Annual update

So I used to think that I was bad for only updating once a month. Now I am only shooting for an annual update. I tried boycotting and that finally forced mel to figure out how to post. Once she did that I said, "You should have never done that, even if you did figure out. Now, it's all yours!" But she still claims ignorance on how to get the pictures on there...so I guess until I give the ultimate threat I'll have to update.

The problem with not updating for so long is there are so many things I want to write about, I just don't know where to begin. Do I just throw in the pictures, which is all most people want anyway? Do I actually tell the stories? If so where do I begin? I guess something is better than nothing.

There are so many joys of parenting. Like the time that Brendan, who at the time was still learning how to use the bathroom like a "big boy", comes into our bedroom at 6:30 am, walks right past the bed into the bathroom, takes his clothes off and just sits down and lets loose. I looked at Melanie and she looked at me and we both had that look like, "Am I dreaming this?" Or the time that after Christmas break, the night before I go back to work, Brendan looks at my eyes and with the most innocent look says, "Daddy, if you go work tomorrow I will miss you and I will be sad." No sooner than the word 'sad' came out of his mouth did he have tears swelling in his eyes, which of course made mine do the same. Or there's the time I look over to see Brendan dragging Rylie, oh sweet Rylie, across the hardwood floor on her stomach by her hood. And of course, life wouldn't be complete without the stomach flu. Yep, still very fresh in my mind was the time that all four of us were ill--albeit some more than others. Melanie was upstairs cleaning up a mess in his bed. Five minutes later, I was downstairs cleaning up a different mess all over the leather couch. While we were both doing that, the sweet little guy falls asleep on the bathroom rug in nothing but his cute little underwear. Eight or nine cleanups later, the grand finale came while I was trying my hardest to get him to the bathroom but falling short. We're talking all over the kitchen rug, the fridge, the floor, the barstools, etc. etc. etc. When you have your own weak stomach, cleaning up "messes" is just not fun.

I should talk all about Rylie's 1st birthday and Brendan's 3rd. I should talk all about Christmas and our adventure to Salt Lake. I should talk all about taking Brendan skiing at Snowbird in blizzard-like conditions. I should talk about Rylie taking her first step and saying her first word ("Daddy") at about 1 am on Christmas eve when she should have been sound asleep. I should talk about how Mel used to just shrug off all of you who said she should read Twilight (or however you spell it) only to have her read the whole book in less than 24 hours. BTW she is nearly finished with the second one (having only finished Twilight about 2 days ago). I guess you could say she's hooked. I should talk about having an overnight low of -20 something and windchill of nearly minus 40. (BTW if you ever get bored, and it's that dang cold and the air is dry, boil a pot of water, take it outside and throw the water in the air and it just vaporizes and never hits the ground). I should talk about the fools that drive their trucks out on the lakes and ice fish in their huts. And the other fools that 'build' motocross tracks on the lakes and race their dirt bikes on the ice--very entertaining to watch.

Like I said before, there is just so much to talk about and no time to blog about it. I know, I know, we all have the same amount of time and everyone else seems to make time, so I guess I'll have to stop watching random tennis matches when I haven't played tennis myself for years (although Federer's match the other day where he nearly lost was an awesome 3.5 hours of tennis), only watch the important events of the upcoming Winter X Games, and start blogging again.

I'll try and post some pictures and videos tomorrow night. (no promises though)