My dad always used to tease me...

actually....correction.....I should not have used the past tense....my father continues to tease me. In fact, our whole relationship is predicated thereon. But, anyway, he used to tease me about how I would tend to 'hold on' to things like some of my old toys and such. In particular, I held on to my Smurf figures and my original (not this new Lego crap, etc) Star Wars figures. I used to say that they were going to be worth a lot of money someday. Who knows if I am wrong or right, but, the other day, Callum asked me to get them down from the box in the attic so he could play with them. I have all my old Smurfs from when I was a kid and my dad would take me to Sedell's Pharmacy to buy one each week if I were a good boy...I think they were a dollar each! 

Mixed in there were also some original Star Wars people: Luke Skywalker, a headless Darth Vader (dont know where his head is), Admiral Akbar, R2D2, and some bounty hunter (not Boba Fett...some other guy), Yoda, Chewbacca, and I think someone else too. IN ADDITION, as an extra bonus, I had some original GI JOE dudes in there: One of the CobraTwins and the driver of the hovercraft that I used to have ( by the way, the hovercraft retails on ebay for 256.00 now and the Cobra Twins retail for 30 bucks....Admiral Akbar, however, only sells for five bucks). I had a WhoFramedRogerRabbit Roger action figure in the mix as well, as did I have a vintage Garfield figure.  

KRISTIN, not sure if you read this (Mom doesnt) but do you recognize the thing in the picture below about an inch from Callum's ear?????

Callum packed up all the things and brought them outside to play with them on the picnic table....he was having fun! Maira, for some reason, cannot say the word SMURF to save her life. She pronounces it FUYYRFF or something...

I just get a kick out of the faces this little minion of ours makes....

You dont have to tell me how cool my outfit is, cuz I already know. But, in this picture, let me explain what is happening. The kids had been playing in the 'Frinkrurr' (Mairish for SPRINKLER) for about an hour and were cold, so I built a campfire. Callum asked me to tell him some ghost stories around the fire. Now, it should be noted that Callum is afraid of the most non-scary things in the world. But I did my best. His favorite one...and one that he keeps telling to people, goes something like this: One day, daddy was paddling his canoe out on a big, cold, deep lake all by himself...when, all of the sudden, a HUGE MONSTER pulled up in a canoe right next to him!!!!! The monster paddled right over to Daddy in his canoe when all of the sudden Daddy said, in his loudest voice, 'OH HI UNCLE JON!'"

I think I was telling that story in the picture below...

Summer Sprinkler Sessions

We have been doing this each afternoon for like the past three days....the kids have a blast and never want to stop....yesterday, after they were done and 'cold,' we warmed up by a campfire out back. The cool thing about summer vacation is that, at 2:39 in the afternoon, I can sit out back with my wife and kids and have a campfire and read THE MAGIC TREEHOUSE books.....

We love the Quarry Road Race Series!!

A beautiful weekend weatherwise....we havent had any rain for almost a week, and that is saying something for up here! Usually it rains every single damn day. So we will enjoy this while we can I guess. Or not. Or whatever. Amanda got out to go see Allison Krauss and Willie Nelson with her friend last week...and on Friday she had a girl's night sort of thing, so the kids and I (along with Andy and his girls) went over to Pete's (where he had all HIS girls) and we had dinner and hung out. Callum is the only boy in a sea of girls...hah

On Friday we got out on our first canoe trip of the season....we went over to Messolonskee stream for a short little paddle, and we say two HUGE snapping turtles (one was skulking underneath about a foot of water...like he was hiding and stalking us...). On Saturday, Callum had a birthday party, so Amanda brought him to his friend's house and I got some time alone with just Maira...she (and I) loved this. I asked her what she wanted to do. Some options included staying home and playing dollhouse, going to JC Penny to buy a new dress, and taking a trip to the playground and/or DUnkin Donuts. She was not impressed by any of those. Instead she asked if we could go canoeing. Perfect. I love this girl. 

More running pictures from last week's race...

