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| Summer trip to Oklahoma City | |
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7.02.2008
8:10 PM | Link |
 Last weekend I made my usual summer visit to Oklahoma City to spend a fun long weekend with my parents. Of course, we made some trips to Riverwind Casino, and I always have fun playing the slots with Mom & Dad! On the first day I came out ahead, but lost a bunch on the second day, but I still came away losing much less than I planned. We had a great time playing the Star Wars and Indiana Jones machines - I love all the authentic graphics and sound effects! Our next activity was seeing a movie at the incredible Warren Theater, which is pretty spectacular. The interiors are amazing, from the cool artwork to the giant red curtain that lifts before the movie begins, and all the employees have bow ties and white gloves. We paid extra for the balcony treatment, which is like a deluxe version of the Alamo Drafthouse here in Austin, with full food service during the movie in giant plush seats! Next, we visited the Oklahoma City Zoo (which I hadn't been to in many, many years) and had a great time viewing all kinds of animals (my favorite was the red panda, which I had never seen before). The tram ride was especially good, since the narrator really knew his stuff and told us lots of fascinating facts. It was really a nice visit - it's always fun to spend time with Mom & Dad, eat Mom's delicious cooking, and help Dad hook up another HDTV (his third this time)! View photos: Oklahoma City 2008
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| Las Vegas 2008 | |
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4.22.2008
8:15 PM | Link |
 My parents and I have settled into the habit of visiting Las Vegas every other year now, and this past weekend was our third spectacular Vegas vacation together! This time we stayed at the Venetian, which was magnificent since we had our first-ever two-room suite. It was really nice to have a such a spacious room, and I especially enjoyed getting ready in the mornings in the giant bathroom, wearing a huge fluffy robe after my shower. We saw a different show each night, and I'll be reviewing all three of them over the next few days - they were all incredible. Other than eating, the only other thing we did was gamble - we didn't even stop to do any shopping! As usual, we played tons of penny and nickel slot machines and enjoyed the free drinks, and now I can rank the free Manhattans on the strip. The best was at Paris, since it was served in a full-size Martini glass with three cherries and tasted wonderful, while the worst was at MGM, since the liquor proportions were off and it was too small! I really enjoyed the Monopoly-themed slot machines, as well as the Star Wars ones - it was great playing them in the morning when it wasn't crowded and I could take in all the cool sound effects and music. Of course, the best part of the whole trip was just spending time with Mom & Dad - enjoying meals together, cheering each other on as we played, and experiencing awesome entertainment together. I have no doubt we'll be headed back to Vegas in 2010! View photos: Las Vegas 2008
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| Traveling technician | |
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2.14.2008
8:13 AM | Link |
 Last weekend I went to Oklahoma City for a quick visit with Mom & Dad, which was a lot of fun! As I predicted, after becoming enamored with the small HDTV that I got them for Christmas, Dad couldn't wait very long to get a huge HDTV for the living room, so after a lot of research, he bought a fantastic 40-inch Samsung LCD and timed it just right so I could hook everything up during my stay. The setup was a cinch (HDMI cables sure make things easy), and the results are beautiful! We watched lots of cool shows on the various HD cable channels, plus broadcast shows like the Grammy Awards (which really made us feel like we were in the audience, thanks to great camera work and the incredible picture). Besides TV watching, we made our usual casino trip, and I was able to play all day for only $5 bucks (thanks to winning a huge bonus on an Alien vs Predator slot machine)! I usually make these quick trips on a Thursday through Sunday, but because of scheduled gigs I decided to try Saturday through Tuesday, and I was amazed at how less busy the airports were (so there's a travel tip for you)! Of course, the visit went by super fast, but I always love spending time with Mom & Dad!Labels: family |
| Christmas wrap-up | |
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12.28.2007
5:28 PM | Link |
 I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I'm back in Austin now, trying to get used to reality again, but I'm still enjoying that Christmas afterglow from the past few days. Before Christmas, we finished the jigsaw puzzle (which was really cool looking!), made another trip to the casino, and enjoyed a nice candlelight service at Mom & Dad's church, which was so nice. On Christmas Eve, my parents finished opening their gifts from me, then we watched A Christmas Story (which we do every year) and laughed at Ralphie's pink bunny suit for the 100th time. The next morning, I got to open up my incredible pile of gifts - I got so many DVDs this year that when I was packing them in my bag it looked like I had robbed Best Buy! I also got a special surprise gift - a wonderful figurine of Mickey Mouse with Santa! After the gift unwrapping, I got to watch the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade on Dad's new HDTV, and it looked spectacular! The entire holiday was fantastic, which makes it even more difficult to get back to my everyday routine, but I think I'm finally coming around. I'm already looking forward to Christmas 2008, though! View photos: Christmas 2007 View photos: Visit to Pops
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| Happy PJ Day! | |
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12.22.2007
10:21 PM | Link |
 Did you know today was PJ Day? I hope everyone enjoyed spending all day in their pajamas like Dad and I did! Each holiday season we always take a day to stay at home all day in our PJs, and today was the day since it was snowy outside. We started the day with Mom's magnificent Eggs Benedict (my favorite breakfast!), and then spent most of the day working on a jigsaw puzzle (another yearly tradition). This year I bought one called Famous Flying Machines, and even though I thought it would be kind of easy, it was actually tough - we only finished about half of it, so I hope we can finish it in the next few days. Dinner was Mom's incredible spaghetti with homemade sauce, plus pecan pie and pipe smoking!Last night we watched 15 years of Christmas home movies, talking through the whole thing, laughing at our young looks, and of course, drooling over all the cool toys that I could sell for thousands of dollars if I had them today! I really miss my Six Million Dollar Man stuff, Star Trek figures, Micronauts (I miss you, Baron Karza!), and Star Wars merchandise (including the Death Star playset, that I just recently saw on sale for over $7000! |
| Holiday fizz | |
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12.20.2007
10:19 PM | Link |
 Welcome to the Christmas report, part two! My parents and I usually do the same fun things each year during my visit, but this year we went on a new adventure. We drove to a Pops, a fun restaurant on historic Route 66 that has over 500 kinds of soda available! The building is really unique, both inside (where they have thousands of soda bottles on shelves all over the walls) and out (where there's a humongous soda bottle monument complete with bendy straw!). We had a nice lunch and bought some souvenirs, and tried four kinds of yummy soda. We've also been continuing our casino visits, both at Remington Park (where I enjoyed the Alien movie themed game) and at Riverwind again. Mom discovered a game called Pistol Packin' Penny, and she and Dad both turned their pennies into some nice cash! I always get Mom & Dad some DVD games at Christmas, so in the evenings we've been playing Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader and 1 vs 100, which are both really fun. But I think the biggest gift hit so far is a set of giant refrigerator magnets that let Mom build a huge snowman on the fridge! As always, Christmas with my parents is definitely a time of sheer relaxation and joy!
