Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Our little Turkey...

A mid-week post!  I took these pictures of Tatum today and couldn't resist.  

This is her going to school this morning.  She's so damn cute I don't know what to do.

At school they made little turkey hats made from paper sacks and glued feathers on them.  Tatum wore it around the house tonight and we couldn't stop laughing at how funny she looked.  



We FINALLY found a bottle that Tinsley seems to take (thanks Mom!).  I don't have enough pics of my beautiful bride on here and granted this isn't exactly a glamor shot, I thought you'd all enjoy at lease seeing her.  I tried to get the picture as Tatum was holding the bottle and helping...but I was too late.

This was yesterday...Tatum got a packet of hair barrettes and I decided to put all of them in her hair at once.  She looked like one of those 12 year old Chinese Olympian girls.  We then had a "sticker party" and she covered me, my mom and Tinsley from head to toe. 

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Jet Setting...

So now my wife is all over me to write a blog post.  What the heck!?  Wouldn't it be nice if SHE started a blog and we could keep you doubly informed of what's going on??  Hmmm. 

Here are some videos of Tinsley and Tatum...

Tatum playing in the Mooonwalk:

Tatum dancing at the Macy's Christmas Tree Party:

Tatum and Tinsley:

Tatum talks about the Moon w/ a mouth full of "O-Meal"

Tinsley ALMOST smiling:

SoI've been out of town for almost an entire week.  That never happens, especially not without my wife being with me.  So that's my excuse for not having updated my blog earlier.  You'll notice I have a lot of excuses on here if you read back.  Should be fun to see how long I can keep coming up with them.

2 weeks ago was my 15 year class reunion.  It was really fun.  I loved seeing so many people I hadn't seen or thought of in so long.  It was supposed to end at 8:00 but went until 1am.  We had a ball reliving old time and talking about everyone.  For the kids that came, we rented one of those jumping moonwalk things.  I've never had one at my house and now I want to make it a permanent fixture.  It stayed over the next day until they picked it up and I called everyone I knew with kids and invited them to come over and jump.  Tatum was so cute...she jumped in it that Saturday night.  We named it "Tay Tay's castle."  First thing Sunday morning she was out of bed, came in our room and pulled the curtains back to look out the window and said "TayTay's castle!  Tay Tay jumpin'!"  So off we went for a few HOURS of fun.  It was a blast.  I don't know who had more fun, me or Tatum, but we sure got our money's worth out of it.  Here's a link to a video of her in the moonwalk:

TayTay's Castle.  "Javi", Anne and Tin Tin helping...

At the High School Reunion.  Tatum showing off her fancy denim.

The following week I went to Vegas for an annual boy's trip.  I'm not going to go in to the details of the trip but it was by far the most unbelievable thing I've experienced.  It involved a Gulfstream V airplane out there and back, a party one of our guys threw that rivaled anything you've ever seen and somewhere in there I was told that I was naked in the pool but I don't remember that so am going to pretend it didn't happen.  At what age will it be appropriate to show this blog to my kids!?  I'm thinking about 25.  We had a night that was orchestrated for us and all kinds of fun games, etc.  We had 30 girls (models, not hookers!) that were hired to help us and be our "arm charms" throughout the evening.  They were our Vanna White's of the game-shows we played, they had to run us through Armani at the Bellagio mall and get us dressed as best they could (I lost that competition but did get $2500 of free clothes!) and along the way take breathalyzer tests to ensure they had right amount of liquids in them.  It was all great clean fun...though I'm not sure I want my daughter to be one of those models one day.  We also went to the UFC Couture fight which was my first UFC event and I'm hooked!  It was incredible to see what those guys are allowed to do to each other.  Kind of like a modern day Gladiator event.







