Family Fun in Tipp City

There are millions of great things about family reunions but there are two particular things I love about our reunions with my Mom's Rousculp/King side of the family: the location and the kiddos.

Vita, Merrick, Carolyn, Mackenzie & Molly

If I were to ever dream of living anywhere besides the Valley, it would be in a town just like Tipp City, Ohio--and probably Tipp since I have family there. I'm sure part of it is the childhood memories of visiting my Grandma there since the beginning of my life, as well as hearing the stories from both of my parents of growing up in Tipp. Any time we visit it's almost as if they transport back in time and wave of energy from their youth fills their spirits. Every street corner and building is a memory and it's hard for them to go anywhere without STILL knowing someone.

The town itself is small but I have the joy of having three relatives own houses along main street--just before the railroad tracks that lead into the real "downtown" area of Main Street. My Uncle Mike has owned an old house on Main my entire life (I'm pretty sure) and my mom and sister actually lived in a house across the street for a time before moving to Kentucky. Just a few doors up is my cousin and her family of five--three little girls and her hubby. Then just about three years ago my other uncle--my Mom's other brother--bought another house on the street, which was actually where my Uncle Kelly (my mom's brother-in-law) grew up. (I told you: SMALL TOWN!) The houses are all so old and beautiful. It makes me SO jealous to not be able to afford to build a house with as much character as such houses used to have.

Since my grandma's passing in 2009 our gatherings have typically been at one of my uncle's houses since both have splendid porches to enjoy summer days. It also makes it hard for anyone in town who knows the family to miss the fact we are having a get together. It's never a surprise to have someone just drop-in when they see an event taking place. It's also easy, from either house, to take a stroll to downtown. Antique shops, boutiques, a great toy store, restaurants, the public library and great coffee shops all line the picturesque streets. Maybe it's just me but it feels like something from a movie. 

The more recent great thing about our gatherings is the ever-growing number of kiddos present. The family had an explosion of girls several years back, so there are always lots of pig tails running about. Since then we've added some boys to the mix. These kids really are just stair stepping along. I believe the oldest is going into 4th grade with several more that range down to kindergarten. Then we have a few toddlers--two boys and a girl (who was sadly not there this year...) And rounding it out: a 16-month old, 11-month old and 7-month! The trend is obviously not ending soon with Michelle and I finally pulling the weight for my Mom's share of the next generation kiddos. Despite these kids only getting together maybe once a year--twice if they are lucky--they always seem to have a fantastic time together.

Lyla

Rosey

Luke

James

Theo

This really does not relate to the rest of the post but I can't not include note of and a picture of my cousin's awesome, redone '92 Jeep. Yes, this was a normal jeep that he turned completely awesome and now has the pleasure of receiving comments and looks everywhere he goes!

O's Summer Visit to The Valley

We had a great visit from Mingus's family this past weekend! His parents and sister all made the trip from Indiana as well as our nephew and godson O! We had a beautiful Saturday for lots of fun activities including fishing, breaking and canning beans, playing in the creek, outdoor fun and a campfire! We're hopeful for the day when O can come stay for a stretch of time with us in the Valley and make even more great memories!

Sports Talk: Summer and The Sandlot

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published July 3, 2013.  

I could not help but noticed how timely it seemed that I had the opportunity to interview with former St. Louis Cardinal and Casey County graduate, Don Durham.

It’s hard for me to believe that it was twenty years ago that one of my generation’s favorite childhood movies first came to the big screen: The Sandlot. The coming-of-age film is the story of a young group of baseball players during the summer of 1962.

A ragtag bunch of kids, for the most part, they all know everything there is to know about America’s greatest pastime and they all dream of playing in the big leagues. They meet up daily and almost always it’s at their neighborhood ball field. The end of the film tells you that one of those boys went on to play major league baseball.

