Who Needs Coffee?

I've been really into downloading podcasts lately since I spend more time in the car than I used to. One of the podcasts that I enjoy listening to on my way to work in the morning is the Bryant Park Project on NPR. I think it is aimed at hipster types from NY, but it is a fun way to get the latest news and info. They describe themselves as: "Bryant Park is not a talk show, but it is a conversation." They also promise that this is the "show that will change your life, speed up your commute, and jack your test scores 50 points — in whatever order you choose." Sounds good, right? The other day they interviewed the world's greatest rattlesnake sacker, Jackie Bibby, a man who sounds like he could make a mean pot of chili and probably drinks beer with breakfast, that featured this brilliant exchange:

BPP: "How often have you been bit, Mr. Bibby?"

Mr. Bibby: "Well, I've been doing this for 40 years and I've been bit eight times seriously enough to require hospitalization."

BPP: "Do you stop when you've been bit, do you just say, I'm out, or do you keep going?"

Mr. Bibby: "One of the worst bites I ever received I received on Saturday and I wouldn't go to the hospital until after I completed the contest on Sunday... because... I was, uh... I was winning."

You've got to respect that! The next time the boys tell me that they don't want to clean up the dog poop in the backyard because it smells bad I'm going to have to tell them that until they jump into a yard with 10 rattlesnakes, get bit 20 times, and refuse treatment that I can't be all that impressed with your dilemma.

(PS. Happy Birthday Bro!)

My First House(?)

I just wanted to write to say how sorry I am that I've lied to everyone these past few months. As usual, mothers are good at catching their sons in lies. My mom emailed today to bring to my attention the fact that while I've been going around telling everyone that we've just moved into our first house, this isn't actually completely true. In fact, she emailed photo evidence that my real first house was shared with my older brother, Jason.




I'm sorry about the misinformation (and the photo of me in underwear that would fit a 10 year old!! What were you guys doing?! Trying to ruin my reputation among the other 2 year olds in the neighborhood?!).

Rockies v Cubs

What a great game! We sat next to the left-field foul pole at field level last night for a 10 inning game between the Rockies and the Chicago Cubs. It was too bad that there were as many (or more) Cubs fans as Rockies fans, but we had a great time anyway. We got to our seats in time for the Cubs batting practice and because we were at ground level Austin and Nathan were able to watch Alfonso Soriano work out with his trainer (that is Soriano in the background of the middle picture above). When he was done he tossed Austin one of the balls that he had been using, and then Nate got one too!

The game was close throughout the night with several lead changes. The Rockies had the lead going into the ninth, but the closer blew the save and the Cubs took the lead. When the Rockies came to bat at the bottom of the ninth the Cubs closer blew the lead and the Rockies tied the game.... onto the 10th inning! The Cubs scored in the top of the 10th and the Rockes were unable to score on their turn. Game over. Still, it was a great night for baseball with great seats and a close game. In fact, it was a historical game since the Cubs recorded the 10,000th win for the franchise (but when was the last World Series win? 100 years of nothing. I won't even mention Steve Bartman!! oops, I just did.) I'll put the rest of the pictures we took on our photobucket page.

Apology Accepted

Thank you Mother Nature. You really made it up to us and then some! After the two days of spring snow we had to endure during the week, Mother Nature finally got some sense and provided us with a perfect spring weekend. We enjoyed the weekend by working in the yard and going to Boulder to hike around Chautauqua park. I've embedded a slideshow of our hike above. Here is a picture of my family in front of the flatirons:


This rocky road will cause you to lose weight rather than gain it:


Lastly, we did find a small amount of snow remaining:

Makes you want to slap your momma!

Not my mom. Mother Nature. The last two days were an awesome, sunny, 74F and 80F. Today it is snowing.

Those poor Koi were just beginning to stumble (can fish do that?) out of hibernation. Yesterday they were swimming faster than I had ever seen them swim - not counting the time I chased them into the bucket so I could clean the pond. We also have beautiful flowers on some of our bushes and trees. Shame on you momma!

