Spring is here and this past weekend felt like summer which is great with me. It has been a couple months since I had a chance to sit down and write my Babble. I am sure everyone has had Babble on their minds and been thinking about nothing else. So for those of you who feel that way I am glad today I am taking care of your Babble fix.
A lot has gone on since my last letter and almost all of it has been good. As a family we had a great Christmas and Holiday season. We stayed close to home and just enjoyed watching the boys play basketball and enjoy their Christmas gifts and time with each other. Karyn and I both didn’t like the no snow for Christmas but I liked the warmer winter. Both Max and Drew got metal detectors because their uncle Chad had one and they have been obsessed since they went metal detecting with him last year. If anyone knows a good spot to metal detect and find some good stuff please let us know. The boys tried in Florida but no treasures yet.
My 9 year old Max played in a 3 on 3 tournament in early January with 3 friends and they won first place. They were all very excited and I felt like I was watching some future FHE basketball stars. My youngest son Drew also played basketball over the winter and he had a great season. His coach Les Williamson did a great job with the boys and Drew really enjoys playing. He often wakes me up in the morning with his dribbling on our hard wood floors. My wife Karyn hates that they dribble on her hardwood floors, but I secretly love it because I love knowing they enjoy practicing sports like I use to when I was young. I coached Max’s YMCA team and we had a fun year and Max played on another team through MBA with coach Mike Denbraber who did a great job. I thought MBA does a good job and I am hoping we can do the same thing next year. It was a great basketball season for both boys and all the kids I coached did a great job and were all great kids.
In Mid-February we took a family vacation down to Orlando and went to Disney. We invested in Disney points about 10 years ago so we go to Disney about once per year and we have a great time every time we go. Having the points allows us to stay on property which makes it super easy to visit the parks and enjoy all that Disney has to offer. Like most people we get tired of paying $12 for a hotdog, the crowds, and the same tasting food, but all the other great stuff helps us forget those items. We were really impressed with the changes at Downtown Disney, which they now call Disney Springs. We ate at a new place called the Boathouse twice, and we loved it. What also helped make it a memorable trip was my parents were down there to join in the fun. Drew also had a friend down there at the same time and we spent some time with him and his family. I highly recommend Disney if you have not been in a while. Just email Karyn, she knows most of the tricks now to make it a better vacation. Fast passes before hand are a MUST!
When we got back it was almost spring and baseball season. Last year my older son played for a travel team called the Flames. We had a nice experience with them but that team sometimes interfered with little league. So Bill Jerow, Sonny Thompson, and my-self decided to branch off and do our own travel team so we could control the coaching and development of the kids, and the schedule, so we could do travel and little league. We began November 2015. We are The Northeastern Gorillas. We recruited 10 boys who are 9U to play and found a good indoor facility to practice at once per week all throughout the winter. The three coaches were hoping for the best but prepared for a very mediocre first year. The boys worked very hard and their progress has been great. We have had a couple of scrimmages and the boys look very good and I think we will be better than we thought. I am also super pleased how our logo turned out and how all of our jerseys and gear look. Bill Jerow did most of that and did a fantastic job. He took our ideas and made them happen on our gear and hats. It has been a rewarding experience creating this with a great group of dads and families. I am very excited to see it all come together and be better than I imagined.
My youngest son Drew attended the practices this winter with his older brother and the Gorillas. He is 7 and a pretty tough little boy. But this winter he really took a big step in baseball. Because he got so much practice and got a lot better he is going to play with his older brother in the kid pitch 10 and under league. I am very proud of him and I can tell he loves playing with his big brother and his friends. He has turned into a very good little hitter.
My wife Karyn is doing great. I have a retraction from an earlier Babble. She is NOT training for a marathon but a 5k. I got a lot of heat for that. Right now Karyn is looking for a nanny for the summer and possibly next year. Our long time nanny is having her own baby and leaving us in a couple of weeks. We are all very sad to see her go and I know Max and Drew will miss her a lot. Karyn is not liking trying to find someone, so please say a prayer for us that we find someone as good as our last one. It is not easy and I can tell it is stressing her out a lot. The evidence is we are going through bottles of wine and Bell’s Smitten’s much faster than usual.
As 2016 is getting going I once again reflect and realize just how lucky my family and I have been. As always life isn’t perfect. When we got back from spring break my car battery was dead. That really stunk. 2 days ago our water heater leaked and ruined our carpet again for about the 4th time in 2 years. So I have to pay for a new water heater. When I did my taxes I had to pay a bunch more to the government than I planned which REALLY stunk. My lawn is a mess and I have to pay someone to re-seed and cut some trees out. There are squirrels in our attic and had to get critter control to come out and get them. So like everyone I have lots of good, and some bad moments. That’s why I am trying to stop and remember how lucky I am but when I saw the water by the water heater this week, I must admit I did not think that. I might have lost it a tiny bit. LOL
On the job front I really like my new job at Inlanta and my co-workers are great people to work with. I think 2016 is going to be a great year professionally and personally, and I look forward to this summer coaching the Gorillas and spending time with the family at our cottage. With all that being said…Karyn, Max, Drew, & I want to wish everyone a Happy Spring & Summer!
