A rough game

Parker's basketball team fell to 1-1 on Saturday. They lost 31-11...they were down 8 after the first period and never made a rally.

Following the game, I did my Couch to 5K run in the rain while Sara and the boys grocery shopped. After that, we went to Union for a birthday party for my niece and nephew.

What happened to the Wright's?

We lost the ability to add to this blog and also lost the ability to do any editing. A few months ago we were finally able to get back on the blog and made a post and then that was it. Starting now I will try to blog again regularly.

Quick updates...Joseph is now living with his biodad in Newberry, SC. Joseph is a senior in high school and is wanting to be a computer engineer. Kallsen signs in a choir through his school and is looking forward to playing baseball this spring. Parker is playing basketball and running 5ks. Both Kallsen and Parker are in scouts.

Sara is really involved in the church serving on several boards/committees and also chairing formation. She also serves as Parker Cub Scout Den Leader.

Adam is hiking, training for a 5k, playing disc golf and geocaching.

More news and views to follow.

Stinky Smells

I had been told, back in 2003, when I moved to Clayton, GA that I would be more likely to see a bear than a deer. Same thing was told to me when we moved to Oconee County, SC in 2007. I now live in one community and work in the other. I have seen hundreds of deer. never a bear. That is, until last night.

On the way home from picking the boys up from the North Walhalla Church of God VBS we saw a bear cub crossing the road. And then we hit a skunk.

The skunk had apparently been hit by another car first but didn't spray until we came upon it a moment later. My car stinks. I have washed it twice. It appears to have the order inside the cabin vent system. If I can't get the stinky smell out of the car, I will need to do something...I may seek some advice soon...

How time flies

I came across this picture on my computer at work. It was taken about two years ago (maybe longer) when Kallsen, Parker and I were playing Disc Golf at Sertoma Field in Walhalla. I really love this picture.

One of the things I have enjoyed most about being a dad is time spent doing simple things...like playing a round of Disc Golf with the boys. I wish I did more of this because looking back at the picture it really is amazing how time flies when you are raising kids.

Folly Beach

I used a picture of Parker (not this one) as my new cover photo on Facebook. I simple titled the picture as Parker at Folly Beach. My wife tells me later she had to think about when we were last at the beach. Funny thing is...it was less than a week ago!

Team Sadjo Geocaching

A small screw-style cache

The boys and I have started Geocaching. Geocaching is a world-wide scavenger hunt where you take GPS coordinates and some hints and look for caches (containers) hidden somewhere. Larger caches sometime contain items to trade (if you remove something you must place something of equal or greater value into the cache) while others are just big enough to hold a log you can sign.

Geocaching can be done for free with a free app on your phone and a free membership from Geocaching.com website. If you want to step up your fun and enjoyment you can get the paid app for $9.99 and a premium membership from the site for $30 per year.

We have found caches at waterfalls, in the woods, underneath lamppost skirts in parking lots, in key boxes attached to guardrails and behind loose bricks in outside walls of structures.

Both Kallsen and Parker have enjoyed caching and Joseph even joined me and Parker to find a couple of caches recently. Sara Beth has even enjoyed caching with us some of the time. She (and Kallsen) like the Park & Grab caches. Those are the ones that are normally located in a parking area of a business or just a few feet from where you can park your car. Parker likes the ones that require a journey (small hike) to get to the location and the actual searching once you get close to the hiding spot.

Caching is inexpensive and can lead to great learning experiences. While we were in Charleston recently we discover several located at different historical landmarks and even found some 'virtual' caches. Those are where you are directed to a certain place and then you have to find some information on the actual site and email the answers to earn the 'find'. It makes learning fun for the kids (and me) and really made the trip to Charleston more fun.

Charleston

The Battery

We traveled to Charleston, SC last week for a short vacation. We decided on Charleston because Kallsen has become fascinated with South Carolina history. Both boys had an amazing time. Both Sara and I believe it was well worth making this trip with Kallsen's interest in South Carolina History. My guess is he will always remember this trip and that it will help fuel further interest in history.

Our journey included visiting Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier, the Hunley crew burial site and The Citadel.

Fort Maultrie

Fort Moultrie is the oldest fort, I think, in Charleston. It served South Carolina and the United States in the Revolutionary war, The War of 1812, the Civil War and the Spanish American War. It also saw some service in World War II.

Fort Moultrie is a self guided tour with an option of a 22 minute film that introduces the fort and talks about it's history. The cost is capped at $5 per family so if you travel to Charleston, this is an inexpensive side trip with some great history lessons.


Fort Sumter is out on a sand bar in the harbor and you need to take a ferry from Patriot's Point to Fort Sumter. The ferry ride includes rolling audio of the history of the fort and the wars it served the United States and the Confederacy. I learned quite a bit that I either wasn't aware of just didn't take into account.

Fort Sumter is very interesting giving it's location. I can't imagine being posted there during the height of battle in the extreme heat of summer or the cold of winter. The cost is quite a bit more than Fort Moultrie. I think the cost for our family was $58 for the ferry and tour of Fort Sumter.

Hunley Memorial at Burial Site

We had hoped to travel to see the Hunley but that isn't open to tours during the week so we visited the burial site of the crews of the Hunley. The Hunley is the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel in combat. The Hunley was actual sunk three different times. After being sunk it's third time, it wasn't recovered until the mid 1990s. The burial site is also the site of the last funeral for confederate soldiers. I can't say for certain but I think it the funeral was in 1996.

We're back to blogging

After more than 3 year absent from blogging, Sara and I will begin blogging again. We would've started earlier but somethings happened that made it more difficult that it should have been.

We will start with a story of our trip to Charleston, SC last week.

Thanks!

T-Ball

Kallsen and Parker started T-ball this year. Here's a picture of them each running the bases and one of the them together in the field. The last picture is of them killing time before a game begins recently.

Disc Golf on the Wii

Are family Christmas gift this year was a Wii gaming system. We were able to find a 'Family Pack' bundle that included multiple controllers and five additional games. One of the extra games is Wii Sports Resort. It includes Frisbee Golf.

This particular version was the highest rated Disc Golf Game in a review of Disc Golfer Magazine earlier this year. It rated highest for disc flight and feel. It didn't rank very well for graphics. It also doesn't include baskets bu instead you putt at columns of light in the middle of a ball golf course green.

With all that being said the game really is a lot of fun. My two youngest boys found it the most fun out of what ended up being 11 games we started with after all their presents they opened. We even have a 'Frisbee' remote for the Wii.

The discs fly well and the feel is good. It seems to be easier to get a hole-in-one on this game than in the real game...at least for my family. My wife, my youngest son Parker and my oldest son Joseph all have had a hole-in-one all ready. I, however, have not.

If you have a Wii and you like Disc Golf, I would recommend Wii Sports Resort.