jimmy's blog

Cape Cod

2011-08-01T07:01:00.010-05:00

View from our room. This river runs into the Atlantic just off to the left.

Pilgrim Monument, P-Town.

Wellfleet, on Cape Cod Harbor

Marconi Station, Cape Cod National Seashore

Paine's Creek, Cape Cod Harbor.

Big Bend

2011-06-04T11:05:00.028-05:00

First stop, Seminole Canyon. My father-in-law (Tommy), Jameson and I camped here coming and going.

This canyon is just off of the Pecos, and hunters used it as a bison trap 12,000 years ago. There are cave paintings down in the canyon. It is windy as hell, and hard to put up a tent here. On the plus side, they have a shower. No showers at the Big Bend campsite

Pecos River.

Chisos Basin, Casa Grande in the background. We stayed here about 8 days. The basin is surrounded with peaks, except for what is called "the window" where the sun sets every night. The park is full of wild animals. We saw plenty, but not any of the bears or mountain lions. There are an estimated 30 bears and 24 cougars. Our last couple of days there, a family showed up with a couple of young boys, so Jameson had camping buddies. Their dad graduated from high school in Whitedeer, Texas.

Grapevine Hills Trail. We ate our lunch under the balancing rock.

Santa Elena Canyon, 111 degrees. Jameson threw a rock across the river into Mexico. He also found a bunch of Tamarind pods that had fallen from a tree. He likes how they rattle. I got him a Tamarind Nectar Jumex to drink in Alpine, and it's his new favorite drink.

Red, white and black volcanic tuff.

View from the Historic Homer Wilson Ranch.

The thatch roof, covered with corrugated metal, keeps it cool all the time.

Lost Mine Peak, elevation 7650 feet. Jameson was a champ, and earned a medallion for his hiking staff. The mountain has lots of spires, crevices and ridges. A momma bear with three cubs was seen at the trail head the previous morning, so we were constantly scanning the trail.

Terlingua, Texas. Tourist trap.

Scorpion Lollipop.

Rio Grande at the Contrabando movie set. The Gambler V was shot here, as well as 8 other equally good movies.

Javelina

The 160 ton 107 inch telescope at the McDonald Observatory.

Jameson controlling the 107 inch telescope.

New arbor

2011-05-17T07:46:00.003-05:00

Our new little arbor. I'm going to plant some grapes along the left side and let them climb on it.

Last soccer game of the season

2011-05-17T07:40:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day at Breakfast Klub

2011-05-17T07:30:00.005-05:00

Waffles and wings, catfish and grits.

Jumping on the futon bed

2011-05-17T07:25:00.003-05:00

Another Io Moth

2011-05-17T07:23:00.002-05:00

Jameson's Painting

2011-05-17T07:15:00.004-05:00

Race car with tail fin, radar dish, and rocket on top.

The Park

2011-04-22T21:58:00.013-05:00

18 month check up: 85% in height, 25% in weight. I guess we need to give him more soda pop in his sippy cup. Actually, the pediatrician says he's perfect. He knows a bunch of hand signs ("bird" is his favorite) but still only speaks a few words. Sibling rivalry is in full bloom.

Palm Sunday

2011-04-22T21:46:00.004-05:00

No training wheels

2011-04-22T21:42:00.002-05:00

Soccer 2011

2011-04-22T21:37:00.007-05:00

Our team is the Wildcats. Jameson is the best goalie on the team. Although he is in the 3-5 year old league, we appear to be the only team without a couple of seven year olds.

Moth

2011-04-11T06:42:00.003-05:00

Found this guy by the front door in the morning. Jameson took it to school for the day, and we let it go before dinner.

Assault catapult

2011-04-11T06:39:00.002-05:00

Tommy fabbed out this war making device for Jameson.

Spring Break 2011

2011-03-18T17:15:00.013-05:00

Woke up early and got to Enchanted Rock before the park filled up. It was cold, and Jameson was walking with his hands in pockets and fell. Busted his chin before we were 100 feet from the car.

Torsten likes Anna's furry pillow.

"DO NOT TRY ON THE MASKS! DO NOT TAKE PHOTOS OF THE MASKS!" This is a little store on South Congress close to Anna Martin's. We took in a bit of the SXSW scene there.

Mount Bonnell.

