Okay, maybe just one more photo of J.P. laughing.  For now, anyway.

Joe Cool Behind the Wheel

Honk Your Horn!

This morning, after J.P. and I returned home from breakfast at Bongo Java, he wanted to sit in the front seat of my truck.  After he climbed in, he asked if could "drive."  We spent 20 minutes or so in the truck, with him grabbing the steering wheel, opening and closing the console and other compartments and generally twisting and turning anything he could.

When I showed him how to honk the horn, he couldn't stop laughing.  He'd honk the horn, look at me while laughing uproariously, then honk it again, laugh some more, etc.  I finally had to tell him to stop, because I was afraid one of our neighbors was going to think we were being kidnapped.  It was really, really funny.

Designated Driver

J.P. and Uncle Carley

Another Funny Face

J.P. and Daddy

J.P. and me, at "Battered and Fried" today, where we ate lunch.

1,000 in 2010!

Just past noon today, I finished a 6-mile trail run in Shelby Bottoms.  With that run, I reached my goal of running 1,000 miles in 2010.  I celebrated afterwards by drinking a Newcastle beer in the parking lot, reflecting for a few minutes, then drove to meet J.P. and Carley for lunch at "Battered and Fried" in East Nashville.

For me, it was fitting to run my 1000th mile on the trails in Shelby Bottoms.  It's my favorite place to run and, normally, I do my long runs there on Saturday mornings.  I've run the trails there so often the past several years that it's like a second home to me.  Running the trails brings me a real sense of peace most days, probably because I so rarely see anyone else running or walking there.  

Although running the 1,000 miles is not a huge accomplishment (it's a little less than 20 miles per week) in reality, it's important to me because it required a certain amount of perseverance, discipline and dedication.  I've done it before, but not since J.P. was born.  It helps me to have an annual mileage goal, because it motivates me to run when I might not feel like it.

Many nights in 2010 I ran in the neighborhood after we put J.P. to bed, often not leaving the house until after 9 p.m.  There were a lot of nights when it would have been easy, too easy, to skip a late night run and just watch television or read a book.  Instead, I put on my running gear, grabbed my iPod and off I went.  Often times, I finished my night runs at Bongo Java on Belmont Boulevard, got a cup of coffee and walked the half mile or so to my house.  Always, that was one of the high points of my busy days - walking home, sipping my coffee and listening to Bill Simmons' "B.S. Report," Terry Gross' "Fresh Air," Bob Edwards' "Weekend" or Ira Glass' "This American Life" (all podcasts) on my iPod.  The walks home gave me time to unwind, mentally and physically, and I came to look forward to them almost as much as the runs themselves.

I ran outside most of the time, although there were occasions last winter when I ran on the treadmill at Go Performance and Fitness in Cummins Station.  I ran in the mornings when I could, although doing so regularly was tough with J.P. up and about and Jude trying to get into work.  I ran in a few races, most notably the Country Music Half Marathon (where I walked back a mile or two after I finished the race and re-ran the last mile or two with my sister, Tracy, who was running her first half marathon).  I ran in 90 + degree temperatures and I ran when it was less than 20 degrees outside.  I ran in the rain.  Memorably, I recently ran 10 miles on the trails in Shelby Bottoms, with snow falling throughout the run (I also saw a doe and a fawn on that run, the first time I've ever seen deer on the trails, which I've always thought was strange).

I ran with J.P., pushing him in the racing stroller.  I ran with an old friend from high school I hadn't seen in  years - David Moyer - and I ran with a new friend I'd just met - Ken Wempe.  I ran with attorney friends - Tim Street and Joe Jensen - and an old friend - Mike Matteson.  Mostly, though, I ran by myself, lost in my thoughts.

I ran with a lot of aches and pains (sore feet, ankles and knees).  I ran when I didn't feel well.  I was out of commission for a week late in the year with an infection in the great toe on my right foot.  I was worried that injury might derail me from reaching the 1,000 mile goal, but fortunately I was able to increase my weekly mileage after I recovered.  I'm thankful I was healthy enough to hit 1,000 miles for the year.

I ran more than 200 times in 2010.

Running is what I do.  It's who I am.  I'm a runner.    

Rambling On

I'm going to ramble a bit tonight, I think, because it's just the kind of mood I'm in.  A good mood, actually, but a rambling mood, too.

