The Daily Heuerman

Grapevines Summer 2010

2010-06-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of my Grapevines

Cabernet Sauvignon Trellis

Cabernet Sauvignon

Viognier Trellis

Sangiovese Trellis

Reid's 2nd Grade Boat Project

2009-09-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Spring Pictures

2009-06-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken at ACU at Jacob's Ladder.

IronMan-O-Saurus

2009-03-03T06:31:00.000-08:00

This is Reid's Parent/Student project. We had to make a dionosaur out of household objects. 1 paper towel roll, 2 toilet paper rolls, 1/2 of strawberry package, and 1 Orbitz gum box.

I present "IronMan-o-Saurus"

Monkey See Monkey Do

2009-03-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

Do you think Brin watches her mom on the phone all day?

Our World

2009-02-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

People often ask how things are going. We have three 2-year olds. Enough said.

The following pictures sum up our daily lives with the kids.

Reid is the best big brother in the world. Tate adores anything that he does. Also note, the pillows to the couch are on the floor. They are only on the couch from 9pm to 7am.

From left to right : Brin is the comedian - she is hilarious. She does this "shriek" face that makes us laugh all the time. Ella sits still and is pretty - that's what she does. Tate has a fetish with wristbands. I think he actually went 4 days straight without taking off his Texas Rangers sweatband (excluding bathtime). Also note, pajamas - some days they never come off.

Days are wild and crazy but they are good kids - Note how mom has the other two sitting on their "bobo" waiting their turn at the dry erase easel. Also note the full attention Ella is giving the easel and how Tate could really care less.

Ella has long fingers - we are really going to push her to play the piano.

Tate loves guns and swords. I can see him when he is 40 years old walking around the gun show looking for a new assault rifle while carrying a Samurai sword.

Sometimes it is hard to not have a favorite...

Brin is the messiest eater of them all. Not in this picture are her two stuffed monkeys and pink blanket that she carries everywhere.

Long Overdue Pictures

2009-02-10T20:12:00.003-08:00

I know...it's been way to long. Here are some pics from Birthday and Christmas.

Venison for Thanksgiving

2008-11-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

I shot this deer this morning (Sun Nov 23 around 7:30). Offiicially a 10 point taken in Eastland County with a 30-06 at 50-60 yards. Should have probably waited and shot him with my bow, but Wolfe and I had declared a "backstrap gihad" and needed to bring a deer home to prove to our wives that we actually are "hunting" when we aren't home. It has a missing brow tine, but has a weird point that runs back along the top of his head. Would have been an 11 point with that brow tine.

How many deer can you find?

2008-10-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

See how many deer you can find in the picture and leave your answer as a comment - The first winning answer wins a prize.

Fall Fun

2008-10-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

We took a road trip to some major cities in the Texas panhandle : Idalou, Ralls & Floydada. We picked apples at Apple Country Orchard in Idalou and the kids had a blast. We also got to stop in Ralls to see one of our old high school teacher / coach, Bobby Feaster. Then finally, we went a few more miles north to Floydada to the Assiter Pumpkin Ranch. Below are some pictures from our adventure.

Deer Pics

2008-09-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the nicer deer we have coming into our feeder this season.

Fishing the Redneck Riviera

2008-08-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

This past week, me and a fishing buddy, Chad Ezzell, had the opportunity to do some saltwater fishing. We met up with a group of 30 people from the Abilene area to do some deep sea fishing. The fishing was pretty good; total we ended up with 60 King Mackerel , 15 Atlantic Sharpnose Shark, 1Blackfin Tuna, a few Bonita, and 1 Cobia (aka Ling). The next day we hired a guide for a full day of fly fishing the flats near Rockport and Port Aransas. This was purely sight fishing where our guide (Billy Trimble) would be standing up on the poling platform telling us where to chunk our fly. It was very hard but very fun. Next year, somewhere colder!

This is a pic of David "Salty" Vaughn, our very own Deep Sea Fishing Master!

The Deep Sea Catch

Chad with his Blackfin Tuna

Me with my Kingfish

This was our fly fishing guide on his skiff.

Chad with the flyrod

Me, flyrod in hand.

Garden Pictures

2008-08-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our garden. We have had a great time growing flowers and vegetables...Reid especially.

Here is what our garden consists of right now :
Tomatoes (Beefsteak, Roma, Cherry), Sweet Potatos, Acorn Squash, Zuchinni Squash
Okra, Watermelon, Canteloupe, Pumpkin, Gourds, Cabernet Sauvignon grape vines (5 vines), Wildflowers, Sunflowers, Bell Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Chili Pequin's
Lemongrass, Rosemary, and some other herbs

Here are some pictures :

New York Video

2008-08-02T22:30:00.001-07:00

Summertime Pics

2008-08-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the kids at play this summer. It's been a HOT one!

