The Goldenrod File

Hallum Reunion 2009

2009-09-30T21:40:00.002-05:00

How much fun did we have at the family reunion?
Ton. Swimming, fishing, diving from a rope, singing.
And eating, of course.

Hallum Reunion 2009

2009-09-30T21:36:00.001-05:00

How much fun did we have at the family reunion? Ton. Swimming, fishing, diving from a rope, singing. And eating, of course.

Hallum Reunion 2009

2009-09-30T21:28:00.005-05:00

How much fun did we have at the family reunion?

Ton. Swimming, fishing, diving from a rope, singing.

And eating, of course.

Day at the pool...

2009-09-30T21:14:00.004-05:00

It's not just swimming.

It's swimming.

It's fun to swim at the Y-M-C-A.

Abbie and the 'Boys

2009-08-02T22:46:00.002-05:00

Abbie and the 'Boys

2009-08-02T21:47:00.003-05:00

Abbie and the 'Boys

2009-08-02T21:18:00.005-05:00

Abbie was plucked from the crowd by Cowboys' wide receiver Roy Williams when we visited their training camp at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Unbelieveable!

River rats!

2009-06-27T17:06:00.003-05:00

Daddy, Mommy, Tess and Miles (Abbie was with a friend) went to the San Marcos River for a dip the other day to beat the OPPRESSIVE heat!

Abbie/Daddy campout

2009-06-27T10:48:00.001-05:00

Abbie went camping with Daddy for one night at Palmetto State Park, just outside of Luling. It was hot, to say the least, but we cooked some burgers and fished and swam in the San Marcos River and made a camp fire. It was a great deal of fun, and we wished we had more time. On the way back, we stopped at one of the really good Luling bbq joints and knocked out some brisket.

Abbie/Daddy camping

2009-06-27T10:44:00.002-05:00

Some more shots from Palmetto...

Trophy time

2009-06-27T10:13:00.003-05:00

We had a great season this year with the Marlins. We lost only two games and finished second in the league, which was pretty good because the top team was by far the best, most experienced team in the league. Miles was one of our best players, and proved to be an accomplished fielder and a smooth lefty hitter. He's got one more year in t-ball next season. Here's a photo and video from the awards ceremony.

Crossing the bridge

2009-06-27T10:10:00.002-05:00

Abbie's troop "crossed the bridge" into the next level of Girl Scouts at a special ceremony in a very pretty old church in Buda. Hannah and Jacqueline are posing with the Blackwell girls in the top photo.

Cinderella Ball, 2009

2009-06-27T10:04:00.003-05:00

The girls and Daddy went to a Girl Scouts' Cinderella Ball and had a ball. We did some dancing and some eating and some laughing. If you dance and eat and laugh on the same day, it's usually a pretty good day. Beautiful girls! Madalyn and Ana - two girls in Abbie's troop - are between the Blackwell girls in the bottom photo.

Marlins at Chucky Cheese's house

2009-06-27T09:59:00.002-05:00

Several of the Marlins gathered following the season for a birthday part for Ryan Glover at Chucky Cheese's house on Ben White in Austin. Pizza and fun was had by all. Daddy and Miles also got in some good video game time.

Easter!

2009-04-18T09:54:00.002-05:00

Had a fun Easter with the kids - they look awesome, of course!

Bluebonnets 09

2009-04-18T09:42:00.002-05:00

Angie saw a bank of bluebonnets on the side of the road, so we stopped and snapped some good photos on our way back from Dallas recently.

Ice dancers

2009-03-06T12:35:00.002-06:00

While in Oklahoma, we hit the rink for some ice skating in Oklahoma City. And by "hit" that's what we did, especially Mike...Fun-fun-fun! No, I didn't use the brace for very long...

Happy birthday, Tess

2009-03-06T12:34:00.003-06:00

Celebrated Tess' birthday in Oklahoma at Chili's - she got a new game for her Nintendo DS...She also shared some fun with Aunt Jen and cousin Justin.

Tess and her crew...

2009-03-06T12:31:00.002-06:00

Tess had a recent outing in Austin with some of her friends. She is the life of any party!

Phoenix has risen....

2009-03-06T12:29:00.003-06:00

Went north to visit/hold/kiss/change Phoenix for the first time last week. We had a great time - I think she already likes Mexican food and the Dallas Cowboys...The kids didn't want to leave - in fact, Tess said she can't wait to have a baby of her own to play with!

Beware the Timberwolves

2009-02-09T12:46:00.003-06:00

One of our parents snapped this photo of Miles' basketball team that I'm coaching - the Timberwolves. Tough bunch of little dudes...Also including a recently-received action shot of Miles running the point.

Christmas in Norman - Part III

2009-01-04T18:20:00.001-06:00

One more good shot of the girls...

Christmas in Norman - Part II

2009-01-04T18:16:00.000-06:00

More Christmas photos...

Christmas in Norman

2009-01-04T18:05:00.004-06:00

We ended the year in fine fashion, with our traditional Christmas in Oklahoma. It was anything but a traditional year in 2008, and we certainly had plenty to be thankful for during the holiday season.

The year include Melva's very, very serious medical issues, from which she has rebounded, thanks to the wonders of medicine and and healing power of prayer, not necessarily in that order. Lester had serious health issues of his own (and a few graphic stories to tell), and so did Dad this year. Tess had two surgeries (ear tubes, tonsils/adenoids) and Miles one this year (ear tubes). I lost another organ (it took some gall).

Angie and I were very proud of the girls this Christmas. Larry has done some work with an Oklahoma food bank, and the girls spent an afternoon working there while we were in town. They enjoyed it, and it's going to be a tradition for them, helping with getting the food to needy families. They are so gifted: smart, athletic, beautiful - but the reason they have such great destinies is their hearts. They are very loving girls, very giving girls, and we can't wait to see what wonderful young women they become some day.

But I hope it takes awhile.

You might not ever get rich . . .

2009-01-04T17:55:00.002-06:00

. . . but let me tell you it's better than diggin' a ditch.

