Pajama Day

Fridays in our house are often Pajama Day! Today, well for many days now, Cadence has been requesting to make cookies, so today was a special Cookie Making Pajama Day! Here are the pictures of our yummy lazy day activities. Really what's wrong with a little oatmeal and raisins, eggs, sugar and cinnamon first thing in the morning! and when you eat them early, you have all day to work them off :) Have a great Pajama Day no matter what you're wearing.

Stay Wondrous

Happy 3rd Birthday to our little girl. It's all happening so fast. While we miss and cherish moments from only months ago, we're excited about tomorrow's offerings. We love you. Keep loving life!

The Kingsbury Manx at Duke Gardens

It was a wonderful show. Cadence enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for the lens, Duane.

Summer Fun! July 4th 2010

Cadence and Aunt Tia had a blast cooling off on a hot 4th of July. Simple fun!

a girl and her bike

Cadence has been really interested in riding her bike recently. Here is her first actual go at it outside. She did really good and I think she will continue...

Birthday Mix with a Heavy Texas Influence

In honor of my three, Texas-born, amigos who share birthdays quite close to one another, I've created a compilation of songs that I think they'd like.  Some will definitely be familiar or favorites, but others are those that I envisioned them listening to and enjoying.  Happy Birthday, fellas! Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Download: The Ballad of Doyle Hargraves 

MADD Walk for Powell "PDUB" Williams

PDUB: HB, CA

Artist and friend-extraordinaire, Mr. Duane Fernandez, is currently visiting our old stomping grounds of Hermosa Beach, CA.  While having lunch at Los Muchachos, he came across a PDUB sticker placed about 5 years ago.  Duane produced these stickers from a stencil he made shortly after Powell "PDUB" Williams was killed by a drunk driver in March of 2005. For both of us, he was as close of a friend as you could have. He is no less missed today as the day he left us. 

In honor of Powell, Corrina and I are volunteering and walking with MADD in Raleigh, NC on March 20th.  We'd love for you to join us! If you're able, we'd greatly appreciate a donation to support a charity so dedicated in ending these daily (and avoidable) tragedies.  Please visit Corrina's MADD page for more information.

Annual Winter Walk in Duke Gardens

This year the winter weather pushed this walk back a couple weeks. Today was beautiful and we were glad to spend a couple hours walking around Duke Gardens. Cadence is 2 1/2 years old this winter and acted as if she remembered taking these pictures over the years. There was a nice student sitting in the chair reading today and Cadence went up to her and said "you are sitting in my chair." We then asked her nicely if we could bother her for a couple moments while we took our picture. She was fine with moving and Cadence and Raleigh did great.

2008

2009

2010

All in the Name of Science

It's been pretty convenient (for us) that Cadence is within the age range of the children that we are studying. She's been a very willing guinea pig, and has helped us practice a number of tests, try out new technology, and tweak procedures. It's a good thing we have a lot of toys in the lab.

3 Word Wednesday!

LET'S GO DUKE!!!!!!

Genuine and/or Proud to be a Father

 

All I wanted out of this year's Superbowl was a close game.  Honestly, I wasn't really leaning either way.  Both teams had their good guys and worthy stories.  However, I'm thrilled that the Saints walked away with it.  Seeing Drew Brees both literally and genuinely sharing the victory with his son was heartwarming.   I know it's because I'm a father, but to see a man who truly realizes how special a child is, especially in that moment, moved me. I know I'd want Cadence and Corrina right there with me. That was unexpected and completely refreshing.

2 sides to every story

As mentioned in the post before, Cadence has really taken to taking pictures.  I'm liking it.  Here we are getting each other:

I think we were both moving a little too much.

Cadence's Photography Skills

Here is a recent family picture, with our future photographer!

Here is a sneak peek of some of the recent photos Cadence has taken with our old point and shoot. It's just her size and she can see the image in the preview window. She closely and carefully lines up what she wants to take a picture of, and actually ends up with quite detailed shots. She is even starting to take pictures of her feet, just like dad! We are hoping to submit these to our friends gallery in Tulsa (wink wink) so she can have her first art opening.

Here are the Wonder Pets driving along. Those Wonder Pets have expensive tastes.

Here is one I titled "the green monster" aka our hamper from her level.
She'll be offering signed originals... once she's able to write her name. 

Cameron Turns 70

Corrina and I are fortunate to go to basketball games at both Duke (Cameron Indoor Stadium) & UNC Chapel Hill (Dean E. Smith Center). I try to say this with the least amount of bias possible, but the Dean Dome doesn't hold a candle to the experience of watching a game at Cameron. When the Dean Dome gets cranking, it's undoubtedly exciting, but it just can't match Cameron's intimacy and history. Cameron feels like it's 70 years old... in the best way possible. Happy Birthday!

From Duke Sports Information:
DURHAM, N.C. - On Wednesday (01-06-10), Cameron Indoor Stadium celebrates its 70th birthday.

Cameron Indoor has been the site of 746 Duke victories in men's basketball over the past 70 years.

The doors of Cameron first opened on Jan. 6, 1940 with a 36-27 Duke win over Princeton in front of 8,000 people - the largest crowd ever to see a basketball game in the South.

The original design of the Stadium was said to be conceived on the back of a matchbook by Eddie Cameron and Wallace Wade in 1935. The official architectural plans for the Stadium were drawn by the Philadelphia firm of Horace Trumbauer, Architect.

The architect who designed the $400,000 Stadium was Julian Abele, who had studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France.

The original arena measured 262-feet long by 175-feet wide and was the East Coast's largest indoor stadium south of the Palestra in Philadelphia.

Seating for 8,800 included 3,500 folding bleacher seats on the floor designated, then as today, for the exclusive use of undergraduates. The maximum capacity was 12,000.

The money from Duke's 1939 Rose Bowl appearance enabled the building of the arena, which the Blue Devils have posted a 746-150 record (.832) in.

Through the years Cameron has maintained its historic look and feel and is considered one of the premier sporting venues in the world. Sports Illustrated rated it as the fourth-best sporting venue worldwide of the 20th century.

Success inside Cameron didn't begin with the arrival of head coach Mike Krzyzewski, but the Hall of Fame coach has had tremendous success inside Cameron over his career, posting a 387-55 home record.

Over the last two seasons, the Blue Devils have lost just two games inside the historic arena, which has sold out 298 consecutive games.

For 2010: View the World with Wondrous Eyes

My resolution goal for 2010 is to acknowledge the opportunities that I have, recognize new ones, and truly appreciate how fortunate I am to have these two beautiful ladies in my life. Happy New Year!