A proper education (via @GradnessMadness)

“The complexity of our present trouble suggests as never before that we need to change our present concept of education. Education is not properly an industry, and its proper use is not to serve industries, either by job-training or by industry-subsidized research. It’s proper use is to enable citizens to live lives that are economically, politically, socially, and culturally responsible. This cannot be done by gathering or “accessing” what we now call “information” - which is to say facts without context and therefore without priority. A proper education enables young people to put their lives in order, which means knowing what things are more important than other things; it means putting first things first.”

― Wendell Berry

Fun Weekend

Besides watching the Badgers rack up 564 rushing yards and 62 points in route to winning a second consecutive bid to the Big Ten Championship game, this weekend was pretty fun. Our weather was nice on Saturday, with minimal rain in the morning and evening and 60-degree weather all around. My wife and I got the rest of the exterior of the house winterized before heading out to dinner on Saturday night. Our local friends from the lake arranged a baby-sitter for the kids and we enjoyed a nice Italian dinner in Minneapolis. What with my wife being sick on her actual birthday, it was nice to relax and have fun without doing too much.

My daughter also continued her two-hour dance rehearsal. She has one every-other Saturday until the year turns. Then she has it EVERY Saturday for two hours. This is in addition to her weekly two-hour dance practice/lesson. Since she comes home pretty happy and doesn't complain, I'm pretty sure she's into this dance stuff by now. Which is good, because I was just told by my wife about the make-up. If you have a daughter and want to hear a shocking number, wait until they let you in on how much the make-up costs. But ... if my daughter's happy, it'll be worth it :)

Basketball is more my style, on the other hand. And that is what my son is doing these days. I even get to help out with the coaching a bit. Since my wife and I were coming home from Barcelona last Saturday, we missed his first two games. From all stories (my mom and my son) they went really well and the team won all the skill events, as well as the actual games themselves. This week, we got to see it first-hand. And I no longer have to rely on their word. Yep. The team is good. They seem to want to listen and get better, too, so I'm excited to keep helping coach and watch.

Proud of my kids and my wife. :) Happy me.

It is Veterans Day, this 11th day of the 11th month. And therefore, I will take the last lines of this post to thank all those who have served or continue to serve. I, for one, take it not for granted that my life is lived with a freedom that is protected, not owed to me, but delivered to me by those who would choose to lay down their lives for it. I am especially indebted to those who already have.

Football Ended. Halloween Came. Now, on to basketball ... holiday season.

So, my son had a great football season and the team finished 6-1-1. Here's a quick pic of his last game. Looks like a football player, doesn't he? They won. :) Also included some pictures of the kids in their halloween costumes. Gramma stayed with them and they trick-or-treated around the neighborhood with friends while we were in Barcelona. Now, it's time for basketball for the big boy. Played his first games this Saturday. Double-header. Won both. Apparently, it wasn't close. I'll be anxious to see him play for the first time this Saturday. Until then, I'll just have to be proud of him being elected to student council, too :)

 

My daughter is till enjoying kindergarten, dance, and gymnastics a lot. She had a strained grown, so was out of action (for the most part) for dance and gymnastics for a week or so. But she's coming back strong! And we just signed her up for another session of swimming too. She was so excited that she was disappointed to hear it won't start until after the holidays (January).

 

Happy Birthday to my partner, my best friend, my wife!

As a small birthday present to her, I am posting the pictures (at least SOME of them) from our recent trip to Barcelona. If you didn't know we were gone, sorry. I've been AWOL from posting for some time now. Partially because of being a bit busy. Partially because I just didn't feel like it. Hence, the need to have a reason to do it again. And, what better reason than my wife?!?! :)

So, without further ado ... Barcelona:




view of the mountain from our hotel room



view of the Med (2 blocks away) from our hotel room

St Pau Hospital



Gaudi's Casa Batllo

Placa de Catalunya

Olympic Stadium

Olympic torch

museum

Camp Nou ... home to FC Barcelona

Gaudi museum

Barcelona Cathedral

St Maria de Mar

... and a few other churches, their glass windows, courtyards, and organs

Gaudi hotel

Arc de Triomph, Barcelona

Bull Fighting Arena

Sagrada Familia

... and back on the beach :)