Ian likes to find ways to make Cooper laugh. Cooper eats it up, of course. I love watching them play together!! (Disclaimer: No stuffed snakes or little brothers were hit in the making of this movie; I promise Ian isn't hitting Cooper hard...and the snake really is very soft!).
7.29.2008
7.28.2008
Our Trip to . . . Utah!
Since I'm making an attempt to do a bit more with blogging right now, I found a few old drafts that got stuck in the oblivion of blogging. This was from July 2008 when we came back from Las Vegas to Snowbird. How time flies and life changes! Ironically I am sitting at Snowbird right now typing this. Pretty amazing how big Bubba and his cousins have gotten over the past few years (and the additions who've joined the family!) 7.15.12
Ian Should Buy a Boat!
So, when we were getting ready to head back from Utah, my dad told me that he had made a discovery (actually a number of them) at a local garage sale. First of all, I had to ask my Dad when he started going to garage sales, because I honestly don't remember him ever going before, but I guess it is good for him to have new hobbies. (Five bucks says that he was actually looking for fishing gear). Anydangway, he found this little inflatable boat complete with motor for like seven bucks and thought that Ian would get a kick out of it in the pool.
We got it back home and assembled and Ian was really excited to take it out in the pool. Ian tried to carry it, but decided that he would rather be in charge of the squirt gun than the boat (which is like three times his size)
Ian got a huge kick out of the boat, and with Ian being a welterweight, it scooted around the pool pretty quickly. (Quick enough that he ran me over a couple of times, anyway). Luckily for the local civilian population, it looks like the motorized squirt gun has a blockage somewhere in the intake tube. Many were spared as a result of this malfunction.
My favorite part of watching him play with the boat was this-- he would pull up to the island and climb off, and then he would try to jump back onto the boat. Sometimes he actually made it and it was really cool. Sometimes he would actually make it too far and fall off the other side of the boat. The best was when he was short by just a little bit, because when he would hit the side of the seat just right he would bounce off of the side of that thing. You could almost hear the "boing!" right before the splash. I have to admit, I kept encouraging Ian to keep jumping!
I don't know who the fat white guy in this picture is, but Cooper seems to be enjoying himself on the boat. He was getting tired at this point and so we didn't get any other pictures of him, but he was cute for just long enough. We have taken the boat out a couple of times since and we have a great time jumping off of it and driving around the pool. Thanks, Granddad!
P.S. Just so you know, with Ian on there, that little motor pulls him around at just about the right speed to troll a Crippled Herring or a Carter Spoon.
7.25.2008
It's no secret...it's a sweltering jungle out here!
My sister Andrea graduated from Pleasant Grove High School (Go Vikings!) at the end of May. For her graduation present, we bought her a one-way plane ticket to fly down to Vegas, stay with us for a few days, and then help me by driving back back with the boys and me to Utah (yes, it was a mildly selfish gift, but I did take her to dinner while she was here, so I feel a little less guilty about it; though she does hate flying and driving, so I guess it goes to show she really loves us that she would do both in the same week!). One day while she was here we decided to take the boys to Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage to see the tigers and the dolphins. This was my first time going to the Strip without Chris, so I was a little nervous, especially taking the boys, but everything was fine and we had a great time.
"I want to touch the dol-phiiiiiinnnnnnn!!!!" That is exactly what Ian was screaming in this picture. I'm not exactly sure where he got this idea. And was actually pretty surprised that he even had any interest in touching them considering his last opportunity to touch an ocean-based creature (see our "Creepy Lobsters" post). But he was seriously irate that Andrea and I would not (or could not, in my opinion) let him touch the dolphins...(sigh)....the joy of trying to convince a 3-year-old that we aren't being mean but are just following the rules.
My cute sister, Andrea. Thanks so much An, for coming down and playing with us and for helping on the ride home; I know it was a long time in the car and that the boys were hard to handle at times. You're wonderful. We love you and are so excited that you'll be in Provo this fall going to BYU!
"Come on, Ian, grrr!" Jenny attempts to coax Ian from behind the camera. "Grrrr!!!" says Andrea. "Why are grownups so weird? What is Andrea doing?" puzzles Ian. You're so much fun, An, we love ya!
"Okay. Now I'm ready to growl." ("What? I'm two. What else do you expect? I'm in charge. I decide when and how things happen. Remember?)
The only real downside to the day was that it was freakin' hot; like, not just a little hot. At first we were doing okay. It was warm (probably upper 90's, lower 100's), but then we entered the Secret Garden and the lovely misters that help the animals feel so cozy and good inside, trying to help them feel like they are at home and not in cages in the middle of a desert metropolis...well, we definitely didn't feel at home! Suddenly, not only was it 100 degrees outside, but now it was humid! I was again thankful that as hot as it gets in Vegas, we do get much (if any, most days) humidity. I would take the dry heat over the sweaty, sticky, smothering feeling any day.
My favorite part was the baby tigers. Aren't they absolutely adorable! Seriously melted my heart. The little nursery for the cubs was darling. I would say overall the $15 (adult price) entrance fee was pretty well worth it, but the babies were the clincher for me. The dolphin habitat is a research facility so they don't have schedule shows (which they remind you of multiple times throughout your visit) so we didn't get to see the dolphins do much but what we did see what pretty cool. We had a fun time and the only thing I'd recommend is not to go at noon in the middle of the summer. LOL. Obviously I am not a local Vegan yet! That, and ignore the ornery workers who sarcastically announce over the PA system as you are walking away from the exihibit: "Thanks to all of you who stayed up in the terraced area and listened to the important information I had to give you." Oh well. We figured we couldn't get in that much trouble (plus we hadn't know we were supposed to wait there anyways!)
"I want to touch the dol-phiiiiiinnnnnnn!!!!" That is exactly what Ian was screaming in this picture. I'm not exactly sure where he got this idea. And was actually pretty surprised that he even had any interest in touching them considering his last opportunity to touch an ocean-based creature (see our "Creepy Lobsters" post). But he was seriously irate that Andrea and I would not (or could not, in my opinion) let him touch the dolphins...(sigh)....the joy of trying to convince a 3-year-old that we aren't being mean but are just following the rules.
My cute sister, Andrea. Thanks so much An, for coming down and playing with us and for helping on the ride home; I know it was a long time in the car and that the boys were hard to handle at times. You're wonderful. We love you and are so excited that you'll be in Provo this fall going to BYU!
"Come on, Ian, grrr!" Jenny attempts to coax Ian from behind the camera. "Grrrr!!!" says Andrea. "Why are grownups so weird? What is Andrea doing?" puzzles Ian. You're so much fun, An, we love ya!
"Okay. Now I'm ready to growl." ("What? I'm two. What else do you expect? I'm in charge. I decide when and how things happen. Remember?)
The only real downside to the day was that it was freakin' hot; like, not just a little hot. At first we were doing okay. It was warm (probably upper 90's, lower 100's), but then we entered the Secret Garden and the lovely misters that help the animals feel so cozy and good inside, trying to help them feel like they are at home and not in cages in the middle of a desert metropolis...well, we definitely didn't feel at home! Suddenly, not only was it 100 degrees outside, but now it was humid! I was again thankful that as hot as it gets in Vegas, we do get much (if any, most days) humidity. I would take the dry heat over the sweaty, sticky, smothering feeling any day.
