13 Years

Last weekend Amy and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. Sometimes it just doesn't seem like it has been that long. Sometimes it seems like it has been much longer.

We went to dinner at Joe's Crabshack (the first time there for Amy). We both decided we don't need to eat there again, having eaten stale fries and my meal being an overpriced disappointment (lobster and steak). My steak was undercooked and undersized and my lobster was overcooked and undersized. We should have just stuck to one of our usuals but we were brave that day. Going out to eat is not something we do often and when we do it is usually the econo-Chinese food place or, once in a great while, Applebee's. I don't count fast food as eating out but we also do that rarerly.

We went to see Mr. and Mrs. Smith which was an interesting movie to see on an anniversary date and, upon our reflection afterwords, decided it went well with the occasion. It was a good, funny movie. We were planning on seeing War of the Worlds but the day before we went they took it out of the local theaters. So it is in the period between being shown in the regular theaters and the $1.50 theater (which is where Mr. and Mrs. Smith was being shown). It was nice to have a few hours with no kids. It had been a while since we last did that (probably last year for our 12th anniversary). Amy's mom stayed with the kids. When we got home they weren't missing us so we wished we had stayed out longer.

As a husband I still have a lot to work on. We need to be married a long time to get this thing down better. It is quite a ride but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The First Day of School

Well, the first day of school has come and gone. Cyrus was not looking forward to it as he doesn't like the tests. He stressed about the TAKS (the Texas assessment) test last year and is already dreading it this year. He did just fine in 3rd grade and I'm sure he'll do just fine this year but it is ashame a child, especially his age, has to go through that each year. He said his first day was good but the work has yet to begin!

Alonzo started Pre-K with many wondering if we would get a call the first day regarding his behavior. Thankfully, that call was not received! However, when Amy went to pick him up at the door, he had a name tag on that had Michael written on it. When asked how his day was he said he was not going back as he toted his full backpack and then said he was bringing home all his stuff. When asked why, he said they kept calling him Michael but wouldn't reveal anything more. Amy was quite upset that they couldn't get Alonzo's name right, so she went into the school to straighten things out. Upon getting there she found the boy who was now dubbed "Alphonso" (should be Alonzo). Amy got even more upset that not only had our son been "mis-labelled" but his name was misspelled.

Well, after some coaxing, Alonzo said he would go back to school again. We will see how it goes today. It would help if the teacher had made a better effort to get to know the children and not call Alonzo a name he is not. She said she had asked the children what their names were but apparently didn't listen closely enough when Alonzo said what his was (he says it clear enough to understand). Now, can she redeem herself? Time will tell.

Garden of the Gods

The day we arrived in Colorado Springs we had some time to check out Garden of the Gods. We will have to spend some more time there hiking and enjoying the scenery some time in the future.

The North Pole

We took a long weekend trip to the North Pole near Colorado Springs. The North Pole is an excellent amusement park for the younger children. Cyrus (the oldest at 9) was able to ride every ride (by himself, if he wanted to). Deveny and Alonzo had a lot of fun with so many rides they could go on. This is our second visit there and I am sure we will go again to enjoy the highest Ferris Wheel in the world (altitude) and the great mountain scenery.