tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25950265996971165872024-02-19T07:05:47.643-05:00Mike, Jen and Cooper's Stupendous NYC Adventure!!Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-42042671434923133772010-02-21T21:48:00.002-05:002010-02-21T21:52:28.137-05:00Cooper and the Baby- Trial Pic<div>In our effort to get ready for baby, we (I) have decided that every weekend Mike needs to assemble something that is in a box.<br /><br />Tonight it was the car seat and lucky for Mike it really didn't require much assembly aside from taking it out of the box.<br /><br />Anyhow, I like to visualize things so after the car seat was all put together I decided to put the baby's home from the hospital outfit in the car seat and then Cooper decided he needed to investigate it.<br /><br />Here's a picture of Cooper and the outfit in the car seat.<br /><br />I imagine this is what the first picture of Madelynn and Cooper together will look like! :)</div><div> </div><div> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440894865534333602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PfjYZ-O4OEZQQ9KM9LLr4TEAu3TqqWot1UKPf4I2waO3iW3HfPiud8cdeCzr-CTHFffPYZlGwEwaukqSghDLhbkEOIRG7HRqYVpuR2A3dYw9x-CeDUJqQuzCw3rhI7sY0PE6yXqOZDR_/s320/Feb+2010+012.JPG" />Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-40698090529374669972010-02-14T10:58:00.008-05:002010-02-14T15:00:15.032-05:00Cooper Plays in the Snoq<div align="center">Our California dog now LOVES the SNOW! As long as he's wearing a jacket or a sweatshirt!</div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsroB3gP1jNIGn002aWq5L1AYNJelJbKcDIDFYPfLiugUTqXzCqnzrO2GvGgFitIcHpiUBR-EHJnN5rNNIYlDgl2Scl2WNv-0EL21cLBtWPJ8v0VWh55OjyAq9xgjfDZttVQDM_o_wwGL/s1600-h/Feb+2010+029.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438130261951926482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsroB3gP1jNIGn002aWq5L1AYNJelJbKcDIDFYPfLiugUTqXzCqnzrO2GvGgFitIcHpiUBR-EHJnN5rNNIYlDgl2Scl2WNv-0EL21cLBtWPJ8v0VWh55OjyAq9xgjfDZttVQDM_o_wwGL/s320/Feb+2010+029.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="left">As you can see, he's got no problems getting covered in the snow. Since Snowpocalypse 2010 last week brought 13 inches of snow to our neighborhood in 24 hours, Cooper's been just waiting to be able to go romp in it. So Saturday, we took him to the park, and walked down to the soccer field, and took him off the leash so he could run around. He started doing laps between the two of us, but the snow was so deep he looked like a serpent trying to make his way through the large drifts.</div><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="center">Cooper Runs in the Snow </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyoMUW8MiPOKUTLun1p5sq2eQL5c4TEZY3gaEVzy6V702KTsRUuPwMkH2ZeKbnP_giWgwBtIWffFrOeqL47PA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p align="center"></p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center">Cooper Plays Catch in the Snow</p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"></p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="left">Ball playing has never been one of Cooper's strong suits, at least not outside. Sure, he loves to play fetch indoors with a tennis ball, but since I'm 97 percent certain he has ADD, when he gets outside and you try to play ball with him, it can get a little dicey since he's easily distracted. HOWEVER, he really focuses on snowballs. He loves to chase them, he loves to catch them. As you can see in the videos, though, he's not quite sure what to do with them WHEN he catches them. Usually he ends up chewing them up. Hey, great source of water!! Oh our crazy dog... ;)</p><p align="center"><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz66nx63yDbyDAJvOi-35jtmWZGAiessGXzahzQFq7HIoMncjOXT7IfssqmeSRZWAONmxSykVz3uNkEO1wmFw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><div align="center"><br /><br /></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-54751352122431232010-01-27T21:52:00.001-05:002010-01-27T22:01:27.900-05:00Watch the belly grow...<div><embed src="http://widget-8a.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=1369094286746067338&site=widget-8a.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=1369094286746067338&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-8a.slide.com/p1/1369094286746067338/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=1369094286746067338&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-8a.slide.com/p2/1369094286746067338/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=un&id=1369094286746067338&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-8a.slide.com/p4/1369094286746067338/bb_t000_v000_s0un_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-8863985400926132922009-12-26T11:17:00.003-05:002009-12-26T11:55:23.052-05:00Cooper Opening a presentSo I'll post more later about our wonderful month of December and the fabulous holiday season. Until then... Check out this video of Cooper opening up a Christmas present on Christmas morning.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNTzGyiPKd4"></a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwhcL-h3re9mbOVq6ePCU-weodmzn3HiTRoRNqekNGtx9si2lvatcD254MlfqmG_RvRLOzImMsajS28OnsTBw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-4852849058917197872009-12-08T16:34:00.003-05:002009-12-08T16:52:14.754-05:00It's a GIRL!!!So baby Dub is a Dubette! That's right we're having a GIRL!<br /><div><br /><div>The doctor did an anatomy scan where they closely analyze every organ, bone and crevasse and she's health and strong!</div><br /><div>Here's her latest ultrasound pictures- 22 weeks:</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412985921743194066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDZOS877HFAwpCIzToiKd8sC5u6seot4LCclvf6wYm78gmEQR4LQhkEX2oBATJi0ORRUF85j4JKPsz4Eis-x0vPDEQoR4RwAoOqraoFXHzuyjzSh44kPYpeZddvViDcRXCsawIZj-fvQ4/s320/babywatts22wksB.jpg" /></div><div> </div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412985920657208482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi14PgNnbXILjO_XDCxOUTE-V10Tqwp9Wqn8KcRQE9OB6Pono-EgWJ9HSrC1zXaAVfzu5ebeh22Urv5f_65BwlcjtVBSr4qtPqrSioYBG9zkqV_9OikxqLl7o57FmmOBo3hN7ODhH80Gt/s320/babywatts22wks.jpg" /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Much love,</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Jen and Mike</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-79552354693814380872009-11-15T19:29:00.006-05:002009-11-15T19:42:33.877-05:00Belly Pics<div><div>We're still a few weeks away from finding out the sex. We learn if we're team pink or team blue on Nov. 30th.<br /><br /><div><div><div>As of today 11/15- I'm am 18 weeks pregnant!</div><div><br />Here are some belly pics:</div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404493243787567282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQIjEyQYF5Pe37Zl1wNYoOP1zNlAhL3g8_HMYVVosrNB3Vy6xKsXin4OiIMhl0NlZEcOOproW9q_Um8D3RPTsA9jGovv_KQmi8gyZUumyOqKvtH3uY3d9Bdrj99U7DE4JipcV9HB-ih9N/s320/10+weeks.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404493253985934002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjwSt0Oj_LyjdLFB586a05Q1yEnDFdvgpClL2RzWIeK-8AdfWYvkpjpOtd8HjjU7Z3SUQEHUjCLZufPaDfiXQO9EvwRh_kQlAvUyboZdSP1AJ8RJEckpn-ZGcQWnuBmLd-Rebt3OFnL7I0/s320/12+weeks.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404493257921831378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUx0d-XOK4ozG7UChkh9EvB-cNBNWONgmDHMTx203JN1f-Y4s36hYBOJLifeWr8chEh2Wreo7d4Brx1kYGkDI1GSPvo4bb-aWwc8MPXSBAXtUP9zQ9OOqwUMUBBi0kRH6oBuC2Vj6g5oUc/s320/14+weeks+(2).JPG" /><br /></div></div></div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVcq7SEHQiHzeL2s49uu8_E4CrVhtMFOlL_VBXxCzNg_0K8G10gfHekRn4TxHVxTHVdZTflXNwTJinTBVCkHOKBdKEMXy1e_kXxxmXLIdMZgs2T4pzm7O4WbRDTqgvT6R5JvTTpvvQ7Bt/s1600-h/16+weeks.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404494916458123714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVcq7SEHQiHzeL2s49uu8_E4CrVhtMFOlL_VBXxCzNg_0K8G10gfHekRn4TxHVxTHVdZTflXNwTJinTBVCkHOKBdKEMXy1e_kXxxmXLIdMZgs2T4pzm7O4WbRDTqgvT6R5JvTTpvvQ7Bt/s320/16+weeks.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfi-yN3iW7baF7MiG5Aq7gAobRTpzcWNMmxH8OD5Jfdajnxb_O7XwD7D5_5Z5TMPJlou_ed_QgV_lznedu4zkcqfxgmCPJFTS8Pf-ILuV2irP-Kq5TDlDIjpJ4ftsx4CSUy2FGs_K2959S/s1600-h/18+wks.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404494923439283186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfi-yN3iW7baF7MiG5Aq7gAobRTpzcWNMmxH8OD5Jfdajnxb_O7XwD7D5_5Z5TMPJlou_ed_QgV_lznedu4zkcqfxgmCPJFTS8Pf-ILuV2irP-Kq5TDlDIjpJ4ftsx4CSUy2FGs_K2959S/s320/18+wks.JPG" /></a>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-76705373427225139242009-11-08T13:24:00.018-05:002009-11-08T16:34:10.509-05:00Birthday Bash<span style="font-size:0;"></span><br /><br /><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify">Well, the good news is that we've acquired another laptop, so the lack of postings on the blog, Jen's Facebook, and my Twitter should get back to normal now. A posting of our anniversary trip to Maine will come eventually (for those who don't have FB and didn't see Jen's pics on her page) but currently, those pictures are trapped on the hard drive of our OTHER laptop (which has sent in its letter of resignation) and we will eventually see them freed ("FREEDOM!!") by the geeks at the Geek Squad.</p><br /><br /><br /><br />But enough of the past, its time to talk about the present, or actually, the more recent past. I turned 33 a couple of weeks ago. Holy Mother of God. THIRTY-THREE!!! I've told my mother that instead of saying the actual age, I like to mention it in the theme of jersey numbers of famous athletes. So I turned Larry Bird this year. It just sounds better, doesn't it? Magic Johnson last year. Larry Bird this year. Lets hope I make it to Wayne Gretzky.<br /><br /><br /><br />Its not fun getting older. But thanks to Jen, my wonderful (and pregnant) wife, we managed to have a celebration of my birth that involved my child-like id. In fact, I think the email invitation to our friends said something to the effect of, "Mike's turning 33, but he still wants to be a child, so help him celebrate by coming over to play video games with him."<br /><br /><br /><br />And she's right. I'm 33, sorry, Larry Bird, but one of my favorite possessions continues to be our Wii video game system. I have entirely too many games for it, PLUS, we have the best party game ever in the form of Rock Band 2.<br /><br /><br /><br />(By the way, that sound that you hear right now is my father's head hitting the ceiling as he realizes that he has a 33 year old son who plays video games consistently. Sorry, Dad. Must be a generational thing...)<br /><br /><br /><br />Anyways, its been stated before in this forum that Rock Band 2 might be one of the best purchases we have made. Its always fun to play, people who normally don't like to sing karaoke can't help themselves in front of the mic, or they get behind the drums or on the guitar, and fun instantly erupts. As you can imagine, this was THE game that got everyone involved at my party. Below are the pics from everybody rockin' out, and thanks to everyone for making my 33rd birthday a rousing success.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401808077252472066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvGzgaPRV21RoJgvNtoO9RgRNfQdbV89BMLQc0_nKXaPCWuoFQcsLCAjsiDVx83GljyzRRF_tN-rI9FDjD-AMiBclO-CkgAvZahpo_R7FbI-xLO-CBNclmIafJyGvwzqTZ1WXs3hF3KmC/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+006.JPG" /></div><div align="center">Me and my Molson</div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 322px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 231px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401808068528081138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoiYwBtHIHlr4wWVcofrb4tRe1Vfaq54Pnk7Si63gUlKQ8rEFf85vxRS9pX6svFIZ-EeZ7afUt5UYaMHCYun3nVEE_YfAzqmW72b_d7lSEVga5fQlHbAURzXlBgiygSUjQV0O_fPAZqGJ/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+003.JPG" /></div></div></div></div><br /><p align="center"></p><p align="center">Carlos and Elisa</p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 298px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401808071488568098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoB3pK3e_6Yh4gthfXEtBI9YWWquuvpMYUl4iLpSypd-yrc2HK4I3s57xvni30vF-fK22Qs2uEzxDYJNiZYJWcSavbx9FRKFNVMc1QD8K5NPxyv7oRmuMmAQQkrNH0xNAWaBLNNa4o9s_/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+005.JPG" /></p><p align="center">Me, my co-worker Jim and James</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ehPFKyqHDz5VCHdRsuPj35Y7ygJ90rJBd7Io8ymrqFbgVASX3yXyGn3c3mJTHvbq_5g-cMMycCVaG3qoA0LZ3_wGYX2kPvzo_3nHq9saPqgwvEVJRxT2NEO20HhaynJlVXsV0B0YCO9m/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401808080742968658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ehPFKyqHDz5VCHdRsuPj35Y7ygJ90rJBd7Io8ymrqFbgVASX3yXyGn3c3mJTHvbq_5g-cMMycCVaG3qoA0LZ3_wGYX2kPvzo_3nHq9saPqgwvEVJRxT2NEO20HhaynJlVXsV0B0YCO9m/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+008.JPG" /></a><br /><p align="center">Nick (on mic) Laura (on drums) and Jon</p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyJFW2JFWAfXNJ67yXN9WFDamUr9LqDYLzz3iY1A0OVdf7sxP8-BhbUm3EhFKAowAMXlOsRPsOPT-itn98kK3qN5omENRoydFMFGM5XvOR9WhBR7PVoJ9vT05YqxPxc-e_pPOMuzhi5BV/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401808088029602866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyJFW2JFWAfXNJ67yXN9WFDamUr9LqDYLzz3iY1A0OVdf7sxP8-BhbUm3EhFKAowAMXlOsRPsOPT-itn98kK3qN5omENRoydFMFGM5XvOR9WhBR7PVoJ9vT05YqxPxc-e_pPOMuzhi5BV/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+009.JPG" /></a><br />Lord only knows what Dawn is singing here... =)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYonxFJ6xX2VbnoLLosS-M60guWJSfggitKDdgxKnZ_0KS8xiXkD56N2sdPA0d-PohF1SY3akZbMalhFwFny_Y_n329VG6mPAQ3pdXiMT42jPzIuBP_RUEWb3wL6_9Efi47uOgkVbZXBc/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401809142495269346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYonxFJ6xX2VbnoLLosS-M60guWJSfggitKDdgxKnZ_0KS8xiXkD56N2sdPA0d-PohF1SY3akZbMalhFwFny_Y_n329VG6mPAQ3pdXiMT42jPzIuBP_RUEWb3wL6_9Efi47uOgkVbZXBc/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+010.JPG" /></a>Here, however, its Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue, i.e. one of the best songs on this game. That's Andy on guitar.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamhn7PFa9UDkq7nW4Sw_6YzqEre6p41eqbwc_IRpAL1gq9rb0KN14XYiGE7uZXf0RnLi9DaLHSaaLRH1-2FvEJil8dtcg3V6vnf4xlNQOWpyJLgkba1qS0aTNUWIUBsFr30jL4Wi9-mGt/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+014.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401809147183464034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamhn7PFa9UDkq7nW4Sw_6YzqEre6p41eqbwc_IRpAL1gq9rb0KN14XYiGE7uZXf0RnLi9DaLHSaaLRH1-2FvEJil8dtcg3V6vnf4xlNQOWpyJLgkba1qS0aTNUWIUBsFr30jL4Wi9-mGt/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+014.JPG" /></a>Jen and Cooper checking everyone out<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT1eKUiYRkgqzKRFYzR9IvUFtSC6tZsOMtvgB5i2f26xEoeEDtWGfHPYom6xHwTITwIHC5atJ-VtxFwAX8snknZgKOZVlouRTgK1MIPQq6b5VEI1QOoRzFai9XgiBqA_2RSOQOpYo2cUa/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401809149478508770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT1eKUiYRkgqzKRFYzR9IvUFtSC6tZsOMtvgB5i2f26xEoeEDtWGfHPYom6xHwTITwIHC5atJ-VtxFwAX8snknZgKOZVlouRTgK1MIPQq6b5VEI1QOoRzFai9XgiBqA_2RSOQOpYo2cUa/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+015.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZcqJ9_6qdjADV8qWnJwuT23sA8g2hUcAbIpRx-1eq7bIyxZIEzhhW0-x7U-jXpjxEKdnWXnV2vqpngnXLyPe4p9zJY3lfzJjFPrBMsdJ-A7wqWlRUJN6k4mjWAVga-j1zFGpyeLtUvm8/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+018.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401809158088927778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZcqJ9_6qdjADV8qWnJwuT23sA8g2hUcAbIpRx-1eq7bIyxZIEzhhW0-x7U-jXpjxEKdnWXnV2vqpngnXLyPe4p9zJY3lfzJjFPrBMsdJ-A7wqWlRUJN6k4mjWAVga-j1zFGpyeLtUvm8/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+018.JPG" /></a>Dawn, my co-worker Jen, Jim, me and Jen's boyfriend John<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFmRDN0OACQhGmMXEq7vuA-BnCa6iKAV0RavSPD3wgARbo_E-jmSF0LaRu0Xd3bfAl3Nrf4kjKeuj73rzi5QMEtsY_Ot8dp0eKeOWo0SHUkU2HukwC__09nghaGXXtNAp5IgFerag3_ik/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+024.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401809163878944578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFmRDN0OACQhGmMXEq7vuA-BnCa6iKAV0RavSPD3wgARbo_E-jmSF0LaRu0Xd3bfAl3Nrf4kjKeuj73rzi5QMEtsY_Ot8dp0eKeOWo0SHUkU2HukwC__09nghaGXXtNAp5IgFerag3_ik/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+024.JPG" /></a><br />Jim and John probably playing something funky.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOeZtT0BZSmEXs3-pDphyySVHTy1Pp3ndbosAbUsPGeeZdyKOcKWPVbMWzTZ39vTeVzMi6B2RczlAEQMTwQwZ6qcR4wTRYWxBaB754Lj5lmEzRpJ2CYm-GXndPbqPcGk6MXQ-VRc9K63W/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+027.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401810171762056610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOeZtT0BZSmEXs3-pDphyySVHTy1Pp3ndbosAbUsPGeeZdyKOcKWPVbMWzTZ39vTeVzMi6B2RczlAEQMTwQwZ6qcR4wTRYWxBaB754Lj5lmEzRpJ2CYm-GXndPbqPcGk6MXQ-VRc9K63W/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+027.JPG" /></a>Jen's singing here, so possibly Lucinda Williams?