I was home for one day and turned around and flew to Napa Valley on another friends plane.  Here we are going broke, not selling any houses while the world's falling apart and I'm getting to jump from airplane to airplane pretending everything's fine.  I was WAY out of my league with all these guys but as you know, I'm quite comfortable there.  Napa Valley...I go there at least once a year to go Race Car driving.  This year 4 of us went (it's usually a lot more) and we had an absolute blast. The first day we toured wineries all day and I learned more than I could ever retain.  I bought a few bottles so I can pretend to know what I'm talking about when I open them.  The next 3 days were dedicated to driving...fast.  We drive open wheel formula 3 cars.  Several pictures are below.  I was the defending champion from last year and if you want to know the truth, I won again this year but the guys kept changing the rules until someone other than me won...oh well.  If you want to know who had the fastest lap time, it was me.  That's what we always go by.  I'll let them enjoy the limelight for a year if that's what it takes to keep them happy.  These cars have 375hp and go about 150mph.  I know that doesn't seem fast but when you're 2" above the pavement pulling 2.5g's going around a curve, believe me, it's fast.  A Ferrari, Porsche or whatever else you can think of is nothing like driving one of these cars.  it's a true race car just like the big boys drive.  
Me and my racing buddies!

What's all this talk about a downturn in the market?  I didn't feel it!  ; )

Suited up and ready.  I LOVE my new helmet everyone got for my birthday.  I wish you could see the skull and crossbones on the back.  Very cool.

Yes, I had to be towed.  A minor spin out but minimal damage!


I got home at midnight Friday night and boy was I glad to be home.  I hadn't seen my wife or kids in a week (other than a 24 hour visit) and was so ready to just plop down and enjoy having them all around me.  Being away always makes me appreciate coming home and despite how much we get annoyed with each other, reminds me how much I love being with my sweetie.  I spent most of Saturday on the floor with Tatum playing with toys and talking about very important things like the moon, her hair bows, her boo-boos on her knees, toes, fingers, cheek, head and anywhere else she can think to point that I need to kiss.  It's so funny...no matter what happens, it's always her ankle that hurts.  I don't think she even knows what her ankle is but as soon as she falls or twists or turns, she says "Daddy, my annnk--el."  I love how fast those big tears dry up with just a kiss.  Saturday night we took a long "rain" together (shower) and read all the books she wanted before going to bed.  While I was away she's learned how to get out of her crib so I think we're in for a new chapter.  Anne is trying to figure out how to dead bolt the door while I can't wait to have her run down the hall and crawl in bed with us.  

Saturday night Anne and I went out for a much needed hubby/wife dinner at Kenichi.  It was good to do something with just the two of us.  Afterwards we met friends at 2 different bars and closed the place down.  God bless our friend and babysitter Joni...she puts up with what has to be the worst babysitting hours on the planet.  Sunday morning I was so excited to have Tatum wake up saying "Daddy Cakes"...which means pancakes.  I made a giant stack of them and we spent 30 minutes trying to eat our way through them.  She loves her Daddy Cakes and just like her Daddy, likes to drown them in syrup.  We have to wait until Mommy's LONG GONE before we can add all the extra toppings and cups of syrup that we need to properly digest them.  

This afternoon Tinsley was cooing and gulping and making all kinds of cute noises.  She's got a lot to say and is really trying to say it early.  I think she wants to keep up with her big sister.  Anne's so great at getting her to talk and smile and play.  I will make it my goal to get it on video this week so you can see it.  Tatum is still great with her and really seems to love and care for her...amazing at such a young at that they "get it."  There is the occasional slap to the head or trying to sit on her...but it's to be expected.  Tin Tin went down for a nap and I was left on Tatum duty in the playroom downstairs.  I was super tired and kept drifting in and out of sleep.  Apparently I fell totally asleep and woke up freaked out that Tatum had escaped.  I shot up off the couch and found her totally conked out face down on the tile floor.  Poor thing.  She was tired too and just stopped in her tracks and took a snooze on the floor. I scooped her up and she got under the covers with me on the couch and we napped together.  That's happened maybe once so I especially cherish the moments when I can hold her motionless and just feel her weight and heartbeat.  God I love being a Dad!  I can't wait for Tinsley to be old enough and I can have them both in my arms and take long naps together.  

Tonight after dinner Tatum was a riot.  I don't know what she ate but it must have been something with a lot of beans in it if you catch my drift.  Whenever Tatum poops and I check her diaper I say "you made some nuggets!" and we change her diaper.  Tonight she was ripping up a storm and I was trying to get her to say "I'm makin' nuggets."  She couldn't say it because she was giggling too much every time she'd let one out.  It was so funny.  She'd be standing there and just let it go and bend over giggling saying "Tay Tay tooted!"  We never did get any nuggets though.  

