Reflections

Below are two pictures taken from the other side of our sliding glass window off the back porch. Keep scrolling for a few more pictures posted today and check out the Hoes blog, I've posted a few yard pictures, zinnias in bloom!



This is one of my favorite pictures, although it's a shame about that bucket growing out of our daughter's head.

I Said Enough Yesterday

Where's The Pictures?

Well, tonight I'm working on my work laptop, sans the Brenna photo directory, Just me on a wing and a prayer tonight, no supporting smiles or assorted cuteness from our daughter. Tomorrow after work I'll get some shots uploaded from this past holiday weekend, and will also post a few pictures from your yard (our banana plant is shooting up there, can't wait to hack some tasty goodness off that thing with a machete, hmmm).

Not much point in documenting this past weekend with pictures, since we really didn't do much. Thinking back, here is how this weekend "went down", as I recall it:

Saturday

Ran some errands, Bookmans, I think, bought a Yardbirds 2CD set, a Black Sabbath CD with Ronnie James Dio on vocals, incredible, and a Spinal Tap CD, just because. I think we probably did some other things that day, but that's the only thing I remember. I'm sure we sat around and played with Brenna, maybe we ate pork chops. Maybe not.

Oh yeah, how could I forget, I had to work at 2am for a project and then worked some later that night. I must have conveniently blocked that from my memory.

Sunday

We went over to Emily's parents house to feed their animals (they spent the weekend in Tucson), were late trying to get to church, so decided to drive to Phoenix's Bookmans, Baby's R Us and I think Einstein Bros.

Monday

Emily took Brenna to the local pool, which opened this weekend. I worked off and on throughout the day, and wrapped up something tonight and now am too wound up to sleep. My body won't be happy with having to come back in here to this PC in five hours.

FYI - I'll be leaving for Hawaii this Sunday, taking the long way via Las Vegas, although admittedly coming back will be far worse, leaving Honolulu on a Saturday morning at 2am Phoenix time, arriving back here 13 hours later (thanks to a layover in Oakland). I hope to upload and post a few pictures while I'm there, perhaps whilst hanging out the window of my hotel room or through the windshield of my rental car (wait, that's not safe, I've NEVER done that before). I should have a little free time and am already researching used CD stores near my hotel and on Kauai. Some cool Japanese imports get traded in over there from Asian tourists.

Enough for now, my CD is wrapping up and my eyesight is getting blurry.

Guess What? More Brenna!

Below are a few more pictures of Brenna from the past week, including....

A close encounter of the Brenna kind on the couch. Emily took about twenty pictures of her during this "session", this was one of my favorites.

Brenna hanging out with her glow in the dark faced Pooh Bear (least of all Winnie the Pooh).

Here we're preparing to ship Brenna back to Georgia to visit her grandparents whom she misses already. We thought we'd pack a change of clothes with her, just in case she needs them.

Back in the swing again, this is one of Brenna's favorite places to unwind these days, and with it seasonably cool right now (only 90 degrees!), the nights have a nice nip to them, perfect for swinging! She enjoys rocking the swing by pulling on the ropes and likes to swing sometimes without hanging onto anything, her arms in the air. Our little daredevil.

And finally, for those of you new to the blog who are wondering who this Darrick fellow is that I referred to in yesterday's posting, below is the infamous cougar killing shot. This was from when Brenna was a wee two weeks in the world. If you're a regular follower of ye old blog, you already know that Darrick and Melanie had their first little one a few months ago, below Melanie is still anxiously awaiting the arrival of Alexander.

Where's Darrick?

Last time we met, Darrick mystified us with his elaborate signing, perchance telling us about the time he killed a cougar with his bare hands, or possibly explaining how to construct a nuclear bomb out of turpentine and rubber bands. Whatever the case, I'm disappointed to report that not only did we not capture him on film during this recent visit with he and Melanie, but he alluded the cameras altogether! Maybe fearing he had given away too many trade secrets, he opted to go incognito this time around.

Whatever the case, below are some pictures of Brenna meeting her cousin Alexander for the first time. Notice there was absolutely no eye contact between the two, speaking for Brenna, she appeared to be transfixed by the camera (unlike Darrick!).

Oh, and for good measure, because I know you've missed them, I've posted a stoned picture of myself from an otherwise pleasant group shot of the family.

Aunt Sue and Uncle Tom are in the last picture, they also came by on their way back out to the high seas.

CD Of The Day: Silkworm's Blueblood, a fine band out of the Chicago area, this is one of my favorites. Great songwriting, including my favorite, "Who wants to fall in love with a whore, not me, less you, least of all Winnie The Pooh". Hmm, put that on my tombstone when I die, profound. Methinks it would be worth my time to start my Metal School blog back up....

Good day.

Pooltime!

We took Brenna over to Grandma and Grandpa H's hotel last Friday to go for a little swim. Below are some pictures from that adventure.

