Sunday, December 19, 2010

Santa Train

We joined some friends, recently, for a ride on the Santa Train.  Basically...we hop on a train in Northbend.  We ride the train for about 15 minutes until we reach the North Pole: also known as Issaquah.  When we arrive, we get hot chocolate and stand outside as we wait to see Santa.

This is a very popular Northwest tradition.  I am guessing most people start this tradition in better weather.  For us, it was pouring rain on us the entire time.  It was also pretty windy.  Oh...and cold. Shaundar and I were pretty miserable.

But Desi had a blast.  Here's some pics of him and his buds. 

This picture was actually taken BEFORE the trainride.

Did I mention the crappy weather?



The boys downing some hot chocolate. Daddy was drinking Irish Coffee.

Santa came off as a total genius. Desi told him he wanted "Cars." Santa said, "You mean, like Lightning McQueen and Mader?"  Desi was like, "OMG...TOTALLY like Lightning McQueen and Mader!"


After sitting on Santa's lap, Desi saw this stuffed Santa.  He went running back to the big Santa to announce, "That's you, Santa!" Just in case Santa didn't notice the stuffed object in the corner looked remarkably similar.

Santa handed out candy canes after we boarded the train for the ride home.

With Braden

We tried to get a picture of the kids in their Christmas sweaters, but they were too busy watching Elf.

Go Gonzaga!

Desi and I are road-tripping to Spokane, this week.  It's a boys trip to see my boys, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, play on their home turf.  I haven't been back to campus in 10 years.  I have never seen the new arena.  So, I am pretty stoked.  Of course, I expect Desmond to completely enjoy seeing his dad's old hangouts.  I'm sure he'll love to see my old dorm, the house I lived in on Baldwin, the theatre where I performed in Little Shop of Horrors, the classroom where I suffered through French, and the Bulldog where I downed many an alcoholic beverage.

Realistically...he'll enjoy the park and maybe pretty campus.  He'll hate the drive and get super annoyed at all the nostalgia I am forcing at him. 

Oh well...I have high hopes that he'll enjoy the basketball game, at least.

Go Gonzaga! from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

What Desi does at school

I haven't posted on the blog, yet, about how Desi started at a new Daycare at the beginning of October.  It's a super nice daycare.  It's part of Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle.  "The Mount" is a hospital for elderly people who need living assistance.  The residents of The Mount often spend time with the kids, reading stories, having tea, or just hanging out.  Likewise, the kids will often take field trips to visit the residents.

Anyway...at the new daycare, we get weekly charts that list what Desi did ever day during the week.  Here is an excerpt from Thursday:

"Desmond was laying on the chair with Bea when Desmond gave her a kiss on the cheek.  He also enjoyed going on a visit and showing his tummy to residents Ruth and Judy."

So, we've got a lover and an exhibitionist on our hands, apparently.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Desi, Year 2

Since my camera is broken, here are some old pictures to tide you over.  I give you, the 12 months of Desi:

December 2009

January 2010 

February 

March 

April 

May

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

Look at 12, get #13 FREE!
December 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

All of our expensive stuff is breaking at the same time.

We recently lost our computer.  I think Dell writes code into their laptops to make them break shortly after the warranty expires.  This is the second computer that has died pretty much 2 years and 2 days after we bought it. So, we need a new one.

Then, at Desi's birthday party, our camera broke.  So, it may be a while before you see more pictures or video. 

We're doing the computer first because we've got nothing at home, at the moment.  I can use my work laptop, but Shaundar is left with nothing when I'm not home.  So, I apologize if you are craving pics. 

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Conversation pieces

Desi, "I want cowboy dog!"

Said while looking at a coloring book picture of a horse. 

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

2 Years ago...

After working from home for a week straight because the doctor had told us, "Anytime, now!" I finally decided to drive into work for a training only to have my phone ring around 10:00 AM telling me to come back. 

