Bowl-a-rama!

Emma was invited to a bowling birthday party last night so the rest of us decided to tag along and do some bowling ourselves. While Emma was busy dancing, giggling and bowling with her 5 year old gang....we introduced Logan to the fine sport of bowling.

Here he is with his very first attempt.

Needless to say, he was a natural (gets that athletic ability from his Mother)

Look at that perfect roll! Right down the middle.

Now it was time to show them all how to really bowl..

Go Mom!

What form!

Yes, Tyler is bowling with a pink bowling ball........

Good job Tyler!

I stole a picture of Emma bowling....Good form Em!

Logan heading back to the bench for a drink...it's hard work bowling with a ball that is a third of what you weigh,...

It was another fun night for the Kirby Krew.

 We bowled, ate pizza and spent some time together as a family. 

Now that the kids are getting older, it's so nice to be able to get out and do activities outside of the house.

I grew up watching my brothers bowl..my parents used to belong to bowling leagues and someday, I hope Kirby and I can do the same!

"Well my dear daughter, the Lord has called them home."

One of Michele's close friends lost her father to cancer yesterday. Although we don't like to see loved ones go, it's empathy and compassion that bring old friends together for love and support during this time of need. Michele will be going to the visitation tomorrow and because I will be out of town, I wanted to make sure that I could find someone to take care of the kids so that it would be one less thing for Michele to be concerned with. Our friend will be taking Emma and Logan for the evening and I was excited to tell them that they would be having a "play day" with Taylor and Nolan on Friday night.

So on our way to school - I gave Emma the big news about going to Taylor's house. She of course wanted to know why I wouldn't be there to pick them up from daycare and wanted to know where Mommy would be that night. I felt that it was only fair to tell her the truth of the friend's passing to which she responded in the most gentle and sweet way possible, "Oh man, I've really had a lot of people dying in my life lately."

I was completely caught off guard with this innocent but powerful statement and I needed to know more. What had I missed? I waited for more from my baby girl as I opened the car door for her. "What does that mean, Em?"

"Well, Emma B.'s uncle died and I feel bad for her. Miss C's grandma died too and that makes me sad. And Grandma Judy's Mom and Big brother died too..... Dad, why does God make people die?"

I was reeling. Her friend from school and daycare had lost an uncle. And Miss C., a paraprofessional in that same classroom, did indeed lose her grandmother recently. But my own Great Grandmother died last October and Uncle Ray has been gone for a few years. "Well sugar," as I tried my fatherly best to be honest and faithful, "God needs some people in heaven more than he needs them on Earth. And sometimes when people are in pain on Earth, God takes them home. Do you understand, dear?"

She responded as only a 5 year old could........"So, is that why Michael Jackson had a heart attack?"

I didn't know she had the King of Pop in her life...... what a sweetie!

"Your weekend will be Comped, Sir."

I don't regularly rub elbows with high society. Seems it's those high falootin' folks that are constantly "comped" for their meals or travels. When in reality they are probably the people that need it the least. Every once in a while, good fortune falls in my lap and this weekend was filled with fun - free of charge.

As if being excused early from jury duty wasn't enough of a gift, Tyler and I hit up the MSHSL State Hockey Tourney, Class AA games on Friday night compliments of Poppa and Gigi Frie. It has quietly become a Spring tradition that I look forward to each year as the snow melts. Dick's work as an Athletic Director has made it possible to secure some great Club Level seats. Through the generosity of his grandparents, Tyler and I were witness to the second longest State Tournament game ever! .... a 4 Overtime affair with Minnetonka beating Hill-Murray 2-1 Thanks Dick and Marilyn!

With a Friday full of hockey, we wondered what the next day would bring. It didn't take long for Saturday to morph into another wonderfully inexpensive day! I caught word of the Rink Rat Appreciation at Korbel Arena earlier in the week and was trying desperately to talk my wife into another family outing. The kids were excited for one last skate of the season and I even talked my Father-In-Law into donning a pair of skates, something he hasn't done in 50+ years! I learned that my wife has come by her competitive nature honestly. At first when I offered Poppa Ray my other pair of hockey skates he politely declined. After I reminded him that he wasn't to scared to give the water slide an attempt last summer, he asked what size skates I had. Everyone to the rink!













The Open Skate was free and Pine City Youth Hockey gave each skater a
Hot Dog - Cookies - and a Slushie... the smiles cost extra.














