Learning to ride

A few short hours of July 27 and July 28th 2009 for Dancer was huge. This picture is right before your first attempt at riding your bike. You were all worried that you were going to hurt yourself, even though the picture doesn't show it.



Learning to ride a bike was something that I remember was very challenging, and a bit awkward. Your Great Grandpa W. was visiting us on Nellis AFB out in Las Vegas when it happened to me- that monumental occasion in a child's life when you gain a little more freedom by riding your bike. At first, I took short trips of pedaling then I would fall. Great Grandpa would take his time, keep his patience and help me restart. After awhile, I eventually went all the way around the block all by myself, beaming with pride as I sped faster and faster in the direction of Grandpa W. and my mom. I could see on their faces the happiness they felt for me and it was comforting, but out of nowhere it seems a car appeared. Oh no, what do I do? I remember thinking. This was not a moving car, but a car that was parked and before I could make any quick adjustments, I ran directly into it, racking myself in the process. Ouch! The next thing I knew Mom and Great Grandpa were running in my direction and all I remember after that was soaking in the tub.

I fell off my bike a lot because I couldn't keep my balance all that well; however, Dancer you learned how to ride a bike in a matter of hours.



Mom and I took turns following you around. You first took approximately 2 turns of the pedal then the bike would fall over, but you were on grass and never really scraped your body up. After pedaling on grass and going around Grandma Gail's house a few times, you ended up pedaling about 20 yards all by yourself. This hour long practice session was very exceptional, then we called it quits for the evening.

The next morning, we were over at Grandma and Papa's house and within 10 minutes you were going 50-100 yards on the road without stopping. What a few great hours and you had a blast!



Here are a few pictures of your first evening of bike riding without training wheels.



Congratulations Dancer!! This will probably be something you will remember the rest of your life as well...a bit more freedom and it all happened in the great outdoors!

Sibling Fighting

A few days ago, Dancer and Hunter decided to play outside. It was cool enough; low humidity and the sun meandered in and out of the clouds, helping to relieve some of the heat of the sun rays.

They decided to play with a small plastic basketball out in the yard.



Hunter being the all-boy that he his- took it and quickly ran for a 21 month old, saying "Mine, mine!"







Both had a good time bickering back and forth over who played with the ball, just another part of growing up sibling style!

Beautiful Quotes(click on this to go to where I found these quotes) and if it doesnt take you there it's deeranddeerhunting.com

The following are quotes that I found on a website that influential people said. The first is by Aldo Leopold.(here's a pic of him and his shack in Wisconsin)



Aldo Leopold (1887- 1948, ecologist, forester, and environmentalist) was considered the father of wildlife management in the U.S. and an avid fisherman and hunter said the following:


“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we many begin to use it with love and respect. “ Aldo Leopold



The next quote is from Fred Bear, bow hunter and bow maker (1902-1988) Picture is of his 1000 lb brown bear he shot while in Alaska in 1960)



“Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.” Fred Bear

When “The Everyday Hunter” isn’t hunting, he’s thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting. (from the everyday hunter website)

To my readers, what quote is your favorite quote ( it doesnt have to be about hunting either) ????

July 5th Celebration!

July 4th in the state of Indiana was rainy all day long. In the evening, we traveled 20 miles to our southwest to watch a fireworks display, but it was cancelled because of the rain. Hunter you didn't make to the neighboring town without going to sleep in your car seat and Dancer you stayed up late again, but no fireworks.







Here we were playing a friendly, no cheating game of Wa-Shoos..a game similar to Horseshoes without the danger of a heavy metal horseshoe flying through the air. Look up the game at this site www.wa-shoos.com


The following day was absolutely gorgeous! A bit hot at times but it's July- you should expect that and we had the pool to cool us off, so all in all a great 4th of July one day late :)

Here are a few pics: (Once again enjoy the great Indiana skies!)
Later that evening we tried to see a display of fireworks again in another town, and success...



...here's a couple of shots of fireworks.





Happy 5th of July America!

Happy 4th of July!

Every Fourth of July and Memorial Day, I think of people that have served in our Armed Forces. Civilians, people who never served in the military, really take their citizenship of the U.S. for granted. They go about their life trying to make a living and they usually talk a good game about the servicemen of their country but they really don't understand the sacrifices that servicemen must partake. I guess I am fortunate to really understand. You see if my dad had been shot down while fighting over Vietnam, which almost occurred as a missile went right past one of the wings. Fortunately for Dad and I the missile didn't explode because if it had, I never would have been here and Dancer and Hunter you would have never existed.

Dancer and Hunter- You had a grandpa Kenny that served in the Korean Conflict (War). Grandma says that he never ate rice back in the States because it reminded him of Korea and all the times he ate rice. He had enough!



Your Great Grandpa on your Dad's side served in World War 2 on a ship. He was in the Navy. His boat was sunk. I guess maybe that's why he hardly ever went in the water at a pool we used to have in Las Vegas. You also had an Uncle Wally who also served in the Navy and his boat sunk too. He saved a friend from drowning after the boat sunk. I never saw him go into the water as well. Everyone's memories haunt us or we enjoy our memories! The mind is crazy blob of matter. Isn't it?

Here are a few pictures of the plane Grandpa (Papa) flew in Vietnam:



Here's a picture of a squadron of F-105's. I wonder how many of these were shot down, changing the lives of so many.




Here's another F-105...This plane would go in first, knock out all the Surface to Air Missiles (S.A.M.S), and then they would bring in the big B-52's and bomb the Viet Kong into oblivion.



HAPPY 4th of JULY everyone! Don't take our United States for granted!

The Drive In experience

On the big OUTDOOR screen before the movie started, the theater had information about the number of DRIVE In movie theaters during the height of this niche in the movie industry. I didnt find any research about the amount but they said there was at one time over 4,300 drive ins; however, today there are only 400. I guess we are priviliged to partake in this outdoor theater experience!



The first one was located in Camden, New Jersey in 1933. The price of admission was 25 cents for the car and 25 cents per person. Last night, with 2 adults, 1 child, and a child under 2 the price was $20.00. How things have changed?

We saw the movie ICE AGE: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Hunter eventually fell asleep, but Dancer stayed up to 10:00p.m., enjoying the movie, eating Gobstoppers, Red Vine Cherry Licorice, and Starcrunches. Needless to say, her stomach hurt.



This was just another way to enjoy the great outdoors!