Das Boot

Sam fell and hurt his foot at school last week. He's been limping since then, but swears it doesn't hurt. He went in today and got X-rays and it turns out he fractured his foot.

He has a boot now and may have to wear it for a month. He's told me about 100 times how much he loves it. He never complained or anything about his foot all week, but that's just Sam. Here are some pics. And yes, I know 'Das Boot' means 'The Boat', but you can't deny the zing it has.

Even Spider-Man Goes to the Doctor

Sam hurt his foot yesterday and has been limping, so we took him to the doctor today. He went through the whole thing as Spider-Man.






He's a chip off the old block. Here's a pic of me when I went in for a physical a few months ago...

Recent Pics

I haven't posted any pics in a while, so here you go...

Sam and Jack getting the trains lined up at the station. The clothing optional station.


I had to get a picture of Sam coloring - he's so precise!


Jack has spent the majority of his life with food all over his face.




On saturday, we went to the Plano Balloon Festival with my dad and Deni's Family. Sam's crazy about them.












Bret explaining how they take down the balloon. It landed in a culdesac!








Brock, Bret and my dad - always ready to help. I helped by encouraging them.

Our favorite Saturday dinner on the grill. That chicken is blackened, by the way.

2 videos from Echo

Here are two videos from Rob's Echo Conference...

Darrell interviewing people at the conference.



Rob & Braun doing an awesome 80's medley. I got to be the guitar player.

Some Pics

Here are some pics I forgot to post last week...

Jack & Bo


Cracking each other up


Bo, Jack, Rhody, Sam


Our boys and the Stotts boys.


Another fireplace pic.

Jack's Birthday Pics

Jack's Birthday

Our baby boy turned 2 today.


Here are some of the short videos we have of Jack along the way.

Jack Crawling...

Jack Laughing...

Jack Walking...

Jack being Jack...

I love Echo because...

I get to be a rude interviewer...


A guitar player...


and an amateur cameraman...

Pics from Baton Rouge

Nicole and Jack had a great time in Baton Rouge. I really wish I could have been there and gotten to spend time with Brooke, Tory and especially Rives. Here are some pictures of the two boys...

Camping Out

Nicole and Jack flew back from Baton Rouge today and it's really great to all be together again. Sam and I had a blast over the weekend and I'll never forget how much fun it was. He's a really special kid.

Of all the things we did over the weekend, Sam's favorite was definitely camping in a tent. It's all he wanted to do and it's all he's been talking about since.

Here's a picture...



And here are some pictures of our tent...


He made sure Green Lantern and Batman went camping, too.


He's been obsessed with Thomas & Friends

A Father/Son Weekend

Nicole and Jack are heading to visit Brooke in Baton Rouge tomorrow morning, leaving Sam and me to a Father/Son weekend. I'm really excited to be able to focus 100% attention on him. I have such happy, sweet, and fun boys - getting to spend a weekend with either of them is like Christmas to me.

But I'll really miss Nicole and Jack. I've been home alone several times since getting married, but only one other time with just Sam. It just so happens, that was the weekend we found out Nicole was pregnant with Jack! It also just so happens, I blogged that weekend. Below is that blog post, from December 2006...

(by the way, if you're just now joining our life, Bruce was our dog, not some homeless guy held captive.)


It's Friday night and I'm alone. Not really alone...Bruce is sitting at my feet, probably silently planning his escape, or worse, first homicide. Sam is quietly sleeping in his room. Snoring, but still pretty quiet. Nicole is having a fun girls night out/slumber party with her sister, mom, and grandmother at a hotel just 10 minutes from here.

Since marriage, I've gone through a slow and painless metamorphosis. I have always been a loner. A rebel. Maybe not a rebel, but a loner for sure. I've always been fortunate enough to enjoy the pleasure of my company. Even more than other people enjoy it. I lived alone for a total of 3 years and loved every second. But things have changed. I have changed. I need Nicole here. Somehow, I've forgotten how to function on my own. She knows this, loves this, and reminds me of this. I become Regarding Henry when she isn't here at night. Being the great wife, she left fresh ham, potato casserole, and even cookies here for me. All I have to do is heat it all up properly and enjoy a nice dinner. Properly is the key word. As I sit here, eating my bowl of cereal for dinner, I'm slowly being filled with paranoia. I have Sam's monitor up full-blast; something I haven't done in forever. There are plenty of movies to watch that I've enjoyed for years. Die Hard being, of course, the pinnacle. Nicole doesn't appreciate Lt. John McClane as much as I do, so it's the perfect movie to watch, especially during the Christmas season. But instead, I'm doing this. I'm thinking about all of Sam's stuff I'll need to pack for his 2-3 hour stay with Nic's family tomorrow and stressed. What if I forget something major - like diapers or sippy cups? Will CPS find me?

I feel the need to call Nic for everything. Man, I hope I'm still potty trained tonight. Sam sleeps through the night, but I have this feeling he's going to wake up. I really hope I hear him. This is the first time I've been alone with him at night. Nicole says I have a "really weird" snore, but hopefully that won't overpower Sam's cry, amplified 1,000 times by the monitor 2 inches from my face. I kind of feel like Kevin in Home Alone, knowing that Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are waiting outside in a van, planning their burglary. Maybe I should use mannaquins and loud music to simulate a riotous Christmas party in the house.

Isn't it weird how pathetic I've become? I wonder if Bruce is sitting down there thinking, "It's Friday night and I'm alone with HIM. This sucks. Merry Christmas, Bruce."

It's true: when you get married, you become one. Even for guys like me. The truth is, I like it. I like it a lot. I like being half of a whole. Even though I'm the less capable half.

I have to go now...I think I hear someone prowling around outside. I have to get all of our Christmas ornaments and Legos and place them strategically under all of the windows.

Just try to get me, Pesci.

Whaley Weekend

The Whaleys came to Dallas and stayed with us for a couple of days. It was the first time our kids met and got to spend time together. It was a great weekend. We also got to all go hang out with the Henry's and that was a lot of fun. I didn't get many good pictures, but here's what I have...


They all loved hanging out by the window




The Science Place
























Watching morning cartoons together




Jack's worshipful sleeping position