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| Indiana Jones and the Christmas Jackpot | |
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12.17.2007
10:11 PM | Link |
 It's time for the official Christmas report, part one! I made it to Oklahoma City with no weather problems, enjoying the convenience of my dirt-cheap, non-stop ExpressJet flight (highly recommended!), and Mom & Dad greeted me at the airport with my usual tin of Christmas cookies to get the holidays rolling! The first major order of business was hooking up a new HDTV, my big gift to my parents this season, and I'm happy to say that Dad is already a 16:9 junkie. So far we've been to the movies together, and today we had fun at Riverwind Casino playing the slot machines. We were almost ready to leave, and I decided to just play a few bucks on a cool Indiana Jones slot machine, and suddenly I hit the Ark of the Covenant progressive bonus, so I won about $400! What an awesome surprise Christmas present - I was amazed! Speaking of presents, we've also been opening a gift every night like we always do, so I've been having fun playing a new Nintendo DS game and reading a new book. Of course, I'm also eating Mom's delicious cooking and goodies, drinking beer and scotch, and generally having a blast thinking of nothing but holiday happiness!
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| Fa la la la la | |
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12.15.2007
7:02 AM | Link | At last, Christmas vacation is here! Yesterday was my last day of work until after Christmas, and last night was my last band gig for the year, so now I feel totally free! Later today I'll be flying to Oklahoma City to visit Mom & Dad in Christmas Paradise, and I can't wait. It looked like there was going to be a lot of snow to worry about, but so far the airport isn't reporting delays, so I think I'm OK! I'm definitely feeling the Christmas spirit now - I watched most of It's a Wonderful Life this week, and I watched the brand new Disney Holiday Magic show on the Travel Channel at lunch yesterday, which was really fun. I'm sure they will repeat it over and over, so be sure to watch it if you're a Disney fan! Of course, I'll have my trusty MacBook while I'm on vacation, so I'll still be writing a few WEBmikey posts when I'm not opening presents. Countdown to eating Mom's Christmas cookies: less than 9 hours! |
| Thankful day | |
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11.22.2007
6:08 AM | Link | Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I'm really going to enjoy this holiday weekend, both for getting things accomplished and for personal recharging! Last weekend I went to Waco to meet Mom & Dad for our usual pre-Thanksgiving dinner with family, and it was fun to be with them, as always. I gave Mom this year's Christmas Minnie Mouse plush (like I do every year!) and Mom loaded me up with sweets and other goodies to start my holiday eating! Last night I enjoyed some of Mom's homemade banana nut bread and pumpkin bread, which were both more than delicious! It was so relaxing to enjoy Mom's baking and read a good book, and I was in a sentimental mood thinking about all the love that Mom put into making those treats. I wouldn't trade the taste of Mom's cooking for any meal in the world, and I'm thankful for every bite! |
| Mom & Dad's Austin adventure | |
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9.10.2007
7:40 AM | Link |
 I just finished enjoying a wonderful four-day weekend with Mom & Dad, who came to visit me in Austin for the first time in a few years! We had a fantastic time together (as always), and we did some really fun things together. The biggest adventure was exploring Inner Space Cavern, which is a really amazing natural underground wonderland just outside of Austin, filled with beautiful rock formations. The tour was exciting and our tour guide Sam was hilarious - he really made the visit memorable! We also made another visit to the Texas State History Museum and enjoyed an IMAX African safari, and we did lots of shopping at The Domain and the outlet mall in Round Rock. Speaking of shopping, my parents decided to buy me an iPhone (just after the huge price-drop) for a super-early (and super-generous!) birthday present, so I've been a total Apple geek for the past few days, playing with it every five minutes! I also had fun re-introducing Mom & Dad to all my friends - they got to see everyone at Chris & Eliza's baby shower, and we had lunch with my pal Melinda, too! To top off the visit, we had a nice dinner and movie at the Alamo Drafthouse, and Mom & Dad enjoyed coming to church with me, too. All four days were simply wonderful - I just love spending time and having fun with Mom & Dad! View photos: Parents Visit 2007
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| Dad's birthday | |
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8.16.2007
7:32 AM | Link |
 Today is Dad's birthday! I'm really thankful to have such youthful parents, and I'm glad we've been on so many adventures together, with many more to come! I'm still in the middle of migrating literally thousands of photos to Flickr, and last weekend I went "carpal-crazy" and finished all of 2002 (40 different parties, trips and other events!), and I'm well on my way into 2003 now. It's been great taking the time to see old photos again, and there are plenty of my parents to enjoy. So, to celebrate my dad's birthday, take a look at my Dad-tag photos (and there are many more Parents-tag photos, since I usually take pictures of them together). Happy Birthday, Dad! (Sorry for putting your craziest picture on this post, taken at Epcot!)
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| Happy Anniversary! | |
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5.17.2007
8:32 PM | Link |
 Today in 1963 my parents began their life together! I feel like the proudest son in the world to have such a wonderful mom and dad who love each other so much, so I'm always happy each year when May 17th rolls around. One of my treasures is an album of original wedding photos, so I decided to quickly scan a few of them today to celebrate! Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad - you'll always look like movie stars to me! View photos: Wedding Day 1963
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| Grandpa's photo | |
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2.14.2007
9:53 PM | Link |
 I only knew one of my grandfathers, my Dad's dad, William Walters. He passed away when I was pretty young, but I have many fond memories of him. After my Grandma passed away last year, I received some mementos that she had, all kept in a wooden Bible case (which is something I had never seen before), and one of them was this wonderful photo of my Grandpa when he was young (you can view a larger image on Flickr) . I'm pretty sure I remember seeing this photo often in Grandma's house when I would visit as a child, and I'm so glad I have it now. Part of growing up is eventually saying goodbye to loved ones, and I treasure the photos I have of my family, especially those that I miss. I finally got a nice frame for this photo a couple weeks ago, and Grandpa looks nice on my dresser with everyone else.
