Sometimes you gotta fight to be a man!

Kenny Rogers' "Coward of the County" introduced us to a boy called "Yellow". That color takes on a whole new meaning when it's wrapped around your midsection by a Sensei in your local dojo.

For a few months now, Tate has been taking Karate. He really loves it and looks forward to his twice-a-week classes. This month he was invited to test for his 10 kyu (one step above white belt).


The day started off with warm-ups. Students of every skill level were preparing for their tests.




Here's a pic of the class, students with the Sensai (Marius, back row left) and Senpai (Scott, back row right).



There were lots of cameras going off, so here's one I caught of Tate in "Classic Form." That's classic for Tate, not for Martial Arts!


After performing his routines, techniques and combinations, and showing an indomitable spirit, the review board called Tate (and Wade, left of Tate) to the table. Sensai Marius told the boys they were going to ask a few questions, to which Tate immediately replied. "Will it blend? That is the question!" The Sensai and the Senpai asked questions about his goals and why he wants to study karate. He told them that karate was something he always wanted to do, and that it is getting easier the more he practices. He wants to be a black belt, so he can be "graduated" from karate.

Here is Sensai Marius giving Tate his 10 kyu belt. We are all quite proud!

Great to be Eight!

Dane's Brithday was a huge event in the history of the cosmos. He's come a long way from the hospital in Coon Rapids, MN and a frosty -17 degree trip to the house. A singer, songwriter, performer, athlete and champion competitor, Dane makes our lives unique and wonderful.

We took a friend to see "Hotel for Dogs" for a special treat.

He is so proud to turn eight. Can't wait for Cub Scouts, but truth be told, the most excitement is that this is his Baptism Birthday. He went to the store and picked out his own Bible and Book of Mormon. When his name was embossed on each cover, he beamed!

Dane had an interview with the Bishop in preparation for his baptism. Dane was glad to share all the information he could muster. At the end of the interview, the Bishop reminded Dane that once he was baptised, he' be accountable.

Those huge D-Max eyes bugged right out of his head and he said "A cannibal!?!? I'm not going to eat people!" Needless to say, that was a big laugher.

Baptism is scheduled for January 31 (my birthday) and we are excited to gather family and friends for the event.

Here are some pics from the birthday events:

"Brother" (not sure the last time I heard Dane use Tate's actual name) assisted with the candle lighting on the official "Day of Eight"

Dane huffed, and puffed, and then realized that the sparking candles also relight themselves. It was our trick to get him to hyperventilate and pass out! (just kidding DCFS)

Dane asked for a "Pizza Cake" and the fact is, you can't stop Cyndie in the kitchen. She plotted and planned, experimented with various toppings and viola! Here's the finished product:

Here's a quick break-down of the cast and crew:

Starring vanilla frosting as "Mozzarella"

Fruit roll-up playing double duty as "Pepperoni" and "Green Peppers",

Tootsie-Roll in the supporting role of "Sausages"

Red Sugar as "Sauce"

Black Icing Gel as "Olives"

And Chocolate Icing as "The Upper Crust"

Holiday Cheer

Here's a post I started and never finished.... couldn't get the verbage right. Still not my best work, but if I don't publish now, I probably wont! :P



We have enjoyed being in Utah for the Holidays. Thanksgiving with Cyndie's family was lots of fun. We also had a great "adults only" dinner with my cousins Cyndi and Rick and their respective spouses Ron and Laura. They introduced us to our new favorite Greek restaurant in SLC: Aristo's. The lamb shank was absolutely succulent!

We also had a great opportunity to hit a uniquely Utah event: The Heber Creeper Polar Express. Ok, so I don't actually know that it is uniquely Utah, but I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Each Christmas season, the Heber Valley Railroad in Heber City, UT transforms into the Polar Express, hauling its payload around the scenic Heber Valley.

It is a great event. There is a Host/Reader and several Elven Helpers. Riders are treated to steaming hot chocolate and fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies. Delicious! Aunt Becca is a reader and cousins Jana and Kate are elves. Jana and Kate were elving in our car. Becca was off that night, so she and cousins Ellie and Matt rode with us. It was great having Becca with us off so she got to fill us in on all the cool behinds the scenes 411. It was like a backstage pass at the Cirque du Soliel!

