I feel like I'm in a study to see just how cold a human can get sitting in an unheated hockey rink. Each week I dress a bit warmer and the weather gets that much colder. You'd think being inside would offer some relief, but Jack practiced at the older rink today. The ice is fine, but along the exterior walls there are huge 5-foot exhaust fans that allow in daylight (and Canadian arctic air). The rink is cold.
Jack doesn't mind. He's loving hockey and comes off the ice drenched in sweat. For a while practices where a drag for him. We'd have to coax him through the drills or watch as he skated off to sit on the bench or in the penalty box. Over the last 3 weeks he has done well following the drills. He is noticeably better than he was last month. Earlier, he still had a hard time skating backwards for more than a few yards, now he can go the length of the ice. He does it slowly, but he is doing it.
Tonight Jodi and I hired a babysitter to go out to eat. Truth be told, it was a trial run to see if she could survive Aidan when we take Jack to kindergarten registration next Thursday.
It went well, the sitter survived and the boys were in one piece. We had a nice time, too. After seeing it went well, Jodi said we need to go out once a month. I'll hold her to it. The only problem is the lack of decent restaurants nearby. Waconia has very little. Which means we have to travel. Minneapolis and St. Paul are too far, same for Eden Prairie. Which leaves Chaska: Ruby Tuesday, Pauly's, and a few others. Oh, well at once a month it's easier to swallow the $5 beer. I thought I was at the dome.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Jack Reads Books- Aidan Wants to Hold You
Some people that do not know how good they have it. For example, NBA basketball players make an average of $5 million per year ($100,000/week), according to a NPR report I heard yesterday. Yet, the commissioner of their sport had to impose a dress code to actually get them to dress as if they have a cent.
At our house, things are going pretty well. We're all healthy, happy, and warm and in the past couple of weeks Jack has begun to read. Now he's not reading Harry Potter, but he does read simple, repetitive books by Dr. Seuss and the Berensteins. It's amazing. He's not perfect, he'll insert words at times, but he reads the words. It's not memorization of the story.
To top that off, when I got to day care this afternoon he untied my boot laces and then tied them. Just like that. This morning he couldn't tie shoes, now he can. This worries me a little. If he can tie his shoe laces he can probably tie up his brother.
Aidan is a different animal. He is seldom happy to be sitting stationary for too long. He is constantly on the move between toys, people, and snacks. At this age (21 months), Jack could sit for 20 minutes and watch Teletubbies. Aidan will not watch TV. He will only sit if he's playing, or if you reading with him.
When you play with him, he is contantly barking instructions at you or asking the same question over and oveer again. My favorite is when he wants you to pick him up. He says,"Daddy, I wanna hold you. I pick you up." I thought the second kid didn't talk as much.
At our house, things are going pretty well. We're all healthy, happy, and warm and in the past couple of weeks Jack has begun to read. Now he's not reading Harry Potter, but he does read simple, repetitive books by Dr. Seuss and the Berensteins. It's amazing. He's not perfect, he'll insert words at times, but he reads the words. It's not memorization of the story.
To top that off, when I got to day care this afternoon he untied my boot laces and then tied them. Just like that. This morning he couldn't tie shoes, now he can. This worries me a little. If he can tie his shoe laces he can probably tie up his brother.
Aidan is a different animal. He is seldom happy to be sitting stationary for too long. He is constantly on the move between toys, people, and snacks. At this age (21 months), Jack could sit for 20 minutes and watch Teletubbies. Aidan will not watch TV. He will only sit if he's playing, or if you reading with him.
When you play with him, he is contantly barking instructions at you or asking the same question over and oveer again. My favorite is when he wants you to pick him up. He says,"Daddy, I wanna hold you. I pick you up." I thought the second kid didn't talk as much.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Getting Used To It.
I just checked the Pioneer Press web site and it is 1º F as I write this. Despite the cold, it did snow a couple of fluffy inches. I shoveled before work and after supper today although the snow was so light and airy I could have used the leaf blower.
Shoveling did allow a couple of things:
1. Time outside. Today was the first significant amount of time I spent outside that didn't involve walking into a building from a parking lot.
2. I noticed fresh tracks. There is another small mammal prowling around my house. I noticed tracks circling our house and branching off to the neighbors. I just got rid of the bush-eating rabbit (due to his fatal fall into my egress basement window well).
The cold is affecting my workplace. Kids at school have not been out for the past 4 school days and it's taking it's toll on the teachers and students. Even having the kids gets dressed and run around the building for 3 minutes would be an improvement.
I've adapted comfortably to the cold by doing the following:
1. Idle the car before driving. I'm afraid if I don't, the important parts of the car will snap, shatter, or explode.
2. Wear hat, boots, gloves, and coat outside. Like Dad used to say as we dressed to do chores as kids, "It's not a fashion show." And like Garrison Keillor has said,"There's nothing fashionable about winter. Especially when the cold causes a constant trickle to run from your nose."