I left the rink on Cloud 9 and was literally brimming with gooey happiness not thinking the day could get much better. It did. After a delicious porketta meal, courteous of my wonderful wife, Michele and I headed out for a night on the town. With Poppa Ray in town and March Madness on TV, we had an in-house sitter for the evening without the constraints of having to pay extra for a date night. To top that off, we still had Christmas gift certificates for the Cambridge Movie Theater that my dear sister had given us, essentially insuring us of a cost free movie outing. "She's Out of My League" proved to be a good laugh and provided Michele with some giggles at my expense. I guess she noticed some comparisons between the Beauty and the Beast story line and our courtship. - A perfect Saturday.

Sunday dawned with a summer like forecast and I found it hard to believe that Tyler and I would actually be downhill skiing. But thankfully, that's what we did. In February each year, I take the 6th graders to Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls and each year I've been invited to a Chaperone Appreciation Day. I never took anyone up on that offer until now and boy am I glad I did. Tyler and I had a great day on the costless slopes. Lift tickets, equipment rental, lessons and lunch were all GRATIS. An hour of Ski Instruction with only one other student immediately set Tyler at ease. Can you believe that? We got Ryan, a 19 year old amicable Ski-Bum, to teach and cheer on Tyler for an hour! The thermometer hit 66 degree that afternoon and we both "bit it" a couple of times in the slushy snow but left there with all of our faculties still intact! No doubt - a great experience for Tyler and I to share.








After Logan got snubbed from the Hockey Tourney on Friday night, I was thinking hard how I might make it up to him. From the moment he awoke on Sunday morning, Bear had his sights set on a little squirrel hunting. He spotted one such rodent rummaging around in the back yard and immediately jumped out of his jammies and into more appropriate hunting clothes. It was some sight to watch him stalk around the neighbors' yards with his PopGun. Michele and I almost came unglued when he came in and asked if he could have Gunner come help him. As the day wore on, his aspirations of a successful hunt did not waver. I got word at Wild Mtn. that Bear wanted "to go huntin' wit Gunner and Daddy" that night. And so with Poppa Ray and Tyler glued to the Gopher's basketball game and the girls off to watch "Alice in Wonderland", my youngest son and I capped off one of my Best Weekends Ever - Compliments of the Good Lord.



A wonderful walk in the woods with a Boy and his Dog - really makes a man feel FREE.







Quick break before climbing Mt. Everest.... compliments of Outdoor Plumbing and Mother Nature.



I wish every weekend was like this........

Nice day for a Sunday drive........

The snow is melting, the sun is warm, time to get the bikes out!

Logan mastering his new bike from his birthday last October.....

Emma was determined to pick up anything she found on the blacktop and show us..

Then it was time for some playground fun!

Please, oh please.......let it be Spring!

For the love of Saturdays......

Here's a few highlights from our Saturday!

*We watched Tyler play basketball today.  They played an 'intense' game against Princeton and won.  Tyler was responsible for guarding their top scorer and held him to 7 points.  What fun to watch!

*Took a spin through Cabela's, that place is crazy on a Saturday!

*Had a good lunch with Papa Ray and got to spend the day with another favorite Grandpa.

*Emma: "Daddy, why did God create commercials?"  (she was excited to be watching Snow White and was not happy with the commercial breaks)

*Logan: "Thank you Mommy for the remote."  (random thought from Logan as we were driving just because I let him hold the remote)

*Just finished day 6 of our P90X work out.  Kirby and I kicked, punched and blocked our way to a successful first week! 

Today, it was a good day.........

Sometimes having too much fun makes you really, really tired......

We've been busy!!!!

But busy is good right? 

Papa Tom came for a visit and the kids loved having him around.  They tackled, tickled, laughed and giggled for a few days.

Logan and Papa Tom also got to spend some quality time together over a MONSTER cookie one morning. (Logan is still talking about that big cookie.)

Emma and Papa Tom got to spend some time together SHOPPING at Walmart. (the result was a new barbie)

And Tyler spent some time with Papa Tom driving around on the lake with the 4 wheeler (watch out local drivers, Tyler LIKES driving)

Fishing has been good out on the lake.

Fishing has been good inside the ice house.

And Emma and Logan tune up their skills for the start of the Olympic Hockey games.

But, with all this fun and excitement, sometimes a little boy just gets tuckered out.......

Sometimes you just have to take a nap, no matter where you are or what you are doing.....

Even if the USA men's hockey team is playing CANADA for the gold.....

Sometimes having too much fun just makes you tired.

A little reflection....

I'm stealing this from another blog I frequent because it 'hit' home a little bit today.  I'm already trying to plan for this summer and next fall and it's 4 months away..... Ummm, hello?  How about planning for  today, the right now?  So, after I hit "PUBLISH POST" I will be spending the rest of my day with my kids who are at home with me.....  and maybe watch a little hockey. 

Enjoy!

The Dash Poem, by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

So tell me, how are YOU living your dash?