<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXALdV0gOT5pAU0Y-r2eMa7Vm4f0iPrO_uu88u74AIBB9SsDhO8vAr_agLvJhP9ejZAe1D7lCkhgXYv8MJ35bRnUGZH0xdrQB6MJIuN5ot5DOBVJTzMAPazL5DdNfq4uwDqgNPnxk0UmeU/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401810178455859698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXALdV0gOT5pAU0Y-r2eMa7Vm4f0iPrO_uu88u74AIBB9SsDhO8vAr_agLvJhP9ejZAe1D7lCkhgXYv8MJ35bRnUGZH0xdrQB6MJIuN5ot5DOBVJTzMAPazL5DdNfq4uwDqgNPnxk0UmeU/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+032.JPG" /></a> My beautiful cake, from my beautiful wife<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kfgNSfIilbmEFVRZBzmYU_KibaVD5eOgj-2wm8bcHhdvVgKTDwk9KdpgQDAxAE9O1kYAhU08vuYU7tqzECUgM6-UXCRfPmWeG-9jqI_Vc5mRIHlMXZx7fKryGkuRA6g3PBCybjJjM7Of/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+033.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401810183221832658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kfgNSfIilbmEFVRZBzmYU_KibaVD5eOgj-2wm8bcHhdvVgKTDwk9KdpgQDAxAE9O1kYAhU08vuYU7tqzECUgM6-UXCRfPmWeG-9jqI_Vc5mRIHlMXZx7fKryGkuRA6g3PBCybjJjM7Of/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+033.JPG" /></a> Dawn never sings karaoke, but she's all about Rock Band<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdTHS2ucx4wL4pvMVhDAc2Su1mtMSkZG4M-ODO0ymm_-Q90D10EwrpsCFMP2dDd7BAdqppn4HzFndMlYeqDs4BKWSd_7yfpo0XwVx1fVmiJgmzUIhe6UZZKRmk9uF7aCA5FIPTqWzNXwR/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+034.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401810190400660002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdTHS2ucx4wL4pvMVhDAc2Su1mtMSkZG4M-ODO0ymm_-Q90D10EwrpsCFMP2dDd7BAdqppn4HzFndMlYeqDs4BKWSd_7yfpo0XwVx1fVmiJgmzUIhe6UZZKRmk9uF7aCA5FIPTqWzNXwR/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+034.JPG" /></a> Cooper happy to have everyone over!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0LS3jJ2YEwkiHYIHyGiaOBHxf1c-3MmunrUWhMNg4Sc53VbNLVIOAR-UXzmPZcOdvR9h8AMquDk6Ce8lb7RQbccTx7yuyBKQv-1vtcNyuLHKImCVmuohHU0nCss1U4X-hCie7z-rL48r/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401810193138810450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0LS3jJ2YEwkiHYIHyGiaOBHxf1c-3MmunrUWhMNg4Sc53VbNLVIOAR-UXzmPZcOdvR9h8AMquDk6Ce8lb7RQbccTx7yuyBKQv-1vtcNyuLHKImCVmuohHU0nCss1U4X-hCie7z-rL48r/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+040.JPG" /></a>When most folks left, Jen and I, along with James, Laura, Andy and Dawn hung out to play Cranium. We always team Andy and Dawn up during these times, because they are hilarious partners.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIDM14IRIiupfdoFw3EPVMmArjiu8P8CmK6mAHCpIptu2TxV5cwPir4ZllATCwbNR14wiD8I2r-9ADNQkCJWNjAfUu_qstN7DGSLMAy19R9lcJEKf9QPrdCJuuVU3DJ9DUm9sjZCaCpF-/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401811250359170850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIDM14IRIiupfdoFw3EPVMmArjiu8P8CmK6mAHCpIptu2TxV5cwPir4ZllATCwbNR14wiD8I2r-9ADNQkCJWNjAfUu_qstN7DGSLMAy19R9lcJEKf9QPrdCJuuVU3DJ9DUm9sjZCaCpF-/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+043.JPG" /></a> Exhibit A of what I just said.<br /><br /><p></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG3Z2SSouhV0VogVLIt_n1Pcc3nZSUHroCtElXh-Mbj8E-F8XqAKnyzzTBXQofMLNgRuxJevdP7PYemgXRlR9A9EAEozkgEtgxOXryI7OZ7ZXkVO0-Vh0HehR9bon7ti33gd4UKUUcL3i/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+044.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401811261025799986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxG3Z2SSouhV0VogVLIt_n1Pcc3nZSUHroCtElXh-Mbj8E-F8XqAKnyzzTBXQofMLNgRuxJevdP7PYemgXRlR9A9EAEozkgEtgxOXryI7OZ7ZXkVO0-Vh0HehR9bon7ti33gd4UKUUcL3i/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+044.JPG" /></a> Whatever Dawn is humming, we apparently find hilarious.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401811267961324322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh8M6t3wTHADbCKjEe-tIzhu0Q4P7isuXwl-pFCITL5e73A56r0tDY6CMMsnwcMT6T_-MEeA4FlnBiVoPYTn7fzyCzkiHiU9FPEobEGCw-Hq37CKYENDkU4RQUhWiMezdIHoqIWkiyLcI/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+050.JPG" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCBl-J8Ye7BlrD49uJVXyJvTf2aALzz79vs1kazzakMMGLyB4hbuPyEbTZepiX1VIJsPHl9mw36NeYbL1tWXOqmODgaHAoS51N-Nvi9qw9WWxBpBtQvwP4h5vJCQ9430_r9HCDO9xcD0n/s1600-h/Mike+Bday+2009+049.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401811264347172850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCBl-J8Ye7BlrD49uJVXyJvTf2aALzz79vs1kazzakMMGLyB4hbuPyEbTZepiX1VIJsPHl9mw36NeYbL1tWXOqmODgaHAoS51N-Nvi9qw9WWxBpBtQvwP4h5vJCQ9430_r9HCDO9xcD0n/s320/Mike+Bday+2009+049.JPG" /></a>At the end of the night, Cooper just wanted to cuddle with Baby Watts<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-89487070552882360152009-10-05T12:02:00.003-04:002009-10-05T12:13:24.777-04:00Update and Ultrasound pics!<div><div>Hi All-</div><div><br /></div><div>We just had the 12 week ultra sound this morning (10/5) at the hospital... It looked like even more of a baby this time. </div><div><br /></div><div>We saw it wiggle it's arms and head.. It was so cool. </div><div><br /></div><div>The showed us the baby's profile and the top of the head.. Its brain and everything is developing as it should and the neck looks good too. </div><div><br /></div><div>The baby is measuring at a due date of April 14th now. We go back to my doctor next Monday and she'll decide whether or not to change the due date.<br /></div><div>This is our first appointment at the hospital. It was really nice and everyone there was really friendly. It's St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. It's where I will eventually deliver.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a look at all of my ultrasounds starting with the first:</div><div><br /> </div><div>First Ultrasound- 6 weeks - taken on 8/24/09</div><div><br /> </div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389148026483620146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 249px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkP3BxFVokfjNPY5t_YaYUWO2OlpVqirZG7EnEcIIC_TJSFX9XOWTT9_YVLY9pHz4A_xk04n93rovPl6yyJsuLW4nMi03uuztuILP3RcVmGDH6vgY8WJBxfwXJToeLwavRA1dhaCE31Ye/s320/BabyDub1.JPG" border="0" /><br />Second Ultrasound- 9 weeks - taken on 9/14/09<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389148030039067234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 243px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CxTKHDh2jWnULiOpbqX_xcGjEd4nxixAAULFA3VYN5sRzE8N3pnUheu6OUOZVNCaYxFiQUf3FJUMRDPo7C9REXPG8N6Q2NAzuVVFaPBMfgFKmaZsHW5Z86OhyZzBcl12MVNm62CLj8L1/s320/BabyDub2.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>Third Ultrasound- 12 weeks - taken on 10/5/09 - Body Length and profile</div><div><br /> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389148038564194466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9FF1oqEhvuvlwV050gnNE97Q-AT4lB4PYS1AW206GlPX2gQmOA-PtAHw-i-c4Dwbore606_ZzPaJvkBJmEb83GuPsTacBGlF0_hMaAJ9fGFXTl_VqwhDSFSIsY9c3Z3MfBrhWPJQI0Qq/s320/BDub3_length%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389148042716309890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 249px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrN5ZUas8xuwQbrtVrVZErCmllRxjv83kEOBABou5LLd4F_9-dybkDn-KKaSWGJfyWbo75ljIkpUJgR4diHIj9AXrMRIG_qgsZ0aEghBn07iyeCc_ytTkobOERHsJR716WGfqyQZA0IkW/s320/BDub3_profile%5B1%5D.JPG" border="0" />Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-26194789966758015142009-09-18T11:01:00.001-04:002009-09-18T11:03:21.020-04:00Breaking News<p>Dear Friends and Family-</p><p>It's time to break a little news of our own for a change... We're pregnant!</p><p>Baby Watts or as Mike has been calling it Baby Dub is due on 4/20/10.</p><p>That's right Cooper is going to be a big brother!! </p><p>We found out on August 8th and keeping the secret has been torture. We've had 2 appointments so far and we were lucky enough to see an ultra sound picture both times. </p><p>Back on August 24th the baby looked like a little blinking blob (the blink was the heartbeat) and then on Monday the 14th it looked more like an actual baby. </p><p>We could see the head, the arms, and the heartbeat.. And the baby already takes after it's mom because it wouldn't stay still to get it's measurements, it kept wiggling!</p><p>Anyhow, we are very excited to be able to tell everyone finally!! </p><p>Secrets have never been my strong suit.</p><p>I hope this post finds everyone happy and healthy.</p><p>Much Love,</p><p>Jen and Mike</p>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-36686362313413006052009-08-29T08:12:00.010-04:002009-11-05T14:07:39.587-05:00Random Thoughts (August 2009 edition)RANDOM THOUGHTS WHILE I FIGURE OUT WHAT I'M DOING UP AT 730AM ON A SATURDAY...<br /><br /><br /><br />-- Well, lets start there. What the hell am I doing up this early? The answer is I've gotten up to watch soccer. Seriously. ESPN has started to cover the English Premier League, so my on-again, off-again interest with English club soccer is back on apparently. So I'm up watching Chelsea take on the surprise of the EPL this season so far, Burnley (who somehow managed to upset Man U earlier this week). And sorry to Kev, but I'm not rooting for Chelsea. I love me a good underdog (as one can tell from all the regular teams I root for...Jays, Pack, Leafs, etc.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375375176237471618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWFa-F26_bA0zFH3Omf2aKzObE_cG_WfgcaHV6Kfe439F3GSMRI01NiVIPQHZ-V2zQvfpdZd5edWTr5iUWgxdNHSmN4y7mhkQ4b-IGDkx9zDw9tFHOoCXTBQxdW6fUkgWDA8d-jwFHMCh/s320/burnley.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br />-- I've made many wise purchases in my 32 years of existence, but buying Rock Band 2 for our Wii about a month ago now is probably in the Top Five. That game is EXTRAORDINARILY fun. My friend James, Andy and I immediately formed a band whose name probably isn't fit for print here, and then proceeded to play the game in SIX hour stretches once or twice a week until we finally beat the damn thing back on Tuesday. Andy on guitar, me on drums and James singing. And while we've beaten the game, it still remains fun to be able to unlock new songs and just perfect ourselves on the old favorites, along with downloading new songs. The bottom line is this game is gonna be a hit in the Watts household due to our love to throw parties. One can imagine it getting lots of play for years to come.<br /><br /><br /><br />-- And Jen's efforts on drums haved improved IMMENSELY in the past month. I'm not sure we'll start calling her Ringo just yet, but she's doing very very well.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>-- We're still buzzing about our great time hanging out with Kelly and Chris T. and their little Rylee when they came to town a few weeks back. Chris had a meeting in Washington D.C. and they were able to come up to NYC for 4 days at the back end of the trip. Our friends CONTINUE to have the cutest kids. Rylee, who just hit six months, was all kinds of fun to hang out with, and we took that kid EVERYWHERE (as Kelly detailed in their blog, which you can find a link to on this page)<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375375198792876930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWMExTlJuyqHj6_jytoADrlJ1DVPGMtU-0iIbGivv3IhExUX4FvnnURIX3Ahvwckl7BUjPdnDb57TQ5FAwf93gPc1MGU_M1pc9JP9c3nQZUqvmtJq4_3RWIrqifFJmawDscETwtsnPWQp/s320/kelly+and+chris+010.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /></div><div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375375189645431586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oTqa4bsdhjNdLwguCU54hyua8wWmBtP2Am1O0CPVMlii6HFrI_w-kMSwLsRvpCPZVA_jgonncI5vZ57g9aAehaYNO4OfL5a8nnPJAE-Dkgr-0mEjXDaI57fRWG2ghT9XUZkBz__inj9l/s320/kelly+and+chris+007.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375375208740902082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKkoqRt2GfqNdT88r7nZqb0f0uueoXhSU9p6g8RjRrWcIDEJyvBISI1hW8S6NaohnhJAOwkAKHqLArChlFjipTJT6ZdZegaYyVlnGN3fxL1x60jjffZhUVTiShksuokTWx6qMASyVOHOD/s320/kelly+and+chris+014.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>-- Speaking of blogs, if you aren't reading our friend Katie Neal's blog detailing her four month stint in Singapore for work-related purposes, you should be. Katie has a great knack for keeping everyone informed as she embarks on this adventure, and it makes for fun reading. Also, she takes a ton of pictures, which is always good. So after you're done with this, go read her blog and get caught up. (link also on the right side of this page) As you can see, she's making great efforts to get a real feel for a new country.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375382481884141234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRigoD3aWpg6mgzvQvZit0d0PUyvzU13BWDi6EiXbvS658mDI2KattZ1q4u_Y0C22rjmxuvw9hnNDG_5MyAXzMK9m0TBgdqII9gCt8Ic0wFovuuzcnPpjyTiTJyb1l8_b3ZHPya3H-tRve/s320/katieneal.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>-- See, Katie? I was able to say all those nice things and not make a joke or comment about Coach Cal's impending takedown of Kentucky basketball or the sordid life of your former coach at UK (Pitino). Wait, am I talking out loud?</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375382488213218690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGRpnEELIVNDMoQNpto7vQ70-i5nATXDo6b-dQL0vb7DIXFmMsRnqKq1Sj7n11PLnyxUnJZ7fp40b5zvj3Jm9c3h6XvW0P3gm3OLWpq6JVHZAzV1YNfUlBpJYOPl8gjMsXzFc6bmwHc5t/s320/john-calipari.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375382497352450274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-looK4ooY-xGTOZb0g_WHOxlaftuY-06pzuIvHr7CiswYIfUcDT3cMDpkagGeBig4n4LZIntIuOSAVl1Sv0t6EUDB0IGmqHjJw6ye-MDr3Zli_2Iy2-TBXVkLL8h3AAtTX9JmVGS89Mx/s320/pitino.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div></div><br /><div>-- Jen now has a new favorite sport. The Little League World Series. Most everyone knows Jen's lack of, um, passion for all things sport. In fact, usually when we go to baseball games, she spends more time looking at the purses of other women than watching the game on the field. So getting her to WATCH baseball on TV is like pulling teeth, but I got her to sit down to watch the prelim game where the team from Granite Bay take on the team from So Cal for the right to go to the finals in Williamsport. Within minutes, she was intrigued, and was also calling for a full investigation into the exact age of the So Cal pitcher (he's purported to be 12...he looks roughly 27) Granite Bay lost (too bad), but we kept paying attention to the games once the Williamsport, PA finals took over. She watched the nailbiter between Canada and Mexico, and was thrilled that Canada actually had a girl on their team. She paid attention to the goings-on of the Staten Island team that was making a run at the tournament. More importantly, when I asked her one night what she wanted to watch on TV, she actually said, "the Little League World Series." This is amazing. So expect us in front of the TV this weekend keeping an eye on the kids.</div><br /><br /><div>-- In other news, that So Cal team is probably going to win the title, which stinks, because they have at least two kids who are NO WAY under the age of 13. I don't want to make accusations about children, but the one pitcher I think is actually shaving between innings. Someone get "Dateline" on the phone and get this conspiracy uncovered!!</div><div><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375382505568868674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtukoTVc3XLCii3sPoHkj0FvDXChvi0SHeGkLVd1l68yxdlBEzXH5tFXbX4ll_IQaOPPtE9tnEwTJ2Ff5IMaCFn1J_qxld3cfmkpmkUpLD9EdP8PNr6SFdkJ1pyAgc-aN7sDMnhzvBZcGL/s320/lukeramirez.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>-- A few days ago I took a taxi to work in the early AM because our subway train was down. The cabbie was blasting Beethoven's Symphony Number Six all the way there. I feel like you need to know these things.</div><br /><br /><br /><div>-- Go see Inglourious Basterds. Right now. Stop what you're doing, and go see it. Really fun movie. I'm trying to get Jen to see it (I went with James), for no other reason than the fact that SPOILER ALERT!: her people come out really well in the movie.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375382507050693698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zpFNBJnhewFtXp-sA3eBuPakTZZYXyKD_pFEivmpdzuNoimjAaN7NX1hqsIxLr7eRS2BP7iiyIf7tNM9CtPoPf5VuWpGQqa5Gnshzq89WL0_2nn5-zpzpzYAEAN_g19eTlMu0qj8XCKY/s320/basterds.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>-- An open letter to Brett Favre. Dear Brett, We're done. Finished. Kaput. I can no longer support you and this ridiculous "should-I-stay-or-should-I-go?" nonsense. You've become a joke...a national joke. So lets just call this relationship over. Perhaps I'll return to you when you make it to the HOF in Canton. But until that time, please kindly go fuck yourself. Warmest Regards, Mike...<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375384257150127138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 304px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1t_bj2coCLacYFvyUEulmA3ePD6Pgu_r2eNkiIpTDxFfYcIdFk7DPpLPwfcezyKnzghoqbmmyDtNa4CMhDIQlRmQZn9qLKcncBqADjWr4saTHgGto7IUSFnL41lQPqrbdrqp-QxOUSF8/s320/favrevikings.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />-- We finally FINALLY have joined the rest of the free world in enjoying Mad Men. Our friend Liz let us borrow Season 1, which we blazed through in roughly 3 days, and then I bought Season 2, which took us a weekend to watch, so we could be ready for Season 3. I now understand what all the fuss is about. Its really good TV, and I highly recommend it.