By Air or Sea

Been busy with work stuff over the last few weeks.  Since I last posted, I've spent time in 8 different states.  This week, I'll add three more with California, Colorado and Florida.  Work travel certainly gets old, but it does give me the opportunity to see places I would not likely visit otherwise.  Warm receptions from the fam upon return aren't bad for the heart either.

We managed to slip in a family trip in to Port O'Connor last weekend.  With the weather cooling, fishing has been great; definitely my favorite time of year to fish. 

Our friends kept an eye on Reece for us Saturday afternoon, which gave Naomi and me a chance to take Ashley on the water for some "Just Ashley" time.  She really got a kick out of driving the boat.  She has "steered" the boat before, but controlling the steering AND throttle adds a whole new level of fun....and danger!  Full throttle, laugh hysterically, no throttle.  Repeat.  Think Naomi and I had slight whiplash after our voyage.  Totally worth it.

The skipper and her mate, Naomi.

Let's ride!

Update: Day 16
-Shotcrete is done.  The pool actually looks like a pool now.  Wish I could have been in town to see them blasting that stuff all over the place!  Wish I had one of those rice field hats that the supervisor is wearing.  The "greenhouse" tent is where the water feature will be. 

A few hours later, and you have this...an actual pool.

Ledge area will be 18" deep for the kiddos.  Deep end is 6'9" deep.



Sweet!!!  Empty pool!!!  I just need skateboard, a helmet, some skinny jeans, a studded belt worn 8" below my waist, a size youth medium retro (90's) tshirt, the absence of respect for authority and an overall distrust of "the establishment".......oh, and the ability to ride.

Rebar

Day 12...Plumbing done, Rebar almost complete.  They need to wrap the seat in the deep end, and roll and clip the tops of the rebar frame.  Gunite to be sprayed in on Wednesday.

Yard of the Month

Pool Update:
Everything still running very smoothly with the team at Waterscape.  Limestone was broken and the pool digging is done.  No bubblin' crude, oil that is, black gold, Texas tea; only dirt.  So much for the free pool.

10 days in with 2 lost days of rain, and we already have primary plumbing in place.  Finish work still needed on plumbing, but all trenching is complete and main lines are placed. 

The backyard looks wonderful.  I'm thinking about sending pics in to the HOA for Yard of the Month consideration.  I only wish it were in the front yard.  Seems selfish not to share the view with the neighbors.

Friday Night Lights

I had the pleasure of taking Ashley to her first high school football game on Friday night.  By high school football game, I mean one half of one quarter of a high school football game, but who's counting?  "To the top!!" for the VERY best seats....the very best seats available halfway through the 2nd quarter.  Mr. Zane was the named, "Crowd Favorite" with his Sprite and Ring Pop delivery.

We were fortunate enough to be at the Round Rock Athletic Complex for the renaming and dedication ceremonies for Kelly Reeves, father and father-in-law to our good friends, Brad and Amanda Reeves.  I never knew Kelly personally, but his reputation, his "resume", and the outpouring of love I've witnessed from his former co-workers, his former students and his friends all confirm that he was an amazing individual.  Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex will serve as a great reminder to Round Rock and the surrounding community of Mr. Reeves and the legacy he leaves behind.

Here's the write up on the ceremony......

Athletic Complex dedicated for former AD Posted Date: 9/8/2010
Parents, students and community members will honor former Round Rock ISD Athletic Director Kelly Reeves during the dedication ceremony of the district’s Athletic Complex on Friday, Sept. 10 during halftime of the Westwood High School vs. Austin High School football game. The Athletic Complex is located at 10211 West Parmer Lane in Austin. The game will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and halftime is estimated to begin at 8:15 p.m.


The Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees voted to rename the Round Rock ISD Athletic Complex on Parmer Lane to the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex during the Feb. 18, 2010 school board meeting. Reeves is a former Round Rock ISD teacher, coach and athletic director who passed away in Nov. 2009 after a battle with cancer.


Reeves served as the first head football coach at Westwood High School from 1981 through 1989 when he was named the district’s Athletic Director. He held the position of AD until his retirement in 2005. During his time at Round Rock ISD, Reeves implemented artificial turf at Dragon Stadium which decreased the wear and tear on the field which had caused student injuries and limited field use to other student organizations such as marching bands.


