Sunday, October 28, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Fish Food
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Summer Vacation Day 1
Kristen and the Kids arrived in NC today and ate their first meal at Chick-Fil-A. I, of course, prefer my first meal at Bojangles (Spicy Cajun Chicken Biscuit with Cheese and spicy fries) but it is hard to argue with the Fil-A. The kids are digging the vintage Star Wars figures my mom has so generously moved mulitple times in the past 25 years. I fly tomorrow, land Friday, and off to the beach on Sunday for two weeks - should be good times!
Moose Drool
Masters...
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Happy Birthday BP!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
May Day is Lei Day!
May Day is a big deal in Hawaii - and it has taken on (as almost everything here does) a very uniquely local interpretation and practice. Thankfully - as celebrated here, the holiday has nothing to do with dippy socialist and anarchist street marches like it does in Europe - instead it is "Lei Day" and ties in to some extent with the Japanese celebration of boys' day and girls' day. The elementary schools go all out - and Livy's school is no exception. They have a May Day celebration with a Queen and King - and they have a court representing each of the Hawaiian islands. This all happens in the big central lawn at Enchanted Lake Elementary and I'm telling you it's a big deal - almost all the parents show up and ALL of the kids participate. Each grade does a song - and this year Olivia's first grade class did a Japanese dance. It was darn cute - here are some pictures of Livy in action:


This year we had a special treat as Jacqueline Maero (eldest daughter of our across-the-street neighbors) was the May Day Queen - and though I didn't see it - Kristen said she did a beautiful hula as the final act of the celebration. Here she is with the rest of the "royals" enjoying the show from her throne...

Owen never misses a chance to eat and May Day was no exception. A very nice mom gave him a Spam Musubi after they sold out the snack bar. Here he appears to be attempting to gag himself to make room for more... yummy
This year we had a special treat as Jacqueline Maero (eldest daughter of our across-the-street neighbors) was the May Day Queen - and though I didn't see it - Kristen said she did a beautiful hula as the final act of the celebration. Here she is with the rest of the "royals" enjoying the show from her throne...
Owen never misses a chance to eat and May Day was no exception. A very nice mom gave him a Spam Musubi after they sold out the snack bar. Here he appears to be attempting to gag himself to make room for more... yummy
Dave's New Board
Monday, May 14, 2007
Owen Annunciates
We were over at the Felix's for a very fun Cinco de Mayo party last weekend. Some of the moms and girls had Owen sequestered and were chatting him up and pointing to people that they wanted him to identify with his cute little toddler talk. He's going around the room and identifying various people with oinks and other grunting noises - and at least he gets Mama and Dada correct. When they pointed to Brian, Owen piped up as clear as a bell: "Uncle Brian" - It sounded like a 12 year old said it - I was looking for the ventriloquist.
Kristen was quite taken aback.
Kristen was quite taken aback.
Jackisms
Happy Mother's Day!
This afternoon Kristen took all the kids over to Gracie's birthday party at a gynamics place in town. Jack pretty much ruled the place and we should probably fast track him immediately to a life of man tights, powdered hands, flourescent-light tans, and Russian coaches. I'm still holding out for Soccer or Golf - and Jack is still claiming to want to play Football and Baseball - so we aren't quite ready to go down the gymnastics road quite yet (fingers crossed).
Anyway - the point of the story. Jack dropped a couple notable Jackisms on us today:
Apple Tarts = Leotards
Duck Duck Goofus = Duck Duck Goose
This afternoon Kristen took all the kids over to Gracie's birthday party at a gynamics place in town. Jack pretty much ruled the place and we should probably fast track him immediately to a life of man tights, powdered hands, flourescent-light tans, and Russian coaches. I'm still holding out for Soccer or Golf - and Jack is still claiming to want to play Football and Baseball - so we aren't quite ready to go down the gymnastics road quite yet (fingers crossed).
Anyway - the point of the story. Jack dropped a couple notable Jackisms on us today:
Apple Tarts = Leotards
Duck Duck Goofus = Duck Duck Goose
Friday, April 20, 2007
Royal Cabby
Vegas Highlights - part 2: Cab Driver or Crown Prince???