The kids and I warming up before THEIR race....doing high knees, Frankensteins, etc....(again, notice the Yurt in the background! Fun!)

Best buddies excited to get running!!

The race coordinator uses a foghorn to indicate the GO! of the race. Look at Callum anticipating it...while Maira, in her own anticipation, covers her ears preemptively....

Callum coming down the home stretch around the kid's field-trail....

In hot pursuit! Callum tried to catch these guys, but it just didnt happen. He was kind of frustrated...

And then, me, gearing up at the starting line for MY hellish 8K....still the toughest course I have ever run...I swear the whole thing is uphill.

Bounce Zone!!

Still a little bit behind in the blogosphere....but last week, on the 14th, Callum celebrated his SIXTH birthday!!! He chose to have his party at the Bounce Zone, which is this bouncey-house kind of thing over at the Alfond Center...it is a great place where the kids burn off a ton of energy and work up a sweat. There are slides and obstacle courses and moonwalks and all kinds of stuff....and stuff for little little three and under kids too.....he had invited a bunch of kids, but it is a really busy time of year for folks....lots and lots going on. Still, he had a great group, and they had a blast!! Below, he is getting ready to ride down with his friend Alex....

And immediately after he was climbing up again.....

Kind of a fuzzy picture, but this is one of the AmericanGladiator style gauntlets they go through....haha

Amanda made some stellar cupcakes for the occasion--the frosting was bought, in quarts, from HILLMANS!!!! Then she used one of her fancy cake decorating tool things that she takes out once per year....and thennnnnn she had the idea to put NinjaTurtle 'rings' on each cupcake....

The place is neat....and after an hour of bouncing, etc, they bring in a few pizzas and bottles of soda.. Then, it was present time!!! Here he is with some of his buddies that were there.....

Most of his gifts were NinjaTurtle based (obviously...haha)...he got action figures, water bottles, stuff animals, and vehicles all NinjaTurtleRelated....but then he got some really neat stuff like a light up safari scene to put in a window....wooden animals to paint...some art set stuff (ninja turtle)....some great books....and more!

The next day was father's day. But who cares about fathers, right? But the kids did pick out a fabric they liked, and Amanda made me this bowtie! Zoom in on the pic...a very interesting pattern of ice cream, punch, flowers, and...um....I dont know what else....but at breakfast, I got compliments!!

Vacation: Day 1

Yesterday was my last day of school--each year, we travel over to Waterville Hike School (part of my AOS...things are different in Maine than they are in Mass....) for an end of the year luncheon and meeting. Then I hit up Maineley Brews with my buddy Rich for an end of the year DropDeadRed Ale. Good stuff. Last week, Amanda took a bunch of pictures from the race; I will post those later, but on FB you can become a 'fan' of the Quarry Rd Summer Race series, and see pictures, times, etc. 

I was telling Patrick, the coordinator of these races, that Tuesday night races are LITERALLY the favorite part of Callum and Maira's week!! They get so excited, and I am in love with the idea of all of us going over to do family races. Truly a gem to have right in Maine...right in Waterville! Below, there is a picture from their web site of the starting line of the run last week...you can pick out the ninja and Maira....also, Dad, please notice the Yurt in the back right!!

Now, I am certainly no expert. When people tell me I am a 'runner' I usually correct them and say 'no....I am just a guy who runs.' That being said, as a coach, I have done a bunch of reading and research about mechanics, and the technicalities of running. Why I say this is because Callum really does have a fantastic stride...look below and see his 'start.' He is intense and competitive and focused and he has great form. Maira does too actually. It is a blast running with her and seeing her do her very best!

Photo finish!!! If Callum didnt constantly look over his shoulder, he may have won! haha

....and here is a guy who looks like my friend Jawn....

Down to Freeport

We were at LL Bean last Sunday, as we had some stuff to return and exchange and buy and such....Freeport is a beautiful little town in all seasons, and LL Bean (even though I think their stuff is junk/ a ripoff) is a pretty neat store for the kids and all--they enjoy the taxidermied (is that a word) animals and the live trout that swim around the tanks and such.....

