A birthday has come and gone. We had a nice dinner and small cake for Nathaniel's birthday. Here he is enjoying his cake.
Many great presents and wonderful people helped us celebrate his second birthday. Thank you everyone!

Nat is full of energy and needs his hours of running around inside or outside. We go to the playground regularly, but enjoy going to fun places. Our recent outings have taken us to the zoo, Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium. He can now say many things, of which, zebra and zoo are favorites. He can recognize many of the zoo animals and really enjoys his time there. Busch Gardens has the big train. He loves the big train and can see the animals and roller coasters from it. There are also some fun rides spread throughout the park that he can ride. The Aquarium is a fairly brief visit for us, because he runs through it and we are done in about an hour.

The weather has turned for the better and we enjoyed a couple beautiful days on the beach. It's still a bit chilly in the high 60s and low 70s, but I'm sure we'll manage to have fun. We just have to stay out of the water, because that is very cold.

This weekend is a fishing weekend. With warmer weather and more agreeable tides, we are going to try and fish the mouth of the creek and a couple areas in the bay. The mullet fishermen say that the redfish are schooling in the flats around the airport.

Kathleen is now 30 weeks along and the little girl is about 18 inches long. She is only half as active as Nat, but like to move around and give a kick. Work has been relatively smooth for her, but there are nights where she is working after Nat goes to bed and I collapse in front of a hockey game on TV. We've been able to meet her for lunch or treat her to a night out after a long day at work.

Next weekend we planned a trip to Disney. Should be interesting. Untill then...

A boy and his train.
It has been a long time and we've had many travels since Christmas. The photos will tell most of our story, and our time spent in Michigan was great. Nathaniel has an appreciation for hockey and the piano at Aunt Pat's house. We had a wonderful time catching up with our family in the North and look forward to any and all visits from them this spring.
We had a great time at the circus. Nat loved loved his frist visit to the circus and really enjoyed the clowns, elephants and tigers.

David Crowell gave Nat his first bean bag and its been a hit with him, especially during story time before nap and bedtime. Here, he has fallen asleep in front of the T.V. after a long morning of playing outside and library fun.

A day at the zoo is never a dull day, especially when there is a Komodoo Dragon statue to play on and the real thing behind a few inches of glass just feet away. This is where Nat was learning about the difference between real and a statue.

Kathleen and I had a fun trip to the city of Las Vegas. As everyone knows, you should visit Sin City at least once to get a flavor of gambling, smoking, drinking and covert promiscuity everywhere. The Bellagio fountains are really cool and we were able to see them from the balcony of Shintaro, a Japanese restaurant with Haibachi grills. I was able to catch the Mirage's volcano eruption around 11 at night. There are many things that you can see and do just walking down the sidewalk of the strip. We went to the Cirque du Solei show "O", which is a water themed feat of acrobatics. They did some incredible feats of daring and swimming.
Here is a picture from inside the helicopter we took to the grand canyon. This is of the Vegas strip. Riding in a helicopter with 4 other people is very different from floating in a jumbo jet across the country. We were bumpped a couple times by air currents, but for the bulk of the ride it was a smooth trip. I can't imagine how it would be when it is windy in the canyon.

Hoover Dam. It has an amazing effect on the landscape and allows millions of people water, recreation and electicity where there shouldn't be people.

Kathleen and I had a very brief lunch about 200 feet above the Colorado River. It is a rugged beauty and the early explorers must have thought this to be another planet. The river is surprisingly clear and you can see rocks at the bottom despite the murky appearance.

We had a fun vacation and Nathaniel had fun with his Grandparents on Sanibel. This week is his birthday, but it will be very low key with cake and singing and a few presents.

Be well,
Michael

Thanksgiving is quickly upon us and we have many things to be thankful for, and the list is far too long to bore you, so I won't. Let's just say that you're included while you read this entry.

We have a new addition to our family. Congratulations to Jen and Aaron Lambrecht! Welcome baby Mia Judith Lambrecht. You are a wonderful light for two great parents.

Kathleen returned from a successful trip to Salt Lake City, Utah last week. She has been innundated with many initiatives at work that are taking her across our great country, viewing mountains and canyons from 30,000 feet. JSA Medical Group purchased a company in Las Vegas a couple months ago, then her company was recently acquired by a company located in Los Angeles. The Las Vegas company owned a smaller company in Utah, which is why she traveled there to take care of licenses and whatever lawyers do. We are very proud of her accomplishments and look forward to the many milestones to come.

Nathaniel is 21 months and in his terrible two stage. Nat's energy levels have increased two-fold; his ability to say words has doubled; he can express his opinion in a couple ways, crying or ranting. As always, he is a charming boy, as you can plainly see. We have been potty training with daily success. He has pooped and peed on the potty. This is very good. Every day is beautiful with his smile and laugh. I've coerced him to give a smile to his Mommy when asked. It's really cute.

