Kubota Tractors

Awhile back there were some tractors across the street from us. They were out there because there was a new fence going in next to the railroad tracks. For several days I drove past them and thought, 'How cool would it be to take some pictures of these things?'

Well, finally THAT day came....it had just rained and the clouds were still pretty "moody"....the family and I had just come home from lunch and I said to the wife...."I'm gonna go shoot those tractors."

To that Loo says, "Daddy, can I go out and take pictures of them, too?"

How can I resist that?

I grab my gear and she gets her Fisher Price Digital Camera, as we were ready to walk out the door, Loo saw me putting my ShootSac on and said, "Oh, Dad can I go and get my camera bag too?"

Again, I can't say no....she comes downstairs with this little pink bag that I think is actually for one of her baby dolls, but her camera fits PERFECTLY inside of it....that kid knows how to melt my heart!

Anyway....I start by asking her what we should take pictures of ("Where should we start?")....she said she didn't know. So I started with this shot.



This is what she shot.







It was so awesome to watch her little creative brain working and just snapping away. She would watch me take a picture of something and then she'd take a picture of it (in her own way, of course!).












We fed off of each other and had a lot of fun






She even inspired me!!





How cute is this little girl?!?!








I'll let the rest of these speak for themselves!










Another Loo inspired shot.



I think I may be using that shot as a texture overlay, as soon as Chip teaches me how!

Loo, I had such a great time with you! Thank you for wanting to come with me!

Johnny Appleseed Day

September 26th was Johnny Appleseed Day at Loo's school.

I volunteered to be Johnny Appleseed for the class. I dressed up in jeans and a western style shirt. We rolled up the pants and we cut up some old pajama's to make patches for my clothes. We couldn't find a pot that would fit my head (they were either too small or too big), so we found a colander that sort of fit....as long as I wore a ski cap on my head!!

I also emptied out my ShootSac (my camera bag) and put a ziplock bag with apple seeds in it....man if I was gonna be Johnny Appleseed, I was gonna BE Johnny Appleseed!!


We didn't tell Loo, so it was a complete surprise when the kids came into the classroom to find Johnny Appleseed there.

Loo didn't recognize me at first....who knew that a colander on your head would be a good disguise? (I'll tell you who....Clark Kent that's who!!) All the kids came in and were full of "OOO"s and "WOW"s.

A couple of kids had their doubts...."That's just someones Dad", I heard.

I was there to read a story and to answer questions from the kids and to help with the arts and crafts....I wish I would have known this ahead of time....I would have checked the CLIFFS NOTES!

All the kids sat down in front of me, so I could read the story of Johnny Appleseed. Once Loo sat down, I looked right in her eyes and whispered, "Hi Loo"....her eyes lit up and she turned around to one of her friends and whispered, "That's my Dad!" (Oh man....what a feeling that was....she was so proud of that guy with the colander on his head!)


Once I finish the story, it's time for the crafts....a few of the other kids mom's were there to help out with the projects (including the Wife). As I'm walking around from apple station to apple station, the kids are asking me questions....

Here are some of the best ones
(and my answers):


"What are all those patches for?"
(They're to cover the holes in my clothes.)

"What's that bag for?"
(It holds my apple seeds.)

"I know your real name, It's John Chapman."
(That's right, but I like Johnny Appleseed better, don't you?)

"Why do you have a pot on your head?"
(I put it on my head so I don't have to carry it in my hands.)

"How come your pot has all those holes in it?"
(It's old, I need a new pot, huh?)

"Are these real apple seeds?"
(Yes.)

"Are you really her dad?"
(I'm Johnny Appleseed.)

....and the best one saved for last....

"Our teacher told us you were dead"
(I took some medicine and I feel much better now.)


I had to think quick for that one.

Anyway....I had a really good time and I hope these pictures made you laugh.

High School Musical

A couple of weeks ago, Loo and I went to go see High School Musical @ the Fort Bend Theatre.

The Fort Bend Theatre is this cool old building with a tiny little stage and MAYBE 10 rows of seats. I bought tickets online....got directions from the Fort Bend Theatre's very own website, but still GOT LOST!! But, don't worry, we still made it to the show in plenty of time.

If you don't know about High School Musical then with the help of Wikipedia, I'll tell you about it.

With a plot described as a modern retelling of Romeo & Juliet, High School Musical is a story of two high school juniors from rival cliques: Troy Bolton (played by Zac Efron), captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez (played by Vanessa Hudgens), a shy transfer student who excels in math and science. Together, they try out for the lead parts in their high school musical, and as a result, divide the school. Despite other students' attempts to thwart their dreams, Troy and Gabriella resist peer pressure and rivalry, inspiring others along the way not to "stick with the status quo."

