Christmas Week 2012 in Pictures - Part 1

I'm back.

I made a conscious effort to steer clear of my laptop for the week and am proud to say I did a pretty good job of it. Aside from the fact that I needed a break from work, email, and all my many online diversions, I really wanted to focus on spending quality time with the family. Mission accomplished.

I'm glad to be back to blogging. Too much has happened since my last post to recount it all, so I picked out a handful of pictures and will use them to tell (some of) the story of the week. It's probably going to take me a couple of posts to get caught up.

Karri's parents, Donna (aka 'Mimi') & Bill (aka 'Pop-Pop'), arrived Tuesday from San Diego. They jumped right into family activities - Karri took them straight to Thomas' basketball game at O'Dea - Prep's biggest rival. Exciting game and Prep came out on top. Wednesday was a blur for me as I had a huge proposal to finish up and send off on Thursday morning. Once that was done, I was finally ready to settle into holiday mode...

Thursday night Thomas had another game which we all went to, then went out to dinner at an upscale pizza restaurant in trendy Capital Hill - Via Tribunali. Things were a little shaky at the start - they squeezed 7 of us into a booth for 4, maybe 6, and the music was a little too loud for easy conversation - but we ended up having a fantastic time. Our waitress was amazing - attentive, friendly, and fun.  And the food was delicious.  Here's Karri with her parents:

Dinner at Via Tribunali

We headed home for dessert and a nightcap and everyone was off to bed early.

Mimi & Thomas saying goodnight

Karri's parents kept the kids occupied on Friday so Karri and I could get out and do some shopping & run some errands. We rarely get time together like this and really had fun. It helped that we had a good idea of what we were after so shopping was quick, efficient and not stressful - just the way I like it.

Friday night we headed to our friends' Jana & Roy's house for our annual 'white elephant' gift exchange and dinner, which is always a great time. After a delicious prime rib dinner, we all gathered for the gift exchange. We had 24 people (I think) and so 24 gifts to be opened, 'stolen' and/or bartered with. There were some very funny gifts (including the 'Yodeling Pickle' that I came home with) and everyone - adults and kids - really enjoyed themselves.

The white elephant gift exchange

Saturday morning, Karri and I got out for a walk with Jack - something we hadn't done (together) in a couple of weeks. It was overcast (what else is new) but great to get some fresh air and enjoy the water and views.

Waterfront trail at Lincoln Park

Saturday afternoon was spent decorating cookies - a fun tradition that we all participated in at various times throughout the day.

Some of the many beautiful cookies

We also started a Christmas puzzle that was a fun diversion for the rest of the week.

Edges done!

Sunday, we all headed downtown to ride the Seattle Great Wheel ferris wheel on the waterfront (no camera = no pictures) which was very fun. Donna & Bill stayed downtown for some shopping and dinner together, while Karri, the kids and I headed to a holiday open house at our friends' (Mark & Denise) beautiful waterfront home in West Seattle.

I think that's enough for one post. Plus all of our Christmas day pictures are on our 'good' camera and I haven't uploaded those yet, so I think I'll call it a night and pick-up here next time.

Holiday Spirit

Another busy - and fun - weekend. We kicked it off Friday with our annual trip downtown for a picture with Santa and some holiday shopping, followed by dinner at the Icon Grill.

First stop... The Bon Marche for a visit with Santa...

Ho Ho Ho

The trendy place to see Santa in downtown Seattle is at Nordstrom. They setup 'Santa's Workshop' right at the corner of one of the busier intersections of the shopping district (Westlake Center) and people line up for hours to get their picture taken with him. About 4 years ago, we figured out that The Bon Marche - a block away - has a great Santa, friendly staff, and NO LINE. We've been going there ever since! Karri and I are just thankful that the kids - especially the boys - are still game to get their picture taken with Santa.

After Santa, we split up so the siblings can shop for each other (and for their parents!). The kids really love this part... and so do we. I'll take one and Karri will take the other two. We'll shop for a while, regroup, switch kids, and shop some more. It's always fun and especially nice to see the kids sincerely try to find something that their siblings will like.  Victoria and I had an especially good time. We stopped to snap a quick picture in front of a massive Christmas tree.

Shopper Girl!

