Colin just completed fall little league baseball and had several impressive outings. He hit several doubles and singles and one triple. He also hit for a single, stole 2nd, 3rd, then stole home on a wild pitch to score the winning run in the final game! Very exciting stuff, now he can't decide if he wants to play soccer in the Spring or stay with baseball. Gena is still a reluctant fan of little league and is waiting for Spring soccer.

Colin goes to DBacks baseball camp

Colin just completed his first organized baseball experience at the DiamondBacks baseball camp this week. We thought about little league this spring but he wasn't convinced so we held off. Think he's got the bug now and will try City of Goodyear little league next year. He seems to have an ability to make good contact with the bat!

Kitchen Adventures

The grape vine is yielding lots of grapes right now. They're not terribly big and only a little sweet, and since we've got so many, raisins they will become. Organic raisins seem to be hard to come by anyway, so I think this is the best idea. I'm hoping we'll have plenty to last us for a while. The first batch has been drying outside for two days now on a cookie sheet in a pillow case. Maybe in a day or two we'll have the final result.

The herbs are looking good right now, especially the mint since it hasn't gotten too hot yet. I'm thinking of trying my hand at making mint jelly soon. We've also been experimenting with making Indian food -- naan and dahl to be specific. Making naan is pretty much like making tortillas and the combination of spices for making dahl is pretty interesting (cinnamon, corriander, cumin, cloves, turmeric, mustard seeds) and tasty. Right now we're using some kefir grains to make ginger beer. It's got another day or two to go. Hope it turns out!

Just a Quick Update

It's been a while since I've blogged, so here's a quick update of what we're up to. The kids got out of school a couple weeks ago and we got straight into swim lessons and the summer reading program at the library. We reached the limit on how many items can be checked out at one time yesterday. I've always wondered what it was. Turns out it's 50.

Colin's been teaching the kids next door how to play four square after we found the rules in a book. I didn't remember much from my school years, but they seem to have it figured out. Next week Colin goes to baseball camp to learn some fundamentals and see if he wants to get into the sport.

Last weekend, Jack surprised me with tickets to the Lucinda Williams concert. He scored big points because I've wanting to see her for years, and he had me completely fooled. I was told Saturday afternoon that I needed to be ready to go out at 5:30. Mystified and frustrated by this limited information, I demanded to know who was going out? Me, the two of us, or the whole family? Finally I got it out of him that a sitter was coming. I thought, he got a sitter? All by himself? He actually called? The plan was dinner-- maybe a movie. Okay, that sounded nice. It wasn't until after dinner when he'd missed the turns to the local theaters that I began to suspect. Anyway it was wonderful and she sounded really great.

Jack's been out of town most of the week between having to do DPS stuff in Flagstaff and going to his aunt's funeral in San Francisco. It'll be good to have him back home this weekend. I'll be sure to stock the fridge with beer and have some chips and salsa on hand when he gets back. It's been a long week for him!

Dog video

Toby likes to take a jaunt in the backyard in the morning.

The Fly Slayer

Recent additions to the backyard, dog poop and an earth worm farm, have added a few unwanted residents. They are not welcomed by some.....

Chess Match

Dad is experimenting with short movie making. Here's Colin and Dad playing chess.