Electronic Christmas Card & Letter

An electronic version of our Christmas letter, Christmas card, Christmas card outtakes and an accompanying video.

Greetings all —

We hope the holidays are a joyous time for one and all — spent with loved ones enjoying the magic of the season.

It's been a good year for the McDonalds. The boys continue to grow and and bring us much joy. Brian just turned 8 and is in the second grade, while Sean is holding steady at 6 1/2 and is in the first grade. Both enjoy school and are doing well. They’re in Scouts and the Chess Club at Mills Elementary and love sports, including soccer (Brian’s passion — he’s now in his fourth year with the same team), gymnastics (Sean’s request and personal favorite), basketball and swimming.

Christian is still at the Austin American-Statesman, where he manages the news Web site. He mostly enjoys it, but wrestles with when to call it a day as it’s always live (not like print, with its final deadline and chance to go home and sleep). He’s also the Cubmaster for the boys’ Scout pack (93 more boys!) and continues to coach soccer, so some nights he has an excuse to duck out of the office. He’s also helping with Sunday School at our church, Southwest Hills Community Church.

Cory returned to the Statesman on a part-time basis. She spent the summer on the national desk, keeping up with hurricanes and presidential campaigns (and sometimes not sure which was more chaotic) before moving on to sports for the football season. She also joined the staff of the preschool Sean attended, working on literacy projects with the 4-year-olds three days a week — much more enjoyable than working with grumpy reporters and editors! She also continues to tutor children at the boys’ elementary school and work in the library there.

We had so much fun visiting with friends and family in Atlanta and North Carolina this past summer. We’re planning on sticking close to home in the coming year, so please feel free to put Austin on your summer itinerary. And a warning to folks in the Midwest: We’re planning on doing Milwaukee and Chicago in 2006 when the King Tut exhibit arrives at the Field Museum.

So yes, our days are hectic but filled with activities that bring us much joy, We truly feel blessed and are looking forward to another fun-filled year. We also wish you much joy and happiness.

Love, Cory, Christian, Brian and Sean (and Spot)
Christmas, 2004

3v3 Funfest

Brian and Sean were asked at the last minute to play in the 3v3 Funfest soccer tournament at Slaughter Creek on Dec. 4-5. Brian had a ton of fun with the Raptors. We ended playing a lot of other Austin United Capitals teams, including the Crawdads, Thunder and the Cobras. Sean also had a triumphant return to soccer, playing on Sunday with the Incredibles! He had a TON of fun, he says, and wants to begin playing again. I think both boys had a great time, even on the cold and rainy Sunday.

Den 3 visit's fire station

Sean's Den 3 visited the fire station at Beckett and McCarty. The guys there were great, taking them around the station, letting them climb on the ladder truck and try on an air pack. Heavy! The boys had a lot of fun.

Visiting the missions of San Antonio

The day after Thanksgiving we traveled with Ted and Marian to San Antonio to visit the Alamo and the mission San Juan. This was the first time we had been to the Alamo, and boy was it crowded. Maybe it always is. There was supposed to be a parade Friday night on the river, so we didn't spend much time on the River Walk (had to have tickets for the parade.) We went on to the San Juan Mission, which I think is the largest of the San Antonio missions. It really is a neat place, and the chapel is just beautiful. The grist mill was facinating and the boys really like it, even though they had been there less than a year before. Check them out if you get the chance ... they are worth the trip.

Thanksgiving

It's wonderful to have guests for Thanksgiving, and even better when grandparents get to see their grandkids. Cory's Dad, Ted, and Marian came to visit with us and spoil the boys. That's their job, right! Actually, I think the spoiling went the other way around. For Thanksgiving Day, I smoked a turkey in the big New Braunfel's smoker, and boy was it tasty. We also had the REAL thanksgiving football game out on the street, an all-out two-hand touch game with Grandpa and Sean against Dad and Brian. Ya know, I don't remember the score, but I did get Brian good with a Charlie Brown/Lucy kick! We finally sat for dinner and the boys really went after the turkey legs.

