Christmas Time is Here...

Christmas 2008 was relatively quiet and peaceful. The kids woke up very early to let us know "Santa" came with all their presents. Evan has already figured out who Santa really is, and we suspect that Madeleine knows as well, but we aren't asking. In the time a Yuletide cheer, a little denial never hurts.

Our tradition is that the kids are allowed to open 1 gift the first thing in the morning. Actually it's less a tradition and more of a strategy. This gives Tina and I some additional sleeping time since we don't want to get up as early. Calling it a tradition just sounds better.

Once we're all up, Gigi comes over and the gift giving starts. Overall the kids were extremely happy this year. The big gifts included an Ipod and a Nintendo DS. This was also the year of the UnderArmour The kids love them and they got shirts from us, Gigi and their Aunt and Uncle.

A few days before Christmas Evan was rattling off what he wanted when we asked him if he knew what we wanted. Silence ensued. We proceeded to explain to him that this was the season of giving and not necessarily getting. Evan was astute enough to inquire that if this was the season of giving, why were we asking for things from him? Good point. Fortunately that night Evan with the help of Gigi put together coupons from Evan including " getting a massage from Evan" and "Evan helping dad all day". Also included was "being 100% good, only on a weekend". I didn't realize that his coupon came with restrictions. An additional gift from the kids was a movie night. "They gave us two movie tickets with a dinner prepared by them.

In lieu of the traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, we opted for the less traditional steaks on the grill. That was after the homemade pizza for lunch. Keeping it simple helps make the day relaxing and fun.

The day ended with the Peppermint Pig. What is the peppermint pig? It's a pink candy pig where everyone takes a tap on it and makes a wish for the coming year. Gigi's friend, Martha mails Gigi one every year so it is now becoming our tradition.

The next week we'll catch up around the house and probably go into Philadelphia to the IMAX and Franklin Museum. Then.. back to work !

Banquet Season

Last weekend Madeleine and Evan went to their sports banquet for football and cheerleading. Essentially it's a time to sit in a room, eat bad food and hardy hear what is being said since all the kids are screaming the whole time. Other than that, it's great.
It was a fun year for both of them. Madeleine enjoyed the cheering and Evan liked the Running Back position this year. Evan will play next year, but Madeleine is questionable. We need to see how Madeleine does in school for the rest of the year as it's a huge time commitment at the begining of the school year.

Both Tina and I are "officially" off from work until after the New Year. We both however have things we need to get done over vacation, but it shouldn't take too much time. We're looking forward to getting things done around the house over the break.

Last week we got the roof replaced. We weren't planning to do it right away, but we just wanted to get it done. So for now the big projects are done (at least outside). Time to focus on the inside again.

I managed to get the gifts wrapped today so I won't need to stay up late Christmas Eve doing it. We're looking forward to a peaceful holiday.

Merry Christmas !

It's a Thanksgiving Thing

We just returned yesterday from visiting my brother Mike and his family for the Thanksgiving weekend in Richmond, VA. It was a pretty fun trip. They live in the country so the kids were able to hike down by the river and spend time with their cousins. Tina's mom joined us and my mom was there as well. Mike's son, Mike was in from West Virginia University and much to our surprise he was sporting an eyebrow piercing. Based on the jovial ribbing and endless questions, we're confident that we won't be seeing it at our next visit. We were equally successful getting Matt to cut his hair last summer. He didn't appreciate us calling him "Farrah" all the time. I guess this is foreshadowing of what we can look forward to in a few years.

November for us was pretty quiet. I had a trip out to LA and got to visit my sister and family as well as a good friend prior to my meetings. The kids didn't have sports so we weren't running around everywhere. December travel will be light as well.

The interior trim and painting was finally completed... just in time for the new roof in December. This was definitely the year of the home repair. All I can say is that we're doing our part to keep the economy rolling, but not entirely by choice.

The Christmas tree is up and lights are decorating the inside. After the roof is completed, we'll get to the outside.

Cheerleading, Football and Renovations

September and October were pretty hectic but things are slowing down now. November is slower in the sense that we don't have sports. This is the month we don't have to run home, get dinner on the table and rush out to football or cheerleading... We have a break until December when basketball starts for both Evan and Madeleine.

