Myclob Blog

Children Eating

2012-01-15T15:02:00.003-06:00

One of the many terrible terrible parts about children is feeding them. Every day! Often more than once!

Philip Speaks

2005, James (Birthday). Wall paper in process of being removed

2004 @ our first home

Jan 2008. I guess he likes it

Ali. Jan 2009

Laub Sports

2012-01-15T14:25:00.001-06:00

This year James struggled, like a good portion of the kids, with paying attention to baseball. It is sort of a slow game, if you have problems concentrating.

We bought one of those things you throw baseballs against and it bounces the balls back at you, and a hitting tee. I practiced off and on, but I don't want to push it too much, and I'm sort of lazy.

So far James has done:

1 season of baseball.
2 intro to basketball
and 1 rock climbing into type course.
2 or 3 learn to swim courses

I have posted all the photos from my sports career, but I know I will update this page with many more photos as the kids do more sports...

James at bat. He bats both left and right handed. Weird.

Crossing home plate

After the game the players give high-five to the kids, and let the kids run the bases.

Getting James excited about baseball by taking him to a Chicago Kane County Cougars game.

Cotton breathes, you see, it's much softer. Imagine playing games and your team is five degrees cooler than the other team. Don't you think that would be an advantage? They're cooler, they're more comfortable...they're happier - they're gonna play better.

Me with a questionable hitting stance. Coach pitch.

I'm Right of Center. Front row. This was either Lincoln or Lakeview Park

As I remember I was a leading scorer on the freshman A-team, but did
not make the team my Sophemore year. Man that sucked.

Wrastling. Both my brothers came 2nd in State,but won many other tournaments.
My brother Steve was cutting a lot of weight, and had nothing left when he almost won the championship.
I was alright, but only wrestled in Elementry and Jr. High

The Chicago Art Institute

2012-01-15T11:27:00.004-06:00

I spent a good portion of Friday and Saturday on the computer. And so around 3pm I was bored, it was cold outside, and I wanted to do something...

It had been a few years sense we went to the Art museum. Megan's neck was hurting and so she didn't want to go. The kids aren't as awful when they aren't together... We sort of take turns going someplace special, and so I took our budding little artist Ali with me.

I figured 3 years old is a little young to remember any of the artist names, but she could remember seeing herself in front of the art, and she could learn it that way. So instead of reading many of the plaques, and wandering aimlessly, we sought out good art for Alison to pose in front of.

I'm not sure if she had a great time, but for me, it was a lot better than going to the mall.

Parking was $28. It was free on WeekDAYs until the end of February, not WeekENDS. However we got there for the last hours, so that it was only $9 for me, and Alison was free. And then we spent $9 on 2 hot dogs, fries and a drink at the underground walkway that went all the way from Macy's to Michigan Avenue. Who knew?

Next time I should take the train...

Click on picture to enlarge.

Coffin and Mummy of Paankhenamun, Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty 22 (c. 945–715 B.C.)
Cartonnage, gold leaf, pigment; human remains
Ancient Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife gave rise to the complex art and science of mummification. This vividly painted Mummy Case was the innermost of a series of shells that housed the body of a deceased person. The hieroglyphic inscriptions and painted scenes identify this mummy as Paankhenamun, a doorkeeper in the temple of the god Amun. The central scene shows the hawk-headed god Horus presenting Paankhenamun to Osiris, ruler of the afterlife.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/64339

Knob-Handled Dish
Greek, from Apulia, Italy
The Baltimore Painter ?
330/320 B.C.
Earthenware, red-figure technique
Scene: Persephone in a chariot led by Hemes followed by Artemis; above, Hera, Aphrodite, and Eros
For the ancient Greeks, the myth of Persephone accounted for the changing of the seasons. When Persephone was abducted by Hades, king of the underworld, her mother Demeter, the goddess of fertility, cursed the world with barren winter. This scene shows Persephone's triumphant return, bringing the season of spring.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/102081

Sarcophagus Panel Showing the Abduction of Persephone
Roman
C. A.D. 190-200
Marble

Vincent Van Gogh Dutch, 1853-1890
Self-Portrait,
1887
Oil on artist's board, mounted on cradled panel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-portraits_by_Vincent_van_Gogh

