Tennis Anyone?

Thanks to their Uncle Spencer, who introduced them to it in Florida, the kids have taken an interest in tennis. While Maddux may be a little more interested than Brooklyn and Nolan, they all like to go to the tennis courts and hit the ball around. Jennie and I also bought some new rackets so we could go play with them a little. I just hope we can get out a couple of more times before the weather stops us. Spencer has come up from DC and worked with them a little and has given them some drills that they can do to improve their skills. While I think they just like to hit the ball maybe some of those ideas will stick and they will learn how to play. Anyways, here are some pictures of them working on their skills.


I am sure this is not the correct form and Uncle Spencer would probably be all over her but hopefully we can get that corrected and turn things around.


I wonder where this ball will end up. Looks like she is aiming for the sky.



Maddux returning a shot back. It is funny because the racket is almost as tall as he is.


This is a little better. Nice backhand.


Bring it on. Maddux in his ready position.


This is what you can expect to see after an ace.


Nolan showing how he feels when his brother and sister won't let him play. We now have enough rackets that he has his own.

Soccer Week 3 and Payton Washing Dishes

Well we finally got the computer back and I have all the pictures finally uploaded so I can get back to regular blogging. Lucky for you that means there will be many entries over the next week as I update everyone on what has been going on the last couple weeks. We will start with week 3 of soccer. I don't have a lot of pictures as Brooklyn's game was the same time as Maddux's. I think I got one of Brooklyn's game and then I actually coached Maddux's game so I didn't get any. I think people would have thought I was crazy if I was running around on the field instructing the kids and trying to take pictures at the same time. So in order to make up for it I do have some pictures from Brooklyn's picture day.


Here are the "Red Hawks" coached by Connie Kerr (Brooklyn's grandma) and managed by Jennie.


This is the lone shot I got from Brooklyn's game before I had to leave to go to Maddux's game. Brooklyn played goalie the first quarter and I was able to help her most of the quarter. We have an agreement where she earns $1 for every quarter she doesn't allow a goal. This is the second game in a row I have had to pay up. She has become quite good and stopping the ball and keeping it out of the net. As far as the team goes they ended up tying 2 -2 in a game they probably should have won. From what Jennie tells me the other teams goals really should have been stopped and they should have won the game. The good news is that they didn't lose and are starting to play better. It will be nice for them to finally get a win under their belt and get that first one out of the way. Hopefully this weekend they can pick up their first win.


Individual picture of Brooklyn. They will be coming in trading cards soon.

As I mentioned earlier I was able to coach Maddux's team as one of his coaches went to the OSU football game. It was the second time I have got to do this and is such a blast. I just hope the parents don't think I am nuts as I will usually be running down the field with the kids yelling the whole way. Maddux did play a pretty good team and with him just getting over a nasty cold he wasn't at his best. He still played pretty well but the team tied 2 - 2 on a last second goal from the other team. Maddux's team was up 2 - 0 going into the last quarter and one of his own teammates took the ball and kicked it into his own goal. He obviously forgot which way he was going and was just happy he had the chance to score. Then with time expiring his team couldn't clear the ball from the goal and a kid came in and kicked the ball in right in front of the net. It was tough to lose the game that way, being the coach, but the kids had a lot of fun and I had a blast running around with them. However, I may not be asked to coach again as I followed up a 16 - 2 game with a 2 - 2 game.

On a side note just wanted to throw in some pictures of Payton and her willingness to help with the dishes. Whenever Jennie or I start to loan or unload the dishwasher and Payton is around she loves to come over and climb on the door to help. She obviously gets that urge from my side and only hope that that same enthusiasm stays with her during her teenage years.


Tell me that is not one of the most adorable things you are ever seen.


Helping load the bowls in the dishwasher.

I apologize for the delay in getting these up and hope to have Week 4 and a couple other posts up in the next day or two.

Soccer Week 2.

Week 2 is officially in the books and saw Brooklyn's team struggle on offense while playing really good defense. Maddux's team just dominated the entire game. We will started with Brooklyn and her team suffering a 2 - 0 defeat. They played pretty well and just couldn't get the ball in the goal. They actually had a couple good shots but either couldn't get it by the goalie or missed the kick. The two goals scored against them could and should have been stopped but were not. They still have a ways to go and I know that Jennie and Connie are committed to helping them and hopefully getting a couple of wins. Brooklyn also had her first shot on goal in her soccer career even though I am not sure she really knew where she was on the field. She was on offense and found herself right in front of the goal when the ball came her way. She turned around just in time to kick it and missed just to the right of the goal. She is not very offensive-minded and this is the first time that I have ever seen her shot towards the goal. Hopefully there will be a couple more of those during the season. She also did a great job as the goalie and didn't allow anything by her. She did approach me before and asked if I would give her a dollar if she didn't let anyone score. Of course I agreed and am more than happy to pay up. She has finally gotten the concept of picking up the ball and running to the side to throw it to her teammates. She is definitely a defensive player. We are just waiting for her to develop the aggressiveness and desire to take over and dominate a game. I have been told many times by Bill that Jennie was the same way and if you look at Jennie now there is hope. I know that Brooklyn has a blast out there and loves the fact that Grandma and mom are coaching her and there for it all.


