Family Dance Party

I typed "The family dance party is" and then Maddie walked up behind me and auto-completed the sentence with "always a disaster."

I was going to be more positive. I generally enjoy the event. Last night the kids chose teams. Henry was odd child out as Maddie and Caleb paired up and assigned him to mom and dad's team. He was distraught. "But they can't dance!"

"You wanna bet?" Katie and I declared as we started busting our moves. The children looked on, incredulous. Finally, Henry said, "It looks like you're hurting yourself."

Herding Cats

I am back in the coaching business. This time, 7- and 8-year-olds and basketball. We had our first practice last week. This was an education, more so for me regarding the extreme degree of complexity inherent in basketball drills when put upon the 7-year-old mind than regarding the kids and their basketball skills. A transcript of the practice might read something like this:

Okay, make two lines. No, two lines. Here and here. No here. (kids' voices, balls bouncing) No, you go over here. Two lines. (balls bouncing) Just one ball. Put that ball down. (kids' voices). Just one… No TWO lines, ONE ball. (muttering)

This line…you guys move over here…this line shoots, this line…you guys move over there… rebounds…then you…you guys stay over there…then you switch sides. No, stay over there. Switch sides AFTER you shoot.

Okay, go ahead, you shoot. Good. Now, you…no you don't rebound, you go to the other line, you…no, not you…you rebound. Okay, good, no pass it to the other line…you guys stay over there…and go behind to the back of that line. Nope, other line. To the back. The back. Behind…okay, good.

All right, next, go ahead and shoot…no not you, this line shoots, this line rebounds. Go ahead. You have to rebound, come on. No you're in that line, go to the….

Coach Hart?

Yes.

What's a rebound?

Ahh...

Welcome to Adulthood, My Son

On the way to Tae Kwon Do last night, Caleb was explaining to me about television. It went something like this:

"Dad, you know how on the Disney Channel, when they tell a joke, a bunch of invisible people start laughing?"

"Yeah."

"Well, so on Victorious, which isn't the Disney Channel, but they still have the invisible laughing people, they told a joke, and it wasn't funny. I mean, like, not even close to funny. Like, it wasn't even really a joke. I mean, you wouldn't know it was a joke, except that the invisible people started laughing. So dad, I don't think the invisible people are really laughing the same as you and me. It's just fake to make you like the show. Did you know that?"

Laugh track awareness. Sigh. My little boy's all grown up.

New Years in Luxor Photos

First of all, vacationing in Luxor was awesome. Please go! They need it. The resort was fantastic but it was sad to hear them talk about how they are usually sold out for New Year's Eve months in advance. Meanwhile, occupancy this last week was about ten percent. So I feel like I need to cheer lead for Luxor. Totally safe. Fresh air (as opposed to Cairo). Loved it.

Henry on the bank of the Nile

Queen Hatshepsut's temple

Tour guide gives us the scoop

Katie demonstrating her mad cap improv dance skills in front of Luxor temple

Taking advantage of resort sidewalks (a feature notoriously absent in Cairo)

Making alabaster items

Collosi of Memnon

Caleb welcomes you to Karnak Temple

Maddie inside Karnak Temple