The boys started lacrosse camp today.  This is Thing2's 1st official day of lacrosse.  He was really excited, and Thing1 was pumped about having his little bro to kick around.  As I was leaving, I saw big brother trying to bounce lacrosse balls off of little brother's helmet...by shooting at him from about 4 feet away.

Since February, lacrosse has been a non-stop activity for the Ledin family.  Thing1's season was two practices a week, and at least 1 game every week.  His season went long because of playoffs, and then championships, and after 2 weeks off, he started his summer league, and he has games on Wednesdays, and Fridays.  I also joined a summer league, and have been playing Friday nights.  And now along with summer league, they are both in camp.  It's insane how much lacrosse is going on for us.  I'm hoping they start a master's women's team for Deniece.  She got good with a stick about 14 years ago when I played in college...because I made her play with me, and now there is usually no shortage of people who want to play catch with her.

I skated Saturday at the Martinez park with Kirk, and Steve...it's been a while, but it felt REALLY good to get out and roll around.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

07/14/08
The boys are back, and they had a wonderful time.  No poison oak, no bug bites, no sunburns, and, as far as i can tell, no withdrawal symptoms!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

07/10/08
Talked to the boys last night and the night before, and they sounded great...tired, but great, and I'm pretty sure they weren't drunk, ;-)

They are having a lot of fun.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

07/08/08

Kid update '08:
They arrived safely in Shasta, and Deniece received this photo today from Grandma's phone.  
Ahhh...there's that warm fuzzy feeling I've been waiting for.

Isn't that just so sweet?

Apparently they are not actually pounding beers, but drinking water from somebody's used beer bottle because the cups weren't unpacked yet.

Adult: "You guys thirsty?  Just use my empty beers, and fill them with water since the cups aren't unpacked!"

Kid1:  "Cool!  It will look like we're drinking beer!  I'm gonna get a beer belly!!!"

Kid2:  "I'm gonna be a lot more fun, until I've had one too many, them I'm going to get mean!"

Kid1:  "I'm gonna fight some fools for looking at me funny!"

Kid2:  "I'm going to find all the unattractive girls beautiful!"

Kids in Unison:  "BEER GOGGLES!"   *high five*

Voice of Reason: "...Or, we could just unpack the cups."

Wireless coverage is terrible up there, so this is the 1st communication we've had.  Could be a Loooooong week.

Deniece emailed me this.
"Mental Note: When we're grandparents, our kids won't think our dumb jokes are as funny as we do."

Noted.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

07/07/08
My sister-in-law Sara got married this weekend.  It was a nice wedding.  Congrats Sara and Yuki!

Today the boys went to Lake Shasta with Deniece's family to go camping.  We're staying home.  I think they'll be gone until SATURDAY!!!  I'm a mess so far.  They have spent the night with both sets of grandparents every now and then over the years, but this is the 1st time they will be away from both of us for more than one day.  Everybody kept saying, "Wow!  That's a great vacation for you guys!"  apparently because life without kids is easier.  Now, I know we'll have fun, and we'll figure things to do (and where to do it...uh, them), but honestly, I don't ever need a break from my kids, and I don't understand parents who do.

I begin to feel empty after a day at work without my family.  I know someday the boys will move onto lives of their own, but when that happens, and I begin to miss them, at least I will not be plagued by the feeling that maybe I could have spent more quality time with them when they were younger.  Nothing in the world gives me as much joy as spending time with my wife and kids.

When Thing 1 was a baby, and just starting to talk, people always said things like, "Yeah, it's cute when they start talking, but eventually they just don't stop, then it's not so cute."  Deniece and I were confused by that then, and are even more so today.  I LOVE hearing my kids talk.  I could sit, and listen to them tell me random crap about anything ALL DAY EVERY DAY.  It's true, they don't stop talking, but why would you ever want them to?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

06/26/08



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

06/24/08

Happy 6th B-Day Thing2!!!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

06/02/08
Lacrosse is over, and it went out with a bang.

2 games on Saturday at San Jose State Spartan Stadium..  The 1st was the semi-final against the Redwood City Firehawks.  They jumped to a quick 5-1 lead, but our boys battled back to tie it near the end of regulation, and ended up winning in overtime!  Onto the finals against the top seed Novato Knaves.

