Trekking

The Praise a Child Should Never Hear

2010-04-19T16:10:00.004-05:00

I was pointed to this topic by an article in the latest Scouting magazine. I found a linkable article over at The Wall Street Journal - The Praise a Child Should Never Hear. The core of the information is found in this paragraph:

Mr. Bronson highlights a study of 400 fifth-graders conducted by psychologist Carol Dweck and a team at Columbia University in which the children took three tests. The second test purposely was made difficult enough that every child failed. What the scientists found was that kids who had been praised for their effort recovered from that failure by the third test to achieve scores 30% higher than on their first test. Meanwhile, the students who were praised for their intelligence had scores that were 20% lower. Ms. Dweck’s conclusion: You should praise children for qualities they can control, like effort. Those praised for their innate brainpower might develop the sense that hard work isn’t necessary.

The Scouting magazine article took a different angle in describing the tests. I would link the article but apparently the print issue is out faster than the articles hit the 'net:

The first test was simple, and all the students did well. Afterward, half the student received person praise ("You must be smart at this."), while half received process praise ("You must have worked really hard.").

Those simple words made a world of difference in subsequent rounds. When students got to pick between easy and hard tests, most of the person-praise group picked an easy test, but 90 percent of the process-praise group picked a hard one. Moreover, the process-praise group enjoyed the harder tests, while the person-praise group worried that failure would make them look less smart.

I found the information interesting as a parent and as someone who works with the youth. One of the scientists conducting the study states in summary -

"Person praise gives you no recipe for facing challenges or recovering from setbacks," Dweck said. "Process praise is about what you do to be successful, so it's informative."

This appears to be an approach worth trying.

BYU Animation - Student Academy Award and Emmy Winners

2009-11-30T06:32:00.002-06:00

BYU's excellent animation program continues to receive awards. You can read about the program and its productions at their website here.

Pajama Gladiator took first place in the animation category awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences while Kites came in third. Kites came in first for a student Emmy (College Television Awards) in the animation category and Pajama Gladiator took second.

I enjoyed both films and thought others may enjoy them as well. I wish the BYU Animation shorts were more easily available for viewing.

Halloween Costumes from 3 years ago

2009-09-23T05:21:00.000-05:00

Shoot, while I'm at it, why not post a Halloween picture from three years ago. The only part of these costumes not made by Amy are the lightsabers and the Darth Vader mask.

Last Year's Halloween Costumes

2009-09-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

Shame on me! I didn't post pictures of the kids in their Halloween costumes last year. I hope what they are is apparent.

Washington County Fair - The Ribbons are In! (Part 2)

2009-08-17T17:09:00.000-05:00

I guess blogger limits the number of pictures in a post so I had to divide my fair post.

Deveny colored this Tinker Bell picture and got a second place ribbon for it. She got a first place ribbon for a T-shirt she colored (also Tinker Bell - see a pattern?).

I got into the fair game this year and entered two of my photos. The one above earned a first place ribbon. It is of a yet unidentified flower I took a picture of in Palo Duro Canyon the summer before we moved to St. George.

Washington County Fair - The Ribbons are In!

2009-08-17T16:46:00.004-05:00

The Washington County Fair just wrapped up this weekend with everyone in the family earning some ribbons. Amy did not enter as much this year but everything she entered received first place ribbons and one earned a Sweepstakes ribbon. In total she had 6 first place ribbons and one those also earned a Sweepstakes ribbon.

This is a dress she did for Deveny. Amy actually did not think this would be the one to get her something more than first place but I like it, especially the details on the smocking.

LaVar did not think this painting had a chance but we thought it was a good one. It got a first place ribbon. He got first place ribbons on some of his pottery and a paper mache mask. A photo he took of the Salt Lake Temple earned a 2nd place ribbon. The image I currently use for this blog is a print he did in school which received a 2nd place ribbon. In total he had 4 first place ribbons, 3 seconds and 1 third.

Alonzo did this at home. I think it will have to speak for itself. He did get a first place ribbon for it. He also got a third place ribbon for his pinewood derby car he raced this year.

Has it been that long?

2009-07-10T13:25:00.003-05:00

Has it really been that long since I last posted? We had an enjoyable hike at Pine Valley this last weekend. The trail was wonderfully wooded and needs my more personal attention at some point (no kids complaining about how far we've gone). This was a perfect activity with St. George cooking in 100+ heat.

Here are a couple of pictures from the trek.

Spring Break

2009-03-23T16:51:00.006-05:00

We had some out-of-towners come in for Spring Break. We enjoyed a brief hike in Snow Canyon State Park namely Jenny's Canyon (a slot canyon), with my BIL's family. Later that week we intended to take my brother and his family there but found out it was closed until June 1 (starting the day after our visit earlier the same week).

We also visited some of the best petroglyphs I have seen so far near Ivins. Some places state they are 800 year-old Anasazi petroglyphs but I question the Anasazi part. Regardless, Anasazi is not the preferred name so Ancient Puebloans may be more accurate. 800 years seems to put the petroglyphs at the end of the time of the "ancient ones". There were many there and some we didn't get to. The hike around the petroglyphs was also nice - lots of rocks for the kids to climb on.

Of course, with any out-of-town visitors to St. George, you have to take them to Zion National Park. The crowd was not too bad considering Spring Break and the weather was nice - at least, in the sun it was. It was kind of cool in the shade. There were still places in the park with snow.

Simple Joys

2009-02-04T05:45:00.003-06:00

To my embarrassment yesterday, I realized after going to the grocery store that I had gone without a hat after one of my daughters hair styling sessions (sorry, no pictures will be provided). Thankfully, I had not received one of her more creative styles.

As I thought about it I realized how much I enjoy little moments where I'm with one of my kids just enjoying their company. It is unimaginable to think what life would be like without them. Those simple little joys add up to what makes life so wonderful.

Patrick Boivin

2008-12-26T08:18:00.005-06:00

Here are a couple of Patrick Boivin stop motion videos I thought some might enjoy:

St. Nicholas and St. George Snow

2008-12-17T20:10:00.004-06:00

As part of our Belgian heritage, St. Nicholas pays the kids a visit December 6. The evening before we enjoy some yule log and the kids place their shoes out to be filled with goodies. Amy includes some yummy mirange mushrooms to place around the yule log (I think the kids like the mushrooms more than the log itself.