After Jude and I gave J.P. a bath and put him in bed, I went for a run.  I was thinking about driving to the gym to run on the treadmill, but I decided to run outside.  It's cold, so I put on tights, a windbreaker and a cap and gloves, and off I went.  I love running when it's cold.  Always have, really.  It's never too cold to run.  It's just a matter of having the right gear to keep warm.

I had a fantastic 5 mile run in my neighborhood on a beautiful winter night.  I warmed up quickly, so the cold wasn't an issue.  Bob Edwards kept me company, as I listened a podcast on my iPod of "Bob Edwards' Weekend."  When the podcast ended, I switched my iPod to "shuffle," and finished my run listening to a variety of music (My Morning Jacket, John Hyatt, The Four Seasons, etc.).  Although the iPod is in the top ten, for me, of the best inventions of the last 20 years, the "shuffle" feature on the iPod is in a class by itself.  It was one of those runs when I felt like I could have kept going forever.

About 3 miles into the run, I cut through the grounds of Christ the King, a catholic church and school on Belmont Boulevard, part of my normal route.  I stopped in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary and ran in place for a minute or two, as I normally do.  As I said a quick prayer, I noticed a beam of light from a streetlight behind the statue illuminating my breath in the cold, night air.  The effect was cool.

I ran through the back parking lot and down Oakland Avenue, lost in my thoughts and a little sad with the realization that the holidays, for the most part, are over for 2010.  I began to consider why I love this part of the year (and the holidays) so much.  I decided it's because the holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) always remind me of how lucky, blessed and fortunate I am in so many different ways.

I'm so blessed to have the wife and son I have.  They're the true joys of my life.  My family (my mom, sisters and cousins) is great.  I'm lucky to have a pair of brothers-in-laws like Gary (Hearn) and Dell (Walker), good family men, both, and good husbands to Tracy and Alice.  My in-laws are the best.  Jim and Jane have been so good to me over the years - better than I deserve - and they're so good to my son.  Jude's extended family (on both sides), to a person, are fun, caring and loving people with whom I love to spend time, regretting only that our visits together are often too short.  I have law partners with whom I'm proud to work and a a job that I enjoy, most of the time.  I'm healthy and my family's healthy.  I could go on and on.

These are the kinds of things I think about when I'm running.  Running clears my head, keeps me sane and provides me with some quiet time to think, ponder and contemplate.  Running is such an important and vital part of my life and my identity.  I can't imagine what I would do without it.      

Here's what a "white Christmas" in Nashville looks like from our backyard.

White Christmas!

It's just past midnight on Christmas morning and I as I look out our front windows, I can see the snow falling.  Big, wet and beautiful snowflakes.  On Christmas, no less!  There's almost an inch on the ground now and it's absolutely gorgeous outside.  The temperature is hovering around 31 or 32 degrees, so the streets are still clear, just a little wet.  It's a special night, because it never, ever snows on Christmas in Nashville.

I'm smiling as I look over at the "Thomas the Train" table I assembled earlier tonight, after Jude put J.P. to bed.  On top of the table, there are some trains (Thomas' friends), Matchbox cars and Hot Wheels cars.  In front of the table is the one thing J.P. has been adamant about wanting Santa Claus to bring him - a hockey stick.  He's going to be tickled to death, I think, tomorrow morning when he sees what Santa Claus left for him.

The whole Christmas season has been fantastic for Jude and me, mostly because we've been able to experience it through J.P.'s eyes.  Everything about Christmas is so new, pure and innocent to him, it's like we're seeing things for the first time, too.  It's amazing.

(As an aside, I'm listening to a 70's radio station on iTunes and "Let Her In" is playing, by John Travolta.  John Travolta!  God, I had forgotten he had even made a record.  I remember the song, though, now that I'm hearing it.  Crazy.).

Before she went up to bed, Jude and I were surveying our den - the Christmas tree, decorated and surrounded by presents, J.P.'s gifts from Santa Claus and our stockings.  We're so lucky and blessed, we agreed, to be able to buy gifts for our son and to be able to see that he doesn't want for anything.  It's not like that for everyone and we realize that.  Life is good.

Santa J.P.

Last Friday, as J.P. and I were about to head out the door for me to take him to "school," he grabbed a Santa Claus hat and put it on his head.  He told me he wanted to wear it to school, which he did.