In the Final/Championship game the Warriors came out gunning, and built a 7-4 lead going into the 4th quarter.  The top seeded knaves then figured something out, and got 2 quick unanswered goals to bring it to within one, and with the clock winding down in regulation time, they popped another one in to tie the game in the last minute.  On to overtime again!!!

The Warriors threatened to score for most of the 1st OT period, but could not find the back of the net.  We were awarded possession for some knave infraction, near the midfield line.  The clock people on the sidelines began counting down from 10 as time was running out of the 1st overtime (which is sudden death by the way).  Our midfielder threw a desperation hail-Mary pass down field,  it wasn't a great pass, but he was really just clearing the ball from our end to be safe, and get ready for the next OT period.  However, the ball sailed right over the head of the kid he was passing to, bounced once, and then rolled into the goal with mere seconds left.  Goalie stunned, referee stunned, families flabbergasted, boys STOKED!  It was pandemonium.  WARRIORS WIN!  Northern California PeeWee B Champions!!!

It was a good day.

Thing 1 and a buddy basking in victory's warm glow.


Thing 1 with the game ball he was awarded by the coach after the semi-final.  I think we only won 1 face-off, and could not get a ground ball to save our lives, our possession was really limited, so when Thing 1 chased down missed shots to earn possession, it was very important, and the coach noticed.

I couldn't imagine a better way to be introduced to a new sport.  He is playing in a summer league that starts in 2 weeks, and then he's also going to a lacrosse summer camp, and he couldn't be happier.

Their final record with regular season and playoffs was 15-2, and in a field of 26 PeeWee Teams from all over Northern California, they came out on top.  Awesome.

Congrats buddy!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

05/28/08


I'm not sure why my videos got big all of a sudden.

By the way, I hate when people say, "All of the sudden".
Also, how does somebody go through life saying, "For all intesive purposes". What the hell is an Intesive Purpose? ARGGGGHHHH.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

05/23/08


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


05/22/08
Thing 1's lacrosse team went 12-2 for the regular season, had a 1st round bye in the playoff, won their 1st playoff game, and are now in the final 4. They play 2 games next weekend at Spartan Stadium (San Jose State). He so stoked. Thing 2 had a great baseball season, and got a lot better throughout, but before his last game he told me, "Dad, this is my last game of baseball...forever. I'm going to play lacrosse from now on."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

04/22/08

Today I filed my tank for $59.60.  Gadzooks.  A few years ago, I had a big fat BMW (7) that needed premium gas, and I remember clearly being shocked the day it cost over 40 dollars.  Today, only a handful of years later, the cheap gas in my pickup truck costs me 60 bucks.

 

I'm seriously considering one of these.  Maybe even two...I could probably duct tape them together for some added legroom.

However, the prospect of being swallowed whole through the grill, and then shat out of the tailpipe of a mini-van is not all that appealing (although, still better than being bent over the proverbial oil barrel).

Thing 1's lacrosse team is still undefeated with 10 wins.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

04/09/08
If you're a regular reader, you might remember last year when Thing1 bashed his head at school and got 2 staples on his dome.  Here's the carnage in case you missed it.

Well, that was then, and we've moved on....to this.

I'm gonna have to talk to him about that mustache.

He fell yesterday at school, and got a gnarly gash/hole from hitting his head on a cement pier block.  The result was 3 stitches.  He's a tough little dude, and smart as all hell, but he never ties his damn sholelaces!

I'm pretty sure he'll get voted Most Likely to Bleed Profusely

By the way, his lacrosse team is 7 and 0.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

02/10/08
Thing 1's lacrosse team has won their first three games, and look to be the team to beat so far.  He's still learning the game, and working on his stick skills, but he's getting a lot of playing time. 

Here he is playing Attack, coming around from X looking for an open man.  His favorite place to be is at X (behind the goal), so he can take possession of missed shots.  He REALLY loves this game.  He's got a lot to learn, but when an 8 year old who has never taken to any sport can't wait for his next practice/game, and has asked for lacrosse gear for his upcoming birthday, you know he's psyched.


Thing 2 who told me a couple weeks ago that he wasn't going to play lacrosse next year (he's too young this year), but stick with baseball instead, has since changed his tune after watching his brother's games.  Now he wants to be a lacrosse goalie. He's playing REALLY well in T-ball this year.  On Saturday, he was hitting well, and made an amazing stop.  2 games ago, he made a nice play at 2nd making a stop, and tagging a runner out.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

02/26/08

Wow.  It's almost the end of February, and I have only blogged twice this year.  I really do suck at this. 

