A Night with the AVP

The AVP stopped in Bloomington on their 2008 Hot Winter Nights Tour, and we were there to watch the action.

Here Michele is posing with 6' 3" Kerri Walsh who currently ranks second in all-time wins.

 

Michele poses with Holly McPeak who took the women's title at the night's event.

 

Here is Michele posing with Angie Akers who finished second.

 

We had a great time, we really loved it that the athletes were so accessible. Michele's already in the planning stage to catch them in Chicago this spring.

Oldie but a Goodie

Prairieland Powerbots

Up to now I haven't blogged much about this year's robotics. I plan to post a bunch of photos and talk about the season when I get a chance, it's just a very busy time right now. This photo was taken at the Regional Tournament in Peoria.

For a preview, I do have some photos uploaded at Shutterfly, feel free to check em' out.

Victory!

 

Last night it was Parkside vs Tremont, and the final match of the evening featured our one and only Alex who came out on top. He fought like a champion.

The Disintegrator

School Board Presentation

Today, the Prairieland Powerbots robotics team stood before the Unit 5 school board to present their findings from an energy audit they conducted at their school. The presentation and audit completed two requirements for this year's F.I.R.S.T. Lego League Robotics Challenge. This was the Powerbot's 3rd presentation to "members of the community", and they were awesome.

This weekend we will be going to Chicago for the State competition, after finishing 4th in the Regional competition in December. I'll be posting pictures when I get a chance, it's been a very busy last couple of months.

Lady Madonna

Merry Christmas!

 

We had a lot of fun opening presents this year. The kids had asked for an Xbox 360 as their major gift. We got it for them, but decided to have a little fun giving it to them.

It was the only present that wasn't under the tree, so after everything was opened, we asked them if they had had a good Christmas. They both answered politely that they had, but we could tell that they seemed a teensy bit down. I then reached up towards the top of our tree and pulled out a folded piece of paper stuck in the branches and exclaimed "what's this?". they both perked up, walked over, and started reading from the note. It said:

A grand gift awaits, but you must solve this riddle to find the next clue:

I am under a place of slumber
in a room with a view of lumber

They knew immediately that it must be referring to one of our bedrooms facing the backyard where we have our wood stacked. When they looked under Nick's bed, they found a bag containing a can opener. They looked a little perplexed, but opened it at our urging. Tucked in the packaging they found another note, this one said:

I'm on the table
without a label,
open me
and set me free

They remembered a can sitting on our kitchen table that Michele and I had earlier drawn attention to. We had asked them who put it there, and where was the label? All tongue in cheek of course, we knew exactly where it had come from.

They used the can opener, and inside they found another note, this one said:

Come down...
...and PLAY!

Now they knew to run down the basement. In front of the tv they found a stack of presents containing the Xbox 360, extra controllers, and assorted games. They were delighted!

I'm sure it's a Christmas they won't soon forget.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all some good gaming. I know we will. :)

Civil War in Four Minutes

This is really cool. It's an animation showing the land held by the North and the South throughout the Civil War, as well as the casualties as they mounted. Gives a unique perspective of the war, both in the context of its geographical bounderies, and its cost in human lives.

Winter Fun

A small winter storm last weekend inspired some winter fun. Here are Alex and Nick sledding with cousins Jessica and Anna. John and I were on hand to record the event for posterity.

 

 

 

 

Wrestling

Alex has added another sport to his growing repertoire by joining the Parkside wrestling team. Here he is in his first match of the first meet, which he won handily.

 

 

He wasn't as fortunate in his next two matches, but there's a whole season in front of him.

More Jazz

Alex and the Parkside Jazz band performing their Christmas concert. These guys just keep getting better, and better.

 

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

No better way than with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, these guys Rock!

Jazz Concert

Here are a few shots taken at Alex's first Jazz Band concert. He is one of two 6th graders who were offered positions in the band, the rest are 7th and 8th graders. They sounded great, we found ourselves dancing in the atrium.

Transformation a la Nick

After seeing how much easier life has been for his older brother, Nick decided he too would take the plunge into wearing shorter hair. Here he is only moments prior to the complicated removal procedure.

 

One last look with everything intact.

 

Here we are, at the halfway point.

 

Ah yes, there's a kid I haven't seen in years.

 

Good to have you back home, son.

Grandpa and Grandma Rollin' Thru

 

Grandpa and Grandma rolled through last weekend on their way back to Iowa. We hadn't seen them since earlier this summer, and were glad to find them in good spirits and good health.

Transformation a la Alex

Alex has set his sights on the Parkside Wrestling Team which is open for tryouts later this week. After researching the requirements, he discovered his hair was too long. So today, he decided to grant access to his golden locks.

Here is the official before picture. I really didn't expect this big of a smile.

 

One final view of that hair, bangs and all.

 

We're halfway there, definitely light at the end of this tunnel.

 

Introducing, for the first time in years...Clean Cut Alex!

 

Welcome home, Son.

Halloween Fun

This year, Alex and Nick chose costumes that were much scarier than in previous years. Alex dressed up as an orc sword carrying crazed lunatic, while Nick chose to be a troll masked grim reaper. Definitely not your standard fare. They were joined by Danny (hockey player), Brian (Wrestler) and Sam (Dracula).

I dressed up this year also, well...not entirely.

I had a little accident while carving pumpkins. I've never been real handy with a knife, and on the night before Halloween I was attempting to slice open one of our gourds when my steak knife slipped...

Five stitches later...I became...

FRANKENTHUMB!

 

Here's another angle.

 

There wasn't much pain, just a lot of blood. I saw it as a good lesson for the kids, and for Dad too!

The kids ended up collecting more candy than they'll ever eat, just like last year, and the year before. And, as I did in those previous years, I'll step up as the father they can lean on...

...in these times of crisis.

Open House

 

We went to an open house at Nick's school recently to find out what he's been spending his time on. We discovered that he's been reading about the Age of Exploration (Vikings, Christopher Columbus, Cortez, Pizzaro, etc.), the vastness and beauty of Space, the fundamentals of Language, and faster techniques in Math. We also discovered a teacher who loves to teach, and whom Nick adores (Mrs. Shackley).

It's comforting to know that Nick is in such good and capable hands.

Let There be Rock

I saw these guys in 1977 when they opened for Cheap Trick in Sioux Falls, SD. It was a night I'll never forget, definitely the best live show I've ever seen.