Sunday, June 30, 2013

Happy Birthday Grandpa

The kids sang a rousing version of happy birthday for grandpa on our first night at Kavanaughs. The weather looks great for some early morning fishing in the morning. Look out fishies, the boys, Karen and Nicole are coming for you.

Sam Takes the Lead

This is a small portion of a growing tree on the wall of one of the guest rooms in my parents house. Carolyn measured all the boys yesterday and Sam is coming in at 5 foot, 3 inches now. That's a big 10 year old.

Friday, June 28, 2013

In Air Wifi

I love being connected in the air. We have a two and two set up today. I'm with Sam and his elbows, Nicole is sitting with Dylan. Everything seems to be on time today. Good flying weather.

Football Time

Coach Cory called the first football practice of the season last night. Yes, it's 3 months until the first game and they don't have all the players for the team yet but it's never too early to start running those passing routes. They did enjoy themselves and got a good workout.

Sent from my iPad

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Trumpet

Andre was at the concert last night at Wolf Trap and played on a couple Counting Crows songs. The boys always like hanging with Andre and Sam now wants to play trumpet along with viola and chorus. Not sure where he's going to find the time. It was a hot one out there last night and we were all spent when we got home. Hard day of work today but vacation is right around the corner.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Still Sinking In

I want the boys to win championships as much if not more than they do. The bitter taste of defeat is still in my mouth. I know they are young and will have more chances but this is the third championship game in the last 12 months that did not end up in a win. Those boys are exceptional athletes and should feel the thrill of a championship victory. They have won 35 and lost 5 baseball and football games in the last twelve months and been to three championship games. Come on man, we needed a small break in each game and they didn't get it.

They take the losses better than me. On a positive note, a mother of one of the kids on our team told me she was impressed with my ability to stay so calm during the games while chatting at a party last night. I told her I just shoved it down and that I was a ticking time bomb of repressed emotion. Just like all Minnesotans, right? She's actually from Minnesota too, she understood.

Glad I got that off my chest. Tick, tick, tick.....

Saturday, June 22, 2013

They Played Hard

The Bulls ran into a "nothing to lose" team and came up a couple runs short in the championship game today. A different call here or there and we would be talking about a win. Sam and Dylan played well but the teams most consistent hitter hit a big slump today, going 0-3 and the baby Bulls couldn't overcome that missing bat. Hard to explain but we had beaten this team twice during the season by 7 runs each time. If Brock goes 2-3, we win easily. He's a great kid and was the best overall player on the team but the baseball gods intervened. This is the second year in a row of losing the last game of the year. No one came close to our 10-2 record but we were bested at the end.

The boys will pick themselves up and try even harder next year. That what they do.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Longest Day

We begin the long march back to winter today. June has been pretty mild compared to the last few June's and today was no exception. 82 degrees with low humidity is a treat in DC this time of year. A heat wave is brewing but it doesn't seem as bad as last summers along stretches of near hundred degree temps. I like seasons but have a certain fondness for the cooler ones. It's nice that the days will be getting shorter and the cool fall temps that require a blazing fire are getting closer everyday.

Big baseball championship game tomorrow morning. I hope the boys do well and bring home the championship trophy but they had a great season either way. It's stressful to want them to win so bad. It will be a relief for me when it's over however it turns out. Go Bulls!!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Bully

The little Bulls pulled out a tight one for a trip to the Pioneer Baseball League championship game on Saturday. The River Dogs fought hard but came up short in a 12-11 barn burner. Dylan had a great game, hitting a single, double, walking and popping out. He also had some heads up plays in the field that saved a run. Sam had a couple singles, a walk and a pop out. He also had back to back pop fly catches at first that kept the Dogs scoreless in the 4th. He did allow four runs in the 5th while he was on the mound but the Bulls came back and won the game in the bottom of the inning. One more game.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Awards

Sam got the Performing Eagle Award in Music and Dylan got the Presidents Physical Fitness Award in school today. Sam award was based on his chorus and strings participation and the enthusiasm he had for music. Dylan is one all around fit kid, running a 8:20 minute mile and doing all the pull-ups that tend to be the toughest part of the qualification. I'm proud of both boys.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Father's Day Salad

Roasted corn, tomatoes and avocado. Saw it in a Facebook post yesterday and Nicole mad it today. It's been a pretty mellow day after I tweaked my back during a baseball practice with the boys this morning. I tried the pool but that didn't feel so good. Just sitting around, watching the US Open and trying not to move much. Happy Father's Day to Marsh and Gil.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Refreshing Dip

Not much happening today, messing around at home, the pool and baseball practice. We are still having some beautiful weather for June. I think we have more of the same weather and activities tomorrow. School ends next week and then the summer madness begins.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Open Door

Our nieghbors parents had a memorial party for Dave tonight. They asked if we would allow people to park at the church and use our door to get to their house. I threw down some new rock, trimmed the ivy and added the torch on the left to help show the way to the door. By the traffic we got, it would seem that Dave was a popular guy.