Catching up a little

Trying to catch up a little on photos. We got a new iMac and I've been playing the iPhoto software that comes with it, which is pretty cool, once you get used to it. Now that I'm on OSX, I've been looking for some new photo gallery software, but for now I'm still just hacking the PhotoShop Web gallery templates.

So, here is the new crop, more or less in order oldest to newest ...

The boys took Dad on a hike of Slaughter Creek, a trip that they had done first with Mom. They were excited to show me :the chair" out in the middle of nowhere (though not far from the neighborhood, actually), and other features of the hike. A neat little trip that they were excited to share with Dad.

Brian had a Halloween theme for his 8th birthday. We decorated the house and played games like "make a mummy," "pin the bone on the skeleton" and bobbing for apples. It was a hoot, and I think the boys had a ball.

On Halloween night, the boys ganged up with the Murphys and Van Treases to take the neighborhood by storm. More than a 100 pieces of candy later, the boys pronounced it the best Halloween ever.

My nephew Sam had his Bar Mitzvah in Houston in early November. He looks so grown up, and so teenager, all at the same time. I was happy to hear Led Zeppelin jamming on the cd player when we arrived for the party. Sam and his friends were playing some catch-type game when the football went into the pool. Sam saved it. Did I mention it was November? OK, the water wasn't that cold, but it wasn't exactly hot, either.

We all joined Cub Scout Pack 61 for the Veteran's Parade. I heard we were the largest Boy Scout organization on the route. We sang lots of patriotic songs and took a Pack Picture at the end at the Capitol.

And last, we have some various photos that don't tie together. Mostly they are just shots of the boys, but also of Spot and our Build-a-Bear family. One photo is of the boys getting a book signed by Marc Brown, the author of Arthur. Though the book he is signing is Wild About Books, which he illustrated. It's great, too!

Cheetahs end of year party

OK, there aren't many party picks, but here are all the players. Thanks to all for a great season. Especially thanks to all of you who helped with practice, helped watch Sean, carry stuff, pick up and drop off my kids and everything else. The Cheetahs are more than a team ... it is a GREAT group of friends and I'm glad to know you all. Steph and Reese ... we'll miss y'all when you move to the big D.

Brian gets glasses

A bit concerned about Brian's reading we took him for an eye checkup and he came out with glasses. We think it has paid off, and he really seems to like them. He only has to wear them when he is reading or in the classroom, looking up and down from his desk work to the board. He doesn't have to wear them at play or in sports, etc.

Austin Zoo Run Wild 1K

On 9/26/04, Brian and Sean ran in the Austin Zoo Run Wild 1K. It was a lot of fun, running through the zoo, past the petting zoo, monkeys and lions' cage. That was a bit scary, I have to admit, as the lions were pacing the kids as they ran down their cage. Without the cage, I'm sure they would've been lunch. But, in the end, they had a lot of fun, and Brian came in third in his age group.

Cheetahs, Fall 2004

The same day as the Marathon Kids, 9/18/04, Brian had a soccer game. Brian's buddy Braeden has rejoined the team after a couple of years playing baseball. Brian met Braeden when they were 4-years-old when they first started playing soccer. A school friend Reese also joined the team. They've had fun so far ... they've played even games, they've dominated and they have been dominated. But it's always been fun for them. Today, I miss their first game. :(

Marathon Kids

Both Brian and Sean launched their Marathon Kids campaign at Mike Meyers stadium at the University of Texas campus. Before the school year is up, they will have run a marathon -- 26.2 miles -- a little at a time. The last lap is usually at Berger Center, a local high school stadium. The boys received water bottles that they got signed by various UT student athletes. They also get a T-shirt when they are done. During the run we saw and were able to congratulate Cat Osterman on her gold medal in softball at the Athens Olympics.

Golf at Butler Park

Butler Park has been an Austin institution for 50 years. Tucked into a couple acres downtown a stone's throw from Town Lake, many a father and child have hacked a round of 9-holes. Brian and I joined our friends Pablo and Ken recently. It was the first time I'd swung a club since Brian was about 16 months. We had a real good time and I can't wait to go back. I think Brian feels the same way.

