Last night was my son’s last baseball game and we were excited to see him play. I had an unpleasant dentist appointment but had picked up my Mom and her sister (my Aunt from Michigan) to come watch. As the proud Papa, I set up our chairs up in the concrete stands by home plate to watch my son play with his team.

It was a surprisingly cool night but the game was exciting. At the bottom of the 2nd inning Joaquin was on 2nd base with the bases loaded and two outs. We cheered him on from the top of the concrete stands and I could hear other parents encouraging the Team. There was so much activity during the game, school children running around the stands, people laughing, a player jumping the fence to retrieve a foul ball across the street – I even hear my Mom yell, “C’mon Wack! Go Wack!” Wack is Joaquin’s school nickname.

As I watched the opposing pitcher prepare his wind up, I heard the screech of rubber on asphalt followed by a loud thump. At the first sound, I immediately looked over to the street behind the backstop and saw the brake lights of a big gray truck screeching to a halt. As the truck’s inertia moved it forward, a white “V” was revealed as it traveled across the street in an unnatural slide next to the truck. In a span of a millisecond, my brain identified the white “V” as the white pants of our baseball uniform, then the red knee high socks attached to black baseball cleats. As he continued across the road, I noticed his light brown hair masking his young face. All sound ceased as he rolled to a stop, sitting up right in the street in his blue baseball jersey. It was one of our younger players who had gone to go retreive that foul ball.

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Popularity: 43% [?]

I would love this…

UrbanOutfitters.com > Scary Shower Curtain

From a site I frequent.

Beto

Popularity: 23% [?]

If you live anywhere near San Antonio, you know its Fiesta Week! Everyone is celebrating including my daughter’s school — as I’m sure every school in San Antonio is doing as well. Her project is to build a float in a Fiesta week theme. Liz and Emmy have been hard at work all weekend long.

On Sunday as I’m working in my study (on some video editing), Emmy keeps coming in and borrowing some of my stuff to create her float. So I finally go over and see what they’ve done.

Very impressive — you can click on the pictures for a larger view.

It’s a great float of the city with the Tower of Americas, the Alamo and the San Antonio River.

They haven’t finished it but they sure did a lot over the weekend. The project is due on Wed Apr21st so they will continue to work on it. It sure does look great.

So as I’m praising my 10yr old daughter, I say, “Emmy, you know what’s missing from the River? A River Barge.”

“No Dad, we’re not going to make one, it’s too hard.”

Insert Audio FX here (trumpets blaring) as I snap into the characteristic SuperHero pose...

“I can do it!” I bellow – as I stare up at the heavens, my cape flapping in the wind…

I ask Emmy if she has any red and yellow construction paper. She gets me two sheets and I start working. Below is what I came up with and the steps. You can click on the photos for a larger view.

Started out by just cutting up some red paper for the bottom portion. I was in my “origami zone” as I cut and used some scotch tape. Then I cut a smaller strip for the yellow rails. I then cut and shape paper for where guide/driver would stand. I finish it off with red benches down the middle.

I need a steering wheel so went and raided one of my son’s LEGO pieces from a dusty bin he had in his closet. He was as surprised as me that I found it so quickly. FINALLY – those darn LEGOs came to good use.

I put it on my iPhone so you see the scale.

After looking at the completed River Barge, I decided it needed the holes on the yellow construction paper so they looked like the rails on the barge. I was going to cut them out in little squares using an Xacto knife but then I asked Emmy if she had a hole punch. That worked great. I reassembled the barge and placed it on her float.

We are pleased with the small accent to her float and I told Emmy she will need to glue it all together. I just cut out and “dry fit” the pieces. Can’t do everything for her grade right? My daughter has volunteered me for other projects before but this time, I just wanted to help.

She still has to put all these flowers she’s making on the float so when she finishes it, I’ll post the pictures here.

Thanks for letting me share.

Beto

Popularity: 55% [?]

I created a baseball schedule for my son, so my daughter asked, “Where’s mine?” She’s playing softball and hit a Grand Slam this past weekend.

Here you go Mija.

Not the greatest of designs but I was rushing. You can click on it for a larger view.

Beto

Popularity: 38% [?]

Saw this on a website I regularly visit (link below) now I see it.

This Looks Like a Duck – usb cables – Gizmodo

Quacks me up – sorry I couldn’t help myself.

Beto

Popularity: 30% [?]