Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Catching up, 2009

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Yes, yes, yes… I’ve gotten the emails, text messages, and subtle hints at home that I’m WAY late in updating the blog. It seems the summer just moves too fast to keep up with it all. Along with all the normal summer, a slightly unplanned basement remodel that took all of June have kept me off of the computer, but I’ll put all bring it all up to speed from today back to April in one big entry. (reminder: links are generally pictures)

Today: It seems fotomat, the site that has all of the photos I have links to throughout the entire blog will be shutting its cyber doors 9/1/09. Nice of them to give notice, I’ll have to read up more on my options and I’ll let you know later what is happening. There is a chance every link to pictures from here back to the beginning may not work, at least for a little while. Sorry for that.

Last weekend we had the kids up to Burr Ridge briefly for part of Harper’s 6th birthday party. Of course, I left the camera there, so pictures will be up in about a week. Kurt had a whole pig on the roaster and the kids had a bounce house ‘o fun to play with.

The weekend before that we were also up to see Grammy for a while. The last two weeks were Jillian and Jackson’s weeks to spend with her respectively. Jillian was just looking too grown up to not take a couple pictures.

Jordan has continued her summer volleyball at the park, and I’ve continued to work with Doug as the assistant coach. This summer has also been Jillian’s first summer of softball. I’ve resisted the urge to join the teams coaching staff, but have continued the family tradition of “encouraging” from the crowd.

In June we made it to play day. That has also become an annual tradition and is a great employee benefit we have here in town. Robin confirmed the suspicions that spinning in circles does not agree with her. It was a fun day and not nearly as crazy as last year when we also worked in a wedding to the same day.

It's been a good summer for parents, kids, and pooches alike!







In May, Jackson played in his first football league. Everyone gets to play QB one game; he did well there and also made a really good receiver and safety. The great thing is it kept him with most of his basketball team – and the same group will be back at it for fall football and basketball all winter! Here are a couple pictures of him at QB (in doors, so the pictures aren’t my best work).











February and May made the whole household but me one year older as usual – of course I’d throw that in.

Last but far from the least, our family lost an important part in April. Tom passed away of a heart attack about the time the blog fell silent for a while. I understand much more of what Robin went through almost one year earlier, and her experience helped her to be just what I needed that week. I’m thankful for the time we had earlier this year and every year of the prior 16.



Tom, Dad, and most recently, "Grandpa Tom"

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Saga of an Easter Picture

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We just wanted to take one nice picture (which we did)...



But then Peanut felt left out...



And gave everyone a good laugh...



So we went ahead an included them:




Here are some other pictures of the kid in their outfits too.

Texas Pictures

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Had a nice, quite Easter Sunday to get the pictures together from Texas, so without further adeaux, here they are:

Pictures from the Stars Game

Pictures from the Dallas World Aquarium


Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Spring Break

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Many more pictures to come, but a quick note to share that we had a wonderful Spring Break trip to Texas. Well over due for Robin and I, and a first for the kids, the trip was highlighted by a fantastic Stars game where Jackson rode the Zamboni and a trip through the Dallas World Aquarium, which I now call the zoo.

Here's a couple fun shots, many more to come when I have the time. Happy April!













Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Weekend Down Memory Lane

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Great weekend in Chicago this last weekend.

Friday, after dinner with Robin's mom and her Beau, Chuck, it was off to Joe's Bar for a Pat Green Concert. Great setting, it totally reminded me of the Groovy Mule in Denton, TX. Aaahhhh, college days. I don't even think the Mule is still in existence. The line up was.....

Opened by Whisky Falls...


Then Randy Houser...


And finally Pat, click here for those photos.

For the rest of the weekend, we took it easy, spent some more time with Grammy & Chuck, and had a great dinner at Red Stone with Joanne & John, who we've needed to catch up with, for, well, like two years!