A great summer movie, The Sandlot was my first trip to the drive-in theater—another great summer activity from yesteryear that carries a sense of romance. For that reason, the movie has always brought back to me a sense of summer fun and freedom you only find in your youth.

Hearing Don’s story recently brought that fictional story to life. I attended Middleburg Elementary as a youngster in Casey County and I remember the old, fairly unused baseball fields in the area. We never really used them for the sport during my elementary years and I never thought much of these fields. I wasn’t sure if anyone used them and why they were even there.

But these fields were exactly the special places The Sandlot, as a movie had to create in order to bring forth a sense of summer fun and childhood dreams. The difference is the fields I looked upon, empty, in my childhood, were the real fields where stories like The Sandlot truly took place—and Don Durham is living proof of those stories.

In addition to Don’s story, the Fourth of July tends to make me think of this classic movie also. I spent three college summers working for the Governor’s Scholars Program at Bellarmine Unviersity. With over 300 students on campus, it was quite costly to transport the entire group off campus. It was always a disappointment for students to find out they would be missing out on any firework shows for Independence Day, but it just did not fit the budget.

Instead, the program would have a big-screen showing of The Sandlot for the Fourth. Not only was it a great summer movie, but one scene includes a great firework show, so in some sense, the students got their fireworks for the holiday.

For those in school, summer is already half over. It may not be 1962 anymore, but be sure to get outside and enjoy all that makes summer, summer: swimming, carnivals, baseball, fireworks, drive-in movies and most importantly fun with friends.

If you need any inspiration, try watching The Sandlot. If you’ve never seen it, you may finally understand when someone says to you, “You’re killin’ me, Smalls!”

Sports Talk: Nothing like a summer day at the ball park!

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published June 19, 2013.  

I attended my first Major League Baseball game in two years last weekend. I have not actually been to many MLB games in my lifetime. I did, however, attend my fair share of Louisville Bats games while living in the city, but I did not even get to do that last summer. Friday evening was definitely a reminder of that special something baseball can bring to summertime.

The Reds played the Brewers, which was cool to me, as a Brewers’ home game was actually the first MLB game I ever attended. My uncle took my brother and I, along with our cousin, when we visited one summer long ago. He taught us all of the tricks to enjoying a good baseball game—including catching a foul ball. (I think that wasn’t so much a “trick” but just the kind of luck my uncle tended to bring when it came to sports in our lives.) For that reason, the Brewers still hold meaning in my world, even if my husband would have preferred watching the Cards and Reds face off the week before.

We got lucky with the weather not only being sunny and beautiful, but not extremely hot nor humid either. We got to enjoy plenty of deliciously bad-for-you ball park food (more than either of us needed) and see the Reds take a close win.

You see a lot of people at the ball park, ready to enjoy a game: groups of young friends and groups of old friends; old families and new families.

While I definitely enjoyed the game itself (I wanted the Reds to win, but I admit that I was more than OK with the Brewers playing well enough to make it a ball game), I was equally entertained by the group of three boys who sat behind us for a large portion of the game.

The three of them were there with fathers/uncles/grandfathers (could have been any or all thre) and were probably between the ages of five and seven. One definitely knew “all” there was to know about baseball and Reds games and was telling the others exactly the things to yell, what all of the fun on the jumbo tron was all about, when they needed to stand up and dance in hopes of getting on the jumbo tron and why baseball was his favorite sport.

One of the younger boys had lots of questions and was very concerned about seeing a home run and when there would be fireworks. He was also having a hard time deciding if baseball was his first favorite sport or second, until he remembered this was his second Reds game and he definitely liked watching baseball games, so it was probably his favorite.

I find there is something relaxing and down to earth about baseball when you are actually there at the field. It does get intense and it is a very serious sport, but there is such a positive, family-oriented and fun atmosphere that surrounds it. You expect to see young kids running around begging for another hot dog.

Sitting at the game on the Friday before Father’s Day, seeing so many youngsters there with their daddies—and seeing adults enjoying the game with their fathers—made me think about what a neat memory attending a baseball can be (and is) for anyone who was fortunate to have been taken to a game as a young one.  

