Yay to Me

I really wasn't expecting it this year, even though I have done many great things, but apparently the people at Time Magazine feel I deserve it. I am Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

Happy Birthday Matt

Happy Birthday Matthew Marie

Matthew is my oldest nephew and he turns 11 years young today. Here are 10 things you probably didn't know about Matthew.

10. He isn't allowed to go to a public school, so his parents enrolled him in a charter school.
9. When he was a baby his head tasted very much like a peanut.
8. I am by far his favorite uncle, he has told me numerous times and regardless of what he says now, it still is true.
7. Matt has black and brown belts in all sorts of marshal arts, but I can still whoop his butt in a fight. His younger brother Andy can also bring him to his knees with a shot to the junk.
6. Matthew has more beanie babies then hairs on his head. He has to sleep on the floor because his bed is so full of stuffed animals.
5. He has come up with more funny sayings then anyone I know. "Sharp knife-shovel", "head back...just water" and "mint gum" are just a few of my favorite.
4. Matthew received a "check-minus" in scissor usage during kindergarten. Luckily his Mom was a Creative Memories Consultant and was able to talk to his principal and get the teacher fired and the grade changed.
3. Matthew loves babies more then anyone I know, except for his Grandma. He is also the only Kurt cousin I would trust to watch Libby.
2. Matthew always carries a nickel around in his pocket. When he sees someone who looks sad, he gives them his nickel and does a funny little jig. It always makes that person smile.
1. I bought Matthew his first pet the day after his younger brother Andrew was born. The goldfish died soon after.

The Poster

Beth is in Orlando this weekend at the ASH Conference. It is the largest and most prestigous of all of the hemotology conferences. She was chosen to present a poster that had something to do with pediatric cancer (I am sure she told me 50 times what it was about, but I wasn't listening). Now when I heard that she was presenting a poster, I assumed it would be a little piece of poster board with a graph and a few pictures. The poster she made was incredible, it was 4 feet by 8 feet long and had a ton of information I didn't understand. Since she had never presented a poster like she she asked one of her fellow Fellows for some advice. The first thing that the Fellow said was "Don't forget your poster".

Flash back to Friday night. I had just got done talking to the cops and letting them know that the burglar alarm was a false alarm when I got a phone call from Beth, who I had just dropped off at the airport. She as sitting on the plane and remembered that she didn't have her poster with her. In all the confusion of me rushing to drop her off and get home to see if we had been robbed, Beth left her poster in the trunk. So after a few frantic calls to Kinko's I found one that would except Fed-Ex packages up until 10 p.m. for next day delivery. So I re-bundled Libby up and drove out to Kinko's and for the low price of $55, the poster was at Beth's hotel by 9:30 a.m.

Must See

Set your VCRs or DVRs for Larry King Live tonite at 9 p.m. EST (8 p.m. CST), or just watch it with all the commercials like a sucker. Larry is having Marlo Thomas along with some of the families, patients, and doctors from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on tonight. It is the kick-off to the Thanks AND Giving fund raising Campaign. Be sure to have some kleenex on hand as you will for sure shed some tears. When you see and hear the amazing life changing things they are doing at St. Jude's, it will help you to understand why Beth and I moved away from friends and family to this crime-ridden city. If you want to make the show into a fun drinking game, take a shot everytime Marlo Thomas has to correct Larry King from calling it the "Thanksgiving Campaign".

False Alarm

This evening as I was dropping Beth off at the airport for her trip to Orlando for the annual ASH conference, I got a call from the alarm company that the interior motion sensor had gone off at home, I asked them to call the police. I shooed Beth out of the car and drove home as fast as my little car would carry me. Luckily it was a false alarm and everything was ok. I made it home in about 15 minutes, beating the cops there by 30 minutes. No wonder crime in Memphis is so out of control, it takes the cops forever to respond to problems.

