Fun at the Kitchen Table...

Who says girls don't like games! Getting together with friends always seems to be an organized engagement at our house. Everyone knows my reputation now for usually wanting to plan time together around some sort of activity. Boardgame Night is always a popular avenue for me. We most recently brought out a game called Apples to Apples with always is good for some laughter and mirth. Enjoy! Oh, and has for me and the picture of the girls and the game? What can I say? It's a Dog's Life. : )

Danica Patrick at the St. Pete Grand Prix

The life of a race car driver is never done, I guess. Here are some photos I shot of Danica Patrick and her wickedly cool car at the 2009 St. Petersburg Grand Prix. I'll get some photos of the race up later.

It's all about the art of the deal....

It was boardgame night again, Saturday night... and this time up is one of my favorite games... called "I'm the Boss." The game is all about negotiation and it is very frentic and a blast to play. Joe managed to accumulate $34M to Yoana's 31M to eke out his very first victory playing the game. Quite the wheeler dealer, Joe is. Congrats!

Congrats to Ramona and Frank!

Congratulations to Ramona and Frank who got married just this past Saturday. And I am going to say score one for our occasional "boardgame night" get-togethers that we have had over the past couple of years. We usually get a small group of people together, hang out, have some spiffy appetizers and then settle down to a boardgame or two for the evening. The cast sometimes changes but the fun does not. While Frank and Ramona certainly knew each other prior to coming to our little soirees... they certainly got to know each other much better by having a very interactive way to get to hang out without any of the pressure associated with first dates. With the right boardgames, it is a tremendous social activity and endeavor. Some of my favorite games show up on this very page. Now we'll maybe see if have a second future couple can go down this path? Congrats Frank and Ramona...may you have many "boardgame nights" together!

Ryan's Birthday.... and another Party!

My very awesome wife Jennifer made sure that turning 40 years old was one for the books as she threw me a "surprise" Clue! themed birthday party this past Saturday. And complete with a with a Clue! cake, no less. I got to me a modern revision on Sherlock Holmes. And this Sherlock Holmes would up carrying around a Arizona Cardinals football helmet. Much fun and merriment all around as Jennifer sat us around a specially designed Clue mystery she created.

Was it Dr. Eggward in the zepplin at Southern Illinois University? Or Carny Cotton Candy on the go-kart at Kurt Warner's house? Perhaps even Carribean Guy, with the submarine on top of the Matterhorn? (Of course, that make's zero sense but certainly was a possibility in this game.)

We're not telling.

Ryan's Birthday... and Party! Part II Photos

Just Kids...

Back in Boston: A Beantown 40th Birthday

For my 40th Birthday, I got to spend it roughly where I spent my 30th Birthday. In good ole' New England.

I was attending a program for work in Boston and stayed with good friends Clarissa and Jeff. Now I know what it is like to take a commuter train in to work everyday! On my return home, I was awesomely surprised from birthday messages from my cousins Leslie, Karin and Sara as well as additional messages from aunts and uncles. It always is nice to have a great family behind you.

I have that in spades.

Jennifer's Birthday... and Party!

My wife, Jennifer, celebrated her 32nd birthday in style with an ice cream cake, a birthday bash attended by 25 close friends and a brand new ride. Happy Birthday, to an awesome wife!

Additionally, I posted just a sampling of pictures from the party in the blog below. We both thrilled to see so many of our friends. I think that is always the best birthday gift of all.

More Images from Jennifer's Birthday Party!

Just a couple of images from Jennifer's Birthday Party.

Starting from top down:



1. Our very own Charlie's Angels pose for their close-up: Jennifer, Christy and LeAnn!

2. Ed scores a point helping Joe realize it pays to get a top quality running back in the fantasy football draft. Boy, does Joe look surprised!

And Bill gets caught holding a dour tasting, non-league approved Miller Lite. Blech. Commissioner! (LOL)

3. Some of the boys line up to help get David's son, Colton, get set up for his first mug shot on camera.

From Scotland: Postcard June 2008

Well, five years since our last visit, we returned to the United Kingdom. This time we traveled to Scotland, visting Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands and then a long train trip back to London where we spent a day taking in Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and even President Bush's coincidental trip to London to meet with her majesty's Prime Minister. But for the photo op, we give you the Scottish highlands and a picture of me at Loch Ness.

February 2008: A Banana Bobsled In Winter

As part of a ski trip I took with friends to Park City Utah this year, came the opportunity to ride with a world class olympic bobsledder, Stephen Bosch, at Utah's Olympic Park. It cost a small fortune for the 50+ seconds of "sliding" glory, but it was well worth it.

Peer in a bit two pictures down below. That's me in the third seat from the "window" of the bobsled, as we head out from the starting gate!

The Game Collection and a Christmas Pic

Just thought I would update with a picture of the games Jennifer and I have added in the past year for entertainment purposes. Then I have a picture of Jennifer and I Christmas 2007 we spent with her family in Memphis Tenn. Enjoy!

Friends and Family at Thanksgiving 07

We returned to St. Louis for the first time since Ben and An's wedding last year. For which I had the extreme privilege of being best man for. We finally had an opportunity to catch up on old times personally again. They truly are some of the best friends we have and go out of their way to do anything for us. Below their picture is my niece Emily. She cracks me up and always makes the best faces. Don't you think?

Journeys at Epcot

This was at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival this October. With two of our good friends Dawn and Bill.

Dawn and I work together at the same company and we have become fast friends... even though she has beaten me twice in our fantasy football league this year. She is one of the nicest people to be around and is a lot of fun. Her husband Bill is a huge Pittsburgh sports fan and another great friend I count lucky to have. He is funny as all get out and we both had a blast touring the Germany pavilion at Epcot. Bill wasn't liking it though when my Arizona Cardinals did a Whisenhunt on his beloved Steelers earlier this year. But hey, at least we're both Jack Lambert fans!

The Cardinals and Kurt Warner

As all my friends know, Kurt Warner is my favorite player & the Cardinals are my favorite team. These are some shots I took prior to and during a game against the Buccaneers with my Nikon. I threw one in of me rooting for the home team and one of our soon to be successful playoff head coach, Ken Wisenhunt, for good measure.

Throwbacks: Jim Hart and Walter Payton

My oh my, are we getting old! Ed and I have been friends for almost 20 years now, both of us attending that venerable collegiate institution, SIU-C.

Ed's from Chicago and growing up he was a huge Walter Payton fan. I, of course, am a big Jim Hart fan (QB, St. Louis Cardinal's in the 1970's). This is probably because I grew up in the shadow of The Arch, in good ole St. Louis, Mo.

Now we have replica jerseys of our favorite players. It's just too bad we are both now older than those two were when they were playing! By the way, remember Bob Avellini, anyone?