My husband and I were both athletes but baseball and softball were not our sports, but I still know that I’ll be excited about the opportunity to take our kid(s?) to a baseball games someday. Yes, football and basketball and soccer games would be cool too, but I think baseball is special. This, coming from the girl who is not an avid baseball follower, but still holds fond memories of her first MLB game many moons ago with her uncle.

A Graduation Celebration

It's pretty much a given that anytime the Dixon Clan and the Hellyer crew get together, a good time is bound to be had. Last year we had the pleasure of celebrating Jo & MJ's wedding together. This past weekend we celebrated two graduations: Clint's high school graduation from Boyle County High and Hayley's college graduation from Campbellsville University. 

The Hellyer Ladies

Eaglenest has a great set up for hosting a large group--especially on a beautiful summer day like we had. A spacey kitchen for lots of food, an open room with lots of seating for lounging, and a great deck that overlooks an open field perfect for yard games!

Socializing in the sunshine!

It was the first time Jo, Michelle and I have gotten to be all together since announcing our baby news in April so it was fun to compare bumps and the fun of the journey we are on! Jo recently found out they will be having a baby girl! Mingus and I could have had our gender told to us at our last appointment (20 weeks) but (much to his dismay) I insisted we keep it a mystery! (He says he can deal with mysteries better than "surprises" so I'm working on calling it a mystery instead!) I think he is semi-okay with not knowing, but sitting in that room with the ultrasound tech who DID know killed him! SOMEONE knew and he did not. I promised him that if he wants to know next time we can find out but I want to have a surprise this one time!

The Mamas and their bellies

The Papas and their bellies!

We decided to conduct the "Pencil Test" to see what it says the gender of ours and Nic & Michelle's will be. I see it as kind of like the Ouija Board--I still want it to be a mystery but it's still fun to see what it says... We used Jo as our "control" group... as in, she took the test too and sure enough it said she was having a girl! As for us? Boy and Boy says the pencil test!

Pencil test says... boy?

It was a great day and we were there long into the night enjoying the company and food. There was a never-ending game of Kubb going on in the yard between Clint and his friends and a bunch of family--which they referred to as the "adult" team. Which to me was just weird because Pa was about the only one on the team I see as an "adult"...the rest were Boo, Nic, Mingus, etc, etc...

The "Adult" team in the Kubb game!

Mingus and I both had a great time with everyone. Wish gatherings like that could happen more often but we sure are grateful when they do!

Sports Talk: Kubb, a New Yard Game Favorite

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published June 12, 2013. 

Reunions and outdoor picnics come with several staples: good food and enjoyable company. Hopefully there is pleasant weather and, for a definite good time, there will also be music and yard games.

Horseshoes and croquet have been around quite a long time. Cornhole (or beanbag toss as some may call it) and yard golf (or hillbilly golf) have become more and more common in the past decade or so.

These games are great for multiple reasons:

   (1) Anyone can play because being good doesn’t matter that much.

   (2) They are easy to set up, take down and transport

   (3) Most can be made yourself out of basic materials

A new game has come to my attention this spring and summer, and the more I see it played the more I’m convinced it’s a winner.

Kubb, also known as “Viking Chess”, is often described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes. The object of the game to knock over wooden blocks with sticks.

Yes, I know. It sounds extremely primitive… but maybe that’s why they call it Viking Chess? And keep in mind… Throwing bean bags at a hole doesn’t sound that much better! But as most of us know, the competition quickly turns to fun.

One of the best parts of Kubb is that it’s easy to play with a large group of people. While most other yard games are played in two teams of two (four people total), Kubb is usually played by at least teams of three (six total) or even more. Six sticks are thrown on each team’s turn, easily allowing six per team and 12 players total.

