Boyd's techno dance ends badly

Look like someone you know?

I showed this photo to Boydee and asked him who it was. He shouted, "Boydee!" So count Bubba among the people who thinks he's my mini-me.

I think I was 4 in this photo.

Basketball Jones

Boydee had his 2-yr check-up today, and everything came back perfect! Such a good feeling... Blessed to have two beautiful, healthy kids. We'd love them the same if they had three heads, but thankful they're healthy and happy, you know?

I had a bus ride last week with a little boy who was on his way to Disney World, courtesy of Make-a-Wish. Broke my heart. Note to self: make donation to Make-a-Wish.

Grandma JoJo, 1927-2013

   

Grandma JoJo (Joyce) passed away last week. She was 86.

Here's her obit.

Grandma used to make me enchiladas when I was in college. And she made the best enchiladas.

Grandma really loved my kids. She enjoyed seeing them. She even came up to Lawrence for Evey's birthday last year, which was a real shock.

I wasn't as close to my grandma as my cousins were, or my second-cousins. Maybe because, like my sister, I moved away from Wichita when I was 19. Most of the rest of the cousins stayed in that area, so they could visit her more frequently. 

But I was her only grandson, so I had that going for me. And I know she was impressed that a half-Mexican could grow so tall.

No more worries, Grandma Joyce. Rest in peace.

I like that song!

Adro was driving home with Boydee today and Bush's "Glycerine" came on.

Bub busted out a complete sentence when he said, "Mom! I like this song!"

Evey's first day of 1st grade -- with Dad and Bub

Boydee, Seth and Evey on Evey's 1st day of 1st grade.

Here is a shot of the three of us on Evey's first day of 1st grade. Good times. I'll post the photo of the three of us from last year as well, so we can see how much the kids have grown (and how much weight I've gained.)

Boydee, Seth and Evey on Evey's first day of kindergarten. Peace!

WOW! Look how much both of them have grown. Evey is up to my armpit now. And Bubba has grown a full-on Rod Stewart hairdo. So cool!

Pic from the dance recital

This photo is so old... Was it from May? April? (Checks photo info...) JUNE 14th! Wow. She's changed so much since then. Crazy.

Don't know if I posted any of the photos from that weekend or not. This summer went fast.

Evey told me today that she's "starting" to enjoy 1st grade. That's good news.

Boyd was sick for a few days, he's finally eating again. That's good news.

I got sick last night, but I think I've shook it by now. That's good news.

***

Had a few beers with Neuty tonight. Good times. We laughed, because we have so little in common some times... yet we're good friends.

For example, Neuty hates all things sci-fi. Thinks comic books are dumb. UFOs? Stupid. Season two of ALF? A farce. (I made that last one up. Everyone knows season two of ALF was epic.)

But we have sports, beer and women in common. We both agree that: Sports are awesome. Beer is good. We married good women.

And that's a good foundation for a friendship, right there.

When the aliens land, Neuty owes me a beer.

***

The September issue isn't done yet. This stresses me out.

***

I'm in the middle of four straight weeks at home without any business travel. I don't think Adrianne knows what to do with me. Hell, I don't know what to do with me -- I keep setting my plate outside the front door whenever I'm done. And it's still there in the morning.

***

"It's been the ruin of many a poor boy... and God, I know... I'm one."

Spotify is awesome. House of the Rising Sun, baby.

Up next: Dire Straits, Sultans of Swing.

***

Syria.

The Z and me

Z, you've been a good ride. 12 years, 99,000 miles, a lot of hard turns and zipping through traffic...  we even got to drive on the Kansas Speedway once! Your 8 cylinders have been the best ride I've ever had, including that time I rented a new Corvette. Pure horsepower, that's what you are.

I don't think the Camaro will be mine for much longer. I think our time has come to an end.

So why, if I love the Z so much, am I planning on selling it?