With the opening of McNeil High School and Stony Point High School, Reeves conducted a study to construct a separate athletic complex and requested it be added to the 1999 Bond Election. He proposed a concrete stadium with artificial turf which would not only provide relief at Dragon Stadium, but would also help with future middle schools as it would allow the district to build practice fields at future middle schools and allow middle school athletes to play games at the complex. Doing so saved the district money on providing lighting, concession stands, public restrooms and seating. Reeves served on the design committee for the Athletic Complex and was a fixture on the project from the initial concept through when the first game was played.


Reeves has been honored by his peers around the state and has earned numerous honors.

The Dedication Agenda is as follows:
Welcome from Round Rock ISD Athletic Director Jim Loerwald
Remarks from Round Rock ISD Superintendent Dr. Jesús H. Chávez
Remarks from Round Rock ISD School Board President Glen H. Colby
Remarks from Pauletta Reeves, wife of Kelly Reeves

Sweet phone there, Chief!  I promise it reads, "KELLY REEVES ATHLETIC COMPLEX" right above CiCi's Pizza.  It was dark, and the car was still moving, but you get the idea!!  Really cool for the Reeves Family.

That Hole in the Backyard

One of the reasons I started this blog was chronicle the progress of our new pool project in the backyard, or as Ashley refers to it, "that hole in the backyard".  Where's the vision?!

I interviewed and received bids from 4 different builders and selected Waterscape to complete to the project.  Pricing was in line with the other providers, but the vibe was better with these guys.  We are about a week in and no issues yet.  I always hear about pool and pool builder nightmares, so I'm certainly looking forward to venting any and all of my frustrations here, should any issues arise.

The guys broke ground last Thursday, September 2, 2010.  Did a little diggin' here, a little diggin' there, started making some nice progress.  Reece was a big fan of the tractor.

I catch myself standing outside, just watching the tractor do its thing.  It's very "zoo spectator/zoo animal", and I wonder if this bothers them or if workers are just used to blocking out the faces on the other side of the glass.  Oh well, I'm paying the price of admission, so I'm watchin'.  I even feed them from time to time; another zoo world no-no. 

Back to the digging.  They dug and dug and dug while we were out of town for Labor Day weekend.  Did not hit any limestone until about 6 feet deep.  BIG limestone boulders.  Four to five feet in diameter.  They were able to pull a few out with the tractor, but the two at the very bottom will need to be broken. Project, Press Pause.

Heavy rains started Monday evening. 

It's Wednesday morning now, and the rain has not stopped. We have about 5 feet of water in the pool right now. Couple bags of Quikcrete and some chlorine tablets and we are ready to swim!


Pool builder is headed over with a pump to remove the water and retrieve his tractor.  I'm sure he loved seeing this picture when I sent it over this morning.

Labor Day Weekend

Spent the weekend at the house in Port O'Connor, TX with our friends, The Pagano Family.  We had a surprise visit from the O'Keefe clan and joined my parents at their house on Saturday evening for fried fish with all the usual sides. 
2 of 3 kids slept well each night.  The beach is really hot at 4:30pm and really crowded on Labor Day weekend.
Lt. Blender assigned a small mission Friday evening, but was on leave the rest of the weekend.  Fairly low key weekend.  Just what we needed!! 

THIS is what I like to see in the morning!  6:40am, heading to our first spot.  Hello, new day!!

A land far from here.

Sometimes a man just feels called to leave the home and journey beyond the safety of his front porch. I can't say for sure, but I feel that something driving me outside every few days. That something gives me the will to rise up from my faux leather office chair, journey across my "needs to be mowed, but it's too hot outside" Bermuda lawn, look both ways and cross that neighborhood street to buy my lunch from the taco truck.

Some call it a Taco Truck.  Some call it a Roach Coach.  I used to be in the latter camp, but I've changed my tune since becoming a regular patron.  Fajitas, Tacos, Tamales, ay ay ay!!  Que delicioso!  For about $3.00, I'm treated to a complete, nutritious, hot lunch served by a somewhat appreciative server.  Quality is questionable.  Flavor is fair, but certainly full.  They say atmosphere is everything.  While ordering, I listen to the sounds of latino rhythms pumping from the boombox inside the truck.  Unfortunately, they play the same song on a loop, all the time...or maybe that is just my culture starved suburban ear's inability to distinguish between each of their spicy jingles.  I'm surrounded by "locals" there on the curb.  They are locals until at least November 12th; that's when the neighbors are scheduled to close on their new home.  These gentlemen smile and refer to me as "amigo" (I'm in!), but their baggy pants and absolute INFATUATION with the Taco Truck fare makes them a little sketchy in my book. 