12 hours later, we met our little Starbuck for the first time.

Greatest day of my life, and I remember every second of it!

http://diaryofdad2be.blogspot.com/2008/11/aaaaaandbaby.html

Happy Birthday, Desmond!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Birthday week

Desmond's birthday is on Wednesday.  It seems like he's been to a ton of birthdays, lately.  So many, in fact, that I will occationally find him singing happy birthday to Bubba. 

We decided to make this his birthday week and let him open one present a day until his real birthday. 

Today, he picked out the big present from Grandma and Grandpa Pankow. 

A couple notes:
1) Desi LOVES Toy Story, particularly Buzz Lightyear.
2) He's getting a lot of Toy Story gifts, this year.
3) I didn't realize the DVDs weren't in cases, so please pardon my not actually letting Desi touch his new gift.
4) You may hear me say, "Hold this while I kill the dog" just before I hand off the camera.  Quincy was managing to stretch his short body up to the dining room table and was in the process of pulling down Desi's uneaten plate of Orange Chicken.  To Quincy's relief, I didn't actually kill him. 


Toy Story vids from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Conversation pieces

Daddy: "Sorry I didn't get to say goodnight, last night.  I was at an event."

(Aside: I was at a seminar on a panel discussing how to use Social Media to find a job)

Desi: "I want to go to event."

Daddy:  "You do?  What kind of event do you want to go to?"

Desi: "A Cookie Event!"

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Kinect

Everybody should buy one of these.

For anyone that isn't sure what I do, this is what my last year was spent on.  My team has been hiring the people that developed this product. 



Basically, it's a device for playing video games without a controller.  "You are the controller" is the tagline.

Bottom line: It's awesome.  And, it's not just for gaming.  It's for movies and music as well. 

Here's a pic of Shaundar and I playing on of the games.  Even Desi got into it.


Get one!

Halloween pics

Wow...it's been almost a month.  Here's some Halloween pics for you.







Sunday, October 10, 2010

Not quite ready for "Got your nose."

No, he didn't run off screaming or anything.

Yesterday, I decided to play with Desi one of my favorite games that my Grandpa Pankow used to play with me.  I decided to take his nose. 

At first, he looked at me a bit confused.  Then, I showed him his nose in my hand.  That's when he started to understand.

"My nose," he said, as he tried to take it back.

Here, I decided to up the anti.  I put his nose on my face.

"It's my nose, now," I told him.

"That's MY nose," he repeated. 

"Well," I said, "you have to take it back."

So...he did.  He reached out and grabbed my (his) nose.  And by grabbed I mean he literally tried to remove his nose from my face.  His thumb went up my nose as his nails dug into my nasal passages.  It was not pleasant.  If he had a crowbar, he probably would have used it.

I quickly surrendered his nose back to him and it put it firmly back upon his face.  I think I'll let him keep it for a while.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Recipe - Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich

This was inspired by the food on our way to Mexico.  Thanks to our friend Tom (who flies constantly for work and was able to use his studly flyer status for some extra perks) we upgraded to First Class.  In First Class, they actually feed you, still.  And, the food is GOOD.  No, really.  I'm not kidding.

They served us Chicken Curry Salad Sandwich.  It was quite tasty.  So, when we got back, I looked up a recipe.  We had this tonight.  It was Delish!  Here's how it goes.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip, which I prefer to Mayo)
1/2 cup chutney
3 tablespoons curry powder
6 chicken breasts (the recipe calls for bone in, but I used boneless and it worked fine)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup coursely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup chopped celery
4 croissants

First...cook the chicken.  I seasoned them with the salt and pepper and put them in a skillet, covering them with water.  Let them simmer until they're cooked through.  Then, put them in the fridge for at least an hour (I did this overnight).

To make the dressing, mix the mayo, chutney and curry.

Take the refridgerated chicken and shred it.  Shaundar did this.  Took her about 20 mins.  Once this is done, throw in the walnuts, raising and celery.  Combine them with the dressing, and viola!  Throw them on the croissants.

