Quintuplets

Pulcheria and I have become foster parents to an adorable little litter. These guys were rescued from a ranch by one of my co-workers, and Pulcheria and a couple very good friends have been team-parenting them. Aren't they adorable?

Some Room for a View

You may remember my sis from our trip to the wind caves last year. Well, I talked her into going on another little walk with me (this one much shorter) and took this picture along the way. Here's the list of points of interest in geographical order (closest first):

Becca;
First Dam;
Golf Course;
USU;
Logan LDS Temple;
Snow-capped Wellsville Mountains.

Bubble-licious

What a cutie, huh? She's always enjoyed her bath-time, and her hair's long enough now for us to have fun with, when it's soggy and sudsy.

I like the little rubber-duckie in the background. Makes me want to sing that Bert & Ernie song.

All in one Basket

What a little scamp.









For those who might complain that this site has metamorphosed into a celebratory hagiography of Bree I have two things to say:

1) It's my website to do with as I wish;

2) The site has emerged from the chrysalis more beautiful than ever.

Ps. At least I'm posting again!

Happy Estrogen Day

Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted, and it’s about time y’all got an update on just how cute little Bree is becoming. Look at the picture. I have nothing to add.

This Is Only a Test

This is a test. I have been experimenting and researching how to post a video to my blog, and I think I have it all figured out. You'll have to let me know how it works. Either click on the picture (or just click here) to view the video.


So, what this is (hopefully) is a video of Bree when she was just four months old, learning how to say "mama," with a bit of help from Pulcheria, who had a vested interest in this event. Enjoy.

I Wish

Here are some pathetic random ramblings, regurgitated from my vegetative mental peregrinations:

1) I really need to learn why, as soon as I have time to enjoy myself, I get sick. It’s been happening since elementary school, when I had perfect attendance to the actual school days, but as soon as a long weekend or other break rolled around – Bam! – I got sick. The pattern still holds. Last Friday (Dec. 16) I finished the last of my work for the semester, went to a friend’s wedding, and went to work that night (I only work weekends while I’m going to school.) Yesterday at about 2 in the afternoon, having just returned from work, I started getting a stuffy nose and sore throat. I have two weeks of holiday (except for the weekends) and I get sick. Something must be done.

2) At any rate, those of you who know my schedule are asking, “Ahenobarbus, why aren’t you at the dentist right now?” Good question with a lame answer. I was so tired after my 14 hour workday (worknight?) that I left my lights on. As a result, when I went to start up the faithful XJ this morning, nothing happened. Oh, well. I wasn’t terribly broken-hearted when I had to reschedule.

3) So here I am, doing nothing but feeling slightly sick, wishing Pulcheria and Bree hadn’t been snowed in down south last night, wishing I hadn’t left my lights on yesterday afternoon, and wishing I hadn’t done whatever it is I continually do to get myself sick. Those are my current pre-Christmas wishes.

4) I know: I’m impossible.

Where the Wild Things Are

For those who know the great children's book Where the Wild Things Are, don't you think that, in this picture, Bree looks a bit like Max when he's all dressed up? This is what happens when we take out her antennae-like-poly-tails after they've been in all day. 

Hippo Birdie Two Ewes

Inconceivable. It has been a full year since this little bundle popped out into the wide world. It has been a wonderful/scary/frustrating/fantastic/beautiful year. She gets more personality (i.e. attitude) every week, and it only adds more luster to her smile, and more twinkle to her eyes. Here she is on her actual birthday after enjoying a bit of cake. 

Queen of Egypt

Here she is in costume #2 (i.e. Cleopatra) that we picked up at Caesar's Palace this last May. She wore it to the Ludi Romani too (see how she's grown in just a few months!) 

Concentration

 

Energizer Beemer

Okay, okay, so... Yes. I have been known to let her suck on on-the-floor-items and that makes me a bad parent. I, however, have no intention of stopping, since she's in no danger of electrocution from old and used-up batteries. Energizer Bunny, eat your heart out. Here's our little cheerleader in costume #1. Go USU Aggies!

Bree in the Tree

The title and picture need no more explanation. 

Spooky

Oh yeah! I forgot to include some Halloween pics. Although this one isn't of Bree in costume, it is, however, of Bree playing with my keychain light (red, so it affects night vision the least). She really liked it. 

Birthday Girl 1

Alright, so, it's been a few days (i.e. months) since I've posted. However, very little has happened in that time. My life is a bit like that of Bill Murray's on Groundhog Day - you know, every day feels like the same old routine. Anyway, Little Beemer's birthday is a-comin' 'round the corner, so I figure a couple of cute shots of her wouldn't hurt anyone. This is another of those fantastic shots taken by Teisha, with Bree playin' in the leaves. I love the reflection of the tree covered sky in her eyes.