St. Nicholas doesn't leave too much but gold foil chocolate coins, a tangerine and Christmas tree ornament are the regulars. Included this year was peppermint coal for that little bad in all of us.

Today we had a not so typical event in St. George. It snowed enough to make a snow man. With all the leaves in the snow, it is tempting to call this snow man a leaf man.

The work was fast and furious and there was little snow left in the front or back. While the work progressed the snow started to change to rain. I am afraid the little snow we had will be a big tease for the kids who will now expect more but will most likely be disappointed.

The Rising

2008-09-14T19:47:00.001-05:00

This is a wonderful song and great video compilation. Jimmy Westbrook is the singer and it is from the album Joseph: A Nashville Tribute to the Prophet. Enjoy!

New Post on Politics and Society Blog

2008-08-26T16:52:00.001-05:00

Just a heads up on a new post over on my Politics and Society blog - The Pickens Plan. Yes, finally. Now, I just need to get some posting done here.

Whitney Pockets

2008-06-01T16:29:00.007-05:00

For Memorial Day weekend we went on a little excursion to Whitney Pockets in Nevada (near Mesquite). We were originally going to go to Pine Valley but the snow on the ground deterred us.

View Larger Map

We set up camp right next to that big rock center left (west) on the map. The first day it rained most of the time and the second day off and on but we got some good hiking in as well as some ATVing.

The sandstone rock formations were very interesting, almost other worldly. The flora included the barrel cactus and Joshua trees. The fauna was the usual desert fair - lizards, chipmunks, a Desert Kangaroo Mouse visited us during the night and a quail passed by on one ATV run.

Mortality

2008-03-03T02:37:00.003-06:00

It was interesting week that just passed. I returned from seeing my grand uncle in the hospital after a major heart attack. It was nice to live closer to where I could go down and visit him after a few hours drive rather than multiple hours. He was communicating good by writing on a clipboard when I got there, which I am grateful for. A doctor initially made it sound like he had little chance of making it but as of today he is breathing on his own but is quite weak with his heart functioning on a limited basis, a fact that will not change with a valve not working properly.
After returning to visit my uncle, my wife got a call from her sister. Her husband was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer his father died from after it came back from remission. The symptoms seem to indicate that it is a more severe type (don't ask me the name of it) but the tests have not come back to indicate which one he has.

Then, as the week ended I was reading the blog of Nathan Shumate (Tachyon City) and found out he had a stroke. Nathan is my age.

All this has made me think about my mortality a bit. I would think that would be a natural thing considering the week's events. I have thought about it before due to my family history. My father had what I believe was a minor heart attack a couple of years ago while still in his 50s. My grandfather died from a hunting accident before I was born at the age of 44. His father died at the age of 45 from a heart attack. My 2nd great grandfather died at the age of 42 (a brain aneurysm, if I recall correct). My 3rd great grandfather died at 58, and his father at 47. You have to go back to my 5th Great Grandfather (direct paternal line) to find an ancestor who lived into his 60s.

The uncle I went to see is one of two brothers of my grandfather's who are still alive (of 7). One died at the age of 9 and was my grandfather's twin - illness weakened his heart. Two died in their 50s. My two grand uncles that are still alive, namely the one that had the heart attack, are probably the more healthy of the group, exercising on a regular basis and have eaten healthy. I really can't compare myself to them (unless we're looking at opposites) as I am overweight and not in shape. I can try to blame some of that on asthma but not all of it. I really need to take a look at what I can do to better my health so I can stick around for a good long time.

Even if I get myself in shape it is no guarantee I'll be around as long as I want though that is not an excuse not to try. There's other things that can sneak up on you like cancer. My sister has MS which I hope can be kept under control - that is something that can't be avoided as it just happens.

We're mere mortals with a limited time here. Or are we really eternal beings with limited mortal existence? Well, the latter is true so our mortality, while limited, is not the sum of our existence but a small portion of it. A guess that limits the sting of death a little. However, when we leave spouses with children still at home behind there is much more of an impact. There's a responsibility for us to do what we can to be there for our families as long as possible. That's fine and dandy for those who have some control over that but for those who don't, fate is in charge.

The Trek West

2008-01-14T22:37:00.000-06:00

Well, we're now in St. George, Utah. It definitely doesn't feel like the Wasatch Front here but it is definitely Utah. I don't mean that in a negative way but when you have LDS churches around every corner, you're probably in Utah. So, another chapter in our family begins. Where we go from here is still open.

E-bay and The Last Mimzy

2007-11-15T10:32:00.000-06:00

Our daughter really likes the movie The Last Mimzy. Of course, it is because of Mimzy. In the move, Mimzy is what appears to be a stuffed rabbit but turns out to be more than that. The Tonner Doll Company came out with a replica of Mimzy earlier this year and it was so popular it sold out (I think the Mimzy frenzie really hit when the DVD came out). You can buy them at e-bay, of course, but you'll have to bid a chunk of money to get it ($100 plus) when the ones available were originally $24.95 (there was a more deluxe version available for $59.95 or so).

New Line, the company that distributed the movie, made available a new talking Mimzy in a limited quantity of 2,000 just yesterday for the price of $29.95 (originally - they increased the price to $36.95 today). Despite there still being some available, these talking Mimzys are already showing up at e-bay for as much as $229.00 (Buy-it-Now price). If anyone bids on one of these Mimzys before the retail supply of 2000 is exhausted, they're nuts! If you want one go to New Line Shop before they run out but don't go to e-bay and pay a ridiculous price.

With e-bay there seems to be a trend. I think professional e-bayers are buying certain popular products to a point they are almost not available at your standard retail outlet (either brick and mortar or online). Our oldest son wanted a Bumblebee transformer based on the one recently seen on the Transformer movie. You couldn't find them anywhere except on e-bay. After some diligent effort on our part we located both versions (the older camaro model and the new one) at local stores right after being stocked. In both cases we got the last of each and ran into others trying to get the same ones.

