Reruns

They say there's no more new ideas left in the world anymore, that everything is just a re-creation or mixing of ideas that have previously existed. According to "they", all the possibilities of the human mind have been exhausted and we're stuck with leftovers over and over again, but we don't really mind because we weren't there to see the ideas the first time around. I'm not sure if I believe what "they" say but "they" seems to be pretty smart, like some mysterious super computer full of all the answers in life. But I have to admit that "they" have a point because half the hit movies lately (Superman, Batman, X-Men, etc...) have all been reruns on existing ideas.
However, having said that, "they" also say that the polar ice caps are melting and the only way to stop them from drowning half the world's population is by living more Earth friendly. While we're not going to rush out and buy a Prius, we still feel inclined to do our part to make this world a better place. So we have chosen to save the world through recycling by re-posting last year's Christmas Blog. Hey, if it was good the first time then it should still be good now, right?
Apparently "they" are right again. There are no more new ideas. At least not for us right now.



Twas the night before Christmas and all thru the pad,
not a creature was stirring, especially not dad.
The stockings were hung by size on the wall,
with mommy's the biggest and Little Man's quite small.

Connor was sleeping all snug in his crib,
with leftovers from dinner still stuck in his bib.
And mom in her jamies, and dad in his bedroom shoes,
Had just settled down for a long winter's snooze.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window and thru the last door,
I stubbed my poor toe from Connor's toys on the floor.

The moon shone brightly on the new fallen snow,
while the warm Carolina wind continued to blow.
I threw open the window (more utilities to pay),
and saw eight reindeer and a shiny red sleigh.

With a fat, jolly man so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
Faster than a speeding bullet his reindeer they came,
built like 8 Clydesdales, only with antlers and no mane.

"Now Flirty, now Birdy, now Dirty and Nerdy,
On Sturdy, on Turdy, on Wordy and Vinny Testaverde
To the top of the Wal-Mart and onto the mall,
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

Then all of the sudden I heard on the roof,
the banging and clanging of each massive hoof.
I wrinkled my brow, my eyesight got hazy,
and I started to think that I might be crazy.

Down the chimney he came in one large plop,
and knocked o'er his cookies and even the mop.
He was dressed in red velvet from his head to his foot,
Armani, Versace, and not an ounce of soot.

A bag full of toys hung on his back,
and he nibbled his cookies for a good night's snack.
A snowy white beard touched his ample round gut,
he looked like an O-lineman with a huge jolly butt.

"Don't tell Mrs. Claus about these cookies," he mumbled,
"If she catches me again I'm sure to get pummeled.
My cholesterol's 340, my blood pressure 205,
but hey, I'm over 500 and I'm still alive!

She makes me eat carrots, celery and string beans,
Boy, for an old lady she sure can be mean.
But alas, the dawn breaks, my time is soon gone,
besides my reindeer have eaten your lawn.

Remember this evening as a Christmas delight,
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"
Soon the season will pass, so enjoy all the sights
of presents and family and Christmas tree lights.
Sit back, take a moment and sip on some nog,
While you finish reading this rerun holiday blog!

The Left Side

Being back out West, Little Man decided it was time to re-connect with his inner Californian. Of course, the only way that can happen is at the beach- so we headed there right away. It was a spectacular reunion for all to watch... "Oh delicious salty water with never-ending waves of awesome force and destruction- How I have missed you."
For Connor, coming to the left beach is not a laughing matter; not even Grammie can disturb his unrelenting focus.

In all the blinding sunshine, Mom and Dad almost forgot that it's December already and Christmas is right around the corner. Dad had the great idea to take a pic with another left coast phenomenon- the beach sunset. However, the whole don't take a pic when facing the sun thing kinda lessened the effect so we had to change directions.

Not bad, and definately the way Christmas was intended to be... NO FREEZING and NO SNOW!!

Once we got rid of all the people the sun decided to cooperate with the camera again and looked a little something like this.
Not a bad sight in your rear view mirror. Thanks for the memories Cali.

5 & 1/2 Years

For the Big Turkey Day (aka- Pre Black Friday Push 'n' Shove) we decided to take a trip back to my old stompin' grounds. One of the first stops we made was to a special little place where some important stuff happened a little over 5 years ago. It was beautiful sunny day, and brought back some good ol' memories from times past.

Just for fun... here's a quick stroll down memory lane when we were still young and beautiful.

Five plus years and still runnin strong... Now that's something to be thankful for!!

The Little Man Experience

"I want to start off by thanking all of my loyal fans... I recognize that due to business reasons I have been a little scarce lately, and for that I want to apologize. In all the hustle and bustle of life I have been neglecting my Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, Late Show appearances and I haven't even crashed any cars, made racially insensitive remarks, or checked into any rehab facilities to keep my name in the news. But all that's going to change because I realized today that it's time to get back to basics. Where would I be without my adoring public and paparazzi following my every move so the tabloids can keep my dearest and most loyal fans connected to even the most dull activities of my daily routine. Therefore, I have decided to take all of you with me on a very run of the mill and ordinary day. Welcome to my life... First thing in the morning I like to hike to the top of a nearby hill and scout out my objectives for the day. I never do the same thing twice-- I thrive on the challenge of living each day to the fullest!