Strange Slumber

No need to worry, folks, Phil is not dead. Have you ever fallen asleep in a really strange position that, for some inexplicable reason, was the only one that felt comfortable to you? Well, I think that Phil's soporific life has been permanently set to that mode. He's been in this position for about an hour now, and hasn't moved much more than to shield his eyes from the light which I turned on in order to take this picture. What a guy. You gotta love him.

(Chrono)Logical Progressions

There are two items of interest that need to be documented in the memoirs of our crescent family. First of all, our little Bree has found a new favorite food: Newtons. She tends toward strawberry, but likes raspberry as well. Secondly, she has progressed from the ubiquitous Utah-baby-Spike (a.k.a. Unicorn) hair-style, to the Insectoid-Antennae style (I find it much preferable). The above picture demonstrably captures both events.

Brown-tone Family

Here is one of my favorite shots from a trip our family made up to Mt Logan back in July. I've always liked the Sepia look, so I thought I'd put one in here for the enjoyment of all. We took the Cherokee up, of course. And speaking of the Cherokee, I've got a new site dedicated to the celebration of my Jeepin' adventures: check out Jeepus Inventus for more details.

Fan Fan

Kids get into the strangest places. Here is our little Beemer after having crawled under the step-ladder into the corner of the room where we keep our hamper (as you can plainly see in the background). Luckily the fan was unplugged, so I didn't worry about her playing with it. She loves fans. She stares at the ceiling fans, plays with the oscillating fan (turned off, of course) on her changing table, and would play with this one too, if she were only a tad taller. All too soon, she will be.

Prov Canyon Jeeping/ ATV Event

Well, I've tried and tried to get the links to post on the geocaching website, but there must be something wrong with my code. Anyway, it works here at this site, so I hope the geocachers who are comming on the trip find this helpful. Here's an update on the list of caches along the way (just a variation on what the Cowboyz have already written):

Note as of 29 July 2005: The caches along the Prov canyon are: GCPM1N; GCJYM3; GCJK0K; GCJRW2; GCPM24; GCPM29; GCPXN0; GCPXMW; GCPW8P; GCPXMJ; GC1178; GCKH19; GCPVW6; GC1C46; GCPFE2. Some more that are possible, depending on return route and time: GCK0N0; GCP83Z; GCP84N; GCP83W; GCKGJH; GCP83N; GCC126; GCM75Q; GCK41D; GCK6ZP; and GCKKRH. There are many more around here. These are probably the least amount of hiking.

Swan Flat

Today Bree and I took a little drive up Swan Flat Road, in search of a little pond with some salamanders in it. We found it and our amphibian friends, but we didn't stay for long, since the mosquitoes were trying hard to evolve into the collective version of Count Dracula. They were just little pests, but they came in numbers I haven't seen since my last trip to the Uintas (1994?). So, I ran back to the Jeep, and unloaded the Kid Carrier (with Bree still inside her no-see-um netting) into the back then got myself into the relative safety of the cab. Only then did I fully unload her.

We drove a little farther up the road, and I braved one last trip outside the Jeep in order to get this picture of Swan Lake.

Wind Caves

What a great way to start the morning. My mom & sister came by about 6:45, and off we went up the canyon to a short hike called the Wind Cave Trail. I had forgotten just how fun that little hike is. Great scenery, plenty of shade (if you leave early enough), and a superb destination, especially considering how short of a walk it is to get there.

A Jeep Lovin' Beemer

Beemer has been helping me fix up my Jeep, lately. She rides along in her little K.I.D.S. Carrier, while I lean over the hood. She has been up Providence canyon (as far as the rock garden), Left Hand Fork (as far as Grey Cliffs Springs), Green Canyon (to the Mt Elmer trailhead), et cetera. We'll try to extend a few of those boundaries as the snow continues to melt. As you can see, she just devours any Jeep literature she can get her cute little hands on.

Call of the Wild

Back in May for our anniversary, Jan gave the family fishing licenses. We have yet to use them, but I'm getting the bug. This trout was only a few feet away from where Pulcheria and Bree are standing in the picture of them looking at the waterfall. I think its time to break out the rod and tackle and catch some dinner.

The Bubbling Brook and Bree

Here's Pulcheria pointing out the many intricacies of the cascades of the falls. Bree was fascinated by the sounds and constant movement. It was well worth the drive, even considering the road was washed out and we had to drive through the streambed/boulder field to do it. What fun a lifted Jeep with big tires is, eh?