The Maid

My sister Susan always asks how I keep the house so neat and clean. Well here is my secret weapon. As part of Libby's chore list she has to vacuum the floors twice and week and clean all floor level windows once a month. 

Heart Beat

Yesterday Libby and I went along with Beth to her 12 1/2 week OB appointment. We got to hear the heart beat. The Doctor said it was very strong and the baby was quite the swimmer as she had a hard time keeping the probe on the baby to hear the heart beat. Maybe the baby will take after his/her Aunt Errin and be a world champion swimmer also. Also the due date has been changed to June 17, 2007, but Beth is still planning on having a c-section so the baby will probably be born a few weeks early.

One Size Fits Most

Last week one of Beth's co-workers gave her a shirt that is suppose to be "one size fits all". I took that to be a challenge of sorts. I had everyone in our family try it on and now it is up to all of you to vote as to who looked best in it. So there is no favoritism shown to anyone I hidden our identities.

A)


B)


C)


Please Vote.

Happy Birthday from the Wife

Guest Blogger Beth--

Happy 33rd Birthday to my sweetheart. Here are more things you may not know about my husband:
1. Jon was born at exactly this moment 33 years ago--10:28 pm. The weather was cold and windy, not unlike the weather today (or at least that's what his mom would say every year when she called on his birthday).
2. When I met Jon, the only thing he knew how to cook was apple pie. Now, if he didn't cook, we would definitely starve.
3. Jon knows that my biggest pet peeve is when he uses incorrect grammar or spelling on his blog, which is why he publishes it unedited and full of mistakes.
4. Jon and I met when he stole my purse after a Campus Life softball game.
5. I can count on one hand the number of fights we've had in 10 years, and they've all been about stupid things.
6. Jon reads on average two books a week, usually between the hours 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. I have growled at him on more than one occasion because he turns pages too loudly or because his little book light shines in my eyes when I am trying to sleep.
7. Jon is really good at keeping a secret, but he hates surprises. A present under the Christmas tree with his name on it drives him crazy.
8. Jon loves to talk with his family on the phone. He has taken to arranging conference calls for me and my sisters because we are so bad at keeping in touch.
9. Jon's favorite cake is pineapple-upsidedown cake. Chocolate cherry cake is a close second. As a bad wife, I made neither of these for his birthday.
10. I have loved Jon's second-grade humor for almost 16 years. I hate to admit it, but it never gets old (maybe with the exception of the mooning incident on Christmas Eve a few years back).

Happy Birthday to Me

Today I turn 33 years old. Like beef jerky I get better and better with each passing year. Here are ten things you probably didn't know about me:
10. I like my steaks so rare that they are still mooing.
9. I am most all of my nieces and nephews favorite Uncle.
8. I am by far the best driver I know, except I can't parallel park to save my life.
7. I try to watch more TV in a day then most people watch in a week. When I start to home school Libby, the whole curriculum will be based on TV shows.
6. When I hear the "ding" that a new email has arrived, even if I'm in the other room, I still have to go in and check it.
5. I never finished college because I wasn't challenged enough in my classes. But I do have a degree in the School of Hard Knocks.
4. My favorite brand of beer is Leinenkugel.
3. I have only had two jobs my entire life, donuts and videos, as long as you don't count the 1 shift I worked at Meijer hauling manure to peoples cars.
2. When it comes to eating cheese, I am a mystery, wrapped up in an enigma and smothered with secret sauce.
1. I love to "fritter" my money away gambling and will bet on just about anything. 

Thanksgiving Traditions

I love tradition. Usually on Thanksgiving we get to spend time with my side of the family and then go over and spend time with Beth's family. But this year Beth's parents are going to go to Minnie to visit Errin and Rudi for Thanksgiving.
I always love spending time with my brother-in-laws Rudi and Paul. We have a fun tradition of pulling practical jokes on each other during dinner. Last year Rudi topped us all by coming down for dinner not wearing any pants or underwear and having his entire p*nis stuffed into the cap of a bic pen. It was a site to see.