In her favorite spot, goalie, waiting to stop everything and shut everyone down.


Proof that she does have a shot on goal (I got really lucky that I had the camera ready). As you can see the entire right side of the goal is wide open. A couple feet to the left and she would have scored and Jennie would have owed her $5.


Brooklyn tracking the ball down the field. Look at those long skinny legs.


Here is Maddux anxiously awaiting his game to start. It is funny because the last two season they both had the same uniform colors and even same numbers (not done intentionally) and this year they both got new colors and are the same again. Maddux did have the option of picking Brooklyn's same number again but choose 10 instead. Maybe he figured he needed to break out of her shadow and go on his own.

Maddux has again landed on a very good team. The teams usually have one kid that just dominates everyone else and then a bunch of other players. Well Maddux has one other kid who is very good, giving his team two good players. The other nice thing is that the two of them play very well together so the coach tries to keep them paired up and on the field at the same time. Their team dominated every aspect of their game this weekend. They won 16 - 2 and the game shouldn't have even been that close. During the first half the other team only got the ball on Maddux's side of the field twice. The entire half was played on the other teams side and resulted in many scored goals. One of the two goals the other team scored was actually score by one of Maddux's teammates who got confused and kicked the ball in the wrong goal. While Maddux scored 3 goals he has become quite the little passer. It was funny because his coach told him one time to pass to some of his teammates to get some better shots. Well the next two times down the field Maddux had fastbreaks with no one any where around him and he slowed down, waited for his teammates, passed them the ball and watch them score a goal. The coach them came up and told him he didn't have to pass it all the time and should score on those type of plays. He had some very nice passes to go along with his three goals and helped his team cruise to a victory. I know if is only the first week for Maddux but I really don't see any team that will beat them.


Maddux scoring one of his three goals. This is a familiar site to see on the field, Maddux way ahead of the other team. He does need to dribble the ball in a little closer and take a little easier of a shot. He had two times during the game where he kicked it from mid field trying to score. Needless to say, the accuracy isn't quite there yet and he missed both.


Maddux does a very good job and getting his body in between the ball and the other team. This makes it very hard for them to take the ball away and lets Maddux do whatever he wants.


I love this picture because if you look close enough Maddux is licking his chops and starring at the ball looking like he is ready to pounce. Good thing he didn't as his own team has it.


This is one of Jennie and I's good friend, Randy. He coaches his daughters team and decided to show some team spirit at their last game. They are the purple pirates so he went out and bought a pirate costume to wear to the game. He did wear the costume the entire game and everyone loved it.

Soccer is Back.

Brooklyn's soccer fall season is back under way and they had their first game last Saturday. She also has new coaches this year and Jennie and Connie had enough of her coach the last two seasons. They decided to take things into their own hands and are coaching the Red Hawks. While Connie has done this before, Jennie is making her coaching debut (although she is more of a General Manager than a coach). I know they are both having fun and Brooklyn loves having her grandma and mom coaching her. They did end losing their first game, ironically to Brooklyn's old coach, but they are already better than her past two teams. They have some idea of how to play offense and should progress nicely throughout the year. They scored two goals in their first game which almost equals the total from the prior two seasons for teams that Brooklyn has played on. They have a couple of girls that are not all that athletic but I think they will do just fine this year and win some games.

Maddux also has started his season and will have his first game this Saturday. He loves to do anything athletic and is one of the better players on his team. His coach calls him "Big Foot" because of his super kicks. He is probably the fastest kid on his team and the only one that gets his butt in between the ball and the defense. He is so excited to finally get a game in and we are hoping for a dry weekend Anyways here are some pictures from Brooklyn's first game.


Brooklyn in one of her favorite positions, goalie. She does a good job and is getting use to picking up the ball when it comes in the box. She could be a little more aggressive but does just fine.


Brooklyn taking the ball away from the other team. She is very good at the defensive side and has quite a bit to learn on the offensive side. She is really not offensive minded at all.


Here she is on a breakaway, notice the hair flying in the breeze. We really need to remember the pony tail before the game.


Lining up for the boot. Look at that form.

Hopefully we will get our games in this weekend so I can upload some more shots of both kids.

Thanks for the memories Granny, we will miss you.