On our last night in Wegas (per George Poon) or Begas (per Jack Lemonds) - we caught a cab from downtown back to the strip. The cab driver was a very interesting fellow named Hassan who explained that he was only in Vegas for a few weeks before he was off to New Zealand, Australia, then South Africa, then catching a flight to Ethiopia before heading home. He claimed to be in the midst of a multi-year world tour that had taken him through Europe (staged out of Stokholm for a year), the mediterranean, the Pacific (including Hawaii), and a large portion of the mainland US. He explained that he only arrived in Vegas a week before (the establishment date on his cab license seemed to confirm this) and that he took a job driving cab so he could really experience the city. When I commented that it must be expensive to travel so frequently - he simply said that life is short. At the end of the cab ride I paid and he pulled me inside to show me pictures of him standing in full arab headdress surrounded by bodyguards. On the back it read "Prince Hassan". When I inquired he said that he was in fact, a prince of Eritrea (a small country on the Red Sea opposite Saudi Arabia and Yemen). To prove it, he showed me another picture of him standing with Gene Wilder. That's royalty to me baby.
On our last night in Wegas (per George Poon) or Begas (per Jack Lemonds) - we caught a cab from downtown back to the strip. The cab driver was a very interesting fellow named Hassan who explained that he was only in Vegas for a few weeks before he was off to New Zealand, Australia, then South Africa, then catching a flight to Ethiopia before heading home. He claimed to be in the midst of a multi-year world tour that had taken him through Europe (staged out of Stokholm for a year), the mediterranean, the Pacific (including Hawaii), and a large portion of the mainland US. He explained that he only arrived in Vegas a week before (the establishment date on his cab license seemed to confirm this) and that he took a job driving cab so he could really experience the city. When I commented that it must be expensive to travel so frequently - he simply said that life is short. At the end of the cab ride I paid and he pulled me inside to show me pictures of him standing in full arab headdress surrounded by bodyguards. On the back it read "Prince Hassan". When I inquired he said that he was in fact, a prince of Eritrea (a small country on the Red Sea opposite Saudi Arabia and Yemen). To prove it, he showed me another picture of him standing with Gene Wilder. That's royalty to me baby.
Dealertainers!
Vegas trip highlights - part 1: Dealertainers!
This was initially horrifying, but eventually became strangely comforting and even a bit endearing. Talentless pop celebrity look-a-likes (and some frankly look-nothing-at-all-likes), when not busily dealing cards or working table games, would "perform" by standing on a tiny stage and dance and lip-sinc to tunes ranging from Alice Cooper's "(no more) Mister Nice Guy" to the Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean". We had Madonna, two Elvises (one I thought was supposed to be Johnny Cash), the ever-popular Cher, the Blues Brothers, Louis Armstrong, and a couple others that I have mysteriously forgotten. There was one poor sap that nobody in our group could ID - he was definitely supposed to be a country singer - but what was about all we could piece together. Any way, right in the middle of "friends in low places" (Garth Brooks?) the tape deck craps out but the mic still worked - so we got to hear at least a few seconds of "real" singing - which was really, really bad - before the dealertainer broke the cardinal rule of show business and just stood there like a talentless guy in boots and a bad hat. All in all, though, you have to give these guys credit - they were out there working it! The best by far was the mock King of Pop - it was almost as freaky as the real thing...
Speaking of celebrity - I almost forgot - we ran into Hannah Montana! This is Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter - she was walking into the Wynn hotel as we were walking out - nice kid.
This was initially horrifying, but eventually became strangely comforting and even a bit endearing. Talentless pop celebrity look-a-likes (and some frankly look-nothing-at-all-likes), when not busily dealing cards or working table games, would "perform" by standing on a tiny stage and dance and lip-sinc to tunes ranging from Alice Cooper's "(no more) Mister Nice Guy" to the Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean". We had Madonna, two Elvises (one I thought was supposed to be Johnny Cash), the ever-popular Cher, the Blues Brothers, Louis Armstrong, and a couple others that I have mysteriously forgotten. There was one poor sap that nobody in our group could ID - he was definitely supposed to be a country singer - but what was about all we could piece together. Any way, right in the middle of "friends in low places" (Garth Brooks?) the tape deck craps out but the mic still worked - so we got to hear at least a few seconds of "real" singing - which was really, really bad - before the dealertainer broke the cardinal rule of show business and just stood there like a talentless guy in boots and a bad hat. All in all, though, you have to give these guys credit - they were out there working it! The best by far was the mock King of Pop - it was almost as freaky as the real thing...
Speaking of celebrity - I almost forgot - we ran into Hannah Montana! This is Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter - she was walking into the Wynn hotel as we were walking out - nice kid.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Leon Crump at 71
"The Legend" Leon Crump is doing pretty well at 71 years. It sounds like the 58's aren't happening anymore, but I bet he can shoot his age (or rather, he probably bets he can shoot his age). Click for the article. If you golf and haven't read his book "Drive for show, putt for dough" - suggest you add it to your reading list - Leon is a classic character. Thanks dad for bringing the article, and thanks to Larry Strawser for collecting that piece of history - Leon's old lead-taped 3 wood. Good stuff. The world needs more classic characters.