More pictures in the coming days from the grandparent's visit.

Brenna-A-Plenty!

Sorry, the a-plenty thing is a theme for me today. Brenna's grandparents from Georgia are visiting this week, they were here this past weekend, and have escaped to the cooler weather in Flagstaff, before returning on Thursday night for more punishment (or pleasure, depending on whether we're talking about the heat or the granddaughter).

My day so far:

- Seeing my parents off
- No access to work due to issues on their end
- Finger twiddling
- Lunch
- Finally worked
- This

What's yet to come:

- Putting up laundry, cleaning out the dishwasher
- Cooking dinner
- Playing with Brenna, helping put her to bed
- Going back to work

Music listened to so far today:

- Beastie Boys - Check Your Head - I couldn't resist, if you're going to wear the shirt, you have to listen to the CD. My favorite line from that album, "Just give us some wood and we'll build you a cabinet". I'm not sure in what context this comes up in the song, but I find it funny every time I hear it.

- Flotsam and Jetsam - High - Totally changing directions, my favorite album from this Arizona native band, I'm tapping into this one to power me through this marathon blog.

Given my work schedule the next three days, this may be the only Brenna update for a while. Enjoy.

Below are a couple of pictures from Brenna's outing to The Golden Trough (I mean Corral) after church on Mother's Day. Making the rounds, she visited Aunt Beth... you wouldn't think she'd be that happy to see Beth, whom she sees every day, but Beth has that magic touch to keep her happy and occupied well past the point you would think possible. Here she's bordering on getting irate, but you would know it until now, would you?

Here is a rare Brenna picture with her great-grandparents. Mmmm, blueberry pie.

Back home, here is Brenna with Grandma H. We'll be putting this picture in her Mother's Day gift, a frame that has a recording of Brenna babbling on it. Shhh, it's a secret.



Next is Brenna visiting with Grandpa H. This is perhaps the furthest off the ground Brenna has ever been to date.

"Oh Lord, why more pictures?" Here is Brenna at the Tonto Ruins visitor center, near Roosevelt Lake. I'll post those shots as soon as time permits.

Over at Grandma Becky's house, Brenna is devouring one of her favorite toys, the ever giddy to see Brenna lightning bug.




A candid shot here of both sets of grandparents, taken on Mother's Day.

Brenna really enjoys the following:

- being held upside down

- being pushed really fast in her outside swing

Below is evidence of the former.

What seems to be missing from this blog? Hmm, perhaps a shot with Daddy? Out of the perhaps hundreds of pictures taken from this past weekend I found two of Brenna taken with me on the couch. I used to joke with my cousin Bill, who's a smoker, that most pictures he takes were taken with what we both called the nicotine hand (aka "the shakes"). The two pictures taken of myself and Brenna on the couch were taken evidently by the nicotine hand, so I have opted not to post them here. Oh well, more photo ops abound, sure as there are feathers on a chicken.

Brenna At Daycare

Courtesy of Emily's sister Beth, below are a few pictures of Brenna at daycare in the past week or so, including her using a sippy cup and being vampire baby with a few of her friends.

Brenna Mega Post!

Lots of Brenna pictures to follow. Our little girl just turned seven months old yesterday, and is learning new things every day. She's saying mama and dada on a fairly regular basis, among other things that could be interpreted to be various words. She's playing on the floor unaided, although still not interested in crawling. She's also sleeping in her big girl crib in her room!

Below, Brenna appears to be trying on Grandpa's hat, I must have been asleep somewhere, I don't recall being around when this hilarity ensued.

I DO remember this one, Brenna and me this past weekend visiting on the couch.

Here's a shot of Emily and Brenna looking out the window at me in the back yard. Many bird has met it's demise smashing into this window, my apologies if you decide to view this picture up close.

Here they are on the other side of the door.

Brenna threatens to whoop mama if she takes her panda bear away from her.

Up close Brenna...

And finally, enjoying time on the floor.

Brenna Double Feature

Two new videos for your viewing pleasure, the first is me filming Brenna during a dust storm, as she marvels at the wind blowing through the plants on our back porch. My apologies for the shakiness of the video, there were a few gusts that about blew me off my feet.

The second video is of Brenna enjoying my acting like a complete rube, doing my best Bon Scott.

For windy day Brenna, click this link
http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i8/xbel76/?action=view&current=07050701.flv

For Bon Scott Brenna, click this link
http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i8/xbel76/?action=view&current=07050702.flv

Monday Brenna!

Below are a few pictures Emily just forwarded me from Brenna's day in the nursery at church this past weekend.

I have a number of other pictures to post once I get my camera back from my wife! Also have some video including Brenna laughing hysterically at me doing my best Bon Scott yelp while we were watching her favorite band AC/DC last night on VH1 Classic. Not to be missed!