Life in Fast Forward....MOVING

Well, I've decided to leave blogspot as a blog host and move over to WordPress.

It's much better and cooler!

My new blog URL is http://www.joshwells.net

I hope to see you there!

Is winter just around the corner?

Well, it's already October and it seems like just yesterday we were talking about the hot and humid Kansas summer.

Those days are long gone...and forecasters say we could experience an early winter feel in the forecast, possibly as early as this weekend.

A strong cold front is moving into Kansas and will likely stall out across the southern half of Kansas this weekend, bringing a chance of our first freeze of the season. Lows will be in the lower 30s Saturday, Sunday and next Monday. However, it won't feel like winter during the day. Highs will be in the 50s and 60s.

But...an early, cold and wet winter could be lingering in the not to far future. The Old Farmer's Almanac says cold and wet for most of Kansas this winter.

Folding and sorting the laundry

Allie decided to help daddy sort and fold the laundry...but it didn't work as I had planned.

Oh well, I guess I don't like to fold laundry either so it must run in the family!

Folding Clothes from Josh Wells on Vimeo.

The Great Challenge

I challenged Allie to a foot race the other day. I lost, but she was cheating. She was riding in the stroller.

The Race Challenge from Josh Wells on Vimeo.

Allie and the Fish

I think Allie is going to like to go fishing just like her daddy.

We went to the Oklahoma City Zoo over the weekend and got to see the new Oklahoma Frontier exhibit. They have some BIG fish in their aquarium...as you can see from the video below:

Allie and the Fish from Josh Wells on Vimeo.

Never a dull moment

I knew being a father would be fun and rewarding...I just didn't know it would be this much fun!

Allie is now crawling everywhere and she's nearly ready to walk. I've spent the last couple of weeks chasing her around the house and learning that EVERYTHING must be picked up or it will end up in her mouth as a chew toy.

I am amazed by her everyday. She's learned so much in 10 months....how to crawl, how to hold her own bottle, how to help get herself dressed, how to recognize her mommy and daddy...and grandparents! I'm sure there's a lot more amazing stuff to come...I just thought I'd share that stuff with the rest of the world!

Growing up, getting old and ready for the baby gate

I struggled with what to write about for this week's blog post. Much of what I've been doing this week has focused on negative news and sad stories. Not just the news I've been covering in Wichita, but also news across our nation and around the world.

So, I thought Allie should be the topic of this week's blog post. Someone who's always happy and always smiling...when she's not hungry or sitting with a dirty diaper.

Allie turned eight months old last week and she continues to amaze her mother and I. There's not a day that goes by that I don't laugh at something she does or a new noise or talent she's learned to make or perform. She's now learned to clap, roll her tongue, click her tongue and sleep on her stomach. Little things, I know...but the way she does each of these things makes me smile and forget about all of the other things that could possibly be weighing on my mind.

She's also about to create more work for me. She's about to learn to crawl. That means it's time for daddy to install the baby gate at the top of the stairs that we've had since December. Maybe she'll help me read the installation instructions and hold the drill.

The Tigers at the SedCo Zoo....a must see attraction!

If you haven't been to the Sedgwick County Zoo to see the new tiger exhibit, then you're missing out.

The folks at the Zoo and WDM Architects have once again created a fabulous addition to one of the nation's greatest zoo experiences.

The tigers in the new Slawson Family Tiger exhibit are active and they're so close you can nearly reach out and touch them...which, as you can see by the reaction from my daughter, might be fun to pet and cuddle with. I had to explain to her that the kitties in this cage are not as cute and cuddlesome as her Jack Russell Terrier is at home.

The only downside to the new exhibit might be the complaints from the ducks and other water fowl that land in the exhibit. Twice while we were watching, a duck landed in the water and was quickly hunted by the tigers. As the giants cats tried to pounce, the ducks flew away in a hurry. Oh well, I guess they'll soon learn as they did in the bear and lion exhibits!

Baseball vs auto glass = windy ride home

So...I decided to attend Thursday night's WSU vs Creighton baseball game at WSU's Eck Stadium during the MVC Baseball Tournament.

Not a very good game. The Shockers were run-ruled 11-0.However, the best part of the night was what I found in the parking lot as I was leaving the game.

By the way, it doesn't feel very good to sit on glass while driving home.

Here's why I've been absent from the blog scene

Sometimes in life, you just get too busy to operate.

That's been my life the past month. Taking care of Allie, who's now nearly eight months old; working a series of four productions in the past month; and learning to manage my time and my lawncare chores at home.

Whew.