I grabbed my camera and snapped a few photos.  This might be my all-time favorite photo of J.P.  It's certainly in top 10.

A (Snowy) Walk in the Park

Actually, it was a run in the park.  A 10-mile trail run in Shelby Bottoms this afternoon, in 24 degree weather with snow falling throughout the run.  It was a beautiful afternoon and a top 5 run of 2010 to be sure.  It's so rare that I actually get a chance to run in the snow, especially the falling snow.  It just makes the run all the more memorable. 

As many times as I've run the Cornelia Fort Trail over the years, I saw something today I've never seen before - deer!  It's always puzzled me that I've never seen deer on any of my trail runs.  Rabbits, owls, snakes, turtles and birds (lots of birds), but no deer.  Today, though, as I rounded a curve near the 5-mile turnaround point, I startled a doe and its fawn, and they bounded away in the snow as soon as they saw me.  It was really cool.

I hadn't been able to run for 6 days due to a recurring infection in my right big toe.  I was dying to get back out there and run, particurlarly since I've got a yearly mileage goal to meet and I don't have much margin for error, given that it's mid-December.  It was a win all around for me - a run in the snow, 10 miles, deer - what more could I ask for? 

Playing Restaurant

Tonight, Jude had an event to attend after work, so J.P. and I were on our own for dinner.  I decided to cook a pot of spaghetti for Jude and me to eat when she got home.  In the meantime, it was time for J.P. to eat, but he quickly let me know he wasn't interested in sitting in his high chair, in the kitchen, while I cooked.

Thinking quickly, I said to J.P., "how about if we play restaurant?"  Immediately, he stopped fussing.  As his waiter, I brought his small, white table and two chairs into the kitchen.  After welcoming him to the "restaurant," I seated him at the table and gave him a "menu" (a magazine, actually).  He ordered some of "Mom's cereal" as a an appetizer, then a hot dog and green beans for the main course.  He washed it down with a glass of milk.  For dessert, he ate some spaghetti noodles.  

I brought his "check" to him (a magazine insert), he pulled out my wallet and paid me a dollar . . . after reviewing the check.  Seriously.

Good stuff.  

Batman

It's good to laugh.  Man, is it ever good to laugh.

This afternoon, before his nap, J.P. was in the backyard with Jude, "playing baseball."  In other words, he was hitting a wiffle ball off a plastic tee (about waist high) with a fat, plastic bat.  When I walked outside to watch, he took a couple of swings and absolutely crushed the ball.  It was the best I've ever seen him hit the ball.  Solid, solid contact.

However, not unlike a golf swing, it was gone as quickly as he had found it.  As Jude and I looked on, he swung and missed, then swung again and barely tapped the ball off the tee.  He picked the ball up, placed it on the tee, swung and the ball trickled off the tee.  At this point, J.P. started crying, then swung the bat at the ball, laying the grass.  Then, he kicked over the tee and swung the bat over his head and hit the tee laying on its side.  I was laughing - loudly - which seemed to enrage him more, because he threw the bat on the ground, still crying.

I believe my son has a temper.  

I like this photo of J.P.  I'm not sure why, but I do.

Christmas at the Opryland Hotel

Seven months ago, the Opryland Hotel was under water, when the Cumberland River flooded in May.  With people working, literally, round the clock, it opened in time for the Christmas season.  Today, Jude and I took John Patrick there to look at the Christmas lights, trees, etc.

Trimming the Tree

I love this time of year.  October 1 - January 2 is my favorite time of the year.  Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  All great holidays, especially Christmas.  It's even better this year, because at 2 1/2 years old, J.P. is at an age where he is starting to understand Christmas and everything that comes with it.

We bought a Christmas last weekend and put it up on Sunday night.  After Jude put the lights on the tree and turned them on, he stood staring at the tree, transfixed.  "It's beautiful," he said.  

A couple of nights ago, I brought the box of Christmas ornaments up from the basement.  He opened the box and his face just lit up when he looked inside and saw the many and varied ornaments Jude and I have collected over the years.  "Wow!" was all he could say.  He reached in the box and pulled out ornaments one by one, handed them to Jude or me, and watched as we put hung them on the tree.  With each ornament he lifted out of the box, he said, "wow, Mom, look at this one!"  It was awesome.

Jude and I always have enjoyed decorating the Christmas tree but I swear, our enjoyment grew exponentially this year, as we shared the experience with J.P.  His wide eyed innocence and wonder will melt your heart.

