ugh, i hate smoking.

i know that there are so many arguments one way or the other on the issue of banning smoking in public places. but to all and especially to my fellow dallasites, have any of you been to manhattan lately? austin? boston? you will notice that no matter where you go in these cities (among others), you are free from being trapped inside with cigarette smoke. ahh the bliss, ahh the glory, ahh the long life...

this article came out today regarding the new findings on the effects of secondhand smoke. not that anyone was too unclear about it, but apparently now they are officially declaring that secondhand smoke isn't just bad for you, it's REALLY bad for you.

to my friends that smoke, sorry. but i can't WAIT until this ban hits dallas!! death to the cancer sticks!!!

unbelievably cute.

are we becoming friends here? this afternoon i got some good shots of the kiddos in the backyard. either i am a photographic genius, or norman and the 'kenzers are becoming best buds!!

where are we going, normie?

norman

it had to happen...tucker had asked that to pay tribute to his greatness as a dog, we needed to get a puppy if he were to ever leave us. now that day has come. ladies and gentlemen, meet norman. the newest addition to mckenzie's house, he is a 10 week-old golden retriever. norman is named for the hometown of the greatest college football team in the history of the world...the oklahoma sooners!!! his first visit is now just about two and a half months away and we are already gearing him up!

norman

seaside

surrey with the fringe on top...well, a surrey, anyway

the bride and groom...chris and court!!!

sunburned and happy...jay

mac dog and kt

'kenz relaxing on the cooler...or is she trying to steal my corona??

i had been needing a vacation. aside from a few weekend get-a-ways, i had not been off of work in a while. i'll just say that before i left work last tuesday, i had left alerts on every voice and e-mail i could think of so that no one would bother me about work. so, thanks to chris and courtney and their beautiful wedding, i came up with an excuse to take a little vacation. i've been to destin, florida, but let me tell you, the extra 45 minutes east from the airport to seaside is well worth your drive.

it was a wonderful trip, and would highly recommend a visit to this little piece of paradise. it will not be my last...

the day 6-6-6...

so here we are, june 6, 2006.

i remember being in elementary school, sitting in the back of the library, and figuring out that "we" would be alive on the day 6-6-6. i was completely creeped out. such silliness, such children.

well here we are, and i must say...i'm kind of glad my flight leaves tomorrow morning and not today. :) jay sent me a funny article on this topic, i have pasted a great excerpt below (from www.cnn.com)...

"Commercialism based on numbers and fear bothers American University astronomer Richard Berendzen.
"What it really does is use some coincidence of some numbers for commercial gain," he said. "It's superstition and money when it comes down to it. And that's about as satanic as you can get."
Still scared about the date 666? Jack Horkheimer of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium has a piece of advice: "If it really spooks you, you can stand on your head and it'll be 999."

west end

does anyone else remember when west end was cool? i remember day-time trips down to this little marketplace where strange adult men sold roses, they had a chocolate factory, a huge candy store, and a poster store where they sold what seemed to be HUGE "tiger beat" posters...i loved that. i even remember going down there one night with my older brothers and doing a music video of "celebrate (good times, come on!)." ahh, memories.



i knew it had taken a turn for the worse, i haven't been in years...really not since junior high, which is about 13 years ago now. but it seems that famed little shopping center is closing. it's strange that it is happening now, with the victory project right across the way and "taste of dallas" happening in just a few weeks...but i felt it necessary to say my farwell, as at one point in my life, i thought that place was just tops!!!