Pretty Picture

We went out for a lovely afternoon drive up the Left Hand Fork of Blacksmith Fork canyon. What a beautiful drive. The recent storms have left big puddles that are a blast to drive through (provided the windshield washers are on already). This is as far as we got today, since the road gets a bit dodgy after the falls. They're called Grey Cliff Springs, and are gorgeous, especially when complimented with Bree and Pulcheria.

Frigidae flores

I can't move on from that storm without my favorite photo. This is my front yard from the view of my irides. They're still alive and kicking. In fact, they seem to be more vibrant than ever, as if to spite our horrid weather. You've gotta love that.

As a side note, do you see how long the grass is? Oh yeah, baby! That's right. Now that's right proper lawn care.

Fightin' Irish

Ah, cultural pride. Yup, we like to get the old cultural heritage started early, thus the Notre Dame hat. It looks better on her than it does on me.

Seventh of June, Anno Domini MMV

Welcome to Cache Valley weather. It's effing June, for Bob's sake! The forest service is never going to open the roads! Alas. Poor Ahenobarbus, I knew him well...

Tenacious Ted

So, I’m driving to a job interview this morning, and to get there I have to drive by first dam, which is, as always, super-populated with copulating waterfowl this time of year. As I make my way round the dam I happen to look in my rearview mirror at precisely the right moment, and I see a flash of black streak from the sky and overwhelm a spot of white. I instantly flip a u-turn and drive back there, where I find a juvenile Bald Eagle clutching a white duck. This is one of those times when I could kick myself for not having a camera with me. I was impressed mostly with the Eagle, whereas Pulcheria (whom I was taking to work) had sympathy mainly for the unfortunate duck. I had no time to go home to grab the camera, so I had to just drive away while others were pulling off the road and getting out of their cars for a closer look.

After my tragically brief interview I went home to grab the camera and make the sojourn back to the hunting grounds where, of course, I could find no trace of the raptor. Not even a feather. I did, however, find the duck. Alive. He’s not exactly thriving, with chunks of feathers torn out and a slight limp, but on the whole he’s surprisingly healthy considering his close encounter with one of North America’s most prestigious avian predators. I called Pulcheria to tell her the good news. “Let’s name him Ted,” she said. Who am I to argue?

Prairie Grass

I've never been terribly fond of mowing the lawn. Sometimes I find it tolerable, but those occasions are certainly in the minority. It probably has something to do with the fact that you can't mow in the rain, when it's nice and cool, but you must mow when the grass is dry, which means heat and dust. As a result of this unfortunate situation, my grass only gets cut three or four times a year. Since I live in Utah, this becomes easier because I don't water it very often, under the thinly veiled excuse of water conservation. It's a good system, and has worked well for me.

Unfortunately, this spring in Utah was particularly wet. Even after the snows ceased, the rain continued to pour down with such frequency that long time locals (I'm including myself in this group since I've spent over 25 years living in Utah) are hard pressed to remember a wetter season. So, my lawn grew and grew, and the verdant grass waxed. It began to look like a prairie in the wind, in fact. About a week before I grudgingly hauled out the antiquated mower and took the first slash at it, the lawn was impressively tall, indeed. This picture doesn't show quite how tall it is, but you get the impression, and a nice shot of Bree.

Flaming Eyes

So, there we were, the rearguard of the Rohirrim, when Melnyr, the demigod (a.k.a. Howard, the level 50 jerk) came charging from behind. We had no escape. The wargs forming his entourage bore down on us like the very hounds of Sauron the defeated. I summoned a fireball and smote many of the demon canids, but was thwarted in my next two attempts by the sorcerer, whose eyes blazed forth flame-red. All of the wargs echoed this heinous ocular feat as they swept past us in their relentless attack against the horsemen of the Riddermark.

Backpackin' Bree

I've come to a very insightful conclusion: I've been using this site to perfect my work avoidance. Back when school was still in session, you'll notice, my posts were frequent. Since the semester ended I've done practically nothing to it: nada; nil; zero; zip; zilch; squat. So, "why the change of heart today," you ask. Well, the answer is obvious: I've been picking up applications for gainful employment. Work avoidance is, therefore, back on the table!

In this picture, taken by the enviable Pulcheria, our little Beemer is happily riding on the back of her daddy, thanks to his Father’s Day present (given just a bit early). She was perfectly content to ride along wherever I went for about an hour. Even then, it was I who called it quits (dinner, you see) not her. Once this weird weather pattern allows some trails to dry out a bit, we’ll test the new product in earnest.

