It's a new summer, let's try this again

Well, it summer time and I am going to try this again.  I am going to on purpose try to create a habit of documenting my daily adventures again.This list includes some of the things I failed to do last summer:

1.)  Wired Ziplines
2.)  The Athens Ziplines
3.)  Toddler Time at the Woodland West Library
4.)  Levitte Pavillion show
5.)  A few Rangers games
6.)  A game at the FW Cats or the Airhogs
7.)  Paintball
8.)  Golf With Ben
9.)   Get to the Gym
10.)  Wine and Wisdom
11.)  FW ZOO
12.)  Dinosaur Valley
13.)  Fair Park Aquarium

14.)  Build a Fort with Benjamin

15.)  Waterballon fight

16.)  Kayak Fish

17.)  Lazer tag fight in the park

18.)   Trampoline Park

19.)  Holocaust Museum in Fort Worth

20.)  Disc Golf

I know this is a big list but I plan on creating some epic moments and share them with people I love.

Getting Busy or Does It Feel That Way

Well it has been a bit since I have last posted and I feel like so much has gone on. So much I can barely remember what ha taken up my time. With that said, I don't think I was as busy as I thought I was. I have spent a large amount of my time with my wife and kids. Last week my sister n law and her husband visited from NY and we spent some quality time with baby Bowie. Earlier this week Benjamin and I went to the library and shared some time Singing and ready books. He received his first library card and checked out his first books. Being on budget really does make a difference when purchasing books. I have not moved Ben into the digital books yet. As pro technology I am, I just want Ben to fall in love with actual books. Jill and I are also taking Benjamin and Lila to the Levitt Pavilion every Wednesday morning to sing and dance. If you live in Arlington or near by through out the summer there are some great performances there adult and for children. Some of these events are the reason for this blog. I am a big advocate for journaling and blogging. Not just or people to read it but to document the journey we call life. So, I suggest a few things:
1. Make a plan: if planning is important to you and it should. You should create a calendar with daily events and events to come. Calendar are a great way of communication. With the family.
2. Share your time: it is much easier to enjoy life and go through the tough and busy times if your not alone.
3. Share the moments: take pictures all the time and not of stuff but of the people you where with. I recently went to D.C. and the best picture include people in front of the monuments and not just the monument. If you picture of just monuments google it there will be better pictures there.
4: Journal: create your own auto-biography. You will appreciate it later. And so will your family, your children will want to some day see what made you the person you are. Use paper or create a Dailey blog. And by the way Facebook is not the place for this.
5. Do it every day: you have to start strong to create a habit. It doesn't matter that you are a terrible author or English student. The more you generate new thought the more you will want to create a day to experience.

#BaileyDC

As I write this shirt blog entry I am in the air with 23 junior high students. Getting checked in and running through security went as smooth as it could. All the students are excited and are looking forward to our journey. We have a full schedule lined up and plan on making this week and adventurous trip. Jill, Benjamin, and Lila I am thinking about you and mid you all ready.

Washington, D.C. AGAIN!!!

I am now in recovery mode from my 8th grade Washington, D.C. trip with my 8th graders.  We started the trip at DFW airport at 4:30 in the morning.  Security was helpful and friendly and we made it to take off without any incidents at all.  As we approached we were greeted with a little bit of rain.  Enough rain to put our ponchos on, for those of us who had them.  We joined up with a school Prairie River Middle school from Wisconsin after we visited one of the Smithsonian's.  It took both schools about a day and half for the students to mesh up.  We visited a ton of sites and had a ton of fun.  We parted ways after we went to Mt. Vernon and the Capitol tour.  We had dinner at the airport and talked while we waited for our delayed flight.  One of the biggest questions I received from the kids was how was this not boring from the other times I have been.  I found it to be a simple question.  It is because I experience it with different people.  It isn't about the sites but who you get to view and learn it with.  So, for you future D.C. travelers here is a few tips to enjoy your trip.

