Tired...

This was a picture of Aidan on Norma's lap the first night we arrived in Pittsburgh last week. He was beat. He was running around and playing, then all of the sudden - pow. He was out on Norma's lap asleep.

I think we all feel like this right now. Tired. A little homesick.

It's been great seeing everyone. But, there is no place like home. We'll be heading back on Tuesday.

A Successful Wedding

Heinz Memorial Chapel @ University of Pittsburgh. What a beautiful building. It was the perfect setting for a wedding.

The wedding was just beautiful. It went great. Aidan walked down the isle with his cousin Claire and they both did a super job. I was really proud of him. Norma was at the end of the aisle and he ran to her over the last few yards.

Bill and Aimee looked incredible. Everything went off without a hitch. And they got "hitched."

The reception didn't go so well for us because Aidan did not get a nap during the day and dinner took a while to get started. So we left early, but it was for the best. We were able to get him something to eat, get him calmed down, bathed and to bed. A successful day!

He sure did a great job for a 2 year-old! Amazing. I wonder how many people must have thought he was 4 or 5? :)

He's the best.
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Ada & Aidan

I'll have more pictures of these two cute ones in the next couple of days. But, I had to share this one tonight.

Aidan did a great, great job at the rehersal for the wedding tonight. Tomorrow is the big day. I'll post about it on Sunday. Keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well. Aimee and Bill make such a great couple.

Playing in Pappy's Yard

7.7.07 Do Something...

Live Earth. Do Something. Help. Pledge.

The 7.7.07 Live Earth Pledge:

I PLEDGE:

1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;"

3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;

4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;

6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,

7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

Sign the Live Earth Pledge by visiting:

http://liveearthpledge.org/algore.php

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Horseshoe Curve, Altoona, PA

These are pictures from our trip to Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, PA. It is really a beautiful site. The Story of the Curve is quite interesting. It has been protected by the US Army during time of war (Civil and WWII - Nazis planed to attack it). The site is just gorgeous. The mountains, trees and waterway near it are awesome to look at. You ascend a stairway or take an incline up the hill to be very near the curve and see the trains coming in and then back round the curve in the line.

Aidan loved going. But, the first train was VERY loud and it scared him quite a bit. During the second train he enjoyed things much, much more. It had loaded on there lots of tractors, so Aidan could see what the train was pulling and he thought that was cool.

We had a great time with Pappy Stapleton, Uncle Brian and Garett. Garett loves trains! He is the train expert in the family.

At the end of our time there, Aidan decided he wanted to walk the stairs down. It is quite a walk, but he did it all by himself. With a little help from Mom and Dad holding his hand.

Additional Note: If you have never been to Horseshoe Curve, click on this link to get a feel for what it looks like. This is an old photo though, well before the visiting center, incline, steps and museum were created.

Back on College Hill

These are a few pictures of Norma, Aidan and I back at Juniata College. We both graduated from there and the college is in Norma's hometown of Huntingdon, PA. Aidan really had a ball running through the grass. We went to the college bookstore and walked the campus with Aidan. I said, "This is where Momma and Dadda went to school!" Aidan said, "Noooo. Me." :)



The college really looks good. Lots of new buildings and construction. Well, lots for such a small school. It does look improved. We have lots of other pictures from a separate time at the school during our trip and I'll post those later.

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3,000 Hits!

I am posting this for my wife Norma.
Biggio Reaches Career Hit Milestone: 3,000

Since we are in Pittsburgh and feel a million miles away from home and Houston... we missed watching this. It's a shame because Bidge is her favorite Astro.

My favorite Astro of all time was there to celebrate with his former teammate:


Pretty cool. Finally something nice to celebrate in an otherwise forgettable season to be an Astros fan.
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Letters from my father

Tonight my step Mom Fran brought down a big binder filled with letters my Dad wrote while in the service back to his Mom. It was really something to read through them all. They document my father going into the Air Force just after high school. He is in Lackland Air Force Base in Texas in training. Then in Michigan where he was stationed. Then there are letters about him about to go off to Vietnam, when he marries my Mom... then letters from when he returns and is stationed in Clovis, NM where I am born. But, not anything from Vietnam. I thought that was a little odd. Maybe the Vietnam letters were kept somewhere else?

Really something how my grandmother kept just about everything he wrote. She pasted the envelope (with the $.05 stamp!) and then put the letters inside the envelope with the opening at the top so you could take them out and read them. So flipping through the book was like reading each of his letters. I am sure there are some that are not in there and are missing. It was really interesting to read what was going on in his mind. Mostly worried about pigeons, his car, insurance, and my Mom. His car sure did break down a lot! (some things never did change, did they? He always bought clunkers it seemed. Although there was a nice receipt in there for a brand new Ford Mustang convertible that he bought)

It is odd though. Sitting here in his old office of his house on his computer... writing about him... and missing him. And it was terribly strange to read these letters written by him to his Mom. We lost both of them so close together. My Dad was my grand mother's baby. There is a picture above the TV of my Dad and his Mom during the last year of her life. Every time I look at it I just think of the two of them sitting in heaven (or wherever they are) sharing the kinds of stories like those letters were about. I also think they are watching some of my Grand mother's favorite TV shows!

