Thanksgiving in the Smoky Mountains

It sure looked cold in Naperville. We had a great time. We went on 5 good hikes totalling about 15 miles. One was at about 5,000 feet. Here are some pictures. Enjoy

2010 Turkey Trot

From A to Z on Technology

I thought you might enjoy a little story on my moving into the 21st century on technology.I ran into Kathy Hentz today (literally, of course) and was telling her how nice my guys were to get me such a great gift and I proceeded to tell her about my facebook experiences and that I was even skyping. She knew very little about skyping and I was explaining as if I knew all about it. She humbled me rather quickly when she remarked how interesting it is that 6 months ago I didn't even know how to use an ATM. I think Al Gore would be very proud of me. Dad

A Massive THANK YOU from Dad

TO: Mimi, Tom, Ty, and Julie I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am to have such wonderful kids.Today, each of you and your spouces, have taken me into the 21st century with most entertainting piece of equipment conceivable. What a great way for me to pass the time and now that the phone is a seperate item I can spend untold hours exploring nmy new toy.I have even Skyked ( is that the right word ?) with Ty and Mimi and Ty was not happy with the old blackboard in the back ground so we had to improvise an SIU banner to hang there so that it would seem like I"m having a press conference. And, Kudo's to Julie who brought the machine over on Thursday and gave up most of her Saturday to install the internet. And, let us not forget Al Gore. How proud MOM would be of you guys. Love Dad

See Don Run. Run Don, Run!

Don't We all Clean up Nicely?

Look Who's in the Tulsa World

This photo was in today's Tulsa World to publicize this year's Walk to Cure Diabetes. Monica and I are serving as Family Team Co-Chairs and the other gentleman, Les Austin, who also has type 1, is there representing the Corporate Chairman. Nick Jonas is the National Walk Chariman this year.

The walk is Saturday

That's Gotta Hurt

Sad Day for Drew

The news of the Derrick Lee trade was not taken well by the Drew-man. The poster has come off the refrigerator (Finally!) and Drew is now rooting for the Braves -- That is the team he saw beat the Cards last summer -- until they trade Lee back to the Cubs after the playoffs.

He even asked if he could go to Atlanta. What is a Cub fan to do? The same thing they have done for over 100 years . . . wait for another one.

And how about Christmas coming early for the Cardinals? Pedro Feliz Navidad

Kissing the Stanley Cup

Jack's Fifth Grade Party

it comes in handy to have a classmate whose mom is a Cardinals VP.

Drew's Big Day

Fun in Tulsa!

Wild Saturday Night

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOM!

Tell Your Friends

This weekend only all Publish America titles -- The Redemption of Chance and The Sombrero Beach Club -- are available for only $5.99 per copy.

Happy Easter!

Congratulations Tom

We really like the cover of your new book as it is so colorful and inviting for anyone to pick it up and read it. And, certainly, congratulations for the publishing of your second novel. Your Mom and Dad are very, very, proud.

Now Available

With the hustle of Miami to the north and the bustle of Key West to the south, the islands in the middle of the Florida Keys sit in contrasting ambiguity and anonymity. This is changing, however, as progress creeps from each direction like a gathering Atlantic storm.

In the very eye of this hurricane sits a bar called The Sombrero Beach Club. Its owner, an old ballplayer, and a beautiful new resident, a formerly disgraced DC attorney, investigate what is happening and who might be pulling the strings. The mystery takes them back over thirty years while drawing them closer in the process, but are they maybe working on opposite sides?

Events spiral out of control as they race the clock to preserve the innocence of the Middle Keys. They discover things are never what they appear on the surface. But just who is playing who? And more importantly, why?

Hilarious clip

Photos from Saturday

The bottom photo is from the competition and then we went downtown to visit everyone's favorite law student and covet his apartment.

Another band clip - this one's jazzy!

Here's Ian's middle school jazz ensemble competing at a jazz festival in the Chicago suburbs on Saturday. Poor Mimi and Don probably thought they were through with middle school jazz festivals.....!!