Chicago Pointillism A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Sunday_Afternoon_on_the_Island_of_La_Grande_Jatte

Pierre-Auguste Renoir
On the Terrace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Auguste_Renoir

Paris Street; Rainy Day is a large 1877 oil painting by the French artist Gustave Caillebotte. The piece depicts the Place de Dublin, an intersection near the Gare Saint-Lazare, a railroad station in north Paris. One of Caillebotte's best known works, it debuted at the Third Impressionist Exhibition of 1877. Art Institute curator Gloria Groom described the piece as "the great picture of urban life in the late 19th century." Caillebotte's interest in photography is evident in the painting. The figures in the foreground appear slightly "out of focus", those in the mid-distance (the carriage and the pedestrians in the middle of the intersection) have sharp edges, and then the background becomes progressively indistinct.

Millennium Park Skating Rink.

Millennium Park Skating Rink.
Its hard to hold the camera still and take a picture of yourself

Pedway--downtown pedestrian walkway system
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/Pedwaymap_2008.pdf

James and Alison infront of the Art Institute. Aug 2010.

We have also taken James a couple of times, but I can't find those photos right now.

The Chicago Morton arboretum

2012-01-14T12:07:00.000-06:00

July 2009 with Megan's Mom

The Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe, Illinois are a great place to get family photos. Just let the kids walk around, take photos, and save all the money of going to a studio.

Its fun taking pictures in the same places, and seeing the kids get older.

September 23rd 2009

When my parents drove out, after Philip was Born.

Phil's tough guy look

Mike and Megan trips to Chicago

2012-01-13T21:04:00.002-06:00

April 2005

Tony and Tina's Wedding, November 2006

2007 Highland games. Very HOT that day.

2008 at the Shedd Aquarium with the baby beluga

When KC came to visit, I invited myself along for the trip to the city.
We ended up walking, with 3 kids, all the way from the train station, to Millenium Park, and to
The Hancock Tower. We walked back to Navy Pear and caught a water taxi to the train station.

2006 Nextfest

Tastes of Chicago

James on our death march from union station to the Hancock building

Year 2 with Aly

2012-01-13T19:49:00.001-06:00

Alison turning 2

Trips to Yellowstone: 1978 and 2011

2012-01-11T22:01:00.003-06:00

I've been to Yellowstone a couple times as a kid, once with Just Megan, and now once with our 3 kids.

I really like seeing the wild life. I remember the bison surrounding our car when I was little, seeing Bald Eagles, Elk with Megan.

Megan also went to Yellowstone as a kid, but she wouldn't get out of the car because of the smell!

Yellowstone, 1978ish. Me getting pushed around Yellowstone
like Royalty

Summer 2011. Wild Bison! James getting carried around like royalty.

Old Faithful, Summer 2011. Sunsets really are better in the west, when
surrounded by wild elements.

A cool bike we saw in Yellowstone

Megan and I will cruse the country on bikes like this

Camp Morrison, McCall Idaho: 1994 and 1995

2012-01-10T22:17:00.003-06:00

I worked for 3 summers in McCall on the aquatic staff of Camp Morrison. While in McCall I:

mounted a potato gun to our sail boat,
broke helmets while wearing them,
worked as a life-guard. Taught: Canoeing, Row-Boating, Small Boat Sailing, Swimming, Life-Saving, snorkeling
played a lot of hackey-sack, 700
rode my bike 2 or 3 miles to every meal,
used an outhouse and took a shower in the outdoors,
chased deer,
listened to a lot of Nirvana, Primus,
had my first room-mates,
recorded my first sleep-talker
and constantly feared running into bears when ridding back to my tent at night on dirt roads

Below are some photos.

On the way to Kayaking down the Middle fork of the Salmon
0 for 3 combat eskimo rolls. This truck had an 8-track, that played
Nirvana nonstop. The year Kurt took his life.

Chris Gonzales trying to look tough

Me trying to look tough

Me with cosmetic glasses made from spiral notebook and the
shirt that Megan and I picked out from Sadie Hawkins

Me watching a snorkeling outing on North Beach

There was a hill on the beach with a log and a table to sit and draw, and
write. It was a great place to think about stuff..

The entry to the water front. The buddy system/swimmer board, flag pole,
look out tower / storage cabinet.

