JEDI MASTER

WINTER IS COMING

THANSKGIVING 2011

NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH

Our church took time to highlight adoption and what that can mean for families. Here's a video of part of the service in which we participated.

STILL HERE

I just haven't had anything I believe is worth putting here, and I've had a photo-block of sorts. I've got a few more weeks of traveling, then, maybe I'll try and get whatever creative juices I have going again. I was asked to teach a class at church, starting in January, so I'm trying to figure out exactly what to teach, and how to teach it, something I haven't done in awhile.

A WALK IN THE WOODS

NO MORE CHILDREN FOR ME...

...though not by choice. This past weekend Liz and I participated in a 22.85 mile bike ride to raise money for cancer research. Before setting out, I was more concerned whether my legs would hold up, but that wasn't an issue. The folks that laid out the route did a pretty good job finding roads that didn't have too many hills, though at one point Liz was saying we should have done something like this in Indiana, as they have no hills.

We completed the ride in 2 hours and 25 minutes, and I have no idea whether that is good or bad. I will say, we never passed anybody who was riding, but did get passed at least 5 or 6 times by folks who were at least in the mid-fifties. Yes, there is hope that I too can be skinny and fit when I get to my fifties. The other kicker was there were three routes-20 mile, 50 mile, and 100 mile. When we got to the intersection when you choose the 20 mile, or 50/100 mile route, Liz and I took the 20, and everybody else was taking the longer ones. Good for them, they weren't planning on having kids either.

Maybe I'll try the 50 mile next year.

CLEVELAND AIRSHOW HIGHLIGHTS

This past Saturday, myself, Will, Liz and two of their friends attended the Cleveland airshow. Here are some of the highlights:

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

POINT A: Me

POINT C: Granny and Grandpa

POINT B: I happen to catch Granpa and Granny leaving a Culver's Ice Cream store while going to visit a customer who has a book store in the same parking lot.

BUSTED!

BROWNS TRAINING CAMP

Grandpa Kelch, Will and I went for an hour or so to the Cleveland Browns training camp this past Thursday. I've never done that and am glad I went. It's a way you can get up close to the players, and the best part is it's free. These two guys are really the only ones I know, plus Hillis is on the cover of the latest Madden NFL video game, and if you're a football fan and watching the Browns (who's kidding who, does anyone outside of northern Ohio watch the Browns?), Hillis doesn't go around guys, he leap frogs over them...a beast of a guy.

UPDATE, SORT OF....

I'm always annoyed when people don't update their blog. I realized it's been two weeks for me, and that's too long. Nothing of importance has happened, but I thought I'd post any updates, however, trivial (though some are not trivial to all involved).

1. Liz was able to get a different, and better paying job, and will start next week. She's going from ice cream to groceries...the fruit department to be exact. Though I expect they'll see what a good employee she is and she'll be taking on new responsibilities before she knows it.
2. Will got his first job...a paper route. I never had one, but my friend Mark did, and it got me thinking back to a long time ago, when I would spend the night at his house, and we had to get up while it was still dark to deliver the paper, something I've never enjoyed. If I recall right, he had to put the inserts in the Sunday paper, whereas, Will does not. Thankfully. On the weekends, I get up to help Will, because I enjoy spending the time with him, and I've actually enjoyed walking around the neighborhood when the birds are still getting out of bed and the light of the sun coming up is still dim.
3. We are homeschooling Liz as we've done all along, but we've enrolled Will in what they call K12, a program originally designed by Bill Bennet, but now administered by the state of Ohio (in our case). The nice thing is the state provides all the computers, books, labs and equipment we need, and it's sent to our door-all free. Well, I say free, but it's actaully my tax dollars at work...finally. I think it will be the right set up for Will and his style of learning.  I just set up a new desk for him and wired up all that "free" computer equipment they sent.
4. Speaking of school, Sean will start Kindergarten this year. As he likes to say, "Good Times."