Here are some cool pics from the event:

The Christmas Man himself made the evening a total success with his cameo after we reached the north pole. That's Matt (left profile) in the foreground.
Cousin Jana (codename Sprinkles the Elf) escorted the Jolly One through our car.

Kris Kringle brought each child a Christmas bell. Upon receiving his, Dane looked at Father Christmas, and with all the sincerity he could muster, promised to always hear the ringing.

Among his proudest possessions, Dane wanted a pic of just his bell.

Cousin Kate, also an Elf, made sure Dane was in the know for bell care and such. Cousins Matt and Ellie stop for a snuggle with Papa Noel. The Elves look on in admiration.

Some Other Christmas Joy

I was really bad at posting over the Holiday, and too bad becasue we had a lot of fun together. However, I didn't take tons of pics, so too bad for you, gentle reader (as Miss Manners would have me write).

Dane watched Ratatouille about 15 times over the Holidays. This is his best impersonation of Gusteau, Remy's muse.





Here's our tree. It was probably the best looking tree we ever had. The pine smell spread throughout the house and made the holiday feeling just right.

We ventured to Salt Lake City tourist destination, Temple Square, to see the lights. The night rocked! We rode the train into downtown, a really good call since it started sowing pretty hard on the way. The train was crowded, but fun, we didn't have an original idea, plus Neil Diamond was in concert as well as a Christmas concert at Abravanel Hall.

The flakes were falling fast and furious (though big and "flakey" for lack of a better description). Cyndie was a trooper (she gets cold some times).

I have never seen Dane be so stoic in a photo as this one.

The fountains were running full bore, and with the snow and the lights, there were dazzling glints of reflection all night long.

Wind earlier in the day had created a bit of ice on one walkway. Well, a little ice and a little inclination, and you have a free carnival ride for the masses. Dane, Tate and I were whipping down the slide. I did feet only, but the boys and the inevitable friends they made on this cool Christmas ice slide were sliding on bums, and doing belly slides (alternatively called "penguin" and "seal" mode).

When I took this pic, I thought Dane had fallen, but when I asked if he was OK, he looked at me and said indignantly, "Dad, that was my Ninja stop!"

I looked at the pic again, and sure enough, he's a ninja!

This is about when the batteries in my camera died, so no more pics from our journey to Temple Square.

We did see the Nativity display, the statues of the Prophets (Brigham Young's hair was a bit ske-wampus, and Tate told us several times that he needed to have his hair combed), and the Christus. There is audio accompanying the Nativity scene. Part of the dialogue is President Gordon B. Hinckley's testimony of the birth of the Savior. It was a very touching testimony. When Dane realized who's voice he was hearing, he looked up at me and said, "Dad, that's President Hinckley!" and then got a little emotional. We loved President Hinckley, and though the Lord in His mercy has provided us a new Prophet, we still miss President Hinckley's familiar style.

One last cool thing from the Holidays was that my sister, Becca (Aunt Bec, or One-Hecka-Becca to the boys) published her second book. We are very proud of her. The audience is teen girls, but I read it and truth be told, enjoyed it tremendously.

The title is "Bright Blue Miracle" by Becca Wilhite. Get your copy today!

I'll post some more stuff from the holidays later, but for now I have to get the garage a bit more clean.

Best Question Ever!

We got a new TV this year (not for Christmas, we waited for the real sales and still overspent). It's bigger than the old one (and has a much better picture! Hooray, we can watch Heroes and not have to guess what's going on in the dark scenes.

Anyway, the boys think they need to sit really close to the screen,

so we have been encouraging them to slide back so they can touch the couch with their hands...

This morning, they were watching and were way too close, so I reminded them that they should scoot back. Cyndie said, "Geez, get the freak away from the TV!!"

Tate and Dane jumped back, and, while frantically looking around the family room Tate asked, "Mom, what freak?" We all laughed when we realized he was trying to get the freak away from the TV, if only he could find the freak. Maybe we'll have to let him watch Napoleon Dynamite's dance moves.

Legally John-d

My brother John was just selected for a clerkship with the Indiana Supreme Court. Cudos to John. He and Abbi and their kids will love Indianapolis. Plus it is "the clerkship" he wanted.