I'm the 2nd from the right

The Canoes looking @ cougar island. Lake is usually calm like
this in the morning.

A couple of family of geese on the calm lake

Behind the life-guard tent

The places I've gone

2012-01-09T22:56:00.000-06:00

I have lived in:

2 homes with my parents in Nampa
2 Tents and a "cabin" in McCall (1 tent at the top of the mountain, and 1 tent at the water front)
5 or 6 apartment in Tennessee and Kentucky
And 6 places with Megan. Below are some of the photos of the places I've lived

My 1st Home (may be when I came home from hospital)

Home summer of 1994

My dad helping Megan and I moving out of our 1st apartment

The crib in 2004

Home 2004

My current home (Christmas Morning 2011)

Trips to Mesa Falls: 1998 and 2011

2012-01-09T22:44:00.003-06:00

Mesa Falls is outside of Yellowstone, was close to where I went to college in 95, 98

Mesa Falls in 1998

Mesa Falls, 2011. Megan and Russ (her Brother)

Mesa Falls, 2011

At the visitor's center at Mesa Falls standing in-front of some sort of stuffed animal.

Laub Transportation

2012-01-09T22:21:00.001-06:00

With some money that I was able to get from my job at Miner's RV, I bought my first car when I was 14. It was a 1986 ford escort, 2-door, hatch-back, with automatic seat-belts. I bought it from my dad for $500 dollar (photos of each car to follow later).

After getting too many tickets, Al-State would no longer insure me. So I rode my bike to school a good portion of my Senior Year. Nothing says chick magnet like pulling up to school on a bicycle...

My dad giving James a ride. My dad loves himself some 4-wheeler,
and knows Owyhee County like the back of his hand.

James and I. 2006ish.

At Bogus basin above Boise. I'm the one on the right.

Bike in the snake-swamp at Camp
Morison in McCall

My bike with random water-colors and ink

My parents mailed my bike to me in Tennessee

Video of Ali and James ridding a bike we got from the Chipmans

James Chasing Finnley on his Tricycle

Drawing Teachers: 1992

2012-01-09T21:02:00.000-06:00

In Jr. High I started drawing teachers as a way to look at a teacher without really paying attention. I know it is not great art, but I really like the concept of sharing sketches (see Dan Price's moonlight chronicles).

I think sketching forces you to look at the world, and sharing sketches is a great way of seeing a moment of time through someone else's eyes. Its doesn't do anything profound, or teach you any great lessons, unless the subject matter is great, but I think it is sort of fun and interesting.

Mr. Fields

8th Grade Math Teacher, Mr. Turley

Jr. Principal, Mr. Beamer

8th Grade Math Teacher, Mr. Turley

Mr. Graph

"Mr. Turley as a punk rocker"

Laub Halloweens

2012-01-08T21:41:00.000-06:00

Mike, some sort of Aquaman. 1978ish.
My parents say I wore those all the time.
Robertson's home in the background.

That outfit has to be home made. Right?
Standing in front of Jessie Ln. Home

Me as a pirate. Hand made sward. 3rd Grade?

Halloween as a cat, 1981ish.

Why yes. I will be your Frankenstein. Sarah one time told me: "You
would make a great Frankenstein". Thanks

James-e-bear helping me on my lap-top

James at Church. Halloween 2005

Halloween 2008. James is a train Engineer.
Alison in the hand-me-down Oatmeal Teddy Bear outfit.

2009 Alison

Alision, Me, and James. Halloween 2010. Alison was a lion. I rode an
ostrich. James is a killer whale.

Original use of Oli the Ostrich, 2006

Halloween 2011. Alison is a "Rainbow-tu-tu princess". James is on Safari.

Halloween 2011. They asked James to come dressed
as a scare-crow.

Mawage is what bwings us together

2012-01-08T21:26:00.001-06:00

Mom and Dad, at the St. George Utah Temple

My mom and her Parents on the left,
and my dad and his parents on the left

I was the ring boy for my sister's
wedding.

Megan and I

Year 1

2009-02-14T14:21:00.001-06:00

Here are some photos of Alision's 1st birthday.

But nothing can compare with this expression.

