Crisis Averted

No, not the financial kind- the travel kind.

We were scheduled to leave on a flight from Gainesville at 7 am. Rules say you have to be there 30 minutes in advance to check bags. We were checking 5. The airport is 30 minutes from our home.

We woke up at 5:45.

As we do the math we realize that we have to get up, get dressed, get the kids up and get in the car (not yet packed) in 15 minutes if we want even a chance to make our flight.

15 minutes.

2 kids. 5 bags. 2 frazzled parents. 15 minutes.

I'm in Atlanta, so the short answer is that we made it. It ws a bag-hauling, kid-dragging, prayer-giving, speed-limit exceeding melee that got us to the Gainesville Regional Airport at 6:29 (!!!) and to the counter just moments before the cutoff.

15 minutes later we were in our seats. Now we are waiting in Atlanta for our 10:50 flight to Phoenix.

Now it is 4 hours on a plane with a 3 year old and an 18 month old. After this morning? Piece of cake.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXXXIII

In honor of the start of the Olympics in China, here is an important milestone for the People's Republic:

¡Tres años!

Brand New
6 months or so.
Almost a year
Two years
Two weeks ago.

This little guy makes my day, every day. Happy Birthday Joseph!

A Fantastic Trip

Out of the more than 200 pictures that I took this past week, these are some that I wanted to share. I'm sure that Lacy will post some on her blog as well, as will the Palmers and Da Costas. We had a fantastic time, enjoyed wonderful hospitality, and saw some beautiful sights.

We had a lot of gear with us. How do you like that beard?

We enjoyed taking the kids for walks.

Joseph was excited to see his Mom ski.
At the top of the mountain at Kicking Horse. An incredible view.

Remembering our trip in 2002., when we stayed at these Kicking Horse River Chalets with Matty Matt Nielsen.
Beautiful Lake Louise, frozen with ice 3 feet thick. Joseph liked to slide around. It was very, very cold.
Lacy spotted this impressive elk when we stopped in Banff.
Two bee-u-tee-ful ladies. I am one lucky man.
We went ice fishing and Joseph liked examining the catch (rainbow trout).
Joseph on an ATV with Mom at Lanny & Mark's. Lanny is Justin's mom.
Here is Mark at his restaurant in Turner Valley, Alberta. Excellent food. Route 40 Soup Company. Their chips (french fries) are incredible.

It snowed most of our last 2 days in Calgary. That was the SWEET Suburban we rented. Nice to have 4 wheel drive out there. This pic is at Mark & Lanny's ranch.
On a cold, cold day in Calgary it was time to come home. We flew on Westjet, had a great experience (direct flight) and look forward to our next trip to Calgary.
This is a panoramic shot that I put together from photos at the top of the mountain. This was our prettiest, clearest, and last day to ski.

Perhaps I'll post some video later.

Going, going, back, back to Cal(gary)

During the 2002 Winter Olympics I fled Utah's magical atmosphere for beautiful Canada. With two of my best buds, Matt & Justin, we visited Calgary and then Golden, British Columbia for a great week of skiing and relaxation.

Today I am going back. This time it will be with Lacy, Joseph, & Millie along with the Palmers & Da Costas. There will be less skiing and more sledding, less late nights and more early mornings. We are very excited.

This will be the first long trip I have been on for quite some time where my computer will not be accompanying me. Between kids, skis, and winter clothes my hands will be quite full. So I don't plan to post while I'm gone unless I end up with free time and a computer.

Awesome Video Saturday XXXIII

This video is actually a little old, is longer (10 min), but still well worth your time. It is the "last lecture" of Randy Pausch, a university professor with terminal cancer. He is still alive, but his prognosis is for just a few more more months of life.

I enjoyed what he had to say.

Primary Watch

Check out In Rare Form for some chatter about the race. We do like that Romney guy.

Also visit my sister's blog for her take on the importance of our involvement in the political process.

Lacy is Amazing

She is. She ran 13 miles on Saturday in the Walt Disney World 1/2 Marathon. I'm so proud of her. 

She has pictures and more on her blog.

Happy New Year!

