Big Boys, Bigger Toys

Posted on July 8, 2014 by erben22

As some of you may have already seen, I have shared a few photos recently from an interesting vantage point of our home construction:

Sky High from on HighFoundation Work Complete

These photos, and the following video clips, were snagged with a recent acquisition — a quadcopter with a built-in camera.  I picked up a DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ quadcopter to start July, and have been enjoying taking it out and flying around.  Still a lot of learning to do on how to fly, how to not crash into things, and how to take smoother video, but so far, it is both enjoyable, and capturing a unique vantage of the construction.  Enjoy the clips, and more photos to follow (and if I ever stop tinkering with the distraction du-jour, you should see more house-related things at http://skyhigh.mtnaircomputer.net).

If you are starting in the business of the vinyl, all what you need to have and learn about vinyl you can find it in https://www.vinylcuttingmachineguide.com/.

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A Successful Hike

Posted on March 26, 2014 by erben22

The kids tried to pull one over on me, as I turned back from taking a few snapshots, they were 'zonked'. Not a bad idea...but clouds were forming to the south and coming our way. A nice adventure on the day.

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Nora & Molly

Posted on February 13, 2014 by erben22

Nora and her Sunday BFF, Molly.

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Nighttime Baseball

Posted on March 11, 2013 by erben22

The weather has turned very springy, into the upper 60’s the past few days. Tonight, we had a bit of an ordeal, necessitating the kids hanging at their Aunt’s for a few hours. As we arrived home around 8:15, Flossie and I sat down for dinner (thank you Aunt Jeanne for feeding the kidlets). Instead of putting on PJ’s and such, Tyler grabbed his glove and ball and went out back, with his sister following. Hard to argue with that…so out back they went, tossing the tennis balls against the climbing wall on the playset, with only the feint rays of daylight barely over the horizon and the floodlight from the patio to barely illuminate the yard. Tyler is getting into baseball with the weather change, and Nora wants to play as well, and he has been repeating my words they I have boomed into his ears over the years, and she is willingly accepting his tutelage. Of course, he was in his school uniform…sometimes, kids will be kids.

Laying Out Coming Set The Wind Multipurpose

T-bird Baseball and Canines Letting Go Ready Position

Ball in Flight Boo

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Enthusiasm

Posted on February 13, 2013 by erben22

Picking Nora up today, she held something close to her chest and teased us with an impending surprise, of which we had to wait until we arrived home. Tyler almost spilled the beans as we pulled into the garage, but his sister quickly whipped him into a hush before he was able to complete the spoiler.

So…the big surprise…today, Nora earned her Golden Key. This is one of several items of recognition for pre-school and kindergartners at Challenger, and signifies the student has a handle on the basics of phonics. Needless to say, as you might infer from below, she was quite pleased at her accomplishment.

Nora's Golden Key

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Slope Time

Posted on January 31, 2013 by erben22

Saturday afternoon, the kids and I dug out the gear for the slopes, and as I searched for matching gloves and other displaced items from the kid’s bag, they decided to help me tune-up the board. All checked out well, it was all loaded up, and we rolled out at oh-dark-thirty northward for McCall for an enjoyable day in the sun on the slopes at Brundage.

Sword and Board Maybe I Need Boots Nora in the Bindings

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A Brief Thaw – Play Time

Posted on January 29, 2013 by erben22

Brief post as a few sheep and heavy eye-lids call. On Saturday, and late last week in general, the cold-snap lifted as weather fronts dislodged our several-week inversion. Instead of peaking around 10-15, maybe 20 for a high, the temperatures rocketed up into the mid-thirties, brining about a thaw, creating a slushy, swampy mess. What better weather, when it starts drizzling, than for your daughter to head outside (in a short-sleeve shirt, but better than the sun dresses she wears this time of the year around the house I suppose) and enjoy some time on the playset.

Full Extension

My Own Castle

Slush Puddles

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Frosty and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad April Day

Posted on January 17, 2013 by erben22

I had the pleasure tonight of some fine kindergartener composition du jour to satisfy the brain cells after dinner tonight. As I understand from Nora, the first two sentences are on the board, and then the students continue the story from there — I guess that is what kindergartner’s do.

20130117-nora-homework-composition-page-1

20130117-nora-homework-composition-page-2

In extended class today, Nora decided to decorate her spelling practice page with a picture of herself, in red crayon:

20130117-nora-homework

Later, I did have a chance to participate in a rousing back-and-forth regarding Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Hungry Hitchhiker, but that was more question and answer busy work for “the teacher” instead of an immersed experience of a winter character. No fear, Tyler and his young author project is nearing.

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Reading about…SHARKS

Posted on January 15, 2013 by erben22

Tonight, Tyler educated his mother about SHARKS. Since his visit recently to the Idaho Aquarium, his fascination with creates of the water, such sharks, manta ray, etc has grown, and he went digging for books on the critters at the library recently.

SHARKS

And…now a video clip with Tyler and Nora doing some Sunday reading…

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Tools of Ignorance, Times Two

Posted on May 10, 2012 by erben22

The past two nights, both kids have strapped on the tools of ignorance and played catcher on their respective teams, racking up two innings together, compared to my single inning in my Little League career behind the plate.  Both kids did exceptionally well, showing much improvement over their previous times at catcher.  Notice Tyler snagging one of the pitches — a week ago he was still running backward when you threw the ball at him.

 

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