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| Christmas magic | |
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12.26.2006
8:55 PM | Link |
 I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! The final days of my Christmas vacation were simply wonderful. On Christmas Eve, my parents opened the rest of their gifts from me (and loved everything), and then we watched A Christmas Story together just like we have for the past few years. On Christmas morning I opened all of my presents, and I couldn't believe how much Santa brought me this year! I got enough DVDs, books, and Nintendo DS games to keep me busy until June! After all the unwrapping, we watched the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade and ate candy, and after that Dad and I watched some Disney True Life Adventures while I drank wine until I needed a nap. When I woke up, it was time for Christmas dinner, and Mom cooked everything perfectly as always! My entire vacation was really incredible and so relaxing, and Mom and Dad gave me another magical Christmas just like they have for the past 39 years. Enjoy the final group of Christmas photos, or take a look at all of them together in the complete set! View photos: Christmas 2006 Part 5
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| Christmas Eve-Eve | |
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12.23.2006
10:06 PM | Link |
 It's amazing how fast vacation days pass - it's already Christmas Eve-Eve! My parents and I are still having lots of fun together, and I'm still enjoying tons (literally!) of holiday food. We went to see another movie and made a quick stop at Crossroads Mall, which is always fun to see since I went there a million times when I lived here. We've still been playing games in the evening, and now we've added Derby Day to the mix, so we can bet on virtual horses and scream at the TV while they race! Yesterday I had a nice surprise visit from my old high school friend April, who stopped by for some fun conversation. We caught up on lots of stuff, and it was wonderful to see her again! It won't be long now before I'm ripping all the rest of my presents open! View photos: Christmas 2006 Part 4
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| More Christmas highlights | |
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12.20.2006
10:24 PM | Link |
 Christmas fun continues! Dad and I finished our yearly puzzle, which was a personalized map of the surrounding miles with our house at the center - it was much more difficult than I expected, but we did it. We've also been really enjoying challenging each other with Clubhouse Games on Nintendo DS - Dad is really skilled at darts! We kept our tradition of watching the Christmas home movies (this time on DVD!), and we also watched The Polar Express, which Mom & Dad hadn't seen before (they really enjoyed it). We also have been playing some DVD games I bought for them - we each played Deal or No Deal (and I'm the current record holder!) and a few rounds of Trivideo, and both are pretty cool games. Finally, we went to Sears to buy my parents' "big gift" this year, which was a new fridge, we ate out at a couple of our favorite restaurants, and we had a second day of Vegas fun at Riverwind. The time sure is flying by! View photos: Christmas 2006 Part 3
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| Casino adventure | |
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12.18.2006
9:57 PM | Link |
 My parents and I love to play slot machines, so for the last few visits together we've gone to the Remington Park casino and had a fun time. But today we decided to check out the new Riverwind Casino, which is brand new and the largest in Oklahoma! The building is really massive, and the interior is pretty cool - it definitely feels like Vegas, but the decor is nice and tasteful. Of course, there are thousands of slot machines, each with it's own plush chair in front of it, and they have several restaurants and a food court, too (just like a mall). We found one of our favorite games, Super Jackpot Party (which is so much fun because of the bonus games), and spent several hours playing nickels and pennies. We discovered when you play pennies that the machines are rigged to pay off a lot more often, and even with pennies I was able to finished the day with $45 bucks in winnings! View photos: Christmas 2006 Part 2
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| Here comes Christmas! | |
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12.16.2006
9:20 PM | Link |
 Christmas has officially begun! I always look forward to spending the holiday with my family, opening presents every single night. This year I started my parents off with some personalized Disney Santa hats, so all three of us can look extra festive for all the gifting! The Christmas eating has started, too, with plenty of cookies and some of my favorite foods (like salmon patties and homemade potato chips!). I'm trying to counteract the calorie onslaught by doing a few exercises each day, but other than that my only activity will be ripping wrapping paper and shoving cookies in my mouth. I'll try to make a WEBmikey post periodically, but it may be hard to interrupt my busy schedule of relaxing! View photos: Christmas 2006 Part 1
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| Relaxing in Oklahoma | |
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7.17.2006
7:21 PM | Link |
 Sorry for the short break in WEBmikey posting! I was visiting my parents in Oklahoma City, and even though I had my iBook with me, I was in total relaxation mode, so I didn't do any writing or any Japanese study either! It was a wonderful long weekend, though - I always have fun with my parents, and I always gain a few pounds, too. This time Mom made some of the best homemade potato chips on the planet (to go with a burger, of course), and I also had my favorite meal of salmon patties, too. I gave Dad my old Nintendo DS plus some new games for an early birthday present, and we had lots of fun playing wirelessly using DS Download Play, which is so impressive and cool (True Swing Golf is a great golf game, by the way)! Besides going to the movies, we also went to the Remington Park casino and played tons of slot machines together - we managed to have a great time for about three hours without going totally broke. Speaking of gambling, I bought Mom some extra lottery tickets to go along with her usual bunch, so she got to do tons of scratching and won a few bucks, too. Dad and I also got to watch a really bad movie called The Monster That Challenged the World, which is a pretty bold title for a silly story about prehistoric sea slugs!
