Twinkle Twinkle Little Sam...

Sammy's new thing is singing along with the keyboard. He sings twinkle twinkle little star all the way through...capturing it on video is challenging though...The beautiful wife did a great job getting this footage. This was at our friend's house in Boston. Enjoy! (He is wearing what our friend Nancy referred to as his "prison pajamas" HA! I love that!)

Little Drummer Boy...

I will have pictures and videos to post from our recent Boston trip shortly. Until then, here is a very cute video of Sammy mimicking the drummers at the 4th of July parade!

Sammy in Headphones...

These photos are SO funny and cute! These are truly HEADPHONES (they encompass Sammy's entire head)!




We are going to Boston for the weekend for a visit with our friends Nancy and Brennan and their children. Have a great weekend!

Zach turned one and the Zoo...

On Sunday, Sister Sue's wee one, Zachary (the baby formerly known as yuck), celebrated his 1st birthday! Wow...that went fast!

Sammy was excited to participate...he got to wear an Elmo party hat...Score!

Then it was cake time!

Zach had some hand cake...

This is Sammy's "I don't do staged photography shots" face...

Monday, Sister Sue, Uncle Tom, Baby Zach, Baby Sammy, and I went to the Brookfield Zoo. We love the zoo!


Most of the animals were sleeping...how rude! The polar bears were quite active...at least someone was doing their job!

We took this cute picture...Egels doing Eagles!

Then we temporarily became marsupials and hopped into a giant kangaroo pouch for this shot...

Random picture...Sammy helping me water the plants!

A Sammy video in honor of the White Sox...GO SOX!

Mommy...Is this considered a carry on?

Hold me...Hold me...HOLD ME!!!

This is what we hear all day...we love it!!!

My time with Tim Russert...

Today, I experienced a surprising profound sadness as I learned of the passing of Tim Russert. I don't usually write tribute blogs regarding people outside of my immediate family. I figure it just is not my place. But hearing of Mr. Russert's death today at the age of 58, I felt compelled to share some of that palpable emotion with you. I realize that for the average person not interested or involved in politics, his passing may be a mere footnote in the days news. But for me, a political wonk, it is so much more meaningful and touching.

I never met Tim Russert. Not even close. But every Sunday, for the last 18 years I spent one hour with him on Sunday morning during Meet The Press, (sometimes Sunday night for the rebroadcast if I was busy that particular Sunday morning). In a political atmosphere of hyper-partisan political allegiance, Tim Russert symbolized a dying breed of the true reporter. He questioned Democrats equally as tough as Republicans, he sought the truth beyond partisanship, and he talked of politics with the same passion as he talked of sports. Tim Russert was representative of every American man and woman...he was the son of a Buffalo garbage man and the first to go to college in his family. He never lost a deep connection to his roots and it showed continuously in his tough but fair questioning as the host of Meet The Press.

I recall frequently, while watching political coverage, sifting through hundreds of useless political talking heads...waiting for the insight of Tim Russert. If a news anchor covering a political story cut to Tim Russert for his input, I stopped whatever I was doing and listened; And always I learned something new and was entertained and educated. His enthusiasm for politics seemingly never waned and flowed through the television and into homes around the world infecting every viewer with knowledge and understanding.

I will never forget the quintessential Tim Russert political moment. During the 2000 presidential election coverage, it was clear that the race between Gore and Bush would be very close. In an age of supreme technological prowess, Tim Russert captured the moment so simply and effectively. He told the viewers it would come down to Florida...and showed his co-anchor Tom Brokaw a hand written dry-erase whiteboard with a simple word written 3 times. FLORIDA...FLORIDA...FLORIDA. Because of his extensive preparation and research, Tim Russert was, as usual, way ahead of the American political consciousness. Of course, history followed Tim Russert's notion and Florida indeed was the staging ground for an extended political battle that would carry on for months.

There is no doubt I will miss Tim Russert every Sunday. And the American political reporting scene, which forever has been changed by his contributions, will miss Tim Russert.

Meet The Press is America's longest running ongoing network television program. I have no idea who the next host of Meet The Press will be, but I do know that the shoes that are to be filled are as large as Tim Russert's contagious smile.

Sammy Fix...

Guitar Hero...

Sammy is very musically inclined...I wonder where he gets that from? He never misses a chance to dance when music is playing. (He still dances to the weather channel music...it's quite adorable!) Today, the beautiful wife had Sammy at the mall and he stopped in front of the Abercrombie & Fitch store...because he heard the loud music from inside...and he danced while several passersby stopped and watched...Our little entertainer! I have been singing for Sammy and more recently teaching Sammy guitar for a while now. He finally grasped the concept of...

1 - Hold guitar pick
2 - Don't eat guitar pick
3 - Don't run away with guitar pick
4 - Strum the part with the holes...using the pick...not your fingers...feet...or elbows...

Our friends Nancy & Brennan got him a little toy guitar which he carries around...he points to my guitar and says, "Daddy's TAR!" Then he points to his guitar and says, "My TAR!"

Here is Sammy helping Daddy play his TAR!