Happy (Almost) Half Birthday Dad

You'd never thought the day would come. The unattainable. The diamond in the rough. This goal has only been reached through 15 years of wading through every clothing rack, appliance display, and outdoors store in the universe. But here it is, the perfect gift for Patrick A. Thomas. I couldn't wait to share the news for a real celebration day. So who's got dibs?



Now with the new Tefal Toast n' Egg you can have a hot breakfast sandwich in just four minutes, before you rush out the door. A multifunctional appliance, the Toast n Egg will toast your bread and muffins, cook your egg and warm your precooked meats all at once or separately as desired. The Toast n Egg can even prepare your egg in two ways. You can use either the steamer tray for hard boiled eggs or the poaching tray which makes muffin-sized eggs. Finally with the two wide toast slots and the warming tray for meats, the Tefal Toast n Egg has been carefully designed to accommodate your every need. It does not, however, do your taxes or make yogurt.

So a man walks into a bar . . .

Story: We are in the car at Christmas with Ryan's family. I tell a funny story. Somewhere in the story, right before everyone laughs I say the word "July." Kate picks up on this. She thinks that the word "July" is a joke. She says July and cracks up hysterically. Then we all laugh again, at Kate, but she thinks we're laughing at July, further confirming her belief that the word July must be hilarious. This is her new favorite joke. She says july, Ryan and I laugh. So for those of you who are like me and only remember the punch lines to jokes, here's a perfect remedy! You can try out the "july joke" at your next work party. It may be just as successful as the punch-line only ones you've tried before. PS If Kate tries this joke out on you, please laugh, her comic career is so new and fragile.

Modeling

I found a way to make a quick post using another computer. So good news, my blogging craving will not go unheeded. Maybe that won't top your "good news list" but I was excited to get back to posting.

So Kate's not quite a professional model yet, but we feel like the gratification that comes from seeing cuter-than-ever pics of her on someone else's blog is payment enough. Also, there's some measure of credence attributed to Ryan's and my over-the-top love for Kate when someone else finds your child enjoyable and cute enough to photograph them and display the results.

Alli Miles, the cutest law student/photographer (great combo huh?) took some shots of Kate. You can check them out at her blog. AllSmiles There are two posts of her, so take a look at posts titled "untitled" and "baby k" Love to all!

Announcement

We have lost a member of our technology family this week, it's not very big at the Morgan household, so each loss is monumental. Our computer has passed on. AKA : no more posts for quite some time, I'm so sad. I will miss my blogging, doing business online, and maybe even visiting websites with pictures of skulls, muscles, nerves and what-not to help prepare for anatomy tests, or maybe not. Hope to return soon!

Loved this simple article

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End of the Year Dividends

These Christmas mornings with children are one of the great payoffs of parenthood. We have just one little tiny charming girl and she's only just begun to realize that receiving many new toys all at once doesn't occur everyday. When I watched her little chubby hand retrieve three hot wheels cars from her stocking and she caught a glimpse of her prize, the expression on her face shouted, "how could I be so lucky?" And I had the same thought, although for different reasons. So I can imagine that we are nearing peak on the "joy of Christmas" roller coaster ride. As our children (NO we are not pregnant) near the ages of 5-11 I will probably not embrace the warm little bodies entering our room in the wee hours of 3-6 a.m. But to see that uncontainable anticipation and joy at the surprises in their stocking and wrapped under the tree is cause for me to anticipate and enjoy all those Christmases to come.
This is Kate in one her most common poses, I call it "studying." She's giving those hot wheels a once-over just to be sure none of the elves were off-task.

This is the traditional "on the stairs" shot. Unfortunately our pics from Christmas morning turned out pretty poorly, this is the best we've got. I promise she was much happier and much more excited than this picture lets on.

Kate opened her baby stroller first. We could hardly drag her away from doing laps around the living room to open more gifts.

Christmas in Montana

So you've probably heard this little statement, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." Well Portland, OR was filled with great fear this Christmas as they were dumped on for the first time in fifty years. (I heard anywhere between 30-60 years, so I thought I was safe with fifty). This lack of preparation put Ryan, Kate, Ryan's sisters, and me on 3 cancelled flights trying to fly home from Salt Lake for the holidays. Through the good graces of Ryan's dad, we finally arrived in Portland before Christmas via a flight to Seattle and one very cramped drive from Seattle to Portland (7 people in six seats plus 7 people's stuff for the 9 day stay)

Growing up, I loved, loved, loved the snow. Winter came with much anticipation and excitement because we were prepared and had all the right stuff to have fun and be safe in the winter weather. We embraced the cold and snow because we knew it would come with or without a good attitude and warm socks.

This is my mom reminding me what a difference it makes when you are prepared and can enjoy winter. She's on our trampoline in our backyard.

Check out these other awesome shots from winter in Montana - I miss home.