The Flameheads and the Grizzlies

About a month after starting at their new school the boys had to take part in state standardized testing for a whole week! However, their school has a great annual tradition for blowing off steam: the Roundball Ruckus! Teams of 3 people, composed of at least one member of the opposite gender, dress up however they want, make up a team name, and take part in an enormous basketball tournament. (Looks like AJ came to the right school! It could've been building snow angels, jump rope, hopscotch, four-square, who knows?) Anyway, his team was called the Flameheads and they ended up winning the 8th grade tournament.



Nathan's 6th grade team was called the Grizzlies. He made it all the way to the elite 8!! Nice work! Fortunately, he has two more appearances in the Roundball Ruckus!
Here's some great video footage of our winners in action:






If little brother can, so can I.

Thirty One.

Yesterday I ventured one year deeper into my thirties.... It's not as if I had a choice, right? Lisa bought me this scrumptious apple pie since she knows I'm not big on cakes (except ice cream cake! Who doesn't like ice cream inside the cake and frosting?!). We had a good time together. Also, thanks to everyone who left nice messages on my phone and email.

and then there were 2. :, (

This morning the black and orange goldfish was dead. He/she was the least prettiest (handsomest), but it was still sad. I guess it was a good thing he/she died so quickly so that we didn't have a chance to name him/her. He/she was subsequently flushed to oblivion (from hence forth Broomfield Water and Sewer = oblivion).

By noon we noticed that the white goldfish with the red cap was very lethargic. He/she was chosen as an after thought only because he/she seemed like such an excited fish who was begging to be taken home. Sort of like Annie (remember the musical about the orphan with red hair?). He/she was the smallest of the bunch, but by all accounts I would've said the healthiest. Not less than an hour later his/her corpse was off to Oblivion.

By 2pm the tadpole, suckerfish, and beautiful Goldie (we did get around to naming this fish only because she had to have been the most beautiful 12 cent fish ever to be created! By the way, Goldie, if you were really a boy then we are sorry. For what its worth.) were pronounced dead. Nate successfully packaged them in Ziploc for a ride back to Petco tomorrow....

Not surprisingly, Sushi and Fried Rice have survived and seem to be thriving. I think these are wonder fish. They may out live me. I actually caught myself daydreaming about how I might wake up in the morning to find them eating oatmeal at my kitchen table, then they tie us up in the basement and take off with my car! Then I started thinking about bringing these two inside at night and locking them up. Psst, I hope they can't read this blog!

Anyway, here is a picture of Leo doing what I wish I could do some days:


Ahh the warm sunlight on a clean carpet. A dog's life! At least I can trust Leo! He is much too dumb and lazy to fix breakfast or take off with my car and for that I do love him!

By the end of the day our family had grown by 7!

So today we had some sun. (Surprised?) Time to investigate that hole in the backyard surrounded by rocks and filled with green, highly smelly sludge. We decided to take the time to bucket out the sludge and determine whether this supposed pond would be worth keeping. Amazingly, once we got down to approximately 6 inches of water we found something orange moving! Soon after, something of roughly the same proportions, but white, started moving. We scooped them up with the bucket and were amazed to find that two nice-sized Koi had survived the winter in this green filth!! We decided to scrub and fill the pond with fresh water in order to keep "Sushi" and "Fried Rice" - the two newest members of our family!



Not long after these photos were taken we decided to run over to Petco and pick up a suckerfish (Perciformes). Of couse, the two Koi and a suckerfish would be lonely without a few goldfish, right? They were 12 cents each, but I'm positive that we picked the prettiest (handsomest?) three of the bunch! And of course, if a tadpole is in the tank with the "feeder" fish, and Petco doesn't want it there, then isn't it our obligation to adopt him for free and provide him with a good home? Absolutely.

We're here!

Over 4 months since my last post, but with good reason! The last 4 months have been stressful, difficult, exciting, and of course, memorable. I'll do my best to update the blog with pictures and stories of various events over the past few months. For now, perhaps a summary will suffice: started to look for houses online in November, came to Colorado for a house-hunting trip in December - not successful, celebrated Christmas and New Year's, packed up our things in Oregon - had to deal with careless movers, flew to Colorado with Leo - his first flight!, lived in a nice 3 bedroom apartment for two months while searching for a house, started my new job!, kids started at a new middle school!, Lisa started a new job!, found a house!!, moved in on Easter weekend - had Taco Bell for Easter dinner, still unpacking....

4 months? I know. Enough for a year and more!