First of many...

Twins are Here :)

Pictures later today!

Family Portrait Becomes Pandemonium

Two years ago was our last round of family photos. I have to say we have just about the best looking family around, in my humble opinion - on both sides.

Not because we're of the model variety or anything. Some of us are losing a little hair, some of us have a little extra girth, but we're happy and together. Mom couldn't make it, but I see her in the faces here whenvever I look at this.



Now's for the fun part...None of us realized that Tyler was lifting the dog by the back of its neck in the first picture. The next photo is the result of several tries to get through laughing about the dog. Wasn't going to happen.



*No animals were harmed in the taking of these family photos

Dwight is my Homeboy

...not really, but I think he's possibly the funniest thing going on TV right now. And Jim is the perfect character to play pranks on him every week. If I didn't work with such serious people, I'd definitely try and put someone's stapler in some jello or move their desk into the bathroom. But alas, I work with a bunch of folks that would not get the humor in that at all...consultants. Yeah, the type that thinks CAPM is as important as the Theory of Relativity. These are the type of people that actually understand the airline pricing structure. These people I work with actually think its efficient to write a 150 page paper with 8 other people that don't know each other. Unfortunately I'm one of them.

So, I can't play office pranks, but I would looooove to! So watch out friends and family, I'm in the prank mood again. A couple of years ago I had Samuel L. Jackson call 36 people in my cell phone list to personally invite them to "Snakes on a Plane". And I think it was last year that Kermit the Frog asked me if he could call David and Liesl early in the morning to wake them up for the After-Thanksgiving sales at Target. The Office is inspiring me to engage in harmless shenanigans again soon - watch out. :)

I used to not be able to watch The Office, because it reminded me too much of real life. Not quite art imitating life, but it still made me uncomfortable to come home from the office and flip on the television to see a show where the painful satire is based on a series of performance reviews and who would be the one to get voted out of the office during a downsizing.

However, now that I've found the goodness of Dwight P. Schrute, who reminds me of so many people that I've had to work with (and still do), I can't help but love this show.

Jim, the only guy with half a brain in the office, tortures Dwight with a weekly prank. Take a few to watch this collection of Jim's greatest pranks:



Earlier in the year, John McCain declared on the Daily Show that he would be nominating Dwight Schrute as his VP running mate. Rainn Wilson, the genius actor behind Dwight, showed up on Jay Leno to give his demands for acceptance. I found his acceptance letter online and had to share it here:

My fellow Americans and select Canadians,

My name is Dwight K. Schrute. Recently, it was brought to my attention that a Presidential candidate has selected me as his Vice President — or as I prefer, Assistant President. I was not surprised by this information, because I am the only suitable choice. As this country’s second in command, I will be cunning; wily; exceedingly loyal to my superiors; and will not hesitate to use heavy artillery. However, unlike my predecessor, I will not fire it off in a friend’s face.

As for Mr. Jonathan McCain: I will accept your offer, old man. But before I do, certain terms must be agreed upon.

• I may borrow Air Force One whenever I want. I am not required to refill the tank. When piloting Air Force One, I am only to be addressed as “Iceman.”


• Effective immediately, Jack Bauer is promoted to Secretary of Defense.


• I demand full government financing of research programs into the beet as an alternative energy source. Beet juice is cheaper than gasoline, better-tasting and only slightly flammable.


• My bunker must contain a foosball table and be zombie-proof.


• Secret Service members are to be armed with guns, nunchucks, throwing stars and flamethrowers.


• I would like a flamethrower.


• From now on, the National Anthem will be replaced with Van Halen’s “Panama.”


• My current employer, Michael Scott, has asked for an advisory position, a la Karl Rove. I am not adverse to this; however, it is not a deal-breaker. The rest of my coworkers are to be placed in an internment camp. And the entire city of Scranton should be surrounded by a wall and converted into a futuristic prison.


• I want to see an eagle fight a falcon. Whoever survives is our nation’s mascot.


• No more tours of the White House. I distrust schoolchildren.


• All pictures of Abraham Lincoln are to be removed. He is creepy.


• J.K. Rowling should be required by law to write a new Harry Potter book. If she refuses, I advise torture.


• All of the above items are negotiable. Except for the flamethrower. Basically, if you get me a flamethrower, I’m on board.

In conclusion, I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve the American people. I will display complete loyalty to my President. I will take a bullet for him and even provide a quality foot massage. But if, say, Barack Obama values that loyalty more highly … I’m going wherever they value loyalty the most. Make me an offer. And America — at 3 a.m., when the phone rings in the White House … I won’t even hear it. I’m an extremely sound sleeper. Vote Schrute!

Dwight K. Schrute

Assistant President in Pending

Cc: Michael Scott, John McCain

On the hunt

I'm still on the hunt for the elusive Chupacabra, as you see here from these shots from the set of Indiana Jones X (I'm thinking of watching Indy 4 soon, blindfolded - I have a sneaky suspicion it will be much better.)








Actually, these were from the last High Adventure I took a group on a year ago. I get bummed at this time of year that I'm not with the Young Men's program anymore, because this is the perfect weather to camp in.

Debbie is not what would be classified as a camper, but she was a good sport on the pilgrim trek a couple of years ago. She would prefer camping where you stay in a 5 star hotel, and I prefer a blanket and a rock. Somewhere we'll meet in the middle someday.

My Top 10 Favorite Things about Camping:
1. You are away from other people (Debbie prefers that I avoid the phrase "stupid people" and just stick to "people" here, but you get the where I'm going with that)
2. It gives you an excuse to build a fire and burn things
3. You can be completely savage and do things you'd never do at home, like eat food off the ground - hmm...might be how I picked up E.Coli on another high adventure
4. Laying out under the stars
5. Eating bags and bags of Red Vines
6. Random pranks, like putting a duck in someone's sleeping bag with them
7. Getting pounded by a Texas thunderstorm all night and waking up smiling when you realize that the little extra money spent on the highly rated tent was worth it and you're the only one dry
8. Wildlife - whether its trying to hunt wild boar in the dark with a knife or chasing chickens for dinner
9. Eating off the land - ok, so I WANT to make that a favorite thing, but the hot brunette in the other room frowned on me when I told her that I wanted to experiment on my next trip and live off the land like Man vs. Wild. Still working on that one.
10. Camping reminds me of camping