Josh moved ahead

With Josh's 787 two weeks ago he moved ahead of me for highest average on our team. He has a 199 which could drop a pin after this last week, but that will still keep him ahead of me for this upcoming week. I only beat him by 7 pins this last week and my average will probably remain the same 197.
Josh has never been a big bowler. I mean he bowled as a junior and subbed on our team here and there throughout the past years, but this is the first year that I found out that he really wants to do good. He only has two bowling balls. Many of you probably think that is one too many and for sure enough as many as you would need to be a good bowler? Well, I have thrown away a few bowling balls over the years and gave away a few as well and I still own 7 bowling balls. That is probably the lowest amount owned by someone who might be considered a decent bowler. If I were to finally get my average up to a 220 then for sure 7 bowling balls would be considered a low number. I have a friend that I have bowled with since 6 grade and he probably has over 50 bowling balls easily. He is one of the best bowlers in the city. That is not saying that having more bowling balls is going to make you a better bowler. There are a lot of balls that react differently since there are many types of oil patterns on a few types of surfaces as well.
Anyway after seeing Josh own them lanes that night he bowled that 787 I suggested that when he gets a new bowling ball someday he should get one that is more aggressive. The lanes that night were dry and tough. His equipment is old and I figured something new might help as well. Plus technology is always changing and a new aggressive bowling ball could give him more confidence as well if he could be more aggressive himself. Confidence is everything and if a ball can help him gain more of that then I am sure that he would bowl a 300 within two years.
I wasn't thinking that he would get a new bowling ball at least not until the new year. He sent me a link of a brand new bowling ball. He has three kids and I didn't want him to spend any money on a bowling ball. I told him to let me ask Mike (the friend with the 50 + bowling balls) and see if he had a bowling ball that he never uses anymore that might be good for Josh. Turns out that he did have something that wasn't too old at all and he ended up just giving this bowling ball to Josh and I paid for the ball to be plugged and re drilled to fit Josh. I wasn't impressed with the way that the bowling ball looked when I had to be the middle man in getting it from Mike and delivered to Josh. Josh got it back yesterday from my friend that plugged and re drilled it and Josh texted me informing me that the ball was pretty. I guess that Kevin (guy that drilled it) also resurfaced it and made it look all shiny and new. Josh now has a bowling ball that is newer than 8 years old and he likes it so far. He hasn't had a chance to throw it yet, but he thanked me for helping him save $180 since a new bowling ball is like $160 online and at least another $25 to drill. So that was my good deed for the season and maybe the year!

Josh Fights Back

As you may have read in the last few blogs Josh hasn't been bowling good. I have been bowling pretty decent but nothing great. I overtook Josh the week before last as high average on the team and reclaiming my throne as best bowler in our family.
I have been losing a bit of confidence over the last couple weeks and have only averaged 198. I keep reverting back to the old crap that brings down confidence and scores. The new release is keeping me close to the 200 average though. So I figured I can get my average up to 200 before the yearbook deadline in the first part of April. I also figured that if I average just around a 600 series for the night that Josh will not be able to catch back up because his confidence is lacking and maybe his focus too?
Friday we walk into bowl and this kid on the opposing team informs Josh and I that he didn't want to see any of our crap. He was partly joking but he was indicating that he didn't want us throwing any big games. Josh hasn't always been used to other teams/bowlers fearing him so when someone says something like that and he hears it he is like a shark that can smell blood.
I still intimidate a lot of bowlers just because of my history when I was a great bowler. I don't know if they just don't know how to pay attention that I haven't and still am not even close to being the bowler that I once was, but I know that I still have that intimidation factor. It is a new thing for Josh though and I am glad when someone says something like that to him because it is going to be a good night of bowling. A shark can smell a drop of blood a mile away. This kid had just severed an artery right in front of Josh. This kid was Josh's opponent and had just shot himself in the leg. The last time someone indicated in passing that Josh was an elite bowler he tied his best series. Like a 727 or something? A record that wasn't going to last!!???
The first game Josh and I were both bowling pretty good. He was ahead of me for the first half of the game and I figured the pressure might get to him and I would eventually win that game. I opened the ninth or tenth frame for a 214 but it didn't matter the pressure wasn't getting to him that night. He finished his first game with a 266! Good job Josh I just hope that I can beat you the next game. He and I were doing pretty equal for the first half of game 2 when our lane broke down! I had two strikes going into the next frame which I threw a half hour or so later, it was a horrible ball and I split leaving an open frame. My next frame was an open and that game I fell apart. I think I got like a 166? Josh wasn't phased by the fact that our lane broke and we had to bowl on one lane for a bit until we could move to another pair. His second game was a 254.
If you know anything about bowling you know that Josh's first two games put him over 500, therefor he had a chance to bowl an 800 series which is the Mecca for any good bowler. There was one bad thing though with his first two games. If he would have gotten one more pin he would have been at a 521, however he was only at a 520. Why was that one pin such a bad thing? Well if he would have gotten a 521 he would need a 279 for an 800. A 279 can be scored in numerous ways, but there doesn't have to be a string of all strikes all the way to the end of the game to get there. Since he only had that 520 this meant that he needed to shoot a 280, now in order to shoot a 280 you can spare the first frame and strike the rest or you have to shoot the first ten strikes and then you can miss. I was already pumped up for Josh because I knew that he was lined up and I knew that as long as he stayed focused he could easily shoot ten more strikes in a row. He was in a zone and I just wanted him to stay there.
We ended up moving a few frames later in the second game to a pair of lanes that worked. We got moved to a nightmare pair of lanes. I thought that they were way dry. I was doing all I could to get the ball to the packet but Josh didn't seem to be laboring at all to finish that second game. So, like I said, I knew that ten in a row wasn't going to be that hard for him. He got the first 4 strikes and I kept telling him just one frame at a time, just one ball at a time, just nice and easy. I didn't want him to get all pumped up and throw a bad ball. He got the first 7 strikes and I was pumped up. I was screaming each time he threw a strike and I knew that he only needed 3 more strikes and he would have the ring (pictured a few blogs below) I have always wanted on his finger.
In the 8th frame he stuck again. I knew that his line was getting a bit tight but it was working for him. I didn't know how his ball was staying in the pocket but it was. Strike number 9 fell and I was about to come unglued. I was screaming louder and louder. I wanted him to get the 800. I figured he was more focused on the 300 and didn't have a clue about the 800. So one more strike was all he needed. If he gets this one more strike he has a chance to still shoot a 300, plus he earns $100 for shooting an 800. He gets a ring for an 800, plus a plaque next year at the hall of fame banquet. If he gets three more strikes he gets two rings one for the 800 and another for the 300, plus an extra $100 for his 300.
As he was stepping up to the lane I wanted to tell him to throw this last strike a little farther out to the right. There was no way that I was going to interrupt him though. For some reason something was telling me that he needed to throw this next ball out a little more so that it would drive through the head pin a bit more because like I said I thought his line was a bit tight. I said nothing and Josh began his approach. He let go of the ball and it made its way down the lane just as the same 16 balls before that. He had gotten 16 strikes in a row dating back to the last game! The ball hit the pocket and the pins began to fall. I saw two standing when I fell on the ground. I knew that he had thrown a pretty good ball, but I knew that there was no way that both of the pins that I saw standing were going to fall. I belted out at the top of my lungs "Nooooooooooooooo". I looked up and he had gotten 9 of the ten pins, one of the pins that I thought were standing had fallen but not both. I knew at that moment he was going to walk away with nothing on the night. When a mere seconds before he still had a chance to have two rings $200 a plaque and a head as big as the world for the next (rest of his life). I only want one thing in bowling and that is an 800 ring. He was one strike away. He threw a good ball the pins just didn't want to fall. I sat on a step with my head on my knees for a minute or two and I could have cried. If there wasn't a bunch of people in the bowling alley I would have cried. I just couldn't believe that that all that was taken away from him in an instant. I wish that I would have told him to move his line a bit more to the right with that last ball, but I didn't. At least then if he missed he could have had me to blame and not just bad luck. He ended up with a 267 that game and a 787 series. Averaging 262 for three games and shooting the best series between us. I think my high series is 762 or something like that I can't remember. I shot a 587 averaging just over 195, but I wish I could have given Josh that last strike. In my mind before he threw that last ball I was saying "Please just let him have one more strike". I guess it wasn't meant to be. Maybe I am supposed to get an 800 before him? I am glad that he has bowled with us this year. He has awoke my desire to bowl better. I am figuring out the game little by little again and it is because of him. Sure I have tried and tried to come out of my slump for the past 9 years, but it wasn't until I was (and still might be) in jeopardy of losing the title of best bowler in our family. It will be a race for the next couple of months on who has this best year, but he knows that he needs to get a ring on his finger before he thinks he is the best in our family. I hate that he is moving in a couple of months. He is taking a job up north in February or therabouts. This has been the most fun bowling I have had since bowling my last 300 game. I have the desire to bowl again. I will miss you Josh and if I figure out how to bowl completely again I will owe a lot of it to you. So maybe when I get my 800 (since you can't) I can just dedicate it to you? Hahaha....

