Fall in Poseyville

We visited Nancy's Mom & Jim this weekend in Poseyville. It's harvest time and the boys had a good time collecting corn for Grammy's squirrels.







We also were able to see the rain-delayed fall festival parade in Poseyville. It was a beautiful day.

Founders Park (Carmel, indiana)

Daddy spent the past 5 years working on this park, on and off. The construction wrapped up and it opened to the public last month. Nancy and the boys were able to attend the event with me and to try out the playground. I think it came out pretty well.

Ball Games

As it worked out Isaac and Jacob were able to attend a Colts preseason game, as well as two Indianapolis Indians baseball games in the past months. It was the first time Nancy had seen the new Colts Stadium and the first Colts game for all three of them. They lost, but we had a great night. The stadium is spectacular (an encouragement every time we go out to eat and pay 1% more in sales tax.)





The Indians lost both games we went to as well, but the atmosphere, 99 degrees and all, is just perfect. And free parking at the zoo for the dutchman daddy.



Lastly, the boys were able to get their ball gloves signed by Indians' catcher Eric Fryer. He made two lifelong fans. He was up with Pittsburgh earlier this summer and will hopefully catch on with them for good next year.

Shades State Park

On Labor day the four of us visited Shades State Park in western Indiana. The weather broke last night, dropping from 100 on Saturday to only 68 degrees today. Finally.



Shades Park is in the middle of nowhere, on the bank of Sugar Creek. We started out with a steep descent in to the 'Devil's Punch Bowl' carved by a stream out of the shale. The walls were a good 60' high all around with just a trickle of water in the bottom.



We hiked back out a visited an overlook at the top. There was a 35 year-old playground that engaged the boys more than most new ones (not the ones I design of course.)



There are more trails we could not get to, marked Rugged and Very Rugged. That will leave us something to look forward to. Isaac and Jacob did manage some 'Rugged' stream crossings.

100 Acre Wood

Sunday the boys and I took a hike at IMA's 100 Acres Art Park. This provided Mommy a chance for a nap and to rest her back. We always enjoy the interactive sculpture as well as the timeless 'throwing rocks in the pond.'

We worked on our their Cub Scout hiking pin requirements, by identifying five tree species and five bird species. They also helped to plan the hike; snacks, route, checking the weather etc... They each needed log a total of 5 hours hiking, which leads into the next post.

The Big Lake

A couple photos of the boys from our trip to Grand Haven last week. There is a small dune near the boardwalk that they climbed for a view of the channel and the lake. Lots of big smiles.

The air temperature wasa pleasant 84 and the water was up to 77. Beautiful.

Camp Roger 2011

In 1958 Isaac & Jacob's Great-grandparents took their Grandma to a family summer camp. A few years later, Grandma Krosschell went on her own. Some decades later Daddy and his siblings went for a number of summers, and this year Isaac and Jacob spent two nights there. Four generations at the same camp.

I enjoyed showing Nancy and the boys around camp and, despite some homesickness, they had a good time with their camp activities as well.

Isaac was in the Algoma cabin (one of the older buildings that Daddy slept in as well.)



Jacob was in Chippewa, a newer cabin with 'Michigan air conditioning' that is to say, an attic fan.

Garter snakes at the Nature Center.

Little Bostwick Lake. It's just how I remembered it.

Camp Belzer 2011 (2 of 2)

Friday was Family Day and Tim Fosnot and I attended with the boys and moms.

This was a sort of Sumo wrestling event; knock the other boy out of the ring.

The boys are already looking forward to next year, and are more motiovated to sell Christmas Wreaths to fund camp. We are accepting advance orders now.

Camp Belzer 2011 (1 of 2)

Isaac and Jacob attended Cub Scout Day Camp this week, in Indianapolis, at Camp Belzer. With Nancy and Kris Fosnot as chaperones, they enjoyed a week full of new things. Here are a few images.

With the 'Belzer Beast'

Cub Scouts Promotion Day

Sunday was the last day of scouts for the year. Isaac moved up to the Webelos rank, and Jacob to the Wolf rank. They will start this summer working on requirements for their new ranks.

To celebrate the year both boys built model rockets and launched them. Jacob's was 'The Flame' a light rocket that flew so high we lost sight of it.



Isaac build 'Discovery' and modeled it after the space shuttle.



Pack 98

Hurricane Soccer 2011

Despite Isaac sitting out the season due to injury, Jacob enjoyed his games at Upward Soccer. He was one of the youngest in his age bracket, but did manage to score one mid-season goal. The boys enjoy both playing and watching and look forward to continuing practice in the yard.

Isaac's Piano Talents

Isaac has been practicing a piece recently, Spanish Caballero, that is one of his favorites. Enjoy.

Recent Events

Just a few thoughts about the boys recently. Isaac suffered a broken arm, two bones, in his first soccer practice of the year. He has handled it well, but is missing out on playing against his brother. Maybe this fall?

Jacob has progressed greatly in his first grade work. He is reading well, and recently completed a writing assignment. He had no help on the spelling, so it is rather terrible, but he sticks to things and impressed his Daddy with the length of this. Enjoy.

Suzuki Piano Recital

Isaac began piano lessons in February of 2009, two years ago, and today held a recital for completing his first Suzuki book.

The Suzuki method teaches by ear and memorization, so he has not used written music to learn any of these 19 pieces.

His teacher, Mrs Hudson was here to guide him through the recital. She is an excellent teacher and he enjoys his time with her each week.

Isaac invited some friends, family and neighbors and performed for us very well. He also selected the dessert menu, cheesecake and nobake chocolate cookies, and it was delicious.

He will now get a whole three days off from practice and then begin on his second book. His teacher presented him with a bust of J.S. Bach as inspiration (a la Schroeder.)

I know it's Beethoven, but you get the idea.