My favorite part was the baby tigers. Aren't they absolutely adorable! Seriously melted my heart. The little nursery for the cubs was darling. I would say overall the $15 (adult price) entrance fee was pretty well worth it, but the babies were the clincher for me. The dolphin habitat is a research facility so they don't have schedule shows (which they remind you of multiple times throughout your visit) so we didn't get to see the dolphins do much but what we did see what pretty cool. We had a fun time and the only thing I'd recommend is not to go at noon in the middle of the summer. LOL. Obviously I am not a local Vegan yet! That, and ignore the ornery workers who sarcastically announce over the PA system as you are walking away from the exihibit: "Thanks to all of you who stayed up in the terraced area and listened to the important information I had to give you." Oh well. We figured we couldn't get in that much trouble (plus we hadn't know we were supposed to wait there anyways!)
Object Lesson
A couple of weeks ago we had a Family Home Evening on missionary work. Chris shared about Ammon from The Book of Mormon and then I had this brilliant idea to have Chris tell Ian a story from his mission. I said, "Tell him the one about the little boy and your backpack!" So Chris told him the story (which I'll make him type into this post later, after he gets home from work) and then my stroke of genius grew even further and I thought, it's important for children to learn hands-on...let's show Ian how Daddy put the little boy in his backpack! Thus evolved a hilarious and memorable lesson. Not sure how much Ian will remember about missionary work, but I wouldn't doubt it if someday, somewhere another 2-year-old is placed in a missionary's backpack by another Elder Infanger.
If you were wondering, yes, this is the infamous backpack (Daddy's pack-pack, as Ian calls it) from the story that faithfully served with Chris on his mission and on numerous trips and school years since. And yes, Ian is completely in the backpack at this point to. I am suddenly realizing I should probably be a bit more frightened seeing that Chris can actually fit a body in his backpack...but the only people Chris says have any reason to fear him are our daughter's future boyfriends...and since we don't have any of those yet (someday, I hope!), I guess everyone is safe!
If you were wondering, yes, this is the infamous backpack (Daddy's pack-pack, as Ian calls it) from the story that faithfully served with Chris on his mission and on numerous trips and school years since. And yes, Ian is completely in the backpack at this point to. I am suddenly realizing I should probably be a bit more frightened seeing that Chris can actually fit a body in his backpack...but the only people Chris says have any reason to fear him are our daughter's future boyfriends...and since we don't have any of those yet (someday, I hope!), I guess everyone is safe!
Daddy Days
Chris is right when he says that I often have a hard time when he spends time with his Dad; I'm embarrassed to say that, but I guess I just get jealous. Time and time again he has explained to me that loving his dad and spending time with him don't make him love me or like spending time with me any less (aka there is enough Chris to go around!). I appreciate Chris' patience with me and hope I can "grow up" a little more when it comes to this and other vices I have. But seeing Chris and Ian spend time together and wanting them to have a good relationship like Chris has built with his dad helps me to realize I should not resent or devalue the friendship he has with his dad. I am grateful for the boys and men in my life who are teaching me to be less selfish and to value the time and energy that goes into making relationships thrive and last.
On that note, this is Ian's last Home Depot Project Days that Chris takes him to the first Saturday of every month (Chris got really excited at the end of June and almost showed up a week early thinking it was the first week of July already!). Even though I have never gone, this has become something I look forward to (not just because I get some time alone; I still have the Coop), but because I am realizing how important it is for Chris and Ian to build a strong father-son connection that hopefully will be something they enjoy through Ian's childhood, likely frightful teenage years, and into adulthood. Ian adores his daddy and Chris can't get enough of his little buddy, Ian--and that is truly something priceless for a mother to observe. This Saturday is another Project Day and I'm excited, again, for Chris and Ian to go together. They are making a flag holder (See, I look forward to it so much I even have to visit the website early on so Ian can know what he's going to build!).
June's project was a bird house. Ian was so excited to bring it home and wanted a bird to come live in it right then. Unfortunately all that has decided to move in so far was a bug that seriously freaked Ian out more than I have ever seen (or heard)! While Andrea was here visiting, Ian took her outside to show her the bird house, which was sitting out on our patio. He looked inside and saw a bug and screamed so loud I thought he was hurt. He took off running inside the house and took quite awhile to calm down. Luckily I got the insect removed from the house and Ian resumed parking McQueen inside. I guess he figured until a bird decides to show up, he may as well get some use out of it, as long as those bugs stay away! (Aside: Notice how Ian crosses his legs. He often sits like that when he is playing. Talk about being flexible!)
I'm not sure what this face was (maybe Chris will have to fill in details here...) but here is Ian's completed project--painted and all. So cute!
On that note, this is Ian's last Home Depot Project Days that Chris takes him to the first Saturday of every month (Chris got really excited at the end of June and almost showed up a week early thinking it was the first week of July already!). Even though I have never gone, this has become something I look forward to (not just because I get some time alone; I still have the Coop), but because I am realizing how important it is for Chris and Ian to build a strong father-son connection that hopefully will be something they enjoy through Ian's childhood, likely frightful teenage years, and into adulthood. Ian adores his daddy and Chris can't get enough of his little buddy, Ian--and that is truly something priceless for a mother to observe. This Saturday is another Project Day and I'm excited, again, for Chris and Ian to go together. They are making a flag holder (See, I look forward to it so much I even have to visit the website early on so Ian can know what he's going to build!).
June's project was a bird house. Ian was so excited to bring it home and wanted a bird to come live in it right then. Unfortunately all that has decided to move in so far was a bug that seriously freaked Ian out more than I have ever seen (or heard)! While Andrea was here visiting, Ian took her outside to show her the bird house, which was sitting out on our patio. He looked inside and saw a bug and screamed so loud I thought he was hurt. He took off running inside the house and took quite awhile to calm down. Luckily I got the insect removed from the house and Ian resumed parking McQueen inside. I guess he figured until a bird decides to show up, he may as well get some use out of it, as long as those bugs stay away! (Aside: Notice how Ian crosses his legs. He often sits like that when he is playing. Talk about being flexible!)
I'm not sure what this face was (maybe Chris will have to fill in details here...) but here is Ian's completed project--painted and all. So cute!
7.24.2008
There's No Wrong Way to Eat an Apple
I seriously crack up almost every day with the things Ian comes up with. A few weeks ago it was this:
He dumped all of his toys out of the red bucket, got his Elmo booster chair down from the kitchen table, placed them in the middle of the living room, then resumed eating his apple and reading his book. I have admit I often envy the creativity and spontaneity of my almost-3 year old!
He dumped all of his toys out of the red bucket, got his Elmo booster chair down from the kitchen table, placed them in the middle of the living room, then resumed eating his apple and reading his book. I have admit I often envy the creativity and spontaneity of my almost-3 year old!
7.17.2008
100 Things About Me-- Finally
100 Things I’ve Learned/ Things About Me
Forever ago, it seems like, Jenny tagged me to do a list of my own 100 things that I have learned or things about me that I have realized. I guess that this is supposed to be as much for my own enlightenment as for any of you, so you’ll have to indulge me if some of the explanations get a little long. (Or, you know, just skip to the next one. Whatever.) Since this is kind of just a brainstorming exercise, these will definitely be in no particular order.