I have purchased one toy on e-bay for more than standard retail once. It was a Jessie doll from Toy Story 2. We never saw them in stores and we really wanted to get it for our daughter because she was always playing with her brother's Woody doll. I did not, however, pay an exorbitant amount for it nor would I for any toy.

I will be watching this gift giving season to see what happens with these short supply high demand toys to see what prices are paid. I wonder if supplies will kick up for the transformers but thus far most retail outlets have had few of them (Wal-mart has been the worse) though Target and Toys 'R Us have had more in stock (though Toys 'R Us had been without them here locally for two weeks after they ran an ad advertising them - at least the $9.99 versions). Most likely procrastinators will pay - either in price or in a disappointed child.

Oh, and for those shopping on e-bay, check around before bidding.

Eric D. Snider

2007-10-30T11:59:00.000-05:00

I added some Sniderite links today. In other words, I've added a link to, first of all, Eric D. Snider's website who is a movie critic and funny guy (seriously). Included in the links is the message board/forum that used to be part of his site but now resides at his brother's site (Snider Board). There are a few blog links to some of those who participate on the board/forum.

I visit Eric's site on occasion to read his Snide Remarks, blog and movie reviews. I don't post often at the board/forum but do visit at least once a week.

Halloween Hangman

2007-10-22T19:14:00.000-05:00

How about a little Halloween Hangman to bone up on your Halloween vocabulary.

Getting Under the Skin of 'Toons & Knitwit

2007-09-05T14:59:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered what the skeleton of Charlie Brown would look like? No matter, it is below whether you ever wondered or not:

This is the work of Michael Paulus. You can enjoy more of his work at his website.

Lauren Porter, an art graduate at Bath Spa University (UK), knitted a Ferrari sportscar for her honors degree.

She didn't do it alone, however, with 20 of her family and friends helping out making the 250 squares that make up the Ferrari. The article notes that she also welded the steel frame herself. Quite a unique project . . . if only it were real.

St. George Pics

2007-08-14T11:36:00.000-05:00

Yes, this is going back a bit but I've meant to post some since March when we were there for Spring Break.

We did some ATVing. Everyone enjoyed it. On the way back at the end of our riding around, Amy had to stop because Deveny started to fall asleep. Cyrus rode with me. We got some good speed going in places. Near the main road there were some good hills to get some air on.

There were some petroglyphs where we ATVed to. This is one of them. You can see a few more pictures of our ATVing time here.

Flowers

2007-08-13T11:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, I do like flowers and thought I would share pictures of a couple I recently (this summer) took pictures of.

This flower is from our front flower bed. No, I don't know what it is and neither does Amy. I know it is from some bulbs I bought her but I can't remember the name of the flower.

The above picture was taken at Palo Duro Canyon. Again, we haven't been able to identify yet (though we have tried). I thought it might be a thistle of some kind but reference material at the visitor's center at Palo Duro Canyon did not have it listed and the personnel there could not identify it either. They were in abundance in June, a product of the wet weather this year.

New Star Wars Race

2007-08-09T16:12:00.000-05:00

Well, since I'm entertaining myself here I'll post an amusing image that I can look at when visiting my blog. This is from Hawk who takes part in the Avalanche Software blog. I don't know who Hawk is (of all the creatives listed) but if I find out I'll let you know. Take a look at the blog - lots of creative contributions to enjoy (but, of course, I'm "talking" to myself so I will continue to take my own advice and visit on a regular basis).

This is a Test

2007-07-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, I do exist and I have not been posting on a regular basis. The test part of this is . . . has anyone even noticed?

The Lost Prince of Darkleaf

2007-06-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

Bean Leaf Press has their next book out - The Lost Prince of Darkleaf, the second book in a series that started with Bean's Song. I read the first book with my oldest son and have the second on the way. The authors are Aimee Duncan and Travis Hanson with Travis doing the illustrations. We enjoyed the first book and are looking forward to this one.

ST Lewis - Hot Dog on a Stick

2007-06-14T11:20:00.000-05:00

Okay, you need to go check out S. T. Lewis' Hot Dog on a Stick. Another hilarious piece and accompanying blog entry. Be sure to click on the pic for a bigger view. There's a flag in it so it goes with today being Flag Day. Hey, it's my birthday, I can stretch the topic a little!

Potpourri of Information

2007-06-12T10:27:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned previously, I planned to be diligent in my posting. I try to make my posts worthwhile so sometimes I don't post because I don't have much to share. This post is sort of a mixture of information that alone would not be posted.

Summer activities have begun. Cyrus experienced a school "camp" last week that occurred for a couple of hours each morning. He seemed to have a good time with the activities which were centered on a pirate theme. He was invited to attend due to his good behavior and grades. Now he is involved in scout camp which he was originally not going to attend as there was one kid last year that made it miserable and he didn't think there would be anything new to do. A kid dropped out due to a schedule conflict so Cyrus was invited to take the open spot which he decided to do. He enjoyed the first day. By the way, the scout camp's theme is pirates.

Swimming lessons will be coming up for Alonzo and Cyrus. Alonzo is excited. He likes the water and really enjoyed swimming at an indoor activity center in St. George during spring break. He was so excited he want down a water slide without any flotation device before we knew he was gone. Not knowing how to swim, he was somewhat surprised when he got to the bottom and had to make his way to the side! Thankfully, he made it and if he had had problems there are lifeguards posted in several places.

Amy's birthday has passed and mine approaches. We're getting old...er. We don't feel it yet and hopefully won't for a while but to me time is passing too fast. We went to Chilis to celebrate our birthdays and had a good meal. Cyrus and Alonzo had the ribs (kids meal version) which they really liked (they have always bugged me for some of mine when I order it). Deveny got the pizza but wanted everyone else's food (as usual). She seems to like ribs though she is normally not a big meat fan.

We still have to determine when and where we will vacation this summer. With gas prices we will probably not go far. Amy and the kids will probably go to Utah in our fuel efficient Geo (which can't hold the whole family but can hold all of us save one).

Palo Duro Canyon

2007-05-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

We spend a decent amount of time at an area state park - Palo Duro Canyon. It is claimed that it is the second largest canyon in the United States. We spent Memorial Day there doing some hiking and playing in the water. Our area rainfall has been above normal so far this year and the result is an abundance of wildflowers in Palo Duro Canyon. I do not recall ever seeing so many Indian Blankets in the many years that I have been going there. There was quite a variety of flowers and colors to enjoy.