We didn't have "Car Wash" blaring as the kids washed the van this weekend, but they did good work anyway. It was January 3 when they did this, and it was about 75-80 degrees outside. It's supposed to be winter, but...

Abbie on wheels...

2008-12-09T20:04:00.003-06:00

Abbie and Mommy went to a skating rink in Austin to celebrate Allison's birthday...Beautiful girls! Especially the one in the pink do-rag.

For the birds...

2008-12-09T20:00:00.002-06:00

The kids got various bird accesseries - AND, they got to paint them! Tweet-tweet!

Michael & Ashleigh visit

2008-12-09T19:58:00.004-06:00

Had a good time visiting with Michael and Ashleigh, who stayed a few days after flying in from California. It was also good to see Grandmother Ina - she may live to be 200!

Thanksgiving - 3

2008-12-09T19:42:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving - 2

2008-12-09T19:41:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving 2008 - 1

2008-12-09T19:36:00.003-06:00

Had a great visit to Abilene for Thanksgiving - took lots of photos! Had some laughs, got a bunch a gifts, had even more laughs. It was fun. We're all very blessed! We always have Christmas in Abilene on Thanksgiving, then have Christmas at Christmas time in Oklahoma. I'll post these as a series of posts, because you can't load too many photos on one post. Hence, several postings...

UT vs. Baylor, 2008

2008-12-09T19:04:00.003-06:00

I lucked into some tickets to the UT Alumni Center, and while Angie was working the concession stand to raise money for our softball team, me and the kids hung out at the Center watching the game on the big screen and eating free food, and drinking free drinks. We did some tailgating, met the cheerleaders and watched the team unload from the buses before the game. Fun!

Update

2008-12-04T13:54:00.003-06:00

Well, I've been awful about posting for the last, oh, six weeks or so. We've had a ton happen - Tess is a black belt, Angie's a year older, we've elected a new president...At any rate, within the next couple of days I'm going to drop some more posts on you. Sorry for the delay...

Miles...north of the Red River

2008-10-17T20:40:00.002-05:00

Miles spent a few days in Oklahoma with Grandma and Grandpa and all of his other Oklahoma peeps. He had a great time, as you can tell...That's Miles wearing the helmet, not Larry. Miles said during his stay he had a wonderful time: he went to the movies, ate ice cream, got toys and...learned from Larry what the bathroom terms No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 mean. Thanks Grandpa!

More Halloween shots...

2008-10-17T20:33:00.001-05:00

Here are some individual shots of Cowgirl, Zombie Girl and Hulk.

Tess...minus tonsils and adenoids

2008-10-17T20:29:00.002-05:00

Tess was a bit rocked coming out of anesthesia last week. She was thrashing about in this bed...Miles touched her, kissed her, then was a bit upset in Angie's arms. All is well now.

Chee-tah, Chee-tah, Chee-tah!

2008-10-17T20:21:00.002-05:00

Abbie and her crew (with their moms) took in the recent Cheetah Girls concert at the Erwin Center. Good times...good times. If you weren't there, you are not part of the in crowd.

Kick'em all out!

2008-10-08T14:09:00.002-05:00

Here's an excerpt from a recent New York Times article about a member of the House of Representatives. Check out the type of "legislation" these guys are passing. Great quote at the end...this really sums up a lot of the problems we're having in this country, that's for sure...all, while Rome burns....

Then he asked for a list of the three bills to see if he really did want to vote yes: A nonbinding resolution “recognizing that we are facing a global food crisis.” O.K., Davis said puckishly. That’s a yes.
A second resolution “expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the emergency communications services provided by the American Red Cross are vital resources for military-service members and their families.” O.K., another yes.
A third resolution “condemning the use of television programming by Hamas to indoctrinate hatred, violence and anti-Semitism toward Israel in Palestinian children.” A third yes. “They read me pretty well,” Davis said, chuckling at the absurdity of it all.
Then he shook his head. Three resolutions offering platitudes, none of them carrying the force of law, none of them actually doing anything. Davis asked for a list of all 20 bills on the floor that day — naming post offices, recognizing the anniversary of Bulgaria’s independence, honoring an old American war sloop.
Davis wanted me to have the list. “Tell them about the important work we’re doing while Rome burns,” he said.

Grandma B and Miles

2008-09-26T21:30:00.003-05:00

Grandba B and Miles had a great time when she and Papa B watched him during the day while Angie was in Oklahoma. We caught them horsing around in the front yard just before they left for home. The other night, while laying in bed, Miles said - out of the blue - "I miss Grandma B."

Check out Grandma B's sprinting style - she looks a little like Jesse Owens.

Abbie volleyball debut

2008-09-26T21:00:00.004-05:00

Abbie played her first volleyball game last weekend - here's a quick little video of some of the action - her first serve! Also some still photos before the match began. Go 49ers!

Tess "Black Belt" Blackwell

2008-09-12T20:16:00.006-05:00

Here's a video of Tess doing her Black Belt testing last weekend in Round Rock. She is required to break these two boards. We'll find out in a couple of weeks whether or not she passed, but we're pretty sure she did. She's been doing this for three years now, and we're very, very, very proud of her...

First day of school

2008-08-31T18:50:00.003-05:00

The girls were the hit of Blanco Vista Elementary School on the first day of school. Such beautiful girls!!!! Pink appears to be the color theme on Day 1.

Abbie from India...

2008-08-31T18:48:00.003-05:00

Abbie and Mommy worked on Abbie's "look" for a recent gathering of Girl Scouts. The Cheetah Girls movie that all the girls were watching was filmed in India, hence the Indian theme. Abbie looked beautiful, as is always the case, of course...

Good rain

2008-08-31T18:37:00.002-05:00

It had been so long since it had rained, a couple of weeks ago the kids insisted on getting outside and frolicking a little bit. It was a nice August reprieve.

Oklahoma museum

2008-08-31T18:34:00.001-05:00

The kids enjoyed a trip to the museum when they were in Oklahoma this summer. The alligator with the sharp teeth bears a striking resemblance to Bob Stoops...