1. I have never done two temple endowment sessions back-to-back until last night (July 12, 2008).
2. I like to cook; I would way rather be the one making and serving the meal than be a guest at someone else’s house.
3. I don’t like talent shows.
a. I hate when people make fools of themselves in public (it just makes me cringe)
b. I have no publicly demonstrable talents, so I always feel kind of left out. Seriously. What am I going to do—sit up there and show that I can change diapers, fix brakes or listen to my wife? I’d be a flop on American Idol.
4. I think that my imagination is being taken over by my practical side; I used to dream of having an exotic car (I’d probably have an Aston Martin or a Wiesmann GT), but now all I can think of is, “I don’t think I could stomach the insurance.”
5. I still dream about going to performance driving school. (thanks to Jenny).
6. Given the choice between going on a big vacation or taking the money and fixing up the house or the car, my instinct is usually to forego the trip in favor of the more permanent “upgrade.” I have to try really hard to remind myself that I can put new tires on the car anytime, but that I can’t get back missed opportunities to do cool things with my family.
7. I had a girlfriend in high school who dumped me pretty summarily. I wonder sometimes if she ever has any regrets about the way that she treated me.
8. I really like to exercise, but I have a hard time reminding myself of that.
9. When I was a little kid, I had my Dad’s Sigma Epsilon (the fraternity he belonged to at BYU) blanket on my bed—it was royal blue and made of really smooth, cool cotton. When I would get upset, my favorite thing to do was to wrap up in that blanket and fall asleep. I was sad when we finally took that blanket off my bed when I was a teenager. (I have seriously considered getting that blanket from my parents’ place and taking it to school with me some days!)
10. There are times when I will come to a conclusion or come up with the answer to a question much more quickly than I let on. I am not sure where I learned it, but I found quite some time ago that regardless of whether your answer is the same, people usually want to feel that you have thought about what they have said. I was surprised about two years ago to discover that I was pausing unconsciously in order to avoid offending people.
11. I find that I am remarkably susceptible to picking up on other people’s mannerisms. For example, when I was in the MTC, I shared a room with an Elder from South Carolina. It took me almost a year to stop saying, “Y’all.”
12. I love being a Dad; it is hard sometimes to be really focused on my career because I already am what I wanted to be when I grew up.
13. Sometimes, when no one is looking, I put ketchup on my eggs.
14. I used to think that I was a really decisive person; that I could quickly assimilate information and make instantaneous decisions about what to do next. The older I get, the more I am inclined to label my behavior as “impulsive” rather than “decisive.”
15. When I was in Junior High School, I was so bored in my Algebra class that I made a list of names for my future kids on the inside of my folder. One of the kids was named Teancum. (Yeah, I was reading Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites at that point.)
16. I generally prefer solids to stripes, single colors to two-tone, silver to gold and my favorite flavor of ice cream is still vanilla.
17. I have recently discovered that I like cherry flavored things.
18. If given the opportunity, I will put as many maraschino cherries on my ice cream as I feel I can possibly get away with based on the social circumstances.
19. I had nightmares about Jenny dying in childbirth both times she has been pregnant.
20. I have discovered that I am much more tolerant of drinkers than I am of smokers. I have to suppress an urge to reach up and take the cigarette out of someone’s hand just about every time I encounter someone smoking. (Sometimes I just want to smack ‘em.)
21. I once told a Japanese high school student that I was a member of a special American Anti-Smoking government team to get him to stop smoking on a train platform in Kamagaya, Japan. (Yes, it was an incredibly amusing incident).
22. I sometimes talk to Jenny when she is asleep because I miss her.
23. I took German in High School, so when I was learning Japanese in the MTC, all of a sudden, all of the German I had forgotten (or never really known) came flooding back. All of that is gone now, but since learning Japanese, if someone speaks to me in any other language (especially Spanish), I always want to answer them in Japanese.
24. I gave some very serious thought to going into the Navy after high school. I could never figure out how that would work with my going on a mission, and it seemed like it would be pretty tough on a future family for me to go into what I wanted to do (nuclear submarines). Plus, I have come to find out, the Navy really emphasizes engineering for the officers of nuclear subs; I am not sure that I could have hacked the math it would have required.
25. I sometimes feel ashamed when I meet members of the military that I did not enlist or go the ROTC route. I would like to have served my country in that capacity.
26. I really am serious about sponsoring Ian and Cooper in kart racing if that is what they want to do.
27. I think I really would have a hard time with it if one of my boys decided that he wanted to do ballet or ballroom dance instead of shop or sports. (I’d support him, but it would take some adjustment.)
28. I took a golf class last semester; I like it, but I don’t think I will ever be passionate about it. I can see me being very passionate about SCUBA diving, especially if Jenny does it with me. (She says she will! Woot!)
29. I have no idea what "woot" means.
30. I would be highly in favor of a licensure system which would require new drivers to learn car control, emergency maneuvering, how to drive a manual transmission, et cetera despite the cost associated with it. I can’t believe that I was allowed out on the road with the kind of cursory instruction that American drivers receive. (Seriously. I can’t believe that more people aren’t killed out on the roads every year when most drivers can’t even pull to the right, let alone countersteer in a skid.)
31. I know what it is like to be spat upon.
32. I firmly believe that you can tell a lot about parents by the quality of their children. (This is not an infallible measure, but I find that children who consistently behave poorly are correlated at a very high rate with parents who are selfish, ignorant or just plain stupid.)
33. I worry about how to balance the need to teach Ian and Cooper discipline, hard work and a sense of duty without crushing creativity or making them feel like it is not ok to be a kid.
34. My enthusiasm for trying out skydiving has probably subsided. We’ll see when I get to my midlife crisis.
35. I hate going along with the crowd. For example: there’s no way that I would go to a National Park on the 4th of July; there are just too many people there, and I keep thinking that a Honda Civic would be a very sensible purchase, but I have a hard time with the idea because so many other people have them!
36. I will be sad when Law School is over. (And not just because I will have to start studying for the bar!)
37. I am very certain that angels exist and I have no doubt that they watch over us.
38. I get a lump in my throat when Doc Hudson puts on his old racing tires and drives around Willy’s Butte and again when Lightning McQueen pushes The King across the finish line. (I get the same thing when Remy’s dad says “We may not be cooks, but we are family.”)
39. I am astonished at the number of times in my life that I have been willing to believe people who were patent liars.
40. I like oldies music, but I have very little use for Elvis or the Beatles (this is probably my aversion to things that are popular again!)
41. I would like to learn how to weld.
42. My boys are fast approaching the age when I am going to have to practice keeping a straight face when telling them that we don’t light things on fire as a form of entertainment.
43. I get really irritated with people who act like copyrighted materials are public domain. If you want to listen to someone’s music, you should pay the price they are asking or decide that it isn’t worth it. Stealing songs and videos just makes them more expensive for those of us who believe that taking things without paying is wrong.
44. I also get irritated with people who think that their movie is worth $10 per ticket or $30 on DVD. It costs, on average, less than $2 to make a DVD, the case and the jacket/insert materials. I understand the need to make a profit and cover production costs, but a 1500% markup is just too ludicrous for me. We rent from Red Box a lot.
45. I’m absolutely in love with the BBC show Top Gear, but I am afraid that if I met Jeremy Clarkson he would prove to be as abrasive and snarky in real life as he is on the show (where it is funny), but I think that Richard Hammond would be someone that I would really like to hang out with.
