Happy Holidays!

We are a bit late here, but Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all of us. You will note the the Flick'r site has been updated. Follow the "Our Pictures" link to the right.

Later this week, look for new content on the YouTube site and the WAM interview with Asher. We'll talk about my favorite Christmas presents (basically, drop hints for next year...) and possibly an interview with Vanessa too.

Coming weeks will feature "what I miss about Texas", "What I miss about traveling", some book reviews and a heart to heart about tithing, visiting churches & the growing intolerance (on my behalf) for evangelicalism. And as many pics and vids as we can.

We've got a ton of photos to scan as well, and hope to get those up soon.

Leave a comment and say hi.

Family Interviews: Pt 1

EMERY

The WAM Interview

This Reporter climbs the stairs of a typical Southern California suburban Home; stucco exterior, tile roof, fake hardwood floors and plenty of space. The house is in Temecula, a town in the south of Riverside county whose population boomed during the last 10 years when profits were up and mortgages were sent out like free samples of Tide in the mail. But it's not the typical suburbanite story that brings This Reporter to the house atop of a hill over looking the valley (and Indian Casino) below. Today I am here to interview a cute, sassy, funny and always entertaining 5 year old; Emery. Emery and This Reporter sit in her loft as we talk:

TR: You've recently moved here from Texas, how was the move?

EM: it was good.

TR: Was it scary at all?

EM: No - well - kind of. I didn't like sleeping with Asher in hotels on the way here.

TR: Do you like California thus far?

EM: Yes. I like living in a 2 story house. I wish we had a pool though.

TR: Moving wasn't the only big thing that happened to you recently. I understand you started kindergarten, which was bigger, the move or the first day at school?

EM: Moving - because, we had to drive for 20 hours to move, school is about 4 minutes away. I was nervous at first at school, but now I really like it.

TR: Makes sense. How is your teacher?

EM: She's can be hard - we can't talk when we work. But she helps us - today, I fell down on the way from the computer room, and she carried me back to class. (She shows This Reporter a tiny bruise)

TR: Speaking of accidents, it appears that you've had a bad one recently. I noticed there is a gap between your teeth and another tooth is loose, what happened?

EM: No! when the the adult tooth started pushing up, the strings that held the baby tooth in let go and my tooth came out. Now I have another adult tooth and the strings of that tooth are loosening..see? (she shows This Reporter the new adult teeth)

TR: I see. What do you want to be when you grow up?

EM: (without hesitation) A doctor and a rock star.

TR: Both at the same time?

EM: Yes, I'll help sick kids during the day and sing at night.

TR: You'll be busy...doctors are really smart, lets see how smart you are..whats 2+2?

EM: 4

TR: 4+3?

EM: 7, cause 3 +3 is 6 and 7 is one more

TR: very smart, whats the square root of 743?

EM: 203

TR: close 'nuff. Now you want to be a rock star too, who are your influences, who do you like?

EM: Hannah Montana and U2

TR: what are your favorite songs from them?

EM: "best of both worlds" from Hannah Montana and "Bullet The Blue Sky" from U2

TR: Do you find it a bit ironic that your two biggest influences come from two ends of the musical spectrum, I mean one is a a four piece band from the streets of Dublin whose lyrical content touch social, political, and spiritual issues and have moved millions world-wide, all the while re-defining for a generation how rock and roll sounds; while the other is a made for TV product of a giant corporation who isn't focused on art but rather the enticing of millions of prepubescent girls into buying more and more products bearing the image of a manufactured star?

EM: (without missing a beat, again)No.

TR: Fair enough. What is the one thing you would like the world to know about you?

EM: That I'm a good singer, dancer and drummer.

TR: Was is hard becoming a good drummer when there aren't any drums in the house?

EM: No, I have boxes and sticks. But I don't have any cymbals....

TR: Which is better: being cool, being kind or being really smart?

EM: First, being kind, because you can help a lot of people. next is being smart because you know lots of stuff and you'll know how to help people. There are a lot of cool people who aren't smart.

TR: Me being the obvious exception....

EM: Except, actually you really arent that cool, OK?

TR: Last question - What is your favorite bible verse?

EM: John 3:16 - "For God so love the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not die but will have eternal life." I like that because I know He came for me and He died for me and He loves me. Can I get something to drink now?

TR: Sure, thanks for your time.

We've moved!

OK, so we aren't the best people in the world to be friends with/related too. We left Texas almost 5 months ago and we are just now sending out contact info & updating everyone on our status. Sorry. It's been a bit crazy. Here is what you need to know:

1. We left Texas 5 months ago. That might come as a shock to some of you. Like I said, we aren't real good at communicating at times.

2. We moved to Califonia. No, seriously, we really did! Sunny Southern California. The Inland Empire. Specifically, a nice little town called Temecula. I took a job with a client named RQ Construction. They are located in Northern San Diego County. No more traveling which is cool. But I do have to get up and shower and put on khakis every day, which isn't. Though I do look good in khakis.

3. Vanessa gave birth to twins last month. JUST KIDDING, we aren't that bad at communicating.

4. Everyone loves California. It's nice. You should come visit.

5. We lived through our first two earthquakes. Technically, we slept through one, but still, it counts.

6. The kids love the it! They have a great school and we are about 40 minutes from the beach.

7. Vanessa loves it too! She sits on the back patio and enjoys the cool afternoon breezes and the view of the mountains.

8. Vanessa likes it, the kids kids like it, therefore, I like it.

So bookmark this site, add it to your favorites (right click, click 'add to favorites', then click ok...Dad) 'cause this will be the primary means by which we will keep in touch. We will post pictures to our flick'r site and let you know here when they are updated. We will post videos every so often to google videos as well. Weekly we'll give an update on how everyone is doing, as well as share stories, projects, family bible studies, articles we find interesting and rants about the Dallas Cowboys. PLUS, over the next 3 weeks I'll be interviewing everyone in the family and posting thos interviews here, it should be fun.

All we ask is that when you read a post, leave a comment, a short one, just say hi or such. It lets us know that someone is reading and encourages us to update it more frequently.

We also have a new webcam and mic, so if you want to video chat, we'd dig that too!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Lane