Great photo, great expression

Alison, looking very serious

Megan made the cake and took the photo

3rd B-Day

Trampoline

2009-02-07T09:13:00.000-06:00

On Trampoline on Jessie Lane, Nampa Id

On Trampoline on Southpowerline, before prom

On trampoline, dressed for Halloween.

Actual birthdays (at the hospital)

2008-02-06T20:14:00.001-06:00

James came on week 39. They induced Alison and Phil 3 weeks early 37

James
I was at work, at McDonalds. Megan was also at work. She went to the Dr. for her check up and they told her to go to the hospital. We met at home. I think it was raining. I talking about how Condi Rice might run for president. Megan got an epidermal.

Look at that forehead! Me 1977

James, July 2004

And then there were 3. 2004.

Alison
Alison was 6 lb, 15 oz when she was born. She had blondish-red-ish-brownish hair. 90% length, 75% weight for her age. 3 or 4:35. Snowing during the delivery.

Watched Wayne's World (Based in Aurora Illinois), Best Friend's Wedding, and a little of the Simpsons while we waited.

Our son stayed at a friend's from Church, and I came home and watched him, and brought the dog out of the garage this evening...

Of our 3 kids, Megan says that Alison was the easiest to deliver by far.

Megan high on pain medicine and so happy to have her little girl.

Not sure if I should share this sort of messy photos?

Philip
Philip was our most difficult baby so far. Megan went into active labor 3 months early. The doctor said that if they were unable to stop the pregnancy, that he would have only a 40% chance of living, and then there would be developmental issues.

They gave Megan a steroid to help his lungs develop. They kept her in the hospital for 2 weeks while they monitored her contractions. It was very scary for a while. After about 2 weeks they sent her home to be on bed rest. Luckily he was able to make it to full term, and he is very big and tough.

Alison changed when Megan had to stay in the Hospital for 2 weeks,
and was on bed rest for 2-1/2 months. She was going through some major
separation anxiety or something. She was so happy to see Megan.

2010. James loves his little brother so much, and was happy to bring him home.

And then there were 5

Laub, boy

Laub Pets and Wildlife

2007-11-01T18:17:00.001-05:00

I am trying to paint a picture of me being a sophisticated-Idahoan. Me telling stories that involve the use of the barter system may not be a dandy way for me to implement the sophisticated-Idahoan campaign. Oh well.

My Dad taught drivers-ed during the summer time. Some guy gave us a baby cow instead of paying us with regular money. So we called the calf "Dred" for Drivers Ed.

Dred was a childhood pet of mine. For a cow, he made a very good pet. I remember having a leash and walking him around the pasture. When we installed an electric fence we put some food on it to draw the cow to it.

We did not realize how long it would take for the electric elements to warm up. By the time the fence turned on the cow had wrapped his tough completely around the food and was trying to swallow it.

It did not take long for Dred to realize the basic operations of the electric fence. Dred jumped with such surprise that he nearly knocked over the fence. Needless to say Dred was never the same after that, and never seemed to trust those who witnessed what has come to be known as the "shockening".

Walking around a pasture without shoes! Not too smart.

I didn't have dogs growing up but we had a couple
of cats

Megan's dog wering my glasses

James enjoying Finnley's new dog house

Finley was a very good dog, and a great friend for James

"Well, bless my soul! Take it out! Take it out! Take it out! Remove it!" James and I noticed this on the way to drop him off at day care.

Dad is doing better

2006-11-09T10:08:00.000-06:00

Graduations

2006-09-16T18:03:00.000-05:00

I was still very young when my brother graduated from High School

Driving to high school graduation

Yeah

1998 Megan's BA in English. I finished Ricks the
same time (?) she finished at the Y. Best girlfriend ever.

Best mom. Ever.

Best dad. Ever.

1998, Assoc Mech Engr,
Victor Forsnes. Probably the best teacher I ever had.

My parents took this picture after
I graduated from Ricks in 1998

2002, BS Electrical Engineering

2003 Masters in Technical Communication

Washington Oregon Northern California road trips

2006-09-16T18:00:00.000-05:00

Megan and I got married over a Christmas break, my sophomore year in college. There wasn't much time, and we didn't have much money, and so we didn't "go anywhere exotic" for our honeymoon.

Megan was a trooper, and said that our road trips that we took to Washington, Oregon, and the California coasts were our honey moons the next 2 summers were our honermoons.