Jeff Gordon?

2008-08-31T18:19:00.003-05:00

Not sure if Miles will become the next Jeff Gordon, but he made a go of it when we were at Fiesta Texas. The shades were an especially effective fashion statement.

Fiesta Blackwells

2008-08-30T17:27:00.002-05:00

We took a quick day trip to Fiesta Texas a few weeks ago in San Antonio. The girls read a certain amount of books, and that allowed us to get them free tickets. It was originally just a "girls only" trip but Miles and I talked our way into the deal! Haha!

At any rate, we had a great time...

Ode to Melva!

2008-08-30T17:19:00.004-05:00

We've gone a long while since our last post...so much to talk about, so much going on, so much to be thankful for!
First and foremost, Melva had/has some serious medical issues, and had major surgery a couple of weeks ago. It was scary and emotional for all of us, most of all Larry and Melva, of course, but also Angie and Jennifer. All of us lean on Melva so much, and the love and care she gives us all is immeasurable. She's a beautiful, loving, giving, sharing woman of God that we all admire, and just the thought of having to deal with such serious medical issues was and is scary for us all.
Fortunately, it looks like the doctors are optimistic - she's been given a clean bill of health, and we're all convinced about the power of prayer, having seen it first hand with Melva. Our friends and church prayed, and so did the folks in Norman, of course, and Abilene.
Doctors point-blank said it looked pretty rough, and then the tests came back clean. Sometimes in the middle of all of our day-to-day trouble: gas prices, bills, problems at work, etc., it's sure a thrill to see God's grace in action.
Melva, we love you.

Hoops video

2008-08-11T14:33:00.000-05:00

Hoops video shot by Fox 7 in Austin...check it out at

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/Sports/Detail?contentId=7181624&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=6.2.1

Quote of the Day

2008-07-31T16:53:00.003-05:00

Another good quote for you, though I'm not sure who it came from - saw it in an email, and I liked it:
"Life isn't about waiting for a storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."
Nice...

Abe Lincoln quote

2008-07-23T11:00:00.002-05:00

It's been a few days since I last posted - it's been busy with family visiting, then Angie took the kids to Oklahoma for a few days...we're still busy with taekwondo, softball and basketball as the summer continues to move toward school, etc.

Ran across a good quote to remember, from one Abraham Lincoln, and this one is a good one as our politicians step up their efforts to "out-negative" one another. Abe said, "When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will."

That's a good one to remember...

The Shadow...

2008-07-09T13:48:00.002-05:00

Miles leaned over to look at the crab leg Abbie found the other day at the river. When he did, we got a great shot of his Larry Gardner-esque shadow...

Fourth of July

2008-07-09T13:44:00.002-05:00

Great shot Angie took on our way to watching Fourth of July fireworks in Kyle....

River rats

2008-07-09T11:11:00.009-05:00

Angie worked a ton last week, and the kids and I spent some of that time a couple of days by going to the San Marcos river. Lots of people, but lots of fun. In front of probably 200-300 people, I slipped on the smooth rocks at the top of the dam and busted bottom. Blood emerged from my ankle and shin. The kids, on the other hand, walked and played unscathed...

Including two or three videos, as well as a couple of photos...

Team Elite

2008-06-26T21:25:00.012-05:00

Here's a good look at Tess during her demonstration performance the other night. Good stuff. They are Team Elite.

Water dumping

2008-06-18T09:55:00.003-05:00

This was taken just moments after we won the league championship - that's a three-peat for us, going back to t-ball. Abbie dumped ice water on daddy, and it was very cold. Felt good! All the other girls then took turns dumping individual cups of water on me. We had to win the last game of the year to clinch the title, and we did, 4-1.

Father's Day weekend

2008-06-18T09:44:00.004-05:00

Had an awesome Father's Day weekend. On Saturday we had a softball tournament, and we tied one game and lost two. The good thing is, we played better in the last game than we did in the first two, so I suppose that's progress. Still, it's hard for us to play against leagues that have a larger pool of players from which to choose their team. We have our sectional tournament this weekend, and we probably need to win at least a couple of games to advance to the next round.

Abbie made on particularly tough play Saturday - fielded a hot grounder up the middle and threw for the out at first.

Later that night, I took Abbie and a friend, Emma, to the Round Rock Express game. Including some photos and a video here. Had a great time. The girls talked a player from the Memphis Redbirds into tossing them baseballs, and they had them both signed by J.R. Towles, a catcher who was with the Astros earlier this year.

Wonder World

2008-06-18T09:29:00.006-05:00

I've been meaning to mention our Wonder World Girl Scout trip from a few weeks ago. Had a fun time - Wonder World is a little park in San Marcos that has a cool cave (above which sits a gift shop, of course), and we all went to check it out on a Girl Scout field trip.

After going down into the cave, we were able to drive through another area and feed deer, and we went up on a tower of some sort, too. Temperatures in the cave were much cooler than above ground, where it's been brutally hot.

The cave guide led us down into the cave, and told us about old card games that used to be played in the various chambers, and explained about the geology of the deal. Part of the cave walls are big bolders, and the guide flipped the lights at one point to show everyone how dark it can be. He also talked about the time frame of things, i.e., if someone was caught down in there and was unable to espace, they'd have "x" amount of days of oxygen, and he said that madness would set in after about a week. Not so sure if it would take that long, personally.

Check out the photos...

Happy 46th to daddy

2008-06-17T16:29:00.002-05:00

Ran across this video a few nights ago. I hadn't seen it before. It was taken sometime in February, obviously, at Mamacita's in San Marcos.

Quote

2008-06-10T14:33:00.002-05:00

Read a recent newspaper column that had the following quote from a letter written more than 100 years ago by an Austrian poet named Ranier Rilke:

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything."

I'm assuming that basically this means worry only about the stuff you can control and let the other things go. Easier said than done! What this has to do with who is going to win this week's U.S. Open golf tournament, I'm not sure....