***Post Edit***
My wife has asked that I add an asterik to the word penis in the above post so that it doesn't offend anyone. Also in the interest of the truth, there seemed to be quite a bit of room left in the pen cap, so technically Rudi's penis wasn't stuffed in there.

Peek-A-Boo

While I'm folding laundry on the dining room table, Libby likes to peek through the windows on either side of the doors and watch what I'm doing. She smooshes her face up against the glass and babbles like a little brook. She also loves it when the dogs come up and start licking the glass thinking they will get her face.

Still Best Friends

Wednesday we had Damon, Jen and Isabelle over for chinese food. It is so much fun to watch Libby and Isabelle play together. They talk between themselves in their secret language and kept trying to give each other hugs. While Libby can be a bit of a brute sometimes, she is getting much better at sharing and not knocking Isabelle over. In a few monthes both girls will be able to complain to each other about what a pain their little brother/sister is. 

Happy Birthday Stretch

Stretch turns 7 years old today.

Here are ten things you might not know about Stretch:

10. Stretch is mostly black and about 12 inches long. Him and I share the same middle name, Mark.
9. He has a cousin who is also a Dachshund who lives in Florida named Vienna.
8. Stretch doesn't bite people, he gives them "teeth kisses".
7. Stretch use to like to jump on top of the toilet in the morning and hang out while Beth got ready. One time the toilet lid wasn't down. Click here to see the results.
6. Stretch really only listens to me because I am the alpha dog (and the comment master)
5. He loves nothing more then sleeping all day and all night under a blanket.
4. Stretch has gained about 3 lbs while living in the Bluff City.
3. Before we got Stretch I thought a doxhound and a dutchound were two different dogs. Lo and behold, they are just ways of mis-pronouncing Dachshund.
2. Stretch is a great watch dog and is very protective of Libby. One time we were at the vet office and someone tried to bend over to look at Libby in her car seat and Stretch started growling and placed himself in front of the car seat. That person turned out to be John Mark Karr.
1. Stretch can eat his own weight in dog food. 

Happy Birthday Beth

Beth turns 32 today and like a fine wine has gotten more amazing with each year that I have known her. This is our prom picture, I was pretty sure then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, so I invited her to my prom. Beth must not have been so sure, as I was not invited to her prom.Top Ten Things You Might Not Know About Beth

10. Beth has dated and been married to me for over half of her life.
9. Beth is the most caring and compastionate person I know. She makes an incredible Doctor. I have heard from so many nurses who work with her and parents of her patients that she is their favorite Doctor.
8. The first birthday present I ever got for Beth was the soundtrack to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (this year she got slippers).
7. Beth hardly ever answers her cellphone, even when I call.
6. Beth loves Chicago style hotdogs.
5. Beth has never gotten anything lower then an A- since high school and that was in driver's ed.
4. If you add up the number of degrees Beth has (after she finishes her PHD program) and the number I have, and average it, we each have 1 1/2 degrees.
3. Beth gets Libby's best smile everytime she comes home from work. All I have to say is "Mama's home" and Libby heads towards the door.
2. Beth is pregnant with our second child and according to the Chinese lunar calendar it will be a girl.
1. Beth is the greatest wife a guy could ever have. She works so hard and so many hours each week, but never complains. 