Well, I know that's no excuse...but working for a production company in my spare time with a big video trailer with a big switcher and several cameras is much more fun than writing blog posts in my spare time.

But now that Allie will be working on the production crew in my place, I'll be able to return to the blog scene.

Physically sick after watching the Indians and Royals

OK...bottom of the 9th and you're up 5 to 2 on the road and your ace pitcher just finished tossing a strong eight innings and the guy you've hired to close the 9th takes the mound.

No problem, three up...three down...that's the goal.

Wait, a home run...not good, but we'll get the next two.

Next pitch....gone. NOT GOOD...but still OK, with a one run lead.
Maybe a pitching change? Nope. Kerry Wood can handle the now deafening crowd at the rennovated K in Kansas City.

Five pitches later, a walk to put the tying run on first.

OK....now we should make the change on the hill. It's just not Wood's night.
What? No change from Wedge in the Indian's bullpen? Are you sure? David DeJesus is coming to plate and he's batting like .350, you might want to consider walking him or something strategic.

Nope....instead, let's pitch to him so he can hit a triple off the wall in centerfield and drive in the game tying run.

OK, now surely we'll make the pitching change.

Again, the answer is nope. Two more pitches and then a sacrafice fly ball to right and DeJesus scores from third base.

Game, set, match Kansas City.

Way to go, Indians. You just did the unimaginable. Giving up four runs in the bottom of the night. Thanks for making me physically ill.

Big 12 Tournament commentators

Does anyone else think it's funny how much the commentators on TV were talking about how "Texas A&M was a guarantee in the NCAA tournament" before they got beat by Texas Tech?

I mean, seriously...Texas A&M blew a 15 point lead as a 6th seed in the tournament and got beat by the 11th seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders...and you're telling me they belong in the NCAA tournament over (7th seed) Oklahoma State or (4th seed) K-State?

Maybe that will teach those ESPN wannabies to remain unbiased while they are broadcasting the Big 12 Tournament games.

I wonder how that 'foot in the mouth' tasted last night? Huh, Doug Bell?

Cereal...yummy!

Allie is now five months old...and she makes us laugh everyday.

A few weeks ago we started semi-solid foods...cereal, sweet potatoes and now carrots.

Here's video of her first bowl of cereal.

Are you kidding me? Call 'em both ways!

It's my favorite time of year when it comes to high school athletics.

It's nearing the end of the season for wrestling and basketball...and that means it's win or go home. Emotions will run high and Cinderella stories will be told. Overtime wins, last second shots, a pin on the mat within the last seconds...it's just exciting.

But when does excitement boil over into too much hype or too much emotion?

We've all heard it...those officials calling the game from the stands. After all, they have a much better view from 50 to 100 feet from the floor or mat than the official who is wearing the stripes does. And how about those coaches who stomp their feet, scream and holler and wave their arms like they're landing a jet on an aircraft carrier? You could write a book with all the things I've heard fans and coaches holler during games and matches.

Here are a few of my all time favorite fan/coach calls:

"Are you kidding me?"
"Call 'em both ways..."
"He WAAALLLLKKKKED!!!"
"Oh, ooohhh...that's terrrrrrible"
"Do you know the rules? Did you read the rule book?"
"You must be blind"
"You're missing a great game"
"The old man on the corner saw that foul you didn't call"
"Did you get that whistle in a Cracker Jack box?"

How could you not chuckle when you hear these things? I mean seriously, how crazy and silly do some of these things sound when the person yelling them is standing up and waving their arms?

If you still don't believe me, print off the list above and then stand in front of a mirror and let 'er rip. Just make sure you have a video camera rolling and then send me the video so I can post it on YouTube.

My point: If you look and feel crazy in front of the mirror...then imagine how you look at a basketball game or wrestling meet.

It's a little thing called self control. Some people call it sportsmanship. No matter what you call it, let the athletes and the officials do their job. Especially this post season...and if you see someone going nuts at a game, take a picture or video and e-mail it to me. I'll post it here so we can all laugh!

Allie and her sit-ups

Meet Allie...she's now nearly five months old and she has her daddy wrapped around her finger...twice.

No matter how much I have going on at work, or how much I have going through my mind...she always finds a way to make me forget about everything.

She's an amazing little person and I have already learned so much from her. I hope someday I'll be able to issue a return on the learning curve.

In this picture, she's sitting up on her own for first time! OK...maybe not entirely on her own...but close! We had to help her get balanced but then she was on her own.

Amazing how fast they grow up. Seems like just the other day we were bringing her home from the hospital!