Pulls in the Lead

I had told Josh that I was going to give him 5 weeks until I was high average on our team. It only took 2 weeks! My average jumped form a 191 to 197 in two weeks and he dropped from his 200 like I mentioned to a 195. I really feel bad that he is not doing so good. I felt good going into Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, but I was a little tired. I played basketball that morning after working all night. Took a short nap before bowling. Started out practice really good. I had 7 strikes in a row. The last ball or two that I threw felt like I was slipping back to the old style though. So any confidence I had vanished. I scraped through the night averaging just over 200 bowling a 602 series. I was in between the old style of bowling and the new. Again, once I figure it out all had better watch out because I am going to be on a terror of high scores.

My friend Mike started out his first game with 11 strikes in a row and missed his last ball for his possible 8th 300 game by throwing a 7 count finishing with a 297. I love watching him bowl good and hope that I can be up there with him before too long. I guess the next day in a local tournament he did the same thing! Except this time he only threw a 6! finishing with probably his worst after the front 11 strikes, he obviously got a 296. I can say that is sad, but it is more sad that I can't even come close.

http://mormon.org/me/7H9P/#

Closer Than I Thought

Well, I made up 5 pins from the weeks previous 684 series on Josh. Before leagues started I checked the updated average sheet and I was at a 194 while Josh had dropped to a 198. I started out bowling kind of crappy, not a lot of confidence because the approaches were slick and I couldn't stay on my feet. The beginning of the first game Josh was ahead of me and he was throwing a pretty good ball. He had a couple of late opens while I started stringing some strikes. I ended the first game with a 213, second game Josh tried to stay with me for a while even though I had the first 6 strikes. I ended with a 256 and he had another untimely open. I don't know what we got any of his games but overall I beat him by at least another hundred while shooting a 670 series. I wasn't happy with the overall way I threw the ball but it was mostly because of the approaches. I am happy with my series and for the past two weeks I have averaged 225. I am sure again if I can get this proper release down that a 225 average won't be that hard to maintain overall. I am hoping to get over a 200 average on the year, but mostly I just want to stay focused on getting this release down and in the muscle memory bank!
Josh wasn't happy that I beat him, he say that he has been tired lately which is probably true. I just wish that he could get some confidence and get his first 300. Again my year and a half long goal is to get another 300 under my belt and average a 215 or more for next season! Simply end with a 200 or more this year.
Henry and I did golf today. Triton was sick so we didn't go to church. I had a triple bogey on the first hole we played then double bogeyed the next hole! So, I was 5 over par after two holes. The next sixteen holes I play at 4 over. Shooting 12 pars and 4 bogeys. What happened on the first two holes I have no clue, but I was way happy with the last 16 holes. I hit the ball good and was happy that we got in one last round before the snow fell. It was snowing pretty good when we left. The last green we were on was about a third covered with snow. We finished just in time. Sad that it was probably the last time this year, but way happy that we got to go. I wasn't expecting to be able to get in that round. And to golf as good as I did was a bonus too. USA won The Presidents Cup and if Tiger can golf as good as he did today all of next year he will probably win two majors! That is my prediction for his year. I just want Tiger to beat all the records then he can sail off into the sunset and never golf again. I think that he has to win 10 or 12 PGA events to overtake Snead on the all time wins list and of course he has to win 5 more majors to overtake Jack Nicklaus in the major category.

Long Time

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I am alive. We have moved into out new home and someday I might post some pictures. Hate the cold. Not ready for the winter to be here. Especially since I ended the golf year pretty dang good. I actually scored better than my father in law twice. He is a really good golfer, but on these two days he wasn't scoring his best. Thus the reason I said I scored better than him instead of saying that I beat him. I do not consider him golfing bad and me just golfing okay as beating him. I want to beat him when he is at his best. That will be the day that I beat him.