This Memorial Day also happened to fall on Amy's birthday so she got to choose what we were going to do. She likes to hike and usually two of the children do as well. However, Cyrus is usually our complainer and he made good on that description this time as well. We used to take him on regular hikes in Palo Duro Canyon which he greatly enjoyed when he was younger. At 10 he seems to have outgrown that enthusiasm for hiking. Deveny gives out before we are done and ends up on Amy's back or my shoulders. Alonzo tires himself out by going nonstop even when we are making a rest stop.

You could hear the buzz of bees as they made their way between the many flowers. You could see a bee in almost every flower on the prickly pear cactuses that were in abundance. Cyrus had the opportunity to chase some lizards. However, those lizards were too darn quick! We would try to corral them but they would make a dash past one of us.

At one of our rest stops we noticed a spider web on the cliff beside us. Upon closer inspection I noticed the nice little spider happened to be a Black Widow. Luckily, none of the kids were curious enough to check it out more closely before I noticed what it was.

To see more pictures from our day at Palo Duro Canyon go to my web album.

Yes, Squirrels are Evil!

2007-05-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

The very same day I made the previous post, our cable company informed us the problems we had been having with our cable reception (ghosting) was due to squirrels chewing up our cable wires!

I even have a picture of one of the little terrorists.

Squirrels Evil?

2007-05-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

Okay, I've liked squirrels for some time. As a kid I remember my Great Grandfather feeding a squirrel that would come right up to him. I enjoy watching them run around the yard burying nuts and looking for previously buried nuts (which they seem to only find again by chance). Even after we had one romping around in our attic, I still did not hate them. Now, however, they're crossing the line. First one car and then another have been attacked by these little beasties. How does a squirrel attack a car, you may ask? They chew on your wires, that's how.

The first vehicle was one I was getting ready to sell and was parked in the back of our house. After I took care of some minor repairs I noticed some wires had been chewed on and the hood insulation used to start a nest of sorts. The wires were to an electrical connection on a sensor that caused the check engine light to come on. With some soldering and additional wire I was able to fix the problem.

A couple of weeks later, I am driving my car (that is parked in the front) during a warm day to run some errands for work. I notice my air conditioning is not blowing cold air when it had just the afternoon before. I figured maybe it needed to be charged so I got a can of freon or whatever they are calling it these days. However, as I was checking that out, my neighbor noticed some wires had been chewed on and severed near an electrical connection for the air conditioning. Another car had been attacked by a squirrel!

No, I haven't witnessed a squirrel doing the deeds but they are pretty much the only critters we have running around that I have seen and can list as suspects. There's been a couple of regulars as of late. My wife is not appreciating their presence as they seem to be digging all over the place looking for their lost food storage. Also, it seems I'm not the only one that has had similar problems. There is actually a website called Squirrels Ate My Wiring with tales of this type of squirrel shenanigan.

Maybe it is time to look up some of those squirrel recipes. Is there a squirrel season? Do I need a license?

Meet the Robinsons

2007-05-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

There's not much at the theaters right now for kids. Spider-man is in the spotlight but it is not the best movie for the younger ones. A movie our family enjoyed is still around - Disney's Meet the Robinsons. It is a good movie with a good message.

Meet the Robinsons was in the works before Disney purchased Pixar (who had a partnership with Disney for Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars and etc.). With that purchase, Disney made Pixar's John Lasseter (who directed Toy Story and others and had worked at Disney many years ago) Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation. Pixar's Ed Catmull became president of Disney Animation (in addition to Pixar). They reviewed what was currently in the works at Disney Animation including Meet the Robinsons. There is a lot of talk about how the movie was vastly improved because Pixar came in and "fixed" it. Well, I won't argue that but the movie was largely done already by the time John Lasseter, came into the picture. Here is a quote from John Lasseter (made at a stockholder meeting if I remember correctly):

"... the day after the announcement of the merging of the two studios, Ed and I walked in the Disney Animation Studios, and there we got to meet all of the artists. And each of the directors took us through all the films, and the one director, the young guy named Steve Anderson, was directing this movie called "Meet the Robinsons," which was the next motion picture that's coming out from Disney Animation Studios. And he talked about this story, which is about a boy who is given up for adoption and he always wondered why. Why did his mom give him up?

And, as he told this story, Steve mentioned, "I'm adopted." And his personal story touched me so deeply that when I finally saw the movie, which, by the way, I have to say, it was about 80% finished when Ed and I walked into that studio. I looked at it and it was like the film didn't have in it what Steve's personal story had.

His personal story story brought me to tears, right, and I thought, ah, this feels like it's had too many cooks trying to stir this soup. So we gave him a lot of notes, some really strong notes. We were very honest with him about the movie, but then I gave it back to him. I said, Steve, make the movie you want to make. Tell your story.

And he came back with changes to this film, minor changes, but it made all the difference in the world, and this movie about Lewis, the main character Lewis, who is focusing on the past, and he's wondering, why did his mom give me up? And he wants to focus on his past, but this focus actually takes him to the future, where he meets this amazing, crazy, wonderful, appealing group of characters that actually
turns out to be his future family.

And he learns through this experience to look forward in life, not to look back. And this story, it's Steve's story. We're really excited about this. I'm very, very proud of the film and what Steve and his crew have done. The film is really beautiful too. They have a stylization in this film that is really striking."

So it is a personal story that teaches an important lesson. No wonder the story is touching (and it seems many are agreeing with that assessment of the movie).

"The Mormons"

2007-05-04T12:42:00.000-05:00

I am posting this at both my blogs. I don't post often on religion as many are more articulate and complete on the subject. I have linked on this blog some great blogs on the subject of my religion and I will probably add more links as time goes on. My religion is very important to me and essential to my life. Thus, I feel it important to include this post here.

As a believing and practicing Mormon I have to take issue with the recent broadcast of "The Mormons" on PBS. I am surprised so many are calling this a thoughtful presentation of my Church and religion. The presentation missed so much. I found this article by Maurine Jensen Proctor to be a great response and to reflect my feelings on "The Mormons" quite well. I do not believe a responsible approach was taken in this production, not that I have a problem with the subjects that were touched on, but largely about what was left out and the lack of balance.