At Tony Romano's SXSW party.

Tony making the magic happen.

Jameson and Devin.

Children's Museum

2011-03-07T10:36:00.002-06:00

Rodeo Roundup

2011-03-02T18:18:00.001-06:00

Recent Pictures

2011-03-01T18:53:00.001-06:00

Our old computer crashed, so it took us a while to get back on track with pictures here.

Christmas 2010 video clips

2011-01-01T11:53:00.007-06:00

Christmas in Arkansas, 2010

2010-12-29T09:20:00.004-06:00

More December pics

2010-12-21T07:33:00.003-06:00

Daisy and Dolly

2010-12-06T10:47:00.003-06:00

Jameson's class is called the Dynamic Dolphins. The dolphin lovies come with their own pillow and blanket, and got tucked in every night at the foot of Jameson's bed. Evidently Daisy and Dolly ate a bunch of one of the other kid's Halloween candy. The next week another classmate took them with him to the dentist, and they had cavities filled.

Breakfast with Santa

2010-12-05T11:08:00.006-06:00

Torsten hates Santa.

Gimpy

2010-12-05T10:57:00.006-06:00

Update: He is scheduled to get a cast, Friday, December 10th.

So as you all know already, Torsten fell down awkwardly and hurt his leg or ankle. The 24 hour clinic took an X-ray and put a splint on it. The results were inconclusive, but they guessed "toddler's fracture." When we took him to the follow up appointment, they took off the splint and found a pressure sore on his heel. The doc twisted his ankle around, and Torsten didn't fuss. He guessed there was no fracture. Normally, he would have put a cast on it anyway, just to be safe, but didn't because of the sore. He asked us not to let him stand on it for a couple of weeks. Well, he stood on it, and now he is in pain again. It is probably broken. We will call the doctor Monday morning and see how soon he can put a cast on it.

Battleship Texas and the San Jacinto Monument

2010-12-03T07:51:00.005-06:00

Granddaddy took Jameson to see the Battleship Texas.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T07:33:00.005-06:00

I woke up this morning and had pecan pie with my coffee.

Jerk Turkey.

Jameson helped say the blessing. I think it was along the lines of "Please bless this dinner and make it the best dinner ever." And fyi, he likes his deviled eggs with no devil on them. Everybody brought something delicious to eat, and it was good.

November pics

2010-11-19T15:11:00.003-06:00

No skeletons allowed.

Torsten's new helmet. He wears it for three or four months.

Happy Thanksgiving. Jameson's Native American name is Swift Wind.

Double Lake

2010-11-08T06:41:00.006-06:00

Jameson made friends with a couple of girls a few campsites over. He invited them on the nature hike, and then they invited him over later for smores and hot chocolate. They brought razor scooters and so did Jameson, so they were hell on wheels the whole weekend.

Torsten went camping for the first time, so we had to upgrade the tent.

Texas had its first good cold snap. Temps were in the mid 30s at night.

Halloween

2010-11-01T11:01:00.001-05:00

Boo!

2010-10-28T19:34:00.000-05:00

Gearing up for the big day.

Torsten turns One

2010-10-24T09:57:00.006-05:00

Bath Time

2010-10-21T14:37:00.000-05:00

Jameson's Room

2010-10-04T11:33:00.002-05:00

Auntie Jen came over and spruced up the place.

First Day of School

2010-08-30T09:46:00.002-05:00

Jameson is styling with his new lunch kit.

Sweden 2010

2010-08-22T12:03:00.051-05:00

The Lake House (on Lake Runn near Torsang).

Lilymore, Anders' wife, made Jameson a birthday cake.

Uncle Erik (manlig punkare).

Jameson coming out to join me while I take in the view with my afternoon coffee.

Erik advising Jameson on hunting water striders. Jameson is an ace bug collecter.

Great Uncle Anders.

Does she have what it takes to brave the icy waters? (Yes she does.)

Moose Zoo. These guys are kept in a pretty big fenced area during the short summer, and get to wander freely over a huge piece of land during the long winter.

In Halmstad visiting Par and his family. A long nature trail starts at the end of the road right next to their place, and runs along the Atlantic.

Breaking for coffee and homemade bullar (cinnamon buns). Par bakes.