Evan's football season ended with a 3-5-2 record. The team improved as the season progressed which was good to see. Madeleine's cheer team improved as well. A highlight in October for Madeleine was Fun Day. This is a time when about 35 cheer squads get together in a confined place and compete for awards like "best sprit, and best program". Tina was able to take Madeleine there for the day. Evan and I joined them after Evan's football game. The team did well and had a lot of fun. Both are intending to continue their respective sports next year.

This fall we focused on projects around the house. We updated the landscaping, replaced the walkway and built some retaining walls. We haven't updated anything in a long time and some plants were looking pretty bad. It was time to make a change.

We were very happy with the results.

Inside we replaced the baseboards on the 1st floor and added wainscoting to the dining room, foyer and second floor hallway. Also we added wood trim to the 1st floor windows and room openings. It took a while and we are glad it's finally completed. After this it's the roof and kitchen... The fun never ends.

A Reflection of a Special Life

This week we had the funeral for my dad. We all flew into Chicago over the weekend and into the beginning of the week. After I found out that my dad had died, I tried not to think too much about it and kept busy with work and planning the funeral. Even when we got to the funeral home I kept busy with the details. The full impact of my dad being gone wasn't until the end of the funeral mass when the American flag was draped on his coffin and the organist was playing the Battle Hymm of the Republic. It was then that I realized that we lost a great man.

Tom Brokaw wrote about my dad's generation. He aptly called it "The Greatest Generation". It was a time when a people, coming out of the Great Depression were called upon to serve their country and do what needed to be done to preserve our way of life and fight the tyranny that was occurring in the world. There was no discussion about if people would go and serve their country, it was when and how. It was a time when the country was united behind one purpose and knew that failure was not an option. I fully believe that my dad and his siblings epitomized this spirit. Dad and his siblings were the perfect union of good German stock and solid American values.

While we were at my dad's funeral to mourn his death, we were also there to celebrate his life. Stories were shared about how my dad and his brothers would "raise hell" at the annual 4th of July party. I learned that the party, presented as a party to Grandma, was a thinly veiled excuse to let loose and create mayhem on an otherwise peaceful day.

Dad was buried at the Abraham Lincoln veteran's cemetery. The weather on the day of the funeral was nothing short of spectacular. The leaves, changing color were at their peak and the temperature outside was around 65 degrees. The interment at the cemetery was outside and he was interred with full military honors. It was a fitting service for a terrific man. I know dad was looking down and smiling.

One positive thing about funerals is that it forces people to get together when otherwise they wouldn't. I was able to see relatives that I haven't seen in over 20 years. since the family was so big, I realized that I had cousins I didn't even know were mine. I was introducing Tina to a few cousins and told her that they were my dad's cousins. They informed me that I was their cousin and my dad was their uncle. This was a learning trip as well !

As I have been thinking about my dad, one memory comes to mind which I believe helped me become a better father to my children:

I was in college and went to a wedding for one of my cousins. It was one of Uncle Clarence's daughters. I was probably around 19 or 20. At the wedding, my cousin, Bob offered to get me a drink at the bar. I didn't really drink then and didn't know what to order. Bob suggested I try a whiskey sour. I took it and enjoyed it. Fast forward to 7 or 8 whiskey sours later, I got pretty drunk. At the end of the wedding we all pile into the car. I was in the back seat next to Peg and Gary, who were dating at the time. I promptly passed out. Since the wedding was in Indiana, the ride back to Niles took a while. Right after we crossed the border, I got sick in the car. This by itself was pretty bad, however dad got his new Mercury 2 weeks earlier. I remember getting out of the car and needing to take my shirt off and hearing dad repeat "I can't believe my new car!" over and over.

The next morning I had to go to work. I was down stairs and dad came down later. When I saw him I said that I was so sorry and I will do anything to make it up. I knew I screwed up and was ready to accept any punishment meted out to me. My dad's response stuck with me to this day. He said the important thing is that I learned my lesson. I was blown away! He knew that me understanding the importance of not doing it again was more important than making me feel the pain of my actions. It was impactful.

