were crying when the curtain came down at the end of the show.

As I was saying... I pulled the video from the performance and realized that I managed to record the entire play in a "single take."  For those of you not in the Movie Industry, "single take," means the entire 20-min play was done without ever stopping the recording.  My cinematography exponentially adds to the emotional intensity of the play... But there's a price for that intensity.  The price is a 100GB MPG file, a size that appears far too daunting for this free BLOG to handle.

So, despite the title, this entry won't have, "Jessica's Holocaust Theatrical Performance."  Instead, I've pulled from the Daniels Family video archive a take of Stephanie getting ready for her 3rd grade, "Fairy Tale Recreation," play.  Here you go... feel free to comment on her costume being the CUTEST EVER.  Also, as expected, Jacob played the role of the Prince.

Yup, very cute.

Kids and their communication with Santa

It wasn't all that long ago that initiating communications with Santa was a real challenge.  Kids were faced with basically two options for getting their wants, desires and needs to the big man.  They either trapsed down to the mall, stood in-line tolerating the elves, and then faced the anxiety of climbing up on Santa's lap to discuss things mano y mano... OR, you invested 5cents in a stamp and trusted the US Postal Service to hand deliver your hand-written Christmas list to the North Pole in a timely fashion.

Things have changed a bit, now that it's the 21st Century... kids today have cellphones, twitter, facebook, blogs and text messages... my eldest son has been the first child to figure out that there are now some much more technological advanced techniques for getting in communicado with Santa (the girls are still in the stone age... )... Or, Jacob is more motivated by GREED than are my oh so innocent girls...

Without further blather, Jacob would like to submit his Christmas list for the perusal of one Mr. Claus.  I, as his father, will vouch for his relativey naughty-free character-

Coming Soon

Jessica and her theatrics
  . Two plays in one month... 8th grade DRAMA and school "A Christmas Carol" production
Stephanie & her travel soccer tournament
Jacob and his awesomeness

Volleyball... Champions

I thought about writing this really dramatic account of the volleyball tournament my daughter (whose name is Jessica, for those of you who don't regularly follow the Daniels Family BLOG) played in this past weekend.  It was going to be really, really dramatic with a surprise ending, but then I remembered what I titled this little beauty... it's hard to be dramatic and have a surprise ending when it's titled, "Volleyball... Champions."

Instead, I'll get right to the point.  Jessica's 7th and 8th grade girls volleyball team played in the BIGGEST Volleyball tournament in the state... No, the country!  The biggest tournament in all the land.  They competed against all forms of competition, in three different "pool" games.

Pool game: A game that cannot result in your team's elimination from the tournament, but instead is used to "seed" all the teams when the tournament begins.  Win 'em all and your seeded #1... Lose 'em all and your seeded LAST.

The Summit Christian Academy 7th and 8th grade girls volleyball team won two of their three pool games and were seeded THIRD overall.  Summit won the first tournament match two games to none (each match is best of three).  They then played Hill Country (the #2 seed)... and emerged victorious, again winning the first two games in the match.

Summit then moved on to the Championship game where they locked horns with the #1 seeded team, the feared and dreaded girls of Round Rock Chapel.  Most of Round Rock's Junior High girls are taller than Goliath.  They are fiercer than Ray Lewis and even more cunning than a unicorn.  You heard me.

I won't draw it out any longer.  Jessica and the Summit Christian Academy Junior High girls (but mostly Jessica) Volleyball team TOTALLY wiped the floor with at least two of the Round Rock girls... winning the first match, losing the second match, but then winning the third and deciding match 17-15.  The game should only have been played to 15, but in serious volleyball, you have to win by at least two points... which means the deciding, Championship game went into volleyball's equivalent of SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME.  Thankfully, Jessica was not killed, and no animals were harmed in the dramatic ending.

Below is a picture of the VICTORS, the Summit Christian Academy Junior High girls volleyball team:

The Summer Project

As you may have heard, Barb and I went away for a week and a half, and this is what we came home to-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyYy1VMB_Cg&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Best Roller Coaster picture

This is (arguably) the best Roller Coaster picture, ever.  Why, you ask?

Check out the kid in the front row seat, sitting to the right of, "his Dad."  ALL six years of his young life are passing before his eyes...