Henry beat me this year! I didn't get a good swing until late in the year. Ever since he hasn't beat me though. He has a bum shoulder that he hasn't had looked at yet. He usually bowls league with us but he is letting his son Josh bowl in his place. Henry hasn't gotten his shoulder looked at yet. Since the golf season is over now he had better get in and do that. Or he won't be healed (if he has to have surgery) in time for next golf season.

Josh started out the year bowling pretty dang good. He was at a 210 average for the first 6 weeks or so, but has since fell off the pace. If you haven't ever read my blog or known of my bowling career you have to know that I used to be a pretty dang good bowler. I wasn't ever going pro or anything, but just after Sheri and I were married I was averaging about 215. One day I woke up and for some reason wasn't able to release the bowling ball properly anymore? My average dropped off the map! I think the very next season I dropped from a 213 to a 180? My highest average since was last year (after 9 years of struggling) I ended with a 193. A lot of people who don't bowl would think that is pretty dang good. Sure it isn't bad but it is still 20 pins off from what was my best previous. I had thought about quitting bowling because I haven't enjoyed it for so many years. I had a buddy of mine redrill some of my equipment and I think that it has helped a bit. However something might have really clicked in my birds nest of a brain a few weeks ago. I thought that I was close to getting my old release/swing back. I even texted my buddy that redrilled a few of my bowling balls to expect some high scores. I haven't ever thought that I would have that confidence again in my swing. I never imagined that I would bowl another perfect game and someday my lifelong goal to bowl an 800 series. An 800 in bowling is the Mecca for bowlers. You have to average just over a 266 for three straight games! You get this beautiful ring and every bowler in the city hears about it.



With Josh starting the year off so good and me just remaining around that 193 average I knew that I had to figure something out. I have always been known as the best bowler in the family. Who is the best bowler in my family? Anyone and everyone has always said Jason. Josh could be a great bowler and I have no doubt that he will bowl a perfect game someday, but I can't have him surpass me as the best bowler in our family. With my bowling balls drilled perfectly I have been able to tinker with my release and I think I might have figured it out. This last week I was able to release the ball with the most confidence I have had in just about ten years. The bad release and approach creeped in a few frames here and there and basically the whole second game so my scores were 257, 173 and a 254. See the difference there? The 173 is basically what my last ten years of horrible bowling has enabled me from doing. The first and thrid game I was able to release the ball properly and with confidence.

The middle game I was just hoping to slop down the pins? I am on the right path now though. I texted Josh yesterday and told him that I would have a higher average than him in 5 weeks. If he bowls the way he started the year it will be way hard for me to get passed him. He is probably down to a 200 after last weeks sub par performance and I probably jumped from a 191 to a 193. He is in trouble if I can get the feel down and the proper release locked into my muscle memory. That is why my last ten years release overcame me in the second game last week. Because of muscle memory. I wasn't able to keep my new release or thought process at the front of my brain so the old muscle memory just takes over. It is horrible standing on the approach one frame with all the confidence in the world. There were times last week that I knew I was going to strike before I even threw the ball. Then one or two frames later I stand there and I have no clue how to hold the ball! I am so wicked close to figuring it out and when I do my average should just 20-30 pins! I will keep you updated and future blogs about bowling won't be so explicative or boring, okay mom!

I do have no doubt that if I do keep this new proper release in muscle memory that I will bowl another 300. I have a prediction that will happen before the end of the next league season. So sometime before June 2013 I will have another 300 under my belt. I will bowl an 800 (someday) and feel great when I am able to slide this ring on my finger.

For the past ten years I never imagined that I would ever say that or have this condifence again??? Wish me luck! Tomorrow is league night and hopefully my next blog doesn't say I lost it all again!

