Jack and Cate Update -- November, 2009

Sunday, November 8, 2009

If you're serious about the NASCAR (and I mean really serious), you leave the house at 6:40 AM for a 2:30 PM race. If you're serious about the napping (and I mean really serious), you can nap in the back of a station wagon.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Since we had some (read: a lot) of time to kill. We discovered heard "outlaws" racing on the [Lil' Texas Motor Speedway](http://bit.ly/4BaYYg), so we watched them race for an hour or so.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Earmuffs for the kids were our best pre-race investment. Taking my cap was Jack's best pre-race theivin'.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Nothing says "good morning" like a pile of McDonald's and a 20-ounce Mountain Dew.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

We found motorcycles. We took them for a ride. I'm pretty good.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Cate enjoys the moto-x freestylin'. Jack clings desparately to consciousness.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

It was a long wait for the race. Let's just leave it at that.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

This is the view from our entrance to the grandstands. If this is NASCAR, that must be [ZZ Top](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zz_top) playing at the start-finish line.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

This is from the same entrance looking the other direction. Bravely risking life and limb for the sake of men driving in circles, we were substantially closer to the track [in row six](http://bit.ly/8krSui).

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Hydration is critically important for a day of sun-drenched NASCAR. Jack found the perfect bottle of water. We found the best bloody marys available at a motors sports venue.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

In a bit of only-in-America kick-ass, [Astronaut Doug Hurley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_G._Hurley) [arrives with the pace car](http://www.break.com/usercontent/2009/11/pace-car-arrives-at-nascar-race-by-helicopter-1489961) in a [Chinook helicopter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinook_helicopter). Not to be patriotically outdone by the rotorcraft, a [B-52 Stratofortress](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-52) was used to drown out portions of the national anthem.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

I wanted to fit in with the NASCAR milieu, but (frankly) I didn't want to do this good a job. Couldn't someone have warned me?!?

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Just a couple of shots from early in the race. Jeff Gordon (on the left) held the lead for the first sixteen laps before relinquishing it to Kyle Busch (on the right). Kyle was in or near the lead until he ran out of gas on the penultimate lap and finished eleventh while his brother, Kurt, won the race. Our seats were on the short-straight leading to the final corner and the finish line.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Our seats were close to the track. Even with a 1/500th of a second exposure, the cars are a blur. Lisa loved the start of the race and each of the restarts after a yellow flag -- it's a rush when you have forty-three cars driving past you at 190+ MPH and only a cable fence separating from the action. A strong gust of wind would then follow the field. On the other hand, they never shift, brake, or turn to the right. I did my best to keep my [humble (but correct) opinions](http://www.formula1.com/video/onboard.html) to myself.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Before the race we'd decided not to lug our cooler into the race, so we enjoyed a couple of leisurely beers in the parking lot as the traffice dissapated. Not pictured: leisurely beers.

Friday, November 13, 2009

[Caddyshack](images/TPGCaddyshacklogo.jpg) was the theme of this year's [Lakewood Auction Party](http://www.lecpta.org/lakewoodhomefestival/Party/Party.htm). Going as a slob would've come more natually to me, but we opted to go as snobs. My [Porsche](http://www.angelfire.com/wa3/cars2/pfront.html) played a bit-role too. Like Dr. Beeper's, it was parked at the entrance to the club. Fortunately, [Spaulding](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVTq0jBRWSA) didn't barf through its sunroof.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

After a long season, the boy is developing some skills and is occasionally willing to mix it up in the scrum. Now that's progress.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Jackson. Takin' one for the team.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Jack goes mano-a-mano with Oscar. Maybe we should start with someone a little less mano.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

While the boys play, Cate gives Snickerdoodle a workout. Or is it the other way around?

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Cate Nelson, Dog Whisperess. We were supposed to see the *real* Dog Whisperer, [Cesar Millan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesar_Millan), at Nokia Theater the next day, but the show was canceled. Cate was crushed.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Jack and Zac enjoy a quite moment together while "playing defense." A serene, contemplative sort of defense.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

For the first time this season, Jack played in goal for a quarter. When he wasn't jackin' (pun intended) with his glasses.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

After a hard-fought season, Jack wins a [major award](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJSmmbmJCLw)...

Saturday, November 14, 2009

...and Jack is filled with emotion. Deep. Heartfelt. Emotion.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Part of the kids' weekly spelling test are nightly exercises using each of the words -- this includes writing a story incorporating each of spelling word. This is an example of Jack's storytelling handiwork. For the record, any spelling mistakes were corrected by the end of the week.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

On Thanksgiving morning, Hailey hung a banner welcoming her aunt home from the hospital. Since it involved climbing through a window onto the roof, the boys were mysteriously drawn to "help" Hailey with the banner. By which I mean "walk around on the roof."

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Nothing says Happy Thankgiving like a trip to the emergency room. And the Finnanes have a zip line.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Cate's dismount technique involves yelling at me to catch her. It works for both of us.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Jack is quite the showman -- check out the angle of his dangle!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Lisa and the kids had a chance to see one of Quinn's select-league basketball games earlier in the week (before I arrived), and I got to see one on Friday. It was a nail-biter.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Hailey and Cate collaborated on chocolate lava cakes. Related: I wonder if Hailey can nanny for us this summer...

Friday, November 27, 2009

Doggone it, they're cute.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Toni has her arm around you, Jack... Try to be cool about it...

Friday, November 27, 2009

Never mind...