CAMPING

We left last Friday afternoon to meet up with Dawn's folks, her brother and his family, as well as her sister. We stayed at Hueston Woods State Park in Ohio, in the primitive section, though they don't call it that. They say it's a sight without electric. As you can imagine, they don't have cell towers nearby and though a pit toilet is a hot spot, it isn't a wifi hotspot, so we were without access to the digital world. I begin to really miss it when I don't have it, and realize I didn't miss much when I get back to it.

It was hot and humid while there but we were fortunate it didn't rain the whole weekend ( a tenters nightmare). We packed a fair amount of activities in, I think I lost 1 pound, and now we spend the next few months wondering if we should give up tenting altogether.

Summary of events:
1. biking
2. fossil hunting
3. playing in the clay (photo to follow)
4. taking pictures
5. horse back riding
6. swimming
7.sweating
8. campfires
9. playground
10. geocaching
11. smores
12. stuck in traffic (the ride home)

JULY 4TH HOLIDAY WEEKEND

FUN THINGS TO DO WITH SPARKLERS AND A DELAYED SHUTTER

Dawn needed some time from the boys, and I wanted to go to a National cemetary I knew about to take a few pictures, which seemed appropriate since it's July 4th. So I picked up dad and away we went. 

NEW SPORT?

NO TIME...

...to blog. Been traveling to MN, N and S Dakota the last two weeks. Now in Nebraska. Maybe next week, I"ll get some photos from these last few weeks up. Need to get some rest first.

NICE STORM

Out our door from yesterday's storm

JUNE 6

Somebody is turning 5 today!

THINGS WE SAW AND DID AT THE ZOO

SMALL TO TALL

I'm starting to be amused at the height difference in the kids. Caught this while at the Akron Zoo last night.

BEAUTY IN THE WEEDS



MY LATEST BARN

On the way to Bedford In.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

I have four mothers in my life, each significant, each of whom have played an important part in my life. My mom, who raised me and loved me, cared for me and now prays for me. My mother-in-law, which sounds so legal and dry. She is more than a relative by law, she is a wonderful person who also cares for me, with words of wisdom, by being patient with me, and taking an interest in me as a person. She also gave me the third mother in my life, my wife, who has by far, been the most patient with me and my childish ways. She has also been a great mother to our children...I could not and would not want any other women to be a mother to my children. She is perfect for them! Finally, there is a women who gave birth to my youngest child who could not take care of him, and had to let him go. I ask God to bless her in great ways and to fill any holes or hurts she has not knowing where her son is. Please let her know her son is doing fine.

To all four of my mother's, I love you all and appreciate everything you mean to me.

AKRON ZOO 04/29/2011

THEY SAY IT'S SPRING HERE...

TREE

BROTHERS

The boys often take naps together. Big brother is literally big brother.

WEST SIDE MARKET

Cleveland isn't exactly L.A. or New York City, Phoenix or Miami. Manufacturing is gone, the Cavs stink, & winter is too long here for my tastes, but if you look hard enough, there are some charms about the place. There is a sense that people who stay here are trying their best to make a go of it, and that I like.

So it was on a news show I saw a report about this food market in the shadows of downtown Cleveland. We piled into the van this morning and headed out on a 60 mile trip from our house, in less than ideal weather. But it was worth it.

The last market I've been to like this was the Seattle Fish Market in...Seattle. Since we didn't get an early start, the crowds were a bit much, but even that added to the buzz of the place.

Oh the delicacies, meats, cheeses, fresh baked bread, peanuts, coffees, cupcakes, cookies, apple fritters...

...bananas, peppers, banana peppers, grapes, strawberries, mangoes...

...a variety of popcorn, olive oils, pastas, and candies.

Oh, and the booth selling all things Asian had this bottle of carbonated Peach soda with a lid I could not get open. In fact, we just brought it home where I pulled out the pliers and still could not get the cap off. I then noticed the marble on the top must have something to do with this perplexing packaging. Come to find out, you push the marble down through the blue part, and it rest in a cradle while the soda pours out.

Dawn said the bakery items were the best part, which explains why we brought home a bunch of goodies, including Red Velvet, Mocha and Chai muffins.