Head First

Tennyson recently learned how to dive...

...by watching his cousin Ethan...

(not by watching is dad).

Crazy birds

We've seen a lot of cool birds lately. It probably has something to do with Tennyson pointing out every bird he sees. These birds weren't that cool -- they're nasty, disease-ridden birds that thought Tennyson was a loaf of white bread and tried to eat him.

These birds were cool (especially their eyes - click on the image to be dazzled):

This is a Peregrine Falcon we saw in downtown St. George, Utah a couple weeks ago.

We don't know what these next birds are (please identify them for us), but they were quite lovely. We saw this one on the National Mall.

And this one was chilling at the Kenilworth Acquatic Gardens.

Technically, this isn't a bird. But look at those wings.

Burial ground

Gunlock, Utah is the middle of nowhere:

On a lovely Sunday drive a couple weeks ago, we discovered this Shivwitz Indian burial ground about 20 minutes outside the middle of nowhere. Fascinating, really. If you're ever in Gunlock, you should check it out.

He eats

...and eats...

...and eats...

...and eats...

...but still only weighs one pound more than he did two years ago. At this rate, he'll weigh 33 pounds at his 10th birthday. And we'll be poor.

Alma Woods Terry

Laid to rest in Enterprise, Utah, July 10, 2009.

Left a legacy. (This particular line is through his youngest daughter, Julie -- Suzanne's mom.)

Grandpa Ross and Grandma Julie

God bless you Helen Day Terry.

And you too, AWT.

La Belgique

Another belated post, this time relating to a last-minute business trip I took to Brussels for a week in June. Though I'm not happy the European Commission is investigating my client, I was delighted to eat delicious pastries, cheese, chocolate and fries for a week.

I got to see Brussels for a total of 2 hours -- the two hours after arriving in which I walked around the city to keep myself awake in a futile effort to beat the effects of jet lag.

This is "La Grande Place," the main square in Brussels.

Ahhhh, French food.

This is an office building in downtown Brussels. I've never been anywhere in the U.S. where something like this would be conceivable. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is an example of Europe's unique brand of crazy.

I spent 20 hours each day for the rest of the week here, in our Brussels office.

As a kid, I never believed my dad when he returned from business trips and said it was "all work, no fun." I'm now a believer, with the qualification that there are some culinary perks.

MY GRANDPA

Alma Woods Terry

July 15, 1911 - July 5, 2009

My sweet Grandpa Terry passed away Sunday night. He was 10 days shy of his 98th birthday. Even though I had about as much time to prepare for this as a person could possibly have, it has not made it any easier. He was everything a grandpa should be. Our little family is traveling to Utah for the funeral on Friday where Jeremy has been asked to play "Goin' Home" on Grandpa's recently refurbished Conn trumpet.

I love this smile.

Grandpa and Grandma Terry celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on June 1st this year.

In this photograph, Grandpa is standing in the exact spot where he was born. He passed away in his bedroom about 30 feet from where he was born.

Meeting Tennyson for the first time.

Tending the garden.

Sitting in his chair.

While he could, he was always eager to hold Tennyson.

Grandma & Grandpa Terry with the finest of their posterity.

Four generations: Grandpa and Grandma Terry, my mom, me and Tennyson.

Grandpa sitting in his massage chair.

Giving Tennyson a potato from Grandpa's garden.

I love you Grandpa!

Happy Independence Day

First things first: we cut Tennyson's hair. It (and he) was simply too hot with 13 months worth of curls. "Arabug" (as T calls his girlfriend next door) still likes him, and you should too. Come on, it's just hair. It'll be back soon.

We started our Independence Day celebrations by spending a day at Broad Creek Scout Camp (Northern MD) to hang out with two of our favorite young men: James & Jamal. Tennyson looks up to these guys as if they were older brothers, and he can't wait to be old enough to go to Scout Camp.

James and Jamal negotiate the last cookie at lunch.

Jamal strikes a pose.

James prepares for his own little 4th of July celebration.

Meanwhile, Suzanne napped in the shade.

And Tennyson taught Jordan how to play catch.

Tennyson especially loved the frog that Jamal caught for him.

Suzanne especially loved the fist-sized spider she caught Tennyson admiring.

Back in DC, we enjoyed a little block-party barbeque with the neighbors. Arabug loved the popsicles (maybe next year she'll see how tasty the other end can be).

Tennyson preferred the cupcakes (every last one of the cupcakes, that is).

We capped off the evening with a family bike ride down to the Mall to watch the DC fireworks show, and then around Capitol Hill for all of the smaller community firework shows. And then we listened to and watched fireworks from our house for another 3 hours. DC is a great place to be on the 4th.

(I did not take this picture. I was too busy being pounded in the head by an elated 2-year-old to be snapping photos. Nevertheless, this is what it looked like.)

And the most important news of the week: Tennyson correctly used the subjunctive tense in a complete sentence on Friday. His nerdy parents could not be more proud.