After shopping, we walk a couple blocks north to enjoy a holiday dinner at the Icon Grill. We stumbled onto this place 5 or 6 years ago after the kids had a holiday piano recital downtown. We've been back every year since. The restaurant is normally home to some great artwork - paintings, lots of blown glass, and a variety of interesting artifacts. They double-down for the holidays and fill the place with trees, ornaments, lights, presents, figurines and more. They have a pianist playing holiday songs on a baby grand piano. And a great holiday menu, including the Grinch's own 'Roast Beast' (which Matthew enjoyed immensely this year).

Love their mama!

The kids love the whole experience, but their favorite part is the holiday desserts. The boys always split the Hot Fudge Sunday - a mountain of vanilla bean ice cream served in an edible cookie 'bowl' with an edible cone filled with hot fudge, accompanied by choice of toppings (e.g. crushed Oreos, M&M's, whipped cream, etc.).

"You gonna eat all that?!"

Victoria loves the 'Build Your Own' Holiday Cookie Plate - a large plate of sugar cookies and gingerbread men served with colored frosting and a variety of toppings for decorating.  We always come home with a box full of beautiful holiday cookies.

(Yes - the tree behind her is decorated with neckties!)

Karri and I enjoy the whole experience. It's fun to be able to take the kids out to a 'nice' restaurant once in a while - especially to a place that's brimming with holiday cheer. It really puts us in the holiday spirit (the pre-dinner martini's may contribute to that too).

The rest of the weekend flew by. Saturday Victoria had a basketball game (lost a close one) and Thomas had practice. In the evening, Thomas went to an 'ugly sweater' party at a school buddy's house while Karri and I went to a Holiday party here in West Seattle.  We spent most of the day Sunday getting holiday preparations done around the house (and I had a bunch of work to do). Matthew had a game in the afternoon (also lost a close one). And then poof... the weekend was over.

It's going to be a hectic week. Karri's parents arrive Tuesday night for a week. Matthew and Victoria get out of school on Wednesday. Thomas - not til Friday. Thomas also has 3 basketball games this week. Yikes.

Hug Your Children

My heart is heavy thinking about the parents who lost a child in Newtown yesterday. And the children who survived and will have to live with memory of that horrific tragedy for the rest of their lives. My thoughts and prayers are with all that were affected.

Christmas Show

Matthew and Victoria's elementary school, Holy Rosary, puts on a Christmas show every year. Each class typically performs two songs, the kindergartners charm everyone with a nativity song - all in costume, from Mary & Joseph, to the angels, cows and sheep - then there's a grand finale, usually a sing-along of Christmas classics.

We've attended for the last 10 years (since Thomas was in kindergarten). It's a fun event that the kids always look forward to. But it is always packed (standing room only in our massive church) and always runs long. When our kids were younger, we'd arrive early to get a seat near the front so that we could see better and take pictures or video. With each passing year, we seem to be arriving later and sitting further back. Last night I stood in the back while Karri sat with a couple friends just a few rows in front of me.

This year they introduced a few changes: no grand finale with all the kids, each class returned to the school after they performed, and a 5-minute intermission after the upper grades (5-8) finished and before the lower grades (K-4) performed. The music teacher who leads the program even explained that they did this so parents with older kids didn't have to stick around until the bitter end - duck out at intermission, go retrieve your kid(s) and head home. Brilliant!

It was great to see the kids get dressed up and perform. But it sure was nice to be out of there in an hour. Do I sound like a Grinch?!

All dressed up & ready to go!

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Matthew turned 13 today (Monday)! Another teenager in the house. How did that happen so fast?

We had Tim & Eang over for dinner. Matthew opened his presents first. Quite a stash...

Birthday boy with some of his gifts

When the kids were little, we frequently created some type of puzzle or treasure hunt for them to find one (or more) of their presents. We had a rather large, difficult-to-wrap birthday present for him, so Karri and I decided to revive the 'present hunt' idea! Matthew is into music (plays guitar and piano... itching for a drum set), so I created a rock-and-roll themed puzzle, including some random trivia that even I had to look up online. The trivia answers formed instructions for where to find his present. Google saved him...

Researching

The clues led him to the basement, where a decoy present... and more clues awaited.  We nearly had him with the 'homemade' drum set of pans, aluminum tubs, a garbage can lid... and a set of new drumsticks. But he found another clue that led him to page 368 of his new '100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs' music book, (The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"), which led him to his new, electronic drum set!

He found it!

The set was assembled shortly after dinner and the kids had a ball playing with it. Its really cool and I think will be a great starter set for him to see if drums are his 'thing'. The best part is that he can plug in a headset, so we don't have to listen to him "Bang on the Drums all Day" (Todd Rundgren - should have used that in my trivia!).

