Happy New Year Crop Top

The start of a fresh new year. Hope springs eternal. Resolutions run rampant. Time to clean up, make some goals and chart our path through a glorious new year.

So what's that mean to a toddler closing in on his 22nd month? Time to abandon your young hippie ways and jump into the barber's chair. Long time followers of the blog will recall we did chop the mullet back in the Riff Raff days. Here we're talking about the entire landscape. Official Haircut #1.

Now keep in mind, we're making our way out in the hinterlands. I'm not driving the young prince to the city for a day at the salon. No sir. Strap the lil guy in a chair, give him plenty of playthings and hand me the shears.

We did have a sidebar to determine who was better qualified to play the butcher in this unfolding drama. Gayle's experience was limited to plucking eye brows. Back in college, working as a valet, I once shaved Paul's head during a particularly slow Sunday. So I grabbed the scissors and G the camera.





Aww how cute, first time hair up the nose...


Still having fun!


Alright...enough. Are we done yet?


Ta Da!!!!

Robby Visits Ranch

RB came out to bounce the lil guy on his knee.

Christmas Night with the cousins

Christmas Morning

Here we are...Christmas morning on the ranch.


Caden roasting by an open fire.


Plenty of presents for the lil guy. Merry Christmas!

Play time

Caden's new favorite word is hat.

"OY VEY IZ MIR"


"I got an interview with Perry White down at the Daily Planet."

Holiday at the Newmans

We went up to Greg and Debbie's for a holiday dinner. It was like a vacation getaway. Fine food and many laughs.

As we sat to enjoy dinner, Caden decided to call for take out.

Iron Bladder Lee suffered a blow out and it turns out we didn't have any spare trousers...so we went leg warmers...poor lil guy.

Chillin' by the fire with Miss Deb and Latte.

Never too early for Hall Hockey

This reminds me of my lacrosse days back at SDSU. Caden was no match for Charlie's strong wrist in the faceoff.


Hip Check!


Charlie showing off on the breakaway.

Parenting Class

Early Christmas with Family Lee

Terry, Sonia and lil Charlie came down for an early Christmas celebration. We all gathered in Coronado for some food and frolicking. Caden and Charlie hadn't seen each other in awhile, so we were anxious to get the cousins together.


Ben showed off the missing tooth that Caden knocked out at Thanksgiving...by dropping a plastic jack-in-the-box not with fisticuffs


Caden proceeded to throw a tantrum as we all sat for dinner, so we diverted his attention with an early present.


And we took some time for the standard family portraits...

Overnight with Granny and Grandad

Gayle and I went up to Newport Beach for the annual Crestline Party. Caden got to play and play in Coronado. Looks like everyone had some fun.

Class of 2026

The first of 17 or so school pictures. Today's youth, tomorrow's leaders. Click to enlarge and enjoy.

Thanksgiving

For some reason we weren't feeling too snappy this Thanksgiving. We barely even pulled out the camera. I guess we were just wrapped up in conversation and good eats.

Happy Birthday Cousin Emily

Wee cousin Emily, princess of the lollipop, turned 5 today.

Feedin Time

Took the lil guy for a hay ride to feed the horses.

No Play Today

Nose stuffed, mouth open, tongue out, slight fever, too darn pooped to move. You have to wonder what goes through the 19 month old mind the first time you get wiped out being sick. Poor lil buckeroo.