Fireup 5v5 Tournament

Before the soccer season started this Fall, most of the Cheetahs and a couple of other buddies played in the Fireup 5v5 Tournament at Slaughter Creek. They played four games, didn't win any but they did have a lot of fun. For the last game, against the best team, we broke out the boom box and jammed to "Who Let the Dogs Out." That really got the boys excited.

Birth of the Volcanos

OK ... the first couple of photos in this set aren't really about building the volcano. It looked to me like they were making the papier mache used for the bubbly beasts, but instead it's good ol' garden variety slime.

But eventually, Brian and Sean did make a prehistoric, double-barrel volcano, complete with dinosaurs and foaming lava.

Lance, pirates, Battleship and more

Some times there just aren't enough photos on a particular subject to make their own gallery. So here, we have a potpourri of photos.

The family went to watch Lance Armstrong ride up Congress Avenue after he won an incredible 6th Tour de France. But, unfortunately, we waited an hour to watch him start half a block farther up than our vantage point, so we don't have photos of him or the event. But man, what an awsome feat of sport. Next, we have Sean and Dad building a pirate ship we bought during our summer vacation at the Outer Banks.

And do you remember the game Battleship? Ah ... I thought so. The boys liked it the first time they heard about it, so we found the set and they really enjoy it.

And lastly, Sean makes a book in the spirit of Ricky Riccota and Flip-o-Rama.

The Cubmobile Derby

Each year the Pack holds a Cubmobile Derby with soapbox cars at the Seton Southwest medical center parking lot. (Don't want to have to go far if we wreck.) Each den builds a car and they take turns racing it down the hill for time. Needless to say, it's lots of fun. I would say the boys enjoy building the cars, but they ahve to have one as Tigers (1st grade) so it usually ends up being the dads that build them. This year, one of the Webelo patrols -- the Bats -- built a new car ... a Batmobile, naturally. One of our Den 7 buddies, Sayeed Anam, also took photos of the event.

Cooking, eating and growing

We all know the boys love to cook and they love to eat. As a Wolf requirement for Cub Scouts, Brian had to cook a meal outside, so he whipped up a surf 'n' turf kabob with steak, chicken and shrimp. Yum! We also took a foray into desert fondue, which insipired us to buy a real fondue set. We look forward to that ... we'll try it out this weekend. Sean also helped Mom start some seeds ... Our fall garden is awsome, as usual. We'll try to get some photos of that as well.

YMCA Basketball, Fall 2004

While Brian did the swim team this summer, Sean played basketball at the YMCA. Our illustrious sports editor was the coach and his son Jake played on the team, as did Sean's friend Cole. Sean had lots of fun.

Really, really up to date

I was six months behind on pictures, so I started working backward from our summer vacation. Those are in previous posts. Here are photos from the rest of the first half of 2004, in no particular order.

• Bull Creek Park


• Cub Scout Day Camp


• Other photos


• Swimming


• Studying turtles


• Fall basketball 2004


• Enchanted Rock


• Pedernales Falls State Park


• 2003-04 at Mills


• Cub Scouts


• Snow in Austin


• Soccer in early 2004


• Easter 2004


• 2004 Science Fair


• Sean's 6th Birthday

Bringing us up-to-date

A quick post to catch up on our current photo card, and then maybe I can work on the 6 months of backlog.

About 12 hours after we returned from vacation, the boys headed off to Bowie Soccer Camp, coached by the girls high school team. They had lots of fun, and the Bowie folks were real careful with the kids on a hot week.

While on vacation, we bought multiple colors of Sharpie pens and Brian really wanted a tattoo. He wanted a shuttle, but since it happened to be the 35th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, I did that instead.

Spoils from our raids as pirates during vacation included a model of a pirate ship that Sean wanted to build. We're starting it here, but haven't gotten much further as of yet. Hopefully we'll work on it this weekend.

