Time for some updates!

Aden has the flu today but despite this he still wants to run around and drink lots of milk. As you can imagine that doesn't go well with illness. Soon enough he will learn that when you are sick it is okay to lay around all day watching cartoons. Cale has also developed some not so fun symptoms this evening. Things could get nasty around here the next few days.

Besides the illness of today and probably tomorrow, all has been well in the Watkins household. Aden is sleeping better at night and has made it a few nights without getting up at all. He also started his first 'class' with no mom or dad present. He is going to the city's farm every week to color and meet cute little farm creatures.

Maya is enjoying life but not enjoying dinner. I always thought the two went hand in hand. Her menu is limited to PB&J, yogurt, hot dogs, cereal, and cinnamon toast. Even pizza is questionable to her. Questioning pizza is almost as un-American as questioning Oprah. It's not right.

Cale is still reading like a mad man. He is still addicted to the Wii and we question getting it. We hardly ever play so it has mostly become the domain of Cale. We have created a monster. He does read a lot but isn't the artist he used to be but at least he doesn't question pizza. Actually he'll eat anything we prepare which is very nice.

Carrie has been busy making the doll pictured below. She has started her 2nd and continues her other hobby; making moonshine in a laundy room tub.

I'm down 17lbs now since Jan 11th. I am afraid that I had to question pizza to achieve this. I feel that I have developed a nice healthy eating habit and I am continuing on my workout program. Hopefully this flu doesn't throw me off.

Look What Carrie Made

Feel like wrestlin!

Carrie and I were surprised at how much we enjoyed The Wrestler. I know I always love the depressing ones but this one is really well done.

My workout/nutrition program is measured in 30 day periods and tomorrow is day 30. I'll have to take new pictures (and one day I may post them here or perhaps to here). I've lost some inches and as of this morning I'm down 13 pounds from Day 1. Carrie notices the difference and I can see and feel a difference. I can also now increase my carbs a bit. I'm more than happy to cut back on the egg whites a little bit for some whole wheat or some hummus.

Happy Valentines to all! Your box of chocolates is in the mail.

Oh sweet pain!

I had a bag of gummi worms but gave most of them to the little one pictured above and her sugar loving cohorts. I am down 9 lbs in 3 weeks. I am eating healthy with the exception of a couple delicious meals in California. My Coke Zero addiction has been gone for a month. I wake up at 430 in the morning to work out.

This semester is going to be a rough one but I suppose I should expect that from a master's program.

If anyone is curious I am strongly leaning towards a thesis related to health data. Specifically, I would like to model the potential spread of disease as it relates to immunization or I should say the anti-immunization movement. Last year the US had it's first outbreaks of measles since the 60s due to some anti-immuniztion parent's taking their non-immune child to another country and then bringing him home to infect other children. Basically I want to model the potential spread of the disease if there were more outbreaks perhaps on a state or even city scale and based on some social factors. Basically the US is an interesting case where poor children are ostly immunized but many upper middle class/rich children are not getting their shots thanks to their fearful parents. But enough about that.

As most of you know, my grandfather passed away and I traveled to California to celebrate his life and to visit with my grandmother. My grandfather was 91 years old. He was always a strong, kind, and confident figure to me. Through him I was exposed to culture, history, and religion that I would have otherwise missed. I have lived my entire life as a mountain boy but my grandfather was always there to connect me to the sea. He will always be my link to the water.

Here is his great-grandson Cale wearing his hat during a visit to Sandbridge, VA in 2004.