kids......they're funny

I don't remember why Jess and I were talking about this but I just wanted to share this little conversation that I had with her.
Me (Carol): "Daddy wont always to to school"
Jess:" How come?"
Me:"He'll finish and get a job"
Jess:"Really?! Daddy is going to get a job?! Does he want one?"
I couldn't help but laugh. Does he want one???? That is a loaded question.

Happy New Year, and other such phrases!

So we went to Zeb and Leah's for Christmas, and forgot our camera, so you will have to hit their blog for pictures. Beyond that here is a little scan of pictures from the last month of '09. Hope you enjoy.

So Jess decided to make this cute little elephant the other day, I honestly don't know where the idea came from, but I think it is genius.



Not to be outdone, Cora made herself into a bluebonnet. I love the admiration in Maren's eyes, she loves her sisters so much, even if she doesn't always do the utmost to show it.


And of course Maren wanted to play too. She kept showing me her picture and telling me it was for her teacher when she gets in school. We have told her "next year" so many times she has confused it with the literal new year and not the new school year. Wow that is going to be crazy to have her off to school.


As you probably have guessed our kids love the shower. Emmett has shower radar and gets pretty upset if you close the door on him. He also happens to be a little monkey. I don't know how he managed to get over the side with footed pj's on. But as you can see, even with wet pj's he's one happy boy.
I love the devious look of his eyes in this picture. Oh he is so cute. I love my boy.
We were going to make Ginger Bread houses with Claire, Hallie, and Audrey a couple of weeks ago before christmas, but the night before they were going to come Jess came down with a 12 hour case of throw ups. So they got decorated for FHE instead. It was messy, but the girls had a ball.
I think Maren ate as many sprinkles as she used, and that's saying something considering you couldn't see her roof or much icing when she was done.


My little Lizzie. So big. I realized today that she gets baptized this year. How crazy is that? Somewhere along the line someone forgot to tell me that even when your a Dad you still feel like a kid. For some reason I had a misconception that "old people" felt differently, other wise why would they always want to do such boring stuff like sit around and talk when you could play, now I realize you don't feel different you just forget how playing is done, or realize that a big kid playing with three little ones eventually ends one of two ways A) you tickle a little one until they pee their pants (probably on you or your bed) or B) someone gets hurt and all that fun stops being so fun and you feel like a jerk if it's your fault or you have to think of a way to discipline one child for doing the exact thing you were just doing ... Lose lose.

Anyway, I hope everyone had an amazing New Year. We had some friends from the ward over and continued our traditional crab dinner (mmmmm...). They brought a game called quelf that we played after the kids were in bed. Carol's face hurt from smiling and laughing. Really a good party game (though I suspect was intended for less sober parties, in the literal since). Beyond that not much new to report. The next semester doesn't start for a few more weeks, the girls go back on Monday, I have all night classes once I do go back and I am teaching two classes on Thursday (5 hours nearly back to back uggg). I got straight A's last semester so that was a happy day. I think that is about all, everyone is happy, healthy, and wishing you all an awe inspired 2010.
`Josh

Birthdays

Okay, since it has been a while (not that any one out there reading this has any room to comment) here are a few pictures from the Cora's and Emmett's birthdays, as well as a couple of pictures from Thanksgiving at Zeb and Leah's. Although we took everything we could possibly fit in the truck, we failed to pull out the camera until Friday, so that is what you get pictures of. If you want actual pictures from Thanksgiving day, I suggest you leave a comment on Zeb and Leah's blog. Aside from that, it is down to the second to last week of this semester (WHOOOO). And I only have one final left (Hallalujah!). Next semseter I have five classes and then I will be done with course work (FINALLY!). Other than that and just getting all of our clan back into good health, things are fairly uneventful here. Enjoy the pictures.
~Josh
(Oh, the pictures are backwards time wise, and I don't feel like correcting it, so sorry)

For you Leah, since you made the request.

Cool, Water Fountain!

Yeah, Chuck E. Cheese.

