To further our circus act, Regan and I started taking trampoline classes tonight to help improve our dismounts from the trapeze bar. As a kid I’ve always known someone with a trampoline and always enjoyed jumping on one. I was a little shocked when Regan said that she has never jumped on a trampoline before. Then the shock turned into concern because she is the only person I know that can easily give themselves a concussion.

So how did the class go? She was better at it than I was. That is up until the point where she started trash talking and told me that she was going to show me how it was done. After losing control of her bounce, she managed to knee herself in the head and fling herself half way across the trampoline to hit hard into the springs around the edge. If it wasn’t for two big padded things sitting on the edge of the trampoline she would have flung herself straight over the edge.

For anyone keeping score, here are the injuries so far:

Regan:

• Landed in the net wrong and hurt her neck, which resulted in five hours in Urgent Care.
• Bad take off from the trapeze platform, which resulted in an injured shoulder.
• Got cocky on the trampoline, which resulted in hurt pride and most likely bruised forehead.

Jason:

• No injuries to date despite the fact that he got dropped on his head from the trapeze.

Today is Groundhog day. This is a day that has been much anticipated here in the Parks’ household. Why? This Winter the only way Regan would let me grow out my beard, better known as my Winter coat, was that come Spring I would shave off my entire beard. Yes, my entire beard! No goatee. No mustache. No mutton chops. It had to all go.

While Spring officially doesn’t come until the end of March, this hasn’t stopped Regan from asking “Is it Spring yet?” A few weeks ago when she asked is it Spring yet, I told her that we would know when Spring was going to be on Groundhog Day. I made an error here. I thought the legend said that if the groundhog didn’t see his shadow that winter would be extended longer than it normally is. While in reality, which sometimes I don’t pay attention to, if the groundhog did see his shadow then Spring would come early. I have to start paying attention to things!

Right now the following groundhogs have seen their shadow, Punxsutawney Phil, Staten Island Chuck, Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam and General Beauregard Lee. Which means that I will be shaving my Winter coat soon;-(