We brought our tent, stayed in State Parks, and only got rained out once.

We:

went to Mt. Saint Helens. Did not pay for helicopter tour,
went swimming in the Columbia river,
rented a 2 person boat,
lake canoed
took a ferry to Victoria on British Columbia,
walked in the red-woods,
visited KC
stayed in a Casino in Reno
Spent a day in San Fransico
saw the worlds shortest river

walked down to crater lake
made Megan cry driving down the world's curviest road

Driving through a tree

Megan making hash-browns on our Camp Stove.
This looks like the coast

One of the many places that waves ambushed us

At a Japanese garden in Seattle. We were able to visit KC

Senior Prom

2006-09-16T17:40:00.000-05:00

It was a dark and stormy night, the night before prom. Derek and I sat in our basement at the computer late into the night. Koji sat engrossed in his video game to the left of us. Derek and Dan had earlier enjoyed "Tommy Boy." I was scheduled to be a participant in this movie watching event, but I had to wait for Koji to arrive from his track meet, not wanting to leave him alone like a free electron in a silicon chip, or Mr. Burton on a cold blustery morning, wandering the lake in a lonely manner, looking for a fish to complete his lonely soul.

REM blasted in our mind, a little too loud for music to be when you are trying to discuss matters of importance, but we were proud of our flippant attitude in determining the most extravagant event as graduating seniors.

In light of our dire circumstances I said "Don't worry about it. We'll just figure it out tomorrow morning." The topic of conversation was what we would do tomorrow morning. It was too late for sensible people to try and be sensible.

Derek had a hole in his pants, and he proceeded to rip off the bottom portion of his lower garment. Koji heard the ripping noise and looked at Derek with that expression only Koji can make (Koji was a foreign exchange student. He was a member of a punk rock band in Japan, but was harmless in a way that very few Americans could possible imagine. He also personified the bad-singing-Japanese person to a tea, and attempt everything from Led Zeplin to the Beatles (at a moments notice). The look that shows his complete inability to understand American members of the human race. My Mom looked like she disagreed with my conclusion of normality when she rolled her eyes in our general direction, as she put away the groceries.

I've never known my mom to go shopping at 11 o'clock. She must have been bored to have wandered about the deserted grocery store to look for food to fill my lonely stomach.

Derek and I came to the conclusion that we needed to go to some park down by the River. Our plans involved

Looking at pictographs and

Running around and flailing our arms about, and just being down right silly.

Doing some target practice with my Dad's Guns.

That night I tossed and turned like a hairy toothed mad man, pulling and stretching a quilt trying to cover his cold feet. I was ill. I had a nice cold sore developing, and my nose was runny. Derek called at 7:00 AM to inform me to get ready to make a purchasing arrangement for groceries and flowers. I rose out of bed at 8:00 too tired to flail my arms about. Derek arrived at my abode at 8:30 and waited while I brushed my teeth. We then got groceries, flowers, and girls.

Megan and I drove around Derek's house until he got there. We fixed and consumed breakfast, which consisted of Swedish pancakes, (a little heavy on the egg, but really good) fruit with cream, OJ (Of the fruit variety.)

Katie, Derek's youngest sibling, ate with us. I wanted to hit her. Derek did. Just joking she was just fine and as a result of her fineness; no violence ensued.

After breakfast we went walking around at the Snake River, looked at pictographs, threw rocks of the bridge, and messed around. I didn't feel silly enough to flail my arms about. We stopped at a shooting range and shot beer bottles, clay pigeons, and listened to Pachel Bell. Some guy told us not to use my handgun, not to shoot beer bottles, and to pick up the garbage, all of which we were obliged to do, and all of which we did. We had a nice drive and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. We then went our separate ways to prepare for the big event.

Derek picked me up at 6:00 in his Lexi, and we picked up Megan at about 6:10. She looked very virtuous, lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy. We went to Lara's house were the congregations and multiple host of people were gathered to look at us, say absolutely nothing intelligent, and take our pictures, all at the same time. We stepped inside the living room that had more people than square feet, and more cameras than the Grand Canyon on a Japanese holiday. We muddled through our trials and woe, and got on our way.

