Random Photos

Just testing out the new camera. I have no further description:

Max playing Hockey

Just a quick upload for your viewing pleasure... sorry it gets blurry a few times. Still learning the camera.

Max is in the white pants with black patches.

ManApes

"I won't have to worry about putting gas in my car. I won't have to worry about paying my mortgage..."

"A democracy cannot survive as a permanent form of government. It can last only until its citizens discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority (who vote) will vote for those candidates promising the greatest benefits from the public purse, with the result that a democracy will always collapse from loose fiscal policies" -Lord Thomas MacCauley

Halloween Costumes

The Oompa Loompa should be obvious. You guys can guess at Cassidy's costume... I will reveal it after interest in commenting dies down.

Cassidy the Entrepreneur

Cassidy heard about a theater class this fall, after school for a few weeks. Since she's already in Volleyball and Dance, and considering the current economic woes, naturally we told her to go kick rocks. But, she decided she'd try to earn money for it herself. So... she posted this sign on our mailbox. Needless to say, we signed her up for the class in the end (despite the weak neighborhood response to her offered services).

Little does she know, if she ever does make a bunch of money by starting this enterprise we plan to tax her at 50% so we can redistribute her wealth to her poor brother that opted to play video games. It's time for her to start paying her fair share, we think.

ManApes tomorrow!

To answer Megan's excellent question: What's going on with the ManApes?

Because there are more important things than politics.

Funner than politics...

I would never have posted this, but my sicko brother Brett thought it was blog-worthy.

Check out my fatty cyst and the incision on my spine that the doctor cut it out of.... Awesome!




Suddenly I'm hungry for meatballs...

Martin's Cove and Yellowstone

Cassidy shot a lot of this video and pictures, and helped put this compilation together. What a cool trip...

ManApes concert event of the year!

Check this out... we're playing tonight at Herman's Hideaway in Denver.

That's big to us because they've previously been host to huge bands like 311, The Fray, Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, Phish, and most importantly Big Head Todd and the Monsters, whose career they helped kick off.


And check out this cool ticket... (printable if you care to attend):


They make videos of all shows available, so I'm sure I'll be posting video highlights in the coming weeks.

Cruisin' to Mexico

Some pics of our cruise from San Diego to Cabo to Ensenada:

Toasting the amazingness of the fish taco.

The beautiful fish taco (held by the beautiful fish taco model, Teri) in Ensenada. Definitely felt better going in than coming out that evening.

Warming Brett up for his Ping Pong tournament.

Everyone gets so excited about Yahtzee

1 of the 83 free ice cream cones I consumed during the week.

With our ship, leaving Mexico.

Hanging Lake - Glenwood Springs

We surprised the kids this weekend (the first weekend of our "Discover how much Colorado rocks" summer) with a trip to one of the state's classic hikes - Hanging Lake... just east of Glendwood Springs.


Most of the steep path (3-mi roundtrip) was covered in snow. And most hikers had soaking wet butts on the way down.


The most exposed part of the hike... protected by an old handrail.


Timed self-portrait. I might have gotten closer to the family group, but I might have also slipped under the rail in my haste and fallen to a cold, rocky death.


The reward at the end - Hanging Lake. Amazing. The picture can't do it justice. A 1-acre alpine lake with crystal clear water, trout, and limestone waterfalls.


Sprouting Rock is a short side-hike... a waterfall right out of the side of a cliff.

Putting the new Strat to work...

ManApes playing their "Ides of ManApes" show.

YouTube needs time to process

Happy Birthday to Todd

Todd's new Hot Rod 1962 Reissue Strat

If you haven't seen the ManApes live yet... it is now time.

Cassidy and Max's 10th Bday

The brand new 10-yr-olds all dressed up for their favorite birthday activity - church.

The birthday breakfast-in-bed-tradition.

You can probably figure this one out without a caption.

Hawaiian theme party with (Brett)Ogden and (Jamie)Townsend cousins. Plenty of energy at this party, even before cake consumption.

Chuggin coconut milk (incidentally, a lifetime goal of Cole's).

Cassidy and her new guitar (see the vid below for proof that she's not just a po... she can rock with that axe).

Cassidy jammin' a primary tune

After a flawless and quiet performance at church, this is the video of Cassidy attempting an encore performance at her family b-day party. You may hear evidence of young family members in the background.

Cassidy & Max Snowboarding

Highly artistic vid of our family board trip to SolVista Basin last week. I felt like I needed to make up for my blog laziness.