Trying not to drown

School started Monday, and I am completely overwhelmed. As I mentioned earlier, I am the webmaster for school, and they have a new system that they haven't quite got worked out yet. It took me a while to figure out what I was doing, but now I have it figured out. I just need time to actually work on it now. In the classroom, I have more kids than I have had in the past and in a wider age range. I have 8th graders through juniors, so I will be teaching multiple types of the same subject (math problem solving, pre-algebra, Algebra I, geometry, adapted math). I know it will all work out, but right now I am just trying to keep my head above water. Yesterday was an extremely long day with soccer and having to go to two stores to get school supplies. Today I feel like I have calmed down a bit, but I'm exhausted. I fell asleep on the couch about 10 minutes after I got home while Owen watched "Finding Nemo". Soccer has been going pretty well. We have talent, but its up to the guys at how hard they want to work and how good they want to be. I saw some complacency already today, and that has to change. This practice was much better than yesterday, so I am encouraged. Our first game is Monday, so we'll see for real then.

Tonight I made a call to AT&T about my internet services. I found out I was paying $40 for a speed and service they haven't offered in two years (only 128kps). I upgraded to 1.5 Mps and dropped my price to $25. I am seriously going to call them and see if I can get some sort of reimbursement. The customer service reps had never even heard of the plan I was on it was so old. Thank you AT&T for upgrading your service and screwing me in the process.

I have been staying up to watch the Olympics, and I can't help myself. I love competitive sports, and there is nothing better than the best people in the world in their respective sport competing. Phelps is a freak, nothing more to say. At this point, he has won 4 golds, all world record times, with one more race tonight. He has 10 total golds, and I have a feeling he is far from done. I am tired everyday from staying up to watch these games, but again, I love it.

It has begun...

Kim has been back for a week, and things were back to normal. Now, life gets crazy again as soccer. Two-a-days started today, so for the next few months my mind is almost totally on soccer. School starts next week, but teachers have to report for a work day on Friday. August 8th seems really early for school to start, but I guess that's life. It all evens out because I get three weekends and two full weeks at Christmas, which is very nice. I know I shouldn't complain because I only work 183 days a year and get like 15 sick and personal days, but August 8th is early! Anyway, today's practices were ok. The morning one was better than the afternoon one, but I'll say a little bit of that was from fatigue cause of the 93 degree heat. Hopefully tomorrow's will be better. I spent most of the day getting paperwork organized and organizing my classroom. Tomorrow I have more inventory stuff to do for soccer. Sometimes I think I need an administrative assistant to do all my non-soccer related coaching duties.

I have been hired to be the Webmaster for my school, and my principal wants the website totally redone. I do too because I think it looks very unprofessional, but it could be a lot of work. At least I get paid for it. I'll link to it once its finished so that anyone who cares can see my handiwork.

Since Rach and Brandon are back from their honeymoon, I'll post some of their wedding pictures soon.

Making it.....somehow

Kim has been gone for around 72 hours now, and we are still alive. I won't say exactly what the house looks like, but the kitchen is clean, the laundry is all done, and nothing is broken. Owen's toys are sort of maybe scattered around, but we'll pick them up sooner or later. To Kim's surprise, and even my own, we have yet to eat out fast food! I have made meals for us every time, except for the night we went to the fair. I could eat out every meal probably, but when its only me with a 15 month old, its actually easier to cook and stay at home. Thursday we went to the county fair in the evening with my parents. We though "O" would love the animals cause he loved the zoo, but we were wrong. He looked pretty overwhelmed the whole time seeing the animals, probably because they were up close and so big to him. He kept looking and pointing over to the rides, but we weren't able to go on any. He did down two big hotdogs and quite a bit of an elephant ear. I had a foot wide tenderloin, chili cheese fries, and an elephant ear. Unfortunately, I tasted the fries again around midnight. We chilled at home on Friday, but did run out to buy diapers. Today was a more eventful day as we went to a park near home, then to my parents to swim. It was the first time he had been on a swing or slide, and he loved it. He liked the slide the best, especially when I took him down the big slide with him on my lap. We had to head for the pool because it was so hot outside. Owen has no fear of the water, and literally walks right in. After he wore himself out at the pool, we headed home for naps. After dinner, we watched Finding Nemo, which he absolutely loves. I dont like for him to watch a lot of TV, but he actually wants us to sit with him when he watches, and its as close to cuddling as we usually get with him. He crashed shortly after the movie, then I watched a "21" and folded laundry. It was a pretty good movie, a lot better then I expected. (On a side note, it is my last rental from Blockbuster and we are signing up for Netflix.) I am heading to bed. We are going to try the nursery again tomorrow, and I'm not sure I can leave Owen. I know he will scream when I leave, and he has been so clingy without Kim around. It will be tough. Thankfully, Kim will be home soon, and we both miss her. I leave you with some pictures of the last few days, none of which were taken by me for a change.

Owen petting a cow

Owen not so sure about the sheep

Actually scared of the baby duck!

Mmmm...elephant ears!!


