Uncle Leon

Leon and other spooky family members at the annual Halloween party.
This is the best picture of Leon I could find on my computer.
Sorry Leon.  It doesn't show your incredible height.

Leon joined the family when I was feeling, and looking, a bit large.  He married Derek's sister Megan four days before Connor was born.  I accidentally offended him once by thinking that he was the same height as Derek.  Leon is taller.  I used to think he was shy too, but apparently that isn't true either.  After all of these years I am still not a Leon expert, but I have learned a few things about him.

He likes sports a lot and he is good at sharing that love, and his skills, with his children and with other children too.  In the city leagues he has coached every sport his children have played (soccer, baseball, and basketball).  He has done particularly well at sharing the love of sports with his son Isaac, who is a sports enthusiast.  Leon and Isaac love to watch BYU play -- if they win.  Otherwise they both might be sent into fits of depressed grumpiness for a while.

Leon loves playing in water.  His family (the one he grew up in) has gone to Lake Powell every year for I don't know how long and they continue to go every year.  He and Megan worked out a way that Leon can teach his kids how to swim at a local hotel's pool.  Megan has said that Leon is a very hands-on Dad.  He loves his kids and takes time to play with them and teach them.

I asked my kids what they know about Uncle Leon and they said "He loves sports", and "He's a fun uncle".  I didn't exactly get specifics in how he is fun -- but he must be because they said so.  Yesterday I had his son Mitch in the car and all of the boys were in the car playing the game where you find the alphabet, in order, on the signs and license plates that you see.  Mitch informed us that his Dad had been playing that game since he was a boy and and that he was really good at it.  He demonstrated how fast his Dad could find the alphabet.  It was pretty fast!

You know Leon is a good guy because his wife loves to talk to him and because he is a scout master who is willing to go off on winter camping trips volunarily -- on his birthday.

I hope he has a less scout-oriented celebration planned for his birthday too.  Happy Birthday Leon!