Well it's Thanksgiving week and I'm looking forward to 5 days at home with my family and hopefully a lot of good laughs.  I love Thanksgiving and Christmas and just being able to veg-out and be a bum.  Several old friends are coming to town and bringing their kids with them.  Hopefully we can get everyone together and watch the kiddos play.
Tinsley being her always happy smiling self.

Me, Tatum and Cross at the Macy's Christmas Tree party.

Tatum put her shoes on herself.  Wrong feet.  I thought she looked like a clown.

Gobble Gobble...

 

Monday, November 3, 2008

Tricks and Treats

The problem with this blog is I find my friends and family are reading it too much and getting on me about not posting! It's good to have the motivation to get it done and stay on top of it but it's turning in to work and something I actually think about and stress out about. Ugh.

When I forget to do a weekly update and have to go back 2 weeks I'm in trouble. I end up looking at my calendar to see what I did. That's not a good thing. I might just have to start randomly posting throughout the week to remember all the good stories.

I turned 34! That was cool I feel like I did when I was 22 but when I hear "34" it just doesn't seem to fit. I'm kind of getting beyond the age where I can think of myself as cool...and the college crowd would definitely not mistake me for one of their friends. A few years ago I thought it was something a little hair transplant could fix but now I'm finding it's going to take some serious sculpted liposuction and days on a laser hair removal table to get the hair off my shoulders and back. If we can get a man on the moon, why on earth (pun intended) can't we find a pill to take the hair off my ass and put it on my head? Seriously. So my wife just walked in and said how she loves the fact that I'm writing about hair on my butt. I'm too open for some people I suppose. Oh well. Fuck them if they don't have a sense of humor. Wait....this is supposed to be a family blog. Earmuffs Tatum and Tinsley! Daddy's saying potty words.

So the birthday's over and we've on to cooler and more exciting things. I feel like the last 2 weeks have been consumed with one thing...Halloween! My favorite "non-religious" holiday of the year. I love dressing up and seeing what others come up with. But with kids, it's become even better. Tinsley was easy since she's not moving around much...she had one cute little outfit. Tatum on the other hand had 6. Her social calendar was filled with Halloween at School, at the country club, the neighborhood party...you name it. And God forbid we wear the same costume to those events. My favorite was her Monkey suit. She had a Princess outfit, a ladybug, french fries (which she wore Halloween night). She was well covered...literally.

This was the first year she seems to be "getting it"...she liked seeing other costumes and liked putting on hers. I can't wait for the day when she wants to go to the mall in July in her monkey costume. If I have one of those gorilla outfits for adults, I'll wear it along side her. You can't help but love the imagination and care free attitude of an innocent kid. All they want to do is laugh and play. That's all I want to do. Sadly, the IRS has me chained to my desk and is about to start garnishing my wages...so I don't laugh as much. Anyway... we had a blast taking her all over town and sporting her outfits. She was quite the hit every where we went.

I was hell bent on taking her trick or treating on Halloween night but kids started coming to our house super early. I kept trying to make time and I finally gave in when I saw how much fun she was having handing out candy. She and her cousin had the best time dumping out all the candy and rolling over all of it on the floor. I'm sorry for the kids that got smashed candy...but it sure was fun to watch. I was excited about handing out candy this year because I decided that we were handing out REAL candy bars...none of this bite size crap. I went to Costco and bought over 120 real candy bars...and let me tell 'ya....if you want to make friends with all the kids in the 'hood, follow my lead. We were a hit. That's our new ritual every year so if you want to really score big with your kids, bring 'em over here and bang on my door next year.