Miscellaneous

2008-06-10T14:26:00.003-05:00

Hey - well, where do we start today? It's been a long couple of weeks, so we haven't updated lately. We'll touch on a bunch of topics:

*NBA - Kobe and the Lakers should win tonight (Tuesday), now that the series is back in L.A. Celtics shot 38 free throws compared to Lakers' 10 the other day in Game 2. I still think L.A. has a decent shot at winning the series - the Lakers haven't been beaten at home since March.

*Kids - the kids are gone to Abilene for a few days, so Angie and I have a bit of an empty nest. Angie took them to Goldthwaite to meet with Debra and everybody else, and they all are having fun. We wondered how Miles would do, but he did great - slept with Abbie all night after Debra slept with them both initially. Way to go Milesy!

*Angie - Angie's working a pair of marathon, 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. shifts on Tuesday and Wednesday, since the kids are gone. She may be dragging tonight! Love ya, Ang...

*Abbie - Abbie was Camper of the Week at her basketball camp last week. She has softball camp next week...

*The Governor's mansion was gutted by fire this past weekend, and evidently it was arson. I went over and took some "far away" photos - couldn't get too close. Investigations are still ongoing - the structure is more than 150 years old, so they'll try and save it. The Austin American-Statesman had some pretty devastating-looking photos of the interior today. What motivates someone to do this kind of thing?

*We've got a practice game with North Hays Optomists tonight. It'll be weird to be coaching without Abbie being in town to play.

Pool sharks

2008-05-28T13:57:00.003-05:00

Went to the pool with the kids on Monday - Angie was working that day. Here are some photos....Ironically, I was the only one who got scolded by a 14-year-old lifeguard. Abbie told me I could go headfirst down the pool slide - so I did, and I made quite the splash. I think the lifeguard was mortified to see such a flying load of goo blast out of the end of that slide into the water.

Houston trip

2008-05-28T13:48:00.002-05:00

Took a day trip to Houston last Sunday - we got a couple of Astros tickets from a woman at work. Miles and I went to the game against the Phillies (Phillies 15, Astros 6) and Angie took the girls to the Houston Zoo. Including a couple of pictures here. Miles said, "This is my best day ever." We walked all over the ballpark - ate nachos, Cracker Jacks, Sprite, Diet Coke, cotton candy. Mmmmm, good....

Minute Maid Park is unlike any big league park I've seen - I've been to several big league parks: Astrodome, Fenway, Wrigley, Ballpark in Arlington, old Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, Anaheim Stadium...The roof was closed, and it just felt like you were indoors, which we were. I can't describe it, but it was odd, and there are no bad seats in the park.

Another Tess video

2008-05-23T10:19:00.002-05:00

Here's another Tess video from the Ft. Worth tournament...there's another one just below....

Tess video - taekwondo

2008-05-23T10:14:00.002-05:00

I've been meaning to post these videos for awhile, but couldn't figure out how...Let's try this now...These videos are from the recent tournament in Ft. Worth...Very impressive stuff, if you ask me.

Birds of a feather

2008-05-23T09:43:00.004-05:00

We have a swallows' nest at the corner of our front door, and we have three little baby birds. The kids are having fun watching them every few days. The mom and dad bird fly in and out of our front entrance-way constantly, and stay there overnight....Here are some photos....

Abbie's #1

2008-05-23T09:08:00.003-05:00

Great picture of Abbie, who just received her championship trophy at closing ceremonies. Hopefully, in 10 years or so, we'll have a pretty hefty collection of photos of the kids with a trophy in one hand and signaling "#1" with the other.
Of course, it's most important that the kids have fun, rather than win the championship.
Of course.

Anniversary recap

2008-05-23T09:01:00.003-05:00

Haven't had a chance to recap our anniversary last week. Our friends John and Sharee watched the kids while Angie and I spent a couple of hours at Red Lobster in San Marcos. Sharee dropped a $40 gift certificate on us, so that was great...
We came home around 10 and called to see about the kids, and only Abbie wanted to stay all night at John and Sharee's house, so we drove over and picked up Tess and Miles! It was fun...
Including a photo of Angie rockin' the dress!!!! That's our self-portrait, above.
We had a great time...ate a lot of shrimp....We reserved the same table for May 16, 2018....

Scientist Abbie

2008-05-22T16:18:00.002-05:00

Like Tess, Abbie had a really good school year this year (school is out next week, and both of the girls are glad about that)...
Abbie was given a medal for finishing in third place in the science fair for the second grade. Her experiment involved finding areas of sensitivity on people's arm. Or rather, people's fingers, hands, forearms and upper arms.
She taped from paper clips to some index cards, made people hide their eyes, then would ask them if they felt one clip or two. Turns out, the higher up on your arm you go, the less sensitive you are. The fingers are more sensitive than the palm, the palm more sensitive than the forearm, the forearm more sensitive than the upper arm, etc.
What this has to do with what kind of year the Longhorns will have in football is unclear.

Author Tess

2008-05-22T16:11:00.005-05:00

Tess is now officially a member of the Tobias International School Author's Club...Angie, Abbie and Miles watched Tess as she was presented the award, and she also got to meet the namesake of the school, Rosalio Tobias, a long-time school board member here.
The book is about a girl who does not want to wear her shoes to school, and part of the story involves stepping on a nail, etc. It's good stuff! I really love the picture of Tess in front of the other students.
Tess has had a great school year - in addition to the Author's Club, she has also been named to the Alpha-H program, for gifted and talented students. All of this while gaining her black belt in taekwondo this year as well.
Way to go Tess!
She is also saying that she is seven and one-quarter years old now....

A Capitol walk

2008-05-16T16:07:00.004-05:00

Took a walk to the Capitol today and snapped a few pictures. Storms hit the area hard on Wednesday night - high winds and deadly lightening, etc. Once when I was working in radio in Brownwood, our weather guy and myself had an argument about the term "deadly lightening." I am of the opition that any lightening is "deadly lightening" - he is not. He's wrong, of course.