Felt Good

Many of you have read about my dang golf struggles. Every other week I am telling Sheri that I finally figured something out. Each time I tell her that she says you say that all of the time. Each time I actually did think that I had figured something out. I am always in the yard hitting styrofoam golf balls trying to fix my swing. My handicap has done nothing but climb this year so far. I only really have issues hitting a wood of any kind whether it be a driver or a three wood. Those clubs have never been a part of my arsenal, but would be great if I could ever figure them out. The driver alone costs me 5 to 9 strokes a round.
About a week and a half ago I was in the yard and of course I was trying anything I could to get the club face of the driver to square up at impact. I was close to figuring something out this time and I knew it. Sure I have always said that in the past like Sheri will remind me every time, but I knew that this time was going to be different. At least I thought. So, it was Thursday before last when I get a call from Henry. He indicated that he was going to be golfing in a tournament this weekend that takes place at all three city courses. It is a three day tournament that happens every year on Memorial weekend. He asked if I was going to play. Even though I thought that I figured something out with the driver I was still hesitant about signing up for this golf tournament. Not being about to get off the tee box with any confidence was just going to cost me $50. I have never entered a singles type golf tournament without having some confidence in the driver. I have finished first twice and one second in the three tournaments that I have played as a single type tournament. That is a pretty good record, but there have been other tournaments that I simply didn't play because I knew that the driver wasn't going to work for me at all. I hate that feeling and like I said I am always in the yard just trying to figure out something that will help me once and for all to give me confidence and consistency off the tee box when using a driver.
Henry then asked if I was going to play in the tournament, I had confidence in this new swing thought, but I hadn't been able to try it out on the golf course. I went out in the yard and hit the practice soft foam balls for a while to see if I had enough confidence in order to enter this tournament. It was already three hours past the deadline to enter, but after practicing I thought that I had enough game to enter. I called the golf course and surely enough they let me in as a late entry. My stepmother watched my two little monkeys for me Friday so I could get in a practice round with Henry before the first day of the tournament on Saturday. I hit the driver okay and in the horrible wind Henry and I shot pretty good rounds. I figured three days of that from either of us would be enough to win the tournament. We actually joked how cool it would be if we were to take first and second in the tournament. I informed Henry that I wouldn't mind taking second to him as long as he finally finished first. He should have won a few tournaments by now, it just seems that he can't hold on to the lead or shoot good enough to win on that last day. I told him that I wouldn't mind second, but of course if that were to happen I would probably not be too happy at the time. I know that I would be happy for him later on, but at the time I would just be disappointed that I didn't do what was needed to win. Henry had been golfing pretty dang good, so after our scores tied on Friday I figured that the fight was on to take first place. One of us should win no matter what.
I wasn't too thrilled about the driver so I was out in the yard right after that round Friday. Saturday morning before my tee time I decided to hit the driving range and see if I could gain more confidence. The driving range was amazing I have never hit the ball that good ever! I was stoked and ready to go take it to the course.
I hit the ball horribly off the tee box and had only two drives all day that were good, they were probably just lucky shots because I had no confidence at all! As soon as I hit the course I reverted back to old ways? I was mega upset and coming into the clubhouse with an 87 on the hardest course in the city I was just hoping to not be out of the running on day one. Henry shot an 86 and another guy shot an 81! I was tied for third after day 1! I wasn't happy with my round but I was happy with my spot on the leader board. I went home and thought and thought about how to hit the driver. I knew that this new swing thought was close to working I just needed to keep trying it and not go back to the old way like I did on day one. I was confident being down 6 shots to the leader because he is an older guy who probably couldn't do that good on day 2, plus the weather was supposed to be horrible. I don't like bad weather, but Henry and I are on the golf course no matter what the weather holds for us! Unless there is snow and the course is closed Henry and I are always playing. I knew that with bad weather Henry and I would probably make a good move on day 2. We weren't paired with each other on day on or day two.
Day two was horrible weather! It was windy and raining. Day one, I had 5 pars and 4 double bogeys. Day two started out great, I had three pars in 4 holes. I knew I was making up ground on the leaders because there was no way that anyone in my flight was golfing that good. Hole 5 was disastrous, I hit a great drive and my second shot was in the bunker. I triple bogeyed that hole and didn't really recover after that. I shot another 87 which is horrible considering my great start and the fact that we were on the easiest of the three courses. I had 6 pars and a birdie. Along with three triple bogeys and a double bogey too.
Henry shot an 88, and I tied the low round of the day with my fellow playing partner for the first two days. The guy who shot the 81, shot a 90 on day two, so he was only 3 strokes ahead of me and I was tied for second with Henry. Henry had the lead with handicap and that is how they based the pairings on the last day. Anyone who knows about golf knows that it is usually best to be on the final group on the last day. I ended up not being in that group. I was in the second to last group. Tied for second without handicap (with Henry) and tied for 4th with handicap 5 strokes behind Henry. I knew that I needed a good finishing round on the last day.
I had a calm over me as I stepped on the tee box that last day. I didn't have any confidence in the driver still so I was just hoping to get off the tee box. On day two the driver wasn't horrible as a matter of fact I hit three bad drives which is better than the normal 5 or 9! I hit my first shot down the middle! Bogeyed the hole like a moron! Second hole hit the drive dead down the middle again? Something might be working? I barely saved bogey after an amazing birdie chip that missed the hole barely but ran on by some 4 feet or so. Made the 4 ft putt for par. 3rd hole, another drive down the middle, but it didn't have the greatest of contact. Parred that hole. One over after three holes is great and I was getting stoked! Hole 4, good drive just right a bit, but safe because water was on the left. Double bogey after hitting a horrible second shot into a tree and getting a bad break. Made a three foot putt for a double bogey! Now 3 over after 4! Not great, but not out of it yet. Hole 5, hit a good drive just caught a tree! Stuck behind the trees, hit the tree again on second shot, chipped out of trees for third shot and ended up making a great bogey after making a 7 ft putt. Next hole is an easy par 5, get par. 4 over after 6 holes. Bogey the next two holes and I am 6 over after 8 holes. Driver might be failing me? I kind of hit an old shot on 8 with the driver! Yikes! Hole 9 my playing companion parred and would be two strokes ahead of me unless I make a tricky 12 footer for par. My putt is on the way and barely slips in the side for par! I was happy making that putt. If I stay ahead of everyone in my group which is me and two other guys, I am bound to win some money and not just be a donator. Wes had a one stroke lead over me heading into the back nine. I didn't know how many strokes I had on him from the first two days, but I was a little worried because he had the momentum and was gaining confidence hole to hole as we went on. The rain wasn't coming down, but I knew that the cold and the wind would stop that old man leader in his tracks on the last day and I figured that Wes and I were gaining on the leaders every hole we played. The other guy that we were paired up with wasn't doing a thing and I knew he was out of it after the front nine.