Merry Christmas, John and family. Don't get flojo in your last semester, you still have to pass the bar.

We're thrilled that Father in Heaven has blessed you with this opportunity.

Twilight!

OK, this movie is HUGE! I haven't seen this many chicks all lathered up since Danny, Donnie, Joey, John and Jordan were "Hanging Tough" by showing that they had "The Right Stuff", even if they had to take it "Step-by-Step!"

As you may have heard, the movie is raking in all kinds of dough, and not just in this hotbed of Mormondom. DISCLAIMER: I haven't seen the movie or read the book. Cyndie would rather take me to see "Quantum of Solace" than "Twilight". I WIN!

Cyndie has read the first 3 books (Breaking Wind, er, Breaking Dawn is in the stack of stuff by her bed).

Twenty years ago she was in love with the vampires from Anne Rice, Bram Stoker, "The Lost Boys", and Ursula Le Guin. Everyone thought she was a freak. In fact, there was an English teacher who commented more than once on her "affinity for dark things".

She swears that if she'd had such valiant vampires to lust after in her teens, she'd have saved us all some grief, but she's "pretty much past that now". She does confess, however to being more interested in the Volturi than the other covens.

I know we'll see the Cullens on Netflix, but in the mean time, my theater dollars will go to the likes of "Ironman", James Bond, Star Trek, and Adam Sandler's "Bedtime Stories".

Skynard?

Dateline Murray UT - 11/15/08 - 7:12 am

Cyndie had the news on yesterday morning while Dane was eating breakfast. She went upstairs for a minute. When she came back in the kitchen, she noticed that Dane was really excited.

"Guess what, Mom? I just saw the new President: Rock Alabama! He was on TV!"

The Littlest Snowman in the World

We got about 5" of snow last Wednesday. My boss was in town from LA, so he was questioning his timing and scheduling skills. He had hoped to golf with us. No such luck, but I did schedule a nice lunch meeting with a customer. The views turned out to be picturesque in the snow. Wish my camera had been there!

When I came home, I was greated by the worlds smallest snowman:

Tate was very proud!

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

We LOVE Halloween at our place! Dressing up, running around the neighborhood, carving jack-o-lanterns, it is all part of the fun.

This year, Tate is protesting Halloween. No moral objection, just "too homesick for Omaha to dress up..." For the autism-initiated, any change is difficult for children with Autism. Tate has done a yeoman's job of adapting, but some things are just too much for him. We pick our battles (yes he goes to Church, no he doesn't have to go to trick-or-treating).

I tried to convince him that he should go out as a protester. I told him that I would make him a sign with an anti-Halloween message, he could wear a robe and sandles, maybe hold a megaphone or something. Then he could just stand back with me and let Dane go to the doors... unfortunately, no such luck.

Here are some action shots from this year's festivities...

Tate's favorite Halloween treat is Candy popcorn balls. He has little use for caramel popcorn (though the rest of us can live on it) so we tried a new recipe. Apparently there are nuances to being a protester!

We also made mini caramel and candy apples. Cyndie used a melon-baller to get small round apple pieces, then dipped them in caramel and liquid candy. Unfortunately, the skinless apples don't hold their cover too well. Bite-sized treats are good in any case!

The aforementioned boycott did apply to jack-o-lantern carving... this the first year in several that we haven't used pumpkins grown in our own garden. We sold our pumpkin patch with the house (ok, we really didn't have another plan, so buy a pumpkin patch for $200,000 and we'll make you such a deal on the house!) We were thrilled when Bompa's neighbor, Bryant "The Farmer" Miller dropped by a few gourd offerings for us to transform into major hauntings.

After watching a Food Network Halloween special with Tate (another area which transcends the boycott), we decided that we needed to try some "advanced" techniques in carving.

This one ended up somewhere between Zack Efron ("High School Musical") and Max ("Where the Wild Things Are"). Dane suggested that we should put a "cute little BunnyWabbit" on the side.

In the interest of protesting all things diabolical, here's our wholly holy offering: Bob and Larry from VeggieTales.

On the big night, Dane and I went through the neighborhood, saw friends and had a great time at a post trick-or-treat party (we tried to convince Tate that it wasn't Halloween related, but he's way too smart for that!).