LL Bean has a pretty neat summer concert series, and they bring some awesome folks to play free shows at the 'village green' of LL's. After grabbing some Starbucks (I am not ashamed to admit that I am somewhat obsessed with their iced Chai latte!) we headed over to the green so the kids could 'run around' as they explain. I think that when Amanda took this picture of me I was looking at a bird or something. Idk. 

Here are CS and ME playing on the stage where the performers play...it looks out onto an expansive grassy field. They were doing a 'show' for Amanda and I, and it was "Callum and Maira's Stage Show" and they were having some type of a circus or something....you see Maira waiting in the wings because their favorite part of this was introducing each other 'to the show.'

"And now everyone's favorite clown..........Buddy!!!!!" she would say....

and after being introduced each kid would just run 'victory laps' around the stage....look at that stride!

I want more iced chai....

Another reason this little trip to Freeport was so good was because it was the first NICE day in such a long time...I think it hit about 80 that day....and since then, we have had nothing but rain and temps in the high 50s or mid 60s MAX. Whatever. Just bring on winter already.....

College.....

Each year at graduation, I reminisce about my own college experience, and, as silly as it sounds, I find myself living vicariously through my seniors, who are soon off on their own adventures in college. The world is just so open to them in so many ways, and I often think about my own adventures, misadventures, and decision making that brought me here, after college, and two miserable years teaching in NH, to a great place in Maine where I can have a fantastic fan club come and hear my silly graduation songs.....

How appropriate, then, that I go with Amanda to see the Dave Matthews Band last week, since, more than any other musical group, DMB in many ways DEFINED my college experience. Those older than me reminisce about the Beatles or the Rolling Stones or Grateful Dead or Woodstock as being the 'defining' music in their lives....for me, it was Dave Matthews Band, as he was definitely the 'official' band of the University of New Hampshire...haha. As a sidenote, I should add that almost NONE of the 124 seniors I taught this year have even HEARD of DMB.....very very sad....

When I was a freshman in college in 1997 or so, the album CRASH was the big album of the day, and it continued to be huge as I began my time at UNH; songs like #41 and "Crash Into Me" were ubiquitous, "Proudest Monkey" was a total 'chillout' track, and the championship UNH men's ice hockey team were introduced to home games while the beginning of "Two Step" was resplendent throughout the Whittemore Center.

I connect my sophomore year (living in Stoke Hall in a triple with JR and Brian) to the album BEFORE THESE CROWDED STREETS, and I remember hanging out on the beach in Rye listening to "Stay (Wasting Time)," and dancing (or something) at 'cocktails' to "Crush." Just a very very formative album and band; I look forward to the days to come when I can blast DMB and tell Callum and Maira that this is the stuff that mommy and I used to listen to in college. Maira, already, seems to love the band, and she particularly likes "Song that Jane likes" and his new track "Belly Belly Good." She always enjoys dancing and 'twirling' to these songs....

Here are Andy and Beth before the show we saw....

Running/Wine/CallTheMidwife buddies.....

Sorry to keep harping on the whole DMB thing....it is just that seeing the concert last week (the fourth time I have seen them!) has really got me thinking back to different parts of my life. I remember when the album "Under the Table and Dreaming" came out when I was a junior or so in high school....it was groundbreaking! Here we were, 'stuck' in a world of distorted guitars and slap bass a-la bands like Pearl Jam, Offspring, Alice in Chains, and other 'alternative' rock groups.....and along comes this goofball who has all these jazz influences in his music--saxophones, offbeat drum rhythms, offbeat rhythm-guitar-as-lead-guitar nuances, and a freakin' VIOLIN player!! Listening to Dave Matthews back then was akin to doing your weekly lawn-mowing and going to drink the ice water that your wife usually leaves out on the walkway for you....but, that one time, she fills your cup with beautiful lemonade with no ice so you can really gulp it down. Yeah. it was like that........

