Joel's Last First Day

Joel started his senior year today.

Well practice started a few weeks ago and he has already had a scrimmage soccer game but school started today.

He is a team Captain.


They sure grow up in a hurry.

To prove it Elaine sent me this from her phone.

We have a spot on the wall where we mark the kids heights at the beginning and ending of each school year.

Elaine and I 's heights are on the wall too so the kids to compare our heights.

Mine was always the highest mark.

Until today.

Awards Night

My son, Joel, with the sports awards he won last night.

The two trophies are for Christian leadership for his soccer and basketball teams.

The parchment is a paper that shows the Indiana's congress entered into the records their winning the state basketball tournament for their division.

Good job Joel!

Dunk Contest

Joel, #21, and his team mates dunk contest.

IACS State Champs

We spent this weekend at the IACS State basketball finals.
My son's team one!
Here is a highlight reel.

Here is where my wife talks about it.

Jeep Roll

My oldest son rolled one of our Jeeps this weekend.
We praise God that he was not injured!

On Our Minds

I found this doodle I did during Church years ago of Joel when he was little.
Seems he was on Elaine's mind today too.
See what I mean HERE

Joel's Turn

Fairytale

My little girl grew up.

May your story be as wonderful as your Mothers and mine has been.
Love Dad

Batgirl Leaves the Batcave

I can't believe that Batgirl leaves the Batcave tomorrow?
Sad and happy at the same time.

Wedding Thoughts

Megan's big day is Friday!

When did she become a woman?

Friday is going to be a hard day.

Big Week Ahead

Megan is loading up with coffee to get ready for her big week.

Trampoline

This is our neighbor, Kurt, jumping on our trampoline.

We sure had a bunch of fun on our trampoline.

Soccer

It has been a busy fall for us.

Our youngest son, Joel, played soccer which meant we were on the road a lot.

Joel is number 21.

This pretty much how Elaine and I viewed his games. Eyes on Joel.



Megan, Adam, Levi, Hope, family and friends from Church often helped us cheer him on from the sidelines.

His team won their conference and entered into the State tournament with high hopes of being State champs.

Once in the tourney they played well.

They went further than their team had ever gone before.

Friday's night game ended in a tie which went into overtime.
This also ended in a tie.
So then it went into a shootout. Which ended in a tie!

So it went into a sudden death shoot out.

The teams opponents went first and they missed.

So it is our turn to kick and the Coach sent Joel to kick.

Watch the fun.


Here are some still shots of the winning goal .







Jersey over the head!

Clothes-lined by team mates and then piled on!

This put them into the final game and farther than the school has ever gotten in the state tournament.

Here are some highlights.





We were winning at half time 1-0 but lost the game 4-1.

After each game the team came and clapped for the fans and their support.

Thanks for the fun boys. Second at state is not to bad.

Joel had Sunday off and started basketball practice the following Monday.
Elaine and I get two weeks off and then it is back on the road.

Kids

Mom son, Levi, and his fiancee, Hope, getting there pictures taken by my Mother.
I think Mom did some Photoshop work here.

What do you think?
I think she did it because I took a couple of weeks off from blogging.

Christmas 2009

We have had a couple of busy weeks as I am sure you have too.
Here is a brief review of our Christmas.

We had a progressive dinner with Elaine's family.

My nieces and nephew entertained us at their home where we had appetizers.


We went to our house for the main course.

We then finished up at Elaine's parents house with desert.

Elaine's Dad read part of the Christmas story at each house.


A few days before Christmas Levi asked his girlfriend, Hope, to marry him.
Thankfully she said yes and they came to our house so we could congratulate them.

Elaine welcomes or new addition to the family.

The ring!

Here is the happy couple.

Christmas Eve found us at my parents house and it can be seen HERE in a smile box that my Mom created.




Christmas morning at our house and we wake up to our tradition orange rolls.
I still haven't fixed the oven so Elaine made them in the toaster oven.


Levi is anxiously awaiting the orange rolls.


Joel got his letter jacket.

Megan and Levi got netbooks.



Scooby got a flying squirrel.


The master mind of a great weekend.

Don't worry, I got some toys!

Happy new year!

Batphone

The Batphone!!!

Is it mine? Nope.

It is my daughters. She orders it and doesn't even tell me. She tells everyone else but not me.

I read a post she made recently about it in a list of 25 random things about her.

1. I absolutely love to sing! My two favorite people to sing with are Emily (Nationals, Baby!) and Adam.

Good. I knew that.

2. I teach Sunday School for the preschool/kindergarten kids at my church. I love them to pieces!

Yep.

5. I have gotten pulled over by the same police officer twice in the same day.

I even knew this one.

8. I absolutely love notebooks/calendars/journa

ls of any kind!!!! I just love to write stuff down. :)

Like her Father. Yep I knew that.

10. I still sometimes have the urge to get out my Barbies and play with them.

Replace Barbie with Batman and it's the same with me.

12. I am writing my own Bible study and would like to present it to the public sometime this next month.

I Knew this.

13. I just made a Build-a-Bear. His name is Peter Panda. :)

I was there.

16. I also work at an old drive-in diner. I'm a pretty amazing cook. . . .

Yes she is.

17. I just got the limited edition Dark Knight cell phone, just to make my dad jealous. :)

There it is for all the world to see.

Look at her taunting me.
She kept the box too.


And the Joker card that came with it.

Love them, feed them, give them shelter and this is what you get back.

Oh. All the orange in the background is Levi making an Aquaman outfit for Super Hero day at school.

Snifff, sniff. They make a BatDad proud.

Bat Collection

I was asked the other day "What is my most prized piece in my Batman collection?".

Easy answer.

It is found on this shelf in what we call the Batroom in our home.


You would never guess it. It's only valuable to my wife and I.

It isn't even a Batman, it's a Robin.

•••••

I'm always Batman. When my brothers and I played and when my kids and I play, I'm Batman.

The kids at my childrens school and at church camp, call me Batman.

Levi, my oldest son, knew this and he claimed the sidekick role early in life as Robin.

He had an action figure from the cartoon "Batman: The Animated Series" in the 90"s and he wore it out.

Bear was his pal when it was time for bed and quiet times but the rest of the time Robin was in his hand.Yeah its worn out and that is why I love it. Because it was loved by someone I love.

Take all the rest but leave me this one.