Belgian Cartoons/Comics

2007-05-02T13:55:00.000-05:00

My mother is from Belgium so I thought I would mention two Belgian cartoons/comics. The first is one that many in the US are probably familiar with - the Smurfs. The little blue folk were created by a Belgian who went by the pen name of Peyo. While the cartoons have not been on TV on a regular basis here in the US since the 80s, a movie is in the works (CGI - Nickelodeon Movies).

Another famous Belgian creation is Tintin from The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé. This example, however, is not as well known in the US. With a movie being produced by DreamWorks, that may change. A lot of research went into Tintin's adventures, creating a lot of historic and political realism. The Adventures of Tintin ran from 1929 to 1986 (Hergé died in 1983 and his final work that was finished posthumously came out in 1986).

St. George, Utah

2007-04-30T12:07:00.000-05:00

We spent most of Spring Break in St. George where my mom and sister live. Besides some ATVing, picnicing and swimming we went to a couple of local places. We visited Dinosaur Discovery, a site where some dinosaur footprints were found. I'll admit I wasn't too excited about dinosaur footprints and the kids weren't overly excited, either. However, it seems to be a great place for kids to learn about dinosaurs, especially if you live locally and can take them there for the various educational activities that are put on. There are some knowledgeable people there, as well. The work being conducted is ongoing and you can witness some of that. They even take volunteers to help with the work. In actuality, upon seeing it and reading on it, it is an important discovery site.

Then there is The Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum. A lot of great information with a lot of work put into recreating habitats of many different animals. I have to say all the dead animals makes it kind of creepy. It is like a zoo of dead animals. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with hunting (for food) and I enjoy hunting myself (for food). I can't say how all the animals for the exhibit were obtained so I can't really comment on that beyond that I find sport hunting distasteful. Among the useful education, the museum is really is a big advertisement for hunting rights and I even agree with some of the points made. However, most often I find sport hunting wrong. I'll say that one would not be able to see so many animals in such a small space (relative to a large zoo) anywhere else. I did enjoy the bug and butterfly collection.

Updates

2007-04-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

I'm going to try to be better at blogging so those who care actually find something new here when they visit. I did some link updating so I believe most are good. I added Toon Club since I have found the art so good and a link to the administrator of that site, S. T. Lewis, who not only does great art but has a hilarious blog.

Bean Leaf Press is the home of The Tales of Dark Leaf a five book series that is currently at book 2 (about to come out) and the artwork of Travis Hanson. The Tales of Dark Leaf is the work of Travis Hanson and Aimee Duncan. I've read the first book, Bean's Song, with my oldest son.

Watch for more updates.

GLADiator

2007-04-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

Here's another from Toon Club that I couldn't resist. It is done by Seth Hippen.

20 Foot 'Shroom?

2007-04-24T14:51:00.000-05:00

A fossil long un-classified is now believed to be a 20 foot fungus from about 400 Million years ago. You can read more here. That conjures up a vision from Voyage to the Center of the Earth. If you are truly bored and want to read up on the debate regarding this fossil you can you can do so here. This link includes an artist rendition of what the fungus may have looked like (it was created before the debate was settled). The world 400 Million years ago was definitely different from now with no more than insects running around stunted trees and bushes. That would have been an alien world to walk around in.

No Addiction Here...

2007-04-20T15:18:00.000-05:00

You can tell from my frequent posts here that I'm addicted to blogging...

Anywho... Ran into a cool blog of creative people - Toon Club. Its populated by animators and illustrators. Here's a piece that caught my eye:

Yes, YIKES! Here's another - The Problems with Frozen Foods, Jurassic Style:

These samples are by Mark Swan (of Swan Animation, I believe). Go to Toon Club and check out all the great creativity. There are other great artists to enjoy as well!

Enjoying the Snow

2007-02-19T22:36:00.000-06:00

Yes, yes, I know. This snow fell last month but as usual, I have neglected my blog. Cyrus and I had to make the best of our foot of snow so here is a couple of pictures of our snow structure (its not an igloo, so I didn't know what to call it). Now I can just imagine what we could do with what upstate New York got recently! It took a while for the snow to melt due to our unusually long lasting cold spells. The kids enjoyed the snow sticking around for a while.

Ice, Ice Baby!

2006-12-20T19:12:00.000-06:00

We were hit by an "ice storm" in that it rained and everywhere the rain fell, it froze. A lot of trees in town lost limbs, some taking out power, cable and/or phone lines. Our neighbors lost all three. The first picture is of our neighbor's (our other neighbors) tree that has some branches hanging over our driveway. Luckily, it hasn't lost any on our cars. The kids' school also lost some power. When I dropped of Alonzo and Cyrus the hall lights weren't working and neither was the heat.

Luckily, we at least got some snow to top off the ice. Looks like all our snow will be melted by Christmas (we're supposed to get more Friday but it doesn't sound like much is expected).

The second picture is from a nearby park. The broken tree limbs lined all sides of the park (as the park is lined with trees). This was the scene throughout town.

Christmas MeMe

2006-12-13T09:44:00.000-06:00

I wasn't tagged this time and I won't tag anyone else but I'd be happy to see some other's answers as well.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Egg nog does take priority during this time of the year. I dilute mine with some milk, however. Not only does it make it last but it makes it less fattening.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Both

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored lights on the tree that do all sorts of patterns. We have some blue swag lights for the house but I dislike them and haven't put them up.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No. Don't know why not, just don't. Haven't thought about it. Cyrus would probably be concerned.

5. When do you put your decorations up? During our Thanksgiving break. We usually get the tree the day after and decorate over the next couple of days.

6. Favorite holiday memory as a child: I'm having a hard time coming up with one. We often went to see my grandparents for Christmas. Not much memory left from my childhood days (or, at least, it is selective). A more recent favorite Christmas, however, was when my annual Christmas wish for snow came true big time. As in over a foot of snow! That is my favorite holiday memory as an adult child .

7. How and when did you learn the truth about Santa? I honestly don't remember (yes, bad memory!) I think I suspected for a while but I didn't say anything, just going along with the attempted "deception".