At any rate, sorry for that digression. Lots of stately old trees bit the dust in the storm - I've included some photos of the grounds. On my walk, I stopped at the Texas Historical Commission, which is housed in an old church - I've included some photos of that as well. This is a beautiful building, and I've included photos of the alter, a stained glass photo of Jesus with children, and a shot from the alter up and into the balcony. Someone has an office up there, and they read and file historical books, etc. It must be a pretty nice gig - you read, you chronicle historical items, and at lunch, you read a sports page on line by the sunlight that shines over Jesus' stained-glass shoulder...not bad.

Also, I took some shots from the Clements building, but those aren't as cool as these, and I didn't have enough space to add them here. Some 30-something windows were blown out in this storm, resulting in water and carpet damage, etc. Mother Nature don't play.

10 years

2008-05-16T15:52:00.002-05:00

Today Angie and I celebrate our 10th anniversary. Yay us! Ten years ago, I stammered through our wedding trying not to ball like a little titty baby, then we spent the night in Oklahoma City prior to getting up the next day and heading to Hawaii, via Atlanta, Ga. I remember we saw Little Richard in the Atlanta airport. Womp-bomp-alubahm-alum-bam-boo.
Tonight we're going to drop the kids off with our friends John and Sharee, then we'll get something to eat, and beyond that, we haven't made any definite plans. It'll be fun to share and laugh and hang out without the kids for awhile - doesn't happen often enough.
I'm not sure you can adequately describe 10 years of marriage - in fact, I know you can't in this small space. But I will say this: I feel like my life - who I truly am - began 10 years ago. Angie brings love and heart and character and stability and warmth to me. She closes my circle. She dots my eye (hah!). She Booms my Sooner!
Ten years down - 50 to go. I can't wait.
I love you, Ang.

We are the champions

2008-05-16T13:01:00.003-05:00

Well, we did it - we won the championship last night with a hard-fought 4-1 win. We've now won three consecutive league titles with basically the same core group of girls, minus one or two who ended up on the other team.
We got the Riptide out three-up and three-down to open the game, then promptly scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. Only two runs were scored the rest of the way.
First batter of the game - on the other team - was Taeler, who smokes it to leftfield beyond our leftfielder, Jacqueline. Jacqueline chases it down and throws it to Abbie, our pitcher, who has gone into the outfield to be the cut-off man. Or in this instance, the cut-off girl.
Abbie catches it as Taeler is rounding third and fires home - one one hop - to Kaylee, who applies the tag for the out. Needless to say, that was a very nerve-wracking way to start the game.
Abbie struggled at the plate, but played great defensively. She's fearless, and she was able to deflect a pair of balls destined for the outfield, saving us at least a couple of runs. She also threw a bunch of girls out at first as well. She was VERY frustrated at making outs - she said, in the middle of the game, "Why am I not hitting?" She expects to do well, and that's good. We're trying to teach her the importance of playing as a team, enjoying your team winning when you aren't playing as well, and the importance of staying positive even when things are going not so well. "Don't let your offense effect your defense," I tell her.
Having said that, I completely understand her frustration. She gets real hacked off when she makes out, and that's good if you can channel it into something positive. Not so good if you let it drag you down and seap into other parts of your game. One good thing, though: after her second out, she said, "Daddy, do you think I'll get to bat again?" She didn't get to, but she was anxious to get that bad taste out of her mouth. She wasn't dreading coming to bat again, she was embracing the chance to come to bat again - there's a big difference between those two things, and she gets it. That's a good sign for the future.
At any rate, rambling, sorry.
Second-to-last inning, we're up 4-1 and we've got two outs and one person on base. Pop fly just above second base, and our shortstop and our second baseman collide trying to catch the ball, which rolls away. Now we have runners at second and third, two outs, and we've up by three runs. We replace both the shortstop (Mellie) and the second baseman (Chelsea), who leave the game dazed and scraped, but we managed to get the third out without allowing a run.
Last inning, once again they get runners at second and third, two outs. I say to Abbie, who's pitching: "Abbie, if we get this out, we're the champions."
Abbie had no idea this was the last inning - she raises her eyebrows and drops open her mouth. She suddenly realizes how close we are.
Ground ball to Abbie - scoop, toss to first, ballgame. She throws her glove in the air and jumps to me - we've won it! Then a few minutes later, Abbie dumps ice water on my back. Not on the other coaches, only me, of course. The other girls then see this as a chance to dump their individual cold waters on me.
I was soaked - but it was a good soaking. Before the game I told the girls the first-place trophy was THIS BIG and I tiptoed and put my hand up as high as I could reach. And I told them the second-place trophy was THIS LITTLE and I put my hand about a quarter-inch off the ground.
Saturday we'll get the big trophy at closing ceremonies.
I'll try and add a couple of photos from our championship game when I get them.

Thursday

2008-05-15T16:44:00.002-05:00

Moved to another office today, the fifth move of my 2-plus year career here at the agency. I like the new location - it overlooks the UT tennis courts, and I can also see the Erwin Center (Super Drum) from the window. Nice to see the sky during the day.
Tonight we play for the league championship. I think we have to either win, or not lose by more than five runs to take the title. Yes, that's weird. We've played them twice before, tied them one and beat them by five. So if they beat us, the tiebreaker will be point differential. The players, of course, don't understand this right now, so we'll just encourage them to field, hit and put their hat in the right place so they don't lose it in the dugout. Keep is simple.
Hot and muggy today, the day after a terrific storm. One of our buildings had blown-out windows, so I took some pictures of that.
More tomorrow...