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375384267210859090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 208px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECKDqtXo30lBSYR5lnn6tiWL97Iumz1ttANiJ1nFEsYhqcG_yN7m_PBmMLf9sE5TzuHUC8SJ1eYzviiY4HlmbKy2Qc3VuDkJ0kwA5vbgX4mT6ip16jLRF3gBC1tqXSyhs1fPtcOXYiEhm/s320/madmen.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>-- This week's sign of the Apocalypse? Jen has started to read the "Twilight" books...seriously.</div><br /><br /><div>-- Don't expect Jen to be rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles anytime soon. Or me for that matter. I can't believe someone signed Mike Vick. What a joke. The Packers reportedly were in the market for him, and I had decided that if Green Bay signed him, I'd have given up rooting for the Pack as long as he was on the squad. Some guys don't deserve second chances. My guess is many dogs of Eagles fans reacted the following way when hearing the news about Vick's signing.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375384276063455778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 281px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIvjioVkIGQvhq7VI_0BDMket73uTgrzVoFEoWwNzD6Mw0nymOZBZF25eB1h4mgXUJDSBbKWJvO4AGLbDhKL1NDCI3Ryg_lLa-5VzfQGwWYxUg05p-mPSBioesIBDxMpQvy88PrMjh94V/s320/vickeagles.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>-- A few weekends ago, one Saturday for Jen and I consisted of going to see Julie and Julia in the theatre, followed by us watching Kung Fu Panda at home while eating Chinese food. Which leads me to the following statement: How married are we?</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375384277818556386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMO0Dg6_xplFdOgILuKT7fqGHuxZVcDLDr3fTrTEskXoi_zQdYpWyGEEKemSw7K12EE5BaTE2jgKH6DxoHYsr_wChpwjAib09QpPphtTAl3rQfwNwz79X5HiECGD-Qin6TaNbrMWueSt7/s320/juliejulia.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375384280928831506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAKTE9luk6KH6v8XDAZIkSlTp40mRAriHLHB18s2yl67gVSM3pq3WJmHIUtiFijnOUoyjRCttJBRVJQrn3ejvNt4Sj3wsH2TsBm8IOSkawB_YhSvCZhGVZD425Gc1noiHld7vDnAyP_PF/s320/kungfupanda.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>-- Finally, getting ready for our annual anniversary trip next weekend. We're headed to Maine for four days with a probable stop in New Hampshire. Nothing major planned, just lots of relaxation. I can't believe Jen and I will have been married for four years. Seems like it was just yesterday she was stumbling over her vows while repeating them ;) Love you baby!!</div><br /><br />Until next time....<br /><br /><br />MikeMike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-71432071975546103802009-08-08T19:45:00.010-04:002009-08-09T21:41:07.459-04:00Way Up Nooorth!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuA0yRutS6qCyTxiARRzdfGKLQuR51BsWItcc4RqqYxvUr_6zGLO34qNwMea76XwkbotQ8pKIGbMMxhnFvSOumEFlOybFVRC212uHVVcquenoQBSZCr23c-7087SFtbog4iuGa9tF1CTWr/s1600-h/July++2009+%26+Canada+115.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368138870428575410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuA0yRutS6qCyTxiARRzdfGKLQuR51BsWItcc4RqqYxvUr_6zGLO34qNwMea76XwkbotQ8pKIGbMMxhnFvSOumEFlOybFVRC212uHVVcquenoQBSZCr23c-7087SFtbog4iuGa9tF1CTWr/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+115.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div> </div><div>I always wanted to start a blog with a quote from a Johnny Horton song..</div><br /><br /><div>OK, many people continue to bitch about the lack of blogging. And Jen has decided that Facebook takes up too much of her time, so blogging about our lives now falls to me. You've been warned...</div><br /><br /><div>Time to recap the vacation that Jen, Cooper and I took to our family cottage up in Canada last month. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368128278353366546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGf4YQXoKu7_AMYI1s_aB1f15ycO07wq4mfMjSPLDPsIWa-khpub1OcV44kgo0CDpWYDDyY2CmRcrZETDhn0fGHk6eLYN4BrJ4X5itY5sFl3aQcaUsEMAflt4d8qMgyLEnufaorbigNMN/s400/July++2009+%26+Canada+057.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>We got up there on Saturday the 18th and as we were driving in I thought "I wonder when the fish fry is this year? I wonder if we'll be here for it?" For the uninitiated, the "fish fry" is a fundraiser that the little town where our cottage is (Perth Road Village) does for the local volunteer firefighters. Growing up, it was a HUGE part of our summers at the cottage. We always went, even after the unfortunate "no sugar in the pie" incident that ended with me and Cousin Jen nearly hurling.</div><br /><br /><div>Anyways, I hadn't been in a long time, and lo and behold as we're driving through Perth Road Village to get to the cottage, there's the sign.</div><br /><br /><div>"Fish Fry. July 18th. 4 to 8 pm"</div><br /><br /><div>It dawned on me that today was actually the 18th and I was super pumped! So I get to the cottage, and Mom and Grandma are there to greet us, along with Aunt Patty and Uncle Gary (who own the cottage next door). And I was all excited, "What time are we going to the fish fry?!"</div><br /><div> </div><div>And my mother made a face. As did Aunt Patty. Come to find out, they knew it was today and didn't tell me because they didn't want to go!! It had been a big conspiracy! They claimed because they didn't want me speeding to get there in time, but I don't know.</div><br /><br /><div>Anyways, I said "to hell with that, we're going!" and we went.</div><br /><br /><div>Here's the deal about the fish fry. 12 bucks for a shitload of fried fish, french fries, cole slaw and baked beans. actually, 2 plates full of all that (you could go back for seconds)...unbelievably old-timey and good.</div><br /><br /><div>Here's a picture of me and my grandmother about to enjoy the food!</div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368128275387104098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KfhpUyotjo5RLXWOxEZni3PT1TD-49HnkbyljHOY1GxwWIGFcrUGHOmhPcAl51HUDfZfkXP-4ku-K_E7Lv1gikNvXp6YFxDxpTzakZfjPII2rXP3JPOMKYldBHTMstVHw3NDVJ-5QDrQ/s400/July++2009+%26+Canada+025.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>Also, the fish fry also has become famous for its crowds that I can only describe as "State Fairish." You ever seen someone so ugly you got out of line to go point them out to your friends? That kind of crowd. Hilarious. Canadian rednecks. Good times.</div><br /><br /><br /><div>That was Saturday...the next day my cousin Jen came with her husband Ken and their nearly 4-year-old daughter Alexandra. I tell you, this kid is a hoot. All she wanted to do was catch butterflies and other bugs for awhile, then it was all about catching fish out of the lake. She brought her own net and everything. So after lunch, Alexandra, Ken and I went down to the dock, and lo and behold "Alexandra Caught A Fish!!"(tm)</div><br /><br /><div>That's been trademarked as a catch phrase now because that was all she repeated as she stormed up to the deck to show off the sunfish she'd lured into the net. She actually caught two fish, so big day for her.</div><br /><br /><div>Cooper had a good time too because Jen and Ken brought their little dog Luka as well. Cooper and Luka got along splendidly, and Luka got to show off his boogie board skills..</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368130628937342594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaXEYnllmbY5zrNDnLDIVyaA5ty8lfUbRdQZmtrwy9YNFnFe9EEmd3XKFv9aNqjswNi_MKj3Wf0-JZzKevSjpcgfFxiXeHVXsLXz4rdHVe5KazGRFxBCFuJ8_DP0cHqLgqoSYdmwPF950/s400/July++2009+%26+Canada+083.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div> </div><div>Cooper felt a little left out I think, and since I was in the water swimming, he decided to jump in after me. I think he immediately regretted the decision, but he dog paddled out to me at the raft, and then dogpaddled back to shore. Nothing like a soaking wet dog!</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368130616703010450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDshk9bm-UvZLTwFCxfOr6UcHKCxg-RwcuCWAnqHxxasqiaDB6KBuCpWJxr7DUnLuzWeSys5CoPq5jAxWvBfwZTjsho-VyzibyhSxNKdnPuwYrWSNIC_Pn_KL97PIlqbwF2c_k2az5ZCk/s400/July++2009+%26+Canada+086.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368130632313976306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_8yR2gdhcpDPWETjBXuNDRt5Bvw3MIkQgfjaDgxHRTpH1kFdX5OzXq1C0ieObABe3HcPToax0_ozdhC2JgYItzNdDX2MM27wf1d7K3qkVUEaFOA8Xcuk7kxx8p7Dkg7WFs9DY_i-hU4Q/s400/July++2009+%26+Canada+091.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>All in all, a really good time hanging out with our cousins, and of course, we made time for the world-famous "Couch Picture"</div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368130637885561282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRyfU25qd8FqjaGXH-SxIz5nILzP_Tn1KglqbzVJE1oJrmR9ZPNq4Z_T2TBD35jntoYWKtiOhqa-NQhxRye0j8UDcu1FQnsG8RJuN2wqL4_RbdUbqrd1zekBXTWdalnARdLInwhAZENu3/s400/Barbs+Camera+121.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>Monday, I drove in and played golf with my Uncle Dick and Cousin Joe at a course near where both their families have vacation homes. As usual, I came in dead last. I just don't play enough to have a decent game these days. But it was still a lot of fun. We went out for our traditional ice cream cones afterwards, and then the whole family came back to Uncle Dick and Aunt Irene's home in Kingston for a visit, Cooper included.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368132809646345682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6fD1rN_F7xYPwjbnZHqZxMGaMvqB2012GlnRc2obWsru-30qua1FOJoJ0pY0YC3gC5zRG494KYBqJurHuFxIwKebS45i_7YLYuDuoscssQlPU90aYdNjqV2-UjURXrnofvgB7G2TLORY/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+103.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368136296615980130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYWLxuesvba8t0keSn-TFyKZqh3z55QZGNs_t_R-FwAnXVEMQbTHYE0KILB4W04DcuofBbLEhVESlWxBoQm_wKOsl_ZzdpFno1z5XB79wUA-2QPhzEcb0NiEgmc7OtAw3ZOFbvQPk4yUr/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+101.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>Tuesday, Jen and I took a day trip into Westport, which is a little town about 20 minutes away from our cottage. Brought Cooper and wandered around the town, did a little shopping for stuff, and overall had a nice day.</div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368132787250936450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxN8t4x6yJ_hjQ0pzvhirUn06qEuJ39ZfHyRYMj6OYQEbOLTz46K5ytPTzohfJ4PaZsy2yP0pUU2bISGaxO-Os-2YtOj5j3K70I2JXmldWP0iFAydoAJjyYezM1Ol0U3MY7uQmlS7l6YBr/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+003.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>Wednesday, we drove to Toronto for a little overnight trip. I wasn't going all the way to Canada without seeing the Blue Jays, God dammit! We got it early in the afternoon and went IMMEDIATELY to the Jays team store, at which point I spent entirely way too much money on a golf shirt, a nice sweatshirt, and two hats. We also managed to get Jen a Blue Jays hat as well. </div><br /><br /><div>Before we went to the game, we met up with my cousin Tasha, who lives in Toronto. I hadn't seen her in six years, so it was good to catch up with her and see what she was up to. Lots of Canadian family to see when we're up there!</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368132795538882050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCBlbXdtubZphQ7TivEsqlmsemk6g7cRKY5DQkMeVqs0Ovs1ArzcjeyHt_XlFjU1g2rZHLL8eDNgKstguyOlbc4s3_KRJYyUZnvEEeAUHnzpXAmSvfXjq5rKPvDL2nCOWAGjFsJmuBcqc/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+011.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>We went to the game, where we both proceeded to get mildly drunk. Good God, Canadian beer continues to amaze me with its potency compared to American beer. </div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368132820478155074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyeS089OuIUHcf66QAbYn9cxS_mACOqL50s8nEV1hOs4HxFR7OeS-gp1KTcU41vjs_MZJDSaLWEfOCREXOd6W-ABuYdAcM_v7ucOoKsRf9N5G7lSHWP17S5Jto4w3KsLl41O2i6zZEyZ8/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+027.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>In an added bonus, the Jays actually kicked the crap out of the Indians and won the game (no small feat these days). So it was good to see them win.</div><br /><br /><div>The next day we walked around Toronto for awhile. Went to the St. Lawrence Marketplace, where I seriously pondered buying some ground camel (though it might have been a tough time getting that past border patrol). We also went to the Eaton Centre to do some shopping for Jen and wandered part of the city to do some general sight-seeing. </div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368136292938674450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhF0VNGkvHPoVqYzzIp2V2G-fqnSacHMOHj0jTv1AafiElxKVxUV46ChhBsuHmKyMCrYwcxfrLUd9RnscW_Nrveo-6HE64nITJLTYa5Rz7xOutxj1FTOmkd1AxUo7lRbOy1gpLKFnqh-Qy/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+034.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>We then got caught in a torrential downpour and had to pull over for awhile, but eventually made it back to the cottage. Before that, though, we drove by my old house where I grew up when I lived in Toronto. I lived there til I was 5 years old, and though I don't remember too much, I still have fairly vivid memories of walking to the school just down the block, and getting in trouble with my friend Ryan Whalen for throwing stones in his neighbor's pool. </div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368136310090715378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL-3iQC-zvwFdpiF-rzsziBdJYNTXAgGHSS3h3eqVDQlGPTqInfnoyZYMnTyBgCpQHMa0CeYbyZEB5g1FhmINtd2ApgkmXwoMuCJJxNFg92R3Hngd1dXbtanBuQrKQTZ7hC7ZGOVUUkjr/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+038.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>Anyways, Mom says the house has changed a bit on the outside, but it sure looked familiar to me.</div><br /><br /><br /><div>Friday, and frankly, the rest of the weekend was spent relaxing, which was one of the best parts of the trip. One of the great things about the cottage is there is no TV, no internet....you're forced to relax and either read a book, or head out into a canoe, or learn how to knit from your mother-in-law and aunt-in-law. </div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368136314318108498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk858INf3uWvY-x4Tx4ypfPRktdSs_NiP0pccpC_oTdC-8-7JjB13pTrKRH974YaN-LFZyW-0VV97bozj6_RKuwbA6wIz3gCjgMI5jIa8L4qzQfHKYhDXSI1MQUGVb9igjG__HHp64yfzH/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+047.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>Fortunately, Jen managed to learn how to do all three of these things, as seen in the pictures below.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368138880366977762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH2vQrR_0XW_k05F8XntZct-pZiEgeBxTs4uTmVXOtokaPtrc__rGr3lfts2tpAH1niIfHVI1U6kpfegDR1z2Oz0EncZQ8ux-Cg3xU8rHaJF-LYKV9KUcnYJPZ0Ls1DsUYpMeWVFrXGCC/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+076.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>She's quite a knitter now, which is good, because I can always use scarves.</div><br /><br /><div>Uncle Gary also took us out in his boat for a toodle around the lake, so Cooper could get a good look at the loons, other cottages and the overall scenery. =)</div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368136303899890450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2biM3WNqCij9bgIkPnL9MPJqFnfEeOi2_4wTsk5GUPfvLxUQ_sapynmbO4oexv7b12ekIxFXXDRFuCxex-nL0iMZQUZDk_uYzgXsQywZiA9twd21q9K6VrbfyeucRMBR1YYNqzMPUiuL9/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+061.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>All in all, a wonderful vacation, and we can't wait to go back next year!!</div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368138866096951698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH92IDzrrCaBLTHp7gtdxb4H0Hefjepe8bY77WjhGfA3yYbc6vi8yvMt_UTR9-ptxdVW2X93MMLk_0kWxeaFpAhhrdbl_gpCiFT8g3RwuRIJwUzcH42y4eI8smpMfXUdZ9OnwwDIuBoqMj/s320/July++2009+%26+Canada+053.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>Mike</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-63342552554725201462009-07-02T20:24:00.004-04:002009-07-10T12:39:30.405-04:00Rewriting Jackson HistoryThe following is the view of Mike Watts and Mike Watts only. Well probably some other people in this world too. But its my handiwork.<br /><br /><br />OK, quick rant this time. And I need to preface this with the fact that while I'm annoyed that Michael Jackson's death has led to my wife being gone for a total of 7 days, with 5 more on the horizon, THAT isn't the reason for this rant.<br /><br />Look, I enjoyed Michael Jackson's music growing up. I remember when Thriller came out. I was 7 years old living in Florida at the time. I remember seeing the video for Thriller, and having it scare the bejesus out of me. I enjoyed Billie Jean, Beat It, The Way You Make Me Feel, and a few others.<br /><br />And then Michael Jackson went crazy right around 1990, and that was it...I listened to songs like Black or White, Remember the Time and such, but certainly didn't think they were anything great.