Life sure is a strange thing. It flies by, doesn't it? One day you are making a big decision or a part of something that seems really important at the time. The next day may seem ordinary. But, aren't they all so important, really? Time is relative. And we have to understand that we base everything upon the events that are happening to us and give that time importance. But, the older I get the more I realize that every minute of every day is actually just as important as the next. And we have to cherish all of them. Even car insurance worries and letters about sending money to a son.

Those letters make me miss him even more because I had a chance to read his words and hear in my mind that wonderful sense of humor that he had. In one of the letters addressed to his Mom and Dad at the very bottom my Dad wrote:

Karen's Mom asked me last weekend if I "Slept with Her daughter?" I replied, "Not a wink!" He He.

Karen is my mother. Karen's Mom - of course - my grandmother. As I read it I could see that look in his eye, that silly grin. I think about him a lot when I make some silly crack. Sometimes I wonder, did my father also make that kind of remark some day in his life? I am sure he did.

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Feeding the Fish at Raystown

These were pictures from when we fed the fish at Raystown Lake's boat launch. These carp are huge. We got a bag of dog food and Aidan went to town feeding them. He loved it.



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Aidan's First Movie Theatre Experience!

Aidan on Mom's lap during the movie
Tonight Uncle Brian suggested that we go to the movies and see Shrek the Third. Norma and I have been talking about taking Aidan and how we thought he would do well. The movie theatre in Huntingdon is real small and there was only 1 other person in the theatre other than us. So is was quiet and easy for Aidan to concentrate. He did so well! Sat through the whole thing and we had to ask him to get up during the credits.

First movie! Wow. He is getting sooo sooo big. He is 2.5 going on 10!

Tomorrow we head back to Pittsburgh for a week. The wedding is on Saturday. It has been unbelieveable how fast time has flown in Huntingdon. We had a WONDERFUL time. If there was any other place on earth that I could live other than Kingwood, TX... I think it would be in Central Pa. I love it here. Plus, Norma's family makes it that much better. They are just great people. I am amazed every time we visit how great they are. Each person in the family pitched in and cooked this week and really had some great dinners. I probably gained 10 lbs.

We are going to miss everyone up here a lot. But, it is time to go to Pittsburgh and spend some precious time with my family. And there is no better way to do that than to spend the time adding to the family. It is going to be great to add Bill to our bunch.

Can't wait for the wedding.

And I can't wait to get all of these great pictures we've taken (over 350) onto a site to share with everyone.
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Aidan's Tux

This isn't a great picture. It was taken on my cell phone. Boy does he look cute in his tux. Aunt Cindy fixed his pants and they are ready to go. He is going to be a great ring bearer.

It is really amazing to see him developing right now. He is starting to speak in sentences. It is frustrating for him though. So much verbal communication - you can see his brain freaking out right in front of you. He is also all beat up from playing in the yard with the boys. His back has two big bruises on it. His knees are completely scuffed up. He loves going outside because the weather is in the 70s and beautiful. We couldn't have ordered any nicer weather. It's amazing.

We have done a lot:

*Gone to Horseshoe Curve - which is a really cool site in Altoona where the PA railroad goes around a big curve in the mountains. It is absolutely beautiful there and I took lots of video that I will post later.

*Chuck E Cheeses - that was fun. Aidan had a ball.

*Played Wii - Uncle Brian has a Wii and he and I have been battling. So far I have been beating him at Madden... but he's been crushing me in Wii Sports Boxing. It is a great system and my arms are TIRED from playing. Moving the controllers around is a brilliant idea. No wonder they are selling so many!

*Fed the fish at the lake. This sounds kind of lame. Wait until you see the pictures of these freaking carp! There are just tons of monster carp on the dock and we went out and fed them. Aidan had a blast and was so crazy feeding them. I had to hold him by the back of his shirt so he didn't tumble in!

*Went to visit Norma's Moms gravesite. It really is the most beautiful tombstone at the place. Flowers all around. It is on a beautiful hill with the mountains in the distance. Really beautiful. Even the Bearcat football field is right across the road. She has a nice spot. I was glad Norma had a chance to visit. While she did Aidan drug me up the road past hundreds of grave sites. He had a blast. I am sure he had no idea where he was. He just thought all of the flags (on veteran's graves) were great.

*Gone to the college and bought shirts at the bookstore. I was kind of disapointed that my old college baseball pictures are not in the lobby of the Athletic center any longer. I am sure they are somewhere in the building, but I wanted to get it on video. Those were great teams. Aidan had a BALL running through the fields behind Baker and the college center. Great pictures of that, too.

*Aidan loves Pappy. He is having a ball with Pappy and it is amazing how he gives special attention to Pappy and to Grandma Fran. I wonder if he knows how much they need it?

Ok... time for me to get some sleep. I have had so much fresh air up here... it's wild. It feels like March in Houston. We are lucky to have picked a great week. I'll have pictures in the next day or two.
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