Micah's first track meet

This is our first experience with Middle School track. Alex ran track for 2 years at the high school level, so we were familiar with how a track meet works and all those detailed things. Middle school track is different though because they don't do finals for anything. It seemed unorganized and chaotic at times, but maybe that was just the location...who knows? LOL

Micah is one of the youngest kids on the track team, but it doesn't seem to matter to much. He is so competitive and has been this way all of his life. As he was running the 1600 meter race ( 1 mile ) I was remembering all those times in his life when he needed to be first. He was constantly asking us to time him on whatever he did and he ran everywhere he went. He even owned his own stop watch by the time he was 4 years old. I guess that he's been a track runner his whole life and it's FINALLY gotten to the point where he can put all that energy and desire to good use.

The 1600 meter race at a track meet is the longest race in middle school track. They go around the track 4 times. Tilden and I were discussing Micah's thoughts as he ran. As his parents we knew exactly what that boy was thinking. He looked at each runner on that track as his enemy...his prey. He would see someone ahead of him and then he would literally hunt them down and pass them with this intense look on his face. We heard him shout , "Come on you are faster than this" to one of his team mates as he passed him, LOL. ( they are good friends )

There were 20 kids on the track for this race and it was the first time Micah has ever stepped foot on a track for a competition. Eighteen of the runners were 8th graders and had run before. He started off slowly and paced himself for one lap and then systematically hunted down runners for the next 3 laps. I took this picture in the home- stretch of the final lap, you can see Micah is putting every last ounce of his energy into passing this kid. Micah completely took this kid off guard and literally FLEW to catch him.

Unfortunately, this boy was more familiar with how to "work" a race. He got close enough to elbow Micah and knock him off his lane. It took Micah off guard and he slowed up just enough for this boy to pass him just 2 yards from the finish line. He talked about it a lot that night. He said that when he was shoved he wasn't sure if that was like a foul or if maybe he stepped out of his lane and was going to be disqualified and it disoriented him enough to make him "lose his game". I'm sure that was the point!! LOL One thing about Micah though...that will NEVER happen to him again. Once is all it ever takes and he has it figured out now.

He finished that race with a time of 6:24 and was 5th place. We were VERY proud of him and impressed that he could hold his own in a pack of experienced 8th grade boys. He runs a pretty fast 400 meter too , but was not in that event this time around. The coach is still trying to figure out where to put all the kids for the bigger races. Micah's goal is to be one of the boys chosen to attend the Invitationals. There are 40 boys on his track team and they can only take about 15 of them to the big meets. He wants to be one of those boys. Good Luck, Micah!!

Ode to a washer...

Tilden and I are about to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary. As I went downstairs to start some laundry this morning it dawned on me that my washer and dryer are also 22 years old!!

I felt it was fitting to write a sonnet for my washer and dryer. Celebrating 22 years of fine work in the Tatebe household.

Ohhhh fair washer with your unassuming off white color. Did you know that we paid extra for that tint on your housing? Yes, if we had chosen white we would have paid less. But YOU fine washer were worth that extra pigment.

You have worked tirelessly for our family.

You didn't fuss through all those potty training years.

Those days when I filled your drum with stinky damp tiny clothes.

You didn't flinch as I grumbled at tossing endless pairs of "accident" undies into a load. I complained...you did not.

You worked feverishly through soccer season.

Often running 5 times a day to clean those uniforms before the next game. Remember that year that we had 3 kids playing at the same time? I was lulled to sleep at night by the gentle hum of your motor as you spun the water out night after night...summer after summer.

In your old age you are still a champ. Washing whole loads of stuffed animals for Jake. You gently clean his stuffed friends and he thoroughly enjoys watching his pals churn up and down. A fancy front loader wouldn't have the same entertainment value that you do. Those new washers can't hold a candle to your longevity! They can't accept just "one more" stuffed animal after the load has started. You are so accepting, dear friend.

Wash On , oh yee Kenmore beauty. WASH ON!!

Spring is coming!!