I was able to put this to use recently. Madeleine was putting a leaf container in the garage and decided to put this on my car. As she placed it on the hood, she put 2 huge scratches that will never come out. I remember what my dad did and explained to Madeleine that while I wasn't happy, I knew it was an accident and she didn't mean it. I believe that demonstrating tolerance in a situation where I could have justifiably gotten angry will be more impactful that screaming at her. That, I learned from my dad.

Here's to you George. You left this earth a better place than you found it

A Tribute to My Dad

Earlier this week my dad passed away. He was 87 years old and was in a nursing home and was suffering from dementia. It was difficult to see him this way as he was a very capable man throughout his life. Logically we know he is in a better place, but it is still a shock. When a parent dies, the wall of mortality breaks down a little more and slowly realize (for better or worse) that you're next in line.

George Voss was born August 23rd, 1921 at home in Chicago. He was the 8th of 10 children. He grew up on the South Shore of Chicago, a working class neighborhood where many of the residents worked in the steel mills down the road. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp (Air Force) after Pearl Harbor. Dad was especially proud of the fact that his service # started with a 1, as this number was reserved for the men who weren't drafted. While he was in the service he met my mom, Dolores Levin. After the war they got married and moved in with my maternal grandparents. Dad was a South Sider and mom was a West Sider, so dad defected from the South Side to the West Side. After my oldest sister was born, my parents moved out to the suburbs (Niles) where they lived for 34 years. During the early years of my parent's marriage, he drove a bus. Later he got a job as a route salesman for Hawthorn Mellody Ice Cream Company. He worked as a truck driver for most of his life, with the exception of working at McCormick Place on the loading docks.


After retiring from McCormick place, dad and mom retired to Las Vegas where they lived for 15 years. This was at this time when he started to experience dementia and was subsequently moved to California to a nursing facility where he spent his final years. We were fortunate that the facility he was in was wonderful. He was well cared for and comfortable in his final years.

Here are a few things about my dad that I will always remember:

1. He could fix anything ! Growing up I lived in mortal fear that I wouldn't survive adulthood because I couldn't fix anything. My dad could do anything. We never had repair people come to the house because we didn't need them. Dad did it all. I've discovered that the most important tool in my tool box is my checkbook.
2. He tried his best. I grew up knowing that my dad did the best he could. He was far from perfect and he had issues like everyone else, but despite that he never let that get in his way of doing his best for his family.
3. Dad always made sure we were proud of where we came from. Dad would always tell us that we came from "good German stock". Mom didn't always agree that our successes didn't come only from that, but the German / Irish / Swedish mixture seemed to have worked.

If I had one regret, it was that my children didn't get to know him as well as they could have. Dad's condition started several years ago so all they remember is him in decline. Fortunately my other nieces and nephews got to know him.

We're having the funeral for him on Oct 15th. He will be buried at a veteran's cemetery outside of Chicago. It seems strangely fitting that his final resting place is on the South Side. Dad was a South Sider at heart so we think he will be pleased.

Tina's Triathlon

On September 14th Tina ran her 3rd Triathlon. It took place up in Sandy Hook, NJ. Tina and her friend, Marge drove up together earlier Saturday to pick up their race stuff while I stayed back with Evan. Evan had back to back football and baseball games that day.

The weather was great for the race and Tina beat her previous time from last year by 9 minutes. Gigi, the kids and I got to see her at a few points during the race. It was a great day.

Evan's football team continues it's character building season. Right now he's 0-1-3. Evan scored a touchdown at the game before last which was pretty exciting.

Madeleine continues to cheer and while the routines are getting more complex, she is keeping up fine.

Right now we are in the midst of getting hardscaping done around the house. We replaced the front walkway with pavers and put a few retaining walls around the house. We're also getting the landscaping updated. The fun never ends.

This weekend Tina ran a 5K at the kids' school. In addition she did a 1 mile fun run with Madeleine. Evan had a football game and I went with him. This game they tied... an improvement. The kids had a lot of fun and are building their skills. Next week may be the winning week !

Hanna and Her Twisters

Tropical Storm Hanna was pretty much a non-event here last weekend. She came in late Saturday morning and managed to cancel Evan's baseball game. Apparently a tornado hit Allentown, about 45 minutes north of us, but essentially it was a rain event.