Norma Alice Rannels

Birth date: March 18, 1921
Death date: August 14, 2009

Obituary:
Norma Alice Jensen Rannels, of Clearwater, Florida, formerly of Columbia, Maryland, passed away on Friday at her daughter's residence in Ohio after a courageous four year battle with lung cancer. She was 88. Born Norma Alice in Eastport, Maryland, she grew up the daughter of Danish immigrants - Johan Norman and Emmy Ingeborg Muusfeldt Jensen. Her parents met in New York where Johan had settled after being in Denmark's Royal Navy. Ingeborg came to New York as a cook's assistant in 1913 through Ellis Island. While at Annapolis High School, Norma became interested in business, so she worked in the school office and took papers to the teachers each day. That fall, Norma began taking the train from Annapolis to Baltimore daily to go to Strayer Business College in Baltimore, MD. Upon graduation, she worked as a secretary for J.F. Murry plumbing, then Chevrolet Motors, both of Baltimore, before working as secretary in the personnel office of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Norma & Morris married in 1942. Norma became a fulltime homemaker raising six children, "none unwanted and never too many" said Norma. When the children became school age, she volunteered as a driver for Meals on Wheels and many other organizations. She enjoyed the local garden club as well as seeing friends with a challenge of bridge on a monthly basis. Norma retired with her husband to Clearwater, Florida, in 1978. She enjoyed close friendships with new neighbors as well as visiting family and friends. She volunteered at Morton Plant Hospital. She and her husband enjoyed many trips all over the world. Just days before his passing, they celebrated 65 years of marriage. Norma is survived by James and his wife Cindy, Constance Kerr and her husband William, Norman and his wife Betty, Jo Ann Bankert and her husband Neuman, Vickie Stofel and her husband Steve and Morris Jr and his wife Lynn. Norma was also blessed by 21 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.



We were saddened last month with the passing of Jennie's Granny but happy at the same time to know that she has been reunited with her husband. She lived a wonderful life and has touched so many lives during her 88 years on Earth. She will be greatly missed but there is comfort in knowing that we will be reunited with her again some day. We are so thankful that she was so close during her last days and that we were able to spend time with her and have the great grandkids around her.


Granny with Connie, Jennie, Payton and Brooklyn.


Granny with Jennie.


Granny with all the Beard great grandkids.


With Granny's funeral being in Maryland it allowed us to visit with some of Jennie's family and to visit Washington DC. I had never been so I was pretty excited to see the sights and see what the city had to offer. Thank you to Chuck and Suzie who opened their home to us and let us stay with them for the three days we were there. Everything was about an hour from their house so it made traveling with the kids very easy. Plus there is something that Chuck has in his basement that Brooklyn has been dying to show Maddux ever since she went there a year or so ago (we will get to that later; I don't want to ruin the surprise).


Jennie, Spencer and Aaron in front of our Nation's Capital.


The Washington Monument from right in front of the Capital building.


Brooklyn, Maddux and Nolan standing in front of a huge water spout that shots water straight up in the air. It is in front of an office building and probably shoots the water up 30 feet or so. The kids loved it.


This peacock was in the Smithsonian Museum and Brooklyn had to have me take a picture of it.


Here is the Pile of Useless Junk which is a pile of items that have been used in various movies. It is also in the Smithsonian Museum which is the first place that we went when downtown. The building itself and the surrounding garden are amazing. The building looks like an old castle surrounded by flowers, plants, trees and waterfalls.


From the Smithsonian we went to the Air and Space Museum and spent quite a bit of time in there. They basically had a history of flight and space travel with all kinds of exhibits, planes, and spaceships that the kids could go into. Here they are walking out of the SkyLab which was used in space. They had planes they could go in and all sorts of games and activities that the kids could play with. They even had a paper plane contest that, if not for a corner, Brooklyn would have won. She came so close to winning and lost out by the slimmest of margins. From the Air and Space Museum we walked down to the Capital building and took some pictures. By then the kids were spent and we didn't dare walk all the way to the other end and see the White House or Washington Monument. We figured we would have to do that on another trip and maybe without the kids. Now that Spencer lives in DC we will have an excuse to go visit him and the city.


Nolan with his water back pack ready to hit the streets. Spencer had a bunch of these packs and the kids thought they were the greatest things. They could just put the hose in their mouth and drink water.


Chuck and Suzie live on the outskirts of Boonsboro and right next door are some donkeys, miniature horses and an Alpaca. She was kind enough to buy some bags of carrots so the kids could feed them. Brooklyn was a little hesitant but quickly warmed up.


Nolan had no problem feeding the miniature horses and loved every minute of it.


Maddux was also a little hesitant but it didn't take him long to get over that.