We have been having our usual hints of March springtime..aka "Ohio Spring". We will have a day where the temp. only goes up to 23, but the very next day it hits 65...only to drop to 40 the following day. It's a topsy turvy month at best.

I keep some little kites in the back of my van and when a warm day hits...we hit the skies! LOL Jacob is new to this whole kite flying fun and has been extremely exuberant as he runs across the field with his fish kite following him, clipping the ground with each step. This year I found little nylon kites at Wal-Mart. They are perfect for Jake and don't take up any space in the back of the van either. Micah has a kite shaped like a hawk and it's nearly the exact size of the local hawks in flight too. We were cracking up because his kite attracted a few hawks to the field we were using this last time. I guess they saw competition and had to come check it out. :)

Micah flew both kits for awhile....it was a fun challenge! LOL

House of Boys

I had my daughter first...and she grew up way to fast. The days of "My little Pony" and "The Little Mermaid" are long gone. When I fold laundry I never see shades of pink or purple, but only blue, brown and black. Not that I don't LOVE having 3 boys, but those of you who don't have a house full of boys - - I thought you needed to know a few things.

You know you are living in a house full of testosterone when:

- ESPN is a logo burned into your TV screen because it's on so often

- You can't watch an entire episode of ANYTHING on TV without getting hit in the head with a ball

- You can't watch an entire episode of anything without someone spilling their drink.

- If you dare to sit on the couch you automatically become one of these things, depending on the mood and season of the night.

1. home base

2. soccer goal

3. goalie

4. sliding board

5. First baseman

6. the pitcher

7. audience...required to clap and/or cheer for various feats of glory

- You go through band aids faster than you go through toilet paper.

- Farting and burping is a dinnertime ritual...followed by peels of laughter

- You have learned the starting line-up for the Dodgers, even though you don't watch them play

- You totally understand the rules of all major sports...even if you don't watch the games.

- You haven't heard a conversation with the words " Drew Barrymore", " hunks", " ballet", or " scrap booking" in several months time.

- You never flinch at taking jock straps and cups out of the laundry basket.

- Your backyard is worn away from all the soccer games, baseball games, football games, and games of tag. There is usually a permanently worn out spot from standing at home plate.

- You learn how to play Rock Band...so you won't be left out.

- You have scars on your feet from stepping on Hot wheels cars and Lego's one to many times.

- You have ridden a real train...for the sake of the kids.

I'm sure that there are a zillion more "boys live here" attributes. They are rolling off the top of my head in a steady stream right now , but I will stop myself. LOL Maybe you guys can add to the list.

BTW...if you want the living room to yourself and you don't want to be hit in the head with a ball repeatedly. Simply pop one of those wonderful Chick flick's into the DVD player. The boys scatter at the mere sight of Pride and Predjudice or Sleepless in Seattle. heehee

So, last night...

I took Jacob to his gymnastics class and heard some weird conversations which are prompting me to write out of sheer...."huh?" mode.

We were not at his regular class, but at a make-up class which took part in the early afternoon. Therefor, none of these kids have started school yet and I thought it might be better for Jake because the kids would be more at his level. WRONG!