This past weekend I attended my cousin’s high school graduation celebration. My older brother was given a Kubb set several years ago by our uncle who made the set himself. For whatever reason, this spring was the first time my brother actually got the game out and learned how to play, but it has been a hit at every gathering so far.

With a large amount of people at last weekend’s event, I think most who ended up trying Kubb first did so because the other games were full. However, by the end of the evening, it was the only game being played and had turned into quite the scene.

Several of my uncles and cousins had been playing earlier in the afternoon when the graduate and several of his friends decided it was their turn to play. Rather than turning the field over to the group of high school grads, those previously playing took it as a challenge and said they had to earn the field first. Next thing I knew, it had turned into a game of about eight vs. eight. The high school graduates verses the “adults”.

This made me laugh, being that the “adult” team was primarily composed of my brother, husband and cousins and their significant others. Being that we all graduated high school and college around the same time and are in our late 20s, being called the “adults” by 18-19 year-olds felt pretty funny, but I guess it just means we’re getting old!

While the younger team originally took the challenge from the “adults” in order to get in a victory and then be able to play themselves, it turned into an on-going event of endless games until cell phone lights were being used to find the sticks in the dark.

Watching them from the deck above the field my cousin who had never played or heard of the game, saw the scene of 15-20 people playing and watching and asked, “So, they’re just throwing sticks around??” It’s hard not to laugh at such a simple idea, but you might be surprised how fun and competitive it gets.

If you’ve not yet heard of or played Kubb, look it up online. Sets can be purchased or easily made. You could be the first to introduce your friends and family to a new yard game favorite!

A Perfect Memorial Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend Camping has come and gone again. It's crazy how long this has been going on when I really think about it. It started with my uncles when I was very young and eventually my cousins and I were old enough to have our own little campfire and set up tents. 

Once my brother got to high school the original campers had dwindled and their celebrations no longer happened, but Nic and cousin Joshie continued the tradition with their friends. The modern Memorial Weekend began in about 2001. Once Nic went to Bellarmine it only grew as it is the one weekend of the year when many out of towners make the trip down to "The County," as it has come to be called. We realized just how long the camping has been going on when Gress pointed out this year was his 10th Memorial Weekend in The County.

Given I was not around last year (due to bachelorette party fun in Chicago!), but there was a definite turn in what the event was this year. The craziness of a bunch of college kids causing shenanigans in the woods has turned. Now it is a weekend of turning off cell phones and enjoying a break from "real life" while enjoying the company of great friends. 

Coolers full of beer and hot dogs are not the staple any longer. We've upgraded to having a deluxe smoker and a table spread of deliciously grilled food. We ate elaborate breakfasts complete with fresh fruit, biscuits, eggs, sausage, cinnamon rolls, hash browns, Bloody Marys, and bacon. Dinners included grilled asparagas, barbequed rabbit and chicken, steaks, turkey sausage orzo, sweet potatoes,  potatoes, burgers, deep friend frog legs and ribs. 

"Early" to bed is no longer 2 a.m. but instead 11 p.m. and the late nighters of 4 a.m.--no all-nighters--are few and far between. Terrible morning hangovers are over and productive, enjoyable days ensue. (I'm sure the perfect 70-degree weather with no humidity aided that.)

We even have kids and babies camping with us now and with Michelle and I expected to have little ones of our own next year, no doubt baby festivities will only continue.

Sports Talk: My Favorite US Gold Medal So Far

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published August 8, 2012.
  

I know that the track and field events just got underway this past weekend, but I think I found my most impactful moment in the 2012 Olympics on Friday evening in a non-running event.

It was indeed a race that resulted in a gold that has won my awe and it was even in my preferred distance: 800 meters. However, it was not on a track, but in a pool, when 15-year old Katie Ledecky blew away her competition in her unexpected swim to glory.

I believe much of my enjoyment in the swimming events this year is the parallel to track, which I spent a good portion of my life dedicated to. My appeal for swimming is the duration it takes for the finish.