The people, the food, the smells, the sounds all remind me of a land far from here, where individuals like us are reminded to cherish those that love you, be thankful for what you have, lay back, soak it all in and enjoy life.  Just don't leave the resort.

The new digs

We closed on our new home at the end of May.  Once we got past the major unpacking duties (Naomi managed to smuggle quite a few "do we really need that, honey?" items through inspection), most of my efforts were focused on interior appointments.  Naomi would point and I would hang, place or move.  The engagements went a little like this...

C: "Where?"
N: "There."
C: "Here?"
N: "Yes."
C: "You're sure?"
N: "Yes."
C: "Positive?"
N: "Okay, maybe over a little."

No, no, I'm only joking.  Or am I?

The new digs are very comfortable.  The kids love their rooms, and the jack and jill bathroom setup provides each of them with their own sink to not keep clean.

We have most of our furniture in place.  No couch in the living room yet; ordered it in May, it will be here in November. What?!? November.  I'm liking the living room sans couch.  With only the two seats available now, it gives a nice "my first apartment" vibe to the room, and it has allowed us to enjoy a never-ending game of Musical Chairs.  Who doesn't like that?

First Post

Test post here.....plus a few intro ramblings.

Rundown: Living in Round Rock, TX, married to beautiful wife, Naomi for 8 years, parent to 2 amazing, cute, intelligent, kind, loving kids (thanks beautiful wife), Ashley (5) and Reece (2).  We also have an 8 year old chocolate lab, Isabel.  I like to fish.  I prefer to "catch", but find myself fishing much more often.

I like to think of myself as an "anti-blog, anti-facebook, anti-americanidol, anti-jerseyshore, anti-cyrus, anti-bieber" kinda guy, but I've found myself lurking/watching/singing along to all of my "anti-'s", so I'm throwing in the towel and joining the crowd.

No one major event has pushed me to the blogger dark side; more of a culmination of lots of stuff in the last few months.  With a new house this summer, some changes at church, starting a pool project at our house, Ashley starting kindergarten and the realization that our kiddos actually do "just grow up so fast", I thought I'd litter the web with some of What's Happenin' in our life for friends and family.

Quick blurb about my family....

Dad (me) - Terribly handsome.  Nuff said.  You may see pictures at some point that will confirm this.
Mom (Naomi) - Even better looking than me.  That may blow your mind, but it's true.  She also happens to be the best wife I could ever hope for and the best mom to Ashley and Reece that they could have.  She is my single greatest blessing.
Daughter (Ashley) - Our 5 year old Ashley Paige is my little buddy for Home Depot and Donut runs, and does a great job as Mommy's Helper.  August 2010 was big for Ashley.  5th birthday AND first day of Kindergarten.  As of today, she is one week in and loves her school, her teacher and her classmates.  Good stuff from Ash comes often.
Son (Reece) - Mr. Man, Brother, Senor Reece, Reecy B...2 year old Reece Matthew wears all of these names and wears them quite well.  His alter ego, "Super Puppy" appears from time to time, but we have yet to determine what triggers SP's occasional appearances or identify what super powers he may possess other than the ability to accessorize well with his puppy pajamas, puppy slippers and puppy cape.  Reece amazes us every day.  He was born with a hand difference on his left hand, which did not fully develop, but don't tell Reece that.  Early on, Naomi and I were very conscious about not letting Reece's hand "define" him, but those concerns have faded, and our baby is now a little man.  The dude gets down to business with the best of 'em.  If you are ever looking for him, check 2 to 3 steps behind Ashley.
Dog (Isabel) - I include our 8 year old Chocolate Lab, Isabel in the list of family members for 2 reasons.  First; because I absolutely consider her a family member, and second; because Naomi absolutely does not.
Isabel joined the family 6 months after Naomi and I were married.  Her interaction with the kids is awesome; the definition of symbiosis.  "Hello, jungle gym. Meet food source one and two."

That's it.  If this successfully posts to my blog, I suppose I'm a blogger; a reluctant blogger.  Shoulda named my blog that.  "The Reluctant Blogger".