Let me just type out the conversation that went on next to me. Actually, it was more like "across" me because I was sitting between 2 ladies who felt the need to talk over me instead of just sitting next to each other.
First mom yells out to her son, " Eaton pay attention to the teacher". Second mom, " MY Jakob (yes she spelled her sons name with a "K" so he would be different. I know this because she told me as soon as she heard that my child was named Jacob too).. where was I? Oh yeah..."MY Jakob tends to wander around during class too. I think our boys are so much alike. He's your only child right?" "Yes, he's my only one and he's used to having adult conversations so these classes are so beneath him."
other mom quickly replies, "ohhhh same with my Jakob. He has a hard time relating to kids because he is always with adults. I made sure that he was the only one in his music class and his dance class so he'd get lots of attention, but he is with a larger group in pre school."
I glance out onto the floor and notice that Eaton and Jakob are chasing each other wildly around the gym and frustrating the teacher. She yells at them and they respond with a brief moment of obedience, but quickly decide that they MUST have drinks and run out of the gym to do so.
Meanwhile, my Jacob is standing quietly in line ...watching the troubled boys with peeked interest. I grit my teeth and think, "don't you dare chase after them". LOL
They move to vaulting and much to my amazement Jacob hits the springboard and hops right up on the vault with no assistance. He does it every single time and he's the only one in the class who can do it...which brings out the jealousy in the mom's sitting next to me.
"Is that your boy?"...."yes". "How old is he?" five....."How much does he weigh?" 34 pounds
They think for a moment and come up with a reason as to why he can do this activity while their boys can not. " Eaton doesn't want to be bothered with the actual logistics of these exercises. He is to bright for gymnastics really. He's busy memorizing the planets or working on his alphabet."
"Well, JaKob is in OT...you know occupational therapy. I didn't think he needed it at first, but my husband is an OT and he said that JaKob is to slow and clumsy for a four year old. When he was playing t-ball , he was horrible, so we started him in therapy. " "Ohhh, I was thinking about doing that with Eaton too....so he'd be physically advanced and really stand out in sports."
So...I am sitting there thinking...did they just call Jacob "dumb" because he CAN do the vault? These women are seriously putting their boys into occupational therapy to try to make them better athletes at 4 years old? I am simply dumbfounded.
Things get quiet for a little bit and one of the mom's politely ask me if Jacob is my only child. When I tell her that he is the youngest of four she literally has to catch her breath and they give each other a "look". Apparently, I am from the rabbit family and I have a litter of children. Jacob has a hopeless life and is doomed. He won't be as good as their boys in sports or school....his mom doesn't love him as much because she had other kids.
The class lines up for the final game, which involves planets on the ground that they have to hop to and an obstacle course race. Their boys roll around and pick up the planets and throw them. One of them says, "that looks like Jupiter" and Jacob takes it from him and puts it back on the ground where it belongs and says, "no, it's Saturn because it has rings". The teacher praises Jake for his thoughtfulness and desire to do things the right way, PLUS he won the race.
We all put our kids shoes back on them in silence, but I KNEW they were dumbfounded that this child from the litter of children with the mom who didn't love him as much knew a planet better than their own children. He asked me if he could get McDonald's on the way home and I said "sure". Just adding to my poor parenting skills....LOL BLAH!
Such a weird day. I thought that their were only families like that in sitcoms. Over exaggerated versions of yuppie people. It was weird to see them close up and listen to their chatter. Just thought I'd share!
BTW, I had no idea that Jake knew any of the planets. Must have been the Backyardigans. LOL

Snow snow snow

We got around 9 inches of snow at our house yesterday. It was very pretty as it came floating down all day long. Tilden and the boys didn't appreciate it's beauty as they spent 4-5 hours throughout the day shoveling the white powder off the driveway, LOL. I popped outside and took a few shots early in the day when we had 5 or 6 inches on the ground. We got a few more inches after these pictures were taken.

So , my sista's....those of you who miss the "pretty" part of winter...here are some shots I took just for you :). MERRY JANUARY!

I know you can see that Caleb's car is covered in snow, but look behind it and you can see the white mound that belongs to Alex's car...heeeheee

It really is pretty...you can't deny that! However, we are supposed to get a few more inches on Tuesday and I am thinking that we won't be as thrilled to see the snow again. LOL

Alex and Caleb went back to college today. We had a wonderful vacation and played a lot of Rock Band and cards while everyone was together. It was sad to see them leave, but I suppose we are getting used to it by now.

New Video

For my sisters :) I taped several scenes of us playing games on Christmas Day at Pam's. I just spliced them all together into one long clip. We had a ton of fun! Here is the web addy if it's not showing up in the sidebar :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcFYdpiLljs

Jake has the most fun...he's a part of the action no matter what we are doing!

Hey, Vita....here are some experiments I did with the new camera, LOL