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Another weekend, come and gone
July 31, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Another weekend, come and gone. Let's see if I can do a quick summary.
Saturday I took Sam to the library and Humble Bagel while Jamie took Emma on a stroller ride to the store. It was nice hanging out with just Sam. He really got into getting some books for himself and complained a bit later in the weekend when he'd read many of them already. He's not quite to the chapter book level of reading for fun, but he loves pouring over illustrations and reading captions.
The afternoon was fairly low-key. The kids played out in the backyard for awhile. We played, watched movies, and generally took it easy.
Sunday morning I took the kids for a short hike at Skinner's Butte and then played at the nearby park. The kids got extremely wet and sandy, managing to get cleaned off well enough to take another trip to Humble Bagel afterwards. Towards the afternoon we got ready for Josh's going away party, along with some continued sandbox fun in our own backyard.
It was a rousing send-off for Josh. He finished up a computer game he'd been playing on our computers, as well as playing a couple rounds of Give Me the Brain with Kirsten, Dave, and Sam. Jamie was a good parent and kept an eye on Emma while the rest of us partied.
Now I'm back and work and just caught up with the critical stuff, taking a short break before I dive into the big projects. Only an hour until I head back home again.
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Mocha Friday, though I'm still an hour or so ...
July 28, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Mocha Friday, though I'm still an hour or so away from that scrumptious treat. Work has been busy lately, though I've been feeling like I've been making good progress on some rather big projects. In an odd way, I'm eager to go in and finish things up.
I had a really good time with the kids last night. I broke out the slip and slide, much to the delight of everyone. Emma was very brave and went down it herself for the first time. She wanted a couple turns on Sam's lap first, but then she saw that it wasn't too dangerous. It was funny watching all the adults drive by and giving knowing smiles, wistful of the days where that was all it took to become happy.
I decided to put together a going away party for Josh this Sunday. I decided to do all the things he likes best - eating salad and public speaking. Oh, wait, that's not it. We're having pizza and will likely play cards and video games. Perhaps we can introduce him to the hi-jinks that is Give me the Brain. We'll miss him when he's back in Tennessee.
I also uploaded a version of "When I'm 64", sung at my mom's birthday last weekend. I don't think any of us will be invited to American Idol, but you can see it here.
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Yesterday was Jamie and my date night, with J...
July 27, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Yesterday was Jamie and my date night, with Josh watching the kids while we ran off to eat dinner at three square. It was pleasant, though we both realized our lives were so boring that we didn't have a lot of exciting news to chat about.
After we got home, I chased the kids around the backyard with a hose, much to their delight. After a short bath, the entire family sat around the kitchen table and played Give Me the Brain. Sam played the real way, hiding his hand and reading his own cards, and ended up winning. I was very proud of his reading and logic skills.
It continues to be way too hot. I tried sleeping in my own bed last night, but started sweating a couple minutes after laying down. I ended up on the main floor, which felt ten degrees cooler.
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It's been smoking hot the last couple days, b...
July 25, 2006 by Adam in Family
It's been smoking hot the last couple days, but seems to finally be settling down. I've spent the last couple nights in the basement on a bed assembled from couch padding, sleeping bags, and various found objects. It's comfortable enough, though I can hear the rest of the family far too well on the floor above. With luck, we'll return to our normal beds as the temperature drops.
The kids went to the lake yesterday and returned with mild sunburns. Emma now has the pattern of her swimming suit tanned into her back. It looks like she's some sort of mutant superhero or something. Sam had a great time jumping off a platform with some bigger kids. He's a pretty good swimmer these days, and had fun moving about in the water.
It seems like Jamie and I have been ships passing in the night these last few days. I feel like tandem kid watchers, with each of us trading off personal time, project time, and kid watching. Hopefully this Wednesday we can reconnect at our date night.
It was a Café Madvil day for me. I've been feeling a touch of a headache lately, which my caffeine and painkiller concoction seems to be doing wonders with.
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We're back
July 24, 2006 by Adam in Family
 We're back. It's hard to know where to begin as the last four days seemed so full. At the moment, all our attention seems focused on just staying cool. It was around 70 degrees at the coast and we returned to around 100 degrees. After unpacking, I ran off to Jenny's house for a birthday party for my mom, combined with a farewell for Sadie. It was grand fun, especially seeing all my sisters in one place.
The beach trip was great, and I'm a bit sad that I'm returning to work tomorrow. It was warm and pleasant, with many trips to the beach and clubhouse pool. Sadie and my mom were pleasant company, as were Dave, Kirsten, and Josh who followed. I ended up with a bit of a sunburn, despite practically bathing in sunscreen.
There were a few highlights. Sam tried to surf some driftwood to China, resulting in hilarious splashing. Dave manipulated a crab claw like a puppet, much to Emma's delight. Sam and I spent hours diving for plastic rings at the bottom of the pool. His ability to move about in the deep end is remarkable.
