Little Bad Bart has lost his hat. And it ticks him off.

Adam was trying his best to be in a bad mood on Sunday about the fact that we put his church clothes on. This was the best picture I got of it. It's not your eyes, I did it in a sepia wash for effect.

Earlier in the day Mary had combed his hair, and made him look a little like Jack White, of the White Stripes. I don't think this was on purpose, and Tara fixed Adam's hair before I took this picture. Not sure we want him looking like Jack White, anyway...

I think this sign is hilarious...

...but it's not exactly clear to me whether this shows that the Postal Service has got a sense of humor or not...

TV baseball vs. Radio baseball

I've been listening to radio broadcasts on my phone this year, which is nice. I've listened to radio broadcasts of ballgames on the internet for several years, but have had trouble with MLB.com's insistence that your computer be Windows or Mac. Last year I didn't buy the $15 yearly package for audio broadcasts, because I was nowhere near Windows. And we tore the house apart, so I was busy.

Last year I tried to watch more baseball on TV. I'm not really sure how successful I was. You have to be near your TV, baseball needs to be on, etc... Now that I'm back to listening to audio broadcasts again, and it's on my phone, so I've got it with me fairly often, I've finally figured out what I like about audio broadcasts of games as opposed to watching on TV. I think it's the announcers. Being on the radio forces the audio announcers to pay attention to what's going on in the game. It always seems like sometimes TV guys get bored, or sidetracked, or just lazy since people are watching, and either end up talking about other things, or saying really, really dumb things. (I'm looking at you, Eric Karros...)

Anyway, I think audio broadcasters are forced to pay more attention. They know you depend on them to tell you what's happening, so they keep calling the game. Or they are good at making things up. The worst thing about TV broadcasts of any sports is when they cut the camera to the announcers themselves, and totally abandon any pretext of focusing on the game being played.

Of course, the best scenario is to attend a baseball game in person. You can watch, no one jabbering about anything, you can sit and watch. And make a giant mess shelling peanuts. But I'll take listening to the game on the radio (or cell phone) as a good second option...

Sure signs of Spring (A list)

1. The quail are trying to figure out what goodies I left them out in the garden. What I've got planted out there is mostly covered up, I'm hoping it survives.
2. Speaking of the garden, I've got watermelon and cantaloupe out there. Taking the risk of a killing frost before the plants get going, but if we make it, should have plenty to harvest from during the summer.
3. Jackets left at work. It's too cold to go without in the morning, but it ends up being warm in the afternoon. I end up with a number of jackets at work by the end of the week. I guess that's not a bad thing, except the book I am reading right now is in the jacket pocket of the one I left there today...
4. 80% mowed lawns. I got almost done today when the lawnmower stopped. Not sure what happened to it, but it was getting dark, I was tired, and figured I could deal with it another day. We'll see. At least I got the front lawn done first.
5. Cubs fans still have hope for the year, because the Cubs are playing just good enough to stay in the race. (1.5 games back right now, could be 0.5 back still at the end of the night.) I bought a MLB app for my phone, $15 for all audio broadcasts, condensed games you can watch after the games are over, and I am hoping either later this year or first part of next - streaming one game a day live. Helps that they've started to rip off a string of wins, and they are starting to hit finally. (But that also shows they've sucked me in again too...)
6. People getting married, calling me for appointments with the Stake President at the last minute. My personal pet peeve. I've got a guy today that wants to meet with him on Sunday any time after 4:30pm. This happens all throughout the year, but I get more of them in the Spring.
7. The city emptied out this past weekend. Graduation with Thursday and Friday. Things get pretty quiet until it gets warm enough at night for them to start having outdoor parties. Not that we hear any of it when we are in the house. Lots less crazies on the road as well.
8. The absolutely perfect temperature evening. Doesn't happen every night, but it's really nice when it does. Something like 65 degrees is perfect.
9. Wellness program walking challenge starts up. This year it starts this Thursday. I wish someone had reminded me that fact before I walked to work this morning. (Why walk when you are not getting paid for it?)
10. Allergies. For everyone. (Claritin holding out so far...)
    
11. The kids get to go outside and play. Adam wants to go out every day. He runs and gets his coat when I come home from work. And sometimes I find him trying to figure out the front door...
    

