The apple lays close to the tree....

Hami Just "graduated" private kindergarten. Why this has turned into a big thing I'm not sure BUT... we did our part in celebrating his accomplishment.

We told him around spring break that if he was able to get good conduct grades (there's another apple) for the rest of the year that he could get anything he wanted (within reason of course). His goal was a Wii video game and he stayed pretty focused on this for most of the time we dangled the caret. About a month before summer though he changed his mind. "I want drums like the rock stars play" (as apposed to the wimpy small ones). We kept asking him if he was sure he didn't want the Wii. No changing him, his mind was made up. With a chest full of pride I set out to find him his kit. I think I did pretty good in my hunting and actually spent less then we would have on the Wii so Jamie was even happy.

A Rock God in the making...

(I didn't set this pose up. When he saw the camera he struck it like he'd been doing it for years).

The Beach House....

So Uncle Mike's (Dallas Mike) family has had a beach house outside of Galveston for many years. Fran (Mike's mom) has been super generous to allow our family to use the house as well and we have truly enjoyed this access. The Beach House is also the usual meeting place for our two families to get together every couple of months.

Quick history of the beach and Mike and I- I'm sure our first road trip when we were 16 was to the beach. We would drive and sleep in our car to go fishing or sleep on the fishing pier pulling an all nighter down there. As teenage memories go, some of my favorite one's are just Mike and I fishing around Galveston.

Anyway, this past week Jamie went off to Florida for a girls get-a-way and it just so happened that Mike, V. and the kids were down at The Beach House for a couple of nights. Hami, Buck (our dog) and I headed down there to join them.

As always it was a great time. Everyone jumped on the boat in the afternoon and the kids crabbed off the sides. Hami and I did a little fishing in between. V. and I just sat around and gabbed the whole time while Mike was is usual "mega deckhand" for the kids. We cooked the crab for an appetizer. Had some steak and potatoes for dinner and Uncle Mike even convinced Hami to try a crab claw AND a piece of fillet. I live in hope my son, I live in hope. After dinner we headed to the beach and the kids swam while Aunt V. built a bonfire. When it got dark we lit the fuse on about 3 dozen fire works. We almost lost Hami, Joe, and Aunt V. to a firework mishap and we were on the road back home for a birthday party by 7:30AM the next morning.

Here are some highlights:

There are too many things to say about this image...Good friends Hami caught this Croaker and Joe scooped it up. Good team work boys! Hami loves him some Uncle Mike and he was all over helping out. This is one of about 3 rounds of crab. So good, (lots of work though). Boogie boarding dudes You guys look like you've been on a deserted island for a week (they really were...)

Friends+sand= fun (and a bath when we get home)

Give me FIRE......

And we were runnin'....

Jamie and her friends Vanessa and Shannon have been training and planning for the Houston Heights 5K run for about 2-3 months and this morning it was here. Hami didn't want to be left out so we signed him up for the kids 1K run and on my quest to be like Mike I signed up for the 5K race as well.

Everyone finished and I was very proud of the girls and their times. They all finished between 33-38 minutes. Wonder if there will be more in the future for them (can't stop now). I was amazed that the winner finished in 14 minutes AND that there was six runners over 70 that all finished between 31 and 46 minutes (There's a goal Mike).

Hami was great. He was jacked up before the race and was stretching and "loosing up" on his own. About a minute before the horn sounded his nerves caught up to him and he wanted to back out. Jamie and I reminded him that he was a McMartin and that we don't quit (Jamie's favorite saying) and that whether he walked or ran he was going to cross the finish line. We all three headed out on the course and about half way through it when Hami realized that there was no one behind us BAM! He was off. Jamie and I had a hard time keeping up with him. He finished in the middle of the pack with a smile from ear to ear. It was great seeing him run through the crowd and seeing him fight through his fear and knock it out. Very fun morning. Definitely better then I was expecting.

Here are some highlights:

we think we can, we think we can....

and they're off...

Great job girls!

We did it!

Gettin' Ready!

Got to get loose...

On your mark...

Get set....

Go!

11K between us.

Jazz Fest '09

Dallas Mike and I have been to many a Jazz Fest in New Orleans. It started out as the guys with Brett and Ross and turned into a couples gig with Jamie and V. It had been a while since we were there and it was time to hit it again. We invited Cul-de-sac Mike and Shannon along since they had never been.

