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Brant

Here are some photos of Brant!!By: Blake

Baby Steps

About 3 weeks ago Brant started to take some baby steps.Yea Brant! The whole family was amazed. Now Brant walks along the couch, ottoman, and his musical toy,and he even takes things out of the dishwasher and he pulls over the trash can.

Introspective Day

So, today should have been like any normal day, and in many ways it was. I spent a few minutes this morning reading a Sherlock Holmes book. And no, it wasn't because of the upcoming movie. I have a habit of reading several different books at a time (ADD maybe?) and I was over at Mom and Dad's house last night and saw it. So, I picked it off the shelf and began to read. I'm quite impressed, as it is quite good. I believe the book is called "The Return of Sherlock Holmes". Apparently in the previous book, it was thought the Sherlock was dead.

But that's not the point of this post. It was a nice day outside, and as usual, I was spending most of it inside. I had meant to go over to Dad's and help him work on one of his projects. I WAS playing on the PS3 with Jessie, trying to keep him from wonder how much longer it would be until his surgery to remove his wisdom teeth. In between here and there I was helping Julie clean the house. My brother Christopher came over and asked what I was doing. I thought he was going to invite me to ride along (and he did, sort of) while he was working as a police officer. Instead, he asked me to go with him to Austin to pick up a new gun that he was buying.

It was a good ride. We listened to Glen Beck some, talked some and enjoyed (ha, ha) the ride through San Antonio into Austin. The trip and ensuing conversation brought to mind again the great desire I have had for some time, but have utterly failed to act upon, to work as a police officer. I guess it has always been more of a hobby dream than a work dream. I've ridden for quite some time with law enforcement officers, from Texas DPS, to CCPD and TPWD Game Wardens. They are all different, but enjoyable and interesting experiences for me. However, that's not what this post is about either...at least in its whole.

After coming home, Julie asked me to watch a movie with her. I wasn't too excited about the movie, "The Bucket List", with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. I'd seen the previews and , well, didn't really care to waste the time watching it. I was quite surprised and touched by it though. It made me wonder, as I seem to be doing more of late, if I had accomplished the things in this life that I wanted to do. Now, I know that this life isn't the completeness of my existence. In fact, I know it is quite a small blip on the eternal plan and life we are to live. But, I cannot help but think that there are things and experiences that we can only really gain and appreciate while in this mortal life.

So, how much time do I waste here instead of doing, learning, or sharing what I should. I believe all experience is for our good, and many good things can even be learned, say, from watching a movie. If we let it teach us something. I am amazed day after day how little time we have here. In a way, I feel blessed to know that already, but I've gone much further down the road. I hope it helps me, as a compass, to gauge my path and make corrections where possible and necessary. I believe I've been blessed for all I've done, or for having the opportunity to do them, thus far in life. But I wonder on those opportunities passed up and forsaken because I hesitated, or was afraid, or occupied but some lesser important or valuable task. (I truly hope all this introspection isn't a sign of time left!) But with all seriousness, I hope to try, day by day, to ask myself if there isn't something more, or different I could/should be doing, and not pass up those "LIFE" experiences before it is too late. I shudder to think of my children grown and gone, although it will happen one way or another. I revel in the joy of being there with them and their opportunity. I cry over the time lost or squandered that I did not spend with them to the utmost capability. I'm relieved in the fact that I can be forgiven, and, if so chosen and taken, can have the chance to be with them forever.

So, that's my Christmas wish this year. To all those, and they are very few, who might read or stumble upon this. Take the time to do that which you have always wanted, live life to the fullest, and do it with the ones you love, before there it is yesterday and the only experience you are left with is the wish that it were somehow different.

A little more like Christmas

Global warming? Are you serious? Recently, "hackers", got into the global scientests archives and found a "cover up" of the global warming group. Well, I don't know much about all the studies and bickering back and forth. But I do know it's been down right chilly here lately! I stepped outside my office today to find not only rain, but small, very miniature, hail falling from the sky too. The ground is too warm, so it pretty much melted right away. I opened the doors to the server room and let the cold air in to give my poor servers a well deserved break from the awful, heat trapping design we have here.

A little while later I got a call from Julie who said it was SNOWING outside. Now, I knew the forecasters had mentioned the possibility of snow, but let's face it. It just doesn't snow here in the northern part of hades. Well, most of the time it doesn't. There was that ONE time a few years back when it snowed for the first time in 100 years. So, I stepped back outside, and sure enough, mixed in with the rain and sleet, little flurries of snow!

I ran home and grabbed up the camera, but the stupid thing was full! ARGH! So, I grabbed the video camera...you know, the one we occasionaly use but never pull anything from. Well, it just so happened that the kids played with it last night so the battery was dead. DOUBLE ARGH!

After deleting a few pictures from the still camera, and plugging the charger into the video camera, just KNOWING that it would stop snowing any minute...I managed to snap a few shots and get a bit of video footage.

Tonight I'll work on cleaning it up and see if I can upload it here. Until then...enjoy the ALMOST Christmas weather!

Babysitting is hard work!

It's always good to know that we aren't the only ones who get tired from the kids. Here are some funny pictures that happened weeks apart. It's funny that it happened to both!

What's funny is Brant is the easiest one we've had to take care of so far! They all love him so much and all want to hold him. I guess when he just sits there it is easy to relax and go to sleep.

Brant

Brock is just worn out from taking care of his little brother. He actually fell asleep holding him.

After his blessing.

Brant and his favorite past time.

Blake's Pinewood Derby

Blake recently had his Pinewood Derby for cub scouts. We began on the car early, but didn't really know what day the race would be. That happens when the only communication on the event date goes to the cub scouts! Anywho, he came up with the design, color and even name of the car. He wanted to stain it rather than paint it and called it the Wilcox Furniture car. (I'm going to have to talk to him about his free advertisements.)

We finished adding weights on the last day, not even know how heavy it really was. We guessed well! He weighed in right at 5 ounces. The races were fun, and even more so because he was undefeated! Congratulations Blake!

It's hard to see in this one, but if you look closely you'll see Blake's car has already finished. The car he beat here ended up winning 3rd place.