Having been a 400- to 1600-meter runner,  my focused run lasted more than a blink of an eye, like the 100-meter. They required more strategy than simply all-out speed. You took things into account like your start and your pace and your kick. These things are not looked at in the same light for a 100-meter sprint, but they are in a 100-meter swimming event.

I love seeing come-backs, or watching the one competitor push the pace, or seeing someone decide to make their charge.

Ledecky—only 15—was not expected to win gold in the 800-meter freestyle. (Do you realize she was only 11 years old when the Beijing Olympics took place??) It was a hopeful thought that the youngster would make it on the medal stand when up against the reigning champion and the world record holder, Rebecca Adlington of Great Britain.

But I believe that her youth is the greatest advantage Ledecky had in that race. Rather than being intimidated on the big stage she swam with a ‘what have I got to lose’ attitude.

Ledecky took the lead early in the race with Adlington and the Lotte Frilis, Denmarke’s expected competition to rival Adlington for gold, comfortably behind her. I felt proud of the young American not afraid to go out with the big dogs and even push the pace.

In my mind, even with her early lead, I never expected her to win. In a distance race, the early leader never wins. It’s the same way I feel when I see my horse leading the opening of the Kentucky Derby.

The champ, the experienced, knows what their pace should be. That person knows how to stick comfortably with the pack and kick it into high gear at just the right moment to take over the event. Adlington would clearly do just that, right?

It was after 550-meters that my thoughts began to change. Ledecky remained on that yellow world record pace indicator. She was not only not backing off from it but Adlington and Frilis were not gaining on her. She had stretched her lead to a full body length.

By the time she was on her last 100-meter I was a believer that she just might hold this lead and, by golly, she might even break the world record! With her final turn she was over a body ahead of her competition. Unless she died to the point of being unable to swim, her competition was not going to catch her. Her lead was too strong.

Die she did not. She did not punch the wall in world-record time but she was only a half a second short.  Adlington’s world record time in Beijing was 8:14.10. Ledecky swam 8:14.63.

 All that came to my mind watching that young athlete swim ahead fearlessly was the most idolized runner of any track athlete: Steve Prefontaine. Anyone who knows the runner’s name knows he was much more than a record-breaking runner in the 70’s before his early death.

Prefontaine was a fearless runner who was oftentimes condemned by his coaches for not running a more traditional race, with a pace, a plan and a reserved kick. Prefontaine was the living  phrase “go hard or go home” and dying at the end of a race was never on his radar. If it happened, he would deal with it then, but the possibility of it happening never slowed his pace.

I suppose my newfound love of swimming really just proves my love of racing in general: pure gut, pure strength and pure athleticism on the line, side by side, in the spotlight to determine who is the best with a final time to declare it without question.

And the excitement is in the truth that on any given day in any given race, any given person has the chance to rise to the occasion and achieve the unexpected. For as much as we area amazed by through these Olympics, someone else is always waiting to give us another jaw-dropping moment.

Sports Talk: Let the Games Begin! Go Team USA!

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published July 25, 2012.

It’s finally here!

The 2012 Olympic Opening Cermonies kick off Friday. Haven’t had time to keep up with the hype and qualifying? Here are some highlights on who we are pulling for on team U.S.A.

Men’s Swimming: Michael Phelps, Ryan Locht and Anthony Ervin

Phelps only needs three medals to pass the most decorated Olympian of all-time, Larisa Latynina, who claimed 18 medals through her career. Phelps sits at 16 after six golds and two silvers in 2004 and eight golds in 2008.

Meanwhile, Locht, who helped push Phelps to his stardom, is now posing as a challenge. The two will face off in both the 200- and 400-meter individual medley races to prove who is the better swimmer.

Ervin, a 2000 gold-medal swimmer, took leave of the sport for years before his 2011 return and has found his way back to the games. He will again compete in the 50-meter freestyle for Team USA, in pursuit of another gold in the event.