Oh, and he wants Santa Claus to bring him a hockey stick.  

Jim Seuss

Here's a photo of Jim Seuss, Dr. Seuss's long lost nephew.

Thanksgiving 2010

J.P., Jude and I went to Shelby Park on Thanksgiving Day and a picnic.  A picnic!  We had family meals set for Friday and Sunday, so we decided to get outside and enjoy the unseasonably warm late November weather.  It was kind of nice, actually, for the three of us to spend some time together.

Night Moves

Some nights, when we put J.P. to bed, he falls asleep almost immediately.  Other nights - like tonight - he talks and talks and talks.  To us.  To himself.  To his stuffed animals.  Occasionally, he talks for an hour or so before he finally falls asleep.

On bath nights, Jude gives J.P. a bath, then the three of us cuddle for a few minutes on the bed.  I take him into his room and put on his lotion, then his pajamas.  Next, Jude or I read a couple of books to him.  If Jude reads to him, they sit together in the glider in his room.  If I read to him, he lays between Jude and me on the bed in our room.  When we finish, he hugs Jude and I take him into his bathroom to brush his teeth. Then, we get his blanket and sit in the glider and talk about his day.  Just before I put him in his bed, he always asks me to sing the "Shaq Time" song (a version of the Bare Naked Ladies' song, Snacktime), complete with the nonsensical lyrics I've made up and the different imitations I do (Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Pee Wee Herman, Fat Albert, etc.).

After I put him in bed, he picks out one stuffed animal in his crib to sleep with - Ernie, Ozzie, Gnash, Bunny, Elmo, Elf on a Shelf, Maurice, etc.).  Life's about choices, after all.  I cover him up with his blanket, tell him goodnight, then leave his room.  Within a minute or two, J.P. calls out to Jude - "Mama, come cover me up one last time!"  Another favorite of his is "Daddy, I've got a 'snuffy.'  I need to blow my nose."  Or, "Daddy, my diaper is wet."

When he has exhausted all of his tricks to get Jude or me to walk back into his room, he initiates a running dialogue with us, notwithstanding the fact we're in different rooms.  Typically, it goes something like this:

(J.P.)  Good night, Mama.

(Jude)  Good night, J.P.

(J.P.)  Good night, Dada.

(PRN)  Good night, J.P.

(J.P.)  What are you doing, Mama?

(Jude)  I'm in the big bed, J.P., reading.  Good night.

(J.P.)  Dada, what are you doing?  Are you going downstairs?

(PRN)  Yes, I am, J.P.  Good night, buddy.

(J.P.)  What are you doing now, Mama?

(Jude)  I'm in bed, J.P.  Time to stop talking.  Good night.

(J.P.)  I'm stopping talking now, Mama.  You stop talking.

(Jude)  Close your eyes, J.P.  Good night.

(J.P.)  I'm closing my eyes, Mama.  Stop talking.

And so it goes.  On and on.  Finally, after a while, J.P. starts talking to himself or singing.  That's when we know he's about to fall asleep.  It's pretty funny, actually, and we have a hard time not laughing out loud as he talks to us from his room.

Tennessee Titans!!!

Last Sunday, I took J.P. to his first Tennessee Titans game.  The Titans were playing the Washington Redskins and although I'd pretty much decided to wait until next season to take him to a game, the weather was so nice - unseasonably warm with the temperature in the low 70s at game time - I couldn't resist the temptation to give him his first taste of professional football, live and in person.  As we left the house and fought fairly heavy traffic for the short drive to the stadium, I think I was more excited than he was.  Kickoff was set for noon and my plan was to stay at the game through halftime, then get J.P. home in time for his afternoon nap.

We arrived at the parking lot in time to visit briefly with our tailgate gang - Peter Klett, Dave "Big D." Stansell, Stuart Scott, et al.  J.P. loves to see "Pedro" (Peter) and "Mr. Big D."  While I got our gear together, he walked around in the back of my Yukon, checking things out.  I had packed an Umbro bag with diapers, a change of clothes and a snack for J.P.  I was a little concerned, because I didn't know if the security at the stadium would allow me to bring the bag inside.

It was a bit of a haul to get to our gate from where we parked, especially since J.P. insisted I carry him.  As we got closer to the stadium and then, our gate, it got more and more crowded.  I wasn't sure how J.P. would handle the crowd, but it didn't seem to bother him.  As we waited in line at our gate, he just held on to me, his arms around my neck, taking it all in.