Hole number ten at this course can easily be considered the toughest par 4 in the city. It is a long hole (this day into the wind) and I figured if I could par I would gain at least two on the leaders. I was feeling okay with the driver, but still didn't have a clue what the ball was going to do after the swing. Wes drilled his drive in the middle and pretty long. I was right of him in the trees and I was forced to pitch back out into the fairway. I couldn't see where his next shot took him, but I had about 100 yards left for my third shot. He was driving up to my area and he called me Henry. I don't know if he called me that on purpose or on accident, but he started laughing afterwards either joking with me or realizing that he had made a mistake by calling me that. I hit my next shot from 100 yards on a good line and the way that the green is sloped I knew that the ball was going to go toward the whole and was only getting better and better the more it kept rolling. Wes said good shot and as he was driving off I told him that was what he gets for calling me Henry. We laughed and as we got to the green we saw that my shot was great and I only had 2 and a half feet left for my par. Wes and this other guy both bogeyed the hole and I really wanted this par. This small putt wasn't easy, it was a left to right breaking putt, I made it and was happy for my lucky third shot to get so close to the pin. I par the next three holes and knew that I was probably close to the lead if not the leader. After parring the 12th hole, I was pulling away from Wes. Wes triple bogeyed 12 and I was now 4 stokes ahead of him. I figured that my only worry was Henry. I was just going to play each of the last 5 holes coming in just hoping to get bogey. Hole 14 was just that! I hit a short drive because there is a creek between the green and the tee box. My second and third shots were horrible. Wes bogeyed the hole and I had a 12 foot putt for bogey. I didn't want Wes to gain any confidence coming into the clubhouse with 4 holes left so I really wanted to make this putt. I putted the ball and it was breaking in the direction it needed and for sure had enough speed. It fell in and I dodged a bullet. A bogey might hurt but a double bogey might take away all my momentum. The next hole I drove the ball a little left which is fine because the right has out of bounds. I hit my third shot up on the green and the ball took a great bounce and left me about 14 feet for birdie. I knew that I was going to get par, but Wes had about the same length for a birdie as well. I was sure that I was inside of his location so I told him to putt first. He barely missed the birdie and he had about a two footer for par. As he was getting ready to putt his par I thought in my head that he hadn't missed a short putt all day and it was his time. He did kind of rush the putt and indeed did miss. I knew that if I made my birdie putt that I was probably going to win the tournament. I thought that I was out of the tournament on the back nine of day two. The last 5 holes on day two I was doing whatever I could to just get into the clubhouse. I had no confidence, didn't have a clue where the ball was going to go when I hit it, begging for bogeys. Now I was standing over a putt that I knew was probably going to win me the tournament. I hit the putt and it went in!
Three holes to go! 16 is a par three over a lake! Just get the ball over the water and on dry land. I bogeyed that hole! Not too bad, figure two more bogeys coming in and I win for sure. Just don't have a blow up hole! 17 is a hole that if you drive the ball too far you go in a canal. I wanted to drive it short right. That is indeed what I did, however it wasn't as short as I wanted. I was stuck behind some trees and had to hit my next shot not only over the canal, but over trees now as well. My second shot was great, I had perfect contact and it was going right at the flag, left me a 20 footer for birdie. I barely lipped that putt and sank my two footer for par. As long as I don't get an 8 on the last hole I should win. It the longest par 5 hole in the city. I drive the ball right (into the trees) and actually have to hit a provisional. A provisional is a ball that you hit in case you can't find the first one. I hit that right was well (into the trees) my playing partners saw that second ball come down, so I have to hope that we can find that first ball so I don't have to take a penalty. I was walking in the direction of both of my golf balls and there was one in the wide open. I was hoping it was my first ball and it was. I didn't have a shot to the green, but the ball was safe and I could do a simple chip out into the fairway. I did just that leaving myself 200 yards on the left side of the fairway barely leaving myself enough room to get past these trees that were next to me. I hit my third shot a little short of the green but it rolled up on the edge of the green and I knew I was winning for sure at that point. A two putt for par and I walk in the clubhouse with the round of the tournament in that flight a 7 over par 79.
I had a huge lead and all we had to do was wait for that last group and hope that Henry didn't have a miraculous day like I did. I mean I was 6 over par after 8 holes and for the last ten holes I was one over! No way anyone else did that good (unless it was Henry). Even though that one guy had three stokes on me going into the last day I wasn't worried about him. Another guy in their group doesn't have the game to shoot that low. So there was Henry and a guy named Ryan that I had to worry about. I didn't think that Ryan had what it took to shoot a round that he needed to, plus he only had my buy one stroke going into the last day. So it was all laying on Henry's shoulders? His group came around the corner of the clubhouse and Henry informed me that he shot a 95! Just a horrific round. I knew at that point I was the winner. I took both net and gross, which means scratch and handicap. They only pay one spot for that, so Ryan took first place gross and I took first place net. Ryan won the money for gross just because they don't pay one winner both spots even if they take both net and gross like I did. Net paid more only by a bit, and Henry ended up second net. So, Friday before the tournament we were hoping that we would get first and second. We both probably figured Henry would win because my driver, but that last day my confidence just kept growing with the driver and it didn't cost me any strokes on the last day! On the last hole I didn't want to go left and I figured if I miss a little right that I would be okay. I hit just there with both drives. Actually after hitting it into the trees on hole number ten I hit the ball off the tee with the driver exactly where I wanted. I of course would want the ball in the middle but hole 11 if it isn't in the middle I want to miss right. I missed right. Hole 13 I have to hit the middle and hit it short, did just that. Hole 15 aim the ball in the middle if I miss do it a bit left, miss just left! Hole 17, aim middle right if I miss more right that is fine! Did just that by missing right of target! This new swing is finally going to work! "You always say that"! Sheri says.... 10 pars and one birdie on that last day idicates to me that I have finally stubbled onto something. Because this was the first day ever that I never reverted back to the bad swing. I was able to remember how to use what I thought was going to work and stick to it all day.
I have won a couple of golf tournaments in the past like I said, but this was the first one that I thought I deserved to win. It wasn't because of the swing, it was because I actually finished the tournament golfing as well as I thought that I could. The other tournaments I won I didn't have a low round, just lower than everyone else! This one felt good because I came from behind on that last day to win! Something Tiger Woods has never done in a major! I am not saying this is a major, but with the new swing and the final round, it was a major victory to me!!