Owen's Vocabulary - 27 March 2007
Bubba = Bubble
Mama = Kristen
Dada = any man including dear old dad
wahwah = water
AahAah = Jack
Kah = car (Boston style) (also the movie "Cars")
Coooo = cool
Waaah = wow
Up
ByeBye
DooDoo = (poop)
DooDooo = sound a rooster makes
ButtButt
ShhhShee = (pee)
ShhhShee = fish
Nu = Nose
MuhMuh (almost a grunt) = dog
PawPaw = Grandpa Dave
NihNih = Goodnight
What else is Owen up to these days? He gives kisses, makes goofy faces - including an "o" mouth face and a funny squint face, flutters his eyes (bashful?), and grabs things and runs. He's discovered how to move the kid chair next to the counters so he can reach things he shouldn't (cell phones usually, also knives). He won't stay out of the fridge (see "Why Toddlers Shouldn't Play With..." below) and he has a great dance where he bends his knees and bounces (more or less) with the music. Owen is extremely rough and tumble - he wrestles with Jack and Olivia and routinely plays pretty dirty (slaps and hits to the face are his normal cheap shots). As a consequence of all this, he tends to be a bit rough with kids his own age and is generally a terrror at playgrounds (Mama has to be close at hand or there will be lots of tears and angry first-time moms huffing around). Despite his well deserved reputation as a brute, he is a happy kid that laughs all the time. He has recently mastered a fake cry where he squints his face up and cries but no tears come out. He will take short breaks from this and look around to see if anyone is paying attention. His favorite place is the backyard sandpit - where he will happily sit for long unattended periods getting filty and eating sand etc. Owen enjoys playing the "guess what I have in my mouth" game - where he comes up to Kristen and loooks at her while he chews with his mouth closed. When she asks him what he has in his mouth he gladly spits out whatever was in there (recently a rock, a penny, various small toys, sand, etc.) and hands it to her. This is similar to the "is this dangerous?" game - where he blindly feels around the countertops until he finds a dangerous object (screwdriver, knife, lighter, box of screws, etc.) that he brings to Kristen while sporting a look of mock concern. We're hoping he doesn't combine the two games.
Mama = Kristen
Dada = any man including dear old dad
wahwah = water
AahAah = Jack
Kah = car (Boston style) (also the movie "Cars")
Coooo = cool
Waaah = wow
Up
ByeBye
DooDoo = (poop)
DooDooo = sound a rooster makes
ButtButt
ShhhShee = (pee)
ShhhShee = fish
Nu = Nose
MuhMuh (almost a grunt) = dog
PawPaw = Grandpa Dave
NihNih = Goodnight
What else is Owen up to these days? He gives kisses, makes goofy faces - including an "o" mouth face and a funny squint face, flutters his eyes (bashful?), and grabs things and runs. He's discovered how to move the kid chair next to the counters so he can reach things he shouldn't (cell phones usually, also knives). He won't stay out of the fridge (see "Why Toddlers Shouldn't Play With..." below) and he has a great dance where he bends his knees and bounces (more or less) with the music. Owen is extremely rough and tumble - he wrestles with Jack and Olivia and routinely plays pretty dirty (slaps and hits to the face are his normal cheap shots). As a consequence of all this, he tends to be a bit rough with kids his own age and is generally a terrror at playgrounds (Mama has to be close at hand or there will be lots of tears and angry first-time moms huffing around). Despite his well deserved reputation as a brute, he is a happy kid that laughs all the time. He has recently mastered a fake cry where he squints his face up and cries but no tears come out. He will take short breaks from this and look around to see if anyone is paying attention. His favorite place is the backyard sandpit - where he will happily sit for long unattended periods getting filty and eating sand etc. Owen enjoys playing the "guess what I have in my mouth" game - where he comes up to Kristen and loooks at her while he chews with his mouth closed. When she asks him what he has in his mouth he gladly spits out whatever was in there (recently a rock, a penny, various small toys, sand, etc.) and hands it to her. This is similar to the "is this dangerous?" game - where he blindly feels around the countertops until he finds a dangerous object (screwdriver, knife, lighter, box of screws, etc.) that he brings to Kristen while sporting a look of mock concern. We're hoping he doesn't combine the two games.
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