This Just In.......

It's d*mn hot....Africa hot......white hot molten, face of the sun hot.

Welcome to Dallas in summer.

But the heat should break eventually.......like Halloween.

Took this picture in my truck at 5:30pm today.

Father's Day Fishing Trip

I met my buddy Scott Cummings about 4:45am Saturday and we headed out to Lake Ray Roberts to bass fish. It was very windy and my flatbottom jon boat took a beating (and so did we) but we managed to scratch out 5 black bass and 3 sand bass (white bass) by noon. At about 10:50am in bright sun while drifting accross a flat, I cast a purple ghost Rapala X-Rap and this is what I got.......didnt put her on the scale but Scott estimated her between 5.5-6lbs. One of my better fish on that lake. Happy Father's Day to my Dad----see you in Florida soon!

Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009

Now that the ringing has stopped in my ears I can think clearly to write.

The Jonas Brothers kicked off their world tour in their new home town of Dallas. The brand new Dallas Cowboys Stadium was the scene of this girl-tween-teen infested event. The excitement started way too long ago back in April when my friend Jan and I decided to take our girls, and Jan's nieces, to the concert. Were we having margaritas at the time? Unfortunately I can't blame it on Tequila.

Just getting to the stadium was made out to be such an event over the last few weeks by the media. There was even a website dedicated just to get driving directions to your respective parking lot. But in the end, it was very uneventful and at one point we thought maybe we were going the wrong way because we had yet to find the traffic!

Once we got there the Jonas Brothers tour bus was sitting outside for all the fans to sign. Oh the silly girls that thought putting their phone number on the bus was a good idea! Kate didn't quite know what she should write and settled with just "Kate".

Although they probably wouldn't admit it to their buddies, there were quite a few guys there with their daughters, I believe just to catch a glimpse of the awe inspiring jumbotron that pretty much covers the entire field. I actually offered Robert my ticket so he could see it all for himself, he declined, he was that desperate to see it. As soon as we walked in the stadium we heard screaming, but there was no one on stage. I quickly figured out what the screaming was about. Verizon had set up a text message link to the jumbotron where anyone could send a text to be seen on the screen. Of course the messages were silly like, "if you love the JoBros then scream," "if you're from Dallas then scream." I guarantee there were a lot of hoarse girls on Sunday morning.

We missed the first opening act by a band called Honor Society. None of us had heard of them so we didn't rush to get there by 7:00 to hear them. We did see the second act, which was Jordin Sparks from American Idol. We enjoyed her, but the girls were very antsy to see the Jonas Brothers.

Finally at 8:45 the Jonas Brothers came on, opening with their latest song Paranoid. The stage was round and rotating with a lift in the middle that brought them up to the stage. They used the lift many times throughout the night to bring up a piano, drums and even a trampoline at one point. The Jonas Brothers are still kids and love to goof around.

They played one song after another without stopping. At one point they got onto an arm that swung out across the crowd and shot water cannons at the fans on the floor. Boy am I glad we weren't on the floor! Although the girls could have used a shot of cold water, they were starting to get sleepy.

Jordin Sparks came out again late in the show to perform her new song Battlefield with the brothers. I didn't like this song on the radio, but the live performance was great with her in a white flowy dress and fog all around her.

Then, the lights came down to the stage blocking anyone's view from seeing what was going on. They slowly started to rise as did the lift in the middle of the stage. All of the sudden we heard very loud screams and Miley Cyrus with Nick Jonas were rising out of the middle of the stage. What a SURPRISE! They sang a song that they had been working on together. This was my favorite part of the show and it definitely woke Kate up for the last few songs. (She also loves Miley Cyrus.)

Although I wasn't really looking forward to the 50,000 screaming fans I actually enjoyed the concert, and I'm glad we went. Kate had a great time and now has a great story to tell her friends back at school.

Stacey

Go Go Speed Racer!!!!!

Stacey posted.....so most of you that know me, know I have to have the last word!

By my nature and as a small part of my profession, I am supposed to be a contrarian----going against the flow when it's appropriate.

So while we are only 22 days from summer Captiva vacation, I am already looking forward to what I hope will be an annual early spring ski trip to the mountains......and usually when I start planning, I start spending........right Stacey?

So through the miracle of Craigslist, I purchased what I think was a really nice pair of all-mountain skis. Stacey introduced my to Colorado skiing in 1992 and I've been hooked ever since. Last March we all skied Winter Park and I think we'll make this an annual trip as the kids had a great time. At Winter Park I took the time to demo 4 pairs of different skis based on my ability level (which is slightly above just average), and really really liked they speed, turn and performance of some 170 Salomon X-Wing Tornados. Remember, when most of us started skiing, the technology that exists today (shaped skis) didnt exists. And for those of you that don't know, buying the 2008 models in 2009 can get you a roughly 70% discount.

So I'll have to let you know how my new-used 170 Volkl AC30 skis perform next season!!!! Can't wait to let them loose at Breckenridge, Vail or Keystone!!!!