Patrols in Training

They don't get their badges until next year.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Deepsea Challenger

James Cameron's deep water sub showed up in the National Geographic driveway yesterday.  It looks pretty cool but would not be a place for a claustrophobic person.


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

9-1

The little Bulls finish the regular season in first place, beating the Iron birds 11-8 in a close contest. Sam pitched alright and had a couple hits, including a home run with an error. Dylan was energetic out there but struck out twice, was thrown out at first and walked. He didn't get to pitch today and was disappointed but kept a very positive attitude about it all. We don't have a game on Saturday because of our record gives is a first round bye. A nice Father's Day gift from the boys.

Soccer Party



























The boys had a quick soccer party at the coach's house last night and they all had soccer balls to sign and be signed.  They weren't the best soccer team in the world but they were a bunch of good kids and a great coaches.  We have one last regular season baseball game tonight if if doesn't rain then a first round bye and no game this weekend in the playoffs.  The baby Bulls won the regular season and we play again Tuesday.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Neighbor Dave


Our next door neighbor Dave died last week. He had a fairly aggressive bone cancer that caught up with him quickly. We never realized he was sick until his parents stopped by and told us he had passed on Saturday. He was a good guy that I didn't know all that well but he will be missed. 


DAVID S. TROEGER 

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TROEGER DAVID SCOTT TROEGER David Scott Troeger, 52, of Alexandria, Virginia, died June 6, 2013, after a courageous nearly yearlong battle with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Originally from Grand Rapids, MI, born March 26, 1961, he also lived in Xenia, OH, and was a 1979 graduate of Urbana High School in Illinois. From there he went on to earn a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in 1984. As soon as he graduated college he moved east to the tidewater area beginning his professional career as a ship's test engineer at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. In 2001 he moved up to the Washington DC area to take a job with the Naval Sea Systems Command, where he worked his way up to become the Director of Security for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Dave was an amazing person and believed in living life to the fullest. There wasn't anything that he wouldn't try and succeed. You could tell him about a project that you wanted to do and his response would be, "that's easy", and he would make it happen. He could accomplish anything he put his mind to from major construction projects such as building a garage or enlarging his porch, renovating numerous kitchen and bathrooms, building closets and "macgyvering" anything; to changing out a motor in his car, welding his jeep back together, rewiring an electrical panel, or re-plumbing his house; all while working full time, traveling the countryside and hanging out with friends and family. Just hearing about what Dave had done on an average weekend would make other people tired and he wouldn't have had it any other way. He believed in working hard and playing hard, and would do anything for a friend. Dave made friends with just about everyone he met and he treasured everyone one of those friendships. He was compassionate and caring and selfless when it came to helping out his friends. He helped them fix their cars, trucks, 4x4s, boats, and homes. His ability to fix things got him the nickname through which he became affectionately known as "The Doctor". Perhaps nowhere could his ability to rally people together to have fun show as when twice a year for more than 15 years, "the Doctor" coordinated and led a band of off-roading 4x4 beach enthusiasts known as Team Challenged to hang out on the beautiful beaches in Hatteras and Ocracoke Villages to surf fish, drink beer and eat a feast of gourmet food that everyone brought and cooked out of the back of the trucks. He perfected the art of bacon-topped grilled turkey on the beach, and got to enjoy his beloved 1986 Jeep CJ. David had many passions. He loved music. He was an award winning chili chef. He especially loved the great outdoors. From hiking the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, scuba diving and spearfishing in the waters off of Chesapeake Bay, camping in the Shenandoah mountains, white water canoeing the rapids of Virginia rivers, and boating the waters around Chincoteague, to skiing the mountains of Montana, swinging graphite clubs at "little white dimply balls", and just smoking a cigar while sipping on a beer or two or enjoying a glass of wine while "chillin" on the screened in porch with his wife and their friends. David is survived by his wife, Judi Hartsig Troeger of Alexandria, VA; his parents, John and Carol Troeger of Clayton, NC; siblings, Debbie Shoemaker of Mahomet, IL, Dana Anderson of Morresville, NC, and Anthony Troeger of Greensboro, NC. He is also survived by nieces and nephews, Matthew Peters, Jordan and Alec Shoemaker, and Jessica and Kyle Troeger. He also leaves his four felines, Jessie, Alley, Tiger and Cleo. His family would like to thank the doctors and staff of Virginia Hospital Center, Fairfax Inova Hospital, and Capital Caring Hospice. The unfailing compassionate care of the nurses at these facilities and with hospice brought great comfort to David and his family during a very difficult time. The family will hold a memorial gathering at Dave and Judi's home on Friday, June 14, 2013, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with testimonials and funny stories to begin at 6 p.m. Donations in David's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society , the Karen Wyckoff Rein in Sarcoma Foundation, or the charity of your choice .Donations in David's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society , the Karen Wyckoff Rein in Sarcoma Foundation, or the charity of your choice .