Icy cold post salt-water pool rinse off. Jameson needed a little coaxing. (thanks for the picture Par)

The boys with their little Swedish cousins, Isabella and Inez.

Rattvik summer luge. Erik says that when they were kids, Desiree's brother, Krister, went flying off this thing.

The Copper Mine at Falun, discovered by a goat, according to legend.

At the Pippi Longstocking Museum in Stockholm.

Swedish Museum of Natural History.

Hakan and Lena at an outdoor concert.

Lena at a pub in Gumla Stan (Old Town). Lena ranks highly in Jameson's list of important people.

Kicki.

Mosebacke Terrace beer garden with Lena and Kicki. It provides a great view of Stockholm.

Dragon at a playground. This one shoots water instead of flames.

Block Town

2010-07-23T09:02:00.007-05:00

Jameson's town has a rocket launcher, skateboard ramp, tire cleaner, aquarium, towers, houses and a monster truck.

Bath Time

2010-07-23T08:56:00.002-05:00

Portraits of Jameson by Amy Jones

2010-07-19T18:06:00.004-05:00

vids

2010-07-10T19:42:00.002-05:00

July 4th Family Reunion

2010-07-07T13:23:00.006-05:00

June

2010-06-30T20:46:00.005-05:00

The boys on Jameson's bed. They are so studly.

Desiree and the boys on the NASA tram.

Father's day at Topwater Grill.

Garden booty.

(comments written to Jameson or Torsten will get read aloud, multiple times, so bring the love)

Swinging

2010-06-05T14:12:00.003-05:00

Quail

2010-05-30T10:32:00.002-05:00

Right outside our front door.

Uncle Elliot and Aunt Janice

2010-05-24T07:25:00.003-05:00

Jameson's Graduation

2010-05-24T07:15:00.003-05:00

Grandpa and Zuzu's visit

2010-05-24T06:56:00.005-05:00

Mother's Day

2010-05-24T06:48:00.002-05:00

In the pool

2010-05-24T06:41:00.002-05:00

garden pics

2010-05-24T06:38:00.005-05:00

We see this guy every day a couple of times. So far, he just eats the clover in the grass. He's not too afraid of us. I put a live trap after I first saw him because I was worried about the garden, but he is wily. Did catch a possum.

Blueberries

Robot Boy

2010-05-24T06:36:00.002-05:00

Torsten and Granddaddy

2010-05-24T06:33:00.003-05:00

Thatcher's Party

2010-05-24T06:25:00.004-05:00

April

2010-04-25T16:56:00.003-05:00

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T15:25:00.007-05:00

First game

2010-03-28T09:11:00.002-05:00

More March pics

2010-03-24T08:53:00.008-05:00

"Check out my school backpack"

The groom's cake at Missy's wedding.

March

2010-03-06T10:39:00.007-06:00

February

2010-02-08T16:39:00.005-06:00

Jameson is showing off a prize he won on the Kemah Boardwalk.

From Mormor's camera

2010-01-22T07:58:00.003-06:00

Pictures Jameson took with his new camera

2010-01-10T08:56:00.003-06:00

NASA Space Center

2009-12-30T17:24:00.002-06:00

The Nutcracker

2009-12-14T08:25:00.002-06:00

Lights in the Heights

2009-12-14T08:19:00.002-06:00

Mark and Sara's daughter Mari.

Jameson pirating Gracie's wagon.

Thanksgiving in Arkansas

2009-12-02T09:25:00.008-06:00

If any of you folks out there have more pics, email them my way.

Window Crayolas

2009-11-23T11:57:00.004-06:00

Jameson's Belated 4th BDay Party

2009-11-22T08:31:00.019-06:00

Jameson's birthday party was a bit late this year due to the arrival of his little brother. We had it at Jumpin'Jungle, and a bunch of his friends came and helped celebrate. The theme of the party was Cat in the Hat, which is why he has the hat on in the first video. I had one on too, but apparently escaped photographic documentation. Jameson had a great time, and loved all the cool loot he got. Thanks to everybody for making it a great day.