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| Return to Ohio | |
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4.19.2006
12:39 PM | Link |
 I've been in Ohio for the past few days for my Grandma's funeral. My parents and I were really lucky with our last-minute travel arrangements, and it was nice to be together (as always), and the funeral was a really positive experience, since everyone loved Grandma so much. The best thing about the trip for me was getting re-acquainted with my Dad's side of the family again. I used to go to Ohio once a year with my parents, so as a child I was really close to all my cousins and aunts and uncles, but since I've grown older I've only kept up with them with Christmas cards and news from Mom & Dad. So, it was wonderful to see everyone again! It was great to meet all of my cousin's kids for the first time - it was really fun to talk with Emma & Ashton (Tom Bill & Jill's kids) and teach them some Japanese words, too. Even though it was a reverent occasion, I was really thankful for the chance to be together with everyone in the family. View photos: Ohio visit
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| Remembering Grandma | |
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4.12.2006
9:05 PM | Link |
 Today I found out that my Grandma passed away. For the past few weeks everyone in the family knew her health was failing, but she was 97 years old, so she lived an incredibly long and full life. I know she was a wonderful mom to my Dad and my aunts, but to me she was everything a grandma could be. Even though it doesn't seem like much, when you're a little boy and your grandma bakes the best pies in the world, always puts crisp dollar bills in your birthday card, and even hides 50-cent pieces under your plate at Christmas dinner, those actions start to form your opinion and love of the world and life in general. I'm so thankful for Grandma, and all of my relatives, who gave me this gift. I also have no doubt that her constant prayer has had a big influence on my life and all the other lives she touched.Next week I'll be traveling for the funeral in Ohio, and then strangely enough, traveling to Los Angeles just a couple days later (since the trip was planned months ago). This will give me the opportunity to experience one of the best things about Disneyland - I love it because I have been there with people I love who are no longer here. I know that when I stand in front of the castle, that I have stood there with Grandmother (my mom's mother), Uncle Glenn, Grandpa, and now Grandma, too (this photo is Grandma and Grandpa at Disneyland around 1970). I'll definitely be thinking of them, now and always. |
| Return to Vegas | |
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3.28.2006
9:42 PM | Link |
 Since my parents and I had such a great time in Las Vegas the last time we visited in 2004, we decided to spend another few days there last weekend! This time we stayed at Bellagio, which was really amazing (our bathroom was absolutely huge!). I love gambling at Bellagio, since the atmosphere is elegant but comfortable, and the free drinks are larger and tastier than the other casinos. Once again, my parents and I got hooked on Monopoly themed slot machines - I can't even describe how fun they are (the graphics and bonus games are just miles cooler than anything else)! We saw a different show every night, starting with the latest Cirque du Soleil production Ka, then Barry Manilow's show, and then Mamma Mia. They were all tons of fun (reviews on the way soon, of course)! We also visited the Shark Reef exhibit at Mandalay Bay, which was pretty cool. I really enjoyed riding the Las Vegas Monorail for the first time, too - it was extra interesting for me since the technology originally came from Walt Disney World! View photos: Las Vegas 2006
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| Merry, merry! | |
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12.25.2005
5:51 PM | Link |
 Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good bite! I've just finished eating a giant Christmas dinner, and this has been a simply fantastic day! Christmas Eve was really fun, too, since my parents loved their final presents from me (I was really happy that Dad loved his Corgi Aviation Archive AWACS plane, which he flew near the end of his Air Force career), and then we all watched A Christmas Story, which we all know by heart. This morning we woke up early, got dressed, and then I opened up my treasure chest of gifts - Santa was very generous, and I'll be watching new DVDs for months! I was all set to watch the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade, but the local ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City decided not to carry it! (I would call them some mean names, but it's Christmas.) I'm sure my TiVo will save me and I can watch it later this week. I spent the day drinking coffee, eating cookies, playing new Nintendo DS games, and watching Christmas shows on TV. Now that dinner's over, we're going to watch the video I shot this year! By the way, here are links to two Flickr sets of Christmas photos (newly updated including shots from today). I can't believe my visit with my parents is almost over - I think time moves twice as fast during Christmas! View photos: Christmas fun View photos: Christmas ornaments
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| Our Christmas uniforms | |
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12.23.2005
10:33 PM | Link |
 Yesterday was a full-blown "pajama day" for Dad and I, which means we goofed off at home all day and never even got dressed (another fine Christmas-time tradition)! After an incredible Eggs Benedict breakfast by Chef Mom, Dad and I put together a puzzle I got for him. It's the front page of the New York Times on August 16th, 1935, his birthday. It started out pretty easy with the headlines, but it was pretty tough to finish all the smaller stories (we had to read the tiny print to figure out which article each piece was in)! Next we hooked up a new printer for Dad's computer, then had another one of my favorite dinners, macaroni and cheese (far better than any other macaroni dish in the world). Today we got out of the house for another movie, and tonight we watched some of our classic home movies (including scenes of my first two visits to Disneyland, along with lots of Christmas present unwrapping). I've been spending the rest of my free time reading, playing my Nintendo DS, and gaining weight. This is definitely a wonderful life!
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| Two more Christmas days | |
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12.21.2005
9:44 PM | Link |
 The past couple of days have been lots of fun, and nothing had to save Christmas this time! We saw another movie since I wanted Mom & Dad to see The Chronicles of Narnia, and I loved it even more this time (and my parents loved it, too). We've been watching the new nighttime game show Deal Or No Deal every night, which is fun because we all get to yell at the TV. Today it was sunny and warm, so we went to the mall, then went to Sears (so I could buy Mom & Dad their annual "major appliance" gift), and then went to Remington Park, since they just opened a new casino! We spent about two and a half hours playing slots and had a great time (I also had a couple Manhattans)! I got hooked on one called 99 Bottles of Beer, since it had a little bonus game where you choose which cartoon character can drink the most beer, and Mom had an awesome run on Livewire (once she won 400 nickels on one pull - not bad!). Christmas is coming too fast, but I'm loving every moment!
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| New battery saves Christmas | |
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12.19.2005
10:32 PM | Link |
 Today's Christmas adventure began with a big breakfast cooked by Mom (who else?), and then we headed out in the semi-snowy weather to see King Kong (review coming soon). After the movie we went to an extra early dinner at Ted's Cafe Escondido, which is my parents' favorite Mexican restaurant, and apparently everyone else's favorite, too, since they are always packed for dinner even as early as 4:00 PM! After a great meal and margaritas, we got back in the car and it wouldn't start! We called AAA and went back into Ted's to wait, and our waiter offered to give us a jump. So, we gave that a try, but it still wouldn't turn over, so we didn't know if the battery was the problem or not. Suddenly, another Ted's employee pulled up with a portable battery jumper, and after hooking up both batteries, Dad's car started! We drove to AutoZone to get a new battery, and luckily the guy there was nice enough to put it in for us, even though they were understaffed and getting busy. So, our car trouble turned out OK - it was our own little Christmas miracle! Before we knew it we were back home drinking hot chocolate and playing The Price is Right DVD game (Mom won both showcases!).
