A New Goal

I have decided that I want to do the Columbus Half Marathon in October. After a very active spring, I have fallen out of the habit of working out as much as I like...so another goal!

I think there are a couple of folks who are interested in doing the race as well. If you are, let me know and we can help to motivate each other! I have done a half marathon before...and having some encouragement would not be a bad thing!

I believe Valerie Miller is interested...and have heard noise from others. The more the merrier...so let me know! I am going to begin tracking my training on my training blog soon!

A Great Weekend

This past weekend was THE ANNUAL. This great boys weekend is always organized and hosted by Tom Tocash in Nobelsville Indiana. Tom plans a weekend full of golf and fun...and hosts 20 of us at his house! It's amazing.

Needless to say I did not take the camera...nothing good can come from that! But we did have a great time. Thanks to Jim, Bill, Chad and John for letting me tag along. And most of all thanks to Tom for making it another great and memorable weekend!

A quick note...about the best

things to ever happened to me. I probably don't take nearly enough time in real life (and therefore on this blog) to say how much I love my girls!



Amy, Skylar and Jade make sure that my life is never boring. And they remind me every day why I want to be a good father and husband.



I love you girls! Thanks!

A Winery Trip

So if you have read this before you know that I think that a trip to Raven's Glenn Winery and Rainbow Hills Winery are really cool trips! This past weekend a group of us got together and went back to Rainbow Hills. Rainbow Hills is a beautiful setting out in the middle of nowhere (truly) so it was terrific that we got a shuttle!



The Coshocton County Board of MRDD rented us a shuttle and driver to get us out there and back safely. What a wonderful service! There were 14 of us and there were 14 seats on the shuttle...perfect!



As is always the case out here, we had a fantastic time. The group of ladies was beautiful and well-behaved. Don't worry...I won't show any pictures to prove otherwise!



Miss Jennifer, Phil, and Krista cheesed it up for the camera!



Despite the rain storm it was a fantastic night by all accounts. Thanks to my lovely Amy for organizing it! And thanks to all who attended! Here's a shot of Heather and Bev who kept us all in line!



Sorry there are not MORE pictures...but this is a family show! Here is one that I edited for public consumption!

A Great Rainbow

So I can't be the only one who has noticed that the weather so far in June has been really weird. Yesterday, at various moments, it was either beautiful or horrendous. Last night I walked out to see all blue skies. I walked back in the house and heard thunder! But in the midst of that confusion, there was a spectacular rainbow that was in front of our place!



The color on this shot is weird...but so was the color last night!

Final Shots from GOBA

After our softball game last night we headed back over to Roscoe Village to check out the festivities they had for GOBA. Wow!



Roscoe did a fantastic job of creating a "party" atmosphere all through the village. There was a band on the main stage. There were food vendors. The stores had their doors open and had activities going on in front. It was fun and festive!



As a side note, the new shop "UnCorked" was very cool too...go check it out!

Honestly this is the sort of fun atmosphere I think First Fridays could become if we all bought into the concept. It will take each store owner being involved, but creating this sort of party (that creates sales) is very do-able!

More Softball

Though I have not posted a ton about this, I feel like we have played as much softball lately as we have done anything. As a matter of fact, Amy took a break from GOBA to come over to a game.





Jade is playing Teeball...but we have fallen short on girls for our softball team so we have both girls on the Kiwanis Team! Jade is pitching in and doing her best!





Skylar has developed into one of our better players...and our leaders!

We have a pretty good group of girls this year...and a pretty good team too! Here's a shot from another victory celebration.



It must be the coaching!

Shots from GOBA

As I mentioned, my wife and a group of dedicated volunteers worked their butts off to make the GOBA adventure in Coshocton a successful one. They did a great job...and brought lots of dollars into our community!



While being out at the GOBA headquarters at Lake Park, Amy got to go up in the Fire Departments truck and take some pictures of "tent city" and the other surroundings!





Honestly they did a great job in gearing up for this enormous event. A sincere thank you goes out to all of you who jumped in to make this happen!

GOBA Is Here!

The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure arrived in Coshocton yesterday! Some 2500 folks came into town on two wheelers, tandems, and even 4 person bikes! The cyclists started in Wellington and bike around Ohio, stopping in several different locations, including Mt. Vernon, Gallion and Orrvile.

My wife is one of the town coordinators of the event and is doing a great job.

Here is a video link from the Coshocton Tribune!

If that does not work just go to the Coshocton Tribune and click on the video link!

Great Shots from Amy Stockdale

The girls went over to Amy Stockdales the other night for some fun. Amy was nice enough to take a couple of photos...and I thought they turned out great.

Here's a good one of them working around the table!



And here's a great shot of a couple of them on the trampoline!



Thanks Amy!

Jade's Party

Jade turned 7 this week and yesterday we had her "family" birthday party. Both sides of the family came over for a cookout...and of course brought some great gifts for the birthday girl.



And of course we have the obligatory cake and ice cream!



One of the gifts Jade got was a slip and slide. So the girls needed to test it out right away to make sure it worked!





They had a nice time...and we finished the evening with a game of Monopoly. Good family time on Fathers Day.

Happy Father's Day

So a quick Happy Father's Day to all of you out there that are lucky enough to have earned the title "Daddy!"