1. Take opportunity to get to know your kids by hanging out with different ones everywhere.
2. Walk with them and talk about what you see and get them to ask the coarse leader questions.
3. Use the bus time not just to get to know the other program leaders but to know the other schools students as well.  (Ask Questions)
4. Plan some games to play on the bus:  Song games, color games, I never, etc.  keep it age appropriate and always take time to look at who is at the back of the bus.
5. There is no down time.  Not on the Bus and not walking, there is always time to be social.  This trip is about adventure and it is never fun doing it alone.
6. Take a lot of pictures and make sure people are in them.  Don't get home with 300 pictures of things.
7.  Plan some of those pictures ahead of time:  Group pictures at White House, in front of the tomb of unknown soldiers, listening to the coarse leader.  Every picture is better with students in them.
8. Look for an opportunity for  your students to experience living history.
9. Have a recap every evening about the day, night procedures and morning procedures before you get off the bus.
10. Consistently check to see how you can make a students trip better.

I have experienced multiple trips to D.C. and none of them have been the same.  I think I will do it again.  Make good choices, do great things.

Time Filled with Family

Today is a Saturday and I failed to plan out the day for the family. It would normally be filled with birthday songs but Jill is in another state today on a business trip. We started the day at 6:30 A.M. with oatmeal, bananas, waffles, and milk. From there we went to Benjamin's soccer game. I can tell you this, U4 soccer is way more intense than any World cup qualifier. I knew we had to take Lila home for a nap after the game but after that I failed to plan. Luckily, Lila fell asleep until 12:30 and Ben watched Mulan and a classic Duck Tales. I took a nap on the couch while Ben watched tv on top of my back. When we woke up we went to McDonalds for a late lunch. Ben made a ton of friends and we were there for two hours plus. Lila is now going up and down the playground slides. We then went to Academy Sports to replace our soccer goals for the third time. We then headed home to the pool and a late afternoon nap for Lila. Benjamin's best friend and family came over for a dip and dinner. Once dinner was over we played and watched Duck Tales. Now I am getting ready for Church tomorrow and for Jill to come home.

Learning to Coach

This summer I will be coaching my son's U4 soccer team.  It wasn't what I had planned but it kind of fell on me the first practice.  I was expecting to teach my son how to play soccer and had already started doing some research on how to coach under 4 soccer.  It was completely different than coaching or teaching junior high students.  So far this is what I have learned:

1.)  Toddlers just want to have fun
2.)  With all sports keep them active and learning: every game should keep each player touching the ball as much as possible.
3.)  Have two major rules and go from there
      for our u4 soccer it is no hands and listen to coach
4.)  Keep practice short: four year olds get tired quick. So get the kids moving with the ball quickly.
5.) find an expert: I used soccer help online and their videos on YouTube
6.) plan the growth: don't expect to have soccer stars after your first game or practice. See where the kids are at and compare that to the end I the season.
7.) pay attention to your own kid: Benjamin is struggling with me giving other kids one on one attention. I still haven't figured this one out. I do recognize that I am doing this for him.
8.) pray God is always with you and teaching

Missed Opportunities

What a Unique opportunity to be able to experience the Venus transit of the Sun.  I MISSED IT!  I found out about it around 7:54 and the sun is still shining bright until 8:47.  I was not prepared to see this once in a life time spectacle.   Attempting to view the sun directly during the transit of Venus without the right equipment can be dangerous, much like during a solar eclipse. But for those with the right tools had an opportunity to see it.  I searched for a quick way and tips to watch the eclipse but everything I found, I failed to have the equipment.  

So, What I learned is:  Be Searching for Missed Opportunities.  I know that sounds weird but if you are looking for learning opportunities you will first start with your interest.  It kind of places you in tunnel vision.  What I am going to start looking for:

1.)  Read more

2.) Take Notes

3.) Document what you find interesting

4.) Check out what is on city, and other venues calendars.

5.) Learn how to google better

6.)  Create new relationships