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Well, I had a grand surprise party last night
July 20, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Well, I had a grand surprise party last night. Jamie's arranged to have my family visit me in shifts, so last night we had Jenny and her kids, my dad and Yayoe, and Dave, Kirsten, and Josh. Jamie also made quite a tasty array of salads, pita bread, and hummus, which is up there with my favorite things to eat. We mostly hung out while the kids played in the back yard.
As for today, I need to stop fiddling with my computer and start getting ready for the beach trip. It promises to be perfect beach weather, in the 80's and sunny. Fortunately it'll be better than the 100 degree weather we're supposedly having in Eugene while we're gone.
Time to pack!
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Another weekend, come and gone
July 17, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Another weekend, come and gone. Fortunately this is a short week for me, with my birthday beach trip coming up this Thursday.
We finished up the garage Sunday, putting up bike holders, cleaning the floor, and generally arranging things. Emma cheerfully scrubbed every surface we'd let her, happy to be working next to her parents. That was our big Summer house project, which was over faster than we thought. The next big task is to replace the front gate and wall, which is rotting away.
The other big event was going over to my mom's for dinner. It was great to see Sadie, even though she's sniffly. The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins. It sounds like my dad is doing increasingly well and should be back in town by now.
Sadly, it's time for me to get things ready and head off to work.
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For whatever reason, yesterday was an interes...
July 16, 2006 by Adam in Family
 For whatever reason, yesterday was an interesting day. It began as usual, playing with the kids until Jamie made breakfast. We then spent some time cleaning out the garage and getting rid of all sorts of junk. It's now almost tidy in there. Afterwards, we went off to the library, which turned out to be practically closed due to the Thai princess arriving.
We stuck around to wait for the arrival. Sam counted fifteen police escort vehicles. Emma was a little disappointed that she didn't ride up on a pink pony, but at least we can all say we've seen a real princess.
I took the kids to humble bagel, a nearby game store, and then home. After some quiet time, I went off to dispose of some old monitors at this quirky computer recycling place a couple blocks from Angie's house. They had all these refurbished computers and old software. It was terribly nostalgic, but I managed to refrain from purchasing anything. I then had a luxurious hour by myself at the library where I got great stuff for everyone and nothing for me. I felt like Santa.
The only other funny thing was that we all played a game called Give Me the Brain that we'd picked up at the game store. Jamie was initially not impressed, but it ended on a funny note with everyone winning except me. Jamie played a card that made everyone discard their hand, which normally means they win. Unfortunately I had a card that said "You cannot win." and so I lost.
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Dad's been in a car accident while in Florida
July 14, 2006 by Adam in Family
Dad's been in a car accident while in Florida. He's okay, as is his passenger. Evidently it was dark, rainy, and the dump trunk in front of him didn't have his lights on. The car was totaled and he got to spend the night in the hospital, but was released this morning. Now he gets to sit around in the hotel feeling miserable until he flies back on Sunday. Already the family is rallying around him, with meetings at the airport planned and all sorts of phone calls.
I had an odd morning as well, though quite boring by comparison. I went into the courthouse for jury duty, and let the woman know I had already been called within the last two years. Fortunately the woman who was there used to work for my mom, so she gave me the choice to stay. I opted to head into work and so here I am.
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It's hard to believe that another week has go...
July 14, 2006 by Adam in Family
 It's hard to believe that another week has gone by so fast. Work has been pretty interesting, if busy. I'm helping make the new way we're doing application development for many people, so I'm both learning a bunch of new stuff and trying to make it easy for everyone else too.
Josh turned sixteen yesterday, and we all went over to Dave's house for a BBQ. Josh was showing off his new PSP, which was fairly snazzy. Supposedly he can even browse the web with it. The kids had fun playing in the backyard, while Jamie snuck away to watch t.v. and relax while there were so many people around.
I have jury duty today, though who knows if I'll actually be called to serve. Last time it was rather relaxing, sitting around all morning until they sent us away. Hopefully it won't be a long trial, if I'm called. My birthday is next week, after all.
Editor's note: Sam read this after I posted and declared that I should say "browse the web with it, not from it." This horrible oversight has since been corrected.
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Sam got stung by a bee yesterday
July 11, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Sam got stung by a bee yesterday. He and Emma were running around in the yard as I chased them with a hose. He was a trooper about the whole thing, letting me carefully pull out the stinger and then dousing him with assorted bee-sting remedies. Even Emma was helpful, which was nice because Jamie was out. I asked Emma to turn off the water to the hose and within a few seconds it was done. I could get used to having a couple extra, capable people in the house. Within a couple hours, he was feeling much better and stayed up late so he could tell Jamie about his adventures.
It seems that every week this night is booked, with BBQs, date nights, and Jamie working out. Plus possibly jury duty this Friday. It's amazing how busy we are these days.