We had some drama in the family this week. I was out running around and my phone kept ringing and ringing. It was the same number that I didn't recognize calling on the "rapid fire" deal but I wouldn't give in. I knew it was some realtor that wanted something and I was too wrapped up doing important things like putting together my costume. I called my office to get a photo googled to make sure I was doing my costume right and the girl that answered the phone said "did your wife get a hold of you, something about locking the keys in the car." I called the number back that was war dialing me and it was the answering machine for Tatum's school. I put two and two together and figured out that my wife locked the keys AND her cell in the car. I decided to take the high road and head over to save her. When I pulled in the parking lot (20 mins later) I saw her car flanked by 2 fire trucks. I started to get a little nervous. Thankfully everything was okay...but what I didn't know, and nobody told me, was that Tatum locked herself in the car, strapped in her car seat and dropped the car keys. Anne did an awesome job keeping it together and thankfully it was a mild day and not too hot outside. The fire dept. scratched the crap out of the inside and outside of her car using some professional grade wire hanger but all it did was beat up the car and didn't help unlock anything. After 45 mins they finally pulled out an axe and busted out the driver's window. Tatum wasn't scared and was playing with Anne through the car window the whole time...what a brave little solider she is. Thankfully nobody got hurt...except the car. I called the insurance company and said "I need to see if a fire dept breaking a window to save a child locked inside the car is on our policy...if it's not, I need to report someone breaking in my wife's car." The lady got a kick out of it and luckily for all of us, we're insured for such occurrences.

Okay, okay...shut up and show us the pictures. I know. Here you go. This is Tatum at Bee-lay. I love it.

Doesn't it look like she's going to a red carpet celebrity event here? But NO...she's on her way to dance class. The girl has a sense of style, eh?

Here she's practicing her turns before class. Just like her Dad...always studying and practicing!

She's thinking of what to do next. She thinks with her tongue. If it's out, she's thinking...

A few push ups to work the upper body. She's big in to core strength.

ALWAYS stretch the hamstrings...very important to remember as you age.

I played in a golf tournament 2 weeks ago. It was for the Young Men's Business League. We won the thing last year and had to go back to defend title. Last year I had the genius idea that we should all wear knickers and really look like jack asses. It worked, we did look the part. Anyway...this year we relived the dream only when me and my bud Jonny showed up our other 2 knicker partners one upped us and were in full regalia caddy outfits! It was hysterical....they even had our names on their backs. Priceless. As we were walking to the club house some douche bag uttered under his breath "what arrogant ass bring their own caddy to this tournament?" The thing that sucked about this is that my name was on his back...so people that didn't know we were joking thought I was really a prick. Again...you know my "f them for no sense of humor motto..." It was a great day. The icing on the cake...we won...again! It was actually a tie and we went in to a score card playoff and we schooled 'em. Now I've got 2 first place trophies in my office....yippee!


There were a few appropriately dressed beer cart girls too...I assure you it was THEM that wanted their picture with ME! 34 and still living' large.
Last Sunday was our neighbor's 30th annual pumpkin carving contest. We were first invited 3 years ago and I showed up with my pumpkin and my knife. They start the clock and give you one hour to do whatever you can do. As soon as the whistle was blown I looked around and see people with ear plugs and chainsaws, everyone has a power drill, there are outrageous props being brought in, hammers, jigsaws...you name it. I quickly learned I was in WAY over my head. There was nothing I could do about it that year but I learned and had time to prepare for it next time. Last year I placed 4th (or so they told me)...they give prizes for the top 3. It's my destiny in life to make it to the top 3 just once...then I'm going to quit and just walk around and watch everyone else carve, which is what the more well heeled folks do at this thing anyway. This year I thought up a little political idea and did what you see below. This is a HUGE democratic crowd and needless to say, I found myself out of the top 3 yet again. Anyway...I thought it was a damn good effort.

A "Dick Hunt"...like a Duck Hunt. Get it? Notice Cheney with the shotgun shooting the donkey and the donkey brains (pumpkin insides with fake blood mixed in) running out!? This was AWESOME! Apparently I was the only one that thought so. Next year I'm buying a damn chain saw and taking home a prize.

Saturday night was the annual Robinson Ranch Halloween Party. Aside from the parties we throw, this is my favorite of the year. They have the best setting, the best music and hands down the best costumes. I'm not telling you who we are, you've got to figure it out for yourself. Here's a few pics from the Saturday night party...

Our crew...
That's right folks...I've yet to find a straight man that can do a hurkey better than me. Check up the 'ups I got! Not bad.
Now for the shots you've been waiting for. My little Trick or Treaters...