It’s Spring Break at our House

That wonderful event that all school age children love has arrived at our house, SPRING BREAK! For the next week, the kids are out of school.

In our house that means four kids are now available to assist their parental units in whatever tasks, deemed appropriate, for the development of their character. Parental speak for completing chores, cleaning rooms, and fluffing the parents pillows! Yea right! It is nice to dream.

This week has caused some confusion for my 5 year old. Since she is out of school, she would like to know when I get Spring Break! I can’t wait to see my boss on Monday morning. (With the economy the way, it is I’m sure it might not be the right time to ask!) Nevertheless, my darling daughter has hit on a concept that I think should be explored. With vision like this why can’t they wave the constitutional requirement that the President has to be thrity six years old. I wonder how she can do in Economics.)

We are scheduling the week of sleepovers, social events, mall trips, movies, travel to places, activities, and veg time to have a great break. If the scheduling is right, I may see each child every other day as they spend time with their extended families. We use that term for the families of the friends they hang out with. We joke that my son has three hyphenated last names since the families of his buddies kind of claim him as one of their own. (I wonder if we can work that all the way through college? Oops! There I go using my out loud voice again.)

Spring Break is also the time that all children believe that everything is possible. The question was asked; Can’t we just get in the car and ride to see the grandparents? To add context to the discussion we live pretty close to the geographic center of the United States. The relatives live in the far Northeastern corner of the United States and on the East Coast. Another option was proposed by my eight-year-old son. He decided he would like to go to California for the break. We used the chance to do map reading and mapquesting to determine it would only take about 27 hours to get there. Mr. Math was on top of that saying, “it is only 1 and 3/24th of a day to get there.”(Parental pride in the math skill!) (Parental shock in realizing that he believes that I can drive that many hours without bathroom stops and sleep to arrive on the coast!) By the way, I love the sense of adventure that is developing.

We are getting ready for day two of Spring Break. The kids are using the opportunity to sleep in since most stayed up late on the first full day of Spring Break.

O'Connell Knights Men's Basketball Game on Television

O'Connell Men's Basketball Varsity Basketball Team will host DeMatha Catholic High School February 17, 2009. The game will be on television.

Game time will be 9:00 PM, eastern time and will be televised on ESPNU.

We'll be watching the team and Coach Stu. That's the guy on the left.

Go Silver and Blue!!!!

Hey! I'm gonna be an Uncle Again

Congratulations to Stuart and Erin. My brother and sister-in-law made the big announcement on that there is going to be another Wilson in the world.


I am sure that big sister Sidney is very excited.

Very cool another niece or nephew. The expected arrival is August!

My crew is excited that another cousin is on the way!

Time to start the name game.

Happy Birthday Boodles

Happy Birthday to you.

In the winter snows with Maria. The friends that do spend the nights, soda and whales.

Ms. Rock band hair. When she saw David Cook, the American Idol, winner and Randy Jackson.

With her friend Kennedy. Two of Charlie's Angels.

At age 2 1/2. The intense look with her dad before she was the flower girl in a wedding.

Becca the multi sport athlete. Gymnastics, Soccer, Cheerleading. She is competitive at every sport, game or even a staring contest.

Here she is at her 9th birthday party at the Flip shop.

It's the surfer girl. She is also a great student, avid reader, and a lover of music and her computer time.

Yep, eleven years ago today in St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, Miss Rebecca A. Wilson came into the world. My world is better because she is here.

Chef In Training

This Sunday morning we were treated to a bacon and eggs breakfast. The fun part was the chef who prepared the meal. Hayden, our eight year old has been an accomplished preparer of eggs from shell to table on his own for sometime. He learned the preparation of scrambled eggs from his 13 year old sister who learned from the family patriarch of the Egg, Papa. Those are some big credentials in our family.

This Sunday morning the elite club of egg chef's has added a new member. Hayden left the kitchen in the middle of egg preparation to find a step stool then without prompting involved his sister, Abigale, at 5, in to the egg making club.

Care was taken to ensure safety. Direction about how to stir, the caution about holding the handle while cooking. The knowledge was transferred from one to another. Pictured above, both fresh from the shower worked together to make the eggs.

At the end of the cooking session both sat and ate together explaining the outcome. I knew it was a hit when little sister ask big brother if she could help again next week.