Multiple reasons. I don't think two kids fit very well in the backseat of a Z, first of all. Secondly, Mom still has Dad's truck... and it's a decent truck (a V8 Dodge Ram with a few issues) and I feel like maybe I should drive Dad's truck for a few years. It's just sitting there at Mom's house, and that depresses me whenever I see it there. Dad and I took that truck fishing, you know?

Once I get Dad's truck, I'm sure no one will be happier (and yet a bit melancholy at the same time — guy code) than Copy Jesus and Neuty, as I won't need to borrow their trucks any more.

And, yes, if you ever need help getting a jukebox or pinball machine to your house... it's my turn to be that guy with the truck. I'm prepared to offer help -- Lord knows I borrowed trucks more than a few times in the... 18 years I've been driving Camaros (the Z is my third Camaro, but first Camaro with the Z 28 package.)

It was a good run. And it'll be nice to have a truck for once. I look forward to the first time I casually throw my golf clubs in the bed of the truck, as opposed to trying to figure out how I'll get my clubs to the golf course...

Oh, and if you've coveted my Z for years and years (you know you have, and I don't fault you) the Z Blue Books at $8,800. It's a 2002, 35th anniversary edition, with 99K. I'm looking to get something near that ballpark. I've owned the car since it had 9 miles on it, it's never been in a wreck and for a long time it was invisible to police. (Now it's just mostly invisible, so at times you have to watch your speed.)

Cheers, Z! You've been a heckuva ride.

Can I read to you-you-you?

One of Boydee's favorite things to do these days is to sit on your lap and have a story read to him. His favorite books are "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Twinkle, Twinkle." He also likes "baby's first word" books -- books where there is a photo of a ball, and the word BALL is written underneath it.

What is really cute is Boydee's way of asking us to read to him. He'll grab a book and start trotting towards you (Boyd's walk right now is hilarious... he falls back and forth on each leg when he's holding a book, looking like Frankenstein.) Then he'll say, "Can I read to you-you-you-you?"

We think this comes from us saying to him, "Can I read to you?"

But he doesn't know how to rephrase it to "Can you read to me?" So instead he added another you, thinking "you" is the right pronoun for "me."

I thought this was funny, so I started making fun of it, and adding a bunch of "yous" in there. "Hey Bubba, can I read to you-you-you-you-you-you?" Then he jumps in my lap with a smile for a story.

So now he's adopted the multiple "yous."

It's become the favorite phrase over here at Jones casa, along with "Dinner is ready!" and "American Ninja Warrior is on TV!"

Me and my boy

First day of 1st grade vs. first day of kindergarten

Evey started up school two weeks ago. She seems to enjoy her new class and her new teacher.

She did tell me that at Montessori School and in Kindergarten, all they did was have fun. And now that she's in 1st grade, they expect her to LEARN.

I told her yeah, that is pretty much the deal.

She let out a big sigh.

***

Evey's teacher is Miss Reilly.

She only has two kids from her class in this year's class. And of course, one of the two was a kid she was really hoping wouldn't be in her class.

I also told her before she even went to the first day of school, that that was also pretty much the deal.

***

Just got back from a few days in Half Moon Bay, Calif., south of San Francisco. Was there for a conference. Got to stay in a Ritz-Carlton, golfed, etc. Pretty good trip. I think I gained 10 pounds while I was out there.

Evey's first day of kindergarten

Evey's first day of 1st grade.

A big THANK YOU to Adro for taking care of both kids on her own this week (Grandma Judy was coincidentally in San Francisco at the same time, meaning Adro had to do drop off/pick up the kids all on her own.)

 ***

 Look how big Boyd is getting. He's so much fun. He is saying shorter phrases now, and he'll chat a little bit on the phone. He's really good at "Hi Dad!" and he says it very excitedly.

Adro told me that on the way home today, she told Boydee that I would be back home tonight.

Boyd's response?

"APPLESAUCE!!!"

Weekend of 8/9/13

Note from Seth: This post was originally written in the early morning hours of Monday. But it was written in a rum and Coke haze, so I took it down in case I said anything crazy. I just reviewed it. Nothing too crazy, but I really probably should have tried to get to sleep rather than writing a 1,500-word post at 3 a.m. (Need to get caffeine-free Coke, apparently.)