This was Disney Channel's most successful movie at its time with 7.7 million viewers in its premiere broadcast in the US.

Loo was too young to get in on the first High School Musical from Disney....she didn't even know about it until a few months ago.

The Disney Channel started re-running High School Musical a couple times a week to get everyone excited about High School Musical 2.

Loo and I saw the "Sing Along" ( or the karaoke) version of High School Musical....it was the first time I had actually seen it too. I'd heard plenty about it on the radio though. Bean from Kevin & Bean fame on KROQ talked about it all the time.

I'll HONESTLY say....I liked it. It was a pretty cool little musical....and hey, it's Disney, it can't be that bad, right?

Anyway....Loo was really looking forward to seeing High School Musical 2....and secretly, so was I!! (Shhhh, don't tell anyone!) We recorded it for her on the DVR and then we watched it the next day.

She actually likes the second one more than the first one!! (For the record, I can't pick a favorite) She now has a High School Musical t-shirt!

OK, OK....so I'm sure you're thinking...."Why is he posting this stuff??" I'll tell ya....I just wanted to give you a little back story, that's all.

The show at the Fort Bend Theatre was really pretty good....obviously they edited the script a little for the stage....but man, they did a really good job. There was one character who stole the show though....and he wasn't even in the original....they created a narrator type character, named Jack Scott. This kid would pop up on a make shift TV screen....he was reading the announcements for the school. It was a great way for them to cut some scenes out and move the story along.

Loo had a great time....at the end of the show, the cast invited all the kids up on stage to learn the dance moves from the last song....Loo got up there and was just in awe of everyone.

Even though Troy wasn't Zac Efron, it didn't matter to her....the story was still the same and that's all that mattered. She was up there singing and dancing with everyone. It was really cool of them to do that.

It was great daddy & me time for us both!

First Day of School

How do I explain this....(If you're a parent of a child who's already been through kindergarten, then you'd probably understand)....the week before Loo's first day of school we started thinking about how we've gotta pop the protective bubble (figuratively) that we've had her in for 5½ years. She's had 2 years of preschool and been in Sunday school for the longest time, so the seperation thing is just fine....she's totally ok with it.

It's just a new phase in OUR lives as parents....now we've got to make sure that we break the habits of OTHER kids, that she picks up in school....we've got to do the same job to keep her on the straight and narrow....it's just a new phase for us, that's what I keep telling myself.

The wife has spent nearly EVERY minute of Loo's life with her over the past 5½ years....and now we've gotta send her off to school....I can see how home schooling is so popular, but that's really not for us. We'll leave it to the professionals!

Loo's been pretty pumped about the first day of school. Her school is about 2 miles from our house. If we go ANYWHERE we have to pass by it, so of course we made comments about the school also during the summer.

I asked her last night if it was ok if I jumped on her bed to wake her up (just like in Finding Nemo)....she just laughed at me while I actually jumped up on her bed and jumped a couple of times saying "First day of School, First day of School!"

We parked the van across street from the school and the 4 of us walked to school.

It seemed like any other day to her....she's gonna be fine....we KNOW it....but maybe we're just not ready for the first day of school.

How do you go from this....


....to this....in just 5 years!


Time goes by waaaay to fast.

Little Inventor

Tonight we were sitting at the table eating dinner....

Loo says, "Wouldn't it be great if we could invent something that you could just put on the table and then you could just spin it around to reach all the stuff on the table?"

My daughter just invented the Lazy Susan!

How awesome is that??

Self Portraits

As a kid, I used to always take self portraits....(I still do)....there wasn't a roll of film that would have at least one self portrait of me.


Loo has picked up on this trait....On our DRIVE we took some self portraits.


Here's one of me an Loo....taken with my camera phone.

Here she is taking her own picture

Then she took one of me!

She's doing it up [b]ecker style

The DRIVE!

1533 miles....It took us 3 days....With stops in Tucson, Arizona & Fort Stockton, Texas.

Here's some of what we saw....

Really cool rock formations along the freeway.

Breakfast @ Denny's

Both of our cars were packed and then we were also towing this little spaceship!!

Here's the "House of Butter"....not really....I just call it that.

Sun Visor essentials....the badge is fake! (A gift from a friend)

FINALLY....we cross into Texas!!

Here's my beautiful bride enjoying some coffee in Fort Stockton.

Who knew that Lee Tevino had his own Drive? (Really....who knew??)

My racing partner....I couldn't have done it without you sweetie!!