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? That was my family's tradition when I was a kid but we haven't carried it on. I guess with fewer presents to open it just takes away from Christmas morning.

9. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With ornaments, lights, the colored balls (what are they called?) and that silvery string stuff (ugh! what are those called?)

10. Snow! Love it or dread it? See #6 above. Love it!

11. Can you ice skate? Yes, awkwardly. We went ice skating at the Galleria mall in Dallas when my wife and I got married. Not too many places to ice skate where we are, so we haven't done in quite a while!

12. Do you remember your favorite gift? Probaby my first camera with the second camera coming in second. After some additional thought I my have to update this one.

13. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? The reason for the season which in turn draws the family close. The birth of Jesus Christ is why we have Christmas so that is what everything should revolve around. The giving of gifts is fun and a supplementary feature.

14. What is your favorite holiday dessert? We make all sorts of goodies on Christmas Eve. My favorite is probably the Chocolate and Rasberry brownies but I also really like magic bars.

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I like singing Christmas Carols and the making and eating of goodies. The time with family is the best. We have a little visit from St. Nicholas on December 6 as they do in Belgium, where my mom is from. We also read and act out the Christmas story.

16. What tops your tree? A star with lights.

17. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving as I don't get so much these days. But the giving is fun.

18. What is your favorite Christmas song? Probably "O Come All Ye Faithful" But I really like most of them.

First Winter Snow of the Season

2006-11-30T22:13:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying the first winter snow of the season here. We got around 6" of snow and school was canceled so they got to enjoy it. Their play lasted for a little while before they got too cold (it was around 24ºF).

Update - we actually got 8.25" officially.

Halloween 2006

2006-11-07T22:37:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm running a little bit late but at least its not Thanksgiving yet. Here is the gang in their Halloween attire. These aren't bought costumes (except the light sabers and the Darth Vader mask). The gal hanging on the wall is a friendly apparition.

The theme was their choice. Well, Deveny wanted to be a Princess so being Princes Leia was fine with her because of the Princesspart.

Corny

2006-11-03T09:33:00.000-06:00

I'm bad. I'm a bad blogger with not enough regular posts. It is a matter of just getting my thoughts typed out, mostly. Well, I have posted at BResponsible and I wanted to make note of it here. The post is Corny.

Radical Origins

2006-10-23T09:58:00.000-05:00

As I was searching Google Books for information regarding some of my ancestors, a publication kept on coming up, Radical Origins: Early Mormon Converts and Their Colonial Ancestors by Val Dean Rust. Understand that I have not read this book though at some point I may (somewhat depending on any feedback I get back on it). Here is a description found at Google Books:

Val D. Rust's Radical Origins investigates whether the unconventional religious beliefs of their colonial ancestors predisposed early Mormon converts to embrace the "radical" message of Joseph Smith Jr. and his new church. Utilizing a unique set of meticulously compiled genealogical data, Rust uncovers the ancestors of early church members throughout what we understand as the radical segment of the Protestan Reformation. Coming from backgrounds in the Antinomians, Seekers, Anabaptists, Quakers, and the Family of Love, many colonial ancestors of the church's early members had been ostracized from their communities. Expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, some were whipped, mutilated, or even hanged for their beliefs. Rust shows how family lore can be passed down through the generations, and can ultimately shape the outlook of future generations.

Now, I was doing research on ancestors of some of my Mormon ancestors so I guess their mention in this book shows the Mr. Rust may have a point. Or does he? What kind of people were coming to the New England area during early colonial times? Many were seeking to worship God as they chose. Many were being persecuted in their native country for their religious beliefs. Would not a majority of those who came be considered "radical" in their beliefs? Many of these ancestors of mine are not only ancestors of my Mormon families by also ancestors of many prominent leaders of this country as well as many present day non-Mormons.

I found the premise of the book interesting when I first read it. First, I think the religious atmosphere of Joseph Smith's time definitely was a contributing factor to and conducive to the restoration. Joseph Smith's "radical" religious background probably was what provided an atmosphere of religious exploration that encouraged Joseph Smith's actions. Others who would become followers of the Church would also come from backgrounds of religious exploration, with an openness to check out a "new" religion. However, there was a lot of religious exploration going on at the time with a majority not joining up with Joseph Smith's church.

As I explore the description of this book, the less I think Mr. Rust has a point. I don't know Mr. Rust's intent as I haven't read the book but just reading the premise I wonder if he is trying to show a defect in the ancestors of early Mormons that predisposed them to believe Joseph Smith. I can't go along with that considering those same ancestors belong to others that would not become followers of the Mormon faith or what may be considered a "radical" faith. Even if Mr. Rust is not disparaging the reasoning behind the choice of early Mormons to believe and follow Joseph Smith, it is faulty for the same reason - lack of uniqueness in ancestors of early Mormons compared to your "average" non-radical early American.

If anyone has read this book, please comment on what you thought of it. Like I said, I haven't had the chance to read it having just discovered its existence. Perhaps it would be worth the read. Perhaps not.

Halloween MeMe

2006-10-16T14:42:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged for a MeMe by KetchupQueen - something I've never heard of before but here I go (I hope I'm not too dull)!

1. What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

I haven't seen too many scary movies. The most recent I have seen was The Grudge which was creepy. I prefer creepy over bloody. Another one that is fairly decent is Dark Water but I definitely did not like the end of that one.

2. What was your favorite Halloween Costume from childhood, and adulthood?

I honestly don't have any memorable costumes from my childhood and don't dress up these days (mostly a time issue). My wife does some excellent costumes for the kids (usually super heros these days). My daughter was a flower in a pot one year (her first halloween) - she was so cute! My oldest was a good Harry Potter that year while his brother was a dragon.

3. If you had an unlimited budget, what would your Fantasy Costume be for this Halloween?

For some reason I've always wanted to wear an authentic costume from the mid-1800s. I won't do it unless it is authentic. I also like medievel costumes as long as they don't involve tights.

4. When was the last time you went Trick Or Treating?

My fondest memories Trick or Treating was from when I was a kid in Idaho. We got so much candy (especially when I would go with a friend in addition to going with family). I don't recall going Trick or Treating after that here in Texas.

