Category Archives: Fun

Post Groundhog Day

February 4, 2014Adventure, Awesome, Family, Fun, NatureFamily, Fun, Groundhog day...better than Christmas!, Punxsutawney Phil, the one true groundhogwarren

So, here’s the rest of the story…we toured around Punxsutawney all day on Saturday buying souvenirs and generally acting touristy. The town undoubtedly makes a good bit of money during this celebration and that is cool. We enjoyed seeing the sights but headed in a little early because we knew we had to be up early for the real celebration. You see, bus tickets to Gobbler’s Knob go on sale starting at 2am, February 2. I knew my family wouldn’t follow me quite that early so we opted to sleep in until 3:30 am. At 3:30, we hopped up (I did anyhow) and headed to one of the bus stops. I was shocked. I mean, there were a number of people around on Saturday, but the crowd was amazing for the real show.

The powers-that-be had done it right though…there were a metric crap-ton of buses shuttling people the 1.5 or so miles from town up to the Knob. We got there sometime early…I can’t remember exactly when, but early enough to get a pretty good spot, not too far back from Phil’s burrow-of-prediction. It was still dark and had started to rain. It was still rain but it was that cold rain, just above freezing that is so pleasant. When we got there, the crowd was large but little did we know…

Some of the members of the Inner Circle were there keeping the crowd excited and they did a heck of a job. When you see it all on TV, they look sort of formal, but let me tell you, they know how to have a good time. I mean, they wee singing and dancing and telling funny stories. Honestly, I see why Phil trusts them so much. They are good people for making this weekend a success!

At some point, they had a band come on and play some music…and then some dancers…and them more music and singing…and then some pretty cool fireworks. Time is sort of a blur but we had a good time. More and more people showed up as time went on though and it got extremely crowded. We honestly had to shove back against people to keep from being knocked over or otherwise moved from our position. Being a jerk, I am pretty well disposed to that anyhow, but I do not think Emily or the kids enjoyed that part too much.

Panorama of the crowd at Gobbler’s Knob…this doesn’t really capture the size of the crowd (click to make it bigger)

Sadly, this isn’t really a kid-friendly affair. For too many people, it was an excuse to get dunk and act stupidly. I am all for a good time, but my only complaint is that the powers-that-be didn’t jerk people out of the crowd by their ears when they started acting like total morons. Oh well, such is life and my kids already knew all those bad words anyhow (thanks to their Mom of course).

Phil's prediction with the Inner Circle — Phil’s prediction with the Inner Circle

Anyhow, the Inner Circle finally retrieved Phil from his den. The President of the Inner Circle, the only human able to translate Groundhogese discussed with Phil his outlook and declared that Phil saw his shadow thus guaranteeing 6 more weeks of winter.

Just a few buses from Gobbler's Knob — Just a few buses from Gobbler’s Knob

Now I never doubt Phil…after all, he is the Seer of Seers and the Prognosticator of Prognosticators, but I was a little disappointed in his prediction. I cannot be selfish however, as he is merely the bringer of news. And based on how things are looking, I’d say he was spot on (as usual)!

Groundhog Day Eve!

February 1, 2014Adventure, Awesome, Family, FunBest birthday present ever!, Groundhog day...better than Christmas!, Not your ordinary whistlepigwarren

Oh my word! It’s here! The best holiday of the year! I love Groundhog Day…it signals the beginning of the end of Winter, my bane! This year, we decided to make the trek to Punxsutawney, PA, the home of the Seer of Seers, the Prognosticator of Prognosticator, the world famous Punxsutawney Phil!

Tourists in Punxsutawney, PA — Tourists…Check

This year, for my birthday, Emily gave me a trip with the family of my choice to the one true Groundhog Day celebration. We drove in last night and I had a terrible time falling asleep. I was like a little kid on Christmas!

This morning, we drove into Punxsutawney and actually found great parking right away. There is still much snow on the ground so we sloshed around to the main square where we saw all sorts of sights. We saw wood carvers and magicians and all sorts of tourists. The first thing we bought were awesome wool Phil hats so we could easily be identified as “tourists”. Punxsutawney is all about Phil so there are groundhog statues and paintings all over the place! We took pics of a bunch of them. There were all sort of families were around so we had no problem finding people to take our picture.

Phil’s Inner Circle were all about town and were quite friendly and approachable. We talked to a few of the fellows, probably for 10-15 minutes. They are great salesmen of the experience and I really appreciated their helpfulness in figuring out what we needed to see and do!