Weekend report

2008-05-13T09:17:00.002-05:00

Well, shoot. After winning convincingly Friday night against our league rivals, we lost 10-8 on Saturday morning. That means we have to win Thursday to clinch the league championship. I feel pretty good about our chances, but then again, it's 7-8 year-old girls we're talking about here, so nothing is guaranteed.
On Saturday, we were ahead 5-0 after the top of the first inning, then our bats wilted.
Tess mentioned this weekend that she wanted to play softball next season - it was kind of out of the blue, but if she wants to, it'll be fun. Three kids - three divisions - three teams!
Had a good mother's day weekend - we went Saturday night to Hill's Cafe to watch Melody Mann, a band we like, play music. We went with the Partains, so with our kids, there was 10 of us. The kids danced in front of the band - lots of fun. Followed that up Sunday by going to watch I-MAX production pertaining to the Grand Canyon, and that was a good time as well.
We have taekwondo tonight, practice for Abbie on Wednesday,taekwondo and a game on Thursday night. Miles' season is over - he played some pitcher and did a nice job, and got on base each time he hit. He matured a great deal from the first game until now, but still has some ground to cover. He's a good boy.
We found out last week that Tess has qualified for Alpha H program at school, the gifted and talented program. Also, the bond election - allowing us to build $86.7 million worth of facilities for our school district - passed over the weekend, 70-30.

Heat 8, Riptide 7

2008-05-07T09:28:00.002-05:00

What a game we had last night. Abbie's softball team trailed 7-3 going into the bottom of the last game. We had played sluggish - especially offensively - and were realistically getting outplayed by San Marcos' team.
Jack - or head coach - gathered the girls prior to the last inning and said, "Girls, let's get our five runs. We need five runs to win." And I added, "Girls, in 20 minutes, we're going to be jumping up and down after getting our five runs."
Lily starts with a hit, followed immediately by a Chelsea home run into the outfield, so quickly we cut the lead to 7-5. With no outs, we had life after all.
We have a strikeout, then a hit, then a ground out, then another hit by Angela, who was down to her last strike and had struck out in her previous at bat. So now we have two on with one of our best hitters, Kaylee, at the plate. She's a strong hitter and fast - at at this point, she's the winning run, so before she comes to the plate, I walk up and say to her, 'Kaylee, they only have three outfielders, so if you hit it into the outfield and think you can score, just keep running. Be aggressive.'
She hits the ball, but it's stopped in the infield. She makes it to first, but nobody scored. So we've now got bases loaded, winning run at first base, with two outs. We're down two - tying run at second.
Mellie - Jack's daughter - hits the ball into the outfield, so now we've got a real chance. Emmas scores from third and I'm waving everybody around as the other team gives chase to the ball. Suddenly Angela - inexplicably - stops about a foot after stepping on third and looks into the field; I assume she thought somebody might've had the ball. At this point, Kaylee is about 10-12 feet from her, so I scream: "Angela, keep going!" She scores, followed shortly thereafter by Kaylee, the winning run. Ballgame! Abbie was on deck, so if Kaylee hadn't have scored, it would've been Abbie at the plate to be the hero. I would've enjoyed seeing that - and I know she would've gotten a hit - but I'm glad it wasn't necessary.
Coach Mike got his hug on after this one. Now on Friday, if we win, we'll clinch at least a share of the championship. Fun stuff.

Quote of the day

2008-05-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

I like this one...

"We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed -- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Tess the poet...

2008-05-04T20:18:00.002-05:00

Tess proudly shows her first-place ribbon for poetry...When she brings the poem home, I'll post it...

Grandad and Miles

2008-05-04T20:16:00.002-05:00

Cool picture of Grandad and Miles...bathed in Oklahoma sunlight...

Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-04T19:26:00.009-05:00

Had a fun Cinco de Mayo celebration. Both girls were involved in a program - they looked beautiful of course. The video clip I'm going to try and include shows Tess doing her dance. Needless to say, she was flashing a bit...The photo at the very top is Tess and her friend Julian....Abbie's dancing is here, too...

Lon Armstrong

2008-05-01T13:58:00.002-05:00

Lon was my office-mate at the TFC for about 6 months, and his last day was Tuesday. A party in his behalf was held at Baby Acapulco's Wednesday night, and it was a lot of fun. Lon's a great guy - has literally thousands of jazz CDs, loves music, plays the guitar, rides a Harley. His dad's a preacher, and he grew up in Philadelphia. He spent a lot of his childhood in Africa, where his father worked, and he went to school for awhile in Chicago. His wife, Helen, died last October after a long illness; she was only 52. He's due for some good breaks, and fortunately for him, he's able to retire from working for the state. He's just a super guy, and I miss him a ton - great sense of humor, awesome with human relations with people, the type of guy who makes you think everything you do is great. You always feel better after shooting the breeze with Lon. We spent a lot of time talking about perspective and life and what's important and what's not; I've forced him to look at a lot of pictures of the kids! A lot of the world's problems were solved in office #401K...if only the rest of the world were listening!
Thanks, Lon. I'll miss you. May the wind always be at your back, and may your old cat truly have nine lives!

Weekender...

2008-05-01T13:54:00.003-05:00

All kinds of stuff going on this weekend...
Angie and Tess will head to church family camp on Friday after school, while Abbie heads to a Hannah Montana-themed party. Miles and Abbie have softball games on Saturday morning, after which we'll all drive to New Braunfels for the family camp before returning Sunday for church, after which Angie will go to work.....
Not enough time in the day...
I heard today on the radio - on my way to buying some gas - that Hillary Clinton wants to tax big oil companies. Good for her. Never thought $3 a gallon gas would seem good, but that's where we are right now.

Softball photos

2008-04-29T10:19:00.002-05:00

Couple of pictures from last weekend's tournament...really good mug shot of the Abbinator.

Quote of the day

2008-04-28T10:47:00.001-05:00

Interesting quote, courtesy of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, spoken by Mr. Magoium (Dustin Hoffman) himself: "Life is an occasion. Rise to it." Nice...

Weekend update

2008-04-28T10:34:00.002-05:00

Good times this weekend...Abbie played in a tournament, winning one game and losing two. We were slaughtered in game one (Abbie homered), won game two and lost a competitive game in game three. It was fun. Tess came down with strep throat on Thursday, but bounced back and did a taekwondo class on Saturday. Later Saturday, we kept the Partain kids - the girls had a sleepover, but Isiah called it a night when John and Sharee came and picked him up. Lots of fun. We watched Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium - fun flick.
On Sunday night, Tess fell asleep in our bed for three hours, woke up at 7 and was a bit confused. She asked if it was still Sunday, which was kind of funny. And then she was hacked when I sent her to bed at 9. She stayed awake until Angie came home...
This week is busy - taekwondo demonstration team on Monday night, Abbie game on Tuesday night, church group on Wednesday, taekwondo on Thursday, church camp Friday, Abbie and Miles game on Saturday....Busy, but fun.

