I can't make this stuff up

Seen at the intersection of 25th and Arkansas. Yes, that's a small white dog in the backpack of the motorcyclist.


They must do this often because the pooch didn't look a bit scared. I was on my way to work one morning a couple of months ago when I snapped this picture. But it still makes me smile.

Zachary turns 3!

In the middle of my week of vacation at the end of April, Zachary turned three years old. His party was the weekend after his birthday and almost everybody was there to celebrate his special day. The day before his party I got to spend the whole day with him and Grandma Sherrie. We worked on a project to make Mother's Day gifts for his grandmas and his mommy. I think they were a big hit. We also went to the park where he made me dizzy by turning me on the spinny thing and mom laughed her fool head off when I couldn't walk. She's somewhat evil. No pictures of that because she was laughing too hard.

His party included a cookout, cake and, of course, a pile of presents. Here he's flashing his I.D.

Preparing to blow out the candles.

And tearing into the present pile with mommy reading him his card from yours truly.

Some of his favorite toys. I just got him boring books and clothes.

It's so cliche, but I cannot believe that he's already three years old. It seems like just yesterday when he was born. He's getting so big and independent and I sometimes miss that little baby. But then he says something really funny and I'm so glad he's older and more entertaining!

Singsation

In April I drove out to Oakley to see and hear my nephew, Jeffrey, in Singsation. On the way to Ellinwood to ride with my sister Teresa I had a tire blow out on a lonely country road in Rice County. As luck would have it, about five minutes after I pulled to the side of the road, some people whose kids I used to babysit drove by on their way to Wichita. Clayton was instrumental (OK, he did the whole thing) in putting on the spare. I was able to make it to Ellinwood without mishap. So grateful they came by when they did.


They kicked off the show in their fanciest outfits. Jeffrey's the second from the left in the back row. He did a great job on his solo of "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas" which he heard for the first time last year in my car. He was really nervous, but I was so proud of him. Some of the other solos...well, not so much. They were all way ahead of me, though, because I'd never get up and sing in front of a crowd. Ever. At least not without a lot of alcohol first.

He also joined the rest of the boys in the Oakley Plainsman Singers for "Goober Peas" and he's the goober on the right in this picture.

We had a good time and I was glad I made the trip out for it. I needed new tires anyway.

Easter weekend

My birthday fell on Good Friday this year and I was lucky to have that day off from work. It was the day I got the official offer letter for my new job at Brainworks. It was a really good day, despite the fact I turned a year older.

Zach was really the only little kid around on Easter Sunday. He had a great time helping hide Easter eggs with Katie and I. We'd each take turns hiding them with him and then he'd help the other one find the same eggs he'd just hidden. It was pretty comical. We had gorgeous weather that day and ended up spending a lot of time outside. Here Zach and Katie are finding the eggs I helped him hide.

Hiding eggs with them made me remember hiding them when I was a kid. It brought back some really good memories. I've always loved Easter since it's usually right around my birthday. I hid an egg in this tree that I ran over with the mower right after my parents planted it. I know I stunted that tree's growth, but it's still alive even though it hasn't really grown that much. Oops! Even though my mom never said anything about it at the time, she told me she definitely noticed it when it happened. Mom always knows! Eyes. In. Back. Of. Head.

After egg hunting was over, Katie and Zach got into a fight with sticks. They're so weird.

Better late than never, right?

As my family will point out, I'm a bit of a tardy blogger. I really do mean well, it's just that life gets in the way. Not to mention a new job (this is week seven already) and a healthy dose of sleep on the weekends. But I'm back and I'm vowing (yes, again) to be a better blogger.

The first three months of the year I spent every Wednesday night with a great group of folks as part of my job. I really enjoyed coaching that group of couples on the skills they were learning in their marriage education workshop. It was a great way to round out my employment with Marriage for Keeps. My job there ended on April 30 and I was lucky enough to be able to have the last week as vacation before I started the new job. Here's a picture of workshop facilitator Brian talking to the group. That's the other facilitator, Rachel, facing the camera.

Because of confidentiality reasons I can't post a picture of the group even though I took one the last night we met. If you were in that group and want a copy of the picture I took, post a message and I'll e-mail it to you.

I miss my co-workers at MfK because they're a group of awesome individuals, but I'm really diggin' the new job. What's not to like about the relaxed dress code, "normal" work hours, and the satisfaction of helping people work through their computer problems? Nothing, that's what.

Stay tuned. More to come...