46. I cannot seriously believe that Ford, GM and Dodge expect the American people to continue to be loyal to them when they make better looking, more sophisticated vehicles with better quality and fit and finish for every market in the world except the U.S. I find it insulting that they somehow think that Americans are not smart enough to care when crappy products are peddled to us (I’m looking at you, Chrysler; there is no excuse for the new Sebring.) Then again, when I see the number of products which people purchase based solely on cost, I guess that the marketeers (no, that is not a spelling error) can make their case.
47. I really like the fact that we don’t have TV at our house… except when something cool is on the History or Discovery channels.
48. One of the very hardest things about being in Japan for two years, and about being down here in Las Vegas for the summer is being away from my dad.
49. I worry that Jenny is intimidated by the close relationship that I have with my dad, but she seems to want me to be as close with our boys, so I hope that it will continue to be something that she can adjust to.
50. I have heard about people who have videotaped their own eulogy and I kind of like the idea; it seems a bit macabre, though. I just worry that when the time comes for my funeral that everyone will forget what I was really like. What I really want is for someone who really knows me to get up and be able to say, “Chris was a royal pain in the butt, but he worked hard to make up for it.”
51. When I was in a punk kid in High School I frequently had run-ins with my dad. It bugged me that I had such a hard time connecting with someone that I loved and wanted to be like. I have vivid memories of sitting in my Bronco in the foothills somewhere with the rain pounding on the shell and listening to “My Father’s Eyes” by Eric Clapton. I don’t think that I have ever told my dad about it, but that is kind of “our song” if it is not too weird to say that about your dad.
52. When I went to the homecoming pageant that Jenny’s sister Nicole was in a few years back, there were some obnoxious kids in front of us who would not stop talking. I finally leaned forward to one kid who had goofy hair and said, “Hey! Stupid Hairdo—Shut it!” The kid looked completely embarrassed. That memory never ceases to amuse me.
53. When I was a kid I wanted to do pyrotechnics as a career. Even as a twelve-year-old, though, I was pretty sure that I would probably blow myself up, so I had to start looking for another career.
54. I consider really good pans (I like All-Clad) to be an absolute necessity.
55. For some reason, I really like doing fun powerpoint presentations. Weird, eh?
56. I find it to be an incredibly big turn-on when I am laying in bed reading Car and Driver and Jenny comes in, takes my magazine away and lays down next to me to read articles about new cars.
57. I taught myself how to make omelets.
58. I pretty much loathe Pokemon. A lot.
59. I am just learning to like blue (bleu) cheese.
60. I hate that when we go to JC Penny’s for pictures of our cute kids that they do those “enhancement” prints that they try to sell you for like eight bucks a sheet when you go to pick up your pictures. I feel like I am abandoning my children when I don’t buy them and I have to walk away with pictures of Ian or Cooper sitting on the counter. Bleah.
61. I always get a little freaked out swimming in open water.
62. I would totally love to go and dive on some of the old WWII equipment sunk off of Truk and Kwajalien.
63. I bought a full size bed when Jenny and I got married. I’m pretty sure that she will kill me if we don’t get at least a queen next time.
64. I have actually considered taking dancing lessons with Jenny.
65. I am actually the reason that Jenny and I don’t own a TV. I got really sick of people who had nothing in their life except a big TV and cable or DISH when I worked at Ultimate Electronics. I figured just not having a TV would be the best way to help ensure that I never become one of those people.
66. I’ve seen Old Faithful erupt over 150 times.
67. When Dad, Mark and I rode motorcycles up through Yellowstone in 2005 I got close enough to a buffalo that it pooped on my boot. I was really glad when a guy in a Land Cruiser took the lead in trying to push through the herd blocking the road.
68. Contrary to popular belief, I did not eat paint chips as a child.
69. I feel bad for everyone who is not married to Jenny. No, seriously. She’s hot.
70. If I died, I would want Jenny to remarry because I would want her to be happy, but I would want the guy she married to be uglier and dumber than me.
71. I am pretty much the only person to ever bring up Jenny’s paternal grandfather at Lamb family gatherings. I have had some really good conversations with Jenny’s Grandma about her first husband and I am grateful that she would talk to me about him.
72. I really like to touch the velvety part of a horse’s nose. I don’t know why, but I think it is really cool.
73. When I was a missionary in Japan, I got really tired of trying to explain my last name to people every time I changed wards. I started telling people to just call me Elder Tanaka. In my last two areas, I doubt that anyone really remembered my real name. In one ward, I called the bishop and ward mission leader when I got transferred in on a Wednesday and introduced myself as Elder Tanaka (in Japanese.) When I got to church on Sunday, the bishop turned to my companion and basically said, “Where’s Elder Tanaka and who is this white guy?”
74. I totally miss my Jeep sometimes.
75. I read Autoblog almost obsessively. I have pretty seriously considered going back to a regular phone next time I replace my handset because I spend so much time reading Autoblog on my smartphone.
76. I know all of the words to “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.
77. I’ve never seen Office Space, and that fact is considered a serious flaw in my character around the office where I work.
78. I once sat in a courtroom and watched a lawyer argue a motion while he was feeling “sick.” Turns out he was passing a dozen blood clots from a collapsed lung he had suffered a few weeks before through his heart. He lived.
79. I can’t stand Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Jack Black or Vince Vaughn.
80. I think that the whole “Pull a Panama” scene from Sahara is one of the funniest scenes in any movie I have ever seen: “Is that how it worked the first time?” “It didn’t really work the first time.” “I lost my hat.” Genius!
81. I will admit to only three illegal acts: 1) Speeding 2) Driving in the foothills which were supposed to be closed 3) Shooting a fish (not in a barrel).
82. I really like the homemade cards that my mom and my wife make.
83. For some reason, I had a dream the other night about Sean Astin driving a truck full of broccoli.
84. Somewhere in storage, I have an inflatable chair that I fully intend to pull out and continue using someday.
85. I learned to levitate once in southern Utah when I discovered about a yard-long rattlesnake a foot or two from where my feet had been a few milliseconds earlier.
86. I always keep my keys, my wallet and my cell phone in the same pockets. (Not all in the same pocket, but, i.e. the keys always go in the left front pocket.)
87. It is a very rare time when I am not in the mood for the music from the Cool Runnings soundtrack.
88. I love Red Dwarf, the old BBC comedy about the last man alive after being stuck in stasis in deep space for three million years. There’s a great quote during one episode when Rimmer thinks he has seen a future echo of Lister’s death; the circumstances happen that they think that Lister is about to die. Lister picks up a baseball bat as he gets ready to go into the room where he is supposed to die. Rimmer: “What do you think you’re you doing with that?” Lister: “If Death comes anywhere near me, I’ll rip his nipples off.” It’s a classic!
89. I agree with Douglas Adams: I think that it is axiomatic that the people who want to have power are the ones who are probably the worst ones to whom it can be given.
90. More than once I showed up to high school and got halfway through the day only to discover that I was still wearing the shorts I used as pajamas under my pants. I don’t wake up very quickly in the morning.
91. I love pastrami.
92. I love to make sandwiches. When I make an especially worthy one, I name it. (not like “The Champ” or “The Tomato Russian,” but like “Alexander” or “Rita.”)
93. I have never been able to explain to Jenny why it is that I think Dilbert is funny. Of course, she’s never really worked in an office.
94. I don’t like being a houseguest. For some reason, it just stresses me out to stay at other people’s houses. It’s kinda the same thing as my preferring to cook and serve rather than being served.