<br /><br />And that was that...I didn't think anything extra about Michael Jackson again...he was just some weird guy who showed up in the tabloids every now and then, who molested some kids, and stayed in seclusion.<br /><br />Frankly, I think most of the world felt the same way I did...we stopped paying attention, and everyone was ok with that....and that includes everyone..white people...black people...all people. He was a joke in the black community. Black people were ashamed of him. They wanted to disassociate themselves from him, and frankly, Michael did everything he could to push away from the African-American community as well. Problem was, us white people didn't want him either at that time. By that point, he was a freak show, and we have plenty of those already, thanks.<br /><br />My point is, ever since Jackson died, I've watched people of all colors basically give themselves false narratives for their relationship with him. People on camera saying things like "Thriller was the soundtrack of my life" and "I listened to his music all the time." People running down the Apollo Theater to dance around pictures of Michael and celebrate his life. Seriously. SERIOUSLY!<br /><br />Bullshit. Its all bullshit. Talk about revisionist history. No one in the WORLD cared about Michael Jackson for the last 15 years...possibly more. In fact, we were turned off by him. And why wouldn't we be. The guy molested children. HE MOLESTED CHILDREN. And I know he wasn't found guilty, but when you give the families of the kids millions of dollars as a payout...well, we can all draw our own conclusions. And since he's dead and there's no threat of a libel lawsuit, I'll continue to say it. HE MOLESTED CHILDREN. Go read the Vanity Fair articles from back in 2003-04. Its all there. You can't see all that information and not think it. Remember, OJ wasn't found guilty either.<br /><br />And what's funny is, everyone in the world seems to have given him a mulligan on the last 15 years. Unbelievable. Of course, ask these same people if they would have allowed their child to go to the Neverland Ranch and you get the ol' "of course not! I'm just saying..." No, what you're saying is you were as turned off by Jacko as the rest of us, but now you think you HAVE to show some sort of pining feeling for the man. Ridiculous.<br /><br /><br />Watching these people all head to the Apollo the other morning, I couldn't help but shake my head. Especially even more when I found out my friend Andy was one of these people. His actual answer when I asked him what the heck he was doing down there was, "well, I saw it on TV and it looked like everyone was having fun." I remain flabbergasted that there are so many people who are so mentally incompetent, they see something like this on TV, and think, "well, this is a major moment...and I need to be a part of it."<br /><br /><br />Look, everyone needs to stop with the revisionist history when it comes to Michael Jackson and remember him for what he was...a really good musician...a monumental pop star for his time, and then a sleazy joke for the last 15 years. Period. The faster they get this nut job in the ground, the better.<br /><br /><br />And take LaToya with him....<br /><br /><br />Mike WattsMike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-36135247473843700922009-06-16T13:19:00.003-04:002009-06-16T13:29:13.327-04:00I know, everyoe misses the blog<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Hello loyal and complaining readers.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I know, I know... It's been well over 2 months since we've updated the blog. Maybe its my constant updates on facebook or my more infrequent tweets on twitter, but I haven't been much of a blogger these days.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anyhow, to ward of the complaints I'm updating today to let you know of Mike's big award last night.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(80, 0, 80); font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mike got an award for excellence in news coverage.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The award was given to him and 3 of his co workers for a compilation of</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">reports and coverage they did on the resignation of Gov. Spitzer last</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">year.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was presented to them last night at the NY city press club</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">banquet.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Anyhow, its really cool! I'm proud of him. He can now put that he's an</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">award winning journalist on his resume.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Go Mike!!</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4rba6R0bJ2_xgRkd6WO2QN55MNnImVWF31s-ZqcDTD-oATQ1-Gp0_kh78tfY-jdRyxkcRZx77hVy0g39_LoZ6oRSwpUj1zDfG97oimc_Utxiy6bN5v7oYtNIH3Xti6IRI_da7Hd_mOrA/s400/IMG00055.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347978387606739330" /></span></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-61572728523427063002009-04-22T22:54:00.004-04:002009-04-22T23:23:00.916-04:00Subway Pet PeevesWe ride the subway every day, and while it is a good way to get around town, there are some issues with people on the trains that drive me batty. And 2 of those issues happened to me today within about 5 minutes as I was headed home from work.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So consider this kind of a PSA about subway etiquette....I'm sure I'll be adding to it throughout the days and months, but lets start with these two.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />1. I don't need to hear your conversation. Do you hear me, LaQualia (common spelling)? Here I am, sitting down, trying to listen to The All-American Rejects on my iPod, but no, I've got LaQualia complaining to her ghetto-ass friends about how Rodney was fronting on someone's sista last night outside The Quail or something...and she's gotta be nice and loud so we can all hear about her struggles with her man and how if Shaqwana (common spelling) keeps working her patience, she's gonna have to slap her "n-word face."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!?! Shut up....shut up LaQualia. No one cares, and no one wants to hear it. Also, no one wants to look at your gold tooth, but thats a whole other complaint.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327720116101717154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WOwXVgbpHJRlstvGW7NjjTjEHjuLc2fVJDTBtDU0yDzJ4umXM5npnKEbHXM7JKtZ6oB0WE2KmzlHw3wHMtdelJAvmU3CS2tqxF_nxyNYF0g_CrhmsgmWW5CnwuOO1MkBRFxXQd_v2W9N/s400/subway.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />2. Since I get off work between 6 and 63opm every day, the A train is usually crowded with folks heading home and its very hard to get a seat as we make our way up town. I get on at 59th Street..the stops that follow are 125th, 145th, 168th, 175th, 181st, 190th, 200th, and finally 207th, where I get off. So when I get on the train, I usually go stand in the middle and angle myself to where I will be able to get a seat after the first couple of stops.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now I like to think my mother raised me right, and 99.9 percent of the time if there's someone also waiting for the seat that probably could use it more than I, I'm more than happy to cede it to them. I'll even get up from my chair if someone who needs a seat gets on after I've snagged one.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />But here's the deal. Here's who, in my mind, deserves a seat more than me after a hard day's work.<br /><br /><br /><br />1. an elderly person<br /><br />2. a pregnant woman<br /><br />3. a child under the age of 6 who wants to sit next to their parent<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />That's it. That's the list. And I'll tell you, I've had many a daggering glance thrown at me by young women after I've stepped in front of them or around them to grab a seat instead of them.<br /><br /><br /><br />Here's the deal ladies, and I mean this in the best way possible. I have all the respect in the world for you. I believe in your right to equal pay. Your right to bear a child, or abort one. You should be treated like a man.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And since I feel you are equal to men, you are genderless in my eyes, therefore, if I get the seat and you don't.....tough shit. Better luck next time. And save me the dirty looks. It's not my fault you weren't quick enough to step around the homeless guy and snag the seat next to the old woman who went crazy with the perfume today and looks as if Protestantism is springing from her womb. You should always get the seat before me. I'm overweight and have a terrible sense of balance sometimes. I'm several small steps away from being about as coordinated as Corky from Life Goes On. So what does that say about your seat-snagging skills that I got the chair?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Back to the drawing board for you, LaQualia (common spelling)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Hugs<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />MikeMike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-54185435440112243712009-04-20T19:46:00.011-04:002009-04-20T21:40:11.414-04:00April Showers...<div><div><div><div><div><div><div>...bring more blog posts.</div><br /><br /><div>Its pouring rain here today....one day after it was 75 degrees. Christ I hate the East Coast for spring. Its just a never knowing game of "what's it gonna be like today" Though I shouldn't complain, cause we're only about six weeks away from "f'in' stinkin' hot and humid." So I take it all back.</div></div><br /><br /><div>We've had lots go on since the last posting...i.e. since Wake Forest got dumped in the NCAA Tourney and I gleefully poked fun at Katie Neal (though I think she got the last laugh by posting pictures of my pathetic attempt at an Eiffel Tower during a mean game of Cranium...I thought those pictures had been lost for eternity...darn it all)</div><br /><br /><div>Anyways, lets start with Sister Jen's visit several weeks back. Jen came out for a few days, and while we didn't hit it too hard, we managed to pack in more than enough stuff to do.</div><br /><br /><br /><div>We started by going to see Exit the King on Broadway with Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon. It was really good, and Sister Jen managed to stay awake for it despite getting minimal sleep on the plane and the night before, considering we dragged her there just 2 hours after she got to our house.</div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326929987534787954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHluNgK5U0QcWsrbdGcSLQIb3KoHBacqknNJT_M7EHDEOtY4Yu7_JXkuENBEgUcHQ3pLyXwJ-k4vS-uoZi1spDSMXhd-EngJY2yydrQuOXBbGQitRiFFIyVr-rx-aSQ2wIN1kTUL1NLIT/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+002.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326929992683831954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Lf0ty_z8pMm1lG_j6-ea8-Z5l93QrnAzm9_UGwIm10zGz-7aBCTK3FaXaJomyDHleNcUmICM5LMXMY0aEEodr_pYU1rGi8Rc4fGVU9iYqiq1Vgqnp9OsYZBkygZSjD6fy1KPdngiifNa/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+001.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326929997651004850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHlK8lbQd3tG6y5kyZ5CzscVD7XGls7ilmYpm_GUXqb8aUOp17evWRh19_XBG2dk1SmsdvtniSwE8BVuSGChWYXhPOXjdXnBSKxdbW61BVmH10cFnJFjrVYN6Ybw8u8UC23q3HCakxEwU/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+003.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>In fact, I was the one who managed to fall asleep on the way home.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326929997438118722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1LQRg0nORwjBJFtMkPUFCWjt-TCexQ55zvqpp3MufsBx0fc4WdVt_OOKLC8m9sUCPWEZ3B8ELJMJrtpx9UZF5pQIgNeY-xR6ZI7D12wliPzPRc4Vwi0o0QNKz-FOW6dXiq2aAJJ5xi0k/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+004.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>Funny thing about that day...as we were walking back to the train, we saw a large gathering of people waiting outside a hotel in Midtown for something. We thought it was the auditions for "America's Got Talent," so we walked over to see what was going on...Jen said she saw smoke coming from somewhere, and then all these people started screaming and running. We thought they must have seen someone famous, so we said "whatever" and walked away. The next day we learned it was the auditions for "America's Next Top Model," someone had seen a smoking car and yelled "bomb!" and then there were hundreds of high-heeled models dashing for cover.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326935755227611218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspFw2ttFoJPIxcYuz5b_2bVtR1f-5wYHxW2HuqtXOjhy7qw-mtD0sLFs8qmgPUjSdpeEKk0S-K62r5SGb9naDKuY9zegJR9h1-WfOXxlJKLeBxgKZKu-mOZKu9Y2LZ93Ai6mcNpRMar9d/s400/topmodel.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><br />Sister Jen got introduced to our friends James, Laura and Andy, and their friend Rob was in town as well, so a large group of us went out to dinner, and then we ALL got introduced to the movie Andy starred in when he was in college. It was a college project and it is, without a doubt, a mind trip. I plan to show it to everyone who shows up here to visit now. Its that good.</div><br /><br /><div>Anyways, Andy was a good sport about it.</div><div> </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326937501426206962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPFA0MwiqiL9ZOROBMkh4gGnLE-7U7_3WG-Mmy2BNFi7RRr6f8qOgTOQ4KqRR2Vsmf2UEzhkbvlo0YbqMH55US-NF18B_ZD88GMk3KF_QmI5ju6Dr85MCB-cPZAUdX8Zi-bsD85FG6Vnie/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+009.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326937508497662466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tr-b4gp_x4vedhJTwj97oATy3DZB4MCr9Tiav_nsxVK7SyUA7PPzNuGt5iQtMhzJBqHV2xkvBHrXE6A8S7yEzG59Tyw8cCWCoMs3x7eNrqMSlz81SQLWAXLsCtfLNqJH46PHkCsYrL4W/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+008.JPG" border="0" /><br /></div><br /><br /><div>Jen also decided to go crazy and get some rice pudding one night. I don't know why...how can my wife like rice pudding? It looks awful, it has the consistency of maggots in pudding...its just wrong. Anyways, she liked it...c'est la vie.<br /><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326940454247086690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZslfOAEOdTrRqxxUFpjqi4OjndkDEz2CcXQhd50_I1xe1-FdPGh73-5RnoMAFOHVwThZGZIY3OraAY1mYw7fccgT92LKn_EWTErHmIBy0brDh4_ASkNmW9NtkO_hE3tA7SqXJ7QbNTvgU/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+015.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>We also took in the Letterman show, got some good pizza at Lombardi's, Sister Jen and I caught "The Daily Show" one day, The Jen's got some Century 21 shopping in, all in all, a great visit from Sister Jen!!<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326941274712703074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sNoCYLcNz0Ghe6kHaWrHNcm0Q4fRD7Ng7hLSNoJKA3Xc9eNNJpfbL7vsK5H6sY63V_t_seY91qGltFeminbCIuBfeD2Qm7iR4LK33_V-xl5h_xBJUUtroTzWz0Y3GZAKPxoMNcDhjlTI/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+010.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326941276992372434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSK0hOIn_L1yT7Mf7sn6FVTGcxhl8Tv-J6hi8Qd0YsfnDK1J3Ek7CNyvHkRVs4J4Mf-Sf-lArC0WqOBRhksR__9tUk-Ey_yOuoMAl1ZBf0QjiCiQE0-7nuHL4v1XeGj3YFEtsutdiCVie/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+012.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326941283849082418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF28LGkGLMbY3CuijzaNfbNU1h1bJ7sWSW6rLLVRJ3YWmngkkIDi9wgVcy_fVE2IU0XksvxZOT7Hk4O0LuItGVajTQbyM3ipYzp_65qY_aqhoYP33AIMr0ar5acZQoOnyfgM6BU2Yo0dE/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+013.JPG" border="0" /><br /></div></div><div> </div><div>A few days after that, Jen and I went to the Kings-Knicks game at MSG. I can't name more than 4 Kings players these days, and Jen was lucky to name one (Kevin Martin). We decided it would be fun to go to, despite my paying attention to the NBA these days involves my one fantasy basketball league, which I somehow managed to win actually, so while I knew the Kings were God-awful these days, I didn't think they could be much worse than the Knicks, who are really really mediocre.</div><div><br /> </div><div>Somehow the Kings raced out to a 15-zip lead, were up by like 37 points at one point, one won by 27. Unbelievable?! This is the team that had the worst record in the NBA? Really? The Kings looked like world-beaters. Hopefully the team is much better next season.</div><div><br /> </div><div>Anyways, Jen's favorite part of the game was watching Anthony Anderson from Law and Order sitting front row doing Michael Jackson dances during timeouts late in the game. Spinning on his head and everything. Sadly, no shots of that, but here's a couple from The Garden.</div><div><br /> </div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326944953090972978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTuKVWcBZRPxG1m0K9tvWlkN3epindaksK-31wIrsXVIT5hYAVtzhJwjAacFdklm6mb00fSGbdVk-TIODiPY9I80qeGdZsMoF9I0ysBZgqOErLaZcokpJcTC-C0Rf8JSnXcnDnlVOtLnA/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+022.