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Well, we're back from our anniversary trip
July 09, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Well, we're back from our anniversary trip. The kids had a great time with their grandparents, with Sam seeing the new Pirates of the Carribbean without me. Sniff.
Jamie and I checked into the Benson and proceeded to wander around downtown for most of the day. Jamie shopped and shopped, picking up clothes and a bathing suit. I got a couple books from Powell's, though I could have easily spent hours there. Eventually we crashed in the very comfortable bed, watching television until we snoozed away.
Now it's Sunday and I'm thinking to the week ahead. There's work and possibly jury duty this Friday. The following week Sadie comes and we have our grand beach trip for my birthday. Can't wait.
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It's Jamie's and my anniversary today
July 08, 2006 by Adam in Family
It's Jamie's and my anniversary today. Eleven years ago in her parents' back yard, we exchanged vows and began a great journey together. Today it'll be taking us into downtown Portland, where Jamie has scoped out several meals and visits to interesting places. I think we're going to pretend we're young, hip, and childless for an afternoon. Should be fun.
The drive up went well, though Emma fought sleep pretty hard. It's so strange when this extremely grumpy girl falls asleep, only to awaken an hour later as a little angel. We played with the kids until the grandparents arrived, and then went down to the park after dinner. Sam and I played a pseudo-sport called parkour. Basically I'd tell him to go to a point and he'd go in a straight line, over and through obstacles, until he got there. My job was to find a path that was exciting and relatively safe.
People should be waking up relatively soon. It promises to be a beautiful day to head into Portland. Jim and Judy have lined up a bunch of activities for the kids, so hopefully it's a good day for everyone.
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It's Friday and Emma and I are hanging out in...
July 07, 2006 by Adam in Family
It's Friday and Emma and I are hanging out in the basement, waiting for everyone to wake up. Perhaps I can take the kids out to breakfast or something. We're heading up to Portland shortly. Jamie and I have reservations at the Benson tomorrow night, celebrating our eleventh anniversary. I'm excited to hang out downtown, which I haven't done for years. Jim and Judy have assorted kid entertainment planned, which should hopefully keep them happy while we sneak away for a night.
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The 4th of July seemed filled with activity
July 05, 2006 by Adam in Family
 The 4th of July seemed filled with activity. The day began with a trip to the park and bike practice for both kids. Sam's getting better, though I think it's a little frustrating for him due to the difficulty of getting it right. Still, there were a few moments when he was riding around without me holding on. Emma, of course, rode around with her training wheels like a champ.
In the afternoon, Sam did some chores and got enough checks to "buy" a Gamecube game he's been wanting, Shrek 2. It can be played two player, so he and I played together while Emma napped. It was pretty fun and not too hard until we got stuck at a certain point. It looks like I'll need to replay through a certain area a dozen until my reflexes improve. Sigh.
 Around three o'clock we headed out to Art in the Vineyard, which was completely packed. I kept running into people I knew along the way. Emma found a stall that sold little girl furniture that she kept going back to. Sam liked the creepy painting with eyeballs that moved. I had fun rendezvousing with my family and chatting with them. The kids eventually found a garden statue that sprayed mist and then it was time to head home.
Everyone had some quiet time, watching a show and generally hanging out. Jamie ran off at the last minute to pick up sparklers and we moved outside to do our patriotic duties. Emma liked them for awhile, though I think she got burned somehow (perhaps even from Jamie's) and eventually decided to stop. Sam had a great time, though after the twentieth, it got a little old.
All-in-all, it was a successful 4th of July.
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Another weekend come and gone
July 03, 2006 by Adam in Family
 Another weekend come and gone. It's a quiet day at work since most people are taking the day off.
The kids and I did our usual swimming, library, and Humble Bagel run Friday night through Saturday. The afternoon was fairly low-key, with lots of play time in the backyard and basement. I recall spraying kids with the hose a lot.
Sunday started with taking the kids to Amazon park where they had a great time watching the fish in the creek. We swung by Radio Shack to get Jamie a new phone. Sam's nose started to bleed, as it often does, and so I left him in the car looking like murder while Emma and I dealt with the sales folks. Fortunately he quickly recovered and we returned home to hang out and watch shows. It took me forever to switch Jamie's address book over, but hopefully she likes her new fancy phone.
Jamie was with her family for most of the day, so it was just me and the kids until later that day. Sam and Emma played in the outdoor pool a lot, making sure their goggles were firmly on. Jamie returned around dinnertime and I had an hour or so to myself while she took them to see the baseball game. Though I was pretty beat, it was fun hanging out with the kids.
This is another odd week, with Friday off and heading to Portland for our anniversary. Sam and I had fun shopping for Jamie together. Little did I know that he'd enjoy the experience, though perhaps it was the countless little Tester lotions that he'd mix into a strange smelling concoction.
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