Ok, after Jess heard the heartbeat, she couldn't keep the secret any longer. She's pregnant and we're expecting Aug 21. We found out on our anniversary in December. We're so excited!
I can hardly wait to try out some great ideas like the baby-sitting miracle: toddler hamster-ball!
...and it's jokes like that that make Jess wonder if I'll ever be ready for kids.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Tank Update
OK, so a whole lot has changed in the tank since I last updated here. Most significantly the upgraded lighting and addition of various corals. Yesterday I got almost a dozen frags (small pieces of corals) for free/trade. It represents probably around a couple hundred dollars worth, if I had bought them in the store! (not that I would ever do that) We also got a couple fish from Nick and April for Christmas but 1 died :( Check out the pics.
About 1 year ago:
notice the beautiful decorative clump of (nuisance) hair algae growing on the center rock?
Now:
About 1 year ago:
notice the beautiful decorative clump of (nuisance) hair algae growing on the center rock?
Now:
Master of Engines
So, thanks to all the ideas from William Gurstelle's Books: Backyard Ballistics, Whoosh Boom Splat, The Art of the Catapult, as well as Ron Toms TrebuchetPlans.com; I had a very fun and productive Holiday Vacation. We built marshmallow shooters (Mother-in-law threatened to suspend all projects if there were any more shootings of cats, dogs or lamas), bean shooters, clothespin shooters, a small bot, pvc trebuchet, and wooden floating-arm trebuchet. The last one being the longest and hardest( and awesomest!) project. And there are plenty more projects that will just have to wait until next time. And I'll definatly need to build a larger catapult next time as well. ;-)
The 3 foot pvc trebuchet with 5 lbs counterweight would launch golfball sized projectile about 40 feet. In contrast, the 3 foot floating-arm trebuchet with less than 5 lbs counterweight would launch a similar sized projectile about 150 feet! If we had more time to fine-tune (and it wasn't super freezing outside) we could have gotten projectiles to launch around 300 feet!
The 3 foot pvc trebuchet with 5 lbs counterweight would launch golfball sized projectile about 40 feet. In contrast, the 3 foot floating-arm trebuchet with less than 5 lbs counterweight would launch a similar sized projectile about 150 feet! If we had more time to fine-tune (and it wasn't super freezing outside) we could have gotten projectiles to launch around 300 feet!
Ok, I'm still here, just haven't updated for a while. Here was our Holiday Update:
Merry Christmas and Howdy!
After enjoying a couple years in Texas, we have a better idea of what to expect in our near future. That idea may prove completely false, but at least it is an idea. ;-)
I (Jack) enjoy my work at USAA as a software developer for automobile related projects. Work is more rewarding as I’ve learned more and made greater contributions; but there is still much more to learn. I’ve been able to take more leadership roles on projects, which is a great learning opportunity. Work has also become more enjoyable as I’ve made some good friends among coworkers. In church, I was recently released from my calling to teach the Sunday-school 12-13 year olds and called as a councilor in the Sunday-school Presidency.
Jess has not had a job this year, but has busied herself with projects at home. She enjoys making quilts for all the newborns in our ward, and also helps out frequently with babysitting. She also works on other art and craft projects. In church, Jess has been working in the nursery. Despite all this time watching energetic wild babies and toddlers (believed by many leading authorities to be effective birth-control), we look forward to raising our own kids when the time comes.
Which brings us to some special additions to our family. You guessed it, more fish! Our salt-water fish tank has been a lot of fun this year. There are so many interesting forms of life in one 30 gallon system; each organism occupying it’s own little ecological niche. (Or sometimes they tread on someone else’s niche and competition ensues; some life forms just can’t leave other niches alone!) So there is always something new to discover and learn. We’ve recently upgraded our tank lighting so now we can try out beautiful light-demanding corals. Current favorites are a red scooter blenny (like a lizard with fins), a beautiful blue-green giant clam (a colossal 3 inches), and a bright yellow sun-coral colony (like a cluster of small daisies that eat more meat than all our fish combined; the hungry buggers!).