Commencement 2014

 I cannot seem to write ABOVE the 'above' picture. MacFormatProblems I guess....oh well....

So a few pictures from commencement exercises at Colby last Wednesday. I have some on my camera but I havent uploaded them yet. As usual, a super duper classy affair at ColbyCollege. I am proud of the way Winslow does graduation exercises. The kids seem to really buy into the 'pomp' and 'circumstance' of the whole evening, and they carry themselves with integrity. The first picture (above) is NOT just an example of what a man looks like when he changes the skin on his face into cookie dough....it is a picture of a student who graduated about 3 years ago....and this year, I had her sister graduate. Emily and Ali. Emily is one of my faves of all time, and one of the awesome things about going to commencement each year is reconnecting with old students. Emily captioned this photo on FB by writing (and excuse my language) "The only teacher who ever made me give a shit about his class, and forever one of my favorite humans." Very humbling and very touching....

And then our very own little Ms. Siena graduated, so we needed to do our #StagePresencePose out in the parking lot after graduation. Very proud of a wonderful young lady!

For the tenth year in a row, I performed an original piece of work the class 'commissioned,' if you will me to write. Sitting up on the stage near my keyboard is an added perk, as I get a bird's eye view of kids receiving their diplomas, etc. The man on the left with the striped tie is our supt. Mr Haley, and to the right of me is our asst. supt Mr Thibotout. Mr Thibotout is looking pretty good, considering how just about a month ago or so he was in the intensive care unit after falling off a ladder while pruning a tree.....

Getting ready to perform my song entitled "What will they be?" which is a piece I wrote 'making fun' (as I often, lovingly do) of the kids and how their 'idiosynchrocies' will prepare them for certain 'jobs' now that high school is over...haha

Up on the stage "awkwardly staring," as my jealous friend Zin _ remarks. He is just mad cuz he only gets to go to leftover breakfast award ceremonies and such....lol....Love you zinzin! To the left of me is asst principal Rick, and to the left of Rick is our brand new principal Chad. Both great men and I am happy to work for them.

And what better way to wrap up 'graduation week' than to see Dave Matthews Band up on the Bangor Waterfront!! A fantastic evening with great friends. The concert was a mixture of waiting around...low volumes....long beer lines....and ultrasuperfantastic performance. But the concert was secondary as far as I am concerned--just getting out with Andy and Beth, sharing laughs, having drinks, eating #Casinofood, and getting away from the kids for a while was super duper! During another blog post, I will have to tell the story about how I thought I was going to have to fight these two guys over my LITTLE PRINCE shirt....it is a great story actually....but everything turned out lovingly!

Tooth 1!!!

A little late in reporting this milestone, but last week at tee-ball, Callum lost his first tooth!! How exciting. It had been loose for a WHILE, and we noticed Callum was always fiddling with it #shadesofSally and playing with it and stuff. In the picture above, you can see him playing first base....but really just focusing on his tooth.

He always calls me over during the times his team is in the field, and most of the time it is to ask me silly questions like "can we go to Governor's after?" or "can you not leave....can you watch my whole game?" and stuff like that. So I try to keep this to a minimum.....sooooooo, when he said "Daddy come here!!" during last week's game, I said "No pal....we will talk after this inning." Well, I noticed how Callum called over 'coach Fred' to him...and then Coach Fred walked over to me and said 'here ya go dad,' and put Callum's tooth in my hand! I went over to hug and congratulate him...and the kid is bleeding all over the place...but, he did not waiver from his 'first base duties' and wanted to finish the inning for his team before cleaning himself up. Toughguy.

I asked him how it happened, and here is his answer: "Well, I was just king of getting annoyed with how loose it was, so I just decided to pull it out finally..." #NavySEAL

....and here is my social infielder himself, talking to other kids on the other team, and showing him his tooth.....and notice his little friend Addison taking a break behind him....haha....

