This Blog is the journal/scrapbook/photo album etc. that is all about my family and our lives together. Here is where family and friends (and anyone else too, I suppose) can keep up on what's happening with us Mannimals! COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED!! ;) Check back often as we'll respond to comments and make new posts as often as possible!

Monday, September 26, 2005

Hanging Out At Our House

Ok, frustrating as usual! I'm going to have to get a high-speed connection before my sanity goes (aol top-speed technology goes NO faster than my AOL 8.0 without it). Some of these pictures took a couple days and many, many tries to upload! Sorry it's taking so long. Be patient, keep checking back, and make comments to let us know you checked in! ; )


Tom and Athena W. laughing it up!


A lot of narrow-eyed, large grins from the people at my house...what's that all about?


Evidence of Nick making another try at The Wheel of Time! Keep going on it, I'm on book 9 for my 4th time and I'll be doing 10 for the 3rd time and hopefully 11 will be out soon!

Mat is hanging out of Matilda's window with Hershey.


Matrim and Debbie hanging out in Matilda, parked out in front of our yard.


Grandma Debbie is reading to Matrim before bed.


Craig's busted out the leatherman to open a beer!


Matrim, with his extra big grin, is eating with Grandma.


Grandpa's turn to read to Matrim. He sure loves books!


Mat sure loves his momma!


The first time Uncle Nick has seen Matrim in years.


I'm drinking the Hunter S. Thompson Gonzo Beer that Athena got me for the wedding. Hard core stuff.


Debbie teaches Matrim to use the camera before they leave.


Matrim is playing "Treasure Ball" with Grandpa and Grandma. He had a good time playing it several times.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

The Lost Coast Brewery

Ok, I think I've got the hang of posting these pictures, (stupid backward-ass as it is). I'm glad I learned to always save my stuff, (from my old writing days and Joey and Jory's previous posts on the subject) or I'd be VERY frustrated!

OK, here are the pictures from our adventures to the Lost Coast Brewery in the days before the wedding!



Our first trip there. Athena, Matrim, Debbie, Craig, and I went there to show them the place, get my Great White beer on tap, and get the kegs ordered for the wedding partying. Matrim tried the hot wings but couldn't handle them (even though he can handle more extremes of taste like that than his Dad!). Everyone else loved them! It was a great first night out with guests.


The empty glasses in the foreground are part of a ten beer sampler platter that the ditzy waitress thought we ordered, so they gave it to me. : ) That gave each side of the table one of the samplers to pass around and try. Lots of good beer there, and some that aren't quite for everyone's taste. We also had several pitchers goin around of the Great White too. Nick and Rod are in conversation in the background.

Awesome!! Joey is gonna try some beer too! This is the famous or infamous Tangerine Wheat. I didn't actually try it, as I had plenty of Shark (Great White) and a few others, already. This was much nicer than when Jory has Joey test out some Indica. That stuff is fairly skunky. Jessie is waiting to see what she thinks too.


Jory sampling the Tangerine Wheat. He doesn't look too sure about it. Craig is looking on to see what he's in for. I tell you, NO ONE gets me drinking like Craig or Jory! MANY, MANY good times I've had drinking with these two! Athena will testify to that. ; ) I sure miss hanging out with all the good company I've been spoiled with over the years!!


Speaking of Athena...! Her turn to try the Tangerine Wheat. What a great time with my beautiful bride-to-be and the friends and family!


Craig tries the Tangerine Wheat. He digs it!! Nick is looking on, laughing at Craig's response to the taste of another Lost Coast beer passed his way.


This was back before the drink got flowing, but it's a good picture of half the table, (the camera zooms in not out!) and Shane and Jessie look cute.


The other half of the table! High there fellas!


The whole party! Wait is that Joey, or a joey! ; ) This was one of my favorite nights!

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Folfing, Humboldt Style

Tom is checking out the drive on hole 3 at the edge of the Redwood course. Athena, Rod, Steve, Jenny, and Athena W. are watching. This is a very challenging course. "More board feet per square foot than any course in the world," they say. Several of the throws are up hill to top it off. It's a beautiful and fun course though, if you're prepared for it.

There's Steve, saying "Hello!" Jenny and Rod are waiting their turn to tee off. This is the Mad River Course. We didn't get to the Eureka course, unfortunately. Eureka is the 3rd course (and 3rd best) we have in 10 minutes of us.

Athena got this one of me going for a long par save. Shane just hit his putt for par and is going to get his disk. If I shoot I either get the par or I get Shane for the stroke off, it's a win-win situation for me. ; ) I'm glad we got to get Shane and Jessie out for at least one round before they had to go.

Athena got this one of me lining up my drive and breaking in my new Humboldt hoodie. Brian says "Hi!" Jenny, Athena W., Steve, and Tom are watching.

Here's Tom, about to throw into what we like to call "Tom-Land", way off to the right.

Here's Nick, playing his first round of Folf with me! I've been trying to get him to play forever. He played far better than I did my first game. (Except for my first shot ever was a crazy birdie from about 30 yards away).

That's Athena W.'s folfing arm! Stand clear when she swings that puppy!

This is the Tee for hole 2 at the Redwood course! Athena couldn't stand back any further, so you can't see just how tall the stump is. It's about 8 feet up on the short side and like 15 feet down the tallest side. There's a couple of foot and hand holes on the short side that you can climb up. I threw first and I'm pointing out the hole for Tom. Athena W. is helping Jenny up, followed by Brian. When I jumped down, my shirt snagged on the stump and tore! Bust out the sewing kit, Eric.



This was our first run at the Mad River course. Jory and I are taking pictures of each other at hole 6 1/2. It was a fun round, hanging and folfing!

We're playing hole 6 1/2 again! That's a secret blend of Humboldt herbs we're partaking in. This was our second time playing the Mad River course, so it's just Steve, Jenny, Athena W., Tom (waiting patiently for his turn), me, and Brian on the exhale. Rod must be seeing a man about a disc, and Athena is taking the picture.

This was the second group of pictures. I wish we would have gotten in a few more games! Jory and Joey couldn't play, and Shane and Jessie had to leave before the Redwood course...well, maybe next time! I'll try to get another group of pictures up later tonight. Keep checking back for updates and enjoy...

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

New Arrivals

Nick first arriving at our house. Matrim still remembers who Uncle Nick is after so long between visits.

Here's Matilda! Craig and Debbie and Hershey lived in our gutter for the trip. ; )

Grandma and Grandpa Hope in the back of the Subby with Matrim. The first picture of them with the new early wedding present! Thanks for the camera!


Jory, Joey, Shane, and Jessie are finally here! Nick and Athena have joined me outside to greet them. We are in our driveway in front of our Subby.


Rod and Steve have sampled the Volcano since they got here. Craig is enjoying all the Humoldt and Mendocino beers.


Me and Tom right after a "welcome here" Volcano bag!


Our first time to see Luke since he arrived. He's playing on the beach with Matrim and trying to keep him clean.

Here is Dad and Nick. This is the first I got to see of Dad since I was still sleeping when he came over in the morning.


The first picture I got with Mom and Robert. They stopped in at the house to grab Mat when they got in, but I didn't get them until the beach. This was taken from across the beach and was my first try at holding steady enough for the digital zoom.


Athena W. and Jenny are checking out Justin and Alisha's boy Gage. That's Shane in the background.


Nick just got off the plane. The preacher is here! This is the first time we've got to see Nick in around 2 years!! The flight in from Seattle took him down to San Francisco where he boarded a smaller plane to get to Arcata.

Brian and Athena, probably waiting on me... They also haven't slept yet since driving all the way here from Ogden.