Here is my family Christmas Card, something I created on our iMac using a free program called ComicLife. A little different, but fun to do:

SPOTD #135

I have some resolutions for the Spanish Phrase of the Day. I resolve to send it more frequently, and actually focus more on Spanish. I will continue to update the blog with all manner of eclectic news, views, and entertainment. Occasionally the SPOTD e-mail will contain personal anecdotes and recommendations as well, but for the most part I will try to make it more "spanishy."

Therefore the SPOTD will be shorter, and I will refer my readers to the blog for more fresh SPOTD goodness. So visit the blog, si quieren (if you want). Onto the phrase:

Today's phrase:
In keeping with the New Year-inspired feeling, tu frase (your phrase):

Actual:
Es bueno fijar metas.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ess bway-no fee-har may-tahs.

Translation:
It is good to set goals.

It is, trust me. Now you can seem wise and multicultural the next time that your boss or supervisor wants to know your plan for the future.

Holiday Greetings
Check out my family Christmas Card:
http://blog.spotd.net/2007/12/happy-new-year.html
I think you'll like it.

Link of the Day
An interesting website made by an artist named J.A. Sierra, The History of Cuba. I can't vouch for its total accuracy, but it seems well-researched and has an interesting focus on the period between the mid-1700's and the turn of the last century, when Cuba earned its independence from Spain.

Awesome Video Saturday XXV: My Awesome Kids

This is a great video of Joseph taken last night. He decided to take over Millie's feeding.



This video is a few months old, but I'd never posted it. Millie doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.



More new videos can be found here, on my YouTube page.

Arrrrgh! It were Halloween!

Joseph loves coming to the office. Not for me, mind you, but for Bea and her cow full of jellybeans. You pull on the vaca's tail and out pop the jellybeans. As soon as he walks in the door he goes straight there.
He came by yesterday, dressed as a pirate for halloween. These are from my Q.


The hat doesn't stay on too long.


A mouth full of jellybean.

La Familia

Lacy went with Joseph to a pumpkin patch the other day. I had to put these pictures up. The kid is growing so fast!

Fuego

In our house we have had warming on the mind. Not this kind, but this kind. My wife's family is from San Diego. Her sister has talked about it on her blog. Fortunately Lacy's family has escaped any harm, but we know people who have lost their home. It is very disturbing.


Fire is so indiscriminate. After a hurricane there are some remedies. A house can survive, at least structurally, even in the face of severe water damage. There is no such repair after a fire. So many of the 1100+ houses that have burned are completely destroyed. It is tragic to think about it.

Sometimes Lacy laments the weather in Florida. I can't blame her, but I am grateful for that humidity in a time like this. I've often said that San Diego has the best weather. That it of course when it isn't on fire.

My thoughts and prayers are with the people dealing with this mess, especially the firefighters risking their lives.

Awesome Video Saturday XX

Today is my father's birthday. I want to wish him a Happy Birthday and show you this video that he made me aware of. For the last 30 years many films have featured the same "scream" as a sound effect. It was reintroduced by Ben Burtt, a key figure in the Star Wars films and many other projects. Since his discovery of the original scream it has been extremely popular as the video indicates. It is the "Wilhelm Scream."



This is a just a funny video of a bird dancing.

El Gran Vienticinco

I like this picture of my brother and me. It is from our leaner days. Today he turns 25, a great brother, uncle, and friend. I'm glad he's here with us in Gainesville.

Happy Birthday boy!

HE HATES IT WHEN I CALL HIM "BOY!"

Happy Birthday Gladys & Paul!

This is usually the territory of my very talented sister-in-law Lillie, but today is my sister Gladys' 30th birthday (she won't care if I say that) and her husband Paul had a birthday on Friday, so I wanted to say something. They live a few hours away so we don't see them as often as we'd like, but as we venture further into parenthood my respect for them grows. They have three great kids, and have always been great parents and good examples.

They are also people that I like to be around. Being less than two years apart in age has meant that Gladys and I but heads from time to time, but she has always been a true friend and one of my biggest cheerleaders. She is absolutely faithful in her role as a sister, and I am grateful for all the great qualities that make her who she is. In Paul she has a partner who complements her and who demonstrates a lot of the qualities that I would like to develop in myself, as a father and a man.

Happy Birthday! We love you!