Taekwondo trip

2008-04-25T16:31:00.002-05:00

Angie and Tess went on a taekwondo trip recently and had a great time - here are some pictures from that event. When I figure out how to use the video portion of this deal, I'll drop some video here as well. They stayed in a cool house and had a great time with Angie's college roommate, Jennifer Halm (a.k.a., Dawg).

Quotes for the day...

2008-04-25T10:38:00.002-05:00

Saw a couple of good quotes yesterday in various stuff I read...

"We don't recognize our most significant moments while they're happening." - Moonlight Graham (Note: Moonlight Graham played in one major league baseball game in 1905 - he entered the game defensively in the eighth inning, and was in the on-deck circle when the last out was made vs. his Giants in the top of the ninth. He then played in the ninth inning defensively, but never played another game in the big leagues. Don't feel too sorry for him, though - he went on to become a doctor. Still, a nice poignant story.)

"Criticism is like being in the rain. Once you're wet, what's another drop?" - Jack Kent Cooke

In the news...

2008-04-24T14:49:00.002-05:00

Abbie's picture was in the Free Press - our local paper - when she was snapped in the background of the Girl Scout event, behind one Elvis Presley. Also, they printed my letter to the editor, which is below....hopefully the bond will pass...

Invest in our future

As the father of two (soon to be three) students in the Hays school district, I would like to encourage everyone to vote in favor of the bond package May 10.I have spent many hours with our district's kids at church, schools and at the ballparks as a recreational coach, and can clearly see the promise and potential all of our kids have to ultimately make our world a better place. I have also worked with many of their teachers and administrators, and I feel confident that our kids are all in good - great - hands when I see them run up the steps and into their school. We're all very blessed.We have one of the top five fastest-growing school districts in Texas, and frankly, our kids need the projects on the ballot as our growth continues. Enrollment in our school district has doubled in approximately eight years; clearly there is a need here that must be addressed. Our facilities have bulged, giving our kids less direct contact with their teachers and causing us to lean more heavily on the portable classrooms.Our growth has also given the school district a chance to offer this package with no tax rate increase. How is this possible? Because our commercial tax base has also grown rapidly.Finally, I think a "thank you" is in order for all who have discussed this issue with care and civility. On May 11, we will all have to get up and work with one another and take care of our kids, regardless of the outcome. It's nice to know we can disagree without tossing one another under the bus. Our national leaders would do well to pay more attention to us in this regard, and I hope this good will continues from now until May 10.It's cliche, but true: We are truly investing in our future with this bond election. And fortunately, we are investing with our vote, rather than our money.

Girl Scouts...

2008-04-21T16:33:00.003-05:00

Here are some shots from the father-daughter Girl Scouts event over the weekend. It was fun - daddy did great with the chicken dance, not so hot with the hula hoop.

Weekend

2008-04-11T16:54:00.001-05:00

Time to go...lots going on with the kids, per usual. Abbie with a Girl Scouts sleepover, Tess with a friend sleepover, Miles and Tess with games in the morning, etc., Angie with Pokeno tonight. Always something...fun-fun-fun!
Mike

Misc.

2008-04-10T13:08:00.002-05:00

Miles' team played the Indians last night, and he hit the ball good twice, though he was forced out of the game in the last inning with leg cramps. He's had those a little lately - must be growing. He looked pretty content sitting in the stands with Angie watching the end of the game.
We had a going away lunch for Mark today at work - Brian and I went to Scholz with him. Mark went to college in Florida and said Destin was the best beach he's ever seen - white beach with clear water and lots of dolphins...sounds like fun whenever we get the inclination to go. He said you could be there in about 9 hours driving, so it's considerably closer than Colorado.
Got another game tonight vs. a Dripping Springs team we've already beaten - Abbie's team is in first place now, a game ahead of our rival in the league. We beaten them 7-3 last time I believe, so hopefully we'll take care of business. Angie and Tess have taekwondo, too, so another "late arrival" home night for all of us. The girls really do well in school, considering how busy they are. We're obviously pretty blessed.
Mike

Richards letter...

2008-04-09T13:20:00.003-05:00

Here's a letter I wrote to the girls in 2006 after the death of Ann Richards. Soon they'll be able to read this and understand it...