Sunday the weather was great which was encouraging since both kids had games. Madeleine cheered for the 70lb tackle team (which won) and Evan played right after (which didn't win). So far Evan's games have been character building experiences (0-2 for the season). We're hopeful to get a few wins before too long. We'll see on Saturday !

1 Down, 179 to Go

It's the day after Labor Day and time for the first day of school. The "end of summer" hit 90 degrees today. Evan and Madeleine were both pretty excited about going back. Evan is now in 4th grade and Madeleine is in 2nd. It's hard to believe how fast they are growing up.

Evan and Madeleine are both excited about their classes. Evan was especially glad to find out that several of his buddies are in the same class. We felt compelled to remind him that while he is in class with his friends, it's important that he pay attention or they will be separated. His response (which is pretty common these days ) is "I knowwwwwwwwwwww!!! We expect Evan to do especially well this year since, apparently he knows everything.

Madeleine is looking forward to the year as well, but is a little more subdued. She has some friends in her class as well, but not the posse Evan has.

We quickly forgot that while the kids are starting with homework, mom and dad don't escape unscathed. In addition to the kids' assignments, we have to fill out forms, check and initial homework assignments. I miss summer already !

Are You Ready for Some Football ?

We're well into football season. The month of August was taken up with 4 day a week football and cheerleading practice. Now it's go time!

We missed the first game of the season as we were on our way back from the beach so Evan's first game was week two. The Lansdale Cannoneers played Lenape Valley, but unfortunately lost 20-14. Their record stands at 0-2 for the season. Evan, however had a fumble recovery and 2 tackles. Evan played in both offense and defense positions. A highlight of the game is that it was Evan's birthday and the cheerleaders sang happy birthday to him.

Madeleine had a "bye" week and we'll get into the full swing of everything next weekend.

The Summer of Birthdays

In addition to vacations this summer, we get to celebrate the kids' birthdays. Since they are getting older, we are starting to have separate parties. The single party solution was easier when they were small, but now they're getting older and forming their own opinions regarding how they want to spend their day.

Madeleine's birthday party was first. For her we decided to have a tea party. There is a place nearby that hosts tea parties so she was able to invite several of her girlfriends to the event. The girls got dressed up and they were served finger sandwiches and lemonade. Lemondade was chosen since the prospect of serving caffeine to 14 little girls in a confined environment didn't sound like a good idea. Madeleine's Aunt Mindy was visiting and was an invalable asset in helping to entertain the girls at the party.

Evan's party, on the other hand was the polar opposite of Madeleine's. Evan wanted to have a laser tag party. Essentially laser tag is comprised of putting on a vest with sensors, going into a playing area and seeing how many people you can shoot. Since it's lasers nobody gets hurt. Tina, Gigi and I took 11 boys to Ultrazone for the laser tag experience. They all had a great time. From there we took everyone to pizza where Madeleine and friends joined us. Both kids seemed to enjoy their respective parties and were glad that they didn't go to each other's.

Outer Banks, Part Deux

We've been inspired !

After enjoying looking at Tina's sister's blog, we decided to take the plunge and build one of our own. Hopefully we can communicate what's been happening in our life to interested people quickly... and with pictures !

We just returned from our 2nd vacation to the Outer Banks this weekend. The first time was the 4th of July week with just the 4 of us. This time we went with Tina's sister and brother-in-law, Audrey and Chip, as well as Tina's mom. It was a great time. The weather was perfect and we were at the beach practically every day. Chip and Audrey rented a surf board for the week and the kids got to try it. Evan actually did pretty well on it. Tropical Storm Fay didn't make it up the coast as promised, but we got to enjoy some incredibly high waves as a result.

We stayed at a resort which was 1 mile inland. This was different from all the other times we have gone, but it was a good experience.

One morning we got together and played some tennis. We discovered that Gigi's short game is nothing to scoff at. The kids did real well also.

It was great to spend 1 last week together before school starts. The kids are in football and cheerleading this fall. Evan is also participating in a fall baseball program. It should be a fun filled autumn.

Take a look at the video below. Audrey made it with pictures taken from the vacation.