We had two skating events in the same day. Brian went to the Asphalt Assault camp hosted by the Austin Ice Bats. Minor league Bats coach Jeff Greenlaw led kids in a game in a rink at the local Academy Sporting Good story. Brian had a ball. Friend Jake got a chance as goalie, as did Brian. Then, later in the day, Pack 61 hosted a skating party at Skateland. About 30 kids showed up. Even Mom got on skates, though we don't have photographic proof of that.

The Summer Vacation, June 28-July 12

We started our vacation with quick trip to Houston to see Jeff and Jennifer. Much too short ... just a quick dinner at Papadeaux's. Didn't even get to see the Schultz's. Feel bad about that.

The next day we were off early toward Atlanta. Once past Mobile, we thought we could make it to Montgomery, but we ended up stopping at the Comfort Inn in Evergreen, Ala. I present a ringing endorsement of this fine place. The folks who run it are super nice, the place was real clean and the price reasonable. A Waffle House next door ... what more could you ask for? By far the best motel we stayed in during our trip. We also figured out it was our second visit here, as the day we moved from Atlanta we started off in the afternoon to get a head start to Texas. Again, we thought we could make that trek between Montgomery and Mobile (the other direction) but grew weary and stopped here in the middle of nowhere.

On Wednesday we arrived in Atlanta to stay with Jacki and Denise. We had two goals for ATL, to meet up with friends and see a few sites. One of our first trips was to The Varsity, an Atlanta institution. I can't say it's one of the finest restaurants in the city, but it does have history and it is a lot of fun.

Next, we went to the King Center, (thekingcenter.com) and Ebenezer Baptist Church and Centennial Olympic Park. Brian and Sean enjoyed a visit to COXnet where Perry gave them some awesome goody bags. The boys also endured a visit to the AJC were Mom and Dad caught up with friends.

Those visits allowd us to visit friends, but so did a wonderful evening with our old AJC and COXnet cronies at Ippolitos. Jacki, Denise, David, Sue, Denise Porter and her family. Thank you, all, for your great conversation and uplifting confidence in me. It means a lot to know someone out there believe in my abilities and wants to work with me. Cory also feels very at home with all of you. I think we can safely say we have three "homes" now. We were as comfortable in ATL as we were in Arizona and Utah last summer. (OK, humidity and rain notwithstanding.) You all had me thinking ... if things don't work out here, we know we would be welcome and that is a comfort.

We also had a chance to catch up with some old neighborhood families from Tyson's Corner. We met with the Beggs and the Sidelingers at El Azteca. It's great to see how much everyone has grown (or been born!)

But the beach called, and we were excited. We created a pirate flag for our rented sloop, the Surf Seeker. We used this sleek vessel (standard white van) to commandeer ice cream trucks and overtake fast food restaurants, to learn port and starboard and the value of a clean deck. Thanks, Denise, for the loan of your craft room in the flag effort.

The drive to Pine Knoll Shores was not uneventful. We saw much more of Florence, S.C. than we intended and ever want to see again. On the flip side, Fair Bluff, N.C. was quite a quaint little farming community in tobacco country. Too many back roads though, and we ended up staying the night in Jackson, N.C., home of Camp Lejeune Marine base. It's not easy to find a hotel room along the coast of North Carolina on Saturday, July 3. But, we got in to Grandpa Ted's home at Pine Knoll Shores at a decent enough hour, barely stopping for lunch before hitting the beach with cousin Ian. (I've put all the beach photos together, as we went often.) Pete and his family joined as the beach after their torturous red-eye from Utah via Las Vegas, Charlotte and New Bern. We also found the condo pool to be a welcome respite from the salt water.

Fourth of July celebrations were spent at the Bogue Banks Country Club, where we ate our fill of clams, barbecue (where's the beef?) and hot dogs. The kids had a ball with a three-legged race, Boccie Ball and a little kiddie course on the putting green. The fireworks were grand and really, really close. I've never been that close. The scene along the sound reminded me of my parent's home on Clear Lake, watching fireworks going off in the various cities around the water.

