For April, Em and Katie

So, here is the clip I mentioned in my last post. This is right when Brad Paisley walked on stage and people went wild...the video really has bad audio due to all the screaming around me, but at least you'll get the idea of what it was like.

Girls-here it is, for a little stroll down memory lane.

and I'de like to check you for ticks

So, has anyone heard of Brad Paisley? I hadn't, until Emily called me last night telling me she met Mr. Paisley's manager and he gave her four tickets. Do I want to go? Emily asked.

Apparently, he is one of the 'top of the chart' country singers. In my book, the most interesting fact was that he is married to actress, Kimberly Williams, who played the daughter in 'Father of the Bride' movies.

Anyways, when Emily called me up, I couldn't pass up the offer to experience something so 'American' as to going to a Country show. We made the best of it as we sat in our free sorta-front row seats and hung out with the band members after the concert.

Here we are: Katie, Em, April and me!
In front of the tour buses.

This is not an interesting picture, until you realize his new hit single is called, "Ticks".
While he sang, "...and I'd like to check you for ticks...". Ticks were "crawling" behind him.
Listen to it. No offense, but I don't get how the thought of ticks will make me lovey dovey.

Last but not least, here is Mr. Paisley himself!

PS- I video taped him a bit, and I'll post it later.

War in Iraq, about to end?

It is reported that the US House has voted to set a deadline for the troops to return home. The vote was 218 to 210. The president may veto it...well, it looks like it'll definitely be vetoed.

I really don't know what to think after I read the article in BBC. Apparently the Iraqi Foreign Minister doesn't want the troops to leave yet. He believes that the US withdrawal should happen after the Iraqi military is self-reliant. I mean, it kind of sucks for the US to create mass chaos and then leaving without cleaning up their mess. Well, it kind of sucks that chaos was created in the first place.

Anyways, I really don't have enough knowledge about the war to expound on it. All I know are friends who have family members in the military, and I know my friends wants their loved ones to be safe. I was just talking to one of these friends yesterday and I saw this article and thought of her and her family. (I'm praying for you.)

For Em

Here are some pictures of the puppies that Emily recently rescued from a parking lot:

Emily saying goodbye.

I babysat them for a day, and after being chased around my apartment all day, they finally sleep.

'this case must be returned to...emily' :)

This one is looking all innocent and cute after it tinkled on my floor.

Rough housing with Vincent.

They sleep again.

They made friends with the kittens next door.

The day Emily found them...

Timothy Treadwell Style

This past weekend Vincent, Lowen and I met up with Grandipop and Grandimary at the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We hiked Abrams Falls, a 2.5mil trail. It was a nice change of pace as we counted over 25 different species of wild flowers and saw lots of wild life.

One of coolest things we saw were these black bears. A mommy bear and her three cubs (I circled them). How cool is that, huh? I couldn't believe how they just minded their own business while we took pictures of them.

Check out more of our pictures on our flickr site.

...and they are engaged!

Eric and Lauren got engaged April 14th!
We got to help the groom-to-be surprise his new fiance w/ a surprise engagement party.
Eric planned it so that both their family and friends could be there to celebrate the night.
So many of their loved ones came from within 13 hours away!
So cool.

Congrats guys...you are in our prayers.

The Joys of Eating

This kid knows how to enjoy life to the fullest. Nathaniel is two and by all means knows how to get anything he wants without saying a word.

Vincent, being his uncle and godfather, ate up all the attention Nathaniel gave him. The kid consistantly made me laugh, as he bullied his broken-butted uncle by pushing, lunging and jumping on Vincent. Natheniel also picked up on the fact that Vincent's donut was a so-called treasure, and to him it soon became a toy he used to taunt his disabled uncle.

Easter Egg

noun: an egg that is dyed and sometimes decorated and that is associated with the celebration of Easter.
-Webster Dictionary

This Easter weekend we were able to spend time with our nephews and help them decorate their eggs.

It was a messy ordeal but a fun one. I don't remember the last time I dyed eggs. Vincent was five. I think we should keep the tradion next year.

Here is Vincent with his soon-to-be multi-colored egg.
Please note the very straight line he was able pull off.
A very proud uncle...he wouldn't even let his nephew touch it.

Our Journey

So, Lowen, Vincent and I made our 11hour trip to Maryland this past weekend...

...to be with Jenny, our cousin...

...as she got married to Daniel Wold.

However, our trip was more then what we expected as the majority of our time was spent in the hospital. Nathaniel, Vincent's nephew had a bad case of asthma. He is okay now as he was released from the hospital today.

We were happy to be with our family, but nonetheless we are tired.

The Brothers H

My brothers, Vernon and Benjamin, share a birthday on April 2nd. Ben, on my left in the photo above, turns 17 today. Vernon, on my right, turns 28.

These men have been a tremendous inspiration to me. They shared the "best-man" duty at my wedding last August. Their reception speaches, according to witnesses, were full of generous wit, comic aplumb, artful sentimentality, and generation-defining savviness.

Vernon is a married father of two living in New Windsor, Maryland. He drives a Nissan truck my cousin Lowen has likened to a combination of a Dodge Neon and the P---y Wagon from Kill Bill. He is handy with his hands. He wears a tool belt whenever and wherever he can, sometimes to the bathroom, sometimes to the bedroom. He is a master of Flannery O'Connoresque humor. Vernon never met a cheesesteak he didn't like.

Ben is a high school student living in St. Michaels, Maryland. He is waiting for a sign from heaven to reveal to him the importance of obtaining a driver's license. Ben's school, fortunately situated a block from his house, will be the launch-pad for his up-and-coming music video enterprise. His current project is a video for Common's "Be." He recently brought his F-average up to honor-roll status. Ben is visited in dreams by Dave Chappelle.

Happy Birthday boys.

The Mitch