We finished off the night with chocolate cream pie.  I think he had a great day.

Matthew is a great kid - kind, caring, helpful, smart, funny - and a good brother to Thomas and Victoria.  We are so proud of him.

I'm Still Here

Travel always throws me off my routine. Always.

I had a work trip this week - 3 days in LA to attend a conference.  I left early Tuesday, got back Thursday night and now it's Sunday. Since I left, I haven't blogged once and my (limited) exercise routine is out the window. I'm hopeful I can find a routine again quickly.

Plenty has happened since my last post. I can't cover it all, so will hit the highlights and throw in a few pictures where I have them...

Karri's mom, Donna (affectionately known as Mimi), offered to come up and help Karri while I was out of town. Since I work from home, I do much of the shuttling of kids to/from school and activities. Karri's work schedule is somewhat flexible and we have friends we can count on to help, but its always a nice treat for the kids to have Mimi come up and stay.  I think Mimi enjoys it too.

Thomas' basketball team has had 4 games - 2 of which I missed while in LA.  They won 3, including a fun one over Kennedy High, where several of his grade school classmates attend, including 2 who are on the freshman team. Karri tells me there was a large contingent of Thomas' grade school friends in attendance for the game. I'm sure Thomas ate up every minute of it. He's been seeing more playing time - even started the last few games. The team is starting to come together and the games are fun to watch. It's the first time Mimi has seen a game - sounds like she loved it.

Matthew turns 13 tomorrow. For his party, he asked if he could have 5 friends sleep over this weekend. Yikes. The party was Saturday night. We took them to play laser tag - which was a big hit with the kids - then home for pizza, presents, cake, some time on the trampoline, a movie, lots of general teenage boy silliness and, eventually, bedtime. I think it was a hit, as all the boys seemed to have fun and we are hearing reports of same from their parents.

Matthew and his buddies (and Victoria) - in a rare moment of sitting still

 

All the kids had basketball games this weekend. On Saturday, Victoria's team won their first game and Thomas' team lost a tough one by 1. Matthew's team got another win - a close game against a very good team - on Sunday.

Sunday afternoon, we went to get our Christmas tree. Thomas had been invited to go snowboarding up at Snoqualmie Pass with some buddies, so he missed out on this annual tradition. We picked out a beautiful 8' noble fir.

Matthew and Victoria - ready to decorate

 After dinner we got the lights on and then let the kids place a couple ornaments.

Victoria's favorite angel ornament

We'll finish decorating this week. We are all exhausted from a busy weekend. And we've got a busy week ahead with Matthew's birthday, more basketball, my birthday, the Christmas show at Matthew & Victoria's school, and more. Time for bed.

Back to Lakeside

Our weekend finale was another basketball game at Lakeside School - this time the middle school just down the street from the high school where Thomas played yesterday.  Matthew's 7th grade CYO team played Lakeside today in their first regular season contest (last week's game was a scrimmage).

The game was close all the way and tied with less than 2 minutes to go, but Holy Rosary hit some clutch shots late in the game - including 2 free throws with less than a minute to go - to pull out a 4 point win. The boys looked good and it was a fun game to watch.

Hands up on defense! (creepy eyes though)

Matthew played well. He hit a clutch 3-pointer in the first half and added several rebounds and a blocked shot. Unfortunately, he pulled up lame late in the game, with an injured heel. He sat out the last few minutes with an icepack on his foot.  A milkshake on the drive home helped him forget about the heel for a bit.

Tim and Eang joining us for dinner tonight. I have a growler of Ol' Hare Stout from Georgetown Brewing company that I need Tim's help finishing off.  Karri put a pot roast in the crock-pot this morning and so we will enjoy her delicious shredded beef tacos for dinner. Always mui bueno.

And a rare road win for the Browns today!

Not a bad finish to the weekend.

Saturday Scramble

As is the routine around here, we had a hectic day yesterday (Saturday). Matthew had his last soccer game and Victoria and Thomas had basketball games. In the evening, Victoria had a sleepover at a friend's house, Thomas had a date dance at school and Matthew had a babysitting gig. All-in-all a fun day, but far from relaxing...

In their season finale, Matthew's team lost to a very good team that had beaten them earlier in the season.  We played well, but were out-matched in size, speed, skill and depth. The boys played hard, but also made sure to have fun, knowing it was their last game of the season.