Amity turns one

2009-11-15T10:32:00.006-06:00

New look in the fishtank

2009-11-15T10:30:00.004-06:00

Jameson sketch

2009-11-10T16:35:00.003-06:00

Beth's Monk episode

2009-11-08T10:11:00.002-06:00

The Boys: Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T09:01:00.003-06:00

At Jen and Jamie's

2009-10-31T08:51:00.007-05:00

Ongoing baby pics

2009-10-23T08:36:00.008-05:00

Tommy took the last couple of shots, and we just had a chance to scan them.

Torsten comes home

2009-10-21T10:58:00.006-05:00

Torsten Erik Langston

2009-10-16T14:11:00.007-05:00

October 14th, 9:58 am. 7 lbs., 11 ozs.

Portraits

2009-09-28T15:22:00.004-05:00

Super Sibling Class and Kemah Boardwalk

2009-09-28T11:06:00.005-05:00

Jameson learned about swaddling, crying, diapers, being gentle, and talking with us if he feels like he needs more attention. He named his baby Bubblegum.

Jeremy and Jennifer brought Mathis, two years old, by for a visit. Jameson and Mathis jammed out.

Styling at the Cadillac Bar.

Recent video clips

2009-09-12T09:42:00.006-05:00

First day of school.

The Belly

2009-08-09T10:38:00.004-05:00

My lovely, lovely wife.

Bowling & Ice Cream on Jameson's 4th

2009-08-09T10:31:00.004-05:00

3D Ultrasounds: 29 Weeks

2009-08-02T08:52:00.008-05:00

We got lame ultrasounds from the OB this time, so we went to a place that does 3D/4D pics. His face looks a little lumpy because the umbilical cord is pressed against it. It's getting tight in there.

April 2009

2009-04-13T16:22:00.005-05:00

March 2009

2009-03-30T08:06:00.005-05:00

Jimmy A and Courtney's Wedding

2009-02-25T12:41:00.016-06:00

Wonderful Website

2009-02-12T15:27:00.007-06:00

Perception Laboratory's Face Transformer

If you make any pics you like at the site, feel free to send them my way so I can post them here.

2009 Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale

2009-01-17T14:07:00.011-06:00

Jennifer and I went to the fruit tree sale this morning. This year they held it at the Rice Stadium Concourse because of how popular it has become. Jen got three kinds of pear, a kumquat, and a lemon. I got a tropic snow peach and some brightwell blueberries, both suited to the low chill hours in my area. The blueberries will be close, but other people said they had had success with this variety. We were there early to get a good place in line, so we had a chance to do a little homework on what we wanted. A couple of the folks next to us in line were extremely savy. Jennifer made friends with a lady named Judy, and I asked a lot of questions from some guy that had all of the appearances of being homeless, but turned out to be some sort of Luddite home-owning gardening genius.

This was part of the line (it was looping half way around the stadium) that was still in place after we had checked out, loaded our cars, and returned our wagons. The people want their fruit, but if they got there late, they didn't get any.

Kemah Boardwalk

2009-01-17T14:01:00.003-06:00

We made our first trip to the boardwalk since Hurricane Ike. The boardwalk is still under construction, but some of the restaurants, including new ones, are open. The only rides are a new double-decker carousel and the rollercoaster. The employees and construction guys out-numbered the customers. We also hit the fish markets, a couple of which had not washed away.

Christmas in Arkansas

2009-01-01T10:31:00.011-06:00

What could be more fun than a poop machine?

Dez gave Jameson his first ice-skating lesson. As we expected, he's a champ.

Mom, as always, put out an incredible Christmas feast.

We went for a walk one morning at Gulpha Gorge National Park.

Aunt Jen and Play-dough bunny.

Uncle Jamie takes a shift.

Brycen and Jude spread the cheer.

Brycen and Jameson.

Jude, Grandpa and Mindy.

Nicholas and Amanda (getting hitched in October).

Matthew, Tabitha M and Brycen.

Alan Munde Gazette -- Deep Ellum Blues

2008-12-21T10:12:00.001-06:00

Snow

2008-12-11T12:48:00.006-06:00

We woke up this morning to a bit of snow on the ground. Dez got to stay home from work for a while because the Hartman Bridge was closed, and Jameson got to see real snow for the first time. Actually, he saw some in Sweden a couple of years ago, but he won't remember it.

Dez and Jameson had their first snowball fight. Jameson won. We took advantage of the morning by going to IHOP for pancakes.

