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

And the Movie Version

A Cairo Christmas

Decorating the tree with Henry in Christmas tree camo pajamas.

CAC Christmas celebration

Of course, Santa swaps reindeer for a camel when visiting the Middle East

Christmas morning pre-wake up

Yes, I still love football cards. Get off my back.

Displaying new earrings and charm bracelet

Bombs away

T-Daddy's Favorite Things

Ms Underwood's charming The Sound of Music got me thinking about a few of my favorite things. So, for those looking for last minute gifts or for something cool to try out or read or watch, here are my favorite books, movies, apps, products, etc. that I discovered in 2013.

1. Moleskine journals. I had moved my journal writing and day planning to the digital realm but reversed that this year. I find spiritual serenity in the excellent craftsmanship of these journals and have rediscovered the joy of cursive handwriting, something I hadn't used in years. Yes, you read that correctly.

2. Pacific Rim. As my brother said via Facebook, not the best movie of the year, just the most fun. So awesome.

3. Keynote for iPad. No more laptop for me. iPad only. This has been an enjoyable transition. I especially enjoy making presentations in Keynote. There was a learning curve, but not that steep. And it is so much easier than PowerPoint. It's actually fun to use. I find myself thinking up excuses to make another presentation.

4. Clear for iPhone. Must. Swipe. Red. Items. Task list app keeps me on task.

5. The end of Despicable Me 2. Best movie ending ever. I swear.

6. The Paleo Manifesto. Few books relocate my world view as dramatically as this. In addition to scriptures, I have three books I read regularly and try to put into practice: 7 Habits, Standing for Something, and Magic 1-2-3 (you know, for parenting). This book, for now, is similarly situated as my personal bible of what to eat and how to exercise. Though I did just have a bowl of Cap'n Crunch.

In Which More Bragging (To Be Fair)

Also last week, Caleb advanced a belt in Tae Kwon Do to yellow with green stripe. In doing so, he memorized his third pumse in about five minutes. Good chance you don't know what that means, so I'll just tell you, it's impressive.

And Madeline won the dance contest at the super-birthday-party-dance-party (like father like daughter*).

* Groove is in the heart

Am I Bragging? Yes. Yes I Am.

Today was Cairo's annual Youth Death-by-Soccer. This is a six-game round robin tournament in which five-year olds who have been playing games for weeks with few onlookers and no score keeping suddenly have covens of eager mothers screaming at them to "get him!"

Unlike last year (see mid-November 2012 post for more details), I kept quiet, though I was assigned official score keeper and frequently had to correct "well intentioned" parents who were pretty sure their kid scored three goals, not two.*

Anyway, through six games, Henry's team was outscored 15-10, posting a record of 2-3-1. However, during the time Henry was on the field, his team outscored opponents 10-9. Henry scored 8 goals. While on the sideline, he was upset, exclaiming several times, "I'm letting down my team. Can I go back in?"

* They're five years old people. Get a grip.

Saturday Extracurricular Update

Henry Soccer Game: The other team had a ringer, but Henry nearly neutralized him with several excellent defensive plays. Henry scored his side's lone goal with an end-to-end dribble, fighting through several tackle attempts and following his blocked first shot with a rebound strike. The effort fell short in a 3-1 loss.

Maddie/Caleb Tennis Lesson: I observed Caleb swinging with his right hand. So I pointed out to the coach that he is a lefty.

"For me," the coach said, "he is right-handed."

"Okay. I've only lived with him his entire life and you've coached him for five minutes, so you'd be the one to know."

So the coach did what he called "a little test" in which he told Caleb to catch the tennis ball with his right hand. When Caleb was successful, coach said, "See, he is right-handed."

What?

But anyway, I'm not trying to raise the next Roger Federer, so, whatever.

Pinewood Derby: Caleb first place for the Wolf Den and second place overall.

Back in Egypt Photos

This is still in Virginia, I just like photos of Henry playing soccer.

Maddie back on CAC campus. Don't ask, because I don't know, why she is holding a stuffed lobster.

Tiger was happy to have me back.