The funeral was very nice and it was nice to see most of Connie's side of the family again. They held the service at the same funeral home as Pop Pop and then buried her right next to him in Glen Burnie, MD. After the funeral everyone headed to Cactus Willie's which is an all you can eat buffet right by the cemetery. It was a nice convenient location and the same place we ate at after Pop Pop's funeral. The food is so-so but the kids love the fact that they can pick whatever they want and eat as much of it as possible.

One the way back I decided to see if I could find Woodsboro, Maryland which is where my grandfather was born and raised. I figured that since I was so close I would stop and see. It was very easy to find and really a small town. The farm that my grandfather was raised on has since been sold and probably covered with condos or apartments.


Woodsboro, Maryland.

I then called my dad to tell him where I was and he told me about a Hall of Fame in Fredrick, MD that my Grandfather was in. Jennie called her Uncle Ken who knew exactly where it was and gave us directions to the front door. I got there with about 20 minutes to spare and was grateful to the young man who let me in. He basically opened the door, turned on the lights and said take as long as you need. It is a sports hall of fame for Fredrick County Maryland and has lots of displays with pictures and articles from those who have prospered in sports from that area. My grandfather was inducted in the second class back in 1978 and has some articles and a bat in their cases. It was very cool to see and I am glad that everything worked out and I was able to make it in.


This is his plaque hanging on the wall honoring him as an inductee.

Well now on to the good stuff. Uncle Chuck has a slot machine in this basement that I am sorry to say the kids are addicted to. I was joking around with Jennie that we could never take our kids to Las Vegas because they are addicted to those machines. I don't know if it is the sound the coins make or the fact that money falls out but Brooklyn just couldn't wait to show Maddux what was downstairs in Chuck's basement. Thanks to Chuck who cranked up the winning margin on the machine the kids are now probably under the impression that every time you put in money and pull the handle more money will come out. Probably didn't help the addiction. It was very cute to watch them play and I can only hope that this got it all out of their system (wishful thinking).


Maddux pulling the handle down. It was kind of funny because he would put three quarters in the play and then win 2 back. He thought it was the greatest thing and had no idea that he was actually losing money. He was just excited to be getting something back.


Nolan had his moments. He would play for awhile, then get bored and do something else, and then play some more. Overall I think he really enjoyed it and just liked being able to hang around and do the same thing as the older kids.


Uncle Chuck also has an old wooden Skittles game in the basement which the kids had a lot of fun. You wind some string around a top and then put it on the game board pulling the string to make the top spin around. The object is to knock down as many pins, which are set up, as you can and total up your score. It took a little while for the kids to get the timing of pulling the string but once they did they actually did quite well.


Uncle Chuck showing Maddux how to hold the top and then pull the string.

We had a lot of fun in Maryland and packed a lot of things into a couple of days. We were glad that we were able to celebrate Granny's life with so many family members and are happy that she is back with Pop Pop. She will be loved and missed by us all. We are thankful our family's hospitality and willingness to put us up while we were there.

Hapyy Birthday Nolan.

Yesterday we celebrated Nolan's birthday as he turned 3 years old. He is finally starting to age into his body. Everyone thinks that he is 4 because he is so big. He was very excited for his birthday to come and kept asking when it was time for his birthday. It is funny because I don't think he gets the concept of this birthday but instead thinks it is just a party that he will get presents with. If you asked him today how old he was he would still tell you 2. He is a very big boy and with all the questions that he asks is going to be very smart. Some of the stuff that he does just cracks us up. It is very hard to stay mad at him because of his facial expressions and the things that he does. I know that Jennie and I both have a hard time yelling at him to stop something because he will do something that will make us laugh in the middle of scolding him. He has such a care-free personality and keeps us on ours toes all the time.

He started the day by having his favorite breakfast, pancakes and eggs. I then took him to the store so he could pick out his birthday present. We then went and had lunch with Brooklyn at school. I think he had a good time hanging out with the older kids. We then went over to Grandpa and Grandma's house for pizza and cake. I think he had a really good birthday and hopefully he will soon remember that he is now 3 and not 2.


Nolan with his toy helicopter. This is what he picked out and bought with his money from Grandma Wendy and Great Grandpa and Grandpa Beard.


Nolan with his dinosaur and man from Greg and Tacie and the kids. He loves to make the two fight with each other.


Nolan with his new Thomas the Train flashlight and his new book from Grandma and Grandpa Kerr. He really likes the Thomas stuff and when you add a flashlight to it you have the perfect gift.


His new Tiger shirt and pants from Grandpa and Grandma Kerr.

Overall we had a very busy and fun day and are grateful that we have been blessed with Nolan in our family. We love him very much and can't wait to watch him grow up.