You All Know

You all know that I hate Facebook, so I post most pictures and info here, so here is a couple of updates on the progress of our house. Looks like it might not blow over in this windy state that we live in.

Uncle Henry's?

I have a neighbor whom I have known for many years. He has a huge dog that hates everyone. One day a few years back I was talking with the neighbor (Joey), he had a quick question about something trivial that I can't even remember now. I hadn't ever known his dog's name so I finally asked him. I have known him before he moved in, more on that later in the story, but I had known his dog since he has had him. I have always called him "puppy" because I didn't know his name and when the dog was a puppy he would always get off his chain and come over to our house. This dog has grown to be a massive animal and would probably scare anyone who accidentally walked up upon him. He looks like Cujo except for the fact that he has no white on him and he looks more meaner than Cujo. "Puppy" has not gotten off his chain for many years except once or twice but I have never been afraid of him. When finding out from Joey that the dog's name was Rufus he was surprised when he found out that I called him Puppy. He said that the dog hates everyone. I looked at him puzzled and informed him that I could probably walk right over to the dog and pet him right now! It was Joey's turn to look at me with the same puzzled look. He then said okay let's go, I knew that he was walking with me for my safety and concern. I walked right up to the dog who was not at the end of his leash thus taking away my ability to get away if the dog decided to eat me. I walked on the other side of the dog and started petting him, Rufus wagged his tail and put his weight against me enjoying the attention. Joey exclaimed that he has had friends for years that are deathly afraid of that dog and for good reason I come to find out that the dog basically hates everyone. A moronic passerby was bitten by the dog one day when walking through Joey's yard.
I tell you this story to inform you that Joey is basically the same as his dog. I had known of Joey and his reputation for many years growing up. He is just one guy that you don't want to mess with. If he is your friend then nobody will mess with you. He is a few years older than me and I knew that he grew up around my part of town, but he wasn't my actual neighbor until I was out of high school. One day I was riding my bike with a friend and we must have been in seventh grade and I swerved in front of an oncoming car that was coming up the road. I knew that I had plenty of time to swerve out of the way and I did so way before the car was even near me. I guess the people in that car didn't like my maneuver and stopped dead in the middle of the road. I see a person climbing out of the passenger car window (the door must not have worked, thank goodness) so I start pedaling as fast as I can because it is obvious this person is angry at my idiocracy. I turn and notice that Joey is on foot right behind me and I was certain that he was going to catch me. I must have been two paces ahead of him when he finally gave up and realized he wasn't going to catch me.
I was afraid years later after learning that he was going to be my new neighbor that he was going to remember me. He didn't remember that incident and I have yet to share that story with him even though I now consider him a friend. He has now lived next to my mother's house for probably twelve to fourteen years. It is nice to have him for a neighbor because nobody messes with you or your property. So onto the main title of this story.
My mom's garage door took it's last breath this last fall and I knew I shut it for the last time. It was a rugged beast that needed to be replaced for a long while but it always seemed to work just enough to keep on living and serving its purpose. I knew that Joey used to work at a place that sold and installed garage doors so after discovering that a new garage door was not only going to cost $300, but another $600 on top of that to have it installed from somewhere like Home Depot or Sears. I had a friend who gave us an old garage door that was in much better shape than my mom's original she has had since we moved into that house some twenty or more years back. I walked over to Joey's house two weeks ago, he was outside working on his fifth wheel. I walk right past Rufus petting him on my way by. I ask Joey if he would be able to help me with the garage door. I inform him that my friend had given me one, that was/has been lying by the fence since October of last year. He said that he would be over in a bit and would check it out. I could tell when first bringing up the garage door that he hated the work. As I departed his presence he informed me with a loud voice that he was still surprised that his dog could care less when walking up to and passed him. I laughed and told him that I gave him treats here and there.
He came over a little while later and informed me that the garage door that was given me was in fact too big for the frame of that garage. He also informed me that he could order one from his old place of employment and that it would cost $275. He then said that he would come over and install it with a buddy of his free of charge! I said that there was no way I was going to pay him simply that much so I asked him what kind of beer was his favorite because I know that he is a drinking partying type. He informed me of his favorite beer and I had also planned on giving him a large tip when he came over and installed the door. Well this last Saturday him and his employee who both used to work at where ever installing garage doors came and installed the new garage door. Before they started working on the door I was going to give him an 18 pack of Bud Light bottles in new cooler that we had. I was in the house with the kids and Sheri when I pulled the box of beer out of the fridge and got ready to transfer them into the cooler. Triton saw what I was doing and asked if he could help. I informed him that I would do it and that I didn't need his help. Triton who will be four years old in June then said the funniest thing ever! He (who we all know has had a tough time getting down that talking thing) says Uncle Henry's. I burst out in laughter and Sheri didn't hear what he said asked what was so funny. I told Triton to tell her what he had said and he indeed did repeat. Sheri laughed and I still couldn't really stop laughing.
For those of you that don't know Henry should know that he is always drinking. If he isn't at work he always has a beer in his hand. His life revolves around beer. Triton and I always go golfing with Henry and thus the joke of Triton saying "Uncle Henry's" is hilarious. It is sad that Triton already sees that as being part of Henry, but that is the life of an alcoholic I guess. Henry is smart enough not to drink and drive so he never gets in trouble with the law, but he has pushed those loved ones that were or are close to him away because of it. He is a good man, but that dang alcohol has a hold on him. So do the cigarettes, I guess it is just a matter of time before he either grows a brain and kicks the habit/addiction or before one of them kill him! I call him a drunk and even came up with the nickname Unky Drunky, because that it what he is, so when Triton said the beer was for Henry I couldn't stop laughing. Poor Triton having to grow up knowing a person just for that and poor Henry for only being known as that. I hate to sound as if I am judging him for that, I really am not. It just saddens me to see a person waste all of that money, time, love and living on something that only destroys those very things in life.

2 Weeks Later

Just a couple of quick pics of a two week later update on the home site...

Happy About Holes

So, Saturday before last we decided to get Quinn an early birthday gift. It is a gift that she will probably have for the rest of her life. Yep, we are the mean parents that get babies ears pierced. She was pretty dang tired when we had them done, so her cry wasn't too much of a pain cry, it was more like a what are you doing to me, I just want to sleep cry. So, anyway here is a quick pic of her new earrings. We are having a home built as well, so there is another hole that we are excited about. Okay, we aren't really excited about a hole in the earth, more that we are happy that work has begun. We will be moving in in 4-6 months. We had picked out most of our colors a week and a half ago, and the other day Sheri went and changed them all. Women! I got to pick the cabinets in the kitchen and basically everything else in the kitchen, I left everything else up to the woman. So, it didn't bother me any that she changed the colors. We are going to be a in a cul-de-sac which I find really nice with little ones. They probably won't be able to play anywhere else other than the back yard, which we hope to get fenced, but just in case a cul-de-sac should have way less traffic.

Pledge of Allegiance

So, we learned that Triton learned the Pledge of Allegiance at school. They also have another verse at the end now! With liberty and justice for all is how I and everyone else learned the ending. However this is Triton's version. With liberty and justice for all, Please sit down. Isn't that the cutest thing ever? The teacher must tell all the children to sit down and he takes that as the close of the pledge. I thought it was just cute as could be. Quinn has been standing on her own by the couch and toys and toy boxes for like a month now. She has been trying to take a step for the past two weeks and with her wobbly legs she could only muster one step or two then fall down on her behind. These past few days she is walking from object to object with only a few steps here and there, but yesterday she walked from the chair on one side of the living room to the couch that I was sitting on. It is only like 4 feet from that chair to the couch but she did it without falling and should be walking by her first birthday. I was worried that she might not be walking by her first birthday, but that shouldn't be an issue at all now. She like Triton didn't crawl for a long time, but it seemed with both of them that crawling just wasn't going to cut it. Triton starting crawling just around 7 months and was taking his first steps at around 9 months. Quinn took longer to crawl but just like Triton only a couple months later and those first steps have been taken. It is so funny to see her follow her brother around and pester him. Funny thing though is if she goes off on her own, then he follows her. He follows her to take toys from her and also to make sure that she doesn't get into his stuff, but it is good to see they play with one another at such a young age. I wondered if he would just be bored with her and not include her in his daily routines. He has a tent setup in the front room, just one of them little tents that have a tube coming out of it, just basically a play fort thing. He lets her play in that with him, and lately he has been getting rougher and rougher with her, but that is when he gets sent to his room. He doesn't understand that she isn't as tough as he is yet. He has been getting more and more whiny. So funny Monday night he was being a terd not listening to us at all. We were at Lowes and he was running off, so when we left I told him when we got home that he was going straight to his room. He threw a fit of course when I made him go to his room. He came down a bit later and did something again that forced me to send him to his room. On his was up the stairs, he was crying and screaming "not again"! So funny, heartbreaking, but funny nonetheless.