95. I like getting ties for Father’s Day.
96. I’m pretty sure that fluorescent lighting sucks the life out of people. (It’s probably fattening, too.)
97. I used to drink a ton of Coke; I tried one again the other day after years of drinking Diet Coke, if anything, and can’t stand the stuff now.
98. My family has a timeshare up at Snowbird and has for like thirty years; there’s pretty much nothing that I won’t miss to make sure that I get to be there for at least part of the week.
99. I have become less and less interested in politics over the years; issues and principles are actually more and more important to me, but I find that I tolerate the enormous amount of posturing, bluster and outright untruths much less than I used to.
100. One of my English professors once told me that most English students have a borderline unhealthy fetish with office supplies. I’m guilty as charged on that one. I have no idea why it is that I find it so fascinating to shop for pens and staplers at Office Depot, but I do.
Forever ago, it seems like, Jenny tagged me to do a list of my own 100 things that I have learned or things about me that I have realized. I guess that this is supposed to be as much for my own enlightenment as for any of you, so you’ll have to indulge me if some of the explanations get a little long. (Or, you know, just skip to the next one. Whatever.) Since this is kind of just a brainstorming exercise, these will definitely be in no particular order.
1. I have never done two temple endowment sessions back-to-back until last night (July 12, 2008).
2. I like to cook; I would way rather be the one making and serving the meal than be a guest at someone else’s house.
3. I don’t like talent shows.
a. I hate when people make fools of themselves in public (it just makes me cringe)
b. I have no publicly demonstrable talents, so I always feel kind of left out. Seriously. What am I going to do—sit up there and show that I can change diapers, fix brakes or listen to my wife? I’d be a flop on American Idol.
4. I think that my imagination is being taken over by my practical side; I used to dream of having an exotic car (I’d probably have an Aston Martin or a Wiesmann GT), but now all I can think of is, “I don’t think I could stomach the insurance.”
5. I still dream about going to performance driving school. (thanks to Jenny).
6. Given the choice between going on a big vacation or taking the money and fixing up the house or the car, my instinct is usually to forego the trip in favor of the more permanent “upgrade.” I have to try really hard to remind myself that I can put new tires on the car anytime, but that I can’t get back missed opportunities to do cool things with my family.
7. I had a girlfriend in high school who dumped me pretty summarily. I wonder sometimes if she ever has any regrets about the way that she treated me.
8. I really like to exercise, but I have a hard time reminding myself of that.
9. When I was a little kid, I had my Dad’s Sigma Epsilon (the fraternity he belonged to at BYU) blanket on my bed—it was royal blue and made of really smooth, cool cotton. When I would get upset, my favorite thing to do was to wrap up in that blanket and fall asleep. I was sad when we finally took that blanket off my bed when I was a teenager. (I have seriously considered getting that blanket from my parents’ place and taking it to school with me some days!)
10. There are times when I will come to a conclusion or come up with the answer to a question much more quickly than I let on. I am not sure where I learned it, but I found quite some time ago that regardless of whether your answer is the same, people usually want to feel that you have thought about what they have said. I was surprised about two years ago to discover that I was pausing unconsciously in order to avoid offending people.
11. I find that I am remarkably susceptible to picking up on other people’s mannerisms. For example, when I was in the MTC, I shared a room with an Elder from South Carolina. It took me almost a year to stop saying, “Y’all.”
12. I love being a Dad; it is hard sometimes to be really focused on my career because I already am what I wanted to be when I grew up.
13. Sometimes, when no one is looking, I put ketchup on my eggs.
14. I used to think that I was a really decisive person; that I could quickly assimilate information and make instantaneous decisions about what to do next. The older I get, the more I am inclined to label my behavior as “impulsive” rather than “decisive.”
15. When I was in Junior High School, I was so bored in my Algebra class that I made a list of names for my future kids on the inside of my folder. One of the kids was named Teancum. (Yeah, I was reading Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites at that point.)
16. I generally prefer solids to stripes, single colors to two-tone, silver to gold and my favorite flavor of ice cream is still vanilla.
17. I have recently discovered that I like cherry flavored things.
18. If given the opportunity, I will put as many maraschino cherries on my ice cream as I feel I can possibly get away with based on the social circumstances.
19. I had nightmares about Jenny dying in childbirth both times she has been pregnant.
20. I have discovered that I am much more tolerant of drinkers than I am of smokers. I have to suppress an urge to reach up and take the cigarette out of someone’s hand just about every time I encounter someone smoking. (Sometimes I just want to smack ‘em.)
21. I once told a Japanese high school student that I was a member of a special American Anti-Smoking government team to get him to stop smoking on a train platform in Kamagaya, Japan. (Yes, it was an incredibly amusing incident).
22. I sometimes talk to Jenny when she is asleep because I miss her.
23. I took German in High School, so when I was learning Japanese in the MTC, all of a sudden, all of the German I had forgotten (or never really known) came flooding back. All of that is gone now, but since learning Japanese, if someone speaks to me in any other language (especially Spanish), I always want to answer them in Japanese.
24. I gave some very serious thought to going into the Navy after high school. I could never figure out how that would work with my going on a mission, and it seemed like it would be pretty tough on a future family for me to go into what I wanted to do (nuclear submarines). Plus, I have come to find out, the Navy really emphasizes engineering for the officers of nuclear subs; I am not sure that I could have hacked the math it would have required.
25. I sometimes feel ashamed when I meet members of the military that I did not enlist or go the ROTC route. I would like to have served my country in that capacity.
26. I really am serious about sponsoring Ian and Cooper in kart racing if that is what they want to do.
27. I think I really would have a hard time with it if one of my boys decided that he wanted to do ballet or ballroom dance instead of shop or sports. (I’d support him, but it would take some adjustment.)
28. I took a golf class last semester; I like it, but I don’t think I will ever be passionate about it. I can see me being very passionate about SCUBA diving, especially if Jenny does it with me. (She says she will! Woot!)
29. I have no idea what "woot" means.
30. I would be highly in favor of a licensure system which would require new drivers to learn car control, emergency maneuvering, how to drive a manual transmission, et cetera despite the cost associated with it. I can’t believe that I was allowed out on the road with the kind of cursory instruction that American drivers receive. (Seriously. I can’t believe that more people aren’t killed out on the roads every year when most drivers can’t even pull to the right, let alone countersteer in a skid.)
31. I know what it is like to be spat upon.
32. I firmly believe that you can tell a lot about parents by the quality of their children. (This is not an infallible measure, but I find that children who consistently behave poorly are correlated at a very high rate with parents who are selfish, ignorant or just plain stupid.)
33. I worry about how to balance the need to teach Ian and Cooper discipline, hard work and a sense of duty without crushing creativity or making them feel like it is not ok to be a kid.
34. My enthusiasm for trying out skydiving has probably subsided. We’ll see when I get to my midlife crisis.
35. I hate going along with the crowd. For example: there’s no way that I would go to a National Park on the 4th of July; there are just too many people there, and I keep thinking that a Honda Civic would be a very sensible purchase, but I have a hard time with the idea because so many other people have them!
36. I will be sad when Law School is over. (And not just because I will have to start studying for the bar!)
37. I am very certain that angels exist and I have no doubt that they watch over us.
38. I get a lump in my throat when Doc Hudson puts on his old racing tires and drives around Willy’s Butte and again when Lightning McQueen pushes The King across the finish line. (I get the same thing when Remy’s dad says “We may not be cooks, but we are family.”)