Other great trips during the week included the Emerald Isle waterslide park, the putt-putt, bumper boats and go-carts near Grandpa's house (we liked putt-putt so much we did that twice.) We also visited the Maritime Museum in Beaufort where we heard a lecture on sea turtles, which were nesting on the Outer Banks during our visit. (We didn't see any.) A great lunch at some old restaurant that escapes me and a trip out to Cape Lookout on what was supposed to be a speed boat. Note to pilot: 18 mph ain't speedy. But his accent was a joy!

Other fun memories from the trip (gathered in a "various" gallery) was a trip to Fort Macon (State Park site), used in the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and World War II. We also enjoyed some wonderful meals together ... thank you Ted and Marian. The boys enjoyed playing chess with their cousins and generally hanging out.

Thank you so much, Ted & Marian, for allowing us to visit and making it possible. Pete and family ... we really enjoyed your company and hope we can get those kiddos together again soon. And, again, Jacki & Denise ... we love you.

Sean skates

Sean was eyeing an upcoming date on the calendar for the Pack 61 roller skating party, and he really wanted to learn how to use in-line skates before the big day. His brother was kind enough to help out. It wasn't long before they were both on the ground.

Leading up to vacation

In the week leading up to our vacation, the boys studied pirates. Here the captain and his first mate ham it up for the camera before making Mom walk the plank. The day before we left, Brian had his championship swim meet at the University of Texas natatorium. And we figured the boys were excited and happy to go on vacation when we woke up to this domino creation.

Commons Ford Ranch

We are so behind on photos/site update, we gotta start somewhere. So I start with our latest camera card.

On Father's day, we went out to Commons Ford Ranch (read more on TexasHiking.com), a little-known City of Austin Park. This is where we had Cub Scout day camp, but because it rained so much then, we didn't get to hike. We hiked the awesome Waterfall Trail, where we were happy to find a lovely little waterfall to cool us off in (imagine that.) The hike was a little over a mile out and back. On the way back we saw a cool spider in his tunnel. Wish I knew what kind it was. After the waterfall trail, we headed over to Lake Austin along a road full of these wonderfully huge pecan trees. We took the kayak out, but apparently didn't take any photos of that.

Time to start this blog puppy again

I'm not sure what we'll end up with here ... running commentary of our upcoming vacation or just more out of date web entries that nobody will read. I've just come to realize my last blog post came not too long before my last photo site update. I really did start to collect photos to upload, but stopped short of actually doing it.

Anyway, our plan it to take two weeks vac ... breeze through Houston to see the bro, then three days in ATL and a week on the Outer Banks to see father-in-law.

I could use the break. Hopefully I'll find Web connections along the way.

Recent books

This will be a running list of books I've read or am reading.

The Purpose-Driven Life | Rick Warren

About following Christ with every bit of your life. Forty daily readings that we are doing with our church, Southwest Hills Community Church. I'm writing a blog about it as I read it. Or trying to, anyway.

Track of the Cat | Navada Barr

I'm not actually finished with this, but it's her first Anna Pigeon novel. Anna is a park ranger who ends up solving murders and this one takes place in the Davis Mountains of West Texas

Seeking Enlightenment Hat by Hat | Navada Barr

Subtitled 'A Skeptic's Path to Religion' it is definitely a look into who Navada Barr is and her view on God. She's very "down to earth," and far from conservative. There are some wonderful nuggets here.

Treasure Island | Robert Louis Stevens

What a treasure! We started to read this to the boys for our Pirate Vacation, though they found the beginning a bit scary. I kept up and found out why this book is a classic. I loved it.

The Da Vinci Code | Dan Brown

Such a quick read. I know this book has created a bit of controversy, and I was drawn to it because of that. It is quite clever and I really liked it. It did increase my interest in reading some of the "lesser" gospels. It really needed a reproduction of the paintings in the book, though!

Bylines | Ernest Hemingway

A collection of his writings for newspapers and magazines that I pick up from time to time. He was such a great writer.

Death Comes for the Archbishop | Willa Cather

Published in 1927, This is a lovely book about two Roman Catholic priests in New Mexico near the turn of the century.