We had our pictures taken, three times. Once I got home after the night, I tried the smiles I used in front of a mirror and they looked exactly like what they were, fake. Not that I wasn't having a good time, just that I have no reason to smile looking at some annoying woman telling me how to hold Megan's hand.

Having completed our mission, we proceeded onward and upward, on to The Gamekeeper! The salmon was interesting, kind of enjoyable, but not succulent, or completely satisfying. Not something I totally chewed down on. Although I guess I did, kind-of, chow down. Not because it was extraordinarily good, just cause I'm ordinarily a pig, and I forgot to eat differently than usual. I was worried about talking, and so I eat pretty fast.

After dinner we went to the dance. It was loud. I wanted to go do something fun. I knew they had a baby grand piano on the stage at the Civic Center, and I thought it would be cool to go play piano or something. I wanted to do something memorable instead of just going in and trying to talk over the noise.

I wanted Megan to feel comfortable, but it was unsupervised and I didn't think she wanted to go in. It was probably locked anyway, but for a while I thought I was with Derek, and so I was thinking we could find a way. Then I remembered I was with Megan, so after being immature a little bit trying to do something fun, I succumbed to the dance and we went in and sat down at a table. We wandered around a little, talking to some of our different friends. We danced about 5 slow dances. I wish we would have danced to Stairway to Heaven, but maybe Megan wouldn't have liked it.

Surprisingly they played Offspring, and some other non traditional dance music. After prom we went to Video City to get a movie, but it was closed being 12:01. We just got "The river wild" from Lara's residence and watched the movie at Derek's. In conclusion, it was a fabulous fun filled night for everyone. Or at least I hope.

Later I learned that Megan was very upset that we did not get desert. Derek got some flaming thing.

Me checking Megan out. Jesus watching.

Random funny memories

2006-09-16T17:37:00.000-05:00

Its a Yum-Yummy time for sweethearts?

Megan's Grandma had her family all put on a Christmas pageant of sorts. They would play a song on the piano, guitar, violin, or viola.

There is a song called "A Marshmallow World" about dating in the winter time. Megan had not been having a good time dating apparently, as she played the song in a minor key. Maybe you had to be there, but they were all commiserating with how terrible guys can be.

I happen to stop in right as Megan was finishing up the song. And that was the first time much of Megan's family saw me.

4:00... Is that too early?

When discussing our prom-plan with Megan's Parents, I asked her dad, "Sir (Phil was a big intimidating guy), what time would you like to have her home?" He said, "I don't care". However, when he got a look from his wife, he asked, "Is 3 or 4 too early? Just call if your going to be later."

Later Megan told us, "we could stay out all night, as long as you don't take me out of the country."

He was very very excited about our plans to go to the mountains and look at the pictographs.

He was even more excited when he found out that we were going to do some target practice. He loved guns. I still remember the night. It was the first time I met her parents, and he was so excited about us going shooting that he wanted me to shoot some of his guns. He had a pistol and he even had a cut-off shotgun. I remember that we went right out in his front yard and shot at stuff in his ditch, while Megan, who was embarrassed, hid in the house.

Our move to Chicago story

2006-09-16T17:36:00.000-05:00

In January 2003 Megan and I moved from Boise Idaho to Chicago Illinois in a 24 foot U-haul.

Our fist day we go snowed in at the mountain-pass going into Salt Lake, and we had to stay the night in Burley, Idaho after only traveling a few hours.

In that hotel I realized that I had my mother-in-law's keys. We had to mail them to her the next day.

We fought icy patches, blowing snow, and light snow flurries all the way across country. All our: shampoo, olive oil, and bath-tub-bubble-bath froze across the plains, as we experienced negative 20 and 30 degree weather.

Finley (our dog) seemed depressed on the trip (even thought he got more space than Megan or I), and slept all most the whole way there. Each morning we would have to break the ice out of his doggy bowl.

We arrived in Chicago on their coldest day in 4 years. There was a 100 yard walkway between our apartment, up the stairs, and to the U-Haul.

It wasn't fun, but we were alive, and finally together again.

Marvin and Carlene visit Chicago

2006-09-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

It is a 22 hour drive here. A long way to drive, but my parents have driven out here twice and flown out twice. They brought their trailer one time. Other times they slept on our pull-out couch.