Inside, he enjoyed the long escalator we took up to our seats in the club section.  I held his hand as we walked side by side down the concourse, until we stopped at a concession stand and bought a hamburger, french fries and a bottled water.  We stopped by the windows in the inside lounge area and watched the Air Force jets do a flyover.  Then, through the door and to our seats we went, arriving right after kickoff.

Mark (Puryear) was already in his seats with his son, Michael.  They grinned at us as we made our way down the aisle to our seats.  Over the past decade that the Titans have been in town, we've gotten to know the people that sit around us.  They're kind of like our "football family" for eight Sundays every fall.  I was a proud papa, as they patted me on the back, said hello to J.P. and held their hands out so he could "give them five."

The crowd was boisterous, cheering loudly, but J.P. didn't seem to mind a bit.  He sat in my lap with a clear view of the game.  Initially, instead of clapping, he waved in the direction of the field, first with his right hand, then with his left.  I leaned a little closer to him and realized he was saying, "Hi football players!" while he was waving.  Very funny and very cute.  Early in the first quarter, the crowd exploded with cheers when the Titans' Marc Mariani returned a kickoff for a touchdown.  We stood up and J.P. clapped excitedly.

When we sat down again, J.P. alternated between eating french fries, drinking bottled water and climbing in and out of his seat.  He was perfectly content and seemed to be enjoying himself.  "Man, this is going to be easy," I thought.  "Maybe we'll stay for the whole game."  Not so fast.  With about five minutes left in the first quarter, J.P., turned to me and announced, "I'm ready to go home, daddy."  Oh, boy.

I was determined to stick it out for the entire first quarter, which we did.  After that, we went inside and visited a souvenir stand near our seats.  I bought J.P. a Titans football and a small Titans helmet.  We walked around a bit, then I introduced J.P. to the wonderful world of "Dippin' Dots."  We sat on a couch and watched the game on television, while J.P. ate "Dippin' Dots" and played with his football.  At halftime, we left, walked to my truck and drove home.

Overall, a successful and memorable day and one I'm guessing we're going to repeat many, many times over the coming years.  

Jude and Cyndi

This is a great photo of Jude and Cyndi at the soccer filed at Belmont University, Sunday morning.

Saturday afternoon, J.P.'s Grandpa and Grandma White took turns tossing him into a pile of leaves.  He loved every minute of it, too.

Charlie's Angels

Stacy Clark, Alice Walker and Tracy Hearn (a.k.a. "Charlie's Angels").

Stephanie Edwards and her son, Jake.

Our friends, Rob and Roseann, and their son, Jordan.

The Whites

Tom and Sandy White, with J.P., when they arrived at the Leaf Party Saturday afternoon.

Bedtime

J.P. and Finn, chilling before bedtime.

La Fiesta!

La Fiesta, Friday night for dinner.

Finn

Finn Baines, playing in the leaves Friday afternoon.

J.P.

J.P., playing in the leaves Friday afternoon, before Saturday's Leaf Party.

Leaf Party VIII

Hurricane Baines rolled into town Friday afternoon for Leaf Party Weekend.  I took the day off and after running some errands in the morning, I met Troy, Cyndi, Wolf, Scout and Finn Baines at our house when they pulled up out front a little after 1 p.m.  Troy and I immediately set out for Home Depot, so I could take advantage of his presence - as I do each year - to accomplish a few "fix it" items around the house.

Late in the afternoon, I went to Kroger, Troy and Jude took the kids to the Nature Adventure Science Center and Cyndi met a friend for a drink at Jackson's in Hillsboro Village.  Friday evening, we all went to La Fiesta on Belmont Boulevard for dinner.  J.P. and Finn alternated between eating, then crying, with J.P. crying loudest when he smashed his finger in a door inside the restaurant.

Saturday morning, a few minutes after 6 a.m., I awoke to the sound of voices murmuring nearby.  I rolled over, confused, then realized Scout had gotten into bed with us and was talking to Jude.  I was reminded of how happy it makes me to have the Baines back at our house, because Scout always gets into bed with us in the mornings when they're here.  And, she always wakes me up.

