D'Oh!

Bill Simpsonized, originally uploaded by korynasz.

Hmm.. this character must be Montgomery Burns' land use consultant.

Try it out for yourself.. you have to have a headshot to upload to that website. Maybe I can use this on my passport renewal?

Welcome to 35-44

This past birthday was a rite of passage: I'm now part of the significantly less-important 35-44 age demographic. Far fewer television shows, movies, music, etc. will be (fruitlessly) geared towards me because I'm almost certainly socking away more money for retirement and children than the spendthrift 25-34 cohort.

The problem is that advertisers also care WAY too much about what Gabriel thinks... one seriously understands why cereal, candy, toys, etc. are placed the way they are in stores and when/what type of print and broadcast ads are running. Ugh.

And I can already say new "music" is definitely getting way too loud, too and I don't even begin to understand it. I'll only start worrying when I stop chuckling at the guy throwing the football through the tire swing in that TV ad.

P.S. The recent, new Mattel toy recall does not affect anything Gabriel plays with at grandparents' houses to the best of my knowledge. It's really an older-child toy recall.

Happy Birthday To Us!

Blowing Out Candles, originally uploaded by korynasz.

Gabriel turned 3 and I turned 35 yesterday, capping a three-day birthday celebration for the both of us. Here we are blowing out the birthday candles on our family party birthday cake.

Gabriel is growing up to be a sweet, curious, determined, and very funny little boy and I couldn't be any happier or more proud. Happy birthday, little man.

Gabriel had a Saturday morning party at a local park for his friends Ian, Nolan, Vanessa, Zane, and Bryce. Sunday, we had a great family birthday party (I cooked my famous Hawaiian ribs and smoked salmon - eat your heart out, Tom). We were joined by Gramma, Grampa (photo?), Me-ma, Nana, Papa, and Aunty Sandy Nemeth who drove down from Mill Creek north of Seattle.

Thank you, everybody, for coming and for your generous birthday gifts. We hope you had good food and a good time. We sure did!

I have also updated our flickr.com photo page with MANY, many photos that have been taken since the last update. That includes our trip to Canada, our birthday parties, final play dates with Davon & Kaya, Toni & Teryn's visit, chickens, Thomas the Tank Engine in Hood River, Tom, Kate & Hayes' visit, and various other fun.

Smartest Words Ever Uttered in a Sitcom

"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people He has given it to."

-Audrey fforbes-Hamilton