Its not the Ritz Carlton, but we always love having them them visit.

September 2010 at the Chicago arboretum, when Both Mom and
Dad came out after Philip was born.

2010 when my Mom came out by herself when Megan was on bed rest.

2009 Visit

2008 Visit

April 2008 in Lincoln Park with Chicago in the background

October 2005

Trips to Idaho 2004, [more later]

2006-09-15T17:12:00.000-05:00

Steve was going to jump creek and took James and I with him.
Its cool taking James to some of the places that you went to when you were little.

July 2006. A 5 months old

Christmas 2004 soon after J was born (2 months old)

Chicago Sports

2006-09-14T20:43:00.000-05:00

We got tickets with a distributer to the 8th row.
When a guy on the 1st Row left, he gave us his tickets.
$290, and $34 of tax!

1st row at a Cubs game! Aug 31st 2010

Yes we were like tourist and took pictures

Gerardo and Mike C from McDonalds took me with them to a Sox game

Cubs game with Joe

Work outings: Chicago Boat Tour

2006-09-03T17:30:00.000-05:00

2006 Chicago Boat Tour
We had a team building trip, and took an architectural boat tour.

Me at The Bean

The bean

The Sears Tower

Indiana Dunes

2006-09-03T17:21:00.000-05:00

Megan, James, Pricilla, Trever, and I Drove to the Indiana Dunes this week end. It was my first time in Indiana. Swiming was a lot of fun. It was like the ocean, except warmer and without the salt. The water was kind of brown near the shore, however I think it was just from the waves crashing into the dirt. This is a picture of James.

James did not like the sand getting all over him, and it stuck to him extra well with a nice thick coat of sun-block. He rubbed his eyes and got the sand, and sun block in his eyes. However, he calmed down, and started to have fun. His favorite part was chasing the sea gulls, and playing in the water.

Marvin and Carlene's 50th anniversary

2006-07-16T19:57:00.000-05:00

Cake

My parents, Marvin and Carlene had their 50th anniversary, and Megan and I went for our summer vacation. And I don't think we will go home for Christmas this year.

My sister came up from Vegas with Sebastian and Ed.

My Causin, Anita Kay, let family go up to her Cabin in McCall. My dad used to be camp counseloer right next to her cabin, and I also used to work there.

My brothers were just small, when my dad worked there, and so there are lots of memories for all of us in McCall.

They had a really great fire works show, and by tuesday night, James's pink eye was starting to do better, and he was less clingey.

James and I in a meadow I used to catch snakes at in McCall

This is a picture of James and I in a medow that I used to catch snakes in. It was amazing how many snakes you could find. It would take about 60 seconds walking on the old trees that had fallen down, and you would find one.

James and I on the docks in McCall

Here is a picture of James and I on the dock of the cabin. You can see my brother's kayak on the beach, and that the far dock is starting to sink.

We all had lots of fun, and caught up with family.

James Valentine

2006-01-23T09:06:00.000-06:00

Teething

Grrrr

Machine Gun, Mike Laub in Salt Lake

2005-12-21T12:49:00.000-06:00

Russel, my brother in law, had a gift certificate for a firing range. So we rented a machine gun and bought $100 worth of .38 ammo. When you shoot a machine gun, the front kind of travels up on you. I was shooting the target at long range, and I accidently shot the ceiling a little bit. However, I got some pointers and did not shoot the ceiling any more.

Baby James, 2005

2005-04-02T13:08:00.000-06:00

Megan bought this outfit for a friend's baby, when we were trying to have a baby. I walked in on her as she was kind of holding the outfit like it was a baby. She had a little tear in her eye. I said stay right there and take a picture...

James gets an opportunity to practice CPR.
James was playing with this duck when he realized that it h
ad swallowed some water. In his expert opinion, the duck will pull through.

It is funny how babies hold their legs

James in Baby Prison

He's SO HAPPY!!

James looks some what like a drunk pirat. Arr!

This picture was taken at Bob's wedding in

Milwaukee.

Costco

Laub Christmas

2005-04-02T13:02:00.000-06:00

Christmas 2005, downstairs in my parents basement, with
Wedding stuff in the background

Megan put together this photo. Very cute

Mike and James and Santa at Marshal Fields

Mike, Marvin, Carlene