I didn't really intend the list to be overly negative. Spring is nice. Go Spring!

All we are is dust in the wind.

Caught Adam trying to catch dust in the sunlight today. He went at it for about 10 minutes, I only caught the very end on camera.

Good bye old chair.

The old recliner was sent on it's way yesterday. It had a good run. It was ScotchGuarded, which was very helpful over the years. When I broke my ankle, I was sitting in the chair, reclining back, eating a big bowl of cereal. The bowl tipped over, milk and wet cereal all over. Seemed to take it pretty well.

If you think the title of this blog post implies another one soon called "Hello new chair.", you would be wrong. No plans for a new chair right now, at least not that I know of. Unless one of you are planning a surprise for my birthday, or I go out and break my ankle again, and need one, or something like that. Truth is, we don't have a lot of room for a big recliner right now. We'll have to wait until one of the kids sets a piece of existing furniture on fire, then we can talk about it.

Someday I will figure out how to take pictures at school assemblies.

I don't know why I have problems taking these pictures from the audience of these things. But then again, I've never bothered to look up any information on the topic.

Kate had a choir assembly on Thursday night. Next year there will be two of them in the choir. In two years, we will have three of them in the choir...

I managed to get a video of one of the songs. No zoom on my phone for the video setting, but at least you get the sound out of it.

Now that the boy can walk...

... all he wants to do is go outside for a walk...

I put one of my older ties on Adam for church today. He seemed to like it. I'd have a better picture of it for you, but every time I took a step back to try to get a better angle, he'd take two steps forward.

It took me a couple of tries to get the tie so that he wouldn't trip over it while walking. As soon as we got home, he started trying to pull the tie off. (Not sure where he got that from...)

Next week: The fish tie.

Book Review

Justice League of America: Batman
The Stone King

Alan Grant


I've been trying to figure out what to call these type of books. they aren't really "comic books", there are no pictures. Not a "graphic novel", for the same reason. "Trade paperback" would be a name you would think would work, but in the world of comics, that seems to collide with "graphic novel", I guess. "Comic novelization" and seems to sound about right, but doesn't sort to the right results, really, on Amazon or Google.

Anyway, I read another of these books. It's a Batman book with the Justice League of America as supporting characters. Poking around on the internet, trying to figure out what to call these books, I think there is also a Superman of this type, with the JLA as supporting cast, but I'm not sure how to find it. It's a little odd. I actually like reading books like this, as long as they are written well, and don't bother too terribly much with back story and just get on with their own story...

Anyhow, in this book, Batman has to save his friends, and the rest of the world, from a ancient shaman who has taken over the body of an archeologist and is trying to destroy all life from the Earth. Just a typical day in Batman's life, really.

I thought the book was good, although there was a little more death and violence in than you normally get in these kinds of books. A quick little read, a DC Comics novelization, a Batman story. (Anyone got an idea of what to call these things, or search for them?)

I'm not going to say anything else about the book, to not give stuff away, except for the fact that at one point, Batman punches Green Lantern out cold. (Hilarity ensues...)

Easter Egg Hunt - 2010

The Easter Bunny left a pile of eggs outside the house today!

We gave Adam an exclusive preview of the thing before all the other girls came out.

We basically let it turn into a free for all.

Lily was the big winner of the day, having collected the most eggs.

Ruth and Lily had candy for lunch...

The Easter Bunny has been by...

Not quite as crazy as the stuff left last year, but the girls should enjoy the sugar rush. I hear on good authority that the Easter Bunny will be back tomorrow to leave quite the haul if Easter eggs on the lawn...

Oh, and Grandma sent some stuff for the kids. We'll give it to them tomorrow as well.

Dance Festival

Kate had a dance performance at her school this morning. This picture is from pretty far away, she's the one in color. I think this was the 4th graders, I'm not sure if it was anyone else, I wasn't paying all that much attention. (I woke up in a different time zone yesterday, was home last night to watch priority registration pop off late last night...)

Anyhow, Kate seemed to be having fun for the most part. There were a couple of times that she seemed a little nervous that her dance partner was going to bowl her over. At the end, they got to grab an adult to do the hokey pokey. Kate spared me the honor.

I was too tired to have my brain engage at the beginning of the dance to get the whole thing. Sorry.