September 18, 2006
Girls –
Today Ann Richards, a former governor of Texas, was buried in the Texas State Cemetery. I’ve been reading accounts of her life, and I felt compelled to write you a letter for you to read when you are older and are more understanding of history. Hers is an inspiring story, and the type of story I can envision you each writing before your time on earth ends.
She was just a girl from Waco, and she raised four kids. She grew up in a time when women weren’t given a lot of opportunity to take part in the political process, and in fact, it was a time when women were expected to stay at home, rear children, cook and clean and be submissive to men. There were few women in politics, few women in places of professional prominence, and even fewer women who were on equal financial ground with men professionally. It was a tough time, tougher than any of us can imagine.
She came through that time and ran for a local office. After being a housewife (she was determined to be at home with her kids, just as your mother made the same commitment to you), she decided she wanted to run for office. She won.
But during her political life, she also had to overcome some personal problems, bumps in the road that you, too, might experience. You will have problems in your life, that you can be assured. She was an alcoholic. She smoked for 25-30 years. She divorced her husband, and had to deal with that upheaval and hurt; it was a tough time for her and her kids. When she was knocked down, she got up and went about her business. She made do.
She didn’t quit, and she was incessantly positive. She was always positive!! Every day she got up and fought forward and persevered. She worked. Every day was a new chance, a new, clean slate. And she also maintained great compassion throughout her life. This compassion was one of the reasons people were so attracted to her, and were so willing to vote for her. She was strong, but she also related to people who weren’t as fortunate as she. She was giving and approachable. If either of you decide to go into politics – really, these are lessons not limited to politics…just remember that there are people who will always need your help. Reach out!
What she did for women was simple: she gave them opportunity. She ran for governor and won, and promptly named more women and minorities to different commissions and boards than anyone in history. She gave women a chance when, in the past, others didn’t do so. She opened doors. History books will say that she “empowered” women, and that is so true. She was smart, and she did not allow anyone – certainly not men – decide her fate. You, too, can accomplish what you want if you are willing to work hard – but do so only if you maintain your compassion for others. I believe compassion and empathy are the traits that truly shape your soul and make you human. Always love others. Always. Especially those who might not get as much love in their lives otherwise. This will enrich you so much, in addition to helping others.
A funny story about Richards…Once she was at Scholz’ Beer Garden in Austin with a fellow politician named Bob Bullock (the state history museum is named after him). At any rate, with them was a black man named Charles (I believe that was his first name) Miles, another friend. Well, this was a big-time political party, and this racist old judge from East Texas came upon the group.
“Hello, Bob!” he bellowed.
Bullock shook his hand and said, “Jim, I’d like you to meet my friends. This is Charles Miles, he heads up our human resources department.”
The old judge looked at him derisively and barely shook his hand, saying, “Hello, boy.” It was an awkward moment, and Miles felt about two feet tall. What the judge said was cruel and wrong and full of hatred.
Then the judge looked at Ann Richards.
“Well, who are you, good lookin’?” he said with a grin.
And Ann Richards smiled a big smile back at the man, looked him in the eye and said, “I’m Mrs. Miles.”I’ve always thought that was a great story.
I guess I’m rambling…I just want you to do me a favor and do some reading on Ann Richards. I hope the history bug bites you as it has me…I love characters like her! Most of us – and I am included on this list – never feel like they quite have given enough to the earth, you know, to others. I guess everyone, at the end of their lives, wonders if they’ve given enough, if the world is better because they spent some time here.
I think Ann Richards probably did make this place better, and I think hers is just one example of people who have in fact maximized their time here. And there are others all around you, great examples that you should use as mentors.
Your mom is the prime example. Selfless, tireless, passionate defender of her kids and husband – that is your mother. You cannot measure the love she has for us, and you’ll never know the hours she has spent FOR US. Your grandmothers are also such perfect examples for you to emulate as well. Like Ann Richards, times were more difficult for them. They are givers, living for others, caring for others, worrying about others. These are the people you need to pay attention to. I hope you realize just how special it is for you to gaze into the kitchen and see you mother, quietly preparing your lunch each morning before the sun rises. This is a great gift!!
I just want you to take the time and pay attention to the women in your life, and strive to be like the great ones. And pay attention to each other! You both have great gifts, though they might be hard to see because you are so close. Being a woman is much more difficult than being a man – I am certain of this. You’ll have to work harder and endure more pain than most men. Allow the strong women in your life to imprint on your heart and soul. Read about women in the past. Imagine what it was like to be them – this might be the best tool to truly appreciate their significance.
Imagine being your mom, having a 17-month-old and a newborn, in a new city, trying to adjust personally while surrounded by all kinds of demands. Your mom did this – appreciate it, know it, understand it, love her for it. Remember…
Can you imagine, in the 1950s, in Alabama, and being a black woman and being ordered to give up your seat on a bus to a white man? Knowing that blacks were being lynched all around you? How strong must you have been to endure this? Read about Rosa Parks. Read about the women who had to march and protest in order to gain the right to vote in the early-1900s.
Read about Harriet Tubman, who led slaves to freedom! Put yourself in Tubman’s place – in the deep south in the 1800s, running through the woods under a moon’s glow, knowing that any minute you could be killed. But don’t just imagine the fear she must have felt, but also imagine the exhilaration! What must she had been thinking as she watched a man, a woman and their children continue on to freedom they had never known? And what strength it must have taken for her to not only get them to freedom, but to return SOUTH to save more folks? That’s the part I don’t get – standing, alone, in the dark of night, and seeing freedom just across the pasture…and then turning around, heading south. I don’t know if I could’ve done it, but Tubman did it, and I know for a fact your mother would’ve too. Just imagine that feeling!!! Frightening and wonderful at the same time!!
Your modern day role models are certainly the women in your family, in your blood, but they are also all around you in normal society. Pay attention to women who adopt children and love them as their own. When you see women break through man-made (literally) barriers in athletics, make mental note. Use them as building blocks in your soul! Pay attention to teachers. Build yourself not only with what you have – innate – inside you, but also from what you learn from others.
Each of you have a destiny – read about all of these great women, watch your mother and how she lives and loves, and gather all of this and hold it all with great strength near your heart. Talk to your mom about what makes her tick, about her feelings during certain times of her life, about love and raising kids and being a wife. Absorb. Learn. Listen. Above all else, listen!
This is something Ann Richards said that I think you should always remember, about being a woman: “Set your own course. Dream your own dreams. Go to places you want to go, even if no one has gone there before. Stand your ground."
I think that’s a good thing to remember.
I’m proud that you are my daughters.
I love you.
Dad

Concession stand...

2008-04-09T13:16:00.003-05:00

Worked the concession stand cash register last night at the ballpark. Just after I started, I opened a huge can of nacho cheese sauce, and managed to cut my thumb, which I immediately had to cover, of course. Also, the bees were plentiful, so I killed a few of those during my shift.
The rival team in our league lost in a game against a team from Manchaca that we had already beaten, so we are alone in first place by one game. We play them twice more late in the season, so hopefully we'll stay ahead of them, then if we beat them the first time, we'll have clinched the title. Winners of the league get to coach the all stars...
Going to try and post some video stuff on this deal at some point.
Mike

Easter photos

2008-04-08T16:24:00.003-05:00

In the beginning...

2008-04-08T16:01:00.002-05:00

Well, didn't realize my free yahoo account included a blog, so here it is! Going to be fun to do, and it will allow folks to see photos and funny stories about us, etc. Looking forward to doing it....I'll be posting some photos now...
Mike