Chilling at the pool

This boy is nuts!!

He's going in!!

Ok lest you think I'm a bad parent, those pictures have been altered in Photoshop. The real ones are below.

Rachel's Wedding

Well, my little sister is married. It was a crazy whirlwind of a weekend, but it was fun. Its very odd, but me, my brother, and sister all married our high school sweethearts. Brandon and Rachel definitely dated the longest, but it was on and off. Anyway, Friday we had a rehearsal, the a Luau themed dinner at Brandon's family's woods. For the middle of July, it really wasn't too hot back there. Caleb made some incredible chicken and steaks, and Brandon's family came through with tons of other good food. We hung out and played some Cornhole, which Dad and I did very well in. It was the first time either of us played, and we beat much better players. The wedding was Saturday, and we did pictures first. We did some outside pictures in the 90 degree heat. The scenery was really cool, so they should be good pictures. Owen was the Ringerbearer, and he did a fabulous job. We were unsure if he would get down the isle alone, but he did! He was doing good until the photographer took his picture, then he kind of froze and looked around, the just started galloping down the isle again. The ceremony was nice and short, then on to the reception. The reception was at Primos, and it was a blast. We had a great time dancing, but Caleb and Heather owned the dance floor. We even had people from other receptions coming in to dance, and even some telling us to keep it down. For those of you who know the Brown-Jones clans, this came as a shock to all of us. We stayed sort of late, but got everything cleaned up fairly quickly. I would post pictures, but I'll let Rachel be the first to post hers on Facebook or something so as to not steal her thunder.

On Sunday, I had a basketball game, which we won. We had a great first half, but only scored 10 points in the second. Darren Day hit a last second turn around fade-away to give us the 2 point victory.

Kim leaves for Floriday on Wednesday evening. I'm a little nervous with just me and Owen for 4 1/2 days, but I think we'll make it. I have got most of my projects done for class, so I should be able to rest when he is resting because he is at the stage where he totally wears us out.

Here a couple of pictures from the weekend, just none of the actual wedding.

Caleb mastering the grill

Owen in his tux. Not sure why he is squatting, but he usually does that.

Owen doing his "I don't know"

Me disappearing into the corn just like Field of Dreams.

I'll post more pictures once Rach and Brandon get back from Mexico.

Broken Thumb

Well this sucks. I was working on our hot tub, which has been broken for 2 years, and I broke my right thumb. There is a pipe that is used to pivot the cover over to the side, and one side is bent. I was trying to hammer the pipe back, but as I was swinging the hammer in my right hand, I missed the pipe and smashed my thumb into it. It didn't really even hurt, and I only realized it when I couldn't bend it. At least I got the part that was broken first before I incapacitated myself. I wanted to have the hot tub up and running today, but that didn't quite happen. I guess I really didn't realize how much I use my thumb until I really can't. I can still use it a little, but it hurts to put pressure on it, which kind of limits me. I really hope it doesn't effect my golf game because I am almost down to a single digit handicap! It really effects my typing, which sucks because I have 80% of my grad school class grade due in the next three weeks, and it is all projects that require typing. I'm probably just going to suffer through it, and will probably even try to play basketball tomorrow in the league I am in.

In other news, two of my closest friends became parents to twins yesterday. Congrats Sharbs and Laura!!

July 4th Weekend

This year the weather sucked for the 4th. It was cool and rainy most of the day, but it was a good day anyway. We ended up going to the Zionsville 4th of July Festival with my parents and Caleb and Heather, which was not too bad. It would have been much more fun if Owen was old enough to do the rides and stuff they had there, but he is still too little. We ended up just walking around downtown Zionsville, taking in the gorgeous scenery. I got some pretty cool picture of the town, and had too much fun playing with them on Photoshop. We wanted to stay for fireworks, but because Indy is on the western edge of daylight savings time, they weren't going to start until 10 pm. We got some crappy fireworks at Marsh and set them off at my parent's house, then watched the people behind the pond shoot some off before we had to get home so Owen didn't totally crash. That boy is hilarious! He passed out on the way home, and when we got him inside to change him, we rolled over on his changing table and tucked his arms under himself and stuck his little butt up in the air like he does when he sleeps.

On Saturday we went back to my parents for a cookout with my extended family. I got in the pool with Owen and my brother, but it was pretty low key day. We did have the traditional homemade ice cream, which is basically pure sugar, but very good nonetheless.

Today we all went to Gymboree, then the mall, then I had an eye doctor apt. Everything turned out fine, and I got some new Adidas polarized sunglasses at cost! Kim working for IU really has its benefits. I should be doing school work, but I don't want to.

Owen loves to read his books.

He thinks he is a big boy!

Owen talking to his Aunt Heather.

Owen and Kim watching our pathetic fireworks display.

Something new

I wanted to try blogspot. I had a Xanga site, but I just don't like it. Nothing in particular about it, just think that blogspot looks better. I want to try to be better about writing, if nothing else, just to journal my own life for myself and Kim and Owen. Feel free to read if you like.