The family with Jim Cantore — Groundhog hat compliant!

Jim Cantore and the Weather Channel crew were around and also very approachable (not while on the air of course). I asked him to take a pic with me, the two most handsome bald people in Punxsutawney (and maybe all of Pennsylvania) this weekend. He was very nice and kind to allow us to get pics.

Phil's den at Gobbler's Knob — Phil’s den at Gobbler’s Knob

Gobbler’s Knob, the location where Phil makes his prediction, is open ahead of the big reveal so we got a chance to walk around and actually touch his chamber. I was trembling like a little girl from the excitement!

We bought all sorts of souvenirs and walked all over town. I am so excited for tomorrow morning! We plan to get up around 3am to make the trek to Gobbler’s Knob on this best birthday trip ever!

Snow sucks…and other stuff

January 3, 2014Family, Food, FunChristmas fun!, Family, Is that elf...normal?warren

Right after Christmas, the kids and I went to PA to visit with my family. Various things have gone down recently which changed other plans so this was sort of a spur of the moment trip. Luckily, my brother and sister-in-law were able to make it too so we had a chance to just goof around together.

So we left WV on Friday morning and headed North. It was pleasant when we left here but as we approached Tionesta, PA, we found snow. Luckily it wasn’t on the roads but snow still sucks. Of course, in my misery, I felt the need for comfort food. Comfort food is a personal thing of course, but to me it meant ring bologna (on this trip at least). There is a local store that used to be sort of famous for their ring bologna. I stopped there before even going to my parents’ home. I swear they used to have rings just hanging from the rafters but I suppose sanitation concerns took over eventually. They still had bologna but it was sealed and in a refrigerated case. I don’t think any other part of the store had been cleaned since the last time I was there 25 years ago, but the bologna was good.

Abigail and my SIL saw the snow as an opportunity so they headed out to build snowmen. There wasn’t a lot of snow but they worked with what they had. They made a snow turtle, a snow pig, a snow teenager(complete with smart phone) and a snowman. Definitely cool…but snow still sucks.

We ate meat and cheese for lunch and opened some gifts. Abigail got a chemistry set from my brother, the chemist, so they did some experiments and no one got hurt. We ate more meat and cheese and drank a little beer…just a little. Then we acted like idiots. Well, we didn’t just start then but it became more apparent as the day went on. We had a pretty good time and I think I finally am recovered from eating all that ring bologna!

Throwing knives…the perfect gift for my lovely wife

December 30, 2013Adventure, Awesome, FunFun, I didn't think this one all the way through, Merry Christmas, outdoor stuff is always cool right?warren

As you may have discerned from reading my drivel, I am a practical sort of guy. Most times that blends well with my continued happiness and allows me to maximize money and get stuff done. Among some of our friends and acquaintances, however, my practicality has become somewhat notorious. But really, what person doesn’t want to get gifts they can use? And sometimes Emily needs to use vacuum cleaners or frying pans.

Muffin pans for Christmas — Practical…cast iron muffin pan!

So, this year for Christmas, I decided to get Emily one practical gift and one not practical gift. I like to cook bacon (and other stuff too) using a cast iron skillet. Occasionally, Emily cooks cornbread and uses my skillet. I figured a good practical gift would be to get her a cast iron muffin pan she can use when she makes her excellent cornbread. It’s practical, will last forever and is something she needed. I am thinking, “score!” with the practical…and normally that would be enough, but this year, I went above and beyond. Friends, I got her the infamous practical gift but I also got her a frivolous gift just because I care and want her to be happy.

Throwing knives for Christmas — I may have made a huge mistake…that “smile”…

Imagine my surprise when she didn’t run over and hug me when she opened her throwing knives! I mean, what woman wouldn’t enjoy a nice set of throwing knives? Apparently throwing knives are not a suitable Christmas gift for one’s wife. After much discussion among the men in my circle, none of them understands the problem with the gift either. I asked if she wanted me to return them and she said, “No, I intend to get very good at throwing them…” I couldn’t hear the end of her sentence but I think she said something like, “…just keep smiling target-boy”

After Christmas 2013

December 26, 2013Family, FunChristmas can actually be fun!, Familywarren

Christmas with little kids is a lot of fun, but I think it might be even better with older kids. We started asking the kids what they wanted for Christmas a few months ago and they didn’t really have a lot to say. Both wanted some books and a movie or two. Maybe some music and some candy. It was pretty cool although when you want to buy stuff for the kids, it works better when they offer some suggestions. Gone are the days (thankfully) of buying plastic stuff that makes noise…any old thing as long as it makes noise …that’s a guarantee that the kids will like it.