Positioned for a corner kick

Taking a goal kick

Celebrating with teammate Kenny after a Crush goal

We had to divide and conquer in the afternoon, as Thomas had to be at school at exactly the same time as Victoria's game started.  Matthew and I dropped T off with plans to catch the 2nd half of Victoria's game, but there was horrible traffic and it just didn't make sense.  So Karri watched Victoria's game - a loss, but fun nonetheless.

Victoria headed off to her friend's house and Karri met us up at Lakeside School (whose alumni roll includes Bill Gates and Paul Allen) for Thomas' game. This was their 3rd game of the season - the first 2 were losses, but they played much better in the 2nd game and so we were optimistic for continued improvement against a tough conference rival. They didn't disappoint. They won the opening tip-off, scored a quick basket, and never looked back - establishing an early lead and never letting Lakeside build any momentum.

Their coach teaches a very up-tempo style of play with lots of fast-breaks, full court pressure defense and constant movement. It's fun to watch (when its working) and results in a lot of boys getting playing time - because the boys are constantly running and need to take a break every few minutes. Thomas hasn't started, but he's seen a lot of playing time and made the most of his opportunities.  Yesterday he played about 10 minutes and, I think, scored 10 points with a couple rebounds and a blocked shot. It was fun for the boys (and fans) to get a win. You can tell the team is really coming together.

T calling for the ball

A decisive win

After the game, we hustled home so everyone could get ready for evening activities.  Thomas was going to the 'Tolo' dance at Prep (aka 'Sadie Hawkins') - where the girls invite the boys. It's a dress-up event and, like Homecoming, there was a pre-dance dinner hosted by a school family with about 10 'couples', with parents invited to join.  The home was on Capital Hill - an old section of town with beautiful Victorian homes. The house had a 3rd floor open room for the kids to hang out and have dinner while the parents mingled on the main floor.  It was a beautiful home and perfect for an event like this. We enjoyed meeting a few more freshman parents and seeing the kids all decked out and having fun.

Thomas and his date, Elise

T and buddies

The crowd

I volunteered to pick Thomas up after the dance. He had arranged for his buddy Axa - the tallest one in the above pictures (at 6'7" and on the freshman team) - to spend the night. Matthew was still at his babysitting gig when we got back around 11, so I waited up till he got home around midnight. A long, but fun day.

Happy Birthday Pop Pop!

Happy Birthday today (Wed) to my father-in-law Bill Hendrix - affectionately known as 'Pop-Pop' to his grandchildren.

Bill is a great guy - a wonderful father-in-law to me and an amazing grandfather to our kids. We could fill books (actually... have filled 1 so far) with stories of him orchestrating adventures with his grandchildren - horseback riding, tractor driving, model airplane flying, prank pulling, go-cart riding, Cat-In-The-Hat reading, museum visiting, lesson teaching, and more! He's been the driving force behind Karri and his annual 'Father-Daughter Weekend' - a tradition that started when Karri was in college at UCLA and has continued every year since. He's been a kind, supportive and generous father-in-law to me. I consider him a role-model... and a friend.

We are blessed that Bill and Donna are so involved in our kids' lives.  They've made countless trips up from San Diego - or hosted us at their beautiful ranch home, or their spectacular condo in Puerto Vallarta - and always find ways to catch the kids' games, performances, graduations, and special events.

Pop-Pop with Karri and Victoria after a recent soccer game

Hard to believe this was just 8 or 9 years ago...

3 cheers for Pop-Pop!

Happy birthday, Pop-Pop! We love you!

Happy 63rd Wedding Anniversary Mom & Dad!

Tom & Peggy (Camplejohn) Lange were married on November 26, 1949 at Holy Cross Church in Euclid, Ohio.

"I now present to you, Mr & Mrs. Thomas Lange!"

November 26, 1949 - Holy Cross Church - Euclid, Ohio

The reception was held at the Tudor Arms Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio.

Proud Parents: The Langes and Camplejohns

The Wedding Party

Teamwork like this has been their secret to 63 years of marital bliss!

[I don't think I've ever been to the Tudor Arms Hotel.  I just searched to learn a little bit of its history and discovered that it was recently renovated after falling into disrepair and being vacant for several years.  It's now a DoubleTree hotel.  I think we need to make a family trip there sometime.]