39. I am astonished at the number of times in my life that I have been willing to believe people who were patent liars.
40. I like oldies music, but I have very little use for Elvis or the Beatles (this is probably my aversion to things that are popular again!)
41. I would like to learn how to weld.
42. My boys are fast approaching the age when I am going to have to practice keeping a straight face when telling them that we don’t light things on fire as a form of entertainment.
43. I get really irritated with people who act like copyrighted materials are public domain. If you want to listen to someone’s music, you should pay the price they are asking or decide that it isn’t worth it. Stealing songs and videos just makes them more expensive for those of us who believe that taking things without paying is wrong.
44. I also get irritated with people who think that their movie is worth $10 per ticket or $30 on DVD. It costs, on average, less than $2 to make a DVD, the case and the jacket/insert materials. I understand the need to make a profit and cover production costs, but a 1500% markup is just too ludicrous for me. We rent from Red Box a lot.
45. I’m absolutely in love with the BBC show Top Gear, but I am afraid that if I met Jeremy Clarkson he would prove to be as abrasive and snarky in real life as he is on the show (where it is funny), but I think that Richard Hammond would be someone that I would really like to hang out with.
46. I cannot seriously believe that Ford, GM and Dodge expect the American people to continue to be loyal to them when they make better looking, more sophisticated vehicles with better quality and fit and finish for every market in the world except the U.S. I find it insulting that they somehow think that Americans are not smart enough to care when crappy products are peddled to us (I’m looking at you, Chrysler; there is no excuse for the new Sebring.) Then again, when I see the number of products which people purchase based solely on cost, I guess that the marketeers (no, that is not a spelling error) can make their case.
47. I really like the fact that we don’t have TV at our house… except when something cool is on the History or Discovery channels.
48. One of the very hardest things about being in Japan for two years, and about being down here in Las Vegas for the summer is being away from my dad.
49. I worry that Jenny is intimidated by the close relationship that I have with my dad, but she seems to want me to be as close with our boys, so I hope that it will continue to be something that she can adjust to.
50. I have heard about people who have videotaped their own eulogy and I kind of like the idea; it seems a bit macabre, though. I just worry that when the time comes for my funeral that everyone will forget what I was really like. What I really want is for someone who really knows me to get up and be able to say, “Chris was a royal pain in the butt, but he worked hard to make up for it.”
51. When I was in a punk kid in High School I frequently had run-ins with my dad. It bugged me that I had such a hard time connecting with someone that I loved and wanted to be like. I have vivid memories of sitting in my Bronco in the foothills somewhere with the rain pounding on the shell and listening to “My Father’s Eyes” by Eric Clapton. I don’t think that I have ever told my dad about it, but that is kind of “our song” if it is not too weird to say that about your dad.
52. When I went to the homecoming pageant that Jenny’s sister Nicole was in a few years back, there were some obnoxious kids in front of us who would not stop talking. I finally leaned forward to one kid who had goofy hair and said, “Hey! Stupid Hairdo—Shut it!” The kid looked completely embarrassed. That memory never ceases to amuse me.
53. When I was a kid I wanted to do pyrotechnics as a career. Even as a twelve-year-old, though, I was pretty sure that I would probably blow myself up, so I had to start looking for another career.
54. I consider really good pans (I like All-Clad) to be an absolute necessity.
55. For some reason, I really like doing fun powerpoint presentations. Weird, eh?
56. I find it to be an incredibly big turn-on when I am laying in bed reading Car and Driver and Jenny comes in, takes my magazine away and lays down next to me to read articles about new cars.
57. I taught myself how to make omelets.
58. I pretty much loathe Pokemon. A lot.
59. I am just learning to like blue (bleu) cheese.
60. I hate that when we go to JC Penny’s for pictures of our cute kids that they do those “enhancement” prints that they try to sell you for like eight bucks a sheet when you go to pick up your pictures. I feel like I am abandoning my children when I don’t buy them and I have to walk away with pictures of Ian or Cooper sitting on the counter. Bleah.
61. I always get a little freaked out swimming in open water.
62. I would totally love to go and dive on some of the old WWII equipment sunk off of Truk and Kwajalien.
63. I bought a full size bed when Jenny and I got married. I’m pretty sure that she will kill me if we don’t get at least a queen next time.
64. I have actually considered taking dancing lessons with Jenny.
65. I am actually the reason that Jenny and I don’t own a TV. I got really sick of people who had nothing in their life except a big TV and cable or DISH when I worked at Ultimate Electronics. I figured just not having a TV would be the best way to help ensure that I never become one of those people.
66. I’ve seen Old Faithful erupt over 150 times.
67. When Dad, Mark and I rode motorcycles up through Yellowstone in 2005 I got close enough to a buffalo that it pooped on my boot. I was really glad when a guy in a Land Cruiser took the lead in trying to push through the herd blocking the road.
68. Contrary to popular belief, I did not eat paint chips as a child.
69. I feel bad for everyone who is not married to Jenny. No, seriously. She’s hot.
70. If I died, I would want Jenny to remarry because I would want her to be happy, but I would want the guy she married to be uglier and dumber than me.
71. I am pretty much the only person to ever bring up Jenny’s paternal grandfather at Lamb family gatherings. I have had some really good conversations with Jenny’s Grandma about her first husband and I am grateful that she would talk to me about him.
72. I really like to touch the velvety part of a horse’s nose. I don’t know why, but I think it is really cool.
73. When I was a missionary in Japan, I got really tired of trying to explain my last name to people every time I changed wards. I started telling people to just call me Elder Tanaka. In my last two areas, I doubt that anyone really remembered my real name. In one ward, I called the bishop and ward mission leader when I got transferred in on a Wednesday and introduced myself as Elder Tanaka (in Japanese.) When I got to church on Sunday, the bishop turned to my companion and basically said, “Where’s Elder Tanaka and who is this white guy?”
74. I totally miss my Jeep sometimes.
75. I read Autoblog almost obsessively. I have pretty seriously considered going back to a regular phone next time I replace my handset because I spend so much time reading Autoblog on my smartphone.
76. I know all of the words to “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.
77. I’ve never seen Office Space, and that fact is considered a serious flaw in my character around the office where I work.
78. I once sat in a courtroom and watched a lawyer argue a motion while he was feeling “sick.” Turns out he was passing a dozen blood clots from a collapsed lung he had suffered a few weeks before through his heart. He lived.
79. I can’t stand Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Jack Black or Vince Vaughn.
80. I think that the whole “Pull a Panama” scene from Sahara is one of the funniest scenes in any movie I have ever seen: “Is that how it worked the first time?” “It didn’t really work the first time.” “I lost my hat.” Genius!
81. I will admit to only three illegal acts: 1) Speeding 2) Driving in the foothills which were supposed to be closed 3) Shooting a fish (not in a barrel).
82. I really like the homemade cards that my mom and my wife make.
83. For some reason, I had a dream the other night about Sean Astin driving a truck full of broccoli.
84. Somewhere in storage, I have an inflatable chair that I fully intend to pull out and continue using someday.
85. I learned to levitate once in southern Utah when I discovered about a yard-long rattlesnake a foot or two from where my feet had been a few milliseconds earlier.
86. I always keep my keys, my wallet and my cell phone in the same pockets. (Not all in the same pocket, but, i.e. the keys always go in the left front pocket.)
