Friday's Feast

Appetizer
What is your favorite herb or spice?

Garlic

Soup
Name a song you like but haven't heard in a long time.

We Didn't Start the Fire

Salad
If you were to take just one minute to write down as many things as you can think of that you need (not want) to do, approximately how many things would there be?

How fast can I type? Maybe 15 or 20 if I used short words.

Main Course
Tell something interesting about one of your family members (nothing scandalous, please, just something unique).

Daniel's middle name is Robliam.
Josh has memorized and acts out obscure scenes from VeggieTales movies
Andrew can jump for about 90 minutes and then fall asleep in his Jolly Jumper

Dessert
What's the latest you've ever stayed awake?

When I was working graveyard shifts, I would come home and go to bed around 9:30am and sleep for a few hours.

Names

Daniel and Josh are the only ones in their class with the same name. There's a Danny in Josh's class and a Jonah in Daniel's. I know at some point in their school career they'll be Daniel or Josh M. but that's OK.

It's pretty bad in the classes for double names. Here are some of the duplicates.

Katie and Katia
Ethan C, Ethan Y, and Eason
Matthew F. and Matthew Ford
Alison and Alysa

I read somewhere that it's good to name your kids something unique so when you call them in the park, they're the only one who comes running. However you don't want their name to be so unique that they are running because kids are chasing them calling, "Ha ha! Did she just call you Flabervia?"

There's a great site out there that talks about names that people have given their kids. If you want a quick laugh check out "Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing"

On the Move

Andrew is becoming more and more mobile. Yesterday we noticed him scootching across the floor. Pulling himself with his hips and arms. He can really get going.

When I was leaving for work today, we saw him getting his legs under his bum for a proper crawl. It ended with him pitching his face into the carpet, but he's definitely getting better at moving.

We need to be careful about baby-proofing again. The boys have lots of toys that would look yummy to a newly-mobile toddler. Amber packed up more than 5 big black bags of garbage last night so we are well on our way. :)

Lasts

As parents we get so focused on firsts that we miss the lasts. Let me explain.

Yesterday, Amber posted about the first time Andrew stood up by himself. I actually saw it too. It was so cute. We were all smiling and laughing and cheering for him. But at some point this week, I think Andrew had his last breastfeeding. I had to get him a bottle at 5:00 this morning because I realized he's not nursing.

I think the lasts are just as important but are much harder to find and remember. Another last we've missed in the last year: Josh's last diaper. That's a huge milestone but because it's gradual, I don't think we'd ever have known when it was happening.

We have lots of other lasts coming up. I can't think of any right now because it's making me a little sad. Maybe that's why we concentrate on firsts.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Measured in minutes or hours, how much exercise have you had in the last week?

Minutes

Soup
If you had to change your blog title to something else, what would it be?

Geeky Dad

Salad
Name one television show you watched when you were 9-12 years old.

Hercules (not the terrible Kevin Sorbo one - the cool cartoon with Newton the double-talking centaur and his little friend Toot). Man, I would buy a DVD set of that show. :)

Main Course
If someone gave you $50 to spend with the one condition that it had to be educational, what would you purchase?

A new Bible

Dessert
Do you tend to prefer dark colors, neutral shades, or lighter/pastel hues?

Neutrals

All In

While on vacation last month, I read a really good book by Jonathan Grotenstein and Storms Reback called All In: The (Almost) Entirely True Story of the World Series of Poker. Now, if anyone out there is an English teacher, I'm sure this will suck as a book report, but I thought I'd do a little review.

It's a really cool history of how this tournament grew from a publicity stunt put on by Benny Binion and 8 Texas road gamblers to a multimedia spectacle with thousands of competitors playing dozens of games and has given away more money than the four major PGA tournaments combined in their history.

It interrupts the stories of the tournaments with personal vignettes, glimpses into the lives of the players. For someone who has only been following professional poker since 2003 (like nearly everyone out there), it was very interesting to read the histories of people like Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim, Johnny Chan, Phil Helmuth, Johnny Moss, and Jack Strauss. Some of their stories are sad. Champions who had won millions of dollars in their lifetimes but who died like they lived most days of their lives, without a penny to their names.

It also went into the story of the Binion family who owned and operated the Horseshoe Casino that hosted the event nearly its entire run. Their story is the most intriguing. Sickness, murder, family feuds, court cases, hostile takeovers. It is an exciting tale of how the business of casino ownership in Las Vegas changed from the 1950s to the present day.

If you're interested in poker, or just looking for an interesting story full of compelling characters, give it a shot.

I feel like one of those kids on Reading Rainbow.

Could Anything Be Big Enough?

We got a king-size bed last week. Someone Amber knows from her online activities was giving away a king-size Sealy Posturpedic matress and box spring. We managed to "taco" the mattress enough to get it into Bill's truck and brought it home.

We thought this would be a great idea since we often have a few extras joining us in the bed by the time morning rolls around. Andrew usually comes to bed for an early breakfast around 4:30 or so. Then Daniel or Josh comes for a little cuddling time before getting up for the day. We figured a 78 inch wide mattress should be just right.

It took me a while to get used to not sleeping right on the edge of the bed. I can actually spread out a little bit. It didn't take Josh long though. The other morning, I felt a little tapping on my shoulder. It was still dark and I wasn't ready to get up, so I ignored it and tried to scootch away to the edge. The tapping persisted. I rolled over to see Amber laying on her edge of the bed and Andrew was smacking me with his hands and kicking her. He was H-ing us. Andrew is now over 27 inches long and with his tiny arms reaching above his head, that leaves us with about 2 feet of mattress each.

I'd do better to go sleep in the crib.

Warning

I hate it when people forward bogus warnings...but this one is real, and it's important. So please send this warning to everyone on your e-mail list.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are conducting a survey on deer ticks and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around with your arms up, DO NOT DO IT!! IT IS A SCAM; they only want to see you naked.

I wish I'd gotten this yesterday. I feel so silly now.

Triplets?

Maybe it's just the hat...

Think of a Number

Think of a number.

Multiply it by 3.

Now add 5.

Take away the number you first thought of.

Now add 7.

Subtract 2.

Add back the number you first thought of.

Now, close your eyes.

Dark, isn't it?

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
What are some lyrics you have misheard (such as, instead of "Gettin' Jiggy With It" you heard "Kick a chicken with it")?

I remember fighting for months with my family that the commercial said, "Two scoops of raisins in a KEBBLE of Kellog's Raisin Bran". I have know idea what I thought that meant but darn it, I was right!

Soup
What is the worst movie you have ever seen?

Upon the recommendation of a former boss (whose opinions have become far less important to me), I watched The Royal Tenenbaums. Well, the first 20 minutes or so. I didn't get it at all. I quickly stuck it back in the case and returned it to the movie store.

Salad
Using the letters from your favorite number, write a sentence. Example: Tomorrow has really easy experiences.

Sometimes even very extroverted neighbours tell everyone's extra news.

Main Course
What was the most interesting news story you have heard this week?

Donald Trump fired his apprentice co-host Carolyn. Not at all important in terms of real life, but interesting nonetheless.

Dessert
Which word(s) would you choose to describe your wardrobe?

Business Casual, Slightly Too Small