Soccer Lessons

I haven't been posting lately because the beginning of the school year has hit us like brick. With Kathy working as the cafeteria manager at the kiddos' school, and with me being at the beginning of the school year, we haven't had much time for anything but eating and sleeping (and not much time for those, either).

I have mentioned in past postings that Nicholas is playing soccer for his school's middle school this year, even though he is in 5th grade. Practice and games have taken up every other day and the weekends lately. However, this evening's game made me the most proud.

Keeping in mind that Nicholas is in the 5th grade and he's playing for a middle school team, he doesn't get much playing time. He averages 5 minutes at the end of each half if he is lucky. He doesn't seem to mind, and we have encouraged a "team player" mentality when it comes to sports. God bless him if he has inherited his dad's athletic ability.

Tonight's game was his crowning moment so far this season. And he didn't even play. There was anotherplayer who locked his uniform in the school today and was unable to play. Recognizing that this other player was an intergral part of the team, Nicholas offered his jersey and cleats to this other player so he could play. The coaches didn't ask him, the players didn't ask him. I truly believe that he knew that sacrificing himself would benefit the team. I actually was angry when I saw the other player with his jersey, until I found out it was a selfless act initiated by Nicholas himself.

Whay do we have our kids play sports? To learn teamwork? To learn sportsmanship? To learn empathy? Nicholas seems to have learned all that already. He didn't score a goal. He didn't block a goal. He didn't even play - but according to his coach, he was the hero of the game.

Techno Geek Collaboration with Bobby and Zoo's Icam

Before we went to the Zoo, I was IMing Bobby and he said how much he wished he could go the zoo with us. I had found a Rhino and Gorilla Icam on the web when I was searching for zoo information. I told him about it, and in using it we found that you can zoom in on the observation deck at the rhino exhibit. So naturally.....

When we got to the rhino exhibit (about 4:30) I called Bobby. He got on the Rhino Icam and zoomed in on us, captured the page, and cropped the inamge in Photoshop. Pretty cool, eh? Anyway, here's a slideshow of what he took.

The Cincinnati Zoo: August 4, 2006

Two slideshow sets:
Animals at the Cincinnati Zoo (28 pics about 2.5 MB)
Family pics at the Zoo (24 pics about 2 MB)

Newport Aquarium - August 3, 2006

Check out this slideshow of the Newport Aquarium.

Wildwood Inn - August 2006

Slideshow of Wildwood Inn "Tropical Dome".

Kings Island 2006

Here are some pictures of our annual trip to Paramount Kings Island yesterday. Melissa, Papa and the boys were at Boomerang Bay when we got there, so they aren't in most of these pictures. We had great weather (90 with overcast, little humidity and no rain) and the lines were short (we walked on most rides). Great time!

RiverSweep

Last Saturday, June 17, the family and I help my father-in-law, Bob Rasmusson, with this year's RiverSweep. It's an annual thing we do to help clean up the Kentucky River and its banks. The effort of so many volunteers has really paid off. Each year there seems to be less and less trash to pick up.

The kids have fun playing on the beach and getting a few rays, though.

Check out the slideshow with some more pictures.

Read the Richmond Register's newspaper article about the event.

Rebecca's New Brownie Picture

Just received Rebecca's pictures from Brownies. Ain't she cute?

Alec makes front page

Check out Alec on the front of the Richmond Register, August 9, 2006.

Pictures from the Past: Kings Island 2005

Here is a slideshow of some pictures I took when we went to King's Island last summer.

The reason I post this is because Todd and his family are coming in this month, and we are all going to Kings Island on the 21st. More pictures to follow!

First Movie in 2 Years

Kathy and I took the girls to see Over the Hedge this evening. Nicholas was spending th night at a friend's house and we had some movie bucks the kids got for Christmas in 2004....so...

Really a cute movie. Go see it.

Old Video

Here's an old video I put together in 1998 of Nicholas when he was just two years old. I had an iMac and some digitizing equipment at my school, so I took some analog of Nicholas, put the clips together and added some titles. Much more work than it is now, eight years later.

A Day Out

Memorial Day 2006

A slideshow (yes more Slip-n-Slide shots) from mom and dad's house on Memorial Day 2006. The SnS is Alec and Michael's (they got it for their birthday).








Here's some video:

Tryin' Out the Slip-n-Slide - May 27, 2006

Here's a slideshow of the kids trying out the Slip-n-Slide Nicholas got for his birthday. As a bonus, I'm including a few videos as well.

Video #1


Video #2


Video #3

2006 Safety Fair

Just posting these pictures from the 2006 Madison County Safety Fair. Here are some slideshows:

• Nicholas on the rockwall


• Rebecca on the rockwall


• General Safety Fair pictures

Easter 2006

Check out this slideshow of a few Easter pics

Dinosaur Museum!

This is the 4th Dinosaur Museum I have been to at St. Mark School. Nicholas in Pre-K, Rebecca in Pre-K and Kinder, and now Emily in Kinder. It is such a great opportunity for those students to showcase what they know and for parents to share in the rich learning environment that is a Catholic school.

What are you - a carnivore, omnivore or herbivore? I think I have become more of an herbivore since the Episode! Here is a slideshow of Emily and her classmates ( I blurred the nametags to protect the innocent).

Emily Loses First Tooth

Check it out here.

Papa's 64th Birthday!

Everyone gathered at my folks' house last night for cake and ice cream to celebrate my dad's 64th birthday. That's right, he was born a leprechaun (or at least on St. Patrick's day). I cannot remember a birthday celebration of his that did not include green. For comparrison, see photos of the "Big Bash" mom had for him 4 years ago. Here's a slideshow with some more pics.

A Visit to the Animal Shelter

St. Mark's Scouts visited the Madison County Animal Shelter yesterday as part of a service project they are doing. They were able to learn about the shelter and visit with the animals. Kathy helped chaperone and had the girls tagging along. You can see their pictures in this slideshow.