Great Story About Fortitude and Baseball

2008-08-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

What a story. This was passed along to me by Aunt Ruby in Calfiornia. What a great and inspirational story. Here is the link to watch the video. Make sure and watch both of them.

Adam Bender

11th Anniversary Dinner

2008-07-13T18:13:00.001-07:00

Mendy & I celebrated our 11th anniversary on July 12th and we went to Rancho Loma; a great restaurant in a ranch house out in the middle of nowhere. We had a great time eating some "New Ranch" cuisine. Here was what our 5 course meal consisted of :

Grilled Margherita Pizza

Calamari Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

White Lasagna

Akaushi Beef Short Ribs Braised in Dark Beer & Bacon

Peach Marscapone Tart

The restaurant is really neat ; your reserved table is yours for the evening so you can roam the ranch grounds, look in the garden, etc.

Here are some pics of their garden ; can't wait till my garden looks like this, especially the grapes.

New York 2008

2008-07-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

Mendy, Reid & I went to New York City for some baseball games and sightseeing. We had a blast! Not too many 6 year olds could go on a trip like this, and Reid was a champ. Here are some of the things we saw with a few pictures added. There is also a video of our trip posted as well.

June 27

Grand Central Terminal
Times Square

June 28

Statue of Liberty

Ellis Island

The Subway Series - Mets vs. Yankees @ Shea Stadium

Serendipity

June 29

Central Park Zoo

The Lion King on Broadway

Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Restaurant

June 30

Rockefeller Center

Top of the Rock
American Museum of Natural History
New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers @ Yankee Stadium

We had a great trip and really enjoyed paying homage to two ballparks that are seeing their last year this season!

Memorial Day Fishing

2008-05-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

Reid and I went to Lake Stamford for some early morning fishing on Monday. We met up with G-Pa and Grammy and caught a couple of bass. One was a really nice fish.

Reid's Little League

2008-04-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Reid's Little League games. He is on the Georgia Bulldogs.

Easter Pictures

2008-03-23T19:41:00.001-07:00

Safari

2008-03-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

This is why I try not to hunt animals that can hunt me back

Waterball

2008-02-29T10:11:00.000-08:00

This is why insurance companies don't mess with us at the pharmacy.

Check out the pharmacy's fearless leader.

A Real Heartwarmer...

2008-02-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

I don't usually like these heartwarming stories, but this one is truly interesting..

In 1986, Mkele Mbembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University .

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.

The elephant seemed distressed, so Mbembe approached it very carefully.
He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.

As carefully and as gently as he could, Mbembe worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments.

Mbembe stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

Mbembe never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Mbembe was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Mbembe and his son, Tapu were standing.

The large bull elephant stared at Mbembe, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mbembe couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.

Mbembe summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.

The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Mbembe' s legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.

Kindergarten Wisdom

2008-02-20T19:25:00.000-08:00

Wednesday and Thursday evenings at the dinner table at our house usually involve a discussion about Friday's show and tell in Reid's kindergarten class. Each week their class works on a new letter of the alphabet and brings something on Friday for "show and tell" that begins with that letter. This week has been a hard letter : Y

Reid mentioned yo-yo but we told him everyone would probably bring one of those. We asked if there was anything else he could think of to bring and his reply was :

"Sure, if you want to go out and buy me a Yak."

What a Dunk!

2008-02-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

Now my days of basketball are over and as far as I'm concerned the NBA became unwatchable after Jordan, but this is an amazing dunk.

Tate's Personal Ad

2008-02-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

In case you can't read it, Tate's valentines shirt
reads :

"I enjoy ice cream, insightful cartoons, and
long walks in the playground."

Happy Valentine's Day!

Electric Boogaloo!

2008-02-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

The Prodigy

2008-02-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

Pretty amazing...

Shotgun

2008-02-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

Dove hunting, quail hunting, duck hunting, turkey hunting.....
The possibilities are endless!!!!

Abilene High Cheerleader vs. Referee

2008-01-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

Why I'm Posting at 3 in the Morning

2008-01-28T01:06:00.000-08:00

When you get the phone call at 2:00 in the morning - it is never good. Our neighbor called and told us to look out the front window. It was one of those stomach hit the floor moments. Below are some pictures. More to report later after I find out the extent. Our neighboorhood was saved (I think). First report was that 500 acres was on fire surrounding Lake Kirby.

The wind was blowing about 30 mph out of the South. If it was out of the west, I wouldn't have a house right now.

