There are a few of reasons I like to blog and really only two reasons I don't.  I want to blog because I like to write, I like to keep a personal record and it pushes me to take pictures.  I don't actually blog much anymore because I'm lazy.  Oddly, the fact that I live a pretty generic life that nobody else cares to read about isn't a reason I don't blog.  Here is a 45 second summary (in no particular order) of the events of the past four months.

ason and Porter had a blast at Christmas.  They got some fun toys but Mason was more excited about an old clock that I gave him around New Years day.  I had won it at a family auction for a buck or two.  It's nothing fancy, but he loved it.  You just never know what kids are going to like.  This spring we took the training wheels of his bike.  He picked it up very quickly and now likes to cruise the block and make tight corners on the driveway.  He has been going to pre-school twice a week.  He really likes his teacher Mrs. Harms and his attention span has improved since... (click here to read the rest)

I know a lot of people have thought this for a long time now, but I've officially crossed into the "lame" category.  Or rather, I have accepted the fact finally. 

Something strange is going on with me.  Our car was experiencing troubles so we ended up buying a minivan.  The strange part of the story is that I'm in love with it.  I find myself thinking about it and wanting to go for a drive.  I could have my signals crossed though.  It could just be that I'm excited to have a car that works.  Who knows.  In any case, I'm now a minivan driver and I'm not ashamed to say it.  The kids both really like it too.  Mason and Porter can now actually see out of the vehicle as we drive.

The second part of this story will equally make me look like a girl, but, I'm pretty stoked to have the new van because we're driving down to Vegas in November to watch Celine Dion... and I'm looking forward to that as well. 

I'm still jogging regularly.  Sort of.  I get killer shin splints when I run to the point where I can barely walk.  I think they are worse... (click here to read the rest)

Well - Kevin has been slacking on the posts as of late, so I guess I'll just pick up where he left off.

We've had an eventful July already.  I've taken the boys on a few adventures, to the zoo, Calaway, Riley Park, etc.  All trying to keep cool in this awesome heat!

This past weekend was a huge deal for me and my family.  Mainly a big deal for me because I was in charge of the entire weekend.  Organizing activities, meals(groceries), arrangments, etc.  I had a blast doing all of this, but it was definately a full weekend and I am glad to say that it is over and that it was a huge succsess.  I couldn't have done it without the help of the Calgary people and even help from the relatives from Vegas. 

Our activities included:  Swimming, Family Dinner #1, BBQ Breakfast, Scavenger Hunt, Chinese Food dinner, Family Dance, Golfing, Cooking "Class", Weiner Roast, Family Dinner #2, Program and Auction, Church, and Family Dinner #3.

We all had such a fun time, and it was so fun to be together as a family.  All of the activities turned out really well.  The food for the weekend also turned out really... (click here to read the rest)

In my last entry I said that I hadn't written much because I don't have a camera and therefore entries would be pictureless and boring.  I was wrong.  I bought a new camera about 3 weeks ago but still, no writing.  Turns out, I'm just lazy. It's not like nothings been going on.  I just went through a faze where I was motivationaly challenged. 

There is no way I'll be able to recap the last couple of months, so I'll just randomly shoot out things as they come to mind.

The new camera is pretty spiffy.  It takes great pictures and great video.  We almost never break out our video camera because it's annoying to lug around and the batteries are never charged.  Now that we have this mini camera I've been shooting all kinds of video so expect to see some live action.

There was no summer solstice party this year.  I ended up going to Baltimore that week for work.  It was good trip.  I once again have a new boss.  The company I've been working for for the past 4.5 years has been growing like a weed and organizational structure keeps changing.  I've moved from the programmer team to the user interface... (click here to read the rest)

Two years ago today Elise and I had a big surprise. Porter decided to join the world on his own terms. Those terms were 2 months early and around 3am February 15th he decided to let us know it was time. It was a long day of course and it just kept getting longer. It was around 11pm that we started to clue into the fact that he was pretty sick. By the next morning we weren't too sure he was going to make it through the week.