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| Glenfiddich saves Christmas | |
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12.18.2005
11:10 PM | Link |
 Today we went to church and had breakfast at IHOP, then we bought a bunch of lottery tickets for Mom (the lottery is fairly new for Oklahoma City, and Mom & Dad love to play). It was fun watching Mom scratch off the tickets, and she ended up breaking even (one ticket won $14 dollars!). My parents have tons of old home movies that they transferred to video, and this year I'm dubbing them to digital tape so I can put them on DVD. I had a crazy time with one of Dad's VCRs and got a little stressed, but I was fine after some cookies and Glenfiddich. Now the dubbing is going fine, and I'm looking forward to making a cool DVD with them and having my own copy (so I can watching myself getting my diaper changed anytime I want). Tonight I gave my parents the TV edition of Scene It, and we played a couple games, which were both close calls since my parents know quite a bit of TV trivia! Tomorrow I'll start taking more pictures to spruce up these postings!
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| Getting Christmas started | |
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12.17.2005
11:08 PM | Link | My flight to Oklahoma City was just fine (no winter weather), and even though the airport was packed, I enjoyed eavesdropping on a Japanese conversation and trying to figure it out. (In fact, there was a woman in front of me in the security line who didn't speak English, so she couldn't understand when the security guy was trying to tell her to put something on the scanner belt. I wanted to help, but I always forget the verb for "to put" - I can't wait until I'm confident enough to speak up in that kind of situation!) I got a good start on my Christmas eating with plenty of Mom's cookies and her fantastic salmon patties meal (my favorite), and I spent some time upgrading the Mac OS on my Dad's iBook. Then we opened a present (which we'll do every day), and watched a silly Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel (Mom can never get enough Christmas movies). All you need to know is Steve Gutenberg was the star, playing a young Santa Claus - definitely a classic! (Yes, Virginia, that was sarcasm.) I love Christmas at home! |
| McDiet | |
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11.22.2005
10:40 PM | Link |
 Today Ryan and I went shopping at lunch - I needed to get some new mechanical pencils (to write in a new Japanese exercise book), check on new manga releases (two new volumes were out!), and get the DVD of The Polar Express, which was released today (I'm really craving Christmas movies now!). We had a quick lunch at McDonald's, so I checked their website for calorie information first. I had a salad with grilled chicken, plus a really yummy yogurt/fruit parfait, and got away with only 380 calories! Tonight I had a pretty good Japanese lesson - I'm feeling a little more positive about my studies lately, but I wish I had more time to study. I'm really excited about Thanksgiving weekend - four days of fun, friends, food, and video editing (of course)!I posted a few photos of my Waco trip with my parents. I had never taken photos at a cemetery before, so it was kind of interesting to shoot a few - it also feels good to capture those images as part of my family history. View photos: Waco visit
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| Back from Waco | |
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11.20.2005
6:33 PM | Link | I had a nice three-day weekend to celebrate pre-Thanksgiving with my parents. We met in Waco and spent time with family members there - Mom & Dad and I always have fun when we're together. My parents gave me a wonderful old photo of Dad when he was a little boy (graduating from Sunday School in a white cap and gown!) - I love old photos of my family! I kept up with WEBmikey posting (with a little cheating) since the Hampton Inn in Waco has free internet access in every room - that's a pretty nice perk for a budget hotel! Today after driving home I enjoyed some of Mom's party mix (one of my first "tastes of Christmas" each year), worked on my video project, played several games of Pump It Up, then read all of the manga version of Socrates in Love (so sad!). I'm all set for Thanksgiving week now! |
| Parents and pals | |
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10.02.2005
4:25 PM | Link |
 Today I have a couple of photo sets for you! First, I finally posted some pictures of my parents that I took during their recent visit. I love the shots taken at Main Event, especially watching Mom & Dad play air hockey! Last night I went to Shawn's birthday party, so you can check out the fun goings-on from that event, too. I got to play DDR Ultramix (the Xbox version) for the first time! It was a blast watching everyone try it out and learn how to play. It was a fun party - I got to talk to lots of folks that I've only chatted with quickly before, so it was really cool! View photos: Parents in Austin View photos: Shawn's birthday partyHere's a little WEBmikey fame - someone noticed my PEZ collection photos on Flickr, and they used some of them (plus my little PEZ essay) in a web magazine called Practically Creative. It's always fun to be noticed! Just in case you notice my posting schedule is a little off, Blogger seems to be wonky since yesterday and won't publish properly (so I'm posting this by hand!). Hope they get it fixed quickly! |
| Summer visit at home | |
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6.19.2005
7:05 PM | Link |
 I just spent a wonderful relaxing weekend in Oklahoma City with my parents for my traditional summer visit. On the flight to Oklahoma City, I got to ride the new Skylink service at DFW airport. I was always a fan of the old American Airlines TRAAIN (they have to put two As in everything), but Skylink is way cooler. It's completely elevated like a monorail, and travels just above all the gates, so you get to look down and see all the aircraft parked below. It's also really fast (hang on tight)! It was nice to be home for Father's Day - I bought Dad a new DVD player and hooked it up for him, and we used it to watch a DVD and play Scene It, which was lots of fun! While I was there we also went to see Batman Begins (review on the way) and a cool IMAX film at the Omnidome. I also did some treasure hunting and found some fun childhood treasures, such as my Pinewood Derby cars from Cub Scouts, a tribble key-chain, and best of all, my Sinclair ZX-81 (my first computer)! I took some macro photos that I'll be putting on Flickr soon. One of the best parts of the trip was Mom's banana pudding. Wow, it was so good! It just keeps getting better as the vanilla wafers dissolve in the yellow yumminess. View photos
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| Mickeys and memorials | |
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4.26.2005
7:22 PM | Link |
 Sorry for the short break in WEBmikey posts recently - I was on a quick vacation with my parents in Washington DC! I've been taking Mom & Dad on a few fun trips a year, and since they hadn't been to DC in over 12 years, we thought it would be a nice city to visit together. We managed to take in just about every tourist location on the map (minus the art galleries), which included several things I hadn't seen before, such as the Capitol (my first time on the tour), the National Archives, and the World War II Memorial. We also were lucky to be in the city while the 75 InspEARations exhibit was on display - 75 different Mickey Mouse statues to celebrate Mickey's recent 75th birthday! I felt like I had a great sense of history on this trip, thinking about the actual places where I was standing and the amazing events that took place there. It was really cool to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, too! It was also nice visiting the Air & Space Museum with Dad, since he was able to identify nearly every plane there, plus tell me stories about so many of them he had actually flown in. Mom got to see things like the Hope Diamond and the First Ladies' dresses, and I got to see the original Apple computer, so there was something for everyone to enjoy. I loved riding the Metro, too - it was so much fun figuring out where to go and how to change trains and so on. It was definitely a wonderful four-day experience! View photos: Washington DC 2005 Mickeys View photos: Washington DC 2005 Air & Space View photos: Washington DC 2005 Capitol View photos: Washington DC 2005 Memorials Watch video: Washington DC Vacation