Christmas Parade and Santa Breakfast

2008-12-07T14:32:00.010-06:00

Jameson and his buddies got to ride in Chevron Phillips' Firetruck for the Baytown Christmas Parade. The grownups sat in back, and the boys sat up on the center console. That's them looking out of the front window in the first pic. Jameson sang his versions of "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" over the intercom for the crowd. He was a big hit. He also got to press the button that operated the "snow" machine on the front bumper. It sent suds flying all over the crowd, which was surprisingly large.

Can you see the "snow"? While we waited for the parade to start, we blasted the people on the float in front of us for a good thirty minutes.

Jameson asked Santa for the "Cars" movie, despite all of our coaching. Dez took pics of all the kids on Santa's lap, and Jameson was a champ while we waited.

Granddad & Grandma Ryals

2008-11-25T16:28:00.010-06:00

Aunt Janice gave me Granddad's Masonic ring when we saw them recently, so I started going through some memories. He loved to keep busy, and he loved his garden. I believe those are tomatoes he's got in the basket. He liked a platter of sliced tomotoes for just about every lunch and supper. The main entrance to his and grandma's house was through the back door, and they had a sort-of pantry/coat-room you had to go through to get into the kitchen. He had a metal shelf stocked with "canned" (pressure cooked in mason jars) veggies and jellies. The kitchen had an old formica table where we ate all of our breakfasts and lunches.

He didn't like messes. That's the side of the garage. Every visit started with two things. First, he would tell me the story about how he drove all night across the Texas panhandle singing "Little Brown Jug" to me. I was holding onto his finger, and everytime he thought he had me asleep, I would shake his finger and say "More Grandpa." He told me that story about once a day. Second, he gave a tour of the garden. "Look, I've got grapes this year. Muscadine." Every visit ended with complex driving directions, complete with biographies and genealogies of the people who lived in the houses he hoped we would be driving past.

When I was a kid, he loved to pull a turnip out of the garden, rinse it and peel it with a pocket knife, and get me to eat it like an apple. I was into it. Every summer we would sit in front of the tv, watching Grandma's soap operas, and shell peas for hours. He would get mad at Uncle Wilson for going into the water melon patch, cutting just the heart out of melon, eating on the spot, and pitching the rest of it.

Grandma did not love to keep busy, though she loved to feed us, and was proud of her chocolate pie. Her favorite games were Liverpool and Uno, and she wanted to win. She always had a good time, and liked to beg us not to take the cards she wanted. "Don't you wuv me?"

She ran a drug store with a soda fountain when they lived in Whitedeer, Texas. The sugar helped ruin her teeth. She always gave us a big thrill by taking out her false teeth and chasing us around to kiss us. Although she loved to laugh, she could not abide being tickled. Lots of stories about pans and other dangerous items being thrown in self defense. She was a knick knack collector, and liked little blown glass animals and porcelain figurines.

Still hanging out

2008-11-24T08:07:00.003-06:00

This is right outside of Jameson's window.

In the backyard today

2008-11-11T14:13:00.005-06:00

It stayed in the same spot until it got dark, then took off. Jameson got a good look at it after he woke up from his nap.

Wednesday update: Saw it again early this morning. I opened the blinds in the bedroom when I got out of bed at twilight, and it was on the fence right outside the window. The bedroom light seemed to annoy it. I didn't see it again the rest of the day. Dez wants to name it Hoot. Jennifer suggested Gandolf.

November photos

2008-11-09T16:17:00.007-06:00

I had a conference in San Antonio, so we took in some sights. This pic is at the Mission San Jose on the Mission Trail.

Janice and Elliot drove down from Driftwood and we hung out on the riverwalk. We took the riverboat tour and ate Mexican food.

Uno mas

2008-11-04T07:50:00.003-06:00

The dragon had a few of these wipeouts.

Halloween vids

2008-11-02T15:06:00.002-06:00

Pumpkin Carving

2008-11-02T08:30:00.004-06:00

More October Pics

2008-11-01T08:58:00.005-05:00

What to do whent the pool is too cold? How about floating in the bathtub with the spiderman tube from Anne and Mark.

Tumbling Class

2008-10-10T19:46:00.005-05:00

Jameson started tumbling class a couple of weeks ago. He and his buddy Lance, from across the culdesac, are the only kids in his group right now.