Libby's going to be a Big Sister

Beth had some exciting news for me about a month ago, she told me that she is pregant with our second child. Beth had her first doctors appointment on Wednesday and an ultrasound on Thursday. They did the ultrasound early to try and nail down the due date, as it looks like now it will be around June 13th, but probably earlier since Beth will have a repeat c-section. The ultrasound is actually very easy to read as it is a 4-D ultrasound, (I believe the D's stand for dodge, duck, dip and dodge) the head is on top, the gray dot in the middle is an eye. We are very lucky because Beth's OB/GYN performs a regular ultrasound and 4-D one each time, most charge $100 or so for this. With Libby we were able to see what parts of her face looked like in the womb and would have been able to see more except for Libby's feet and hands kept covering most of her face.
We are extra excited because Beth's sister Laura is due about 3 weeks before us. The two cousins will be bestest of friends, even if we have to force them to be. You can see a picture or Laura's baby here.
I really believe that this amazing news has really helped me cope with the death of my Mom last month. I know how excited my Mom would have been to hear that she is having a new grandbaby. I called my Mom's best friend Sherry today to tell her the good news and she squealed just like my Mom would have. She also attempted to quote Psalm 139:14 which my mom would quote to anyone who told her about their pregancy, but Sherry wasn't quite as good at it. 

Beautiful Day

Yesterday was such a beautiful winter day in the Bluff City, it was 84 and sunny. Libby and I stepped out to the zoo for a few hours. We saw the new Bengal baby tigers, the new rabbits and the new dirty sheep in the zoo area. Libby loved looking at this huge cow until it started to get a little close for comfort. Of course being the good parent I am, instead of moving her away, I got a picture of it. She seems to like the minature donkeys much better, they are allowed to nibble on her toes. 

War on Terror

Everyone should read this article written by democrat Orson Scott Card. Rush Limbaugh talked about it today on his program. Card does an amazing job talking about the War on Terror and how important the liberation of Iraq and Afghanistan were.

He talks about how the War on Terror really is the only issue that will matter in 5-10 years.

And the success of the War on Terror now teeters on the fulcrum of this election.

If control of the House passes into Democratic hands, there are enough withdraw-on-a-timetable Democrats in positions of prominence that it will not only seem to be a victory for our enemies, it will be one.

Unfortunately, the opposite is not the case -- if the Republican Party remains in control of both houses of Congress there is no guarantee that the outcome of the present war will be favorable for us or anyone else.

But at least there will be a chance.

For my brother

This combines two of my brother's favorite things, Justin Timberlake and The Office.



Ain't no Party like a Scranton Party. Thanks buddy for finding this.

Laughing Libby #3

Last week my sister-in-law Cathie sent out a scathing email which basically said that she would rather have Libby not come to Thanksgiving if there is even a small chance that she will cry or fuss. While I told Cathie that there is no way I can guarantee Libby will behave the entire time, I would be glad to show Cathie a few things she could do to make Libby laugh and smile and have a good day.

Cathie could hide in a cupboard, act like a weiner dog, sing like her husband Dave, or put a sock on her hand and tickle Libby's belly as shown in the video below.


Hopefully this holiday season Cathie will become part of the solution instead of being the problem.

It Could Be Worse

Not a day goes by that Beth doesn't complain about how poorly she is treated by her sister-in-laws Kris, Cathie and Susan. I always tell her that it could be worse and today I found an article that proves my point.

Jail for woman who kept sister-in-law as slave

Antonia Pearson-Gaballonie (top) and Veronica Sandeman.

A mother of six was jailed for seven years today for turning her sister-in-law into a domestic slave.

Antonia Pearson-Gaballonie, 35, kept Veronica Sandeman, now 26, as a slave, assaulted her, forced her to work naked and made her beg for food over a number of years, York Crown Court heard.

Pearson-Gaballonie, of New Lane, Acomb, York, was sentenced to a total of seven years after being found guilty earlier of false imprisonment, making threats to kill and six counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a week-long trial.

Her partner Neil Pearson, 35, whom she married in June 2004, was jailed for two years after being found guilty of one count of aiding and abetting an assault.

The Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, told Pearson-Gaballonie she was a "manipulative and cunning" individual who committed "callous and brutal" attacks on her sister-in-law in a period of systematic abuse, much of which was carried out while the victim was falsely imprisoned and forced to work naked under the gaze of Pearson.

The judge also said she had gone to great lengths to avoid the trial, including making an attempt on her life, and even initially refused to enter the dock for the sentencing hearing today.