While we were in Rockwall for Thanksgiving, we went to Chuck E. Cheese. Guess how much I love this place. I guess that is what I get for dragging my parents and all 7 of us there for my birhtdays when I was little.

Just try and Tackle me.

That's my boy, he held on to this for a good half hour. He still gets upset if Maren plays with it!

Don't watch me, I need to poop.

MMMmmmmm I like cake it is so good!

Funky candles on Boston Cream Cake.

Cora got a new soccer ball and cones. To bad the weather has been so cold lately.

Cora opening presents.

Punkin's

The girls with their pumpkins.

If you look closely you can see a Cora ghost moving from left to right.

Jess wanted a dog, and Cora and Maren both wanted frogs. I drew to different frogs but they both ended up wanting the same one. Not to bad, if I do say so myself.


CAUTION DELUSIONAL (and possibly self serving) RANTING FOLLOWS
Continue at your own risk

So for the past few weeks, I have been contemplating the global warming issue. I find myself somewhat in a minority. I consider myself an experimental scientist first and a psychologist second. Placing me in what I consider to be a minority is the fact that I am much more politically conservative than my colleagues or professors. As a result, I feel I may hold the beliefs in their findings under a more critical review than said colleagues. Here's my thoughts. First, if we look at measurement theory we discover that every measurement is subject to error. It may be minuscule such as the difference between a board cut 72 and 3/4" long and one cut 72 and 25/32" long. Such a difference isn't going to make a difference in whether a house stands or falls but there is some error there. If I understand the theory of global warming we are talking a world wide increase of only 3 degrees. If that is an accurate representation of the theory a 1/32 of a degree becomes a very big deal. The result is you need to have a very accurate thermometer to measure such changes. I don't argue that we don't currently have that accurate of a thermometer, but it has been a relatively recent development, which leads me to my second criticism that follows directly out of measurement issues. The model is based on past data and trends. At best the data has the type of precision necessary for maybe the past thirty years (I think that is a pretty generous allotment of time), gathered by the same people who can't create accurate models that predict 3 days out let alone years. So we are expected to trust a model based on an extremely finite degree of change when we have such a limited capacity for measurement of said change. Third, suppose the model is fairly accurate, and the climate has been increasing in temperatures, we have only recently been able to demonstrate some of the issues we have been discussing, and therefore have very little supportive evidence of the so called man made effect were talking about. It is just as reasonable to suppose it is due to natural fluctuations of the earth. Finally, and perhaps most convincingly (and this is where the psychologist comes into play) if you were really seriously concerned that life on this planet as we know it was going to be over if we did not take drastic measurements to change our current course, would you choose Al Gore to be the poster boy for that? Now I have heard that Steven Hawking is an absolute jerk, but at least his name lends some credibility, he is, after all a well known and renowned scientist, but what credentials does Al Gore have? Now that I have laid down that base, here comes my conspiratorial rantings. Now I am not proffering my opinion based on any research just my own logical examinations, and I am not putting a world dominating body of "they" who are orchestrating political events around to produce this. After 9/11 the right (and left) grabbed onto the terrorist threat and used it very successfully for political capital. As we saw when we went into Iraq, very few members of the House or Senate opposed those actions. The right has continued to use the war on terror for political capital. In examining global warming the thought occurred to me that the left is now using this for political capital. The huge green movement has been grabbed and pushed in front of us so heavily that the left has easily used the same tactic as was used after 9/11 to ensure that people vote out of fear; whether it is fear that terrorists are going to blow you up the next time you get on a plane, or fear that you are going to have beach front property in Utah, it's still fear based persuasion. Anyway, that is just my take. I can recognize my own limits, first of which is my inability to see the logical fallacies in my own thought processes. So, just thought I would throw that out there. Finally, I am not against conservation, and the development of alternative renewable resources, but I am also not against continued use of the resources we have (ANWR). I am getting a little tired of it being shoved down my throat, followed by ridiculous legislation, like California's new law that bans big screen t.v.'s that use "to much" power. Personally I think that is to protect all those aging actors from having their wrinkles broadcast in 72" of HD. Okay, I'm done.
~Josh