Summer Camp - 2010

The BLOG has laxed a bit the past couple of months which means we (you and I) have a little catching up to do.  Let's take a walk down memory lane... back to August 2010.  The location - err, well... I can't remember the city, let's just say it's a small town somewhere within the 250,000 sq. mile borders of the state of Texas.  Barbara, myself and our two youngest are at church camp and did I mention it's August?  And it's Texas?  What I shouldn't have to say is that it's FREAKin hot!

Now for a real horse lover-

It's obvious this kid is a natural... put him in the PBR.  Have you ever seen anyone look more confident aboard a horse.  And yes, I'm the one living in Texas, when someone is on a horse, it's called, "aboard the horse."

With Jacob aboard playing cowboy who do you think wanted to play indian?

As you can tell from the pictures, I'm not much of a photographer... Camp was awesome this year, as it is each and every year.

Theatrics at the Daniels...

This morning, Jessica had theatre practice at school.  I feel compelled to remind you that Jessica is in 8th grade - Jr. High.  She's in an incredibly competitive "fashion" environment, where literally fortunes are won and lost on the hue of one's eye shadow.

Back to this morning's account... Jessica needed a ride, and I, being the coolest Dad ever, elected to drive her (never mind that my wife was doing a jigsaw puzzle and asked me to drop off).  Knowing how "competitive" Junior Highers are on the fashion/coolness front, I got all dolled up to drop her off and get my wife and I some coffee while out.

I drove us both to the school, where theatrical kids and their parents were hanging out waiting for rehearsal to start.  For some reason, I can't quite put my finger on it... but for some reason, Jessica didn't want me to get out of the car...

... I guess it'll just be one of those great unsolved mysteries like the Lockness Monster or the Kennedy assassination....

Summer reading

No summer vacation could be complete (or sadly come to an end) without
the requisite, "Summer Reading."
Back in the late 70s the people at RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) began
a propaganda campaign to convince parents that there children's brains
will deteriorate if they don't read at least seven books every three
months. This summer, all of my kids have been feverishly reading all
summer... Again. I know their misery, as I did 13 years of forced
reading during my most crucial formative years.
Jacob, who somehow seems to prefer playing over reading (and more than
willing to risk brain deterioration)... Has been the last of our
children to complete his reading regimen. In fact, we were laying down
the law last night that he had to do 2-hours of reading to catch up...
45 minutes in, Barb asks Jacob how much he liked the book she got for
him at the library off the book list...
"I don't like it very much." Jacob exclaimed. Why Barb asks
innocently? "Well, it's all about dresses and girls... It's going to
take me forever to finish this book..."
I don't think even women like books about dresses and girls...

Coming Soon-

Church Camp 2010
Iron Chef... S.L.O. style, Guys vs. Dolls

Another... Birthday List

I feel compelled to notify all of you that Stephanie has completed her Birthday List-

Here's some tips in translation the above (for those of you over the age of TWELVE)-

convers... translation... Converse Shoes (if they make Twinkle Toes, I think those are preferred)

  . Kids today probably don't realize that I wore Converse High Tops in High School (cost: $9.99/pair)

LPS... Littlest Pet Shop

LPSO... Littlest Pet Shop Online -- Don't tell Stephanie, but this is a BIG NEGATORY, Ghost Rider.

HAir things... Any of the typical hair styling girlie items (barettes, scrunchies, twisties, bumpies, etc.)

As you may recall, Jacob provided a list and one family member was paying attention - Jessica Daniels (of the Colorado persuasion, not my daughter).  She did indeed purchase and ship Jacob his most coveted present: Crest Cinnamon flavor.

Jessica, here's a shot of Jacob in the full emotion of his THANKS-

Riddle - UNSOLVABLE

I have decided to dedicate this space to the UNSOLVABLE riddle...

I'll welcome comments on the BLOG, but if you figure it out, don't give it away.  Let others share in the challenge...

It Ain't Just 'Bout the Benjamins (aka Birthdays)

We talk the talk AND walk the walk in this house.  It ain't just 'bout the Benjamins in DIS HOUSE.

Editor's Note: When I say "Benjamins," and use the GHETTO LANGUAGE, what I really mean is "Birthday."

Example: "It ain't just 'bout the Benjamins in DIS HOUSE."
Translation: "In our family, we celebrate more than just Birthdays."

