Out Of The Ordinary

This is a random collection of mostly nonsense pictures that don't fit with any specific theme to do a post for.  In the past, I would have just thrown these up as individual posts but I'm way, way way behind and I don't have time for that many.  So I'll do a goofy post and group them together and we'll move along as if nothing ever happened?  

Deal?

Deal!

Little Calebber watching the new version of The Jungle Book.  If I laid on the floor like that for more than 30 seconds, I would not be able to move for at least a week!

Nearly two weeks ago, I got a chance to play pool against this guy again!  We have had some epic battles in the past; kicked each others butts up one side and down the other, laughed ourselves silly, argued like 10 year olds, listened to HOURS of excellent tunes, drank too many "squeaky doors" and on the rare occasion, made "donkeys" out of ourselves.  I wouldn't change or trade a minute of those times and cherish each and every minute we get around the silly little table!

Gotta love the fuel saver card from Hy Vee grocery stores, so long as you're disciplined enough to still only buy the things you would have normally bought, had there not been a fuel saver.  Twenty five cents per gallon and not quite $5 to fill up my truck!

This was stinky...  I took a day off of work to deal with Molly paperwork, make phone calls and other stuff trying to get her "estate" closed and finalized.  The photo can't possibly capture the papers and folders that were behind me too.  We getting close to being done but there are several more headaches to be had yet...

Another oddity.  A photo of a beautiful sunrise that nearly captures the beauty of the real thing that morning!

And last, a new way to watch NFL football.  That's not me but I'm guessing it's much easier to understand the rules and excessive flags during the games from this vantage point!

The First Fall Swim Meet

This is a shot of the "close" end of the pool during warm-ups.  Note that there are roughly 3 additional swimming organizations who are not in here at the time, including the Rams Swim Club, in which, Robby is a card carrying member.  It's going to be a long day...

The lad, about a half hour after the shot above was taken, warming up.  Finally...  It's going to be a long day...

There he is!  Lane 6!  Getting up onto the, uh... jumping-off-of-apparatus.

Not bad!  I'm not sure where he came in when all "4 of 4" heats were graded, but in his group, he took second.  The scores of the top 4 never posted on the board, but they were a ways behind these others.

One might wonder where Rob spent most of the time in between heats.  The answer to that is over by his coaches, Todd and Hannah, where he talked their ears off and at one point, I saw coach Hannah give him the "zip your lip" motion.

Here we are again with Robby in second place again.  And again, I have no idea where he placed when both races of Heat 22 were completed.

Here's Robby at the starting gate for his first 200m Backstroke.  He's the one without a swim cap.  How did he do?

Looks pretty good doesn't it?!?  Well, the reality of the situation is that he lost track of counting his laps and swam a 150, instead of a 200.  Henceforth, he was disqualified and made fun of heartily.  He said, "I just have to own it...".  So later on that night, I had mowed the dangerous stuff with the tractor and was ready for him to take over.  He got on the machine and just prior to starting the motor, I hollered over, "make sure you finish all of the laps!".  I giggled. 

As the inimitable Bugs Bunny would say, "Ain't I a Stinker?".

Vacation 2015, #20 - Redwoods

One post so far in the month of October and it's nearly 3/4's over... 

I don't know what to say.  I HAVE nothing to say...  I'm tired and when I get home from work after staring at a screen all day, I don't really want to stare at another one.  That being said, I haven't exactly been busting out the outside jobs that are needing my attention lately either.

So what does all of that mean?  It means I'm getting old, fat and lazy!!

Regardless, we're now on to the 20th post from last years 5500 mile vacation in a mini-van.  This time we find ourselves in Northern California somewhere where there are redwood trees.  I really can't remember where we were at during this visit...  so maybe, I'm old, fat and forgetful?

At the base of a fallen redwood tree.  That's Aunt Molly and Robby in the pic.

I think this was the same tree that had been felled, this time with two cuties who look WAY younger and smaller than they do these 15 months later!  Yikes!!

Daddy and the boys at the base of a tree.

And to get an idea of how big these buggers are, check that out!!  My "wingspan" has got to be around 7 ft, so I would guess the four of us together is somewhere near 22 - 24 ft.  This poor tree has got us by probably another 4 or 5 ft across!!!

Amazing, to say the least...

He's "on a roll"!

Caleb got the class character award.  Why?   Because he is awesome and, at school, he has a crazy-never-give-up attitude that makes him a classroom favorite!

Molly Bushman Memorial Friendship Bench

The Hillis Elementary principal asked what we thought about them purchasing a "friendship bench" in honor of Molly Bushman, their teacher and our family member who passed away on May 18th this year. 

She told us it was a bench where if a kid didn't have anyone to play with they could go there and others would be more likely to include them.  We looked them up and found the one below which everyone thought was splendid!

Molly was a beloved teacher which we saw evidence of when kids, both current and many, many years past,  came through the receiving line at her visitation.  They were the hardest people to meet as you could tell their little hearts were broken in the same, yet slightly different,  way that ours were.

It hurt then to see them suffering and I'm crying like a hungry baby right now typing that thinking back to a couple of those kids that we had/have deep concern for their well-being.  Their pain was palpable and it did not go unnoticed by our family!

So the friendship bench has been delivered and it currently sits in the office so that more parents whose kids had Molly, or that knew Molly directly will get to see it.

Hopefully it gets its rightful place in it's rightful time, on the playground so that a kid who has no friends to play with, can sit on the bench and other kids will see them and invite them into their games.  That's the idea and I pray that it works, because Molly would be proud.

I am proud of Molly as she has, and will continue to have, a lasting legacy with kids in the Des Moines Public School District... as it should be!

Its All In Your Technique

I am way behind, as usual. But more behind than the aforementioned usual. I'm not sure I can catch up at this point, but something tells me to keep on trying.

So while I have about 35 posts that require me to think and try to exude cleverness, this one requires none of that, and that, is exactly what I'm in the mood for after the mental beating I've taken at work lately.

So you'll just have to deal with it.

Our first Boston Terrier, Daisy, used to spread out on the tile floor in our apartment in what we called the 'H' position.  Imagine the letter H with her four paws being the upper and uh, "downer" tendrils of the 'H".  That's how she cooled off after playing.  Juno the Terrible, prefers the "side on the floor" method.  She's happy and keeps us happy as a family since she's not terrorizing us...

And speaking of terror, she just emptied the entire stuffed guts of her Duck toy.  Then, she jumped up onto the couch against my leg and snuggled with the carcass for a quick nap.

Above and beyond all techniques is the "reverse-couch" technique executed to perfection by the powerful and attractive, Calebber McCheese as he plays a game on the PS4.

Summer 2016, Post 5

After 4 initial "summer" posts in a row, it took a while to get to the fifth. This probably should have proceeded or followed the bak tu skoul post, but I'm "out of sorts" on nearly everything right now.  So, you gets whats you gets...

The lads with their buddies across the road.  Left to right it seems; Tobin, Caleb, Robby and Titus.  Smoothies after a great night of swimming and jumping from the trampoline into the pool.  4 years ago if you had told me that a very nervous Caleb would EVER try this, I would have declared you crazy... and I still might.