As for me, I just caught, fileted and ate this Black Drum, a close cousin to the Red Drum (a.k.a Red Fish). It was a fun catch and very tasty. Thank you Black Drum for a wonderful meal. For those of you that might be interested, it was 23 and three-quarter inches. Just under the 24 inches maximum. The fileting table on our dock is only three feet wide, so let's hope we don't catch a monster snook that won't fit on the table.

The house, this house, the same house I have been working on since 2003, is for sale. We have to move because Kathleen's work commute is too long and lengthening due to the arrival of the snow birds. This has been a difficult decision, but really needs to happen in order to keep our family continuity. If you know anyone that wants to buy it, please let me know. They won't have to do anything to it, truly.

Be well,
Michael, Kathleen and Nat

We have made it through some exhausting months. Nathaniel is now a full-fledged toddler and experiencing his terrible two a little early (for me). Kathleen is still working extremely hard and putting in long hours, however, the rewards for her work will be worthwhile. I am trying to keep up with a 21-month-old child.

It is fall here in Florida and the weather has been great. Nathaniel was able to experience an urban pumpkin patch. The difference between a rural and an urban patch is that the city pumpkins are in a parking lot under an enourmous tent and usually cost 3 times as much. They bring in the bails of hay for photos and have plenty of gourds for the little ones to pick up and show their parents.
Growing up in a suburb, a fall drive to the ice arena would take us past several pumpkin patches, some for sale and others just farms that grew pumpkins, too. I remember picking pumpkins at a farm in Shields, Michigan. I believe it was Turner's Farm. We also would get apples, cider and many other "from the farm" things. They have been closed since the eighties and are a nice development of homes.

I wish that Nat could walk an apple orchard and see the apples getting pressed into cider. That was always a fun fall activity for me. You could have cider and plain doughnuts or hot chocolate and doughnuts, plain doughnuts, none of these fancy danish or scones you see at Starbucks.

Nathaniel loves the playground. He has become quite the dexterous boy when navigating the many obstacles.



The best part of living on the penninsula of a penninsula is that we have many different beaches to go to on any given day. Here is a picture from our day at Treasure Island. Unfortunately, the red tide drove us away early. We parked the car ten miles away at Indian Rocks Beach and rode the trolly there. Nat makes a "ding-ding" sound when he watches the trolly pass and enjoys riding them.

Be Well,
Michael

In the world of engine repair and maintenance, I have had a little exposure to the combustible engine since my first conveyance -- a '79 Malibu station wagon. I wish I had pictures to show you that vehicle. Regardless, with the help of our neighbor, I was able to change the oil, oil filter, in-line fuel filter, fuel water separator and spark plugs prior to my successful run and fishing trip this weekend. I am happy to say that I had several bites, and our good friend and neighbor Don caught a 27' red fish. This picture doesn't bring the color of such a beautiful fish to life. I was able to practice and understand the technique of using a push-pole in foot deep water or less. It was a lot of fun. After pricing out a bow mounted trolling moter ($1,000 installed), I am resigned to learn how to use a push-pole to get to where we need to be, quietly and efficiently. Generations of Floridians have used them, why not me as well.

Yep, Kathleen is still working very hard and moves in many directions daily. She really enjoys her job, the people she works with, and the atmosphere. She is acclimating to her commute to and from work. Three months into her job and all is well.

Nathaniel is working on speaking and climbing in equal proportions. He is also becoming an excellent problem solver, especailly in situations where he really wants something and there are several obstacles in the way.
We take him to the beach every weekend. If we arrive between 10 and 11 in the morning, the weather and sun are more agreeable. Nat really likes to play in the sand and surf. He also enjoys the floating in Mom or Dad's arms, but gets bored easily. Then, we towel off and hit a small diner overlooking the intercoastal. It is a wonderful getaway and typifies a vacation day spent in Florida.
Nat enjoys riding in his bike seat and every night we try to get a half-hour of pedaling in before it gets dark. The bugs are too bad to take a walk and the breeze from riding a bike helps to cool us.

We are having a wonderful summer and hope that you are too.

Be well,
Michael

The velocity of our days is increasing. I guess that makes us pretty normal in today's rushed society.

Kathleen is working very hard towards her goals and hopefully will have an assistant on board to help alleviate many of the perfunctory burdens she is having to overcome. Her time is better spent wrestling higher functions within a corporation than with a pernicious copier or printer.