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| Choo-choo me home | |
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3.20.2005
7:52 PM | Link |
 My parents went home today after a fun-filled four day visit. We saw some great shows and ate at plenty of restaurants (reviews on the way, of course), but the best thing we did was take a trip on the Hill Country Flyer! The Austin Steam Train Association is a volunteer group of folks who keep old trains running as a "rolling museum". We rode in a lounge car called the City of Chicago, built in 1950, but our train also included several coach cars built in the 1920s! During the two hour ride (at the amazing speed of 20 MPH), you can walk all through the train, including between cars, where you can hang your head out the vestibule. It was so exciting and historic! Our car attendant was a lovable old guy named Don, who told lots of jokes and stories. Our destination was Burnet, a really small town where you can get an ice cream cone for a buck, and after a big lunch we watched a goofy gun fight, complete with bad acting and plenty of loud shots. During the ride back we all sang Chattanooga Choo-Choo as it started to rain, which made the ride seem even more authentic to me. The whole experience was so cool - I will definitely do it again sometime! View photos: Parents Visit 2005
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| Mom's birthday | |
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3.04.2005
7:47 PM | Link |
 Yesterday was my mom's birthday, so I just wanted to say here on WEBmikey that my mom is the best there ever was or will be! I'm so thankful to be close to my parents - we always have a great time when we're together. Mom and Dad will be coming to visit me in about a week, so we're planning lots of activities like riding the Hill Country Flyer, seeing an IMAX movie, and catching Aida at Zach Scott Theater. I like to make Austin a nice vacation experience when they visit!
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| A little more Christmas | |
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12.29.2004
8:49 PM | Link |
 Getting back to normal life after a wonderful Christmas isn't easy. I have to make myself do things again after relaxing for over a week, not to mention switching from Mom's terrific meals back to ramen noodles! Before I forget to mention it, did everyone notice how many remakes of Dickens' A Christmas Carol there were this year? There were tons of them on the Hallmark Channel, including one with William Shatner and Gary Coleman as two of the ghosts! My family and I had more fun watching our old home movies - I always enjoy seeing my young parents opening gifts, and then seeing all of my toys (that would be worth a fortune on eBay if I had them now!). I can always relive my Christmas fun through photos, so here are my memories of this fun holiday. View photos: Christmas 2004 Family View photos: Christmas 2004 Decorations View photos: Christmas 2004 Food
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| Christmas weekend | |
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12.26.2004
10:16 PM | Link |
 Yesterday was a fantastic Christmas! Santa was extremely generous this year, and now I have so many DVDs to watch that I need another vacation. I think if you add up all the DVD content it would be well over 100 hours! Dad and I got a good start by watching eleven Road Runner cartoons in a row, then we all drank egg nog and watched the awesome Walt Disney World parade. Christmas dinner was amazing, too!
Today Mom and I did some 50%-off Christmas shopping, and tonight we went to a candlelight silent communion service. The church was filled with candlelight, and the entire service was without speech - only organ music. I had never been to a service done this way before, and it was really special. |
| Almost Christmas | |
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12.24.2004
10:05 PM | Link | Merry Christmas Eve! Today I ate an insane amount of macaroni and cheese, my parents opened all of their gifts, and we watched A Christmas Story and laughed at Ralphie's adventures like we do every year. Earlier in the day, Dad and I watched a bunch of the old Mickey Mouse Club episodes on DVD - Dad was excited to see some segments with the old TWA Constellation, which is the type of plane he spent more than 12,000 hours on in the Air Force! Tomorrow is Christmas, so WEBmikey may be taking a day off. Have a wonderful holiday, and don't forget to watch the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade! |
| PJ-day | |
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12.22.2004
10:06 PM | Link |
 Today was an ultra-holiday day! We had a little bit of snow and slick roads this morning, so Dad and I both stayed in our pajamas all day long and put together a puzzle (last night's gift from me). It's a panoramic shot of Times Square, which I picked out because the photo includes the hotel we stayed in during our vacation there a while back. It's over three feet wide, and it took us over six hours to put all 750 pieces together, but it was a lot of fun!
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| C is for cookie | |
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12.21.2004
10:20 PM | Link |
I've been doing lots of Christmas eating (which means lots of New Years dieting), and cookies are a big part of the goodies. Over the years, Mom has standardized on a set of must-eat cookies for each holiday season! See if your family bakes any of these: |
| Still Christmasing | |
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12.20.2004
10:22 PM | Link |
 My family and I are still enjoying some holiday fun together, opening gifts, doing some shopping, and eating wonderful food! So far I've opened a great book and some nice clothes, and I'm enjoying a nice pipe each evening (I hadn't smoked in several weeks since I had a cold, so it's especially relaxing!). My pal Matt asked to see some photos of Mom's decorations, so I took a few with my camera phone. I'll have more pictures with my real camera after Christmas, but here's a taste of Christmas Central for now! Mom gets more decorations every year - in fact, my first iMovie project was a little documentary of all the decorations a couple years ago. I love the way everything looks! View photos
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| Christmas fun begins | |
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12.19.2004
3:16 PM | Link |
 Hello from Christmas Central! Yesterday I spent two hours wrapping my parents' Christmas gifts, and later that night we each opened a few things - my family's tradition is opening a gift or two each every night, then on Christmas Eve my parents open all the rest of their gifts, and on Christmas Day I dig into Santa's treasure for me. We all played a couple games of Scene It, a DVD-based game of movie trivia (one of my gifts to Dad), and had a great time screaming out trivia answers at the TV. One my favorite parts of the evening was cracking open a bottle of 15 year old Glenfiddich (Dad splurged and bought the Solera Reserve this year!). I quickly poured a triple and started feeling the Christmas spirit right away!