Hey Papa. You have another member of the family working on the title of best Egg Maker!

Steelers vs. Cardinals = The Big Game

I am a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan and I have been for a long time. So, the game tomorrow against the Arizona Cardinals will be special. However, I'm not just routing for the Steelers because I am a fan. I heard a story on the radio that said every time the Steelers win the economy gets better. How can I argue with that logic.



I also comment on the game with a touch of sadness. This will be the last real football game until August. College or Pro, the best we will get are a few classic games on the sports networks. I'll have to make the best of the game.

The activity within the big game is the advertisements. I had the chance to see the previews of the Budweiser commercials on Friday. They have done a nice job again this year. My favorite is the cost cutting meeting!

Everyone enjoy the big game safely! And, by the way, Go Steelers!

I'm hooked on Facebook

Okay, confession time. I have a problem, kind of.. its called Facebook. Since I established an account I have found friends, family, former neighbors, fraternity brothers, roommates, people I have worked with, and people who knew these people. The fun is, I originally met these people while living all over the world, from grade school, high school. college, and other activities in life.

It has been lots of fun to reconnect with all of these very fine people. The problem I mentioned was that I can't help wanting to find them all. As soon as I find one I remember three others that I haven't seen, heard of, or thought about in more years than I care to remember.

My lovely wife is the one who introduced me to Facebook. The fun has been watching the number of contacts grow as we find individual and mutual friends that we have known over the years.

The reason I am making this statement on my blog is that all of my Facebook activity has caused me not to keep up with my blogging buddies. Okay, I'm scum. I'll try to do better. However, if you don't see updated blog posts....you might check in with me on Facebook.

Have a wonderful day.

Happy Anniversary - Patty and Terry

Today my Mother-in- law and Father-in-law are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. Wow! I would like to wish them a very happy anniversary.
On January 11, 1969 - Patty Dimick and Terry Amidon walked down the isle of St. Michael's Church in Brattleboro, Vermont to become Mr. and Mrs. Terry Amidon. They have been dancing together ever since.

If you would like to see an exciting tribute to the Amidon's follow the link to my wife's blog.
http://wilson-six.blogspot.com/2009/01/happy-anniversary-mom-and-dad.html

Happy Anniversary Terry and Patty.

The Gift that keeps on giving

I would like to thank my sister for a very cool Christmas gift. On Christmas Day I opened a gift card from Barnes & Noble. We love bookstores, either live or online.

So later on Christmas Day I decided to do some book browsing. Then I found my choice. The Barnes & Noble Classic Series. In a few quick clicks on the Barnes and Noble website I was the proud owner of 15 new books.

A couple of days later two big boxes a arrived at the house.

This collection of books was under the Classics and Classics for boys.

Arabian Nights by Anonymous
Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London
Four Feathers by A. E. W. Mason
Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard
Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Classics for boys:
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Kim by Rudyard Kipling
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift


Thanks Victoria, let the reading commence.

SEC Football - Florida wins the National Championship

Congratulations to the University of Florida! The Champions of the Southeastern Conference are now the BCS National Champion.

In Miami, Florida, the Gators took a bite out of the Oklahoma Sooners in the FedEx Bowl Championship Series Game. With a final score of 24 to 14 the Gators under the leadership of Tim "Superman" Tebow won on Thursday evening.

The Florida defense was able to rattle the Heisman Trophy winner and the high scoring Oklahoma Sooner offense. It appears that the Air and Ground game of the of the Gators were able to come out on top.

The defense, a trademark of the Southeastern Conference, was able to keep the Sooners out of the end zone on fourth and inches and with an interception just before the first half. In the second half #35, Ahmad Black, was able to intercept Sam Bradford when #9, Juaquin Ignacious didn't tuck in a catch ending the last serious Oklahoma drive of the game.

Urban Meyer, the Coach of the Gators won his second National Championship with Florida. This is the third National Championship for the University of Florida.

The defensive player of the game was Carlos Dunlop. The offensive player of the game was Tim Tebow with 231 yards passing, 108 yards rushing, and 2 touchdowns. Pictured above, Percy Harvin, was a key offensive threat in the game.

It does appear that the "fourth" best quarterback in the Big 12 was able to win the National Championship.