Pretty easy. 

Friday, September 24, 2010

Bargaining

I have concluded that the best way to get Desi to do what I ask is to bargain for it.  If you do A, you can have or do B.

Example...every morning when he wakes up, I ask him, "Do you need to go potty?"

I know very well that the answer is Yes.  But, Desi almost always responds with a grouchy, "NO Potty!" and then proceeds to pee in his new diaper.

Well, the other day, I had an idea.

"Desi...do you need to go potty?"

"NO potty, Daddy!  Watch Elmo."

*ding*

"Desi...if you go potty I will let you watch one Elmo clip.  How does that sound?"

*silence and contemplation...*

"Go potty."

At which point, we proceed to the potty and have a dry diaper for the rest of the morning.

Of course, I have to follow through and then let him watch some Elmo (or Cookie Monster or Telly or some other Sesame Street character), but it works out. 

We have been trying this with dinner, lately.  But dinner is a little more tricky.

"Cookie!"

"Desi...if you eat X more bites, you can have a cookie."

Of course...he will then proceed to take the smallest bites possible.  I think I will have to rephrase to, "Desi...if you eat X more bites of X in circumference, you can have a cookie."

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Pics from Grandma and Grandpa's visit

As promised.  Most pics taken by Grandma.

Wishing he was getting scuba certified with Daddy.
Blocks
Thinking of how he's going to cause trouble.
Playtime with his buds.
Music time.
With Andy and Keely.
Yay, Grandpa!
Des doesn't realize that you're not supposed to wrestle in restaraunts.
Paparazzi shot.
He had a total blast with Grandma.


Saturday, September 18, 2010

Walking the dog


No...this wasn't staged. 

Desmond has GREAT taste in movies

My folks will appreciate this.  I've probably seen the Three Amigos more times than any other movie, save maybe Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 


Desi and the Three Amigos from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

He was cracking up even harder when we watched this scene the first time through.  This is about the 3rd so I could get the video. 

Saturday, August 21, 2010

I'm tall!


I'm tall! from Jason Pankow on Vimeo.

Some random pics

There's been a lot happening this summer, but I haven't been good at posting.  Here are some pics from the last few months.

Blue Angels

Our friends, the Herrings (Mark, Meghan, Mitch and Matilda) invited us out to Seafair with them to watch the Blue Angels. 

Mitch, Meghan, Matilda and Mesmond...I mean, Desmond. Sorry.

Lunch Time
(sorry for the smudge...I didn't notice it was on the lense until halfway through the day)

Desi was pretty crabby and pouty.  Until he got his very own Boeing 797 Dreamliner to play with.  Then, he was all smiles. 


When the planes came, he wasn't paying attention.  He was playing with one of his toys.  They planes drew his attention by turning on their afterburners.  The sounds freaked him out and he ran over to me crying.  So, he sat in my lap and I covered his ears.  After that, he got a kick out of them, pointing and saying "Airplane" over and over.  Until, that is, he got too excited about them and left my lap to dance a bit as they played Highway to the Danger Zone.  The next pass, complete with very very loud jet plane sound, sent him screaming back to my lap.
Italian Ice

Dancing before the realizing that it's gonna get loud, again.




After the show...


 
Random Summer pics

Here's just some other pics from our summer.

Playing stairball with Daddy and Quincy


I know this is a bad picture, but I crack up at the glowing eyes and command over Quincy.

Not fully convinced that our new wading pool is fun.

Still skeptical.  Even though Duncan is clearly enjoying it.

Convincing our neighbor Charlie to vote Republican.

Story time with Mommy.


Watermelon with neighbor friend, Dylan.

That's all!

I can't NOT chime in on this Supreme Court thing

So, it's no secret on this page that I am rapidly pro-life.  I don't beat around the bush on this topic.  But, what you may not know...