Another great thing we are doing this summer is the Quarry Road Race Series. I have written about the Quarry Road before: It is a tremendous area of trails, hills, woods, and fields that is AMAZING for running, mtn biking, XC skiing, snowshoeing, etc. And only 3 miles from our house! Last summer the kids and I ran some of the races. This year, Sally signed me up for the whole series (thanks) and there is a race each Tuesday night. At 530 there is a kids fun run, and then at 6 there is the adult race, which alternates between a 3K, 5K, and 8K. Or, 2, 3.1, and 5 miles, respectively. Very awesome terrain...lots of hills and switchbacks and woods....technical stuff #Timb. I ran the 3K last week, and Callum and Maira ran the first kids race--about a half mile through some field-trails. Callum finished fourth overall, and the kid can MOVE!!! I know it is only a 'funrun' but the kid was out to win, and the only kids who beat him were like 10 and 12 year olds!! It was amazing to watch him go!!! And Maira ran her first ever race!! We were so proud of her, and she was so proud as well!!! From her reaction at the end, you would have thought she won a gold medal in the Olympics!! She kept saying "daddy, I am doing my very best" while I ran with her. She ran the whole time without stopping. I am excited at how much my kids love running, and we look forward to next week!!

Callum and Maira rocking the bandannas! And their little friend Abby is the fourth one from the left!

CT weekend/my birthday

So after last week's complication with the car, we were all set for 'take 2' of heading down to Ledyard for the weekend. I had one personal day left, so I took it so we could get 'bang for our buck' so to speak with having a good visit. The best part, in my opinion, was just watching the kids all play together--they didnt miss a beat from when they got together last; Callum and Maira were literally squealing with joy on the ride down, as they couldnt wait to see Jackson and Annabella. Soccer, riding bikes/scooters, playing on the swingset, playing 'ninja turtles,' playing trains, and just generally running around the house and the yard were the common denominators of the weekend. 

Maira was enthralled to see Annabella, since Maira just looooovvvvves babies so much. She helped feed Annabella during lunch, and Maira was particularly enamored with Annabella's tiny little 'feeties' as she called them. Callum, too, was tickled pink to be able to hold his cousin and just watch her hang out in her chair. And let's not count out little Zoey, the fat little dog, whom the kids just loved as well! 

We got some great pizza on Friday night, and then, on Saturday morning, I went running on the backroads of Ledyard while Kris stayed home with the baby and Amanda, Anthony, and the kids went to Jackson's soccer game. When they came back, Kris and Amanda went and had pedicures, which was lovely I am sure. We spent a lot of time while they were gone just walking down to visit the horses....over and over again. When we made 'click click' sounds with our mouths the horses came right over to us....very cool. And the kids fed the horses buttercups, which they seemed to like #ambiguousreference

Anthony and I, after the ladies got home, took off (since it WASSSSS my birthday and all) and did some paddling around the Mystic River (which is the ocean) down the road from their house. A beautiful day to be on the water.....

....and then we went over to The Engine Room for a beer (Anthony got a wonderful scotch) and just hung out. We never get to do stuff like that, so it was great. I would like to do more stuff like this with my brothers in law...or brother in laws....or brothers in laws....or whatever.

For my birthday dinner, Amanda and Kristin told me to pick (haha) Eggplant parm and meatbuollz, which is, apparently, one of Anthony's specials. They were right....it was to die for, and I cant wait for Amanda to try her hand at making eggplant parm! Even Callum, once we got home and ate leftovers, was in love with the dish.

Didnt get to see the parents/grandparents, which was unfortunate, because it has been too long since we have seen them. But it was, nonetheless, just great to have a very rare visit with just the Goldsmiths and the Favrys with no 'events' or other holidays to contend with...

Oh, and this wont make sense to the casual reader, but I wanted to recount a few phrases from our CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY game so that, in years to come, I can rehash them and laugh...

"nasssiss" for Nazis...
German Dungeon Porn
Ghandi and Science as a dynamic duo superhero team