Video's of Emmett

So, as you can see our Emmett is walking. Also, our neighbors little boy (Jacob) had his second birthday a little while ago and when we were looking for a present for him at Wally world we stumbled upon these foam swords. The girls, Carol, and I had a fight right there in the store, it was awesome. We decided to get the swords for the Jacob, and then we picked up a few more for our family. We have had some pretty fun - funny sword fights the last few weeks. That is all for now. Enjoy turkey day!!!! mmmmm turkey mmmmmmmmmmmm pie!
~Josh

Halloween Fun

Emmett as the rooster.
(Just like he's THE boy, Mom)

The girls were: Jess as Ariel, Maren as Jessie from Toy Story, Cora as Cinderella. Then of course Emmett was a rooster. Carol didn't dress up, and I dressed up as Hitman, from the movie and video game with the same title, when I went to my school party the night before, but didn't get a picture of it.

Here is Cora reading a book to her sisters. How sweet they are!

And Cora's new glasses. She looks way to big and grown up.

Carol's Dad had a couple of jobs in Texas, so he stopped by coming and going. The girls and Carol were super excited to see him. It's always nice when work brings him down here.

I think that is about all for now. No real funny anecdotes to post. Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween.
~Josh

You better hurry!

I just wanted to share a funny little story and hopefully give you a little laugh. I surely laughed.
Jessica was playing(talking to herself) in the living room while I was in the kitchen when all of the sudden she drops what she is doing and dashes past me saying: "HOLD IT, HOLD IT, HOLD IT." I didn't think much of it until I saw her cupping the back of her pants. Five seconds later, I hear the toilet lid being put up. And then it all made sense. People, here is a little advice: If you feel something honking don't wait too long or you will end up talking to your butt racing for the bathroom. Hope you laughed.........
-Carol

New pontifications to come soon!

Randomly ... because it has been a while ...

This is what I call Emmett's "Chris Farley Face". Hopefully he grows up to a be better looking than that guy.

For some reason I think that unless I have something important to say, a new post requires pictures. None of these pictures are very recent, but they make my heart smile.

I said this in short on facebook, but I think it is a crock that the frats, and sororities sit out on the lawns, beg people for spare change for some cause, and call that a service project. Begging people for change is vagrancy, not service. Who let's them get away with that?

The annual "hazing report" came out again a couple of days ago, and as usual the UNT cheer squad was on there. Do we really need those cheerleaders so badly that the school is willing to pay the fines to keep them every year? Especially at a school that has a better band than football team, come on.

I'm hoping that starting in the summer I can find a job. After this spring semester I will hopefully be done with all of my course work and only have research left (YEAH!!!). I wonder what it will be like to not have exams any more. Ahhh that is a nice thought!

The school keeps saying that they want the graduate students out of the program faster. I call bull #$%^. I can't take comps until I finish my 6610's (research credit). If they really wanted me out of here they would let me take comps as soon as I was done with course work so I could spend my last year working on 6610 and my dissertation. Besides, they are making bank on graduate labor.

I cannot believe how cute my kids are. I could just eat them up sometimes. (And isn't it weird how when a kid is really cute you say you are feeling cannabilistic.)

I am looking forward to getting rid of my air card. It's not bad for speed on the down load, but upload speed is like a turtle. Just a few more months.

Yeah, those pictures of my kids are silly. I wonder if that is some sort of projective by me posting those.

My bed is full of laundry, guess what we will be doing after the girls are in bed.

I think that is all, have a good night.

New family Pics!

I am so HAPPY with these pictures. Our dear friends/neighbors took these for us. Josh helped them frame a wall and to say "thank you" we got pictures! So here are just a few....I'll post all of them on facebook. And for those of you that are in the Dallas area and looking for a inexpensive photographer, you can checkout our friends website too! www.hitormissphoto.com
Enjoy!!!!