We don't take the kids Trick or Treating but take them to some various carnivals and such put on by organizations and churches (including our own Church Ward's "Fall Festival").

5. What's your favorite Halloween Candy?

I would have to say any of the miniature candy bars with Milky Way and Snickers being my favorite. Actually, anything chocolate is good.

6. Tell us about a scary nightmare you had.

I don't have too many scary nightmares anymore. The worse is anything to do with my kids - like not being able to find them. As a kid my recurring nightmare was running away from a tiger and jumping off a cliff. I never got to the bottom but in a version I would have a rope tied around my waste and the nightmare would end with me dangling from a rope and a tiger falling toward me, teeth and claws bared.

7. What is your Supernatural Fear?

Can't think of one.

8. What is your Creepy-Crawlie Fear?

Being attacked by an ant colony.

9. Tell us about a time when you saw a ghost, or heard something go Bump in the night.

I'll have to decline for the same reason KQ did on this one. I haven't seen or felt any friendly spirits, so the only other kind left are ones I don't want to dwell on.

10. Would you ever stay in a real Haunted House overnight?

It is pretty easy to say yes to this one as I don't reckon it will ever happen. I would want a big huge flashlight (preferably a 10 million candle power spotlight).

11. Are you a traditionalist (just a face) Jack O'Lantern Carver, or do you get really creative with your pumpkins?

I like to be creative. Sometimes a scene (ghosts in a cemetery one year) but usually a unique face of some kind.

12. How much do you decorate your home for Halloween?

My wife does the decorating. We have more stuff each year (a couple items bought on clearance right after halloween). My wife tries to pass off the real spider webs as decorations but they were there way before halloween.

13. What do you want on your Tombstone?

Just the stats!

I am going to tag Mary (Tyro) for this MeMe and someone else if I come up with them (I'll let you know).

A Family History Overhaul

2006-10-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

Some exciting things are underway for FamilySearch.org. This Deseret News article mentions some of things that are coming to FamilySearch. I'm not incredibly excited by the online tree features after seeing so many errors on for-profit endeavors such as OneGreatFamily and Ancestry's OneWorldTree. Some who do genealogical research aren't too concerned about accuracy. Actually, they don't seem to be too concerned about, well . . . actual research.

I do look forward to the digitizing of records and the availability of indexes for those records. This will be a great benefit to actual research and provider greater access to records that would otherwise have to be ordered on microfilm or microfiche and accessed through a Family History Library (FHC) or a local library. I just haven't had much time for that type of effort (though I have in the past early in my research). I greatly enjoy Ancestry.com but it is expensive to access the records I really want.

It sounds like a lot of effort has gone into the changes for FamilySearch. I hope it creates and maintains excitement in doing family history research. The more working at it (doing actual research) will make for more information shared!

Isolation

2006-10-03T15:21:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the thought of living in the middle of no where seems quite appealing. The world often gets quite annoying and not having to deal with it would be nice. Maybe I'm listening to too much talk/news radio. Too much politics. Too much bad news.

The logistics of living in the middle of no where may be difficult. I would want to be self-sufficient. Power generated from solar energy and possibly wind if no where is in the right place for that. I would want a greenhouse of some kind to help with growing a sufficient garden. There would be chickens for meat and eggs. As much as the family and I enjoy milk we would have to have a dairy cow. It would be nice to hunt for game to supply us with some meat but these days it is getting more difficult for the "common man" to find a place to hunt.

I would find it hard to depart with the internet as there is so much information to be found. It is also nice for sharing information. Somehow I would want to stay connected.

I believe I would be deceiving myself to think it would be as simple as it sounds. It would probably be difficult to find a piece of property for a decent price located in the middle of no where unless it was in the middle of nothing which is not what I want. I need some trees and would like to be close to mountains.

I will admit it is nice to whip around a corner or two for convenient shopping for convenient foods. I'm sure all the conveniences of living in or close to town would be missed after a short bit. Escaping the world would not be easy and maybe not the best way to deal with it? I pose that as question because I'm still working on a complete answer to that. At least I know it would be nice to have a cabin in the mountains for occasional escapes. When I'm well off. That so much sounds like never.

Donuts for Dads

2006-09-29T10:32:00.000-05:00

This morning was "Donuts for Dads" at my two sons' school. They do it every year and there is a good turn-out. I think it should be "Donuts with Dad" or, actually, "Donut with Dad" as everyone gets one donut (but the latter doesn't sound very good). I enjoyed sitting with my two sons eating a donut - to watch them and talk with them. Its hard to believe Cyrus will be going to Middle School next year and how much Alonzo is growing. Cyrus is a good kid when he isn't complaining about only getting one donut (and other things ;) ). Alonzo can be a good kid but succeeds less often than Cyrus but it is quite special when he is.

I would prefer muffins, especially chocolate ones, but the moms get that later in the school year (Muffins for Moms).

2006 Tri-State Fair

2006-09-27T16:03:00.000-05:00

My wife has out-done herself, again. Out of 20 entries this year she got 14 first place ribbons, 3 seconds and 2 thirds. Some ask how she has time to do it all. She just sews for our daughter (and occasionally for herself) and submits those items (there are other items as well, but most of the items are what my wife has sewn for our daughter). She started smocking a year or so ago and has been doing a lot of that in addition to her regular sewing, embroidery (of different kinds) and crafts (this year she made some dinosaur "hats" for our son's birthday party from paper mache (for some dinosaur relays) - of course, I couldn't enter my dinosaur pinata because...well, you know).

We're looking into ways she might be able to sell some of her work. It is hard to get a fair price for the work involved but the end product should be worth it to those looking for quality and detail.

More Work by Christophe Carlier

2006-09-20T10:29:00.000-05:00

Here is some more paintings by my cousin in Belgium, Christophe Carlier:

Le voyage à Caer Sidi ou La chute

The Voyage of Caer Sidi or The Fall is the translation I get. From what little I understand Caer Sidi is associated with Welsh legend and Camelot. I'll welcome any additional information or input on Caer Sidi as the internet sources mention it but don't explain it well.

Trilythe

Again, I believe this is associated with Welsh legend from what I gather from this article by Colette Bertot regarding these pieces and the overall gallery showing of Christophe's works (The Call of the Forest: Myths and Mysteries) in Brussells.