87. It is a very rare time when I am not in the mood for the music from the Cool Runnings soundtrack.
88. I love Red Dwarf, the old BBC comedy about the last man alive after being stuck in stasis in deep space for three million years. There’s a great quote during one episode when Rimmer thinks he has seen a future echo of Lister’s death; the circumstances happen that they think that Lister is about to die. Lister picks up a baseball bat as he gets ready to go into the room where he is supposed to die. Rimmer: “What do you think you’re you doing with that?” Lister: “If Death comes anywhere near me, I’ll rip his nipples off.” It’s a classic!
89. I agree with Douglas Adams: I think that it is axiomatic that the people who want to have power are the ones who are probably the worst ones to whom it can be given.
90. More than once I showed up to high school and got halfway through the day only to discover that I was still wearing the shorts I used as pajamas under my pants. I don’t wake up very quickly in the morning.
91. I love pastrami.
92. I love to make sandwiches. When I make an especially worthy one, I name it. (not like “The Champ” or “The Tomato Russian,” but like “Alexander” or “Rita.”)
93. I have never been able to explain to Jenny why it is that I think Dilbert is funny. Of course, she’s never really worked in an office.
94. I don’t like being a houseguest. For some reason, it just stresses me out to stay at other people’s houses. It’s kinda the same thing as my preferring to cook and serve rather than being served.
95. I like getting ties for Father’s Day.
96. I’m pretty sure that fluorescent lighting sucks the life out of people. (It’s probably fattening, too.)
97. I used to drink a ton of Coke; I tried one again the other day after years of drinking Diet Coke, if anything, and can’t stand the stuff now.
98. My family has a timeshare up at Snowbird and has for like thirty years; there’s pretty much nothing that I won’t miss to make sure that I get to be there for at least part of the week.
99. I have become less and less interested in politics over the years; issues and principles are actually more and more important to me, but I find that I tolerate the enormous amount of posturing, bluster and outright untruths much less than I used to.
100. One of my English professors once told me that most English students have a borderline unhealthy fetish with office supplies. I’m guilty as charged on that one. I have no idea why it is that I find it so fascinating to shop for pens and staplers at Office Depot, but I do.
7.06.2008
Our Fabulous 4th!
So, Jenny signed us up for the 4th of July 5K here in Las Vegas-- we didn't take any pictures during the race, but we did get this one of the four of us just before the race started. We did pretty well as a family-- Jenny said that she was just out having fun and didn't push herself too hard. She finished the race in 28:52 and came back to find me with the boys-- I finished in 37:50 with lots of people cheering me on. I guess that since I was the ONLY person out of 400 or so to push a stroller in the race, coupled with the fact that I was a favorite to die of a heart attack somewhere along the route people got really stoked when I actually finished. Either that or the cheering throngs were just the race organizers celebrating the fact that they can still advertise the Las Vegas Running Team as "fatality-free!"Actually, I had a great time-- I would like to be in better shape than I am, and I think that it would not take very much to build up my endurance to the point where I could run the whole 3 miles (I ran just over half) and that would improve my time markedly. As it is, my time was good enough that, had I been entered in them, I could have taken 2nd in a couple of the categories. (editor's note: those categories would be 69-74 year-old women and 8-10 year-old boys.)
We hung around for the raffles and stuff after the race (and, strangely, for the barbecue... at 8:00 in the morning) and then headed about five miles southwest to a parade in Summerlin. We arrived just as the first float was starting off and managed to park just down the street from the staging area-- our seats weren't exactly premium, but we did have a good view of all of the floats and balloons. Several of the other families around us seemed to recognize the octopus as a character of some sort... I have no idea. Ian got a kick out of watching the handlers try to keep the balloons away from the traffic lights.
I have never been to a parade before with an entire platoon of Storm Troopers, led by Darth Vader himself. It was funny to see how into it people got-- there was a (very pudgy) Luke Skywalker, Jango Fett, Boba Fett, Chewbacca, the aforementioned Storm Troopers, a couple of Imperial Officers and the official troop transport of "Vader's Fist, the 501st Troop Legion" (the painted up Suburban you see there in the back). If you look at the blowup of that picture, you can see that it has stuff like "caution, nearsighted and oblivious stormtroopers on board" emblazoned all over it. These guys were obviously having too much fun. 
I thought that this one was a pretty original entry-- I have never seen Curious George in a parade except for the big balloon. Ian knew who he was looking at right away. 
Jenny was worried at first that we had spent too much money on the new stroller; I was a little worried about the size, but when you 'e got two cute monkeys to cart around, there's not much you can do about that. We love how solid and smooth our stroller is and the boys really like it. They seem comfortable when we run and they were perfectly happy to sit in it and watch the parade together. We got a lot of compliments on the stroller and on the quality of our brood. I'm sure that all the grandparents will join us in saying that we are pretty sure that they have above-average genetic material. :-P
The new stroller is so comfy that Mommy decided to give it a try. She is so skinny that weight is not a problem, but the seats are designed for two-year-old bottoms!
Some guy had converted an old truck to look like Mater. It was a worthy effort, and Ian knew who he was, but I'd say that he has quite a ways to go before he catches up with Eddie Paul. 
After the parade we went home and had some much-needed showers. (We don't perspire, we sweat). Some of us took naps, and one of us conked out for like five hours. I won't name names, but I am looking in Jenny's direction (to see if she is pointing at me). We decided to head out to Henderson to see what was going on at their carnival shindig and watch the fireworks. We got there late enough that all of the little rides and activities were going to close down within about an hour, so we told Ian that he could either get a ride wristband ($10) or this little sword that he wanted ($6). He took the sword and was remarkably restrained in the magnitude of low-level terrorism which ensued. 
Mom offered to hold his sword... we decided to let him keep it for a while after getting a (ahem) stern talking-to. (Jenny asked him for this pose.) 
This is pretty much just a cute picture of Cooper for the purpose of posting a cute picture of Cooper. I was worried for a while that I would not be as attached to him as I am to Ian because I got to spend so much more time with Ian as an infant. This worry has pretty much gone by the wayside as he has become such a kick to have around. It is fun to see what a wonderful, playful, thoughtful personality he has and it is even more fun to see his little sense of humor developing. (He has picked up on peek-a-boo and loves to hide behind Mommy and then pop out and make Daddy laugh!)
Shiny things and a water bottle that crackles. Heaven!
It was fun to watch Ian with his sword and the glow-necklaces that we got from some parochial school's booth. We sat on the lawn on the south side of the Henderson City Hall and watched the fireworks that they shot off from the roof of the building. Right about the time that they started shooting off the fireworks, the wind shifted toward us and we got hailed on with stray pieces of the artillery shells-- there was not a square foot of ground within 150 feet of us without some piece of smoldering cardboard on it. We watched the last half of the fireworks from under cover of a local tree. The fireworks were an impressive display, especially for a relatively small city; they ran for between 16 and 17 minutes nonstop, and there were never fewer than 6 shells in the air at any one time, and sometimes upwards of (my estimate) 60 or 70 in quick succession. Ian was a little freaked out when they started, but as long as he was on my lap or in my arms, he was having a great time.