Happy Anniversary

Six years. Has it been just six years? To think, only a decade ago, I was running around chasing girls with Wildman, trying to kill myself in a monster dune buggy with Chad Lewis, and perfectly happy being a projectionist at a family owned theater in Hyrum Utah, working 3 hours a night. My, my - how time flies.

It was six years ago, yesterday, that I knelt at an altar, gazing at Pulcheria, when I promised I'd take her as my wife. I'm glad to say that she has yet to walk out or seriously injure me [knock on wood]. Every once in a while I can tell that she is contemplating the balance of 25 to life, but she's a thinker, and the scale hasn't tipped in that direction yet.

After dropping Beems off at Pulcheria's mother's house on Saturday, we headed down to Happy Valley for a wedding reception of some friends. Then I surprised my bride by taking her to one of her favorite restaurants in SLC, the Melting Pot. It was quite the experience. Everything served is fondue, from bread to raw meats to chocolate desserts. Ah, the dessert alone was bliss. It was great to have a night out with just us. Not that we don't like having Bree with us, but it was relaxing. It was also good to have a conversation which wasn't dominated by child-care schedules, feeding habits and the Utah Miracle of one-handed-dining. I love my family - all three of us. But it wouldn't be the joy it is without Pulcheria.

Pedal-philia

Lately, Bree's been enjoying the fantastic process of discovering her feet. She finds the toes tastiest. We, of course, have not been discouraging this in the least because it's so damn cute, as you can plainly see. Some suck on thumbs, others... well, you can see what some others do.

Save Toby

I have seen some pretty funny sites in my life. I've also seen some sick ones. I can't decide which catagory this falls into, but SaveToby.com cracks me up in a very sick sort of way. Check it out.

Sharing Hearts

Friends are for sharing blankets at nap-time... Okay, okay, maybe not all friends (I know what you're thinking, Harles), but certainly these friends.

Cherished Checkerboard XII

After Pulcheria had been mollified (by me), pacified (by time), and drained (by Beemer), she agreed to this shot. I loved the way that the hail-stones filled up the little wrinkles on Checkerboard Mesa. It looks cool normally, but here the squares really seem to pop because of the contrast. Of course, to me, the best part about this shot is that its human subject is smiling again.

Hail to the Canyon XI

So, we're up at the top of Zion proper, and I decide that we need some photos of this cool little canyon with a little stream running through it. It's drizzling slightly, but Pulcheria grudgingly agrees to it, anyway. We bundle up Beemer in my sweatshirt, and we're off. Now we're at the bottom and the drizzle turns to rain to hard rain to hail. Pulcheria becomes Pulcheria irata. This moment of transformation was captured to be admired for a long time to come. Here is the nervous/ irate mother protecting her offspring from the elements that the short-sighted father led them into. We can't help but laugh when we look at this shot. Ah, the memories.

Rain Falls X

And here's those same falls as shown below, after it had been raining, on and off, for about 18 hours. The transformation was startling! I have found out that being at (in? with?) Zion in the rain is one of the most surreal, transcendent experiences out there. Desert is totally transformed, and, everywhere you look, living water shoots forth from barren rock. There was not a single spot from which we couldn't see at least a few waterfalls. It was gorgeous beyond the capacity of my miniscule vocabulary to describe.

Pre-rain Falls IX

[We now return to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress.]

Here's a shot of the waterfall (from Weeping Rock VIII ) from a few hundred feet away. I loved the way it looks like braided silk, as it falls. This is, of course, before the rains came that day... and continued to come throughout the next day.

Ludi Romani C

And finally, here we are to be found with (from left to right) Dr. Norm Jones (USU History Dept. Head, and Elizabethan England Expert), Dr. Mike Sweeney, Journalism Professor, and Dr. Christopher Pelling, the Regius Professor of Greek Language at Oxford. Yes, the Oxford (that's right, he's the current occupant of the worlds most prestigious Greek position).

Ludi Romani B

And here we are with Professor Kevin Doyle, one of my favorite people at the University. Kevin is a teacher in the Theatre Dept., and is one of the few directors there that I've had the chance to work with in recent years. This year he was playing the Eastern god, Mithras.

Ludi Romani A

[We interrupt the normally scheduled program, "Ahenobarbus' Amazing Vacation Travelogue," in order to bring you some breaking pictures.]

Tonight was Utah State University's annual presentation of the Ludi Romani (i.e. The Roman Games), a kind of live version of Risk, where the board is a huge room, and the armies are real people. The setting is ancient Rome, during the transitional phase between Republic and Empire.

The picture above features me, Ahenobarbus, with one of my mentors, Dr. Fran Titchener (here playing Juno). Holding Dr. T's finger is our own Pulchella (a.k.a. Bree).