The 43

I came outside this evening to blog, after Wife and Littlest fell asleep and Eldest finally got tired enough to lie down, too. It was a moderately busy day with the boys, Eldest had Cracker Jacks, Littlest got to play in the nursery at our gym, and both had a ball during a playdate at a park, especially Eldest, who got to play with his best friend from preschool -- a friend who'll be in kindergarten next year while Eldest has another year of preschool. So these summer playdates are important, because come fall, I don't know often the two will play. Anyway, this busy day followed a super-busy weekend, so it's not surprising Littlest crashed early and Eldest voluntarily climbed into bed. I am sitting on my porch typing, but am realizing that I really want to go for a short walk, especially since it's cooled off from the high-90s it was this afternoon. It's still light out, too, so I'm going to wrap this post up, find my iPod and stroll for 20 minutes.

I was lucky to be around two crabby children today. And they got naps, so it wasn't like they were tired. I think it's the heat. Today, we had nothing planned, no swim lessons, no playdates, no gymnastics classes. It was too hot to be out in the afternoon, a trip to the pool just wasn't going to work today, and though we did go for a walk in the morning, it evidently wasn't enough. When we finally did get them outside, it was a little chaotic. First at the video game store, where neither could stay in one place for more than half a second. That was nothing compared to the soccer store, where we bought shin guards, socks and shorts for Eldest's impending soccer camp. I guess it's a sign of a good soccer store when kids just want to run around. The boys were crabby through dinner, then carried it outside when we finally took them out to play. Littlest wanted more attention and threw a great 2-year-old tantrum, just classic. Eldest took whatever Littlest was playin...

I have written about how Littlest is unstoppable, a ball of energy, always on the move, always running when he could be walking. Well, we figured out what he looks like when he runs: One of those lizards that runs across water on two legs. I hope this video works. Imagine that lizard with brown hair and on solid ground, and it's a match.

Last year, I wrote about the first day of summer from a hillside at a park overlooking the city. I was back there again this year -- third year in a row -- but this time not writing, but playing with the boys. Wife is on a team running the Wasatch Back -- a 181-mile relay -- this weekend, and I am watching the boys (who thankfully fell asleep for me without her here). Littlest got a really late nap, so we went out for dinner later, drove around, and went to Donner Park to play and watch the sunset. I didn't think Eldest was going to make it, but then he said he wanted to watch the sunset, then got to the park, met a new friend and was totally oblivious. No matter, at least I got to watch the sun descend below Antelope Island on the longest day of the year. No writing at the park, of course, but it was worthwhile nonetheless. The solstice is a little bittersweet for me this year. We knew this summer was going to be a blur, and so far, it seems to be the case. Maybe it's the rot...

I was awoken by Eldest at 8 a.m. He wanted to make me cereal for Father's Day. I normally am not a Frosted Flakes fan, but they tasted great. It was a good start to Father's Day. The boys gave me their presents: new Keen sandals, a Life Is Good T-shirt, and a Spongebob Squarepants card that included a sticker that I was supposed to wear, but it unfortunately didn't stick well to my clothing. We went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. It somewhat felt like we were on vacation, as this Cheesecake Factory just opened in the last year, and we usually eat there only on vacation. Wife and I started rattling off all the other Cheesecake Factories we'd been to — Dallas, San Diego, Schaumburg, Old Orchard (mall in Chicago's North Shore), Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Scottsdale. But not in Utah until today. Wife bought me a piece of cheesecake to take to work after our lunch. Our next destination was a miniature golf course, at Eldest's request. There is a little course a cou...

(I've wanted to write about a odd revelation I experienced at a Kmart for a few years now. Then, Wil Wheaton beat me to the punch on his blog, writing about a Kmart memory in a post he liked so much he put it in his book. I'm not sure if unconsciously backed off when I read his post (it was before I started this blog and I wanted to write it as a short story) or if I've just put it off too long, but I'm finally writing about it now, before this local Kmart closes.) There are places in the world that feel like home. Some are home, some are far away and just remind you of home. Some aren't exactly a home, but are so familiar, so comforting that you feel at home. I suppose you could feel this at a church, or in some place of natural beauty like the mountains or the ocean, or at some place that was fun in your childhood like an amusement park or a school, any school. I've experienced these feelings of home in many different locations. I just never thought I'd f...

All the miserable weather cleared by Sunday morning. I was up relatively early after working Saturday night, the sun was shining, and I turned to Wife and asked her how we should spend the imminently glorious Sunday. Before she could answer, our neighbor came up to our door and asked if we saw that the front driver-side window on our Corolla had been shattered. And thus disappeared our glorious Sunday. I had parked the Corolla on the street the night before so we could get our Outback -- our usual family vehicle -- out of the driveway. Someone smashed the window, rifled through our glove compartment, and stole Wife's gym bag and an iPod adapter (allows you to play your iPod through your car stereo). Needless to say, this soured our mood. The thieves deidn't get away with much -- the adapter (which incidentally aren't cheap), Wife's iPod shuffle, her running shows, an old fleece of mine. The gym bag was blue and black and on the floor of the car -- whoever did this was c...

After several nice days in a row, it rained in Utah the last two days. Rained a lot. We always need the water, and now that the rain has ceased, Salt Lake City will be sunny and hot for the next 2-3 months, but it drove me into a minor blah mood. Maybe because it was cold rain -- SLC doesn't get that humid, Midwestern rain until August. There were two scheduled playgroups with kids from Eldest's preschool, and the rain seemed to scare everyone away, despite the fact both dates were at inside locations. Today's playgroup was more informal, just an invite from another mom to swim at an indoor pool, and only two parents showed with their kids (the boys had too much fun nonetheless). So it wasn't the greatest way to start June, which usually combines the last day of school with sunny, perfect conditions. There was one year, however, I remember the last day of school being total gloom. Well not total gloom, as it was the last day of school, but cloudy and rainy. I'm thin...

With some of Littles's birthday money, we bought a two-seat wagon. For those who remember the shallow, metal, red Radio Flyers that were the norm for wagons, this vehicle has come a long way. Our wagon is plastic, has lift up compartments that revel seats and cupholders, and even has seat belts. It has an extra-long handle designed to be pulled by adults. The new wagon has been fun, and the boys love it. Eldest likes to both ride in it and pull his little brother, while Littlest can't get enough of being a passenger. I can't take them on long walks with it, but to the Albertson's for a donut or to the snow-cone stand are perfect distances for the wagon, as opposed to the running stroller. And though I love the running stroller, the wagon has been a nice change of pace, let's the boys get a better view of the sidewalk traveled, and just screams summer.