Duck Hunting

2008-01-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Me and some friends went out to a place north of town early Saturday morning to do a little duck hunting. It was a blast. Some of those ducks sound like airplanes trying to land and others buzzed us really fast. It reminds me of the comment made by Ted Nugent : "My idea of fast food is a mallard." We had a successful hunt - 13 ducks.

Christmas Pics

2008-01-23T21:50:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures from Christmas '07.

First Year Video

2007-12-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

A Year for the Record Books

2007-12-05T21:46:00.001-08:00

It is hard, yet so easy, to believe a full year has passed since the babies were born. Here are some pics of their first birthday - The big party is on Saturday 12/08/07.

The last picture of this group pretty much sums up the past year...

Haircut!

2007-11-29T19:54:00.001-08:00

Tate got his first haircut today. Tears....Snot....and Hair - great combination.

Daddy's Picture Time

2007-11-05T19:23:00.001-08:00

Here are some recent pics...

Paint Shop Strikes Again

2007-10-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

I can never turn down a chance to edit some pictures.

Ron Paul 2008

2007-09-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does everything this guy says just make sense?

Ron Paul 2008

Check out some of his youtube videos to learn more about him.

Bucks in Detail

2007-09-10T18:24:00.001-07:00

Here is my assessment of Wolfe's game camera pics. No matter how you calculate things, they are both nice deer.

Big Time Bucks

2007-09-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sure Wolfe will put these on his blog, but he emailed them to me, so I'm putting them on mine too. Can't wait for bow season!

These bucks were at Wolfe's feeder at the Farm in Eastland!!!

Happy New Year!!!

2007-09-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

When Mendy and I lived in Amarillo there was a hunting and fishing outfitter called "Riverfields." Each year about this time they would run billboards across town that said "HAPPY NEW YEAR"! You have to be a true hunter to understand the appreciation of that statement. September 1st (as Wolfe brilliantly eludes to in his blog) is what every outdoorsman longs for.

My hunting buddy (Reid) and I went out for a little bit and hunted on opening day. We scoped out a new place to hunt just west of mom and dad's old house at Merkel. (It's funny how each year about this time I always somehow find my way back north of Merkel. )

Birds were there - the hardest part was finding one after you shoot them. Due to the heavy rains this year we have careless weeds taller than the mesquite trees.

Here are some pics of the hunting crew this year:

RPh Comedy...

2007-08-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

Not too many phunny videos about pharmacy. Here's one... It's phat.

You Can't Get a Tax Deduction for a Shop-Vac

2007-08-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

The main reason we had so many kids:

1. The best way to clean out the cheerios beneath the Mega-Saucer is with a baby.
2. We receive a kickback from the wipey people.

3. Tax Deductions....

Discrimination in Lunch Lady Land?

2007-08-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

I was thinking this morning, the morning after Reid's first day of school, about my second favorite part of elmentary school, lunch period (2nd only to recess).

In the 27 years that I have been out of Kindergarten, it seems things have still not progressed. The "lunchbox" kids are still kept separated from the "cafeteria" kids. I was a member of the latter group. I remember well who got in the line first to go to lunch; the "lunchbox" kids. I remember who got to sit down to eat first; the "lunchbox" kids. I also remember who always got their lunch ticket stub stuck in the zipper pocket of their "Kangaroo's shoes": Me.

My son is a "lunchbox" kid. Mainly because his mother was a "lunchbox" kid. He will not eat in the cafeteria because his friends in his class all bring their lunch. I feel as if though he needs to spend some time with the other half of the class. He will be a much more rounded pupil by doing so...

On a similar note: If you are voting for a politician that claims to be of the people...ask him/her if they brought their lunch to school. I know where my vote is going.....

The Daily Heuerman It Is...

2007-08-28T11:35:00.001-07:00

Due to popular demand - and the request of my blog mentor, Jason Wolfe, I am back to the daily Heuerman. It is similar to the University of Texas newspaper the Daily Texan just much better and alot less liberalism.

My motto " You Can Stay as Long as You Like" is non-negotiable. It is from my favorite James Taylor song, "You Can Close Your Eyes."

"It won't be long before another day,
We gonna have a good time,
And no ones gonna take that time away,
You can stay as long as you like"

Hope you enjoy.

Everything we need to know we learned in kindergarten

2007-08-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Today, as my mother put it, was a day of "new beginnings". Reid started kindergarten today and did great.

He wasn't too sure at first, but he sucked it up and had a great day. Mommy and daddy left the classroom and couldn't "suck it up" any longer.

He is in a really good class with a bunch of his friends at Wylie Elementary.

Hopefully he will want to go back tomorrow...

Gettin' My Blog On...

2007-08-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

This is it. The first blog. Numero Uno.

It has begun.