And here's what 63 years of marriage may get you - 6 children (and spouses - a.k.a. "The Outlaws"), 12 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren... and counting!

I couldn't have asked for two better role models. I love you Mom & Dad!  Happy Anniversary!

Brisk Evening Walk

Karri had a challenging day at work today and came home intent on getting out for a walk.  The sun had just set but, due to a clear sky, it was still bright enough for us to make our usual loop down to the beach at Lincoln Park.  It was chilly, but we keep a brisk pace and so warmed up quickly. We caught the last of a pink sky over the Olympic Mountains and watched a ferry finish loading and head out from the Fauntleroy terminal - getting the evening commuters back to Vashon Island and Southworth.

Last light over the Olympic Peninsula

I've said this before, but its amazing how a 30-minute walk along the water can clear your head and help you refocus.

Leftover Heaven

Saturday afternoon we got caught up watching some of the college football rivalry games, then decided to have a casual dinner with some of the Thankgiving leftovers.  Oh man.  Sometimes I like the leftovers even better than Thanksgiving dinner.

I picked up a loaf of fresh sourdough bread and some havarti cheese, and Karri grilled up some amazing turkey sandwiches.  I loaded mine up with lettuce, avocado, cranberry sauce and dijon mustard. I'm pretty certain it was the best turkey sandwich I've had in a long time.

Turkey Day

We started the day with our annual Turkey Bowl football game with a big group of friends from West Seattle.  We've been getting hammered with rain lately but, fortunately, the rains held off making for 'ideal' Turkey Bowl conditions - lot's of mud on the field, but not so miserable that people stayed home.

We had a good-sized group - about 12 or so kids, and 6 or 8 dads.  Thomas was wiped out and decided to sleep in instead, not waking up until shortly before we got home around 11! Tim came by and joined us, as he has for the last few years.

We started out with one large game of touch football, then the 7th grade boys decided they wanted to play tackle instead, so we split into two games and the dads played with the remaining kids.

Karri came by later with hot chocolate and homemade banana bread - a Turkey Bowl tradition.  Mmmm.

As always, it was a great time and a fun way to get some exercise and fresh air before the afternoon feast.

'Don't mess with me' Victoria and 'Heisman' Matthew after the game

Later in the afternoon, we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house.  Two families joined us - the Bendzacs and Hartwichs.  7 adults and 9 kids.  Everyone contributed to the meal and we had WAY too much food, but boy was it good.  The turkey was delicious and was accompanied by some amazing side dishes - 2 types of stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberry, and more! Of course there was pumpkin pie, whipped cream and ice cream to top it all off. We were all blissfully stuffed by the end of the meal.

Afterward, a group played a spirited game of Tripoley while the rest of us sat and talked over an after-dinner drink.  We were exhausted by the time the last guests left around 10:30.

A very fun day!

Birthday Girl

Karri's birthday was on Wednesday.  She worked from home for a bit in the morning, then took the rest of the day off.  We sent her off to get a massage while the kids and I scrambled to clean the house in preparation for Thanksgiving.  She and the kids did some baking - including a birthday pie (long story... friends bringing pie for Thanksgiving, kids wanted to make pumpkin pie, needed a birthday dessert... you get the idea). Later in the afternoon, she opened her presents and then we watched a few home movies from when the kids were little.  We don't do that very often, but always enjoy it when we do.  The kids really get a kick out of seeing miniature versions of themselves mugging for the camera.

After the movies, we took her out for dinner at bangbar - a relatively new Thai restaurant in West Seattle - and had a great meal.  Here's the birthday girl with her brood:

After dinner

All-in-all, a very fun day.  I think she enjoyed herself.

Happy birthday to my lovely wife!

Deluge

I'm a pretty heavy sleeper.  A light, steady rain - the kind that is typical here in Seattle - usually helps me sleep more soundly. But not last night (Sunday). It was raining lightly when I went to bed, but really started to pour shortly after midnight.  The rain was so heavy on our roof, skylights and windows that it woke me several times. It lasted through the morning and into the early afternoon.  Weather.com says we had 3.5" of rain in the last 24 hours! That's insane.

To put that in perspective (I had to look this up), 1" of rain is equivalent to about 15" of dry-powder snow.  So if it had been 15 degrees colder, we might have gotten 52" of snow in the last 24hrs.

Speaking of snow... I read today that Crystal Mountain - one of our favorite ski resorts, about 90min from Seattle - is opening on Wednesday. That storm really helped them, as their website says they've gotten more than 4' of snow since Saturday.