I was really glad to watch Ian play with the other kids around where we were seated for the fireworks; he seems to be doing much better than I ever did at integrating with other kids and playing as part of a group. I worry a lot as I watch him because I want him to understand much better-- and much earlier-- than I did what it means to be able to join in with others without feeling so self conscious. It has taken me a long time to be able to assume that other people want me there with them and I hope that he is less suspicious of the motives of other kids than I was. He is a good kid and we are lucky to have him and Cooper!
Happy Independence Day to all of you. We are so grateful for the blessings of living in a country founded on principles which allow us to pursue our vocations and dreams; to be able to live our faith and give our children hope that their futures will be limited only by their tenacity and persistence. We pray that those who seek leadership roles in this country will be mindful of their duty to put the needs of the nation before their personal gain and aware of the responsibilities that they assume toward their nation, their countrymen and their God. God Bless America!
7.05.2008
Down By The (Mandalay) Bay
It's crazy that it has taken two weeks to get this dad-burn thing posted, but we wanted to share another adventure to which Ian has been looking forward all summer. I went to a meeting at the Four Seasons in May and wandered by the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay (the buildings are connected) and brought Ian back a brochure-- he liked the sharks so much that he wanted us to read the brochure to him at bedtime for about two weeks! 
Ian is standing by one of the first saltwater tanks you come to when you get into the exhibit and is holding the audio wand that tells you about all of the animals in the different displays. Daddy wanted to listen to all the morbid details and pause thoughtfully in front of each tank to take in the scene... based on who is holding the audio wand in the picture you can probably guess
Shark Reef is one of only a few places with a mature Komodo Dragon in captivity. I guess a few weeks back some divers drifted away from their dive site and ended up getting marooned on an island out in the South Pacific for a couple of days. They learned firsthand that Komodo Dragons will eat pretty much anything or anyone if given the chance. I tried to explain this interesting tidbit of knowledge to Ian. He was actually quite enthralled and asked, "Daddy, let me see the camera." Ahhh.... Bestowing knowledge on my children. It's a great feeling.
Ian liked to see the big fish; this tank was being fed when we got there and it was cool to see the different kinds of animals eat; some of them nibbled on the shrimp dropped down in the nets, some of them chomped down on submerged heads of lettuce and some of them swam around looking for more... entertaining food. It is probably good that we didn't see any of the live feedings going on; when we were at Cabela's and saw them feeding goldfish to the bass, Ian was scolding the bass and rooting for the goldfish. With the funny lighting and the plexiglass it was hard to get good pictures in there.
We went with our friends Dan and Christy Cereghino. Dan is a clerk at Jones Vargas with me and he is finishing up his last year of school at Fordham in New York. Dan and Christy have two little boys. Nick will be three in October and Andrew was born in April. Unfortunately, that means that we were man-on-man with all the kids... so no pictures of all of us came out. About five seconds after this picture was taken, Nick (at left, with Dan) took off while we were trying to figure out how to get a better picture. (The display we are in front of is reactive-- as you walk past it, the picture ripples as if you were moving through the water-- cool, but hard to photograph.)
We were standing at the confluence of several large corridors and we couldn't see Nick anywhere; to make matters worse, Andrew had just blown out his diaper and Christy was, um, indisposed trying to rectify that particular catastrophic diaper failure. Jenny took Ian and stayed close while looking East, I went North and Dan went South. I ran all the way back into the casino (a couple hundred yards) and couldn't spot Nick anywhere. I called down to a security guard on the next level down as I passed the stairs, and by the time I got my point across I think I had freaked him out more than just a little bit (I'm probably lucky that I didn't get tased or something). I figured that Nick could not have gotten as far as I did and I headed back. Thankfully, Dan had found Nick a hundred yards down the (thankfully deserted) south corridor. It got all of our hearts pumping there for a minute!
If you get a chance to got to the Shark Reef, we highly recommend it-- the fish were beautiful and the displays were incredibly detailed. Ian had a great time and I was enthralled, too. Just hang on to the kids-- you don't need any more thrills than you can get from the fish!
Ian is standing by one of the first saltwater tanks you come to when you get into the exhibit and is holding the audio wand that tells you about all of the animals in the different displays. Daddy wanted to listen to all the morbid details and pause thoughtfully in front of each tank to take in the scene... based on who is holding the audio wand in the picture you can probably guess
Shark Reef is one of only a few places with a mature Komodo Dragon in captivity. I guess a few weeks back some divers drifted away from their dive site and ended up getting marooned on an island out in the South Pacific for a couple of days. They learned firsthand that Komodo Dragons will eat pretty much anything or anyone if given the chance. I tried to explain this interesting tidbit of knowledge to Ian. He was actually quite enthralled and asked, "Daddy, let me see the camera." Ahhh.... Bestowing knowledge on my children. It's a great feeling.
Ian liked to see the big fish; this tank was being fed when we got there and it was cool to see the different kinds of animals eat; some of them nibbled on the shrimp dropped down in the nets, some of them chomped down on submerged heads of lettuce and some of them swam around looking for more... entertaining food. It is probably good that we didn't see any of the live feedings going on; when we were at Cabela's and saw them feeding goldfish to the bass, Ian was scolding the bass and rooting for the goldfish. With the funny lighting and the plexiglass it was hard to get good pictures in there.
We went with our friends Dan and Christy Cereghino. Dan is a clerk at Jones Vargas with me and he is finishing up his last year of school at Fordham in New York. Dan and Christy have two little boys. Nick will be three in October and Andrew was born in April. Unfortunately, that means that we were man-on-man with all the kids... so no pictures of all of us came out. About five seconds after this picture was taken, Nick (at left, with Dan) took off while we were trying to figure out how to get a better picture. (The display we are in front of is reactive-- as you walk past it, the picture ripples as if you were moving through the water-- cool, but hard to photograph.)We were standing at the confluence of several large corridors and we couldn't see Nick anywhere; to make matters worse, Andrew had just blown out his diaper and Christy was, um, indisposed trying to rectify that particular catastrophic diaper failure. Jenny took Ian and stayed close while looking East, I went North and Dan went South. I ran all the way back into the casino (a couple hundred yards) and couldn't spot Nick anywhere. I called down to a security guard on the next level down as I passed the stairs, and by the time I got my point across I think I had freaked him out more than just a little bit (I'm probably lucky that I didn't get tased or something). I figured that Nick could not have gotten as far as I did and I headed back. Thankfully, Dan had found Nick a hundred yards down the (thankfully deserted) south corridor. It got all of our hearts pumping there for a minute!
If you get a chance to got to the Shark Reef, we highly recommend it-- the fish were beautiful and the displays were incredibly detailed. Ian had a great time and I was enthralled, too. Just hang on to the kids-- you don't need any more thrills than you can get from the fish!
7.03.2008
Sweet Potato Pie
Unfortunately, peas did not sit well with sweet Cooper. (At very least we got a hilarious video out of the new venture!) After having two sad, crying nights, we realized peas were probably the culprit, and won't try them again for awhile! So on to a new veggie--yesterday we started sweet potatoes. Cooper is so funny because he'll make the most disturbed faces, but still open up for more when I offer the next spoonful. I seriously think I like introducing new foods just so we can get a good laugh and be entertained! Today at lunch Ian said, "Mom, give him some peas so he'll make a funny face!"So here is Cooper's sweet potato face. I am starting to wonder though--if Cooper is this bothered by eating vegetables, I'm not sure how he is going to react to Veggie Tales. Hmmm...we might need to consider introducing those a few days a part when he gets older...just to check for allergies, of course.
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