And of course we have both still been regular swing dance instructors and love dancing. We also enjoy regularly getting together with friends and playing board games. Hosting our highly anticipated monthly game night is something we both take pleasure in (I needed a synonym for ‘enjoy’ since it’s already been used about 5 times).
Noteworthy events of the last year:
• Nearly washed away in a hurricane. It ended up being 250 miles away, but some projections put it through San Antonio.
• Nearly burned down our home. A neighboring building in our complex caught fire. Our first clue was when I saw smoke and burning embers blowing across our rooftop!
• Nearly made a fortune in Las Vegas. Except instead of gambling we went to a wedding and had fun climbing on rocks.
• Danced like a ninjas. Attended a “Dance like a Ninja Workshop”.
• Took our kid trick-or-treating. Our 4th annual tricks-for-treats. This year our fake porch-kid went dressed as Darth Vader, complete with mask, cape, and sound effects. Only 2 out of over a dozen houses caught on that he was fake.
• Laying siege to La Jara (Pending). We have plans to build a trebuchet catapult in our parent’s backyard during Christmas vacation.
We hope you are doing well, and you will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
With love
Jack and Jess McEwan
Merry Christmas and Howdy!
After enjoying a couple years in Texas, we have a better idea of what to expect in our near future. That idea may prove completely false, but at least it is an idea. ;-)
I (Jack) enjoy my work at USAA as a software developer for automobile related projects. Work is more rewarding as I’ve learned more and made greater contributions; but there is still much more to learn. I’ve been able to take more leadership roles on projects, which is a great learning opportunity. Work has also become more enjoyable as I’ve made some good friends among coworkers. In church, I was recently released from my calling to teach the Sunday-school 12-13 year olds and called as a councilor in the Sunday-school Presidency.
Jess has not had a job this year, but has busied herself with projects at home. She enjoys making quilts for all the newborns in our ward, and also helps out frequently with babysitting. She also works on other art and craft projects. In church, Jess has been working in the nursery. Despite all this time watching energetic wild babies and toddlers (believed by many leading authorities to be effective birth-control), we look forward to raising our own kids when the time comes.
Which brings us to some special additions to our family. You guessed it, more fish! Our salt-water fish tank has been a lot of fun this year. There are so many interesting forms of life in one 30 gallon system; each organism occupying it’s own little ecological niche. (Or sometimes they tread on someone else’s niche and competition ensues; some life forms just can’t leave other niches alone!) So there is always something new to discover and learn. We’ve recently upgraded our tank lighting so now we can try out beautiful light-demanding corals. Current favorites are a red scooter blenny (like a lizard with fins), a beautiful blue-green giant clam (a colossal 3 inches), and a bright yellow sun-coral colony (like a cluster of small daisies that eat more meat than all our fish combined; the hungry buggers!).
And of course we have both still been regular swing dance instructors and love dancing. We also enjoy regularly getting together with friends and playing board games. Hosting our highly anticipated monthly game night is something we both take pleasure in (I needed a synonym for ‘enjoy’ since it’s already been used about 5 times).
Noteworthy events of the last year:
• Nearly washed away in a hurricane. It ended up being 250 miles away, but some projections put it through San Antonio.
• Nearly burned down our home. A neighboring building in our complex caught fire. Our first clue was when I saw smoke and burning embers blowing across our rooftop!
• Nearly made a fortune in Las Vegas. Except instead of gambling we went to a wedding and had fun climbing on rocks.
• Danced like a ninjas. Attended a “Dance like a Ninja Workshop”.
• Took our kid trick-or-treating. Our 4th annual tricks-for-treats. This year our fake porch-kid went dressed as Darth Vader, complete with mask, cape, and sound effects. Only 2 out of over a dozen houses caught on that he was fake.
• Laying siege to La Jara (Pending). We have plans to build a trebuchet catapult in our parent’s backyard during Christmas vacation.
We hope you are doing well, and you will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
With love
Jack and Jess McEwan
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