I know my high rollin' ways and my haute couture fashion may give people the wrong idea about me... but trust me, I'm not afraid to get down and dirty if the situation requires it.

This was my first conquest of the day. It may not look like much, but you should see what's left of the barrel I rode in over the falls. You'd think wood would last better than that.

After the excitement of the falls, I decided to take a leisurely 112 mile ride down the river in a raft I constructed entirely out of pine needles and dead beatles. The first 90 miles were a cinch, but the bears kept trying to steal the fishes I caught with my bare hands. A few well placed strikes to the sniffer and they quickly realized who's in charge.

Next, I was able to travel back in time, before color was invented or even thought of, to hang out with some of the old-timers. It was a lot simpler life back then, that's for sure.

All that time travelin' took a lot out of me coming back through the space-time continuum so I decided to hop in my very own indoor swimming pool. But the hotel staff tried to make life difficult for me...

What do you mean this pool is only for big people??!! Don't you know who I am?!

Yep, that's right. The Little People always win. I celebrated my victory over the staff with a little show I like to call 'Buff Connor in the Buff'. The 2010 calendar will be ready soon.

Lastly, I decided to finish my day off the right way, with a little bit of catchin up on the sports scene and kickin back some of the finest imported Root Beer that money can buy. I know this kind of life isn't for everybody, but's it my kind of life.

Thanks for tuning in today. Stay tuned for next week as I explore the innermost workings of the human mind while scuba diving in a volcano full of hot lava."

Recovery Time

After a week of moving, two weeks working and searching, and another week of studying and testing we decided it was time to take a break and head for the mountains. Of course, having been in Iowa for the past 3 years we had to take some time and fill in a few gaps for Little Man. We tried to explain the concept of a mountain, but it just didn't sink in. So we gave him a list of books to read by John Muir, and after finishing all 12, he was finally ready to experience- THE MOUNTAINS!! Needless to say, Little Man was quite over-joyed at finally encountering giant rocks sticking thousands of feet in the air. He realized his 21 months in Iowa left him unprepared to fully enjoy such a majestic and fantastic work of Mother Nature. At his request, we began a beginners mountaineering course with no time to waste.
After a few trips to the ER, a slight concussion, and three dead squirrels... Connor was attacking the mountain like a man on a mission!
Of course, climbing a mountain is only a small part of the experience. Little Man made sure not to miss out on anything by personally inspecting every tree, twig, leaf, bench, railing, passerby and trash can.

With his training coming along so smoothly, as parents we felt it was time to turn Connor loose and let him try a few obstacles on his own. The first obstacle was called "Mile High Bridge In 40 MPH wind".
OK, so we fibbed a little, the wind was only blowing 35 MPH, but Little Man handled it with ease.
At the top of the mountain, Connor insisted that I let him on my shoulders so he could be higher than anyone else there.
After reaching the summit, Little Man decided to take some time to reflect on his accomplishments and perform an introspective analysis of his life. After several hours without moving a single muscle and with complete immersion in his thoughts he finally declared the day a success.

Not bad for a days work.

Spectacular Views

In the 6+ years that Jacque and I have known each other we have been fortunate to have seen some of the most beautiful views that mother nature has to offer: Virgin River Valley in Zions National Park ,UT...
...beaches on the right coast (Charleston, SC Isle of Palms)...
... and beaches on the left coast (Torrey Pines, CA)...

...mountains and oceans by sea (Prince William Sound, AK)...

... and mountains by air (Denali 20,320 ft. North Americas highest peak)...

...walking on glaciers (Denali State Park, AK)....

... and beautiful waterfalls (Juneau Falls, AK)...

... and even more beautiful waterfalls (Oregon)...

... panoramic views from tops of mountains (Mt. Timpanogos, UT 11,000+ ft)...

...and historic lighthouses (Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, CA)...

... and unique displays that only Mother Nature can create (Bryce Canyon National Park, UT)...

... even midnight suns (Anchorage, AK 12:01 am June 22)...

While all of those views and many more were wonderful and amazing each in their own way, there is one view that tops them all. There is nothing better than to come home after a long and busy day and see this...

IT JUST DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!!!

The Other White Stuff

Two weeks ago on a Saturday it snowed for about an hour in Iowa. That was just too much for the Little Man to take so he decided to head south, at least for the winter. While down south, he decided to check out this other whitish stuff that he's heard about but is not too familiar with. Here he is surveying this "warm white stuff". Of course, no survey is complete without a taste test. Turns out it's a little gritty to the taste but otherwise not bad.
And as an added bonus, this new white stuff has walls of water that come chasing after you repeatedly. Little Man wasn't too sure what he thought about billions of gallons of foamy water hunting him down... but he's decided to keep an open mind about it!