Our fav band Wilco was playing on one of the stages on Saturday. Long story (but very funny) short Jamie and V. managed to get a back stage pass while the band was on stage. We passed the the ticket through the fence one by one and all ended up in the V.I.P. section partying with the band's family. It was a riot. It was a blast. It felt like we were 23 again.

On our trip we ate like Kings and Queens. We partied like it was our last week-end on earth and devoured Gumbo from a bag. It really was a great week-end.

I'll try and tell the story though the pictures:

The Gang!

The best grub in New Orleans?....only Camellia Grill

A product of the Grill (killer omelet and grits). Oh man!!!

A little hair of the dog, thank you!

Dallas Mike and some guy in the Quarter.

This was the way we came to know Cul-de-sac Mike on our trip

Shannon & Jamie

Mmm, love rules!

Travelin' NOLA style

Dallas Mike and V.

You can't see in these pictures but we camped out RIGHT next to the Daiquiri stand before the band came on. We had to quench our thirst some how. It was hot!

This was the best we could do (and stay close to the Margarita's & Daiquiri's) until....

Did someone say Hall Pass?

The girls and their accomplishment (Thank you very much)!

No really, they were super proud of themselves. Definitely a story for the ages.

It hasn't been long....

Yeah maybe it has been but I've been a busy man.

So I'll try to catch up on some of the stuff that's been going on over the past two months.

From the last post, we lost a great guy at the end of March. Brett was Ross' best friend and as all should know Ross has been a large father figure in my life SO that made Brett my Uncle Brett for all jokes and pointing of blame growing up. I knew him since I was 15. He was a big fan of music, life and individuality. He was a great soul that was truly unique and truly nuts.

His funeral was the best send off I've ever been a part of. We could all be so lucky as to have such a large (300+) turn out of friends. In true Brett fashion the night was filled with great food, great friends, lots of booze, and the end of the night turned into a jam session with Ross as the band leader.

Ross and I hit the town the night before and everywhere we went we insisted the tab was opened as "Elliot". His drink was Greyhounds (vodka & grapefruit). We informed all the bartenders that they were now called Elliot's and we ordered them as such all night.

All that have drank with me know that I have always drank the greyhounds. It came straight from copying Mr. Elliot (I couldn't drink Ross' Dewar's).

Leading the band...

No, no, that's not Mick and Keith.

Peace.Love.One groovy guy...

Crazy "Uncle" Brett

Peace.Love.Brelliot.

March 30, 2009 In Memoriam

(Yeah baby, it was always the shoes...)

Play Ball....

Well, not to sound old but I can't believe this day is already here. Hami is in T-Ball. His first game was last night and he was pumped up to be playing. He is on the Katy Yankee's. It is quite a spectacle to watch these 4-6 year old's run around and "attempt" to play ball. Hami was excited that his team won (weird how the other team also won) and said he can't wait to play the next team so they can " beat them real bad".

Proud father moment: Coach singled out Hami as having the best play of the game. Hami chased a ball down in center field, ran down (and tackled) a runner at second, then ran into home plate and almost tagged out the other runner.

Hami is the one adjusting his "goods" while on base!

We are proud of our boy!

RODEO (adult night) again y'all!!!!

Wow, so we are really becoming Texans again. Last Tuesday we were at the Rodeo for the 3rd time this year and I think there is one more visit on the schedule. This time though? It was adult FUN night!!!

Mike (Chicago Mike) & Vanessa are good friends of ours. We've known them since Chicago (hence the nickname Chicago for one of my 4 Mike's) and they now live in Katy (about a mile away). I consider "Chicago" Mike to be my mentor in the "adult world". He got me into the mortgage industry in Chicago and taught me all I know about business. Vanessa is defiantly one of Jamie's closest friends. Anyway, the girls are big Keith Urban fans and there was no questions as whether the four of us were going or not when we saw him on the rodeo schedule. It was also Vanessa's first rodeo.

Keith rocked, and the company was great, as always. We drank $8.00 long necks and wine, ate BBQ, pissed off a long horn, jumped around (and got kicked out of) other peoples seats, stood up (the girls, not Mike & I) and danced the whole show. The girls corrupted a 6 year old boy, lost a cell pone and found it again. Really, it was a great night!

Highlights (that I remember):

Coming or going?

The Girls at the wine garden...

Hey Mike, um we don't drink those things here in Texas....

Mike & Vanessa

Me & her....

A girl and her (disturbed) longhorn...

Coolest guy in Country music...

No, we ain't haven fun yet....