Chick Flicks, Concerts, and Summer

I have always thought that I was a pretty manly man. Yea, I like the typical sports, sports movies, hero shows and books, war flicks, ESPN, baseball...did I mention sports, etc. But I also like the chick flicks. Okay before you give me a hard time, I enjoy watching movies that make my wife cuddle up with me on the couch. You know the kind - the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks type. We just watch the last part of "You've Got Mail" again and I loved it. I guess the only thing that would make the chick flick better is to take the typical love story and add a sports hero, that goes to war, plays a baseball game, saves the world, and comes home to the girl of his dreams and asks her to marry him while at a Red Sox game. Okay, so maybe that is pushing it, but I do love the chick flicks.

Today was great. After a long day of working on the car, fixing the lawnmower, and then going to a baby blessing, we took our kids to the last part of Saratoga Splash. This is an all day event where there are carnival rides, parades, a wakeboarding competition and a concert. Although we wanted to do the full activities, we were only able to make it to the Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band concert. How great it was that the city paid for the band to pay so that the residents could enjoy the show for free. (Of course nothing is really free - don't get me started on how the city is raising taxes to offset a deficit.) Back to the 'free' concert - the band was great. I love their style of blue grass, rock, country, etc. They are very talented and the kids loved dancing next to the stage and playing. Zach, being bold and outspoken, went to Ryan Shupe after the concert and asked if he could have his guitar pick. That was surely something I never would have done at his age, but alas he got the pick. The girls danced the night away, and during one of the songs the band all turned to the girls who were stage right, and played a sang directly to them. It was so much fun.

So it sure does feel like summer has arrived. The weather is hot, the sun is great, skies are blue, mountains are green, and fire season has started. Yup, there is a fire just north of our subdivision. Not really a bad thing though; very typical for the season. The kids are loving the weather. Basically they go outside early in the day, and stay outside until the hunger pains are enough to bring them back. After filling their stomachs they are back outside again. I love this time of year.