This weekend (9/29)

Saturday :

8:00 AM - Cross country meet at Glenoak H.S.  Parking is $2, otherwise I believe the event is free. 

2:00 PM - Brendan Soccer game vs. CSA Impact, Lodi field 6

4pm-5pm - Nathan working the popcorn booth at Giant Eagle at the Strip for cub scouts.  Come soak up the adorableness :)

6 PM - Jackson Boys' Varsity game.  I'm going to a concert with a friend, but Mike and the kids might be going. 


Sunday: 

I don't know?  I don't think there's anything planned.  I'm sure something will come up.

Red Solo Cup

God, that song is catchy-yet-annoying.

The Walsh thing was tons of fun!  According to Damien, there were 300 Canton United folks there.  I wonder if he uses the same crowd estimation tools as the National Park Services for protests on the Mall in DC?  It didn't really look like that many people to me, but who am I to argue? :)  A couple of the poor dads were stuck on grill duty the entire four/five hours, turning out enough burgers and hot dogs to feed a gazillion hungry adolescents and their parents.  Feel bad for them.  Some of the parents took the tailgate part really seriously and actually brought cups and alcohol.  I guess it's not a tailgate without booze?  Oh well, at least it was WAY more orderly than the nonsense at the Muni lot before Browns games.

Brendan's friend Tyler showed up with shockingly orange hair.  He played a game earlier that morning against Copley and wanted to show his team spirit.  His mom wasn't amused :)

Anyway, we ate, we drank, we overfilled trash cans.  The women won 1-0 and then came and hung out and ate with us.  The men were down 0-1 at the half against Ohio Dominican.  It was cold and starting to rain, so we scooted and I never found out if they won or not.

This weekend (9/22)

I have no idea.  Brendan just got back from 6th grade camp and he says he's too tired to run the Malone race tomorrow.  We'll likely be spending a lot of time at the hospital visiting with my grandfather, who is still there, along with Mike's grandmother, who just had surgery today (and is doing well, from what I hear). 

I can tell you for sure that there is no soccer for either child.  So, no trip to Lodi for us this weekend!  Thank goodness, because otherwise I might lose my mind.

Saturday afternoon we're getting together for George's birthday, and Sunday there's a Canton United event at the Walsh University soccer games (women at 12, men at 3-ish).  The boys are wearing their uniforms and being introduced on the field, and the parents are tailgating.  What's not to love? :)

So, whatever.  If you need us, call.

Malone Invitational/ Upcoming Running Club Race

Brendan is hoping to run in the kids race during the Malone Invitational this weekend.  That, of course, is entirely dependent upon how well he does on his Math test on Tuesday, so we shall see.  Pencil it in.

It's Saturday, September 22, 2012, and his race starts at 8:30 am.  There's a $3 charge for spectators.  I have absolutely no idea what part of campus the race is on, or where we're all supposed to meet, but I'm hoping there will be signs.  It's only a 1k, so it should be over in under ten minutes or so, so don't be late if you're hoping to catch it :)  If he does well, award ceremonies begin 45 minutes after the start of each race.

Also, next week, on September 25, they are planning a race with the Viking Running Club, and possibly Perry and one other school as well, 4:30, near the tennis courts behind his school.  I can't make it, but hopefully someone can attend and cheer him on if they're free!

Soccer results

Liberty:  A hard-fought tie!  3-3.  It was a very exciting game and Brendan played well.

Ambassadors:  Well, that one didn't go quite as well.  They lost, by quite a lot.  Oh well.  Learning opportunity :)

This weekend (9/15)

Saturday, Brendan has two games:

Canton United vs. Liberty Red - 3:15 pm - Field 20

and

Canton United vs. Ambassadors - 4:30 pm - Field 1

We'll probably grab dinner afterward, if anyone's interested in joining us. 

Also on the agenda:

- Destinkify my dog Abbabella Louise.
- Maybe a re-do of my birthday party, but I'm inclined to reschedule for a time when Granddad's feeling better.
- Oil change.  Way overdue.  Way.
- Pack for Brendan's 6th grade camping trip next week with his class.  Natey will be an only child for a couple of days!
- Pack for Brendan's other camping trip next weekend with boy scouts.  Such a little social butterfly, that one.
- 8 gajillion other things I'm probably forgetting . . .  Being 34 is tough on the brain.