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326944958011147314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0V6mLTXkZgRU7nYGTdUVov1cZ2MFTwdt2CMi7apyWfMG1WZGFCQc-UhjyzPuQFUYnue5gV8_TlkW9ukMgzLFvYlMvEqYjvZ7-Ypn-tjmBqe7wbECDzmBn2ObeXuytyyOj4I4vgCN1YFIO/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+028.JPG" border="0" /><br /></div><div> </div><div>We've also managed to keep exploring new neighborhoods. Grabbed some dinner with my co-worker Jen and her boyfriend Jon and other co-worker Jim and his wife Heidi in Jen's neighborhood of Hoboken. Actually found some good Mexican food there.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326950216519919074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FHoGnStZVT9VvtceI6Zhdz3RnMs30DkuNFzSshF1u_bpkFoiN4k4HpO4I-Pt-mT8n7dTv_wI8bqXbO24QiHYzWRDlEcsm9EpAfIpGcKshU_k99e2qHsc9LifhO4uIYxLrZxkn2YWbX_O/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+029.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326950219220441426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcJz-m0uJnoyG9o4twqqDSDR1zCMcDhY_Y1KIvkDlW1arpaXfUvto8KNhlxptzYVkYIdLW2Wg9eRX8k4N_p3RllnJm7GndP11PaHo-zuJ8FYEaPFfmqTHpUTm-S373WFpyiwpmGmAuXnK/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+033.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>Also took time to go to Queens to meet up with Jen's co-worker Mario, his wife Michelle, and their newborn daughter Mia.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326950225669468258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__Zd5bY95qibzUd5DVCmB1iZOkfJyVwzRjrVWre8MAgMaP-pB2jJ2en4XhWDon3M4cZBuW04kPyaPfgIVc91YZ5NeClLV_R0K5yb2Cp6z7tlGc4yQoAuaWzGqGfoLcwOtja9SqthN3LNZ/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+036.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>Finally, loyal blog readers know that Jen and I play trivia at the Piper's Kilt, our local bar in the hood, on Tuesday nights. This season we joined up with James, Laura, Andy, and fellow friends Jon, Liz and Nick to form the team "Impeach Mayor McCheese." We'd been finishing middle of the pack or so, but Mike Bowe (the bar director who runs the trivia night) is a good friend of ours, and he asked me to host the trivia night one night.</div><br /><div></div><div></div></div><div>To be the host at trivia night, you have to be funny, charming and amusing, all while keeping it fun, but also keeping it moving. You have to be able to think on your feet. Sadly, I am non of these, but I am a ham, so I ended up doing it, and it was a lot of fun. And amazingly, "Impeach Mayor McCheese" actually came in first place that night! I know....unbelievable. You would think we were working out of the Katie Neal authored "It Aint' Cheatin' If You Don't Get Caught" rulebook, but I actually didn't help them cheat...though I did give Jen one answer.. =)<br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Besides my team made more fun of me hosting then anybody else! They, like me, are a bunch of smart-asses, and apparently Laura had made signs up earlier in the day to heckle me with. Five of them in big bold letters...I wish I had them still, but they read,</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>"NOT FUNNY"</div><div><br /></div><div><div> </div><div>"GO BACK TO CANADA"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>"HURRY THE FUCK UP"</div><div></div><br /><br /><div>"YOU'RE DRUNK"</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>and of course...</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>"WE'VE BEEN MISLED"</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div> </div><div>(in reference to the famous misled radio incident on 1240 in Sac)</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>All in good fun, I suppose...I can't wait for them to host something.... ;)</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326950229621673010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOxSPaPbGrwixzLEQoBhx-9N_tU7SNyO8iToQ0MaBbmeApXKhj6ArSWCx9CFNly5KYmxQdDtm34U8VBYH6ipaimBbSb3MKz3UJOH-Zd7NWYnQRe0yUBRsKEofM9F9KyNZg48YSF8b52AO/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+038.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div align="center">Mike Bowe and the host<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326950233142042578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEHCdtdkwU4f-E2CGHjGBxGMXDffXLY-iUU-oTEG_zANedvsNvgkrcdeZKa_JiPuNJ8i7hn8_RqwroXFm1MrlLkmrBZ1Z5EW60oSs1KOiiWHJ7E48TkjOQ5Y-L-Qr12sSlFewnbLc-cka/s400/Sister+Jen,+Trivia+Night,+Sacramento,+LA+041.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div align="center">Some of my "McCheese" team and their MEAN signs!<br /><br /><br /></div><div>Anyways, there's been other stuff that either didn't warrant pictures at the time, or I'm forgetting (which is more likely the case). We had a great time in California and Jen or I will get that blog done soon....but tomorrow begins the unpacking...our stuff arrives from California tomorrow, and we're super excited. Expect a blog posting over the weekend regarding our trip, and then one more when we get everything set up in our apartment and such!!</div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Toodles</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Mike</div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-41962732580102151302009-03-21T08:22:00.006-04:002009-03-21T09:10:40.869-04:00The Neal's March Goes MadI'm not gonna lie...this post is completely for antagonizing purposes...<br /><br /><br /><br />When Jen and I got to spend part of the holiday season with Brian and Katie Neal, we saw them right after what was, at the time, the biggest college basketball upset of the season...Brian's beloved Syracuse Orangemen had been dumped by little known Cleveland State...CLEVELAND STATE!!!!<br /><br /><br /><br />There isn't a person in the world not affiliated with that college that even knew Cleveland State EXISTED!!<br /><br /><br /><br />Of course, myself and Brian's other friends gave him all kinds of grief that night we saw him...wondering how it was possible the Orange could get dumped by a team like the Vikings (and yes, I had to look up their mascot...thanks Google)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315620967918063058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7Fw9C8MQ-pUR5_g4PCH3KL-g4ulpBnUzFpW6zHOKb4Cg3LO1k2u1QFLASp6P-TcOYVOxZtQm-yFCF8PWvBf-PUAcogwXGa7KjRBEiMu33KFDFgtHzVonYw-UbReii8OkW7TuR-Vt4zoP/s400/clevestate2.gif" border="0" /><br /><br />NOW, fast forward three months, and as the brackets for the NCAA Tournament came out, I gave them a glance and noticed that Cleveland State had made the tournament as a 13 seed and would be facing....Wake Forest...otherwise known as the collegiate home of one Katie Neal...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Katie's very conflicted when it comes to her college hoops to begin with...she wants to root for the Demon Deacons since she went there, but she also wants to root for Kentucky, since she grew up in the Bluegrass State...it all came to a head several years ago when we had a NCAA hoops/Easter Egg painting party at 590 Ark Way that featured Wake and Kentucky playing on different channels and Katie showed up with a Kentucky T-shirt and a Wake Forest sweatshirt, and kept pulling the sweatshirt off and on depending on which game we were watching...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anyways, I had the huge urge to text the Neals and ask them if they were prepared to have Cleveland State break their hearts for the 2nd time in 3 months...and since Kentucky couldn't muster the strength to get into the Big Dance this year, you know Katie was gonna be riding Wake all the way....and why not? This was a team that was number one in the country a few weeks back...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I will repeat that...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />THIS WAS A TEAM THAT WAS RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY A FEW WEEKS BACK...<br /><br /><br /><br />They had stumbled a bit since then, but few people figured they'd have problems with Cleveland State...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />well....<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />CLEVELAND STATE 84 WAKE FOREST 69<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315620963654333266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 251px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYlK5SSX5B7lceSsz_77ZtjY0vsGCPWsZd6c4ptfYNpGY_cULpDuRhKeFplht2b7Hz7U5gct_XCdkcXsI_QUkjL4-QtUsjxSSHSY3DFyT0aA1CDEuBSgmg1T1BTxKlReC8XRF1RQtjR4_/s400/clevestate1.jpg" border="0" /><br /></p><p>We probably should have seen this coming. Cleveland State had a history in the NCAA Tournament of pulling the upset. It was back in 1986 when, as a 14 seed, they beat heavily favored Indiana and followed it up with a win over St. Joseph's to make the Sweet 16...</p><p> </p><p>Still though...needless to say, if any future Neal children express an interest in going to Cleveland State to further their education, they'll be shipped off to Somalia for hard labor instead...<br /></p><p><br />Mike</p>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-46687718422165451252009-03-11T19:55:00.006-04:002009-03-11T21:16:04.215-04:00Random Thoughts: March Edition<div><br /><br /><div><div><div> </div><div>Random Thoughts While Trying To Figure Out How Canada Lost To Italy In The World Baseball Classic:</div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div>-- Actually, lets start right there. How did that happen?!?!? I can't name THREE Italian ball players!!! Mike Piazza didn't even play!!! I can't stop using exclamation points!!!! I know the WBC is basically glorified spring training, and the Canadian pitching staff is so bad, I'm fairly certain I was the last man left off the roster, but still....sad day for Canada...</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>-- A great day for Canada was when they announced that Jillian will be the next Bachelorette. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her romp through this past season of "The Bachelor" with her kickin' Canadian accent. Saying things like "I would not be a-GAY-anst sharing the Fantasy Suite with Jason" or when she told him about her encounter with OgoPogo in Alberta. Hilarity...</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>-- By the way, for you Americans, the top 8 words that sound much more fun when said by us Canadians:</div><div></div><div> </div><div>8. Process ("PROH-cess")</div><br /><div>7. Against (a-GAY-anst") </div><br /><div>6. Go ("goo")</div><br /><div>5. Organization ("or-gan--EYE-zay-SHUN")</div><div> </div><div>4. Schedule ("SHED-you-ul")</div><br /><div>3. About ("ah-boot")</div><br /><div>2. Asphalt ("ASH-falt")</div><br /><div>1. Kudos ("coooooooo-dooooooooooze")</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>-- Speaking of "The Bachelor," my fantasy sports addiction took an ugly turn this winter as I got talked into participating in a "Fantasy Bachelor" pool run by one of Jen's co-workers out of Chicago. I don't know whether I'm proud or terrified to say I finished 5th, beat 7 other WOMEN, and dusted Jen, who finished dead last...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>-- And finally, much hand-wringing about how The Bachelor ended this season. The final verdict from my end: they're all d-bags...Jason, Molly and now Melissa for deciding "I should probably go home and recover from being dumped on national TV, but instead I'm going to try and extend my 15 minutes of fame even MORE by appearing on Dancing With The Stars" Sorry, Mel-Mel, you lost my sympathy right there...you're all losers...and apparently millions of us around the country, myself included, are as well for tuning in to this glorified speed-dating on heroin show every week...</div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312102490453875314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 237px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDy5_EUOJezgdwWHkoHQe-tRJlRmpQx4jZwdh3udcMkmkOEqGhcxAw3LSOMBsvxqtWqdRRWmfsooBo1eYc1hxHkq2nug1zSRFHeTshiP9-mIVzSHbNVQ9gZjdjHKT1HE0cFLr3W1w1z4Eh/s400/bachelor.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>-- Sister Jen comes this weekend for 5 days!! We're very excited about that!! Things in the works already are a trip to a Broadway show, a Letterman taping next Monday, and DEFINITELY a trip to Grimaldi's in Brooklyn =)</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>--Speaking of Broadway, Jen and I have had a run on the Great White Way lately. We saw "You're Welcome America," the Will Ferrell as President Bush show, and it was frickin' hilarious. I IMPLORE you to watch the live performance HBO is broadcasting this Saturday...and if you don't have HBO, call your cable company and get it. I laughed for 90 solid minutes, and you'll never be able to think of the term "Western grip" again.</div><br /><br /><div>-- Mr. Ferrell was also nice enough to autograph Jen's Playbill afterwards.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312102498402372802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyUbIZ4584o2Fw-vmN_R7LalM96OeTuxNBQwMAm1SS5hUSTUZJHRx-_jAf1QEWXbE7-vE9QmJLVdFJYU-tzgSuJWYzkuM6k0E3QZL8E_j0_fPmx1gKrc0s5SqLQUPg8I77evkHeIpoc9-/s400/will+ferrell+002.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312102502803522882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad4DFj49rTAgit5WF23Z0jmIzvX2XiVe5r_4Op0UI0Ld16LbmypR9-oOAaGjIjZA94I3WO8YplM5bDHPeuwHyw59G96PZR59lhj9TawOxZJrFLbrUxl9Fatda05hlFG2klNLY7AyvPMEU/s400/will+ferrell+007.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>-- We also saw "The 39 Steps" last week, which was also excellent. A Hitchcock film with some comedy thrown in as well...very good times...our friend Laura came with us and enjoyed it as well...Broadway is getting a bit better with more plays coming this spring, and I have a feeling we'll be back sooner rather than later...</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>-- Our trivia team continues to ride the Mother of all roller-coasters. If we've not explained it before, The Transplants (our old team) disbanded before this season with Dawn having to work late and not being able to participate anymore, and us wanting to get rid of the dead (re: "old) weight on the team. So we merged with James, Laura and Andy's team (which was Laura's grand plan all along apparently) and are joined by our friends Jon and Nick..for a team of 7 known as "Impeach Mayor McCheese."....we bottomed out with 49 points two weeks ago...49 points!!!!! Out of 100!!! That's pathetic...then, last night, we had a good night in the music, and suddenly we placed second with 89 points....so we're all over the map...Lord only knows what our score will be next week....</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>-- There's comedy, there's high comedy, there's transcendent comedy, and then there's pictures of Katie Collins Neal and Brian Neal in their Snuggie (see their blog). Remind me to buy Jen Sweeney a drink the next time I see her for allowing that comedy...whoo boy...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>-- And if you're paying attention, the DiMaggio-like streak of me mentioning the Neal-blog continues....I should get royalties, considering we NEVER get plugged...whatever, she's just mad that Kentucky isn't gonna make the NCAA Tournament</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div>-- Random Celebrity sightings in the past few weeks: Geoffrey Rush (in Barnes and Noble near Jen's work), Bob Ley (randomly on the corner of 56th and 9th today as I walked to work), Katie Couric (another elevator encounter at work last Tuesday), Taylor Momsen (at Columbus Circle...I said "Hi Taylor!" to her...I SHOULD have said "what's up Little J?!")</div><br /><br /><div>-- As you can see from above, Jen has really taken over what I watch these days. Between Gossip Girl, The Bachelor, 90210, Gray's Anatomy and Private Practice, I'm 50-percent gay at this point unfortunately.....however, I still manage to balance it out with shows like Survivor, Hell's Kitchen, Leverage (I demand you watch that show when it comes back on) and my personal favorite at the moment, "From G's to Gents" on MTV (thanks James and Laura!!)</div><br /><br /><div>-- Jen took her first trip into Hoboken, New Jersey last weekend. We went in last Saturday to hang out with my co-worker Jen and her boyfriend Jon at watch the St. Patrick's Day parade in that city. Its an annual tradition for Hoboken, so we watched from the windows as everyone marched down Washington Street...we also got plastered, which is always fun when you don't have to drive home...though riding with the crush of people on the PATH Train back to Manhattan was less than pleasurable....</div><br /><br /><div>-- We got in a little bowling action last Monday night....a bunch of Jen's co-workers met downtown to roll a few, and I ended the night on a real positive note by throwing six strikes in a row to finish our last game and end with a score of 201....I should retire after that, but Lord knows I'll be back out there...</div><br /><br /><div>-- As everyone knows, dinner parties are Jen's favorite things to do, and we managed to clean the apartment enough to have James, Laura, Andy and Dawn over last Sunday evening. Jen made brisket, which was fantastic....and I tried a new appetizer, which was a huge hit: deep fried pickles. Yep, deep fried pickles. Pulled the recipe out of a Deen Brothers cookbook (shocker there) and they were a huge hit.