We have been insanely busy.  Thing 1 is playing Lacrosse (Warriors), and Thing 2 is playing T-Ball (A's).


Thing 1 is having some attention issues at school, so we took him to get all kinds of testing.  We originally tried to go through Kaiser, but their method of testing children with attention issues is to have mom, dad, and teacher fill out a 2-page questionnaire...lame.  So, we found a private place that seems pretty awesome.  Turns out he's REALLY smart, but has trouble focusing.  We made that very same assessment years ago without having to spend thousands of dollars on testing.  Now I'm going to take a second, third, and fourth mortgage to pay for the treatment.  Oh well, it's money well spent if it makes school more enjoyable for him than it was for me.

Hang in there, you might hear from me a couple more times this year.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

01/08/08

Today is my birthday, and since it's my day, I'm going to air a few grievances.

 

 1)  I take my dogs for a walk every morning, and I ALWAYS carry bags to pick up their poo.  We often go when it's still dark outside, and it seems like every other time, I step in dog crap on the sidewalk that some idiot dog-walker neglected to pick up.  So there I am carrying a steaming bag of fecal matter like a good citizen, and for my efforts, I am rewarded with poopie-shoes.  Next time I see somebody let their dog poop on the sidewalk without picking it up, I'm going to rub their nose in it.  "WHAT DID YOU DO?!  BAD NEIGHBOR!  NO NO!"

 

2)  Some morons got attacked by a tiger at the San Francisco zoo, two injured, one dead.  In the ambulance, the two injured guys who are brothers were heard by the paramedics saying, "Don't tell them what we did."  Nice.  These two fools had been drinking, and were way over the legal limit, had been smoking pot, and they did something to provoke the tiger, and now, they're going to be filthy rich.  Sure, the wall might have been too low, and the zoo is dumb for that, but the boys and I were at the zoo this summer, watching Tatiana the tiger walk around, and growl.  The boys and I decided not to drink vodka, or smoke weed that day, so we weren't stupid enough to throw stuff at the tiger, or climb over the barricade, and taunt her, and guess what?!    SHE DIDN'T EAT US.  I think the case should be thrown out, and the city/zoo should ignore those fools and send every responsible zoo visitor a couple bucks of the settlement money.

 

3)  When I was young, I rarely got sick, so I could use sick days for whatever I felt like...mostly sleeping, video games, and other non-sick activities.  Now that I'm older, and get sick a bit more often, and have kids who get sick, I am forced to use my sick days VERY wisely.  Most of the time when I'm  sick, I still go to work, since I know that between two kids, and the viral/bacterial cesspool that is elementary school, I'll need ALL of my 10 allotted days to care for them.  So, there I was this morning...my birthday, kicking around the idea of staying home and playing the Wii all day, but the wiser, adult version of me that I try so hard to suppress, made me realize that I can't be an idiot quite as much as I'd like to.

 

4)  I was holding a door open for a lady I work with, and she was kind enough to thank me by saying, "Wow, your beard is getting really grey, you know what that means right?"  To which I replied, in an intentionally uninterested tone, "No, what does that mean?"  "It means its time to shave it off!"  Gee, thanks lady. 

     My beard has a tiny bit of grey in it, but I have a section under my lip that is REALLY blond, and people think that's grey.  I actually think it's cool to go grey, and I enjoy that each year when I grow my beard I see a little more grey.  The excitement is similar to when I first got pubes. Yeah, I'm changing...maybe for the better, maybe not, and sure it's a little scary, but either way it's exciting.  I don't really know how it's all going to pan out, but it's still pretty cool.  Grey hair, and pubes...I'd say I'm almost a man.

For my birthday this year, I want everyone I barely know in this office to totally ignore me, and I will do them the same favor.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1/01/08
Happy New Jeer

We went down to Rancho Mirage for Christmas, and my entire family was there.  Mom, dad, brother, sister, nephews, niece, wife, and kids.  It was awesome to see everybody.  Thanks for making the trip guys, and thanks for having us mom and dad!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

12/20/07
Playing with my phone, and Adobe Imageready:

This almost made me barf making it, and watching it. 
I'm spinning in my chair, and I'm HAULING ASS.  That's why I look all tight-lipped, and queasy.

Here's a couple more:








I = dork.  Sue me.