Karri spent part of Sunday afternoon getting all the kids ski and snowboard gear sorted out and taking an inventory of what still fits and what needs replacing.  We did our part to boost the economy by shopping online at the REI Winter Sale.

Sports Transition Weekend

There are a few times each year when the kids' sports seasons overlap. This weekend was one, as soccer is winding down and basketball is starting up.  Saturday was hectic with 2 soccer games (Matthew & Victoria), 1 basketball game (Victoria), and 1 basketball practice (Thomas). Sunday we were lucky to only have 1 basketball game (Matthew). Add to all that a parents' meeting for the freshman basketball team and an end-of-season party for Victoria's soccer team!

The only picture I got was just before the start of Victoria's game.  I need to get better about bringing the camera to these events.

Victoria (#3) and Emma before the start of the game

It wasn't all youth sports this weekend.  Karri and I went to a wine tasting (fundraiser) at Seattle Prep on Friday night. We saw a lot of friends and familiar faces and it was a really nice event. Saturday night was very low-key - everyone was tired, although Thomas had another babysitting gig.

Sunday we watched the Browns lose to Dallas in overtime - a rare 'treat' to get the Browns televised out here.  We usually have to go to the Browns Backers Club of Seattle to watch them (which the boys and I quite often do, with Tim & Eang). It was nice to watch them from home for a change. It reminded me of many fun Sundays watching them in Cleveland. The only odd part is that the games start at 10am. Instead of enjoying a beer or two, I was sipping coffee throughout the game... probably too much, as my heart was pounding during that 4th quarter and overtime. Guess I need to drink more responsibly.

Victoria also found time over the weekend to work on several puzzles.  Notice a theme here?

Puzzle-palooza

The kids were excited by the time Sunday night rolled around... looking forward to a short week of school.

Long Live the Fit

Big day today.

We've recently come to the realization that our beloved Honda Fit doesn't quite 'fit' our family so well anymore.  We started looking at options a few weeks ago and today pulled the trigger on the purchase of a 2013 Honda CRV.  We're very excited about the new car.  But the Fit was a special one and will be missed...

Last goodbyes...

Call me crazy, but I am a bit melancholy about the fact that the new car has an automatic transmission.  It's the first car I've ever purchased that doesn't have a stick shift.

Also got word tonight that Thomas made the freshman basketball team at Seattle Prep!  We are very proud of him and excited for this new adventure.

Veteran's Day

Thomas Lange - Oberlin College - Navy V12 Training (1944)

My dad was a freshman at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio on December 7, 1941. On the advice of one of his professors, he stayed in school in anticipation of the armed services needing college educated young men to train as officers. He eventually enlisted in the Navy V12 Program and was sent to Oberlin College and then Columbia University for training.  In September 1944, Ensign Thomas Lange reported to Houston for duty aboard Landing Ship, Medium (LSM) 74.  The 74 would be his 'home' for for the next 19 months.

Their journey took them through the Panama Canal, along the western coast of Central America up to San Diego, on to the Hawaiian Islands, the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands, before participating in the attack on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945.

As part of the 7th wave of the assault on Iwo Jima and under heavy fire, the 74 delivered 6 tanks and about 50 marines onto the beach. They were on the beach for approximately 8 minutes and under fire for about 20 minutes. Two crewmen were killed, several others injured, and the ship sustained significant damage.  Here's a photo taken as they tried to get the impaired ship off the beach.

I've spent several hours of my adult life wondering what those 20 minutes must have been like for a 21-year old college kid from Cleveland, Ohio. 

I am blessed that my father is still living, and willing and able to share his first-hand account. 

Every time he's asked about his experience during the war, he's quick to say "I'm no hero."  He talks about the marines who stormed the beaches - many of whom never made it back. "Those guys were the heroes."

He's right about the marines.  But in my opinion, they are all heroes.  Everyone who signed up for duty, to play a role - whether big or small - in defending the world from unthinkable evil, is a hero. 

You too Dad.

Thank you, Dad, for your service to our country.

Walk... Overdue

I've been especially busy with work recently and, as a result, have fallen out of the habit of getting out for a walk each (errr... most) day(s).  Karri seized upon my guilt and got me out for a late-afternoon walk today.  As always, I'm glad that she did.