</div><br /><br /><div>-- We can't wait to come home for a variety of reasons, but a HUGE one know is we get to meet Mom and Dad's new golden....following the passing of the Murph Man, we knew it wouldn't be too long before Barb and Jack rescued another golden retriever from Homeward Bound...well, they've adopted a 3-year-old named Wrangler, and from the pictures, he's adorable....</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312102491730872514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfW8b60lftUjHFrKQbG7rf3UjezBETtvIM6VYPuqZhd6sawG__4Akw3m-cqixUSB0DBq0ySfs570_z9inuBK4yHzTxX5_arDQ2YizejgZZ2byPDAJqHbIisMI9uxjyGBm6QQz-TJNxEKT/s400/wrangler.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>-- I'm sure I'm forgetting other stuff over the last month, which only means I need to get better at posting more often. We'll hope that happens, and we can't wait to see everyone in less than a month!!</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Mike</div></div></div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-891467781210549692009-02-22T18:21:00.004-05:002009-02-22T19:08:27.546-05:00Been A Longtime..<div><div><div><div><div><div>Hi guys!</div><br /><br /><div>Sorry it's been awhile. No real excuse, just fell behind.</div><br /><div>So we've done some cool things lately. A few weeks ago we had to take Cooper in for a haircut. His groomer is over by Central Park on the Upper Westside of Manhattan so a couple Saturdays ago we took him on the subway and into the Groomer.<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305769775101825714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdF70WPnp2rZgXAEiJ-50aE5TlQZJ4QknuUOqRb-3BG9juufBtAo5yj14iaTTvT1eyHGC3xFqTKRcExRLGMGQTsG-E3SVCkJvQlsz6f_sZPc62zhUKytmrmuiW045O4XqluXhNiAShyphenhypheneI/s400/coopertrainIMG00125.jpg" border="0" />Cooper's not a huge fan of the subway, but he doesn't mind as long as he can stick his head out of his travel bag.</div><div> </div><div>We had about a good 4-5 hours to kill while Cooper was being Groomed so we decided to grab brunch and then head to the Central Park Zoo. We went to the Bronx Zoo a few months ago and loved it. The Central Park Zoo is way smaller, but very adorable. We saw sea lions, penguins, monkeys, red pandas and rain forest birds. It was a cool thing to see and fun to explore. Central Park is HUGE. Every time we go there we see something different. I love it.</div><div> </div><div>Here are the sea lions showing off to the crowds..</div><div><br /> </div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305767195937430898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_qkSYwWE666QKM1KLi5UHwtLGyBAfcdSqTpZqRVl80rnhuyiTAJd9TDVH-rr9q4N6PeZRMc2WBzmYSOmdcJ_lzYkdfNzTo6KvBrqkHkjiw6yU72F3mw6-pKOicJblWHsJfJUAHe66N84/s400/22009+042.JPG" border="0" /> <div> And here's Mike asleep on a park bench while I watched the sea lions</div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305767202454345506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrsbtXtNC3GRpUx48z3Oj3mPq-SpihWn_la8cE3LraZUZ1qT2r-Xc6A6tUpqE7kX0g95J3u89Ntq-sUy8ni1AvBj3ng4WhrSF8sI5OpkHO6wpojFTltQbOCnaDP2tGRkBkB0OVAuySIiK/s400/22009+044.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>We got back to the groomer before Cooper was done so we got to watch them finish him up.. We were such dorks we didn't want him to see us watching him so we were hiding our faces from him.</p><p> </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305767205149644434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzto3f6RjnA1dA66vFrid-7nl28KyqmgsDySxVVo5rrMqsr24PGZv2DSF12m0wDKf9QnoJ-3JrNEF20CvZg__TFSJTDst14qLqtaGh00VCXYj0kjvuY0bSA7nmTdb6Pg1zegn6vLd1syRg/s400/22009+045.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>So that's how we spent the weekend before Valentines Day. </p><p>For Valentines Day we went to Barbetta. It was awesome. Barbetta is the oldest restaurant in Manhattan and has a lot of history. It's in an adorable Brownstone and just beautiful inside... There were several different dining rooms all very elegant and romantic. There was a man playing a saxophone in between the dining rooms on the 2nd floor and then on the first floor they had a jazz bland playing swing music. After dinner we had a few dances. It was really fun and felt very New York.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305767213526537346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysFbgMT1PoU5dp28EeU-Ewz_ZGOVXxjoTzFFAlXKxickUpYhmuRFi5iq7FaXxXMBIqqgzl1JTjDINhqXX2e9UKxUyhJa7dg5gh5XafeZnnFeYC6KFtfovE-vPO_J1Cxe2e4XJzvlQJ_f-/s400/Valentines+005.JPG" border="0" /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305767209521384002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPVd2qkFmd9Q7Mf5jb0c6R8TtkvNJ0aJYwlx7S_xRFZGSQp7RHfqkZRK9ksUeshyphenhyphenFExOm49g7-a3cCFE2-VlmteZfT1AnoE_ktWmAKCiTNRycoHw1BAAmknl_AqJW4bF8eX8kb9engYtW/s400/Valentines+001.JPG" border="0" /></p><p> </p>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-35980138776131230752009-02-02T20:33:00.006-05:002009-02-05T22:20:53.328-05:00Bonjour Montreal!!<div>Mom, this one is for you....hehehe</div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>C'est l'hiver et que les moyens de son temps pour mon père et moi à jet vers la NHL Match Des Etoiles. Cette année, le jeu a été à Montréal, une ville, je n'avais jamais été à l'avant. J'ai donc été définitivement hâte d'arriver à passer quelque temps au Québec, où le français et l'anglais est roi est le retard de l'étape-enfant ne parle.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298382216025129826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcCKrizPm0wUZeoIWdu9n12qSxRu3D8xWFT1z9YcUo_UqGmeWSnF0YH_9IN5EfuaQ0BWZlq4NhP0Jb5s5QoZ2D8MdWK0Pc4sB0v23bjtMT45i6yOJOV5scCfisVSYUmW-lD2hG-tVV0u3/s400/100_5597.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298382212762782850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxgd9iM4CAeXfQtEZDSoTalLrSEZkm_C_czqMiFZfHVL7K7BZXcVzYO8gT7qXzrVTdvn9XtB5h-9HrP8bV6Qf1hv-Ey6z3gxEb4S5-WjJpCKQLqmAvF6DiH0YRP59aomM3OLb-IyQB_QO/s400/100_5590.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Papa a pris un vol en retard au début de l'année et a obtenu vendredi matin. Je suis arrivé un peu plus tard dans la journée, baissé mes bagages à l'hôtel, puis nous nous sommes dirigés vers le Centre Bell pour ramasser nos médias pouvoirs et aller vers le lecteur interviews. Voici un aperçu de certains des gars que nous avons passé du temps avec.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298380631820121410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnRx7c-JyKmDjrkSHCK9SOfVCWzeFmSpsdEseaFDMiWi1LuelwcSxwSACqcN980o4orZ2HPDNlHWgj5sLiofMA8RpdCwuKf1Z3tDzo3YHuc3bC2zKQTJOdSK6vMnPl5FK8HBwXCgYd7Pc/s400/100_5565.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><p align="center">Patrick Marleau</p><br /><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298380634707428290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkFj_Xjg-qfbE9z8RzY_JnVHIHcZOQkJhLOrySKUlBupc9kkaMOJUDC-zkp8GX1FFRzTBdQ0HLAHxABD0wMPNksNgHqiVeYwwFThXpQj5YAQVF1TZVSN0Qyr-vVgmp8zV6tYi_LGmAO2R/s400/100_5567.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center">Roberto Luongo</p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298380637143904210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXF-jfgAcD_wa-s1vIErjueVhtFgL2JquTqAfg4k_kgNkBql66z4ZWBXJgDfOdZgDNgZrtj8lTuuAr5mAp2OQhh_rVCnB4SqV6vUfr-tfYO5XP_pDQ-O5BJYyr18uUzyU2Tw6KD0wKby-K/s400/100_5569.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center">Jonathan Toews</p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298380637492031506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatRUYwuDzwR4Z2VQRLyOAst9Mqy14asZ92Z1l4HWtLcQEnZSwq0xho_7Bpa20L6laDeAXOy-sko5m6iiBv6qIUqEQjLmIfcpEdpXjRD1TQVx8PF_mOW-NCWn9eyDPhyphenhyphenMk5IsfF9U5rLCl/s400/100_5570.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center">Joe Thornton</p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298380644942905282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyguBqxXJjQS84BaLdJIz8Ose5NjyQrliung4Sr2eWxd7UFaGWgmHV3VliFNNtYjvJK1rox_aF7vg2zmDC7tAqtCCAOb2T6zWznKGLhjR3eeGZBAhF6KI7nz0HUL3XrwNAahY6fMOnwigb/s400/100_5576.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center">Henrik Lundqvist</p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298381669519353842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlgp0Dupl9j3CcFah24jSK4G82SeGl9OzlOw8YKeoxZVHb5hui7DODB2rDv8EQqqAr0_ZZ0Izpa0PwlS6whp75-UZ3MioQCdpQX2IZ5iSWRX3AFSQbPXJBD-6kyXwIPKBhPcnpLf7Z-Ot/s400/100_5578.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center">Alexander Ovechkin</p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298381672032651778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoo_aMtlKcDXWdKI_dKuE3LbDzbAmcYgUPTDhJkSGlcv7e4D1HUkaB9oE50fYewsqD8AdCoOESQA1C8iUxqKJtfFnD_vsYOK8QIekCLJYYsVOHyC2ItzT5em9-YdMxE6uMGwyoxC6Rz_b/s400/100_5581.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="center">Evgeni Malkin</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left">Après cela, nous avons donné des coups de pied dans la ville pour un peu. Certains architecture soignée, à Montréal. Pas tout à fait étrange que tant que la ville de Québec (comme vu dans les photos de Katie Neal's blog), mais toujours très cool.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left">Samedi nous sommes allés au Des Etoiles pratique le matin et a obtenu à coup de pied dans le Centre Bell. Incroyable de voir toutes les bannières dans les chevrons montrant remporte la Coupe Stanley pour les Canadiens et les retraités, le nombre de gars comme Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau, Guy Lafleur et Patrick Roy.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298381672179456130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaIcUHN2YRGjinSed1RLX58zttT1YAg9dJ9SmOqP_nhpxbN78qlQp5wny5JtGD3VBX33FCwWHbmLJDSHQeNA4A9BVwueIc_Ac1-CvjUOygFZKRB1PRp13VejLR3W9mUzJW6Y09Rv-N5h5/s400/100_5583.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p align="left">Samedi soir, nous sommes allés à la concurrence des compétences, puis nous sommes allés à la barre de saut de papa ancien colocataire Sylvain hockey. Par vieux, je ne veux pas dire l'âge (il a 28) Je veux dire qu'il avait l'habitude de jouer sur de papa dans l'équipe de hockey avant de Roseville, il retourne à Montréal.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left">De toute façon, nous sommes allés à quatre différents bars et pu voir le centre-ville de Montréal. Amusant de voir mon père sur un lien, n'avait pas vu ça avant. Aussi amusant pour obtenir de lui expliquer ce que la barre est un couguar et autres.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left">Une grande partie grâce à Sylvain de nous un bon moment samedi soir!</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299518898145353314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9YvHesOVoBwRVauQj5o1D3IHUsdaNYM6Boe6tk3XOpqVXnIlrn8ToC76vrDBIPkuLQMQ2ab2oo-cgEibe3AfONtbtxsxxSh4KYt5l0zGC7oqbbwEpHoCjCgSE1MD-jSpUFcersR07SP5/s400/dadandsylvain.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left">Dimanche, nous avons eu le brunch avec Sylvain, et ensuite à la partie. Tout grand jeu, compte tenu Des Etoiles des jeux peuvent être éruptions ou snoozers. Il a fini par entrer dans les heures supplémentaires, et ensuite en tant OT Luongo et Tim Thomas a fait énorme sauve et il a fini par entrer dans une fusillade. En ce point, la foule était à ses pieds, même avec nous dans la presse, et il a pris fin lorsque Alex Ovechkin a marqué sur Luongo à l'Est une victoire de 12-11.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298381678037796626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJSPhjxifpIdcHAYeRuA2YBaSx_YO0juBGY3CWVelj__Ix0FJlLygcVty3OumeU7OI0hWE5efgvYcM6E5yRpiMDC-ekMxSx6dZFAaFEFM-8t7kGWcnzrQSL6BbBkdAHg8i3GqyKonx2fL/s400/100_5584.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p align="left">En passant, félicitations à Montréal pour leur grande foule à la partie. Ils ont apporté la Ole Ole Ole chant, ils ont applaudi à tout moment le droit, est devenu fou quand le vieux Canadiens légendes ont été annoncés à la foule (cette saison est le 100e anniversaire de la franchise des Canadiens) et sont tout ensemble ... c'est fantastique pourquoi ils ne devraient jamais l'hôte du All-Star Game dans les villes qui n'ont pas de hockey de l'histoire (c'est-à-dire d'Atlanta l'année dernière) ... c'est toujours mieux quand son dans une ville qui est une bonne ville de hockey.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left">Lundi matin nous avons eu un peu de temps pour prendre des photos autour de la ville. Ils ont gelé les maillots de chaque équipe par l'arène, ce qui nous a saisi il ya quelques photos, et également fait en sorte d'obtenir une photo prise avec nos "à froid" les chapeaux des gens à la LNH avait donné à nos médias sac.</p><br /><p align="left"></p><br /><p align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298381681809498018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCRCsuSLQafqwkQ1kkrPXxv11aqA0RztF_-VMDzosC_RZWshs5hNrcJRD2k4qDEezHN4LK9IjBjdeokl4hvsJc8UQt85zcU7-T20lv4M3a5KTB9_YnNMXiwSzl7fOILlBqIB5CQLZrRvk/s400/100_5592.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298382219821541682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3T8WtV_lb2n66SyUC03miC3abZeW-RK1j9-0xrt4HKJMXUS4KmkGxiZRrJqGZNv8A6MNi4WogJXz1n3u6OQmIgG5g0_vfw6BNBo0eoGFs1h8uWDwgPZd3qQCVuT4w70Dbnd6imm7ETexi/s400/100_5600.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>Dans l'ensemble, un autre grand voyage. Bon à voir et passer du bon temps avec papa. Pas de All Star jeu la saison prochaine (à cause de Jeux olympiques d'hiver), mais vous pouvez parier que nous allons être de retour en 2011 à la tête quand il à chaud que le hockey lit de Phoenix (oh non).</p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>Now, if anyone doesn't know French, go to Google Translate, and you can copy and paste this entry in and get the English translation...I just did this knowing my mother, who hates Quebec and French Canadiens, would go crazy...Love you Mom!!! =)</p>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-55815559437422970522009-02-01T23:08:00.002-05:002009-02-01T23:18:52.366-05:00Super Bowl CommercialsSo I'm at the bar watching the game with a bunch of football fans and here I am the commercial fan.<br /><br />So I'm doing this blog from my blackberry while at the bar...<br /><br />Here's the bar blog...<br /><br />Loved the Pepsi, Bob Dylan, Will.I.Am commercial comparing the decades then and now.. Good stuff<br /><br /><br />Also the Doritos. Snow globe commercial... Signs point to yes was a good one.<br /><br /><br />Budlight had a few strong showings the timely economic cutbacks mtg where a poor sap suggests getting rid of the bud light at department mtgs and gets tossed out the window or the Conan O'Brien in leather chaps and bunny ears was quite fun as well.<br /><br />As for Budweiser... they brought it!<br />1)The Clydesdale. Playing fetch. With a stick like the Dalmatian- Adorable!<br /><br />2) And The There ain't no mountain high enough that will keep the Clydesdale from chasing down Daisy the White Circus Pony-- too cute.<br /><br />As of the second quarter my favorite commercial so far is the Cheetos commercial, because I have totally had the experience of sitting next to a totally annoying person chatting away on her cell phone and have wished that she would be suddenly attacked pigeons.<br /><br />As for that Cash into Gold Commercial.. it just made me sad for Ed McMahon, I hate that he's looped in on the same category now as MC hammer. Well hopefully he made enough money to not have his home foreclosed on again.<br /><br />Anyhow... that's as far as I got w/ the bar blog... what did you all think? What was your favorite?Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-63773151855872284462009-01-20T22:05:00.008-05:002009-01-20T23:25:56.156-05:00Having Fun in the Warm California Sun<div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293579718473030162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXVKCRRWQSfVbdUN15Rn01KOrrVFIwJL4wVo9JLsGMlgy5L2HQCbF4ilTkzm412amRs7MgNnbdF29la6Dy7TSgtgcRJuL1WfmUfz30dzwmaHqaBc4kB5Kb9U_ejUu2FtQUJdVSV72dmw3/s320/n870180365_5489123_1439.jpg" border="0" />I had an amazing quick weekend getaway to California this long weekend. First let me tell you the weather was unbelievable for January. Sure it may be global warming, but it was sunny, 70 and beautiful.. When I left NY the high was 10 degrees and the wind chill made it feel 10 below. It was awful. Awfully horribly cold! </div><div><br /><br /><br /> </div><div>So what brought me West? My long time fabulous friend Kelly is pregnant, 8 months pregnant with a baby girl and I just had to see her pregnant! I've known Kel since 6th grade, we met at space camp in Huntsville, AL. 20 yrs ago. Week long trips to space camp were common for Sacramento area sixth graders. That's clearly no longer the case. Now obviously neither of us went on to be astronauts but we did go on to be wonderful friends and I didn't want to miss seeing her at this milestone moment. The beautiful weather was just a perk! </div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293580579025782226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q_PWFZNtQlZhRSRYbJSnvr-fzDw3YCm2Y_cLle0eiUUlkrLLW1htV-X2wwU-b4s0KMoe2_l8oq_w_OTUg5KWGdkP1xJdv40_8YpO0EL3oVx6DtmqOXyclUKNOkUAZrKSNmVjWG7VhR02/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+051.