Their tastes are more refined now I guess… (which is wonderful…don’t get me wrong). Anyhow, we finally drug out of Isaac that he would like a home gym and Abigail offered that a new flute would be nice (that was as much her flute teacher seeing the need I think). We spent a lot of time letting them believe that neither would happen, being big ticket items.

Bored — Isaac was not impressed…and yes, that is a bathtub in our family room…

I don’t think the picture captured it but I have never actually seen Abigail’s jaw drop leaving her speechless! It was fantastic! Isaac also was thrilled with some video games and chocolate. It was pretty nice really to get them the exact things they wanted.

We spent time with family and ate too much of course. We will travel to PA this weekend to hang with my people. It’s just been an easy going holiday and I couldn’t be happier with how the kids have blossomed into nice people!

Middle school band concert!

December 24, 2013Audio, Awesome, Fun, WVAwesome, Band kids are awesome!, Musicwarren

With Christmas near, it is concert season! Most recently Isaac’s band performed their Christmas concert. I learned a few years ago that his middle school band is incredible and always puts on a superb show!

Isaac plays tenor sax and is really pretty talented at it. He picked up clarinet and can play it pretty well too. I don’t know if his band director knows that but his first love is tenor so it probably doesn’t matter. Anyhow, the local middle school band has around 120 kids and they can play as well as many older bands I have seen. In addition to the concert/marching band, Isaac also plays in the jazz band, a group of about 20 or so musicians.

So, I am so proud that both kids play music and I was especially excited to hear what they had put together this year! I guess some people don’t look forward to this sort of thing, but I was on the edge of giddy waiting for their first number!

I think the music speaks for itself (of course, remember this is just my recording with my phone)! These kids are amazing and work so very hard and their dedication really shows! This concert really got me in the Christmas spirit and I couldn’t be prouder of Isaac and his band-mates!

The lighting of the MyHomeAmongTheHills.com Christmas tree

December 9, 2013Family, FunFamily fun!, Merry Christmas baby!, Pagan tree tradition needs love toowarren

Just like everyone else, this time of year is very busy for us. Both kids have numerous concerts between Abigail’s singing in the Appalachian Children’s Chorus and participating the county’s music magnet program and Isaac’s playing in the middle school band. Thanksgiving being late threw us off even more so we only put up our tree on Sunday. We do not usually decorate too early but rarely do we have a tree up for only 2 weeks either.

Our Christmas tree...still wrapped up! — Our Christmas tree…still wrapped up!

Finally this weekend, we got a few free moments to go to the farmers’ market to buy a locally grown tree (WV local anyhow). It’s a pretty good time skittering around through the hundreds of trees for sale. The smell of pine (in fact, the very smell of Christmas) is fantastic and people are generally pretty friendly. Some trees are high dollar but we generally steer away from those vendors. Unlike most years where we put a tree in our living room with 10′ ceilings, this year we are decorating in the family room with 7′ ceilings. Lots of times we look for the trees that are a little off-shape…not usually a true Charlie Brown Christmas tree but tending that way. So, we looked and looked and finally found the perfect tree from a farm in French Creek, WV for $34. Emily paid and I drove around where the attendants even tied it on the roof for us! He told me it was a 70 mph tie-job though I decided not to test the bailing twine.

We got the tree positioned and started with the lights. Like every year, somehow the process of storing the lights for 10 months or so caused half of the strings to die so we had to run out and get new lights. Finally, after a trip or two out of the house, we finally got around to actually hanging the ornaments.

Decorating progress... — Decorating progress…

Friends, I have to confess that I do not enjoy any part of Christmas decorating once the tree is inside the house. I like picking the tree and even setting it upright but then my fun is over. Isaac is pretty much the same as me so Emily hangs lights and then she and Abigail hang the bulk of the decorations. We usually listen to Christmas music and joke around but that’s the extent of what we do. This year, with a smaller tree, we are hanging far fewer ornaments that usual so it was more enjoyable that usual.