Look at him now! 2 years old and growing. He's still a little guy but he's got big personality. We love having him around.

Tonight's celebration was pretty low key. We let the boys play at the play area in Market Mall and then joined up with The Wolff's and Leavitt's for dinner at the food court. Everyone got to eat what they liked and there was enough room for everyone to sit comfortably.

Porter made a killing. Talk about spoiled. I have half a mind to keep some of the presents wrapped and give them to him throughout the course of the year. ... (click here to read the rest)

I went over to the Low's to help them move some stuff tonight.  They were moving one of those huge backyard jungle gym thingies.  I guess it's not huge, but it weighed a ton!  There were 6 of us and we had to lift it over a fence and into the front yard to load onto a flat bed.  They were just going to store it for a year somewhere.  They offered it to us and I ended up buying it.  I hope Mason and Porter like it.  It's way too heavy for me to move out... so it's here to stay.

Yesterday at lunch we took Mason and Porter to see Santa.  When I told Mason that I had heard that Santa was in town and was at the mall, his eyes lit up and he could barely believe it.  We got the the mall just before lunch to try to beat the rush, but Santa wasn't there until 2pm.  We ate lunch and killed some time and finally Santa arrived.

I think this was Porter's first meeting Santa.  He really had no idea what the big deal was.  I also think it was the first time Mason's actually sat on Santa's lap.  He's been terrified of Santa up until this year.  He made sure to tell Santa that he wanted a "pieces train"... you know a train with a bunch of different pieces.  The way he says it though it sounds like he's saying a "pizza train" which confuses everyone he tells.  I have a hunch that Santa may actually grant Mason's Christmas wish.

So... it was a good day.  Christmas is almost here.  I'm hoping this Christmas will be as layed back as last year, but somehow I doubt it.  Wish us luck!

P.S. And by the way... Merry Christmas to everyone. 

P.P.S You'll... (click here to read the rest)

I've had some pretty late nights for the past week or two.  I don't recall being to be before 3:30am in at least 7 days.  Part of the reason lately is that Porter has pneumonia and is up coughing all night.  Typically I stay up late working on side projects and other work projects.  Almost inevitably I'll get to bed just in time for Porter to wake up.  One night last week I went to bed around 2am but before I could fall asleep Porter woke up and wasn't interested in sleeping.  I took him downstairs and we watch a movie together.  Normally when I go to bed near 4am I can't sleep so I took a sleeping pill.  

Just as the pill was taking full effect and I was in LaLa Land, Mason came in the room wide awake.  He decided to wake Porter up as well.  Elise isn't the most reasonable person in the late night.  She said "I can't deal with the kids right now, it's your turn."  My complaints of being with Porter until 4am fell on deaf ears so I ended up taking both boys downstairs and watching the Family Guy movie.  I got to... (click here to read the rest)

Elise wanted to take some family pictures today before church.  Mason and Porter had a riot watching the camera timer flash wondering when the picture was going to take.  Good times, good times.

Since I work for a US company I pretty much only take US holidays.  So late in November I took a 4 day weekend for US Thanksgiving.  Elise had it in her mind that she wanted to go down to the states to do some shopping.  I cringed a little because a) I don’t really care for shopping and 2) I know it’s pretty much the busiest time of year to shop in the states.   In any case, we packed up our stuff and drove down to Kalispell Montana.

The vacation was good.  It was cold, the roads were icy and the crowds were insane, but it was a nice break from computers, we had a great hotel and we ate tons of good food.  We invited my parents to join us.  It was nice to have them.  Elise and I have never really done anything like this with my parents in our (almost) six years of marriage.

I’m not sure my parent’s trip was quite as nice as they were expecting.  When they pulled into town my dad said he had noticed their car was acting funny.  After a very tasty dinner we determined he had blown the head gasket.  Since... (click here to read the rest)