Kid Pics

Julia and kitty cuddling on a colder then normal day.

Jonathan wearing his old Halloween costume and ant socks all day long. The funniest part (not shown in this picture) is the small lion's tail that sticks out the back.

Jonathan showing that he's not too much different than his Dad. When I was young I used to line up my cars in a row too. Maybe he'll be organized too.

Jonathan chowing on some deep dish pizza. Although it's slow going and we have setbacks here and there, he's still slowly progressing.

Best of The Springs 2013

Congratulations Dad and Mom! This is another example of the hard work you've put in over the years.  Two gold medals and a silver is an impressive showing.

Every year The Gazette produces a publication listing the "Best of The Springs" in various categories such as dining, arts, shopping and city life. Some are awarded by experts, some are based on reader's picks/votes.  

This year Northwest Animal Hospital and Pet Care Center swept the competition. Considering two of three categories include competition from businesses that specialize in those areas (versus an animal hospital offering them as other service), this is a pretty big accomplishment.

Considering this, I've come up with a few possible new slogans:

Northwest Animal Hospital and Pet Care Center:

"a one "spot" shop for all your pet's needs"
"best in show"

35 Years Old

I turned 35 years old today. OK, technically I've been this ancient for a few days now since I'm typing this entry after the fact. It's always so much easier to record events of the weekend after they happen instead of trying to predict the future.

I had a full weekend of working on my truck, getting new wheels and tires, celebratory dining, and time away at the cabin without the kids.  It was a very nice way to celebrate. I certainly don't look like I'm 35 (according to everyone that I work with) but I definitely am starting to feel a little older especially in the mornings before I've had any coffee. 

Thanks goes out to Stacey and my parents for making it a fun and relaxing weekend!

Super Mario & The Princess

More fun times with pictures...

In the first picture Julia is showing off her new flower and spray bottle. I thought it was a pretty cute shot. In the second picture Julia and Jonathan are sporting their safari getup. They woke up one morning and decided to spend the day exploring the house since it was cold outside. All good explorers need the appropriate gear. Stacey took them to the store, bought a few things like candy and dollar toys, and hid them around the house to be found on their expedition.

The other two pictures are from a recent prince and princess birthday party hosted by one of my coworkers. The fake mustaches were a hit. Considering it matched his hair color well, I now have an idea what Jonathan will look like when he's 35 years old. Hilarious.

I'm Still Here El Guapo

Still here...just plugging away.  The weeks keep flying by and then I realize that it's been a while since I've last made a post. I just don't have as much time at work or at home as I used to have.

We found out that you actually had to pay for the full-day kindergarten program...meaning Julia will now be going half days next fall. Who pays for kindergarten (if you're not using it as child care)? Last week Stacey and I attended an orientation at the school for new kindergarten parents. There were a ton of other parents there too. They reviewed a typical schedule, the dos and donts of being a parent, and fielded several questions.  They also reviewed what Julia should know before coming to school in the fall as well as a calendar of things to do during every day of the summer if we need ideas.  I think Julia already knows most of the necessary things that she needs to know. The harder part for her is going to be adjusting to a new environment and a new teacher. She'll also be in a class of about 25 students - double what she has in her class right now. Hopefully things will go well and her shyness will be become less and less of a factor as she grows up.

Soccer is going well for Julia. She seems to really love it, however, she is behind the other girls. Since she's playing in an age group a year older, some of the other girls have 30 or more games under their belt then she does. It's not too noticeable, but since the team she's on now will go to the larger field next season, Julia will drop back to her appropriate age group next fall. We only did this so I could be there with her and introduce her to the game. The jury is still out whether or not this will be a long-term thing for her. At the end of the day she is having fun, which is really all that matters.

Jonathan is also making good progress eating and gaining weight. We're getting closer and closer to the time when he'll eat all by himself. It's just a matter of time. Right now we've substituted coconut milk for some of the formula he's been on. It's much cheaper and it allows us to back off the volume and the oil. We hope that it will cause him to eat more. As it stands right now he's eating about 10 - 15% of his daily calories. Over time we'll gradually increase this percentage.

Right now I'm pretty busy at work. We're getting close to finishing the big project of the year for our team - the annual board-approved budget. As I mentioned above, I don't have much time for things other then work at work right now.

In unrelated news, I turn 35 years old in ten short days.  Some days I feel 55, but I still think I'm somewhere in my late 20s...

Week In Pictures

Easter 2013, The Craftwood Inn, and a lazy Sunday

 

On Tuesday Stacey sent me a text message that she had won a coupon for $50 off two entrees at The Craftwood Inn. We weren't planning on going out that night, but thanks to my parents, we were able to spend some time together where we had been married nine years prior. It was a fun outing. I ordered the Rocky Mountain elk dish and Stacey chowed on a nice steak. I can't even remember the last time we ate steak - it was a treat in many ways.