Once we were all done, Isaac and Abigail sort of wrestled around in the family room and had a lot of fun. Emily looked over at me and smirked, “and that’s why we set up a tree”. Although Isaac and I don’t like decorating, the process did somehow put us both into a playful mood and it was totally worth it! Christmas has finally set in at our house too!

The lighting of the WV Christmas tree

December 4, 2013Fun, WVFun, Merry Christmas baby!, WVwarren

Here it is Christmastime already! Abigail is a member of the Appalachian Children’s Chorus and they were invited to sing at the lighting of the official WV Christmas tree! Two large high school bands filled the steps of the WV Capitol building and played back and forth a number of…patriotic songs. Not really a Christmas song in the entire bunch. Although I didn’t get much Christmas spirit from their music, they were quite good and a lot of fun to hear.

Herschel “Woody” Williams, a proud West Virginian and the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Iwo Jima led the Pledge of Allegiance. Abigail and her group sang a Christmas song or two and the Governor and First Lady lit the official tree.

The Appalachian Children's Chorus — The Appalachian Children’s Chorus

The official Christmas tree of the state of West Virginia

The tree itself is nice and the ceremony was cool and all that but what sort of surprised me the most is how accessible the Governor and his wife were during the whole celebration. Along with many people, I walked right up to him to wish him a Merry Christmas. He posed for many pictures and kissed a few babies (literally). I don’t figure every state could pull this off, but I was sort of proud that here in WV, we really are like one great big small town. Sure, there were a pair of fairly large state troopers standing nearby, but they shook hands and kissed a baby or two as well.

Christmas celebrations all over the Capitol grounds

So, I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but in my small town of WV, we are now officially in the Christmas spirit!

Paper airplanes from the Mound

December 2, 2013Fun, WVFun at work...really?, I just want to win at something!warren

We have a sort of tradition in my company. I call it an annual tradition but really, it’s just every few years when I remember to get everyone together to play along. The tradition is that around the Thanksgiving holiday, we fly paper airplanes where the longest flight wins. In our previous location (we bought a new building!) we could fly the planes from the roof top. That building was 4 stories tall and perfect for such a contest. Our new building, however, is one story and in the valley besides so we had to improvise.

Powered paper airplane — A thing of beauty!

Our place is located in downtown South Charleston, WV. South Charleston is locally famous for several things but most people know it best by the large Indian Mound in the center of the city. I capitalize “Indian Mound” because it is an ancient Adena Indian burial ground. It’s a landmark in the Charleston area and is well known as “the Mound”. My building is a few blocks away so we decided it was a perfect place from which to fly our paper airplanes this year.

Weather here has been random as always so on the appointed day, we had to contend with both snow and wind.. My intrepid co-workers braved the weather and we flew planes. I thought I had it all wrapped up this year. A family member bought me an airplane add-on that seemed like it would take the cake…it was a motorized propeller that attaches to the plane. While the idea was awesome, it failed pretty badly. I think the wind got the best of my design. I did come in last place though!

Folks created all sorts of planes and one guy had his kids doing research on the best planes all week leading up to the event. The winner, though, sort of exceeded all expectations. One person attached two helium balloons to her plane and set it off into the wild white yonder. It sort of bumbled along the rooftops for awhile but definitely stayed in the air the longest. It won both time and distance awards!

Although I took the loss pretty hard, it was really cool to get out with a bunch of folks at my office and have a good time in preparation to the holidays. Does anyone else have such traditions?

An early end to “No kiss November”

November 27, 2013FunFun, I needs ma kissin'warren

Many men (and some women) take part in an annual tradition called No-shave November aka Novembeard aka Movember aka Brovember wherein participants agree not to shave all or part of their faces for the 11th month of the year.

I sort of participated this year. We had some events and things going on early in the month so I didn’t really start until the 18th. As soon as I told Emily that I planned to start, she re-named the month “No-kiss November”. I got a good solid week of growth in before it drove me nuts…I mean before the “no-kiss” part drove me nuts…itchy beard? Not a problem at all!

So last night I decided to shave it off and return to humanity (and kisses). As with most of my spur-of-the-moment decisions, I started this one late in the evening. It takes awhile to mow the man-beard and it causes all sorts of pain and emotional distress.

When I was finally done, I ran into the bedroom to announce to Emily that I had ended “No-kiss November” a little early. She rolled over, having been asleep already , and told me to shut up as she was in the middle of a good dream…

My Home Among The Hills

Life in WV!