N - Halloween

Mary found a sock monkey costume for Joel. The hat makes the costume but Joel will only tolerate it for about 2 seconds. That means if you want a picture everyone has to be posed and the shutter has to be pressed down halfway before you drop the hat onto his little noggin. Mike was able to snap one good picture. You may notice the My Little Pony treat bag. Rest assured that is Joel's cousin Katie's. He's just trying to "help Katie share".

PS - It's too bad that Joel can't eat his candy this year. I wonder who will help him with that???

N - Thunderstruck

Queue AC/DC . . . NBA basketball in OKC is officially underway!


Mary and I were able to attend the first ever game of Oklahoma City's new NBA team, the Thunder. For a sports fan, it was really exciting to be a part of history. Who knows, 20 years from now no one may care but I like being able to say "I've been there" or "I've seen that". That's why I'm road-tripping to North and South Dakota next year. I'm going! You wait and see!

The loudest applause during the player introductions went to former OSU Cowboy Desmond Mason. My brother and I were at Gallagher-Iba when Mason was a freshman and broke the backboard with a slam dunk during the first Cowboys basketball practice. I've enjoyed watching him ever since. Although there were few Thunder highlights on Opening Night (the team has a ways to go) but Mason had the best and I happened to catch it on camera. Enjoy!

N - Trip Report #4

Before leaving Pepperdine, Brian and Kim took us to the Heroes Garden.  It was built to remember those affected by 9/11.  One of the members of United flight #93 was a Pepperdine alumni.  Heroes Garden sits way up on campus with a beautiful view.  It was very windy when we were there but still well worth it.  As you can see Joel is enjoying himself while Evelyn tries to comfort him.  She's sweet that way.

I decided to leave the golf clubs at home but I still insisted we make a stop at the most beautiful public golf course, Torrey Pines, site of this year's US Open.

While in San Diego, we drove to the Cabrillo National Monument.  It's on a peninsula so you can look one way and see the San Diego Bay and the entire San Diego skyline.  You can look the other way and see the Pacific Ocean.  Just before you get there is the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.  It's sort of the Arlington National of the West, rows and rows of white tombstones.

We had a great vacation but were all a little worn out and ready to get home.

N - Trip Report #3

Brian and I ate breakfast and watched the OU game today with Sean Penn.

PS - When I say ate breakfast "with" he was 2 tables over and when I say "watched" the OU game with he could have cared less.

N - Trip Report #2

We visited the Ronald Reagan Library today.  You'll recall that this is where they held Reagan's televised memorial service.  It is in the hills near Los Angeles, very beautiful.  They have the Air Force One plane used by all of the presidents from Nixon to George W. Bush.  Here's the first family with our ride.

Reagan was a fiscal conservative during his days as governor of California.  They told a story of how he found some stationary in his office from a prior administration.  He had his staff mark out the other guy's name and type in Ronald Reagan so he could use the stationary.  He was evidently somewhat proud of the statement it made.  Of course one of Reagan's greatest accomplishments during his presidency was helping to end the Cold War.  "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

Herbert Walker and W don't have anything on us . . .

N - Trip Report #1

The title of this post implies there will be more (I'll try).

Mary, Joel and I made it to San Diego on Wednesday night.  We checked into our hotel, had a good night's rest (mostly) and then headed off to the world famous San Diego Zoo.  It was a beautiful day for the zoo and the San Diego Zoo lives up to its reputation.  It's almost a little bit overwhelming.  We all had a great time and took lots of steps (if only I had my pedometer).  Here are a few pictures:

After the zoo and a must-stop at In-N-Out Burger, we drove to Malibu.  I don't know what all the fuss is about with southern California traffic.  It was a breeze for us.  Actually I do know but somehow we timed it perfectly.

Brian, Kim and Evelyn moved from Edmond to Malibu a few months ago so Brian could teach math at Pepperdine University.  Evelyn is a few weeks older than Joel.  Here is a picture of them and the view from Brian and Kim's back patio (rough huh).