I slipped out of bed, quietly, so as to not wake J.P., and put on my running gear.  I drove over to Shelby Park, then had a fantastic 6-mile trail run in Shelby Bottoms.  It was a beautiful morning with perfect fall weather.  After I finished the run, I cooled down by walking up the road that runs out of the park, by the Cumberland River.  There was a slight breeze and I amused myself by trying to catch autumn leaves falling from the trees like snow.  With the Leaf Party and the entire weekend with our friends ahead of us, I was in a great mood.  I even ran into Cyndi, who had driven over the part herself to get in a quick run.

About 11 a.m., guests started to arrive for the party.  It was all we could do to convince Wolf, Scout and my niece, Kaitlyn, to wait to rake up the leaves and start playing in them.  We had a great crowd and, as always, the kids absolutely loved playing in the leaves.  On one side of the sidewalk in our front yard, our friends, Rob and Roseann, sat playing in a small pile of leaves with their 9 month old son, Jordan.  On the other side of the sidewalk, it was mass chaos, as the kids took turns jumping into a huge pile of leaves.  In our backyard, another group of kids played soccer, or a form of soccer,  because there really isn't enough room to play a real game.

Saturday afternoon, after the party was over and everyone had left, it was nap time.  Not for Wolf, Scout and me, though, as we continued our annual tradition of taking a Saturday afternoon walk.  We walked up to the soccer field at Belmont University and threw the frisbee for a while.  Then, we walked over to Belmont Boulevard and stopped in at a candy store on the edge of campus.  On the way home, we played follow the leader.  It was comical, actually, perfectly copied everything I did all the way home.  Saturday evening, Troy and I picked up pizza for everyone from Mellow Mushroom.

Sunday morning, Cyndi, Scout and Wolf ran to Bongo Java.  Jude, Troy, J.P., Finn and I drove to Bongo Java and met them there.  We ate breakfast inside, all 8 of us crammed in together around a small table.  When we finished eating, we walked over to the soccer field at Belmont.  First, we threw the frisbee again, then we played soccer.  Finn and J.P. ran around the tennis courts, as Jude and Cyndi watched them.  It's hard to explain, but it was a perfect morning.  We had the soccer field to ourselves and it was so much fun to watch the kids play and to play with them.

We watched the first half of the Titans' game, made smoothies, then it was time to load the minivan and say goodbye.  The weekend flew by, like it always does, and Jude and I were more than a little saddened by the silence in our house after we put J.P. down for a nap.  Hurricane Baines roared into town, then just as quickly, it was gone.

It was a great weekend.

Pullups

When I got home from work today, J.P. met me at the front door with a big smile on his face.  "I've got a surprise for you, Dad," he said.  "I'm wearing pullups!"  As he said this, he tugged at the waistband of his blue jeans and proudly showed me the top of the pullups.

"Wow!" I exclaimed.  "That's awesome."  He grinned up at me, really pleased with himself.

Inwardly, I think I sighed and felt a twinge of sadness and a little nostalgia.  My son is growing up so fast and I'm powerless to stop him.

There's a first time for everything.  The problem, though, is that there's a last time for everything, too.  Like wearing regular diapers.   

Ghost Cake

For the last nine or ten years, Jude  has made a "ghost cake" for Wolf Baines' birthday.  Typically, she bakes it before the Baines family arrives to stay with us for the Leaf Party Weekend, then the kids decorate it Friday night.

Last Thursday, J.P. "helped" Jude mix the batter and bake the "ghost cake."

La Fiesta!

Saturday night, J.P., Jude and I had dinner at La Fiesta on Belmont Boulevard with our friends, Roseann and Rob and their son, Jordan.  Roseann delivered J.P., as in delivered him at Baptist Hospital on March 28, 2008.  It's Dr. Maikis when she's wearing scrubs.

This is a great photo of Roseann and Jordan.

Artist at Work

Finger Painting

One day last week, I came home from work and didn't here J.P. and our nanny, Carley, anywhere inside.  Puzzled, I walked into the kitchen, looked out the window and saw them on the back deck.  Finger painting.

The Magic Shirt

Maybe it was the food.  Maybe it was the wine.  Maybe it was the company.  Probably, it was the shirt.

You work, you come home, you eat, you play, you sleep and every now and then, if you're lucky, you stumble into the perfect night.  Tonight was one of those nights.

