Go Rockies

Jack played as #13 for the Rockies in T-ball this year. We decided he didn't need to start and crazy superstitions early in life and kept our mouths shut about his number. So far, it seems to have paid off; he's doing pretty well hitting the ball off a pitch, even though it's only supposed to be T-ball.

Jack got some hitting advice from his personal coach.

"Did you see that great hit? I want to play too!"

Jack practiced fielding the ball at his first game of the season (far right in gray).

The Obsession Continues

Jack's obsession with hockey continues in 2011, and he's made wonderful improvements in his skating skills, thanks to Saturday skating "clinics" with Daddy on the pond by our house. He can even skate backward (video to come)! With practice twice a week, it's been fun to watch him improve with each session. If he works very hard, we usually get to finish with a special hot chocolate from Starbucks.

A Presentation, by Jack Boesen

It was Jack's turn to bring the teaching bag to preschool recently. The teaching bag is a more organized way to do show and tell, and it requires each "friend" to bring three things from a common theme to share. Shockingly, Jack wanted to teach his friends about hockey. This video is a practice run, and a clear illustration of why we thought it might be good to practice. It also has caused many sleepless nights because after the fits of laughter subside, I realize I have absolutely no clue what this kid is telling his teachers and friends at preschool. I can only imagine what will happen when he gets older.

...And He's Mobile!

Pardon the background noise on this one. The hockey screaming and Grammy opening act worked hard to outshine Griffin's first steps, but he knows he's top dog now. When we all cheered for him, Jack yelled, "SCORE!!!" and tried to divert our attention back to his hockey game. Ah, jealous much? Or perhaps he's just well aware of how Griffin will now be able to steal his hockey guys. Watch out, world, here comes trouble.

Housebound!

One cold day Bryan and Jack found a new way to entertain themselves. I can only imagine how long I can hold Bryan off until he decides to see how far Griffin will slide.

Hut, Hut, Hike!

Jack learned how to play football this fall, and played on the Purdue Boilermakers team. He liked doing jumping jacks in warm-ups and even scored a touchdown in the last game!

Interpretation of Literature

Most colleges require incoming freshman to take "Interp of Lit." Here, Jack uses his stellar literary skills to interpret the symbolism behind one of his favorite authors, Eric Carle. Generally I love Mr. Carle's books, but seriously, what do a boat, cars, an apple tree, cows, a snowman and a man sleeping have to do with each other?

Storytime, Continued

Jack's easy enough to understand here as he reads a story to Griffin. What you may not quite understand is what Griffin is saying. Using our top-secret infant decoder rings, we're able to decipher Griffin's thoughts even though they sound like unintelligible grunts.

"Mother, must you pop my collar on each outfit I wear? Seriously, the points of this little costume are practically poking my eye out. How do you expect me to concentrate on Jack's riviting story with this kind of distraction? Wait...Jack, do you even realize that there are no words on that paper? Oh great, this kid is just making something up on the fly. And I thought maybe I'd get some quality entertainment."

Storytime Song

Each day at school Jack's class sings this song before they read a story. Jack has started singing it each night at bed time. We proudly present the evening concert series starring Jack Boesen.

Christmas in March

OK, this is a little late, but still worth watching. Uncle Rick claimed the title of "Best Christmas Gift" in 2008 when Jack opened a hockey net and two sticks. He demanded it be put together immediately and then gave us all a show. Pay attention to his graceful skating as he glides on the "ice" after scoring a goal. Since it's snowing out today (yup, snow in late March), we might as well celebrate a little Christmas.

Video credit goes to Aunt Jenny, whose giggle can be heard along with Great-Grandma V saying "is that what they do?" We need to get the Otises access to the NHL channel.

"Tiger, Tiger Woods, Ya'll"

Who needs Tiger Woods when we've got our own golf protoge. Jack recently discovered how much fun teeing off is, and Bryan subsequently discovered that his son might be a better golfer than he is.

Verse Two

As promised, here's the long-awaited sequel to the Pumpkin song. Wait for it, wait for it...the Mommy verse.

Pumpkin Song

One of Jack's favorite songs is "the name game" and he can adapt it to pretty much everything, including his favorite fall gourd. Stay tuned for more verses including "ceiling, fan, door, light," and pretty much anything else he can think of. The song can go on for hours.

Too Much Fun?

After almost a full week at Okoboji with less-than-stellar sleeping habits, Jack finally got his way and skipped the all-important afternoon nap. Although, when he finally took some time to calm down, all the action caught up with him.

Strike!

Bryan has been working with Jack and his pitching. Notice the professional way he lifts his leg before throwing. This, my friends, is a star in the making.

The Spider ALMOST Escapes!

I keep trying to get Jack to sing a full song, but his ego usually takes over and he wants to see himself on film before we finish. Here, again, Jack starts to serenade me with his rendition of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" but alas, the "pidoh" doesn't survive as Jack doesn't make it to the end of the song where it escapes to climb the "pout" again. Poor pidoh.

Beep, Beep!

Given his choice of vehicles, Jack, naturally, chooses the pink flower power convertible. Obviously, he's not ready for his license yet, but we'll work with him.

More Hockey

Jack playing hockey...again. Those of you keeping track (like Bryan) will notice that he is still hitting left handed. And he is still obsessed with the sport.

Greetings from Des Moines

To prep for a mid-winter trip to the Tundra (Spencer), Jack gives a shout out to the Phelps side of the family. Happy birthday, Grandapa Tom. See you soon!

Jack Shoots and Scores!

Thanks to an earlier visit to a Buccaneers Hockey game, Jack developed a new love of hockey just in time for Santa to deliver a foam hockey set. Here, Jack demonstrates his skill and his sportsmanship. We're fairly sure that if it were anyone else hitting the ball with such prowess, he'd be just as gracious. As it stands, he is a huge fan of himself. He also received hockey ice skates from Grandma Patty and Grandpa Tom. He LOVES to wear them on the hardwood floors and is anxious for the subzero temperatures to let up so we can go visit Uncle Ed's ice rink in the front yard.