2013 First Day of School

Hunter started Junior High School this year.  Here he is in the early hours of the morning waiting for this bus.  School used to start at 9 am for him now he has to leave before 7 am.  What a change!

 Blake is a big 6th grader this year.  He is our sleeper-inner.

Now that they are off to school, I finally have time to clean off the summer photos from my phone.  Here are some highlights:

Mustangs first Championship in 2013.

Amy and Hunter golfing at Glen Oaks.

Mustangs go to an ICubs game and see Cubbie.

Blake competed at the John Deere Classic Drive Chip and Putt Competition.

The boys attended the Drake BullDogs Football Camp for Youth Football.

We all went to the last full day of Adventureland to end the summer.

We finally ended our summer Golfing at Blank Park Golf  Course in a Best Shot Tournament for Dave's company.  Our family golfed par.  Needless to say we got door prizes.

Water Worlds

School is about to start so we staged a last hurrah at Adventureland.

 Although there were plenty of dry Galleon, Splash Over, Tornado, Dragon, Sidewinder, and Space Shot rides, Hunter and Blake spent the most hours in the Carribbean Cruiser (a current-filled river that loops around Adventure Bay),  at The Bermuda Quadrangle, and on Shipwreck Shores.

And they're off down the Raging River.

 Perfect place to challenge river surprises.

The River Rapids Log Ride left Blake (in the front) doused.

 The Bermuda Quadrangle has four slides to conquer.

 Then, there's the Reef Racer (on the right). They aren't old enough for the Speed Slides (on the left).

 Up the stairs three flights to master the Typhoon.

I waited down below for the best picture of them shooting out at the end...

...missed it. Shot a split-second too soon and late..

.in this pic they're coming out on that green tube just inside.

 Breaker Beach Wave Pool produces waves for strong swimmers...

 ...but the boys spent the most time on this crazy little Shipwreck Shores play area

where boys leaped from lily pad to lily pad, bumping each other off.

I guess the challenge is to make it from one end of the pool to the other without getting dumped.

Hunter (12), Amy (their Mom), and Blake (11).

Hey, Everyone

Congrats to Hunter!!!!

He's going into 7th grade this year but not in Mathematics.

After scoring very well in the BIG math-placement test,

 he'll be in the 8th grade Algebra class.

He appears to be a Mathlete. :)

2013 Jr Golf Season at Glen Oaks

The 2013 Golf Season officially ends tomorrow, but here are some highlights of the season.

Blake won the club Drive, Chip and Putt competition for his age division and went onto Regionals at Jester Park.  He scored a 75.

Blake got 3rd Place in the Glen Oaks League Championship with a 51.

Hunter won longest drive in the Parent-Child Annual Tournament with a super drive on hole one.

The Underwood Family came in 3rd in the Child-Parent Tournament with Par.

Both Blake and Hunter earned enough points to shop at the pro shop so they walked away with some goodies.

Here is a photo of Blake receiving his trophy from the Sr. Golf Pro at the club.  His coach is at the podium.

Adam is Dopey for Beating Diabetes

Landon and Carson at the Blank Park Zoo


About 2 years ago our nephew, Carson (son of my wife’s brother) was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He had been struggling with health problems for a couple years until they found the cause when he was 3 years old. Also, in the last year a colleague at work discovered his son also has T1D. After this news and seeing the Team JDRF booth at the 2013 JDRF booth, I said enough is enough, I’m doing this. This is the best way I found I could contribute to a better life for Carson and others with T1D.



The Jerdee family at the 2011 WDW Marathon


Recently Kim and I learned firsthand what it is like to care for a child with T1D. We had the opportunity to take care of Carson while his parents took a weekend trip. At first we were overwhelmed by all the details you need to watch: don’t let his blood sugar get too high, if it gets over 280 check his ketones, if his blood level gets too low he might pass out, give him some sugar, but make sure you enter the carbs in his pump, etc. All this seemed a bit much, especially since a 5 year old can’t tell you when his thinks his blood sugar is low or high. I have to admit, the first night was hard for me, I had trouble sleeping. We listened for the Dexcom alarm and panicked when it was really high, but relieved (then frustrated with the Dexcom) when we checked his blood and found it was pretty normal. In the end we took it all in stride, Kim was really on top of everything and was a responsible “mom”. By the end of the visit we learned a lot: don’t panic, but pay attention. The visit ended the same way they usually do, tears were shed by cousins saying good bye for now, but Kim and I gained a new empathy for what Mandy and Kerry go through on a day to day basis. This is a really tough disease to live with and no kid should have to go through all that.

Please visit my Team JDRF page and consider donating to the cause:

http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/TeamJDRF/JDRFNationalChallenge?px=2003313&pg=personal&fr_id=3127

Happy Birthday, Lyle!!!

Landon, Kim and Adam are out in Guthrie Center this weekend.

 Today Kim's Grandpa Lyle is 94!

He's had a stroke so they're very happy to be able to celebrate him today.

Phoenix Wood Bat Ball Buster Tournament

Click to enlarge...Blake is left end of first row, dad Dave coach at far left

Blake's Mustangs played all weekend (12 hours) in a wood bat tournament.  The went away Champions.  Blake got to pitch the last two innings of the final game to hold them for the big win.  Congratulations Blake!