Christophe is teaching at Académie Constantin Meunier d'Etterbeek (the Constantin Meunier Academy in Etterbeek)

Obadiah Parker - Hey Yeah (Outkast Cover)

2006-09-15T09:39:00.000-05:00

Here's a unique play of Outkast's "Hey Ya" by Mat Weddle of Obadiah Parker [obadiahparker.com] performed at a Studio Open Mic at Xtreme Bean in Tempe, Arizona.

I was surprised about the lyrics, which you can actually understand in this version. Half the song is actually pretty good but the last part degenerates (for the most part) as far as the lyrics go. Mat Weddle has got an excellent voice and you can hear more from Obadiah Parker at MySpace.

Hint for those with slower internet connections: Click on the link the Google Video which will take you to the video there. Instead of playing while the video loads, hit the pause button and wait until the video complete loads before playing it.

Gosselies, Belgium

2006-09-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

I just read an account of an American GI during World War II (Tiger Joe; A Photographic Diary of a World War II Aerial Reconnaisance Pilot by Joe Thompson and Tom Delvaux). For a time he was in Gosselies, Belgium. During that time, the locals mentioned how several residents of the village had disappeared during the German occupation. They requested to dig up a spot where they suspected they would make a grissly discovery and, sure enough, they exhumed 190 bodies, many of which were of married couples with children then orphaned. What a sad discovery and another example of Nazi atrocities.

I mention this because I have family in Charleroi that is just south of Gosselies. My mother was born in the area as well and her mother was living in the area during the war. I can imagine the fear that existed during World War II of what the Nazis might do.

Careography

2006-03-03T16:25:00.000-06:00

Here is a 80's commercial for the Isuzu Gemini. These days it would be done with CGI but this was not.

Working Out

2006-03-02T10:12:00.000-06:00

I have determined to get myself healthier. My biggest problem has been the lack of excercise and the biggest reason for that lack is when to fit it in. I was thinking about joining a health club but there are none conveniently close to our house and I would hate to have to get up at 5:00am to get my excercise done before getting ready for the day and taking my son to school. Of course, the biggest problem with 5:00am is actually succeeding at getting up that early!

When I was working out on my mission while serving in the mission office, we would go to the Deseret Gymn in Ogden every morning. It was helpful to have the group support to get out of bed early enough to go. I would alternate the stair climber with some circuit training. By the time I returned home I was the fittest I had ever been up to that point. At Ricks with all the biking I did back and forth to campus, I became even more fit. Ah...those were the days.

Well, I bought a elliptical machine. I have only been using it a week but it sure feels good to get in some excercise in the morning. I think it was well worth the expense and is definitely less expensive than a health club. I got an elliptical machine because it is more like a stair climber, which I favor. I have never liked running or jogging due to the impact it has on my knees and ankles and thus a treadmill was never attractive but an elliptical machine really has a low impact.

Now, I have to be patient in order to see the benefits of working out again. It takes a little while to get the metabolism going again and reap those benefits.

Still Here

2006-01-26T12:13:00.000-06:00

I really should post more often. We had a great holiday season but it lacked snow! Now it is a new year and time seems to be going too fast. It seems like the kids have a grown a couple inches each time I look at them. There's so much to accomplish and so little headway.

It is hard to keep upbeat. My job hunt continues and the desire to move increases. At the same time I dread moving after being in a place for over seven years. By seven years, I mean in our house. I've been here in this town for over 20 years. I'm comfortable but yearn for change.

It seems you can't get a job in another state without being transferred by a current employer or by having some good connections. I feel there is something out there for me that I just haven't run into but I am growing impatient. I don't want to take much longer if we are going to relocate because I don't want to bounce around my kids too much and would like to avoid doing it in the teenage years. I do like to settle and get comfortable.

My move from Idaho to Texas took me a good while to get over. The culture was different and I didn't merge "into traffic" until midway through Junior High though we moved here when I was in 4th grade. My son is now the age I was when my family moved to Texas. He is a lot like me and I don't want to put him through too much of what I went through.

So, here we are. While it feels like a rut, I know we are blessed to have what we have and even to be where we are. I do want more but I want it for my kids. I want to provide them with a great youth and point them in the right direction for a great future. I'll be thrilled just to give them more than I had. I think I'm succeeding to an extent namely in providing them with love and support.

2005-09-27T23:47:00.000-05:00

This is a display that consisted mostly of Amy's Tri-State Fair and Rodeo entries (but only a small portion of her total submissions this year). The top row is entirely hers as well as the sailboat dress on the second row and a scripture case on the bottom. Out of her entries she received 9 first place ribbons, 7 seconds and 2 thirds. There's about nothing she can't do!

This picture is of a doll dress Amy did that won a first place ribbon. The doll is belongs to a lady in our church ward and the dress is one of two she won first place ribbons for (the second was also for a doll owned by the same lady).

As usual, the judging was interesting. Some items Amy entered received only an honorable mention though they were the only entries in their categories. A couple of the items were understandable but a couple were not. One example is the scripture case she made from scratch. The problem with that one is, the scripture case looks so good they probably thought it was just embroidered (which it was - with our son's name). A couple of other pieces were very well done with patterns she put together herself but for some reason didn't even warrant a third place in an uncontested contest. It is puzzling but typical.

The best in show for textiles was a poorly done jacket. It would be nice to know justifications for the judges' decisions but that will probably never happen. One just has to be grateful for what did receive proper recognition.

13 Years

2005-08-27T23:45:00.000-05:00

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

2005-08-17T11:59:00.000-05:00

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

2005-08-16T22:14:00.000-05:00

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

2005-08-16T22:12:00.000-05:00

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.

Christophe Carlier

2005-06-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

Christophe Carlier is my cousin in Belgium. This is one of his paintings. Here is a link to the site with information regarding Christophe and his work. Note the site is in French.

From what I gather, as my French is not too good, his paintings are an exploration of his own questions and contemplations. He describes them as a mirror. The state of his heart at the moment.

Maybe at some point I can get some more information directly from him about his work to post here.

Christophe teaches painting at the à l’académie des Beaux Arts d’Etterbeek in Belgium.