3. Lotion my hands obsessively. This is the pothole season for skin. Since I work with 26 germ-carrying kids a day, I wash my hands a lot. Wet skin + cold = cracks.
Driving to work today the boys and I came across a semi-truck struggling to get up the St. Boni hill. This hill is a steep 300 yard climb from stop lights. It's no problem if you've got a running start, but if you have to go from a dead start you better have 4-wheel drive. I saw the problem in front of us as we waited at a red light. We detoured around it and later came upon a Minnetrista cop in the ditch. I'm glad my morning didn't start like that.
Shoveling did allow a couple of things:
1. Time outside. Today was the first significant amount of time I spent outside that didn't involve walking into a building from a parking lot.
2. I noticed fresh tracks. There is another small mammal prowling around my house. I noticed tracks circling our house and branching off to the neighbors. I just got rid of the bush-eating rabbit (due to his fatal fall into my egress basement window well).
The cold is affecting my workplace. Kids at school have not been out for the past 4 school days and it's taking it's toll on the teachers and students. Even having the kids gets dressed and run around the building for 3 minutes would be an improvement.
I've adapted comfortably to the cold by doing the following:
1. Idle the car before driving. I'm afraid if I don't, the important parts of the car will snap, shatter, or explode.
2. Wear hat, boots, gloves, and coat outside. Like Dad used to say as we dressed to do chores as kids, "It's not a fashion show." And like Garrison Keillor has said,"There's nothing fashionable about winter. Especially when the cold causes a constant trickle to run from your nose."
3. Lotion my hands obsessively. This is the pothole season for skin. Since I work with 26 germ-carrying kids a day, I wash my hands a lot. Wet skin + cold = cracks.
Driving to work today the boys and I came across a semi-truck struggling to get up the St. Boni hill. This hill is a steep 300 yard climb from stop lights. It's no problem if you've got a running start, but if you have to go from a dead start you better have 4-wheel drive. I saw the problem in front of us as we waited at a red light. We detoured around it and later came upon a Minnetrista cop in the ditch. I'm glad my morning didn't start like that.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Super Bowl MVP- Hunter Smith
Commercials:
• A standard KFC commercial for $2.6 million per 30 seconds? The Colonel could at least spring for something original, or extra crispy.
• Too many car commercials. If cars disappeared tomorrow, so would half of the ad agencies, the Sunday Star Tribune would weigh less than its current 22 lbs, and I'd have to get a horse or llama.
• The Coke commercial for black history was like something out of a Wal-Mart history textbook. Was that the best they could do? They took the safe route. I think everyone they mentioned by name is dead. Although I do give them credit for a subtle nod to Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. At the end of the commercial they say "honoring black history- especially today." Or am I giving them too much credit?
Game:
Football in the rain, usually sucks. People watch to see the big boys make plays. When you play in slop, everyone is equal. Jeff Saturday could line up in the backfield and plod for four yards.
Chicago is on their heels early in the 4th quarter. Their offense stinks. Rex Grossman looks like Daunte Culpepper when blitzed.
Rex Grossman- just had a pick returned for a touchdown. He's going to get ripped in Chicago. The problem is ...
Chicago's Offense. They have no playmakers. Bertrand Berrian is Alvin Harper reincarnated. Mushin Muhammed had his best years with Carolina. Their offense is about 10% better than the Vikings. Without their defense and Devin Hester the Packers win the NFC North.
The game I wanted to see: San Diego vs. New Orleans.
• A standard KFC commercial for $2.6 million per 30 seconds? The Colonel could at least spring for something original, or extra crispy.
• Too many car commercials. If cars disappeared tomorrow, so would half of the ad agencies, the Sunday Star Tribune would weigh less than its current 22 lbs, and I'd have to get a horse or llama.
• The Coke commercial for black history was like something out of a Wal-Mart history textbook. Was that the best they could do? They took the safe route. I think everyone they mentioned by name is dead. Although I do give them credit for a subtle nod to Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. At the end of the commercial they say "honoring black history- especially today." Or am I giving them too much credit?
Game:
Football in the rain, usually sucks. People watch to see the big boys make plays. When you play in slop, everyone is equal. Jeff Saturday could line up in the backfield and plod for four yards.
Chicago is on their heels early in the 4th quarter. Their offense stinks. Rex Grossman looks like Daunte Culpepper when blitzed.
Rex Grossman- just had a pick returned for a touchdown. He's going to get ripped in Chicago. The problem is ...
Chicago's Offense. They have no playmakers. Bertrand Berrian is Alvin Harper reincarnated. Mushin Muhammed had his best years with Carolina. Their offense is about 10% better than the Vikings. Without their defense and Devin Hester the Packers win the NFC North.
The game I wanted to see: San Diego vs. New Orleans.
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