***

What a great weekend for the Jones family.

My only regret this weekend? I didn't talk to my mom or my sister. I miss them both.

And I'm worried about Grandma Joyce.

***

We did a little bit of everything this weekend. I know Adrianne and Evelyn especially had a nice weekend.

Evey watched a lot of movies, including "Despicable Me 2" on Friday afternoon with Grandma Judy. Then on Saturday, I sprung for manicures for both Adro and Evey. They enjoyed that experience, I think. Saturday night, everyone was so tired, the kids and Adro conked out early...

Sunday, church for the wife and kids, breakfast at Mirth, back home where Boydee napped and Adro and Evey gave each other pedicures. Crazy. They were both smiling a lot.

Oh, also, I busted out the telescope my mom got us for Christmas, and Evey and I looked at the moon a lot. And a few other stars/planets.

***

I have a magazine deadline looming over me right now. I'll be really satisfied when (if) I get this issue pulled off. It's been rough.

In this publication cycle I've been in England, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota. I've hardly been in the office. Plus, my senior editor, Beth, had her last day on Friday. So I'm on my own right now.

It's been a challenging issue. Tomorrow morning is going to really suck. But once it's done, I'm sure I'll look back at it as a rewarding issue.

OR, I'll look back at it as the issue where the wheels came off.

One or the other.

***

I bought a Sporting Kansas City jersey this weekend. It looks awesome on me, it really does. That's not the booze talking, that's generations and generations of evolution talking.

It was on clearance for $30. Don't tell anyone.

***

Had some drinks with Neuty on Saturday night. Always good to catch up with the 'Boom.

Nice to drink with people in Kansas, really. Seems like every time I find myself in a social situation these days, I'm far, far from home.

Neuty and I killed a couple schooners at Louise's Downtown. Those will never, ever get old. (Unlike us.)

***

Mowed the heck out of the lawn this weekend. Even cut the front yard twice (north/south, then east/west.) We've had so much rain lately, it was like a jungle.

But it looks really good right now.

How weird has this summer been? How many days have we had that were 105?

It's been an awesomely mild summer.

Awesomely.

***

Had burritos at Freebirds on Saturday.

We agreed we'd give them a second chance (the price was right.) But my carnitas burrito wasn't very good. It was all seasoning, no carnitas. That's a bad sign, if you ask me.

The guys there were nice, though. The signs say kids eat free Monday and Tuesday, so maybe we'll pop down there again soon.

***

Check out that photo of Boydee and I together in the barber's chair.

We were in McAllen, Texas. Boyd needed a haircut. We took him to a "Just a Cut."

Don't ask for anything else at Just a Cut. They'll punch you right in your kidney.

At Just a Cut, Boyd got a sweet haircut. He's still rocking it. I should have got my gray mop knocked down at the same time.

I look at that photo, though, and it makes me proud. I look at my old ass, sitting there, all gray hair, overweight and weak chin. And I look at Boyd and I'm like, "That's my son??? BADASS!"

It's pretty cool that Adrianne and I can have cool kids like we have.

I mean, we're kinda cool yeah, but... our kids are amazing. (Don't tell them I said that. I don't want them getting big heads. Especially Boyd -- his noggin is already huge.)

Most of the time we watch these kids and laugh. That's pretty awesome entertainment right there.

Because soon, they won't want a thing to do with us!

***

As Boydee would say... "Applesauce."

Evey at Jefferson's

She came with me to make a run to FedEx.

Grabbing an early dinner because tonite we go meet her new 1st grade teacher!

Family photo

Taken in late July, 2013, McAllen (Texas) airport. Evey 6 years and 7 months, Boydee 1 year and 9 months.

Great Lolla weekend!

What a great time! Can't believe I still can do this at age 36! Thank you babe, for letting me fly away for a weekend! (Wish you were here!)