Published in The Washington Post on June 9, 2013

Sunday, June 09, 2013

All Star

It was a good all star game tonight with the yellow jersey beating the green jerseys 12-11. Sam played well going 1-1 with a walk, catching a deep ball in left, playing 1st base and catcher. He also came in as relief in the 6th to strike out three. Dylan was a real trooper and cheered for team yellow the whole time. He really wanted to play and could have easily been on that team, or the other one.

Pool Day

The boys with their friend Aidan at the pool before the big all star game.

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Equal

The boys soccer team lost in the first round today against the number one seed. We were all tied up 1-1 at half due to a beautiful goal by Dylan but couldn't hold them in the second half, losing 4-1. The team played really well considering they lost to this team in the regular season 7-0. Sam and Dylan didn't play that game because of a baseball conflict. I was proud of both of them, Sam had some amazing crosses and some great ball handling. He also played in goal for a quarter and kept the other team scoreless. He closed the season without allowing a single goal. That is one of the reasons the travel team was recruiting him so hard. He decided not to play travel, too much soccer when he enjoys lots of different sports.

So, with Dylan's goal, both boys had 5 for the season which works out well. It's always easier when they have equal success in scoring. They both had 12 touchdowns in football last fall as well.

Friday, June 07, 2013

Spring Concert

The Clermont Spring Concert was last night during the initial torrential downpours of tropical storm Andrea. Sam played his viola well and they both sang their little hearts out. Dylan also introduced a song, which required him to speak into a microphone and slow down enough to be understood. It was a battle to get him to do something he really wanted to do and to practice but it all turned out well. It's been raining all day so baseball is off tomorrow but that means they can play in the soccer playoffs in the morning. The soccer game is on artificial turf and usually doesn't get call due to the previous days rain. Turf drains well.

Thursday, June 06, 2013

Campaign 2013



















































The boys both want to run for elected office for the 2013-14 school year.  As 5th graders, they can run for VP and Treasurer so they choose not to compete and run for different offices.  They don't have party affiliations but both seem to be using the "active boy" theme.  Sam with his "Sam will drive Clermont to success" slogan while sitting on a snowmobile and Dylan's "Eagle Strong" with a steely gaze from the pictures mound.  I hope they do well but I'm sure some kid is rigging the ballet box or paying off voters with Pokemon trading cards and candy.  This is Washington DC...


Tuesday, June 04, 2013

All Star

The good news is that Sam made the All Star Team in baseball. The bad news is that Dylan did not make the team. Now, each team could send 4 kids and our team sent Sam and the three coaches kids. One of those kids is probably the best player on the team, Sam is second but you could easily argue that Dylan is fourth, maybe third. Anyway, we was initially devastated but is taking it well now. Last year they both made the soccer All Star Team which was nice. They don't have a soccer All Star Team this year but they would both make it again.

The little guy loves baseball but his big brute of a brother is playing the game better at this point. Sam did say he didn't want to be on the team if Dylan wasn't on it but that's not really the right thing to do. He did choose Dylan's baseball number as a sign of solidarity. #4.



Sent from my iPad

Saturday, June 01, 2013

Banner Day

The boys were up late last night, returning from their Clermont Choir field trip to Kings Dominion at 10pm. They were really worn out from singing and riding roller coasters on a hot and humid day. I was expecting a pretty low energy baseball game at 9:30 this morning but both boys put great energy into the game. Dylan was a little off at the plate and had two strikeouts and a walk but was solid on the field. Sam on the other hand walked, then hammered two home runs. He also threw out a kid trying to steal second when he was catching and struck out three in a row to close out the game. Both boys played solid ball but Sam had a great game.

We had a couple hours to recuperate in the air conditioning before we had a soccer game. Again, Sam seemed to be on another planet and scored three goals while Dylan scored one in a 5-2 victory. A quick trip to the pool was a welcome relief before coming home and resting some tired kids. Just watching all that action wore me out.