Mid-Summer's Night-Mare

Don't let the title fool you: this summer has not been a night mare. However, the overall temperature has, and I couldn't resist a Shakesperean play on words. To be completely honest, the summer has been quite nice.

Let's start from the beginning.

First: 100 mile ride around Lake Tahoe for Team in Training. By far the (second) best weekend of the summer; I'll explain why in a minute. It was a weekend of fun and friends, emotions and tears (not mine however). This year TNT raised nearly 7 million dollars to be donated directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It rained and poured on us for two full days. We weren't sure if the big ride would be dry or not, so we prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. A few of us did some miles in the downpour on Saturday just to get a feel for riding in the rain. We rode out to Fallen Leaf Lake to an absolutely beautiful waterfall. All I can say is that after that ride, I was thrilled to see that it had dried up when I awoke on Sunday. 100 dry miles was way more fun than the alternative. The cycling gods were on my side for the second year in a row as I had no complications on the ride; not even a flat tire! The only downside to the weekend: I, as usual, came home a few items lighter. I forgot both of my jackets in the hotel room.

Next: San Diego. If I could afford it, I'd move there. Gorgeous weather, nice people, and beaches everywhere. We spent 3 1/2 days enjoying the sand and sun the San Diego had to offer. We chilled on a mini-beach for a bit, took in the Zoo, walked
SeaPort Village several times (back and forth, back and forth), and were disappointed at the Scripps Aquarium. We drove up La Jolla Cove and Mission Beach, stopping for photo ops and so forth, then enjoyed chili dogs on the way back. Overall, a somewhat relaxing vaca with the family that we can hopefully do again. Next time we stay longer and the kids will enjoy it more due to the fact they will be older and will be able to appreciate the scenery. By the way, dinner on the harbor (Pizza Nova) was to die for.

Finally: Hanging out at home. Being at home with my family has definitely been the highlight of my summer. I really enjoy and appreciate the fact that my wife and I have the summers to be home together with our children. To be honest, neither one of us get a lot of time during the school year with the kids. Katie works her tail off at her school making sure that her students get the most of their library, and I stretch myself very thin at my school as well. Between teaching (a new assignment this year, I'm teaching first grade!), coaching multiple sports, and being a mentor to students of all grade levels, I feel sometimes we devote more attention to our students than our own children. The summertime allows us to spend every day with them (it takes its tolls, don't get me wrong), but at the end of the day, I can safely say we wouldn't change it for the world.

Uh-Oh: I better put this in or Katie will kill me. Katie and I went to see Wicked on Fourth of July weekend. She was way more excited to go than I was, but it was her gift from me. I will say I did enjoy it. Great cast, awesome acting, and the part that I was most impressed with, it may sound odd, but I could not get over how spectacular the costumes were! They were sooo good; that's what I talked about most afterwards I think. I think the next show we'll take in will be Phantom; it comes back to Phoenix this October.

Other than that, it's been a nice summer. It's over next week, as Katie and I go back to work to get ready for the new school year. We both have changes to deal with: she is working at two schools now, trying to keep order in two different libraries and with two different staffs, and I have abandoned my 6th graders and am taking on the immense challenge of teaching first grade. A huge difference, but my administration has shown confidence in me and has given me the opportunity to try something new (most principals don't allow teachers to move more than two grade levels at a time, so I consider myself lucky). Maybe not lucky. I'm awesome. Yeah, that's it.

I think that's it. One more week. Oh yeah, we're waiting patiently until tomorrow to go and see HP6. Peace Out!

Summer Begins

So school has been out for a week now, and we haven't really done anything too productive. Katie and I have finally figured out the routine that the kids have fallen into. They get up early (the kids and Katie, not me), and by the time I join the party (usually only about a half hour later), it's breakfast time. Lucy and Tommy are growing up super fast; it's crazy to see how grown up Tommy looks now, plus he's started walking, so now we really have to try and keep up with him.

They are beginning to play together quite well also. Well, most of the time anyways! Lucy still plays pretty rough sometimes, and Tommy usually ends up on the floor in a heap crying his eyes out. Live and learn right? Before too long, The table will turn and Lucy will be the one on the receiving end of a little brother beatdown.

My riding season is quickly coming to an end. I can't believe I've been riding pretty regularly since February, and that it's almost over. I really do love my time out on the bike. You get to see so much more of your surroundings when you're forced to slow down. Our cycling team has ridden all over the Valley this season, covering all types of terrain; from nice flat roads to hellacious climbs and wicked downhills. I was able to top out at 47 mph going down one of the big hills this season. Yep, 47 mph on tires less than one inch wide. It is such a rush to cruise down a hill at that speed!

We leave for Tahoe this coming Friday for the big ride. I was able to raise nearly $4,400 dollars for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society this season; much thanks to Pena Acoustics and FCI Constructors, who each donated $1,000 to the cause! So it all culminates this weekend when 3,000 cyclists from across the country come together in Lake Tahoe for a weekend of fun and togetherness, all in support of those who have been affected by blood cancers. On Sunday we will all set to accomplish the goal we set last Spring; complete a 100 mile century ride around the Lake (and into Truckee, CA).

If it's anything compared to last year, I'm in for a treat. The temperature at the start of the ride was 31 degrees; I started out wearing three layers of clothing, and by the time I crossed the finish line 9 hours later, the layers were gone, the legs were burning, and I could not wipe the smile of my face! This year I plan to take a much more recreational approach to the ride. I want to take more pictures and enjoy the scenery. I was so worried about finishing in one piece last year that I didn't take it all in. This year will be different.

The only downside (if you can find one) is that I have to leave Katie with the kids for the entire weekend (Friday to Monday). She'll tell you that I don't care, but I really don't like doing that. I don't think it's fair for one person to have to take care of two kids alone for four full days, especially when they've grown accustomed to having us both here all day long. Plus I miss my kids tons when I'm gone. Don't get me wrong, I totally miss my wife when I'm not home too, but I think I can safely say that we are used to being apart, and it doesn't affect us too much anymore. Put it this way: back when I was in the Marine Corps, there was actually a period in our relationship when we had been apart more than we had been together.

So now neither one of us really leaves for any extended amount of time. It's nice to get away sometimes, but I do miss being gone. For the rest of the summer, Katie will be working two days a week and going to class two nights a week so that she can OFFICIALLY get her Master's degree. We'll take a few mini vacations: San Diego at the end of June, may be a weekend in Flagstaff or Sedona to get away from the heat. That's about for it now. I will be spending parts of this summer getting ready for my new teaching assignment for the 09-2010 school year: First Grade. I'm leaving the attitudes and hormones of sixth graders and trading them in for untied shoes and runny noses of first graders. Can't wait!