I sometimes question the stature of this holiday in relation to others though. At the Coshocton Town and Country Club they have a Mother's Day Buffet that is fit for a, well, Queen. There is Prime Rib being cut fresh, salmon, turkey, chicken, salad bars, and whole desert tables. It's unbelievable.

I got an email yesterday to remind me about the Father's Day event there today. They have hot dogs and hamburgers. Gee...thanks!

I am just kidding of course! But a sincere note to say "thanks" to my dad on this Father's Day. I love you. You helped make me into the man I am today!



So you get the credit or the blame!

Great Pics from Belinda!

For those of you who missed the Hot Air Balloon Festival this past weekend in Coshocton County, I have a treat for you! I got an email from Belinda Williamson (Coshocton CVB Director) talking about her experience going up in a Hot Air Balloon for the first time. As she pointed out, it was a spur of the minute trip but she had time to grab her camera!

She was willing to share these pics with me...and I will share with you!



Here is one from above Coshocton!



And I must say I am more than a bit jealous...but thanks for sharing Belinda!

Jade's Piano Photo

A few weeks ago I posted about Jade's piano recital. She did a great job (as did all of the kids). I unfortunately forgot to take my camera. But Valerie Miller did me a huge favor and took a great shot of my little star.



Here is Jade on the night of piano recital...thanks so much Valerie!

My girls and their "sis's"

I have mentioned this on this blog before, but one of the best things about Miss Jennifer's program is the way the older girls mentor the younger ones. It's remarkable to me how these teenage girls really care about/cheer on the "up and comers." That comes from Miss Jennifer herself.

She has a "Big Sis/Little Sis" program that helps to nurture this. My daughters both had a big sis this year...and they loved it. Here is Jade with her big sis, Morgan Unger.



Skylar's big sis was a senior, Lauren Sadler.



Both of the big sis's were great to our girls...and we certainly appreciate that! And that is one of the things that brings the girls back to dance...the comraderie. Here's Jade with Gracie Miller...good stuff!



Though I always am excited to see this weekend reach its natural conclusion, these pictures remind me that it's not really about me.

Hot Air Balloons Fly

As I have mentioned, this is a crazy weekend here in Coshocton County. The Hot Air Balloon Festival is this weekend...and last night they flew! Though you can sometimes be baffled and frustrated by the conditions holding up flights, when the balloons go up it is truly beautiful.



There are many more shots to check out at the Coshocton Tribune's site. Please take a moment to check out their photo gallery!

The BIG Dance Weekend...still going!

So yesterday (on Saturday) was officially the first day of Miss Jennifers Dance Recital. This was the 10 year anniversary of the recital so they re-did songs from the last ten years.

Below you will find a shot from the Coshocton Tribune that features the song "Material Girl." It's appropriate, I think, that Skylar is not only dancing on this one...but in the shot!



Great job to all the girls.

A Busy Weekend in Coshocton County

As one who "covers" events that go on in Coshocton County, I will tell you that this weekend takes the cake!

Tonight the festivities begin with First Fridays on Main Street in Downtown Coshocton. For any regular reader of this blog, you know that First Fridays is a nice family event that brings folks to Main Street and celebrates the arts and local businesses. Good stuff.

Tonight is also the first night of the Hot Air Balloon Festival! This is the 27th year for this event...the longest running in the state. Taking place at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds, this event features rides, food, family fun, and of course (when the weather is just right) Hot Air Balloons! This event runs from tonight through Sunday.

But wait...there's more!

For the parents, grandparents and relatives of the 400 or so dancers at Miss Jennifers Dance studio, this weekend is the Recital weekend! Starting tomorrow at 2pm (though rehearsal is today!) there will be 3 performances that will pack McKinley Auditorium at Coshocton High School. It's a huge event...and yours truly is involved in creating the show video there too!

Finally for the car enthusiast there is a Corvette Cruise In at Roscoe Village on Sunday. This is a fun event that features beautiful cars and a pleasant atmosphere of the village.

So for those who read this blog, feel free to journey to Coshocton County this weekend. There is a lot to see and do!

And for those of you who think there is "nothing" to do here, please step aside and let those of us with perspective and 4 brain cells to bang together move to the front of the line!

Jade's First Game

Though we have been busy with Skylar's softball games here of late, Jade had not had a chance to show her sporting prowess until last night.



Jade's first teeball game was last night...and we were there for all of the action. Now although it's "teeball" the coach pitches to them (??) until they miss a certain number of pitches. Then they bring out the tee to "speed things along."



Jade, however, needed no such tee! She hit the ball each time and on her first at bat had a GRAND SLAM! (She was the last up in the inning and they clear the bases...but whatever!).



She did a great job! Fun stuff!

Catching some zzz's

So yesterday morning I was up early for a local 5K race. The race was held at Lake Park and considering I have not been running due to injury (sprained ankle), I felt like a ran a pretty good time. (I am not a person who wins these when I am at my best).

After the race I went to the office for some editing work...and Amy met me there to work on the yard a bit. Then we took the girls to the pool.

When we got home from the pool, Amy and I felt the girls could use a nap. So in order to encourage Jade to sleep, I laid on the couch with her.



Off to dreamland I went! But it's always nice to know that Scooter (The Deerslayer) is watching over me!

Last Day of School

Well I know we always show a picture of the girls on the first day of school...so I thought "Why not the last day?"



The girls are excited to be out of school. Not sure we are as elated!