My brother has his name in lights, or at least in pixels. Check out the trailer for The Morgue and pay close attention to the end credits. Jon is there. If you can’t wait, click here for a pic.

Now we aren’t big consumers of modern culture. We don’t have cable or broadcast television, and the kids don’t go to the movies much. In fact the first movie the kids saw in the movie theatre was Charlotte’s web last year. Although, we have seen a few movies at the drive in. However they are usually hesitant about seeing new things.

So we brought the kids to see Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille on the fourth of July. We went to the local theatre, which was recently(last 3-4 years) renovated and changes the balcony level into two little theatres. Things were going well, we had the large popcorn, M&M’s and a soda (without caffeine, because there are some things that kids just don’t need). Things were going well, they didn’t like the shotgun blasts but were holding themselves together, however soon Arden lost it. And what put her over the edge? When Remy gets separated from his family. She kept asking where his family was, and was crying and sobbing. I asked her if she wanted to leave, she said yes. So we hung out outside the door, and would occasionally go back in and stand at the back. Sometimes, Arden would want to go sit down again, because she really wanted popcorn. So I think we saw most of the movie. Afterwards I asked Arden what she thought.

She said, “I liked the good parts but I didn’t like the scary parts.”

Here it has been a while since my last post. As always I am immersed in work, teaching, designing Kiss Me Kate, and acting as Department chair while the chair is abroad teaching.

McKelvey lost her two front teeth. They were both loose when she didn’t look where she was going and walked into a door. She doesn’t have as much of a lisp as I would have guessed, as it looks so cute. Liam is doing great, gaining a lot of weight. He lost his initial baby hair and subsequently had some male pattern baldness. So that his either a foreshadowing of his future or mine(or both). Arden is doing good as well. She doesn’t want to use the potty as much as I want her to, but it’s something she has to be in charge of. She is in total love with Liam.

I’ll have more to post later this week, right now I am madly trying to finish up this design so we can get building.

We have a new son, Liam James Courtney Collins. Come see a Photo album of pictures.

Here is a movie that I made of McKelvey during December. I thought it was really fun.

Here is the movie to download. (Requires Quicktime Player to view)

Here is a higher quality version. (This one can play in Quicktime or in iTunes)

We made it with the camera built into my office computer. It is up above the monitor, which is why she is looking below the camera.

We had a great Christmas up at Ann’s parents. Our kids had many presents to open including American Girl dolls(Thanks Grandma & Grandpa Collins). I’m sure we will soon have to build a new room for all the stuff that go with these things. They also got horses to go with(Thanks Grandma & Grandpa Courtney). The horses are as big as our dogs. I keep seeing the black one out of the corner of my eye and think Mazie is just standing silently in the middle of the dining room. Freaks me out.

But we brought our dogs with us to Christmas(2) to the Courtney’s(4 dogs), and Ann’s brother Chris brought his Chihuahua’s(4). but wait there’s more. Ann’s sis Karen brought her dog(11 total) as well. They outnumbered the ten people gathered for Christmas.

Crazy but fun.

I have posted a time lapse movie of us decorating our tree. here
it is.