First.... Thanks to my lovely bride for guest posting for me!!!

She completes me.....but she had me at "hello" sigh

Anywho, i'm feeling great after spending two days at King's Island.

Man, do i love The Beast. It is truly the greatest wooden coaster ever. And i gotta say "Tomb Raider", is that spelled right, it just looks wrong for some reason, is the strangest ride i have ever been on. Any details would ruin it, but it's worth a look for any high intensity amusement nut cases out there.

Best part of my second day there was the time i spent with the kids. Anyway, i'm a coaster nut. i love them all. From my first ever at the age of 14 on the Loch Ness Monster in Busch Gardens Virginia to 23 years later on the Beast i can't get enough.

But now....

MacKenzie, my nine year old

...opted to spend some one on one time with me, riding some of her favorite rides. We had a blast as we rode her favorite, The Scrambler, but then ventured out into the coaster world.

The memory of her first blood curdling scream on a coaster is a memory i cherish. Her first understanding that the fun of coasters comes from the rush and their life affriming nature, and a good scream can be half the fun is one of my happiest moments.

As a father, i've always felt i can do more for my kids. i'm getting to feel it's really the little things the kids remember. When Mack decided to increase the intensity of the rides she did so with an excitement i was glad to help create for her. And when she decided to ride everything from the front seat, the only place to ride a coaster, how could i not almost cry at this american coaster entusiast in the making? And when she lifted her arms in the air for a drop for the first time, holding them high above her head, screaming her lungs out, laughing in the face of terror, i think i may have shed a tear while laughing.

She didn't ride any of the big ones, but she's well on her way, and at her own pace.

Quick note on running on my not so much running, running blog:

Mackenzie ran her first mile last week. It took about 14 minutes and she did stop to walk a little. She's well on her way to prepare for a 5k. That's her long term goal.

Funny how it's the little things.

Anyway, thanks for reading

oh yeah, one last thing...

Happy Birthday to Lisa