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293580570486970530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrh-scg8jOY8mn1NQ8PUKXcw-TjhQhTdxczWdcUO_psNJG3HVuN2NV3DRbDOQogEhiIw7OpzG3xBbcYwH-t4qHOn0GQuxjBI3APE9czWIQBLVWknYYa_Zmi2U_R3SLR0vFMBOoom_BB-t/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+054.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>I got to spend 2 full days in Sacramento which allowed me time to see a good amount of friends.<br />Met college sorority sisters for lunch, the one in green is Christina, my big sis from the sorority drove all the way down from Chico for the lunch, isn't she the sweetest? She is a new mommy too!! She went home with a pink "I love NY onesie!" :) </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293584960825206194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1hgOIOLOZ7qVdIP30Hsqf2q0rwaTq12sKoqAwoxzHOXwV4_5I83K4o-mdeb15xo1KLsAL1_wdKXrkOKMWKU1w2Tb__2ulMDZ7fuXCrqa10t1JBy2orVUQ3xWtaHhMxOR-THMU3xV8FOc/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+087.JPG" border="0" /><br />Afterwards I met up with Ryn and Dan before mtg Kelly for a girly manicure session. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293582065592830610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWf54OX1HFD7nh1nx3U5C4KTF5oYoSqhj_COnLuoE5je2CRp8AVH4x4SiclT1bnnrdLf712fIJDwBjIqXtAghWClhl9NnKaaSdHDiDsgVLIwFtCx2lyLDO1qZZZklsEdxZoXbzr7934RaU/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+091.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293582076904592674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDwcCsYzQ3yJs03V3T72v3evzcRTa_4LjdlqtikUxi5mvD4eEe8xN6CmOx745GsLb7rzTV-ORuiAcBfUzeD9PYZ4mcy5xPQOlaJxswgmfB2Z1Jso6eCCTqUZFSAfPDPEktINVrSzOiF-s/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+094.JPG" border="0" /><br />Then we met high school friends Jill and Meghan plus Carolyn for dinner. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293582087216528066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGT3CMCId1rtq46YSjC1qaePHnd4shi4l0WE-nMgxqXbBNgBgAYSyIOw2Cf_JDVafF1Nj1BCx45D5uAuB0un2ay6B0oRP-Hu6GNGAs15MA2ql_EcEd4Kw0_-EPhArx9tFpLh6SDUJb-4j/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+100.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293582083713088466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBr_-zik-Po29RMGBry_mRkuHDs1qQuCF8tQihiOgucVptuGIcVu1OPtsoDC1WDY7vUIJNgdA_2p120yfNXN7Pn363c0-3imDdxH9-NrTfxjpLBnvQa1_jTz6b3ph54Nlcb8n6iGheRDK/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+095.JPG" border="0" /><br />Jill's a new Mommy too... Won't lil Parker be adorable in this?<br />I also got to spend some quality time with my in-laws while I stayed under their Roseville roof... <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293583648198044690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9D39cxBhWkEYD1Ag4PsBqtvscjPofF7cqTSvRjQ-hcYE270z-zIgmZ5hyphenhyphenqCR_KbUNNGLYNivu70T8_9vz1CCRZgW49EzKZDxX3SdEpFGqvTP8Wtj-cZDVRkPDimPys_XS4-ZdYmfk_q6c/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+103.JPG" border="0" />It was an amazing weekend even though my sister-in-law (not pictured) stole my bed that I left there for us to sleep in on visits back since we weren't able to take it to NY.. She was in town too because it was Mike's dad's bday weekend. Happy birthday Jack!<br /><br />On Monday, I drove back into San Francisco. My wonderfully generous and thoughtful sister let me borrow her car for the weekend. I had flown into SFO on Saturday morning and drove straight from there to the shower in Lincoln. Becca had picked me up, took me to Peets coffee, wrapped Kelly's presents while I changed clothes and put on makeup and then sent me on my way with her car. Isn't she the BEST???<br />So back to Monday. On Monday I drove back into San Francisco. It was by far the sunniest day in SF ever! It was beautiful and clear and sunny!!<br />I met up w/ Becca and Mark, Katie, and Michelle for lunch in the Marina area. It was great! I hadn't seen Michelle in 2 years or so and it was so nice to catch up! We had worked together about 8 yrs ago back in my Fox 40 days. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293583656232016306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-1c_y5v8RbrJEtJW80yMJ06945audKuPcSVqm30relEcbeZBJop6bv5bcVM3_zhutBR6mptBpBZJ_5ZvQMmyJ1M9CsaVDWa5BYPyR7hM4fzV23EOOXhlnYCiIssvuMoeCPfyAzEiTJfI/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+104.JPG" border="0" /><br />Afterwards, Katie and I shopped around and enjoyed the sun and then later that evening Bec,<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Katie and I went to Tea! Complete with petit fours and finger sandwiches. It was adorable!!<br />Anyhow, I had such an amazing weekend. It was so nice to have some much needed girl time. I miss my girls!!!<br /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293583662526213090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5DndI_W4biHcct55pIQbczjLG80-p95m97IM22WoLCeTQglAKSGBP-JjLMXOgXlI-mpJwsyCHGFwu0nHWaOOyzEEeOBnms5XrIYfGz_fNy6BjyGSvrHDYF07-btwFiHnZEjgXjwxktZ-/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+105.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293583667528429010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPqC3Do5g6NXCcXPQccN1KqF7Ypz8cAeVQvq8xu1gnIcug92OCxVQsP4Pve6Ru1Q2HlXPfeAlsVcZUt5UAiJyyrb3LpLGOjekuV5OLq73nkAe9gwqS5yoOKWTRcnbx5ObQ8UKWvuyZQOm/s320/Cali+Jan.++2009+108.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>And good news, we've already booked our next trip back to Cali and this time both Mike and Cooper will be coming. AND we'll be in both the Sacramento area AND the L.A. Area!The 3 of us all have our tickets! We'll be in Sac 4/3-4/8 and LA 4/8-4/13.<br />On that note stay tuned for a rant coming on why I feel that dogs should be able to Collect Airline reward "miles.". Cooper's airfare is as high as ours and he doesn't even get a seat he has to fly in a bag at our feet! Ridiculous right? But I guess that's the price of a jet set pet!<br /></div><div></div><div>XOXO<br />Jen</div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-71631207310270294892009-01-12T20:30:00.007-05:002009-01-12T21:02:34.116-05:00Eating Like THE KING!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxoyMkNNXH3srZkXL6C2frqYw4OgmHRl0aj1Fly14_3LLSRd-WIMmUWgy3VBWybRtCntK-I7RackxqfqYdCNgenX38y81PJM08TNPsBDjX9bhM_PKfO78eqT5RJ0pRo5TDkE5ptxZVr5D/s1600-h/peanutbutter1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290590392116396354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 130px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxoyMkNNXH3srZkXL6C2frqYw4OgmHRl0aj1Fly14_3LLSRd-WIMmUWgy3VBWybRtCntK-I7RackxqfqYdCNgenX38y81PJM08TNPsBDjX9bhM_PKfO78eqT5RJ0pRo5TDkE5ptxZVr5D/s320/peanutbutter1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290590391967390610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 126px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 84px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw3bRJpZgrXy9VEmovjPg5IGRWCDT5M0Yk0trSxlqTNu6VZwa-68SVp77GyvQQG6MqeMqlhqwLuvXs8g_8Ib2cq5ueUuBfwzadJ99G1CuItUiMhhqKYpXg-9diGfuEPcb_VWgKgtE6ZiE/s320/peanutbutter2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><div>So most people know that one of my favorite foods, if not THE favorite, is peanut butter. I love it. Its wonderful. Peanut butter cookies, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and OF COURSE, peanut butter and chocolate (Reeses peanut butter cups are EASILY my favorite candy). My Mom knows of all the times I came home to eat lunch with a loaf of French bread, cut it up, and covered it in butter and peanut butter...<br /><br /></div><div>Oh man, I think all the blood just rushed from my head writing that sentence...hang on...<br /><br /></div><br /><div>Anyways, peanut butter, as Jason from the "Bachelor" would say, is "amazing." (fun digression: That should be the new drinking game...do a shot every time Jason says someone or something is "amazing" on that show. You'll be under the table within 45 minutes). And by the way, I'm somehow involved in a "Fantasy Bachelor" game with Jen and a bunch of other women from ABC and elsewhere...we had to pick who gets voted off each week, all the way down to the final, and I studied the "this season, on "The Bachelor" clips like it was the Zapruder film as I made my picks...but this is a whole other post altogether...where was I again? Ah yes...</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div>So when Jen told me there was a whole restaurant that focused on different kinds of peanut butter sandwiches, I told her we had to go...<br /><br /></div><br /><div>So we went a couple of weekends ago, and I immediately locked on to a sandwich called "The Elvis".....it was a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich...grilled.</div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Now I know what you are thinking..."Holy <a href="mailto:#^&@$">#^&@$</a>!! How could it possibly get better?" And Jen ordered one just like that....BUT I, on the other hand, knew something was missing. There was only one possible ingredient that could make a sandwich like that even more delightful and disgustingly bad for you....that's right people, for one dollar extra, you could add BACON to the sandwich...<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>so to recap...peanut butter, honey, bananas, and bacon...grilled...</div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div>your heart just stops writing that sentence...<br /><br /></div><br /><div>I ordered the extra bacon for my sandwich, told the waitress to dial 9-1 and keep her finger on the 1 just in case, and chowed down....holy crap it was delicious....its no wonder Elvis died a fat man full of grease....I could eat those things every day...granted I'd be 700 pounds by the end of the year, but what a way to go...</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, we'll be going back at some point (definitely when either Mike or Dave or both get back here) but it'll have to be awhile, because I'm fairly sure my arteries need a break...<br /><br /></div><div>Here's some pics from the trip....not pictured is the defibrillator I had on standby.... =)</div><br /><div></div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290589064800172322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHwN-O2Mj2z9s2O_uxObW1pWwlia8NBf5qlZJ9DSdStgyincXfB5ScsXU4JRMh5gg3cczf2W54zwyckJ8d5vmV3AIo750LCSOmOpbJ5UINAozmhMeqKpzkc1rDUsJInsB2KCF7GtN4bDN/s320/jan+011.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290589063628465538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6Bci5kwW6A8c7W6ylPchN6brXzq2ENmjZdSIE4Hv08S3L7RHJ3UmfyOFTdRbYJKeUrJ8N_vsbn0uRAP3uQ1C8Q43GG7pbkAATet1tzrNzWY8Hrcyvh5x4v2_J_oy2TACp-kU4nWwLvKU/s320/jan+008.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290589059329991074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrts2EqJWrubz-Xo9PdxWiE-wNgyb4f9h0TEdRfoQnrPP7am55Vjnd_5Auh9tS3Cl6til8JUrXFvkNvympuoXzP0Cxt3bg8tVlmmyvIBmTA8QuPi0G4kiZWeJy3CARE16DGXoW89fzBy4/s320/jan+007.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div><br /><p></p><p>Mike</p>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-67762808586051630022008-12-29T21:19:00.009-05:002008-12-30T22:53:25.933-05:00Rambling Through the Holidays...<div><div>Hope everybody had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus!! We had a nice quiet holiday here in NYC once again...we'll get to that day in a bit, but I feel like its been a while since I actually blogged (good job, Jen, for keeping it going....I was worried our blog was going to fall apart like the Neals apparently has)<br /><br /><div><div>So lets get caught up on some stuff meandering through my mind these days...<br /></div><br /><div>-- We're trying to blaze through Broadway these days. Tons of shows are closing early and shutting down due to the poor economy. So we went and saw All My Sons with John Lithgow, Katie Holmes, Dianne Weist and Patrick Wilson the other day...good show...Lithgow's always good in these settings, and Katie Holmes did well for her Broadway debut...although I think the highlight for Jen was seeing Katie carry young Suri out of the theater after the show...though she wasn't very happy with the Nazi-esque security guard that wouldn't let Jen stand near the guardrail because I left our printout tickets inside....after everyone had left, we went looking for the guy to give him a piece of our mind, but he had fled the scene, probably because he knew we were coming with a SMACKDOWN!!!</div><br /><div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285412817561842018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 93px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 124px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFDF6leE3FEmFkOQmwYNwfo1DI1SF_2EijKN1Mevpapywf9EB30yb1pqntmnRwqiUzM_S4T7Na8HMumR8VnXcvZ2uDrumzMrga_bu_5ynrxpGd2qt-36B7ZiPBeA7-zMXSDUFfx_1sLph/s400/katiesuri.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285422841414927090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3bkHkuQNbcz9C4UOIL7c4JMgLP_jFwn4OuwS61dyKKsPmRxJiMWZ921mMgylepMkjr6rQhl8JhRY7WLBM_99BfR4l0v4kZ6WHvAMVMAXGd0Ec1y7F1V_y7KQqiCpBbMi5_-MKlyW-4Pt/s400/johnlithgow.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>-- Anyways, we're off to see Young Frankenstein this weekend, and I've managed to talk Jen into seeing Spamalot next week before it closes (we're getting big time cheap tickets). That will make a grand total of EIGHT Broadway shows for us since we've been here...I've got this grand plan to buy frames for the Playbills and hang them up...we'll post pictures when it happens...</div><br /><div>-- Speaking of Nazis (boy there's a segue), we went and saw Valkyrie last Friday. Pretty good movie, and I really am coming back around on Tom Cruise after "Tropic Thunder" and his appearance on Kimmel a couple of weeks back (where he played "Touch The Head), but he couldn't even attempt a German accent for this flick? In fact, no one apparently could...its a movie about Nazi Germany, and I think I counted 2 German accents...who knew there were so many Brits and Americans in the Nazi Party Germany in the early 1940s??? Having said all that, the movie was still pretty good...</div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285412818952069746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 85px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yuCbVh_XIU9FdxxeDPlnxg669qgKTbTGusaVKC4wKvrWodo0d-EKFIj-eYPpuxx11ulZ09fCzdNP5Ld4noVD8iuwjbwo26QoDxl1-HB_2zy1p710VnK0CgZWn5H2Qz48XwljadMMPkp0/s400/valkyrie.jpg" border="0" /> <div>-- I don't know about you, but as an anti-Yankee fan, I can't wait for this July when I'll get to watch a 420-pound C.C. Sabathia laboring through a 95 percent humidity day at Yankee Stadium when he's 6-and-8 with an ERA over 5....yeah, that was worth 180 million dollars...I mean, anytime you offer a guy 160-million, and he leaves the deal on the table for a month PRAYING that some other team will offer him something close because he doesn't want to come to New York, then you have to throw him an extra 20-mill just to get him to come play for your team, I mean, you have to do that deal.... BWHAHAHAH!!! Man, I love the Yankees when they overreact...between Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, that money is just wasted....</div><br /><div>-- Speaking of the Yankees, Brian and Katie Neal were in town for the holidays, and Katie put together a surprise 30th birthday party for Brian as well that Jen and I were able to go to...since he's the ever optimist, I think he liked the gift I got him....</div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285407515175062226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd4VTqsHouxaPmiPrVP9MiyMe2GN5hIVVEgmEz9logLFte-STeoyFa02Wv3vV1SqfhGpd-Fp_d-s-Q4Z-NQ2l3CHh15xUJFRmZRnsUxBi-S7szmh6-BHdmOu53DuFFZny7XH0SROQBfYU/s400/Neals+In+town+049.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285422222327356386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUftrYYouq6mUaX0CRUDVOLIWiERvy8kUxx_e4ZYnOXL9HEGhas8bf1F99ZKzOqoQzLL0lqEL3UyoJ9nDYmHporYRuoy7bOcXwGBHiWZ1GgCu1sXg_McsQ4t9Gx_JQ07Nug9NK2RhEcko/s400/Neals+In+town+060.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p>-- I'm fairly certain Al Davis is now no longer able to competently run the Raiders because after watching his performance in the "I fired Lane Kiffin" press conference, I'm pretty sure Al is now a sea monster....</p><br /><br /><br /><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285408672999631026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 105px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscVcXB5y6J_qVyXa4fpmJvoXmHHLu2qknnMV2so9SUJi0bcp6nIFwpgUZP-wXo1HVXMnSJb-WC_ejP56MpFcnUvTx_t-45-h_t4a97HIm_1a1xmUdx37bDcxgiLoSa9om2egk0U1ISrnR/s400/aldavis.jpg" border="0" /> <p>Well, we've reached the halfway point of this entry, so lets take a commercial break....</p><p>"Saaaaaaaaaved byyyyyyyy zerrrrrrrr-ohhhhhhh"</p><br /><p>"Now for a limited time only you can get amazing zero percent APR financing on any Toyota"</p><p>"Saaaaaaaaaved byyyyyyyy zerrrrrrrr-ohhhhhhh"</p><p>"That's zero percent financing on 11 different models. No other car brand can make this offer. So hurry in now and see how much zero can save you on a Toyota."</p><p>"Saved by zero! Saved by zero!"