By the way, sorry for the missed post yesterday. Dad's router recently bit the dust, so we bought him a new one and got it configured today, so I'm back on track! |
| WDW 2004: Day 1 | |
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9.26.2004
1:38 PM | Link |
 On our first day we took it easy, just enjoying the Grand Floridian and riding the Monorail past the parks and stopping to check out the Contemporary and Polynesian resorts. We ate at 1900 Park Fare for dinner, where we got to meet Cinderella, Prince Charming, and Suzy & Perla (Cindy's mice). The food wasn't very good, but every other meal for the rest of the trip was great! After dinner we took a fireworks cruise - we had two nice guides who drove our private boat around Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, then we stopped in front of the castle at the Magic Kingdom to watch the spectacular Wishes fireworks show! (By the way, to read the other days of my trip, check out the September archive.) View photos: WDW 2004 Day 1
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| WDW 2004: Day 2 | |
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1:36 PM | Link |
 The next day we spent the morning at Animal Kingdom, starting with a great safari trip, viewed the gorillas, and then we enjoyed the wonderful Festival of the Lion King show. After lunch at Pizzafari we saw the giant bats and tigers, and then watched Tarzan Rocks - it was my first time at this show, and I was really impressed with the live band and stunt skaters! Mom & Dad survived riding Dinosaur, and then we went back to the Grand Floridan for a break (we took a break everyday, which was a perfect time for a margarita and a quick nap!). We ate dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, and Minnie loved our matching shirts. Spectromagic was a great parade and a nice end to the day. View photos: WDW 2004 Day 2
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| WDW 2004: Day 3 | |
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1:35 PM | Link |
 We started our day in Epcot, and Mom & Dad had the ride of their lives on Test Track! We experienced Spaceship Earth, the Universe of Energy, and the Imagination and Land pavilions all before lunch, which was at the Garden Grill (with Mickey, Pluto, Chip & Dale). After our break time, we went to MGM Studios and played Millionaire, then had a great dinner at the Brown Derby before seeing a fantastic performance of Fantasmic! View photos: WDW 2004 Day 3
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| WDW 2004: Day 4 | |
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1:33 PM | Link |
 I couldn't wait for this day, because we spent most of it at the Magic Kingdom riding the classic Disney rides! We ate at the Plaza Restaurant on Main Street, then got to ride in the cockpit of the Monorail back to the Grand Floridian for our break. That evening we went to Downtown Disney and ate at Wolfgang Puck's, then saw Cirque du Soleil La Nouba, which was completely amazing - definitely my favorite Cirque show so far! View photos: WDW 2004 Day 4Labels: cirque du soleil, disney, family, photos, trips |
| WDW 2004: Day 5 | |
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1:27 PM | Link |
 We started our last day super-early with a private fishing excursion on Seven Seas Lagoon. Our guide Dave was a lot of fun, and we caught 18 large-mouth bass in two hours - Dad had such a great time! Then we went to MGM Studios for lots of shows, including the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, along with lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine-In. After our break we went to Epcot for dinner at Coral Reef, and then strolled around World Showcase to visit Mexico, Norway and the American Adventure, and then ended our vacation with a great view of the IllumiNations fireworks. View photos: WDW 2004 Day 5 Watch video: Fishing at Walt Disney World
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| Vegas vacation | |
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4.20.2004
6:12 PM | Link |
 Last weekend I took my parents on a Las Vegas vacation, and we had a fantastic time! We stayed at Paris, which had nice rooms and a good location on the strip (plus Dad and I enjoyed the skimpy cocktail waitress uniforms!), but we spent our days visiting just about every casino we could. You name it, we dropped some cash there! I really enjoyed all of the "themed" shopping experiences, which are malls decked out to look like you're in Morocco, France, Venice, or the Rome. We saw three excellent shows (which I'll be reviewing soon), and ate a couple of huge buffets, too. I think we had the most fun at Bellagio, which is by far the most "comfortable" casino, since it's so plush. We all got hooked on a video slot machine called Monopoly Hot Properties that had all kinds of fun bonus games, and had a blast enjoying the free drinks (which are simply the biggest and best at Bellagio) and cheering our wins. My biggest win was almost $65 on a single hand of video poker, but I didn't stay in the positive column for long (no surprise!). By the way, those beautiful colors pictured here are part of the Bellagio lobby ceiling, which is covered with incredible glass flowers! View photos: Las Vegas 2004
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| Christmas photos | |
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1.04.2004
5:11 PM | Link |
 A wonderful Christmastime in Oklahoma City with Mom & Dad. Check out the tremendous load of gifts and some yummy food! View photos: Christmas 2003
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| Disneyland | |
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8.27.2003
10:12 AM | Link |
 I decided to take my parents along with me for my yearly pilgrimage to Disneyland this year, as a way to pay them back for all the times they took me (starting when I was three years old!). I spent a lot of time planning each hour of our time there, because I really wanted Mom & Dad to experience everything they could, and I'm thrilled to say that my plan was a success - we enjoyed 39 attractions in three days! My pal Dae joined us for our day at Disney's California Adventure, which was an added bonus to an all-around magical time! A few favorite moments: View photos: Disneyland 2003
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| Oklahoma City | |
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7.24.2003
10:13 AM | Link |
 My annual summer trip to Oklahoma City was relaxing and fun. Mom cooked up some delicious food - I got to eat meatloaf for the first time in years, and it was fantastic! My parents and I saw a couple of movies, and also got to see a great IMAX feature, Coral Reef, at the Omnidome Theater. The Omnidome is quite unique for an IMAX theater - most of the film is projected on the ceiling, and the seats are designed so you can lie back and rest your head. It was a great movie with lots of beautiful scenes. We tried to find Nemo, but I think he must have been hiding.