Men’s Track & Field: Justin Gatlin, Ashton Eaton, Galen Rupp, Tyson Gay

Gatlin returns to the Olympic stage after being banned from the 2008 due to a steroid scandal. Gatlin won the 100-meter at the U.S. trials earlier this summer. 

Eaton broke the 11-year old world decathlon record at the trials and is expected to win the event in London.

Rupp could possibly be the first American to win a medal in an event longer than 800-meters since 1968. He will compete in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs.

And of course you must watch Kentuckian and world-renown runner Gay. I always like to brag about the fact I naively watched the speedster tear up the track at KHSAA state track meets back in my early running career.

Women’s Track & Field: Allyson Felix, Lolo Jones, Sanya Richards-Ross

Speed-demon Felix will compete in both the 100- and 200-meter with hopes of her first Olympic gold after taking home consecutive silver medals in the 200 in the last two games.

Although Jones is not the favored 100-meter hurdlers, she has captured the attention of many and you never know what the attention could translate to on race day.

It is quite rare, but three other athletes, including Michael Johnson, have proven that it is possible to take gold in both the 200- and 400-meter sprints. Richards-Ross will aim to be the fourth person to do so.

Women’s Beach Volleyball: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings

With over ten years of partnership on the sand, May and Walsh once went on a 101-game win streak along with capturing 18 tournament wins. However, since the duo picked up gold in both Athens and Beijing, they have experienced some defeat and now have China and Brazil nipping at their heals. Nonetheless, they are 2012 favorites and will set an Olympic record if they capture their third consecutive gold.

Women’s Gymnastics – Gabby Douglas and Jordan Wieber

The United States women’s gymnastic team has not won gold since Atlanta in 1996 and this team of youngsters are the favorites. There are hopes for several gold medals including Douglas the “flying squirrel” on the uneven bars and Wieber on the balance beam.

Men’s Basketball:

Do I even need to mention names to listen for? I bet most of you can name the entire team line-up anyway. Despite injuries to Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard, I do not think anyone has lost any hope for Lebron, and Kobe to lead the team to anything but gold in London.

Women’s Soccer:

Too many experiences of winning the World Cup, only to turn around and take silver in the Olympics does not set well with our country’s competitive spirit in general, but especially with this team of ladies. Hoping to avenge their loss to Japan in the 2011 World Cup, Hope Solo and Heather O’Reilly lead their team to the battle field.

Other names/events to pay attention to:

• Judo:  Kayla Harrison; potential to be U.S.’s first Olympic champion in judo history. 
• Men’s Gymnastics: Danell Leyva and John Orozco; they are leading the charge in bringing new light to the mens’ side of the gymnastic house. 
• Wrestling: Jordan Burroughs; Reigning world champion, he is one of America’s best hopes for a wrestling medal. 
• Weightlifting: Holley Mangold; More likely to be a 2016 medal contender, she is quickly improving and could surprise many in London. 
• Women’s Swimming: Missy Franklin; She has the opportunity to be the first American female athlete to capture seven medals at one Olympiad. 
• Diving: David Boudia, Troy Dumais, Kristian Ispen; Team U.S.A. has not medaled in diving since 2000. Any or all of these three could bring a return to America’s placing in this discipline.

Other First Place Favorites:

• Taekwondo: Steven Lopez
• Archery: Brady Ellison.
• Men’s Beach Volleyball Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser
• Women’s Road Cycling: Individual Time - Kristin Armstrong
• Women’s Basketball Team

First time Olympic title hopefuls:  

• Men’s and Women’s water polo 
• Women’s volleyball

 Needless to say, it is likely the most exciting event and news to keep up with is still TBD. That’s part of the Olympic fun—the unexpected stories. The good news is with live-streaming of all events online for the first time, you should not have to miss a thing.

Now let’s just hope the stereotypical rainy England weather doesn’t ruin the fun.

Go U.S.A!