</p><p>(by the way, that was from off the top of my head. We're coming awfully close to the point where I'll be a week away from driving to a Toyota dealership, buying a new Toyota with zero percent APR financing, driving off the lot, then yanking a 180 and speeding straight through the windows of the showroom at 80 miles an hour while I lean out the window yelling "Saved by zero!!!" Toyota folks, you might wanna shut down the ads...I'm not kidding. You know why we havn't seen John Cougar Mellancamp in, like, 2 years? Cause some guy has him trapped in a trunk in his basement dressed like The Gimp from Pulp Fiction after hearing "This is our country" for the nine-millionth time. Time to tone it down Toyota...we get it. Zero percent APR financing....heard you.</p><p>AND WE'RE BACK!!</p><p>-- I really wanted to root for Brett Favre this season, but that did go out the window as soon as the Pack dropped from the playoff picture, so watching the Jets collapse and Favre play like the old man he is was strangely enjoyable. I tried to warn Jets fans that this was coming, though even I didn't think Brett would crap the bed the way he did in the last five games (2 TDs, 9 interceptions) to lead the Jets from a sure playoff berth to on the outside looking in...now one day later, the Jets head coach is canned, and New York gets to spend the next six months doing the same "is he coming back, is he retiring" dance that I went through the last 3 seasons...good times!!</p><p>(by the way, if you're keeping track, I've done a complete 360 on my feelings for Favre. I hope no one injured their neck keeping track of those mood swings)</p><p>-- Christmas/Hanukkah was wonderful this year. I got some very nice sweaters and a great RL polo from Jen along with tickets to the Upright Citizens Brigade show (which we went to last night)...and great gifts from my family like the SportsNight DVD set from Sister Jen and the Jeff Pearlman book about the Cowboys from Mom and Dad...and a whole host of other stuff...its funny, when I was younger, I used to dread unwrapping a present to find what I called "the dreaded Sears box." Now? I'm more excited to get clothes than anything else. Does this mean I'm growing up?</p><p>-- Speaking of clothes for Christmas, I had asked my folks for a Sac State sweatshirt as a gift for reasons that continue to elude me...I guess I feel more of a tinge to represent my college experience out here since no one in the world has heard of CSUS out here. Or maybe its because I'm currently trying to lead the Hornets football team to the national title on NCAA Football 2009 on the Wii....or maybe its because I look good in green...I don't know...anyways, I got the sweatshirt and wasn't planning to wear it that same day, but when Chris and Shirley came over Christmas Day for dinner, Chris said "guess what I got for Christmas?" and he took off his coat to reveal a Sac State Hornets t-shirt!! Well, that changed my dress plans for dinner...I think we look rather good, don't you....</p><br /><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285416827012638466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TGc3O_1ukX66q_E2Q9nlJABUxF8_OnF_zcVYmwT3aTK5XEyhKr1JJ4YgX_uw3lLxePnZ36WbsQ7XGMMfSyX9Hx24m33awxK4gErELW6WvXUB0I7nEhRnhGAJ_M07IgPuZOzeoTJGFb__/s400/CHristmas+2009+028.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div>-- Christmas dinner consisted of delicious turkey cooked by Jen, with cranberry sauce and green bean casserole, and Shirley brought delicious lasagna and made lumpea as an appetizer, which I think I ate about 7 of....<br /><br /><p>Overall, its been a great few weeks and we'll see what the new year brings!! Happy New Year everybody!!!!</p><p>Mike</p></div></div></div><br /><br /><div></div>Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-63263740908374239122008-12-20T15:10:00.009-05:002008-12-22T17:27:17.052-05:0030th Birthday!I feel very blessed. I have accomplished some pretty awesome things over the last decade. I met my best friend and partner in life., married him, had some amazing positions in the field I have wanted to work in since age 14, moved over 3000 miles away to the largest city in the country to work in the center of the news universe, and not to mention Cooper's bouncy presence in our lives. So I feel very fortunate and blessed for my 20's. I can only hope To be just as successful, lucky and happy in my 30.<br />Speaking of blessed., I had two amazing 30th birthday parties!!!A few months ago I was looking ahead to my 30th and was sad I wouldn't be with all of my friends in Sacramento to celebrate.. But I have been very fortunate to make a lot of good friends in NY in the last year. My friend Dawn threw me a bowling birthday party at this hip bowling alley called Bowlmor Lanes in Union Square on the Sunday before my birthday. It was so much fun and I was amazed at how many people came out. It was super fun. Here are some pics...<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281969080359659362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI0eCq9O_gYU2omy3OyPOnTWpr8wWofk07u-gSEZjTwCyuRsrf_OfRW1fHcKpwt9zo3j-53KVyQkDBwLynpdqhyzXqTIRark4mRJJWems2XA19W6tJAeLfSShtC-9ZFza5m9ycFVs-W1b/s320/Bday+Bowling-+jen%27s+30+038.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281969063682684786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVH2ys7iHywx6S-hrYQoD4J3VtK6HMAYq_c56Dvqbbv_YWjqY8fjRtUmse0LcbBTqjs5Py5ib-tmpl4-88nMsSw2VzCwCxE0tjI6FNkCTRBe0gR2i16rqY0ussYo-jXVjJl7KTYck2Djx/s320/Bday+Bowling-+jen%27s+30+022.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281969081818651154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5d2QnE65a4vZ2mshllTwAaZDJ6Lv1IPYyGfI3BWm2Iu1W1EUysAn6MR-q-wonKOf0vyAVfM62gWJuYz08u9Pokee3sBM0Zuz2CsxyUOZsiZ78HImVg4ogYzyUGBw5zd1Eu9RSww1P1MbU/s320/Bday+Bowling-+jen%27s+30+049.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281969093592648962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-TlEBB6LLhELc097_aQs-OH2UvpUg8T_EwOKpNW5TZLeMBQl961Ast1nT6Rv1cZBsxhsOYZLXZsUA7YzyY0mgpdF9wah1MOMUxGdZ0E4i_8xRprC0JbGxOelqz58o68TESUS-PB-WotF/s320/Bday+Bowling-+jen%27s+30+014.JPG" border="0" /><br />On my actual birthday .Mike and I flew to Vegas. We stayed at the Bellagio. I have always wanted to stay there and it did not disappoint.. Our room was beautiful and huge! You could open and close the curtains with a switch in either fast or slow speeds. This was so my entertainment! Whenever Mike would walk up to the window I would close them on him. It never got old! Our view was fantastic! We could see the Bellagio fountains spray up in the air and Paris' Eiffel Tower was right outside our room!! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281971687373442898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJUtf4qPullLNLQLc6_xDUaLPwFunc8ulAMNnECCWvE3AkPVJjEwak2b_6EZXrhKzXaJHPI7Cia1fTft_VXoWSBAFhlZMwVzsr9l5iODdv4TV2fcfTt2ymwNKZ0VLH7fj5h6dED32TsaU/s320/Vegas+007.JPG" border="0" />The maid service was the best I had ever experienced too! I took like 3 showers a day because I didn't want to smell like smoke from the casinos. Every time I left the room, magically the bathroom was clean and we had fresh towels. I wish that happened at home!<br />After we checked in a surprise arrived at our door. It was room service with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281971685807122674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aLSWvjV-DqEje0HCNcdd6kwUthUMqWvmPk0aGGoK_94juL8XMeM_5A7ntXeq5g35mcVKevIJ6eHA0jFc8B2onzlgz6XmNsDSHupnvCb3JAHgfIVuLHCqqz_HrdvjQg2hFQDj5y11j-YL/s320/Vegas+009.JPG" border="0" />A birthday surprise from Kelly and Chris! It was awesome!!<br />For my birthday dinner we went to Emeril Lagasse's steakhouse the Delmonico in the Venetian. It was amazingly BAMtastic! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281971689313474978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPMBVDPWvIznqSwYVWjqpYvg9imJDBqopmhoHUuC5NVQOIGmhREMQ6_VaA4PRJgMcJy0_DloXk_g6Q2eumKpAI7Af5iV_btmRfnYbr1E9bNJ75IHlUTe2d-sdigPJhoGouiaoJBkSPP-z/s320/Vegas+017.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281971699930827826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 252px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKHbtm6Ni68HDR9txqmaqp0eSXkAooTNOX4kKRBzlc_xZMGvLTCcAF-riUYfgm-nS5V5ADw6d8zt4kdLHbLhNaliD8AFM0C_3o2Gy5l3YImJ3ohzjtKus9gY0rvGr30VBd0mWNOtlu8lk/s320/Vegas+030.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281971702040119698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgic6XVb_McLKyiOj6MrgyScbBynPsbNXXCps356LEjPy8wbpF0NEiMh_oDAu1lP2223GydXqnfdF0oafFmQRkejXEblVQJV0oRmW3k_0d4_-_M1lzIXf6FjZ0I1wh-b4AwZ95lkkOo_GwY/s320/Vegas+032.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />On Friday both of our parents and my sister and her new guy pal arrived.<br />Friday morning we had brunch w/ my mom and dad at the Bellagio and then headed next door to the Forum shops at Caesar's! You see we have a little tradition, on your 30th birthday Weiss Women get a Louis Vuitton. 2 yrs ago my sister got one and I was so jealous.. You see I've always been the handbag lover in our family. So I was counting down the days until I turned 30 and tada... Isn't it beautiful!! For those of youwho care it's the Neverfull GM<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281973117499545362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIRSMZyCqYMOPQavW0T9EdTcmKz1YZqw4whQNjQL9iH-9OSirveqJbKqAiuKzSSRkfcWmxXcTXuZ1E3gmT6NQkKC28ypVyyVbFRZPJK4Q0ZftgUtc1EH6fVn9HXFNFDs2IS2vn-HGRx6W/s320/Vegas+041.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281973125423275458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMQZrrAo8bOc38YmH_oQQ24l42YaeXUu58gprpQLfE-jI8gEvaBsuEKhNYPxuacphDy3B02zwlhDe_l9Ot0qPrT0jX4MFjljsds6dWKG-DuIZWq_3XYZM0o5cHR84Y0dNWr-TYFJf5xIx/s320/Vegas+043.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282123292948152514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6qlTtd4D40uIL7Kj93KqpvkvcUkHFZjH-Fg8sgFk7aR-331YUYJAONELrCGfX7S7Qb5hXVrlLNqQcWiIb9ypQECaRhqSoLjGTsWdrsjrQWvvbd66gNjplD6KNk4uA-bJsyz4mDpcPVqA/s320/LV.jpg" border="0" /><br />That night we had my birthday at Machines across the street from the Wynn. It was so much fun! Our good family friends the Goldmans joined us. It was a great night. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281973127985651170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvAzVa7yfs8MUQQN6k3QGJ6M7A3nKjWfDHSTISc7pQDYrS1MynmDaHtm8_A3bbWI0Xru3paoLgcJ1quNSwtU83LdHzDE1Rxaws4SSy_uz9ggJ_fe2XCWk-bJLSGkt4_KMTGHnaj6cSSu9/s320/Vegas+049.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281973171347696146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1v9LZXJEWmqYM07A7dBh9wxeOOt3xGZIISKV5EKNybuP1_OTrnvNCVz0ZNS1rV8xnDL941wr-TbT4o8fmBXF_l07PKXR6TMAHsL9RvDqcd5hB2gl_13EqreOGDAp4GgvusNQy3VR5QFnc/s320/Vegas+052.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281973180393916178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnCMcSABVvS8W8a652-arxZ-vPrA20WHOf91A4G4N2Z9A8icgpSdifUE3qd-3lpLfP9peeokMEScYKiungIDtPuylPSc9OF7bDcL23K6UgtlB2dFkqPoMFUVyxRkQ2gJiB5bF1I19J91l/s320/Vegas+056.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281974053627282034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwGBsbKE0h0ODAMgIxg5WS3foA2K9FRTGKvewRRegxg85OtBkGoqfzB1g-5YX9SSidLZpcecOYFHK8kbaYEezoBHsuuCKkk0s41X6JWgt5vw-sjv1SV15ZFO06scAyFWIummhH5Lvlck4/s320/Vegas+057.JPG" border="0" /><br />We spent Saturday bumming around, shopping check out the casinos that opened since our last visit and then on Sunday we went all went home. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281974060449668418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKehKMYO5uVJclwgb0KUTijF2SLf0NPtrIgHIx3wrWK7Uh4y3VzA70DM1_DjTak_4q21SbSWSWblye1589ufj3jfbpXiYjAardqrnsL8nA5WTySatfMULx7QL0sM5nRXPV6jsZ9DrI5iL/s320/Vegas+058.JPG" border="0" /><br />It was an Amazing Birthday Weekend!!<br /><br />Oddly enough it was warmer back in NY then it was in Vegas. It was so cold. If we would have left a day later we would have seen it snow on the strip! And probably would have gotten stuck there too!!Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2595026599697116587.post-73752258097012619972008-12-20T14:48:00.005-05:002008-12-20T15:09:30.356-05:00Catching up Thanksgiving, Canada, and Early December!Lots of catching up to do. As you all know we just got back from celebrating my 30th birthday in Las Vegas. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM4Vg9TlfGA3RE8banFsLpOHiokfNHqUL3Tv3EVFlwAW5Jm9tLLdxTOeI-lsBPZY2nGL6-FjoVlSZ88uP-nZ7MsN2OB-aqcTQ1D2vGHWi8xOAnSxBFoMae1gr3g6IBl0Go5qkDeUWiE60/s1600-h/100_5211.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281962580735941650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM4Vg9TlfGA3RE8banFsLpOHiokfNHqUL3Tv3EVFlwAW5Jm9tLLdxTOeI-lsBPZY2nGL6-FjoVlSZ88uP-nZ7MsN2OB-aqcTQ1D2vGHWi8xOAnSxBFoMae1gr3g6IBl0Go5qkDeUWiE60/s320/100_5211.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Before I tell you about all that I need to catch you up on everything that's happened since Thanksgiving. <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>On Thanksgiving day we had dinner with some friends that we have made in our neighborhood. James and Laura live a few blocks north of us and </div><div> </div><div>Andy lives just down the street from us.<br />Laura hosted dinner and made the most moist amazing turkey, I brought 2 sides; creamed corn and green bean casserole. and Cooper was invited! He wore a fall. Themed sweater for the occasion. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281963487895316802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpgeWUo3bVPHHFmhFEwS4YHEl08OElGJNU3oBrJj2dnBghaW7DPSjhyGOwZRVGyWbFKVCRXuIYjy-M9HeB0280YoxoqOyrPJyggQOwhIetnPME7ZyqGJK-TuNF_It2QMS6AJonTnIJsvO/s320/100_5212.JPG" border="0" /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281965278992974082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjUJG4J36pQ3bjPzymo4UKSJmt9zFS4YkrSbPjm0NpgkZJ1TsSqSuulDYAilsZw-jSElwO2hEK7ueO-9iNFWJjqDUnCL8cdJclKYqH1ZWV3hQe1PAPJiY8UMhZkfPZwJLHi_O8j8dULVR/s320/100_5217.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281963491886989458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4hfheCfFrbNk9MuGy25iut-ifYcQYCkB2d5WURfK_HXr3ePbpEdgV3qU1tNyarmoW4aw8alNFIfYvDWYpxEJa1THC3RaKTk4QJfrY7CHf47g5FTQWNsArQ5gTdzTznircmgw0LhV5F4L/s320/100_5220.JPG" border="0" /><br />Friday morning instead of doing up<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm6KGe1WU1szIm2fgwEJHSVK12mUSnvQGGJJPGpAR7D3EDnFGx69Wv_GIocMmdKuQu3nybhTlupBLnsDuK4HIVaazWyN5O8diC7xZUR2yYwXSRe8UMCWyma6mtk_ChkWevVkckKNaJoKn/s1600-h/Canada+008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281962589692656738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijm6KGe1WU1szIm2fgwEJHSVK12mUSnvQGGJJPGpAR7D3EDnFGx69Wv_GIocMmdKuQu3nybhTlupBLnsDuK4HIVaazWyN5O8diC7xZUR2yYwXSRe8UMCWyma6mtk_ChkWevVkckKNaJoKn/s320/Canada+008.JPG" border="0" /></a> the black Friday sales we hit the road. Mike, Cooper and I packed into a little red rental car and headed north to mike's grandmas house. We literally went over several rivers and through the woods (the Pocono's) for about a 6 hour drive. This was Cooper's 3rd trip into Canada. I wore a red T-shirt with a big white maple leaf on it to charm the guards at the boarding crossing. On the way home he sported his stylish "I dog bone NY" hoodie. </div><div><br />We had a wonderful time in Canada. It wasn't as cold as it was the year before when we went and we had so much fun with Mikes relatives. We stopped in to see Mikes dads sister Irene while we were there. Living closer has allowed us to see Irene and Dick a lot in the last year.<br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281963502455524258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnb4Ak89wY5bBpzrCb_woa0du5s3_cEz5Bk4SiVW-q3YsuiqIQx6roERXcc3kk6ymh-YuzgZC1je8TKPYpYQ0FSNfLdEHbOVO1CLLTYQuojNYplgVqe566NDIp2QvYPDQGhwiUKkvUYCR/s320/Canada+002.JPG" border="0" /><br />All in all we had a wonderful trip up north. </div><div> </div><div><br />The following weekend our good friends Will and Jen came into NY for a night to stay with us.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281963507981962690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDf4wQ37KnFuy4rh4b276uPierHA5F38BjAVbUcGZYR7Dp4dQgw3H6OvDOP2iMJEVjXJjG3vMkqyli0gQ7KuK3fyA9MnrMfqKdFM3ck3PJLu5T2mlEeEBWbqRuKwGoYpCejCSqyFWDWuk/s320/Canada+014.JPG" border="0" /> They are friends from Sacramento and we have dined with them in s states now! CA, GA, CT, & NY. Maybe next time we'll meet in Jersey just to bring it up to 5!!!</div><div> </div><div>The next day Santa made an appearance at our neighborhood dog park so all the little dogs, put on their warm little sweaters and met for an afternoon of dog park fun! I brought Coopers Hanukkah bone and asked Santa to hold it since Cooper celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas!</div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281965280992729442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeftZKAN_8fGlaAbaFPZc6GDL-lVzETi18vekZUZG7hc1QabNl8rPHyO-ynyyRPLiQe4gGOvMkKeSkGaDt3BBhRkt20oMH5BlI-b9SyJoPhLz1X2HFEd4j0Kr7sr4im-Nr8WSN-rBx_4K/s320/Canada+021.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281965301754992066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AyLuaG6CtUBNMrqRJM6lXo7lE7Vub8K-X_r9BW6lQ-hfAAs5z_9iXbNjrEHCQnte-bK5FHvUM9j82QlPrwSgGiBZnBOSg5664I2JtzXfsxtqED6u6nHDa4r7q3ROHFLaWaLAoYmG25wo/s320/Canada+027.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281965292212874690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkUjXmEAZq2W4mElJrVOR9G4ugdIecejkRGd3-WQ7Krb_m2MClEm3AJFBh25qB-0AfPZgAv4xPPXSv9i2hKqBc8fABs2ol60jmaSPQKafFWwvbl3zI9OuD7I-_uaIir6eBRU7wJS7dQoJ/s320/Canada+029.JPG" border="0" />Mike, Jen and Cooper too!http://www.blogger.com/profile/16081160549982445204noreply@blogger.com0