And as a side note-----if you are anywhere near Frisco, TX, check these guys out. The owners Gil & Rick are the best. http://www.skifriscosports.com/

I post because I can.

As I was cleaning out my email box this afternoon I ran across these pictures my mom took in Captiva last year and then doctored them in Photoshop. All we are thinking about right now is our upcoming Captiva trip, so I thought I would post the pictures for all to see. I'm not sure why Preston has such a pouty face in most pictures, but who knows why a 2 year old does anything?

Stacey

Lake Texoma Weekend

We have some great friends, Eric & Sue Thomas & their 3 girls (Avery 7, Lauren 5 & Lexi 3) that have a perfect lake cabin at Lake Texoma in Pottsboro about an hour north of Dallas. We met them when Kate and Avery were in daycare together and Sue singled handed organized moms to watch Kate after school while Stacey was on hospital bed rest with Preston's delivery back in 2005. Lake Texoma borders Texas & Oklahoma and is huge-----90,000++ acres and is known for its striped bass fishing. In addition to the cabin, they have a 2006 Cobalt model 262 ski boat----by far the nicest ski boat you have ever seen---HUGE!!!!! They invited us up for the weekend so we headed out for a weekend of tubing, skiing, fishing, campfires, fish fry, and old fashioned fun.

Friday we arrived about 4pm and while the kids had fun on the rope swing, Eric & I launched our boats. We all went for a sunset cruise and swim and crashed. Here is video of Kate on the rope swing.

Saturday, Eric, his neighbor, Burton and I fished for striped bass. It was a short trip. We landed 1 nice striper and a few black bass and my first smallmouth bass in 15 yrs......man they can fight. We skiied and tubed all day and all got a little sunburned and ended the day with a fish fry followed by a huge lightning storm that was amazing to watch come in over the lake.

Sunday----more swimming and tubing.....but most of all----Sue Thomas nearly killed Eric & I slinging us accross the water on the tube at 50+ mph. Concentrate on the very last second of the video below----nice air huh? Also see pics of Stacey & Sue on the tube.

Also-----Bob, Anne, Tom & Stacey Spivey Blackford are all out in Estes Park, CO, where Dad came in 3rd overall in his age group in the Estes Park Half Marathon.

See results: http://www.fivestartiming.com/results/2009epmhalfawards.htm

Congrats Dad!

I'm not a writer and will never claim to be!

So this whole blog thing was Robert's idea. He didn't even tell me he was thinking about it until he forwarded me the url to the first post. That being said, he's put the pressure on for me to make my own entries although he knows I don't like to write! I tease him that he keeps taking my ideas because the only thing I have to write about is our kids, otherwise I'm boring.

I never felt the urge to write a post until I read his post this morning about our 14th anniversary. So, here goes:

It's been a short 14 years, even shorter are the last 7. Where has the time gone? I think back about all the fun we have had pre and post kids and it has been a lot of fun. If it wasn't for Robert, it probably would have been pretty boring, cause like I said earlier, I'm pretty boring, content to sit on the couch and watch HGTV while I fold laundry. As most of you know, Robert does not like sitting on the couch for more than 5 minutes, so he's always looking for something for us to do to keep us going, although I fight it at times. :) Thank you Robert, for keeping us active and going, but also knowing that I like my tv time as well. You're a great dad to our kids and I do appreciate you being very involved in their lives, wanting to build hobbies with them that will create memories to last a lifetime.

Here's to another 14 years and more.

I love you,
Stacey

Happy 14th Anniversary

June 10, 1995 - Little Rock, AR - St. Mark's Episcopal Church

I'll never forget-----It seemed like 3/4 of Lonoke, AR had turned out for Preston & Cindy Hamilton oldest daughter's wedding. As a groom, let me say there is no experience like that moment when the doors open and you see your bride in her Dad's arm headed down the aisle. It's one of those "moments of clarity" like the birth of your children and when she accepted your proposal.

Like most of you that are longer in the tooth in wedding anniversaries, it seems like 1995 was just yesterday----time flies when you are having fun.....and we have had fun! So this blog entry is dedicated to my lovely wife and awesome mother of our children, Stacey, and for putting up with me for 14 years and many many many more to come! Love, Robert.

Mini Me

For those of you that have the same keen sense of humor that I do, you'll remember the sopohmoric , yet masterful, film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)----and more specifically sequel---Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. This is where Mini Me (pint sized clone of villian Dr. Evil) is introduced. (In the effort of full disclosure, I happily admit I rank Tommy Boy, Blazing Saddles, Dumb & Dumber, Old School, Austin Powers, Nutty Professor, and anything containing Will Ferrell as my favorite comedies).

And why do I bring this topic up?

Well, for those of you that have seen my son, there is no denying his DNA.....I've even had complete strangers in the grocery store stop us and point out the striking similarity between us.

So without further delay....this photo was snapped yesterday while Preston was enjoying his first Waterpark day at daycare (yes----his daycare comes complete with it's own waterpark.......don't get me started).