Since our forefather's landed at Gettysburg Rock in 1492 we've gathered the family in a Texas state park to celebrate Memorial Day.

Editor's Note: I can never keep the "military holidays" straight, so when I say Memorial Day it could really be Veteran's Day, President's Day, Labor Day... BUT, I do generally get 4th of July right.

We show up at the park in May (or maybe it's June) with rolling coolers.  Yes, we'd like to take this time to thank one of the real men of genius, Mr. Rolling Cooler, Cooler Roller.  Yes, Thank You, sir!  Any way, everyone shows up with their rolling coolers, kids, 'tatoe salad, barbeque-able meat, a few dogs (literally, I mean the ones with legs, as we've found nobody over the age of two-and-a-half prefers a hot dog) and all the other celebratory barbeque accountriments.

... Skip ahead to after we've eaten and played the requisite Adults CRUSH the kids softball game to the more traditional games.  Yes!  You got it.  I mean the three-legged race, sack race and finally the poop a potato game.  You may not be as familiar with the "poop a potato game," as the three-legged race, so I'll explain.  The game is pretty simple.  You put a potato between your legs and ambulate in whatever fashion works for you (without dropping the potato) to a large bucket that also happens to fit comfortably between your legs (, but sitting on the ground of course).  You then "dump" the potato by flexing your quadriceps muscles... the object is to get the potato in the bucket without using your hands.  I have a couple of photos to help with the explanation-

and-

I think that about explains it...

Jessica & Destiny PAR-TAY

It wasn't long ago that my lovely wife celebrated her 40th Birthday.  Me, being her most awesomely, amazing husband arranged a little get together.  Kids today might have called the little gathering a PAR-TAY.  They might've called it that if any kids were there... yup, no kids for Barbara and I.

When we did get home, the kids didn't want to be completely left out.  Jessica (the prettiest eldest daughter in the Daniels family) and Destiny (the most sweetest niece EVER)...

I'm sure you're wondering what pictures of a couple of teenage girls basking in the after-glow of a 40-year old's brithday celebration looks like.  Well, some say it looks a little something like this-

I feel compelled to point out -- Jessica is the one on the left and Destiny is the one playing the guitar, bass guitar that is.

Jessica's BIG Award

As school was coming to an end in June... Jessica's last few days as a spry 7th grader, we had an AWARDS ceremony at Summit Christian Academy.  You've probably seen awards ceremonies, but I guarantee this one was unlike anything you've ever witnessed.

They saved the BIGGEST award for last.  The tension was palpable in the auditorium, hushed whispers wandered through the crowd like a lost two-year old looking for his parents... who would win the coveted award.

To our surprise, and utter delight, Jessica Daniels was the name that rang out through the crowd.  She WON!  Barbara and I embraced... so proud of daughter's accomplishment.  She walked to the cafeteria stage to pick-up her LIFE SIZED award.  Then, to our shock and horror, the trophy began to move... VIOLENTLY.  It attacked Jessica, with a side kick to the chest... like a crazed ninja it cartwheeled across the stage and out a nearby window.  Me with my cat-like reflexes was able to snap off a quick picture of the attack-

Editor's note:
The above account may be somewhat fictionalized...

Here's a close-up of the LIFE-SIZED trophy-

But beware...

Church Camp - Video

Barbara and I facilitated our 9th (correction, 8th) Church of the Hills church camp this past week (July 7th - 10th).  I had twelve 5th and 6th grade boys in my cabin and Barbara had ten 5th and 6th grade girls.  I'm sure you can guess who won the "Cleanest Cabin Award," for like the twelfth year in a row... yeah, it was the girls.

But don't think it was just Barbara and I... it was a complete family affair.  Jacob (going into 5th grade) was in my cabin, Stephanie (going into 4th grade) was in one of the younger cabins, and Jessica (going into 8th grade) was one of the counselors for Stephanie's the 5th and 6th grade girls age group.

We were able to obtain a bootleg copy of the following filmed retro video account representing the early life of the famed archeological duo - Bendy & Anna Jones.  I've posted the three videos that were played in the evening services at camp... afterall, the evening service is the most attended.

Here's the 1st nights performance:

Here's the 2nd nights performance:

Here's the LAST nights performance:

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...