It has been decidedly colder here this week and today was no exception.  It was a clear, crisp day - only reached the mid-forties, despite the sunshine.  Thanks to daylight savings, we missed the sun, but did enjoy a bright, clear sky and the glow of the sun setting over the Olympic Peninsula.  The tide was out and the wind was blowing, making for a small surf (which I noticed mostly because Jack gets freaked out by the sound of waves on the shore).

Lincoln Park beach at low tide.

Vashon Ferry about to set sail

It was another quiet Friday night - perhaps something we should get used to.  All 3 kids were with friends.  We had to do a little shuttling around - pick Thomas up from a friend's house and get him to his evening babysitting gig, then pick Victoria up from a friend's house - but otherwise had some quiet time together at home.  We had a late and delicious steak dinner.  Now Karri and Victoria are in bed and I am waiting up for Thomas to get home (Matthew is sleeping over at a buddy's house).  It's been a long week and I'll be asleep moments after T arrives.

On a sad note, I got word last night that a long-time family friend, Bill Knapp, (aka 'Uncle Bill') passed away Thursday.  He and my dad were roommates during navy training in 1942 and remained friends ever since.  Uncle Bill was a funny guy - always cracking jokes, telling stories, and making people laugh.  He was an eye doctor and I have vivid memories of making our annual trip to his office in Aurora, Ohio for eye exams. He and 'Aunt Jane' were welcome regulars at Lange family events. Uncle Bill was a wonderful person and will be missed.

Fall Sky

I pulled over to take this picture while on my drive home from dropping Matthew at soccer practice.

Taken just up the hill from our house

With the onset of Daylight Savings, I have in my head that it's going to be cold, dark and wet every day for the next 5 months - just deal with it.  Well today was actually pretty nice.  Sunny most of the day, with a thin layer of clouds rolling in later in the day.  It was reasonably warm too.

I took the opportunity to get outside late this afternoon and clear some of the many leaves that have fallen on our drive.  I'm sure it will be covered again by morning.

Sports Saturday

Matthew had an early game in Sumner (about 45min drive) Saturday morning.  I hadn't seen a full game of his in a while, so I volunteered to go.  They played on a wet, muddy grass field against a team they had beaten earlier this season. Despite the conditions, they played a very good game and came out on top, 5-2.  Matthew played well. Had a nice crossing pass that nearly resulted in a goal, then nearly scored a goal himself.  He's the unofficial 'captain' of the defense - usually plays center-back.  But his coach has been mixing things up this season and let Matthew play up front, which he really seems to enjoy.  Here's a team photo from after the game.  That's Matthew second from right with the mop of blonde hair.

The West Seattle Crush 13U Team

After his game, we hustled back to Seattle to see Thomas' last football game.  The starting tight-end was out sick all week, so Thomas got to start and played the most he's played all season - about half the game.  He mostly blocked, but went out for a few passes - though never saw the ball. He did recover a kick-off, but just fell to the ground with the ball, as all the blockers are instructed to do should the ball come their way.

The other team, Garfield High, was big, strong and fast.  We lost badly... 40-something to 0.  After the game, Thomas told me they had played the Junior Varsity team and that some of the kids alwo play on varsity. Apparently, Garfield's freshman team isn't very good, so our coach scheduled a game against the JV instead.

Thomas has been saying for the last few weeks that he's ready for football to be done, but after the game he said he was a little sorry it was over.  Overall, I think it was a good experience for him.  He met a lot of kids and made several new friends before school even started. He learned a lot about the game, got some great training and exercise, and got to play in a few games.  Not bad for a 14 year old.

Here's a shot of the two of us from immediately after the game...

I've still got an inch or 2 on him!

Victoria's soccer game was during Thomas' football game, so Victoria and Coach Karri were there instead.  They lost a close one... 2-1.  Karri said we gave up a goal with just a minute to go... otherwise would have ended in a tie. They played a team that they lost to 6-0 the first time they played - another indication that our team is improving.  A moral victory.  Although the girls don't get worked up about a loss anyway.  As it should be.

This Made Me Laugh

Halloween

A Halloween first tonight.  All 3 kids had plans with friends so Karri and I were, as she called us, 'Halloween widows'.  I had some work to do, so Karri called a friend and went out for a glass of wine (or 2).  Exciting night for me.  Only 4 knocks at the door.

Here are pics...

The Caped Crusader

... with the Kitty

Best Halloween decoration ever... a live (and large) spider and his web (tough to see) right next to our front door.

The 'Take'... after sorting and trading.