Matching Outfits

Mackenzie finally got her cast on Wednesday,

coincidently the same time that Ashley got her full bodycast.

(Pre) Olympic Basketball in Las Vegas

Team USA paid a visit to Las Vegas last Friday night for their last scheduled game in America before the Olympics in Beijing. To say they beat Canada's Olympic team is an understatement. The 120-65 final does not reflect the truly poor level of play that garnished most of Team USA's perfomance that night. Had they been firing on all cylinders the score could have easily been 160-50.

As for the show, it was cool to have more than the stock four standard-definition cameras we are accustomed to using for sports in Vegas. In fact, there were 8 high-definition manned cameras. (Now before you think that's a lot, during the 2007 NBA All-Star game I was #24 of thirty-something.) For this game, however, I ran the low slash camera (#7) which is used mainly for replays--which translates into more fun, ESPN highlight footage. In fact the game was aired nationally on ESPN and globally to dozens of countries. It's a fun camera to run since it shows the court at a 45 degree angle and is very close to the action. The only real problems were that the camera may not have been high enough in the stands to see over the tops of players, and that the camera was on the wooden extension of the bleachers and not concrete. Thus any foot traffic (and there was a lot) caused the lens to shake. I was thankful for the Thomas & Mack security/ushers for trying to keep the area clear.

That's Not Dancing

Here's our first attempt at video with our new fancy Canon SD1000 camera. Obviously, Mackenzie has a different idea of what dancing is. No Ashleys were seriously hurt in the making of this video.

Bad Day #2 - No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Our beloved Mackenzie after her great fall.

Both bones are broken in her left forearm.

Sunday morning, 24 hours before her accident.

Last night at around 7:30PM Kristin took her to Urgent Care only to be told after x-rays that she would need to go to the pediatric ER at UMC. That's a serious break.

Mackenzie's been a real trooper. Her first question was, "Am I going to die?" After she was assured that she wouldn't the next question was, "Are they going to give me a shot?" After nearly 4 hours, several x-rays and one mild sedative they were able to set her bones with a POP!

This morning I was looking over the medicines she was adminstered in the ER. When I asked her how she was feeling, all she could rave about was the banana flavored popsicles she got in the ER. They even gave her two. Gotta love that morphine ;-) (UPDATE: Now she just told me that when she was in the hospital and looked at Mom, she saw two noses, three eyebrows and four eyes. Yikes.)

Wednesday morning she has an appointment with the pediatric orthopedic doctor to get it cast. So I guess it's goodbye to swimming lessons and a break from piano lessons.

We love her and pray for a full and fast recovery.

The pictures below are not for the squimish, but are still pretty impressive.

Swim Meet

Zac on the starting block
Nic on the starting block

Nic and Zac had their second and final swim meet this past Saturday. They each competed in the Butterfly, Breast Stroke, Freestyle and Individual Medley. They both did very well during the swim meet. They have been swimming every weekday since June on the swim team. Some days they are very tired from being in school all day, but they still go to swim team. Good job boys!

Bad Day!

I came out of Wal-mart with all four children in tow and this is what I found! I usually drive our Honda Odyssey van, but Thursday I discovered the air conditioning has gone out on the van. Aaron worked on Friday so he was kind enough to trade cars with me so I could drive the kids around with air conditioning. This is how I repaid his kindness. Luckily the driver of the car that hit mine stuck around and she might actually have valid insurance. We'll see...

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary, Kristin! Thirteen years have been good to us. I love and appreciate all you do for me and the kids. You're the best.

Poway High School: 20 Years Later

Shawn McCain and Aaron.

Shawn is one of my best friends since 6th grade. We both played the drums in band, all through our senior year. That's six years, people! He is still in the music biz, recently starting a new band. He and his wife, Kay have two kids and live in Murrieta, CA.

Aaron, Heather McCleod and Brant Bender.

Brant and I hung out in Drama classes our junior and senior years. He is the funniest, goofiest, most talented wedding photographer I know. Check out his awesome work at PhoenixPhotography.

Anyway, Brant and I were in our school's airband competition. Don't laugh. Remember this was 1988, and airbands were HUGE. He was George Michael and I was his bass player. Want to see what all the fuss was about? Click here.

That led to us recruiting Heather for the "Hot Chick". She is one of the coolest, funniest, hot-chick-goofballs I know. We went to the Morp dance our freshman year and she's always been fun to be around.

Kristin McCarthy and Aaron.

Kristin was another drama buddy. I think we were in more plays together than anyone I know. Kristin's house was THE place for Wrap Parties. She actually reminded me that I took out their cast-iron gate around their driveway. Shhessh, after 20 years you can't give a guy a break? After finishing USC's law school, she joined the Navy's JAG. She's a Lt. Commander and a lawyer! So she can kick your butt and send you to jail.

Speaking of butts, I am still waiting to see that picture.

Amy Blackburn, Steve Scates, Inna Scates and Aaron.

I've known Amy since middle school and though she moved from Poway her senior year and technically didn't gradute a Titan we still consider her an alumna. I almost fell over when she told me that she is Assistant Chief Pilot at AirNet flying Learjet 35's all around the country. I'm so jealous!!! Steve moved to Poway a week after I did and we were in Mrs. Whiton's 5th grade class. He and his wife, Inna, run a company in San Diego training..... pilots. UGGGHH, more jealousy.

Aaron and Todd Sallenbach.

Yes, good old Todd. Todd moved to Poway in 10th grade. He was in Poway 1st ward. Todd is now an ER doctor in Joshua Tree, near Palms Springs. He and his wife are proud parents of a darling little girl. I still remember when Ben Shipley's mom got mad at him during early morning seminary. It was one of the funniest momemts in seminary history. Just ask anyone who was there.

That's it for now. It was a great seeing everyone and I wish everyone all the best.