So from now on when you think your life is hard and not going your way, just read the news.

Words of Wisdom

Live each week like it's Shark Week

-Tracy Jordon

Flu Shot

Libby and I each got our flu shot today, Beth got hers a few weeks ago. I took Libby to her doctor's office today to get hers and for the low-low price of $20 they were giving adults theirs also if they wanted it. I think Libby did better then I did at getting the shot, she didn't cry or scream at all. So far I do not have the flu, I will keep you posted.

Happy Halloween

This picture of Libby in her Halloween costume was taken about two months ago. Back then her costume a) fit her and b) didn't make her scream at the top of her lungs. So needless to say Libby did not dress up yesterday for Halloween. Instead of handing out candy or taking Libby out and about in the 13th most dangerous city in the U.S. (if you include "greater Memphis" in the equation we would be 2nd right behind St Louis), we went to a fellow fellow's house to celebrate. It was alot of fun, there were about 12 kids all under the age of two running around playing. 

There are two ways of having yourself photographed laying in a trunk-

The Classy Way: And then the Rich way:
 

Libby in the Cupboard

Libby's favorite new pastime is playing with the cupboard that we moved from the kitchen into the den. We had just put it there to get it out of the way during the kitchen remodel. Libby spends alot of time putting her toys into it, then closing the door, laughing, opening the door and removing all the toys.



A few days ago, I removed the shelves, added some pillows and now Libby loves to get into the cupboard. I close the doors and then she pushes them open laughing. She also finds it hilarious when Stretch or Zoe is put in the cupboard, at first the dogs didn't like it, know they go into it themselves.


With a little squeezing I can fit myself into the cupboard. Nothing makes her laugh harder then having me surprise her.

Breaking News!

About 3 o'clock this afternoon, I was watching my local NBC affiliate when they broke into the tv show with a Breaking News announcement. Apparently a manatee had been found swimming in the Mississippi River near Mud Island. If you watch the video, you will notice about 8-10 cops milling around the shoreline watching the manatee swim. The police were tipped off to the manatee when a concernced citizen called in to report a hippopatamus sitting on the dock. The best part of this is that Memphis has the second highest violent crime rate in the USA and just this week end there were four murders. Today at 10 a.m. the Mayor had a press conference to talk about how he will probably have to raise taxes to hire more cops to combat the violent crime. Couldn't those 8-10 cops (with more arriving as the video was being show by Chopper 5) be out patroling the streets and picking up criminals instead of staring at a sea cow?

Kitchen Remodel

We finally have our kitchen put back together. After about 6 weeks of chaos, everything has come together nicely. Here are some pictures:
Before-



During-



After-

It is great, we more then doubled our counter space and added tons more cabinets. We now have cabinets and drawers that are empty, which is a great problem to have. We still have a few things to take out of the attic, which is where we had to store quite a few things in the past. All thats left to do is some trim around the base of the cabinents and molding around the ceiling.

Good News..Bad News

The good news is Libby learned how to dance the other day. She loves to listen to music, especially the steel drum sounds from her Fisher-Price Bongo Drums. The bad news is she has the "Kurt" dancing gene and dances horribly, like her father. If you have ever seen the episode of Seinfeld where Elaine was dancing, imagine an infant doing that. Libby shakes her head, which causes her entire body to move and claps off-beat. We have tried numerous times to get video of this, but now whenever she sees the camera she poses for it. So this is the best we could do.

Relaxing Sunday Afternoon

Each Sunday afternoon Libby loves to sit back and relax and read through the ads in the paper. After reading each of them, she then tears them apart making them ready for recycling. 

Good Dog

Libby loves our two minature dachshunds, Zoe and Stretch. She loves to play with them and pet them. Sometimes she gets a little rough with them, but Stretch is quick to correct her (in a very gentle way).


Today as Stretch was sitting on Beth's lap, Libby came up and started giving Stretch hugs. I think Libby enjoyed the hugs more then Stretch did.