Perry Cross Country Results (edite!)

I'm not really 100% sure this is accurate, because I asked him this morning while I was still waking up and more than a little groggy.  But I think he told me he finished in 29th place, out of 47 boys.  Pretty awesome, I think!

Edited to add:

Turns out he was actually in 27th place!  Even better! :)  Not surprisingly, all of his soccer teammates did really well.  Lots of practice running, lol!

Good luck!

Good luck to Brendan at his first cross country race today against Perry!  I know he'll be awesome.

My grandfather (updated)

is having fairly serious surgery today.  All thoughts and prayers welcome and appreciated.


UPDATE:

Last I heard, the surgery went well and they're cautiously optimistic about his chance for recovery.  Will keep everyone posted.

UPDATED: This weekend (9/7)

Brendan's first games of the fall season.

Two games, one recently added:

September 8, 2012 -

vs. ????????           - 9:00 am - Lodi Field 4
vs. Whitecaps Teal - 10:15 am - Lodi Field 16

Also, I may or may not have to go to the doctor at some point, since it appears that I've been infected with the Bubonic Plague.  If you see me for the next few days, just wave from a safe distance.

You've got to be kidding me.

Now he wants to join the chess club.  You know who I'm talking about.  Captain Involvement. 

Labor Day 2012- Letchworth State Park, NY

We decided to spent the labor day weekend at Letchworth State Park, in New York this year.  A friend of Mike's from work recommended it.  It's known as the "Grand Canyon of the East," and it's super cool.  We had the best time.  We're so very lucky to have two kids who are so adventure-ready.

I'm going to upload some photos, mostly of the kids.  I'll try to add some of the cool scenery later.

Best family photo ever! 

We also had a chance to take a tour of the Mt. Morris Dam.  A very funny and enthusiastic member of the Army Corps of Engineers took us on the tour, which included going down inside the dam, 20 stories underground.  It was very dark and damp and chilly and echo-y, but pretty cool.  The kids spent the rest of the day gleefully making up sentences using the word "dam" to sound like they were cursing, without getting into trouble.  It was pretty much just like vacationing with the Griswolds.

You can still make either one giggle maniacally just by mentioning going on a "dam tour."  Try it!  It's pretty funny.

Halfway down the 127 steps to the lower falls.  Taking a break to be adorable.

The boys, with the Middle Falls in the distance.

All four of us, plus the Middle Falls, and a telescope :)

Monkeys.  In a tree.  They spent about 25%* of this trip up in trees.

My boys, at Wolf Creek.  Aren't they the sweetest?

I love this one.  It's the background on my computer at work right now.  It's going to come in handy on those cold, dreary winter days to bring a smile to my face!

Other highlights:  really nice campground, clean bathrooms, most sights easily accessible by car, hot air balloons lifting up over the valley (!!), and no problems with raccoons or other wildlife, but we're pretty good about keeping food put away properly.

This one's super sweet, too.  The boys wading in the Genessee River.  As always, I sort of got us into a spot.  It was really hot and I was desperate to get in the water.  Any time you were closer than 345 feet above the river, there was a sign saying you couldn't go in.  Finally, we managed to get the scoop from an insider about a place where you could go wading.  Well, maybe not state-endorsed, but at least without much interference :)  So, we set off for that place, on a trail that was supposedly only .5 miles long and "easy."  Har har har.  45 miles and 9000 feet of elevation* later, we finally found it!  The kids loved it.  I told them they weren't allowed in above their knees.  If you look very, very closely, you can see one little dry spot on Natey's shoulder in this photo, so you can see about how well that worked out.  They listen like rabbits.  Also, Nate managed to kick Mike's lens cap into the river, and they went looking for it but were predictably unsuccessful.

Anyway, in this photo, Brendan is building a dam to try to trap water in a pool, and Nate is making a mud painting on that rock.  I sat behind Mike as he took this picture, with the fading light making them glow like little angels and thought "I am going to remember this moment forever." 




*This may be a slight exaggeration.  Slight.