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| UT Tower Tour | |
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3.18.2003
6:19 PM | Link |
Mikey's parents enjoy the amazing view of Austin from the top of the University of Texas tower. View photos: UT Tower
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| Oklahoma City | |
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1.26.2003
10:10 AM | Link | I made my usual journey to Oklahoma City in December to spend Christmas 2002 with my parents. What a wonderful time! We had a fantastic Christmas together, of course, with just enough snow to make it a White Christmas, but little enough for it to start melting the day after so we could get out on the town. We saw a couple of movies, but the highlight was our day downtown, where we saw a Titanic exhibit with actual artifacts (fascinating!) and visited the State Capitol to see the new dome recently put on the roof, which was pretty impressive. |
| Oklahoma City | |
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8.19.2002
8:52 AM | Link | I try to visit my parents twice a year - once during the summer, and then at Christmas. The summer visit is nice because it's around Dad's birthday! This was a nice relaxing trip with most of it spent watching TV with my parents and gorging on wonderful food (Mom always makes my favorites, and this time she made a great banana pudding, which I ate literally after every meal!). We took a little drive to the downtown area and I got to see the great new changes to Bricktown, plus we saw the new dome on the capitol building, which was pretty impressive (I think they just want to be like Austin). |
| Off to Oklahoma City | |
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8.16.2001
7:17 AM | Link |
I'll be flying to Oklahoma City today to visit my parents for my Dad's birthday. I should be able to update the blog easily from Dad's computer, but just in case, you have been warned.
What the heck did Roy do on the classic Mickey Mouse Club except look like a goofball? |
| My family | |
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1.30.2000
8:51 PM | Link |
It's true that you can't choose your family, but it's a myth that families never get along. I've been lucky enough to have a family that's not only interesting, but knows how to have fun as well! Like all families, things get rough as everyone gets older, but love and great memories carry my family through it all. Labels: family |
| Ed Walters | |
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7:40 PM | Link |
 Dad
Dad retired from a successful career in the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, then went back to school for a degree in computer science and accounting, then worked as a database administrator for the Oklahoma Tax Commission, and now is enjoying his second retirement. He has been lots of exotic places like Germany and Iceland. Dad loves crossword puzzles, surfing on his iBook, and reminiscing. Labels: family |
| Lena Walters | |
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7:39 PM | Link |
 Mom
Mom met Dad on a blind date (after turning down other proposals!) and soon moved to California to make me. Mom was my study partner and is the reason I did well in school (she even quizzed me in French). Mom keeps the cleanest house in the world, loves going to movies with Dad, and makes excellent salmon patties and other specialties. She always makes sure I have a magical Christmas with her decorations and cookies. Labels: family |
| Dorothy Walters | |
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7:38 PM | Link |
 Grandmother
Grandma bakes the best pies and other desserts in the world. I used to visit Ohio every year when I lived with my parents, and each visit was full of my favorites: Graham Cracker Pie and Dewies (leftover pie crust with cinnamon and sugar!). Grandma has always been well-loved by everyone who knows her, from everyone in the family to any community she has been a part of. It's easy to see why. Labels: family |
| William Walters | |
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7:37 PM | Link |
 Grandfather
Grandpa was a wonderful man with magical powers (I only knew him when I was young). My most vivid memories of him are his huge hands (which I used to see while I would sit on his lap in a rocking chair), and the famous "magic sack" that would suddenly fill with toys when I wasn't looking. Grandpa died when I was pretty young, but I love watching home movies of him each holiday season. Labels: family |
| Irene VanZandt | |
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7:36 PM | Link |
Grandmother
Grandmother was an amazing woman with a strong faith who raised three children (including Mom) on her own. I was able to see her often during my childhood, during many family visits to Waco. She was always full of funny sayings and wisdom, and it was great to see how much she loved Mom. She died at an old age, leaving us with wonderful memories. Labels: family |
| Dottie & Tom Geswein | |
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7:35 PM | Link |
Aunt/Uncle
Aunt Vee and Uncle Tom are a fun couple. Aunt Vee is never embarrased by anything - she once spent nearly the whole day at an amusement park wearing bug eye glasses and talking to every stranger she could. She also makes fantastic lasagna. Uncle Tom is much more soft-spoken, but he's a master of dry wit. He's also taken on some incredible projects, such as building an extra room on their house, and lots of fine wood furniture. Labels: family |
| Mary & Don Hannon | |
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7:34 PM | Link |
Aunt/Uncle
Aunt Mary & Uncle Don live in Florida now, enjoying the retired life. Aunt Mary has always been boistrous and fun, and loves to be in the sun - she is always as tan as possible. Uncle Don is relaxed and easy going. He's a retired podiatrist - I can remember my cousins and I looking around his basement office at all kinds of scary looking equipment! Labels: family |
| Glenn & Geneva VanZandt | |
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7:33 PM | Link |
Uncle/Aunt
Uncle Glenn was a brilliant man and teacher, loved and remembered by his students. He loved playing with me when I was a baby, and I'll never forget all the funny jokes he told me. He was always interested in the lives of those he loved, and was a great listener. His death was sudden, but his life was full. I still meet my family in Waco for Thanksgiving, where we see Aunt Geneva, his wife. Labels: family |
| Jimmie & Jim Hayes | |
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7:32 PM | Link |
Aunt/Uncle
I only knew Aunt Jimmie when I was younger, but I remember she was always happy and loving. She loved cartoons and game shows, and I always enjoyed seeing her in Waco. She died of cancer around the time I graduated from high school. Uncle Jim was a salesman of hunting supplies, but I don't remember much about him. Labels: family |
| Cousins | |
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7:31 PM | Link |
I've always had fun with my paternal cousins, who are all married with kids now. I spent most of the time with Tom Bill Geswein - we wrote letters to each other about Star Wars for years. The two of us would also play with Jim Hannon, who also has two sisters, Joan and Jane, who spent a lot of time with me when I was a baby. I have lots of maternal cousins that I played with when I was younger, most of them Aunt Jimmie's children, but I haven't seen them in years. Aunt Geneva has three children, who are married with kids, and I used to see them at Thanksgiving dinner. Labels: family |
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