Greetings from California

I'm sitting here in Pasadena, CA, at the TechEd Conference getting ready for my presentation. I've got my posters up and my projector running and they just announced that they are opening the doors in 5 minutes.

To tell you the truth, I'm quite excited for this to start... and likewise, be over with.

James came over last night and we went to dinner at an Italian Restaurant (Mi Piace) around the corner from the hotel. It was quite good. He left around 10:30 PM.

Folks are starting to come in... more later.

A few more videos...

Click on one of the video buttons below to load a new video. When you select a video it will automatically play.

Too much sweetness...

This video was taken the day after Andee was born when Alex and I visited them after lunch. I figured that it was as good as time as any to try to and test a video out on the blog. Since I know Flash and Flash Video, I thought I'd drop this in for all y'all.

You'll need Flash Player 7 to see the video (most of you should have this already). Here's a link to the free Flash Player if you are not up to date: Get Flash



Here are some pictures:

The classic bird's eye view shot.


Alex and Andee chilling on Mom's hospital bed.


In the carseat and ready to go home.

I hate these things, but I'll play...

Four jobs I've had:

1. Spent my high school years working at a sheltered workshop/second-hand store (DI)
2. Did HVAC installation for a summer before I got hitched
3. Yearbook department at Herff Jones
4. Professor

Four movies I can watch over and over:

1. Ten Things I Hate About You
2. Out Cold
3. Bring It On
4. The Fifth Element

Four places I have lived:

1. San Antonio, TX
2. Logan, UT
3. Price, UT
4. Penns Grove, NJ

Four TV shows I love(d):

1. The Office
2. Iron Chef (America or the Original Japan version)
3. Without A Trace
4. Night Court


Four highly regarded and recommended TV shows that I've never watched a single minute of:

1. Desperate Housewives
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. The Sopranos
4. Criminal Minds

Four books I'm now reading or just finished:

1. "Super Toys Last All Summer Long and Other Stories of Future Time" by Brian Aldiss
2. "Flash 8 Actionscript: Training From The Course" by Jobe Makar and Danny Patterson
3. "CSS Pocket Reference" by Eric Meyer
4. "The Ultimate Weight Solution" by Dr. Phil McGraw

Four Places I have vacationed:

1. Southern California
2. Scottsdale/Peoria, AZ
3. Lake Tahoe, NV
4. Jackson Hole, WY

Four of my favorite dishes:

1. Enchilladas Verde (at 'La Paloma Blanca' in SA, TX)
2. Meatball Sandwiches
3. Steak and a big baked potato
4. ... anything Tex Mex!

Four sites I visited daily:

1. MaCNN (www.macnn.com/news)
2. CNN (www.cnn.com)
3. PVP Online (www.pvponline.com)
4. My depatment's online forums

Four places I rather be right now:

1. Watching a movie
2. Playing a video games
3. Watching TV
4. In bed with my wife

Four bloggers I am tagging:

1. Mindy (Love Ya!)
2. Nate
3. Becky
4. ... oh who else... okay... my Mom!

Yuck!

In my recent internet travels, I came across this image:



It's called an isopod.

Isopods are one of the most diverse orders of Crustaceans, with many species living in all environments, and are common in shallow marine waters. Unlike most crustaceans, isopods are successful on land (suborder Oniscidea, woodlice), although their greatest diversity remains in the deep sea (suborder Asellota). The isopods are an ancient group with fossils known from the Carboniferous (suborder Phreatoicidea, family Paleophreatoicidae) that only differ slightly from modern southern hemisphere freshwater phreatoicideans. - "isopod" definition from the Wikipedia

Looks like a giant potato bug, but it's a shellfish.

I think I'll stick to eating shrimp.

Mom and Baby are home...

... and doing quite well.

Call if you'd like. Whenever you'd like. We'll be pulling some late nights.

;)

... and then there were four.

Yesterday afternoon, I took Aimee, Aaron and Alex up to see their little sister.

Here are the pics:

Andee's here!

She was born at 7:38 AM... and she was breech! The doc made the uterary incision and saw a foot and a hand. A few minutes later she was free from the womb!

She's 7 lbs. 6 oz. and 19.5" long.

Here are some pics:

Before we got the hospital we have to take one last picture.


She's out and screaming!


Mom, Dad and Andee in the OR.


Our "cheesy" baby resting a bit.


Getting her hair washed.


She has a mullet... short up front... long in the back!


Screaming again!


She's tiny.


Mom's first attempt at feeding. Hopefully the second one will go better. (She fell asleep.)


Father and daughter.


... and this one is for Sean. ;)

T-minus 10 hours and counting...

Okey-dokey folks... we need  to be at the hospital at 5:00 AM for some bloodwork to be done and then the op is scheduled for 7:00 AM (CST) and I'll be the proud papa of 4.

The kids are over at a friends' house and are spending the night and they will take them to school tomorrow and watch Alex until I go pick up the kids.

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts.

Check back tomorrow evening and we should have some pics up for your enjoyment.

Later.