Nathaniel is running around the house, as usual. He will point at something on a shelf, in the cupboard or toward another room and begin to speak his monosylabic baby garble. It is really cute and our standard reply, sometimes interrupting him so he can become accustomed in the future, "really, that's great." There are instances when he will look directly at you, engaging you into a game I call Who is Thinking What. He will not say anything and sometimes will have an expression on his face that is quizzical. Nat is doing very well around children his age and is learning over and under, as well as throwing and running away from us when he is doing something we don't approve. For instance, the other day he scooped up a handful of dog food while we were in the laundry room folding a load. I asked him to not play with the dog's food and walked over to help him put it back in the dish. He turned away from me toward the door and ran through the family room into the kitchen and stopped in the dining room, laughing the entire way. It was really cute, yet frustrating. He is quickly becoming a little boy.

Saturday, we went to the Lowry Park Zoo and looked at the elephants, giraffes, zebras and manatees. Nathaniel took a ride on the carousel and loved it. We had a great time and Kathleen was able to enjoy her son doing something that is a ton of fun. It is getting hot by 11 in the morning, so all of our activities include some sort of water fun and the zoo has a neat fountain area for the kids to play. Thursday last, Nat and I enjoyed our visit to the Florida Aquarium. He really has a lot of fun running around and pointing at the fish. There was an exhibit of shells, so Nat was able to touch a lot of different sea shells. He learned that if you put a conch or whelk up to your ear you can hear the ocean. He really liked discovering that.

Here is first mate Nathaniel aboard Nemo's Playpen with ensign Daddy. Captain Mommy was aboard getting some sun and a great boat ride. We didn't catch any fish and had to limp back to the boat ramp on a couple cylinders at the end of our journey to Caladesi Island. Another fix I'll have to address prior to our trip south for the weekend. Gabe and I went out on the boat last weekend and had a successful trip to Weedon Island, where we caught a dozen spotted sea trout that were between 10' and 14'. No keepers, better luck next time.

Here are a couple of Nat's expressions. He has many in his arsenal.






Our big trip to Minnesota is quickly approaching. I will be in Montana most of the time, but Kathleen and Nat are making it a solid family adventure of their 5 days. They will be at the cabin to begin and end up at Grandma's in Waseca. She has her 15 year class reunion on August 19th in Owatonna and I have a date with some rainbow trout on the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley. Should be a great trip for all of us.

Be well,
Michael

We have some days to replay, so bear with me while I try my best to recount them.
Since our last edition of the blog, Nathaniel came down with a sinus infection and so did Daddy. It wasn't fun and had us down for over a week. We were healthy just in time to fly to Michigan for our 12 day visit con familia Premo. The trip was extended an extra two days because of the near miss tropical storm A. We had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa and did many things, like go to the zoo, play miniature golf (with cousin Dominic) and visit all of the relatives we could.

The first Sunday we were in Saginaw, everyone gathered for Mikkel's birthday and to visit. Here are all of the cousins together as best we could manage.

Then we had cake and Aunt Julie offered to help Nat with his. Everyone within 5 feet of them had cake somewhere on them. Lots of fun.


Keaton was exhausted by 2 and the girls were really quiet playing near him. It was a joy seeing such well manered and beautiful nieces. They will be very special as they grow older.








Why yes, that is Albert Premo fishing from the banks of the South Branch of the mighty AuSable River. Next year we'll have waders for him and better weather for the trip to the cabin on Fief Lake. First time Dad and I had been fishing together since I was probably 12. Fishing was O.K., not much caught, but the area is very beautiful and the wild Irises were in bloom.







Nathaniel loved playing in his Grandparent's backyard. Running, falling and rolling all around the yard, but his most favorite of all was the red Radio Flyer wagon.






We had a brief visit from Aunt Lisa. Nat loves a good book before bed and the company of family. It was great to see Lisa, no matter how brief. We'll just miss them in August.



Nathaniel is now learning how to eat with a fork. Yep, the mess is on. He really enjoys utensils, but has a habit of throwing them across the table or dining room.





Kathleen was working some amazing hours the past two months. She has certainly proved herself worthy to be General Counsel for a growing company like JSA. She has received many positive comments about her work and demeanor. This comes as no surprise to Nat and me, we knew she just needed the venue to perform. She is an excellent addition to JSA and will be an asset in the future of the company. Even with her crazy hours and two trips to Las Vegas in one month, we had a brief family trip to Sanibel over the 4th of July weekend, but was cut short because Nat had croup. Unfortunately, red tide was getting very thick on the south beach, but was not present on Bowman's Beach. Let's hope it clears up and goes away.

Here is a great side by side comparison of our house 2003 on the left and 2006 on the right. A lot of sweat and money can brighten up a house.



Be well,
Michael, Kathleen and Nathaniel