Oonie Koonie Chowah Bunga

So I am a guy who loves to do music camp for four to seven year olds. What are you going to do about it? Ha!



I just love this camp. Four years ago when Anna Rose first attended, I was blown away by these ladies. I told Sandy so when I ran into her at Dave Dave's preschool later that year. (Sandy was one of the ladies) Next thing you know, Sandy retires and I'm Shnivel the Pirate. That was last year.

the ladies (most of them)

Shnivel

This year I was Hercules. Reaching way down in my bag of things I've stolen over the years, I played an out of shape caveman who once was the strongest human being ever to walk the face of the earth.

Hercules and Sweet Olivia

Yes, in the time known as the Heroic Age, one man stood out among them all. Known far and wide for his physical prowess and mental physique, he could lift elephants on his shoulders and divert rivers with his calf muscles. He was and still is – the MIGHTY HERCULES!

I am the Mighty Hercules!

OH! My back! I think I hurt my back!

Finally, after stubbing my toe, I hopped to the top of Mount Olympus and dipped my foot in the Pools of Delirium, then went to sleep on a feather pillow that turned out to be a swan named Lydia but who let me sleep on her anyway, and the next morning I woke up feeling like a million denari!

The kids ate it up.



The thing that blows me away - and you can check out the Oonie Koonie Cha facebook page to see more - is how amazing these kids are at learning things. They learn 20 songs, all with hand motions. They make a half dozen musical instruments and learn to play a few more. They take music science class. AND learn everything it takes to be a caveman, including caveman speak - all in one week.

Spear Throwing for Accuracy

What is caveman speak, you ask? Well, there are caveman words of course. Like "Ooga Booga," which means "Yes." Or "Noogie," which means "No." (And is never something you do to another person even if they deserve it.) There's "Boogie Woogie," which is what we say for "Let's Sing or Let's dance." There's "Wuv You," which is caveman speak for "I love you." And of course there's "Hubba Hubba," which is what Hercules says when he sees his cavegirlfriend, Leela, walking around the fire pit.

Cavegirl Graduation

Two weeks went by like lightning bolts from Zeus. (Yes, I know cavemen didn't know Greek mythology and Hercules was a demigod not a caveman, but hey! the theme was dinosaurs and there weren't any cavemen there either. The kids just rolled with it the way kids do.)

The reason I do it...

What a fun time! Next year is "Going Places." I'm already thinking about who I might be...

Mexico 2104 Part 3 - by the pictures

Just a few of my favorite pictures from Mexico 2014

By the pool...

fruity drinks at 4 every day.

they come in all sizes and strengths...

"Cannonball!"

Falling with Style

Hot Yoga with Leela.

 

The Flying Squirrel, I believe.

At the beach...

Finding Hermit Crabs

Balancing Rocks (Ned's Favorite)

Our Daily Dip

Surf's up

Shredding it.

Digging Holes for Fun

Snorkeling at Los Arcos

Swimming in a swarm of Angel Fish...

"This is awesome!" yelled David. 

The Blue Footed Boobies...they exist!

The sunsets...

That ain't no halo

Attempt at Todd and Cait's next Romance Novel cover photo... not so romantic after the first kid!

That's better!

That ain't no spray on tan

Some sugar for the matriarch

Bonsai.

Fun with hats...

Christmas Card 2014?

How about this one?

Here's looking at you.

She wears it better than her old man.

Would this make YOU smile?

Mexico - Part 2

Day 1. Sunday.

So humid I didn't realize it was raining until it was RAINING.

While mapping out runs from our Mexican house I noticed there was a track about a mile past the Malecon (the beautiful, Pacific Coast strollway through downtown Puerto Villarta). EVERY run I planned went down the Malecon. It is dotted with statues and sand sculptures and the amazing balancing rocks and people. All the people that are awake before seven (and there's a surprising amount).



So I was running down the Malecon, past the Malecon to the track. I stepped onto the track (I'm not a track guy) and there were lots of people running around the track. There seemed to be rules about what lanes you were allowed to be on depending on how muscular you were. I picked a middle lane and figured I could be nudged one way or the other if necessary.

I eventually started to wonder if this was something more than just a bunch of Sunday runners. I asked a friendly looking guy and he pointed me to another friendly looking guy who spoke better English, I assumed, and he told me they were about to run a 5k and 10k for the hospital.

I was about six miles in at that point and was only planning to run 10 that day, but when was the next time I was going to be in Mexico for a race? I decided to hangout in the pack and see what happened. I knew if I got toward the front I'd probably run too fast and hurt myself.

The gun went off and I clipped along trying to decide whether to run a 5k or 10k. I decided if I was in the top 10 for the 10k by the time the 5k finished I would keep on running. I was 12th at the turn. I ran anyway and finished 8th! Not too shabby for a renegade who had already run seven plus and wasn't racing. Every time I passed someone I said, "Don't worry. I'm not really running." I'm not sure if that translated.

The highlight was shaking Kosaror Cheru's hand. He finished in 31 minutes. (Did I mention it was POURING RAIN?) Pretty impressive. As he is Kenyan, I told him "Habari Yako" which put such a smile on his face, I knew we were about to become friends. He asked ME for a photo!



Turns out "Sammy" Cheru lives in Guadalajara where he trains full time. He's running his first marathon in a month. I'm sure he will do great. Look out for him in the future. The Kenyan Mexican is en fuego!

After we took the above picture, I tried to talk myself into a t-shirt from the race organizers. One person sent me to another person who sent me back to the first person - all for a white, see-through 50/50 t-shirt. I finally gave up, ran home and ate a big breakfast of pancakes, bacon and fresh fruit.

Mexico Part 1

I'm in the middle of Oonie Koonie Cha, week 1. If you don't know what that means, click Oonie Koonie Cha and find out.

So in the next week I want to post at least two, hopefully three, maybe four posts about our Mexico trip before writing about our adventures at OKC Camp.

Highlight Number 1 for me was watching Dave Dave learn to swim.

Here is Dave Dave in his puddle jumper at the beginning of the week.

Here is Dave Dave jumping off the wall in his puddle jumper at the beginning of the week.

















Dave Dave stinking loves that puddle jumper. I wasn't sure if we were ever going to get it off him. Fortunately, a little peer pressure from his cousin Wyatt was able to do for Dave Dave what persuasion from his parents could not.


















He did it!

He swam!

Great job Dave Dave!

Carolina Point - The Best Week of Their Lives

I'm running for these guys. I'm running because I believe these guys have just as much right to have the best week of their lives as anybody. I want them to experience everything! I want to be part of the smiles you see in this video:



I'm running because that's what I'm good at. I'm sharing my book because it was a gift to me. What do I mean? I mean the story was like a gift. It was a gift to be the writer, and yes, to write is a gift. I work at it, sure. I work hard. Just like I'm training hard for this run. But the gift of it…I guess I believe you should give what you're good at. Share what you have. I can run. I can write. If I were my wife, I'd be your doctor.

I believe we each have something to give. Koren Henning has opened my eyes to that. Here are two videos that share her story:

"Koren"

Koren's Video

So this summer, I'm running 469 miles in 9 days so that those who couldn't, CAN. Take a look at this video for Carolina Point. Because of people like you and me, soon, every kid will get to zip line like this, swim like this, play like this, and be loved like this.




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