Triton's First School Picture

I guess they even try to get money from the preschoolers, they might get some from us now. I was wondering how Triton would be in front of a camera without his mom or dad there. Turns out he must be a pretty good boy away from home, he doesn't have red eyes from crying or anything. I was worried that he might be too shy or have red eyes from crying.

Bowling and Boring Stuff As My Mom Would Say

If some of you don't know I used to be one of the city's best bowlers. I was averaging 213 and was just going to get better from there. I had no aspirations of going pro, but I did want to compete with the best. I loved the competition and trying to beat the city's/state's best. One day I woke up and couldn't throw/roll a bowling ball properly anymore. My average dropped from a 213 to a 175!
I tried to get help over the years from friends who were the city's best of course and they couldn't get me out of my funk. I would have a bit of success here and there, even got my average over a 200 again one year, but that was at a real easy bowling alley and even morons who throw the ball like an idiot could average a 200 or more at the house. Even though I was averaging that high one year I knew that I wasn't happy with my bowling game at all, there was no confidence and I didn't like playing. I told everyone that if I didn't figure something out this year that I was probably going to quit bowling. I said that because it was true and I wasn't enjoying the game anymore, but it was to also light a fire under my butt and force me to grow a brain. The year started out horrible and I wasn't even averaging yearbook of 184. I knew it was going to be my last year of bowling!
A friend of mine wanted me to sub on his league on a Thursday night which is a scratch league. Scratch leagues have no handicap and I told him that I sucked, but he still wanted me to sub. I showed and noticed that his team was bowling Craig Goodwin's team. Craig has been one of the city's best bowlers for thirty years or more. I told him before we started that if he could watch me and see what I was doing wrong to please help me. In the middle of the second game he pulled me aside and told me something that everyone for the past 7 or 8 years had told me. To follow through to my target. It must have turned on a light or something because for the past three months I have probably averaged a 205 or higher. The game is getting fun again and each week I am getting better and better with my release. I struggle and lapse from time to time, but I am at least on the mend and won't have to quit playing altogether. My goal next year is to get my average back over a 200, it might be a 193 now and I don't have enough games left this year to get it over 200. The difference between averaging 200 next year and that one year about 5 years ago is the face that I will be bowling at the hardest house in the city and I have more confidence. I can move on any part of the lane and get the ball to do what I want, whereas 5 years ago I was throwing one line and because of the house I was able to score. So even though you all helped me and told me the same thing Craig did, I have to give a special thanks to him.
Poker is going good too, I have a goal to win $1000 this year playing live and online poker together. I started the year with $4.58 online, and I have gotten that up over $50. So, I am far from the goal online, but obviously it is hard to win a lot of money if you don't have a lot of money to play with. But getting that $4 up over $50 is a feat in itself. As far as live games I am doing good, but I only play at the smallest game and it is pretty hard to lose at a game where 3 to 4 people go and lose $20 every week. I have won a bit over $130 there and I have missed a couple of weeks or I don't get to play very long because I have to go to work at 11:00pm, so I don't get to win as much as I might if I didn't have to work. So, I am close to $200 on the year and once I get my online money up a bit more then I can move up in stakes and win even more. Or possibly lose it, but it isn't money that I deposited I am still playing with the houses money and have been for the past 7 years. I am playing a live tournament this weekend, if I win I profit probably $100, but lose $20 if I don't place in the top 3 out of nine people. That $100 would make it easier to get close to that goal of $1,000. This game is once a month, so if I cash in half and win one I will have positive equity for sure. In that game I should cash half of the time and win it at least once. I played in it once and took third which gave me $30, but only a profit of $10. A profit is profit though. With the snow melting and the golf courses opening though I am going to have less and less time to play poker so who knows about that grand goal?

Quick One

This last weekend we went to the wedding of Sheri's sister, Crystal. This is what we dressed Quinn in for the occasion. She is getting cuter and cuter, just needs to grow her hair out so we can do something with it besides hide it under bows all the time.

Video and blog below to explain...

Riding the Bus Home

After deciding that Triton should go to preschool I had planned on taking him to and from the school myself. On day one Triton cried his eyes out when I dropped him off and he knew that I was going to be leaving. I really wasn't as sad as I thought I would be for some reason. When first talking to the teacher about transportation for him she had mentioned that he would be able to ride a bus if I chose. I didn't like that idea at all and said that I would be the one transporting him.
Well when picking him up from day one at preschool I was just on time to see him hand in hand with the teacher and other children from his class. They were just departing the front doors of the building and I figured he would be happy to see me. He wasn't that happy to see me, not because he wanted to stay at school, because he wanted to ride the bus. I picked him up and he started crying saying school busss... school busss.... I informed him that if he didn't cry when I took him to school that he would be able to ride the school bus. He cried and homeward bound we were. The next day was the same, he cried when I took him to school and didn't really fuss about the school bus when I picked him up, but he gazed in awe when we passed by them on our way to the car. He said he wanted to ride the bus, but he didn't cry about it. Next day same story again, fuss and cry when dropping him off, but okay about leaving. He was happy to be at school once he was settled down and the teacher said that he is great after he gets done whining. Day 4 was a Friday and I kept mentioning to him about no whining or he would never ride the school bus. As we got ready to go to school I kept saying no whining, no whining... He must have been ready to be a man and not fuss because ever since day three he hasn't whined about being dropped off. I was hoping that he would forget about the bus and just be okay with me picking him up day to day. When Triton has his mind set on something he is set. So, I talked to the teacher about having him ride the school bus home. This was on his 7th day of class, a Thursday. She said that she would inform the bus route people and by Monday I should get a call and he would possibly be riding the bus home on that Monday. So all weekend he kept saying ride school bus Monday.
Well, of course nobody called and I drove him to and from school Monday. I still had not received a call so I mentioned it to her again that Tuesday when I dropped him off. She emailed someone else and said that we should just plan on him riding the bus home that day, but to show up as usual just in case the paperwork or whatever was needed hadn't gone through yet. Well, she had called me about a half hour later at home and informed me that Triton was going to be riding the bus home today. His class gets out at 2:00 and to expect him out front of our home at 2:25. I was stoked I had the flip video out and the camera as well to catch him getting off the bus for the first time.
I was outside of our home standing in the cold just waiting at 2:15 of course just in case the bus was going to be early. I waited and waiting, and waiting. It was 2:30 and I had seen two buses but none of them stopped at our home. I was getting a little worried and figured I would stand there another 5 minutes before I called The National Guard. I heard one last bus coming down another street that I didn't figure would be his because it was coming down from a main road. It turned down our street and I ran across the street because the bus door wasn't going to be on the side of the road that I was on. I whipped out the flip video and the camera both at the same time as the bus stopped. I was able to get three pictures along with the flip video at the same time. These are the pictures from the camera...