Tonight, Jude was set to attend "A Women's Thanksgiving," Renewal House's biggest fundraising event of the year.  My friend, Hal Humphreys, called this afternoon and, since his wife, Kim, was attending the event, too, he suggested J.P. and I meet him at Rumor's Wine Bar on 12th Avenue for dinner.  Nothing like  boys night out, I thought, and quickly agreed to meet him there after J.P woke up from his nap.

J.P. and I drove up to Rumor's about 5:30 p.m.  When we arrived, Hal was already there and we settled in at a table in a corner in the front room.  Our friend, Michael (an amazing chef), was cooking and we had a fantastic dinner (Hal had the short ribs and I had the trout) and a nice bottle of wine (pinot noir).  Actually, we had the run of the place, which was perfect for J.P., because he was able to walk around without bothering anyone.

At first, J.P. and Hal exchanged "you 'da man" pleasantries (a game Hal has played with J.P. since he was very young).  J.P. alternating between climbing up, next to Hal, and feeling his beard, then climbing back up on the bench between us to grab a handful of food.  He was particularly taken with Michael, as evidenced by the fact he spent the last part of the evening standing in the edge of the kitchen, talking to him and watching him work.  Michael was nice enough to share several slices of apple with J.P.

We were there a almost two hours and, really, I wish I could've stopped time and just stayed there, enjoying the evening.  Great conversation with a close friend, a great meal, great wine and my heart filled with pride and joy as I watched my son interact with Hal, Michael and Jenn.  A night to remember and a memory I'll always treasure.

Oh, yeah, the shirt.  Before we left, I fished my old, favorite rugby shirt out of my closet.  The only rugby shirt, actually, that I have left over from the days - twenty years ago - when rugby shirts were "in."  It's a J. Crew rugby shirt, really comfortable, and I probably haven't worn it for five years.  I think the shirt just has good karma and when I wear it - which is rarely - good times are sure to follow.        

    

Candy!

J.P., in action, trick-or-treating.  Working it.

Trick-or-Treat

Pre-Teen Wolf

Colton (a.k.a. Cletus) White, taking a breather from trick-or-treating.

Family Photo

Misty White, Maddie White, J.P. (eyes closed) and Jude.

Halloween!

Sunday night, Jude, her parents and I took J.P. (dressed as a fireman) trick-or-treating on Oakland Avenue, a street a half mile or so away from our house.  We met Jude's cousin, Chad White, and his wife, Misty, and their kids, Colton (a.k.a. "Cletus") and Maddie, at my old friend David Bailey's house.  David and his wife invited several families over for Halloween, so we all left from his house and "worked" both sides of the street.

The homeowners on Oakland Avenue really take Halloween seriously.  Several (including my friend, Ken "Frankenstein" Weber) dressed up in costumes to hand out candy to the children.  There were Halloween decorations everywhere, on houses and in yards.  Best of all, there were children everywhere, all trick-or-treating.

J.P. seemed to enjoy himself, although he was a bit overwhelmed at times by the crowd.  Jude held his hand as they walked up to house after house to trick-or-treat.  Jude's parents, Jim and Jane, enjoyed watching him while I took pictures.  At one house, a nice lady gave him a glow-in-the-dark bracelet, which he played with the rest of the night.  Good stuff.

Plumber

This afternoon, J.P. had a mop and bucket on the sidewalk in front of our house, claiming he was a plumber.  That's right, a plumber.

Pumpkin Carving

Stage Fright

"Uh,  hello.  Is this thing on?"

Halloween at the Nashville Zoo

Friday night, Jude, J.P. and I went to the Nashville Zoo for a Halloween celebration there.  It's an annual event at the Zoo and it's pretty cool, as there are stations for the kids to trick-or-treat at, along with games, hayrides, etc.

J.P. had a big time.  He particularly enjoyed climbing on the hay bales on the trailers behind the tractors that weren't being used for hayrides.  We still couldn't convince him to take an actual hayride, which is strange, because he loves tractors.  We got a kick out of watching him dance to various Halloween tunes ("Monster Mash" and "Thriller") on a makeshift dance floor, under a tent, with several other children.

He also "sang" karaoke.  Actually, after watching several a couple other children sing "Wheels on the Bus," he asked to take the stage and "sing," too.  When it was his turn, he took the microphone and stared straight ahead throughout the song, never singing a word.  Funny!  Stage fright, I guess.

Predators

J.P. and Jude, intently watching the Predators vs. Blues last week.