Thursday night at the Fabulous Fox

Here's a clip from the "St Louis Performing Arts Festival" at the Fox last night....Scott was in Chicago so I taped it for him....wanted to share.

Gosh that family in front us talked through the whole thing. So rude. Grrr.....

Happy Friday everyone!

Great Day to be a Boilermaker

Look at what greeted us on the back page of the Wall Street Journal today!! We are proud to consider ourselves "Boilermakers by Association." -js

Who Dat

A couple connections to the winners... Earlier in the year he coached a game at Naperville Central and now hes holding the Superbowl trophy. And the All American QB from Purdue was the MVP.

great video

Here's a fun music video, featuring Thomas Jefferson signing about the Declaration of Independence. "Schoolhouse Rock" for 2010, maybe!

Hmmm.....

Well our department secretary at SIUE can't order any more paper or toner this semester, but SIUE is building a brand-new science building with stimulus money.

And SIU has sent out emails saying that our paychecks are guaranteed. Until March.

Now we can watch the demise of our native state online, with this handy website called www.illinoisisbroke.com

So you Illinois voters: for whom are you voting tomorrow?? =)

Happy Birthday, Ty!!

Have a great day!!

Congrats to Tom and Jeff on their great news

We had tears of joy tonite when reading Tom's blogmabout publishing his second book and that he can go to his Broken Arrow Book Store and see his first book on the shelf for sale. What a feeling that must be. Congrats Tom as that is the dream of a lifetime for an aspiring author.We are awfully proud of you Tom. And, how about Jeff getting a wonderful opportunity to intern with a Judge who is going to hear the Blago trial.What a smart move that was, Jeff, to go to Law School and then to be admitted to Northwestern and now to be working with such an esteemed group of Jurist.Words can't describe how proud you have made us. Much Love Mary and Norm

This is so cool

There is a bookstore in Broken Arrow I frequent called the Book Place and the guy who runs it was nice enough to read The Sombrero Beach Club while I was still writing it. He really liked it. More about that in a minute. Anyway, the Book Place is now stocking The Redemption of Chance. I was actually standing in a bookstore that is selling my book. It was something I had dreamt about when I started this whole thing and today I got to see them on the shelf. He said they haven't sold any yet, but it didn't matter. It was an indescribable feeling.

Now the next bit of news: Publish America has accepted The Sombrero Beach Club and will publish it. The ink is still wet on the contract, but hopefully it will be ready for a good summer read on the beach. It should only be about 300 pages and therefore a lot less expensive.

I will Keep everyone posted

Tom

Hitler Finds out Scott Brown Won

Sure Mac was juiced.....

but at least he's still the same race he was when he was born......

Drew's First Confession

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

To the disappointment of my father, and my father's father, and the Almighty Father, I am still a Cub's fan."

Some Juice for you Cards fans to sip on

Ian - All Cleaned Up

Well we pulled him away from the XBox, bathed him and dressed him yesterday for his All-Suburban Honors Concert. He looked so nice I had to capture the moment on film. The concert was great and he was excited so all was good yesterday.

Today I am heading back to work after a five week break. It's been lovely but I am looking forward to getting back into the routine. Only one class at Webster this semester, and two at SIU. Should be much easier than last semester.

Hope you all are off to good weeks with warmer (!) weather and dreams of spring training. -Julie

Happy HOLLIDAYs!

PENNY for your thoughts, Cub Fans.

Two of Oklahoma's finest -- Stillwater's Matt Holliday and Broken Arrow's own Brad Penny -- will be wearing the Birds on the Bat this year.

The Cubs will have Marlon Byrd on their bat.

Repeat after me: "Here's to 2010. Let's win the Central again! The Cards are so 2010, the Cubs won in 190-when?"

Happy New Year!

Yes, this is a good look! Working on the laptop wearing his new Snuggy!! He doesn't look too excited about being in this picture though...

This picture is to show Mom and Dad how beautiful my Nativity looks. Thanks so much!!

If any more animals or other guests come to visit baby Jesus, I'll need a bigger display area.

Happy New Year everyone!