The lady that you see helping him in the second picture is a lady that helps each and every kid on and off the bus. If the children didn't have this lady on the bus with them at all times I would have never agreed to let Triton ride the bus. He was so stoked about riding the bus and as the bus drove off with other little children inside Triton yelled "Bye kids"! It was the cutest thing and this was the day that I choked up and almost squeezed a tear. I held back for fear that the two ladies on the bus would start laughing and making fun of me.

Christmas and Last Week

On Christmas morning we usually go to Sheri's grandmother's home and have breakfast and gift exchange. From there we go to Papa Rick's (Sheri's dad) and have a big family lunch/gift exchange there. From there we try to fit in as many of my family as possible, go to my dad's and usually end the day at Sheri's mom's.

The day before Christmas Triton had thrown up and had a fever. We hoped that it was just a 24 hour thing and that he would feel better by Christmas morning. It didn't happen. I worked Christmas Eve night and returned home from work at 9:00 in the morning and we roused the little man to open presents and head to Grandma's. He wasn't feeling well, had a small fever and in the middle of our presents he threw up again. So, Sheri took Quinn and did her side of the family. Yes, Sheri cried because we had to spend the morning apart. I figured it best that she get to see her side of the family since a couple of them have to drive from Utah.

Triton started feeling a bit better around noon or so, but I didn't want to drag him out yet. I figured he might be okay to do the late afternoon stuff that was just in town. Sheri's family lives about 15 minutes outside of town, not that far, but I didn't want to have Triton throw up in the car either. I made the little man take a nap with me since he was sick and I was dead tired. The gift that Santa brought him that morning (which he loved and wanted to play with) didn't work. Dang Santa bringing a gift that doesn't work. Good thing he left a Toys R Us receipt to take it back and exchange. It was a race car track. You have to shake the cars in order for them to rev up and then they race around the track once or twice. Well the cars act like they rev up and you put them down but they just sit there! So his luck is turning out to be like mine. He loves the gift but can't play with it on a day that he is mega sick.

My cousin Brandon who is in the Marines was due to arrive in Idaho Falls so I was going to probably drag Triton out no matter what in the afternoon. We woke up around 4:30 from a 3 hour nap or so and headed to Sheri's mom's. Sheri was already there and had stopped by our home to get us but left us asleep and we woke up about ten minutes after she left. More great luck. So we take Triton over to Papa crazy's (Sheri's step-dad) and he is feeling a little better but won't eat much still. He was of course running around and I knew that it would catch up to him since it obviously wasn't just a 24 hour bug. Brandon got into town a little early and I was mad because I wanted to be over at my dad's when he arrived but we weren't able to be there. We ran back home to get my dad and stepmom's gifts (which I of course forgot). Then headed to my dad's. It was so good to see Brandon. He was the first brother (I think of my cousins as brothers) that I had. He and I are basically the same age and we saw each other for the first maybe 4 years of our life and everything after that was sporadic. He was an army brat so he obviously moved a lot. From my dad's house Brandon, his wife and I went to my grandma's on my dad's side of the family. Brandon wanted to surprise her on Christmas without her knowing that he was coming. Sheri took Triton and Quinn home. I guess my grandma had shingles and I didn't want her to give my kids chicken pox. We get there and find out that she had gotten rid of them like two weeks before. More great luck.

She was very happy to see Brandon. He and her have always been very close. It was nice to see her so happy. She didn't like the fact that I didn't tell her that he was coming, but Brandon didn't want me to tell anyone. We stay there for a little while and Brandon was going to go back to my dad's, but I had him take me home so I could see how my little boy was holding up. I figured that the past 5 hours had caught up to him and that he would be sick as a dog again when I walked in the house. He was running around playing with his new toys when I came in. We settled things down a bit and I hugged him as he was sitting on the couch and I noticed (even though he was acting a ton better) that he had a fever. I took his temperature and found that he was at 102.5. I gave him some children's Tylenol and made him go to bed. He was great the next day (thank goodness). Papa Rick and his wife Betty stopped by to watch Triton open their gifts for him. Triton and I saved their gifts for the next day since we weren't able to visit them on the norm. It was a good Christmas for the fact that Brandon came to town, but wicked sad that Triton was too sick to go out. I feel bad that I took him out and maybe made him worse that night. I needed to see my Brandon though.

I tried to get work off while he was here, but I wasn't able to. So for the week that he was here I got to have three days off. It wasn't bad but I would have wanted all days off.


Here is Brandon with Triton. They played Mariokart and Triton won more races than Brandon did on the first day they played. Brandon had never played before so it wasn't too much of an upset since Triton plays a lot.

The next day though Brandon won 9 of the 12 races that we setup, so he got his revenge on the 3 year old.

Here is Brandon and his wife Toni holding my precious Quinn. I am hoping that they get on the move of starting a family of their own.

Brandon is getting out of the Marines in September and hopefully then they will get on the making babies train. I think they would be great parents and make beautiful babies. So hurry up, Triton and Quinn need more cousins.

It was sad when Brandon and Toni left. I didn't want them to go and wish they would move here someday, but that isn't going to happen. They both grew up in Hawaii and wouldn't hack it in the cold weather. It sucks not being able to see them all the time like most of our family, but such is life I guess.

So this last week Triton started school. He is in preschool and it was his first day to go on his own. He was going to a one day a week class for a few months before but I went with him and it was only an hour. For this class he is by himself the whole time for 2 hours and 40 minutes. I dropped him off 4 days, they don't go on Wednesdays and everyday he cried when I dropped him off. When I pick him up he is fine and says that he likes school. That is of course until the next day I guess. So, I noticed that the other kids had a backpack when I dropped him off that first day. So I took him to Walmart and got him a backpack of his choice. He chose Ironman. He has never watched Ironman, but he knows who he is and that is what he wanted. Of course for that whole night he wore the backpack where ever he was. He had it all the whole time. It was cute and I am glad that he is in a class that enables him to interact with other children. We didn't want him to go to daycare, but it is obvious with his speech being behind that it is my fault because I am not a person who talks a whole lot. He will catch up now and hopefully be ready to tackle kindergarten when the time comes.