Category: Christine & John

Posted on by John

I took this photo of Grayson and Christine in March of 2007:

And I got a call from a guy, asking to use it as the cover art on an album he was planning on putting out soon. We chatted on the phone, and I got this email from him shortly thereafter:

From: Jonathan Kessler
Subject: A Mother’s Kiss
Date: January 25, 2009 1:35:01 PM CST
To: John Engler
Cc: Ted Kastelic

Hi John,

It was good speaking with you today.

Thanks for giving us your permission to use your photograph for the cover of our CD “Wisdom of a Kiss”, and for sending us a high-res version of the picture to use.

We’ll credit you on the CD – is the wording here OK with you?

“Cover Photograph by John Engler, johnengler.com ”
 
Also please include your mailing address so we can send you some copies of the CD by way of thanks.
 
It’s a wonderful photograph and we’re really pleased to have found it and to be able to use it.  It captures the concept “Wisdom of a Kiss” beautifully.
 
Jonathan

Turns out they’d found a photo of mine on flickr that they liked a lot for their new album.

So, I sent them my mailing address, and the photo in hi-res versions…

And just the other day, I found the art on their website.

So, go to their band’s website, and take a listen… I really enjoyed the songs available on their website. You will too, I bet:

Thanks Folk in A!

Go buy a copy.

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 261 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

I woke up on this morning, and was surprised Christine had let me sleep in a little. Grayson woke me up by singing “Happy Birthday To You” to me, over and over until I got out of bed. It was pretty cute.

I smelled breakfast cooking, and got downstairs to a fresh omelet that Christine had just finished making me. Jack was still asleep, but he rolled into the kitchen not too long after me.

I helped get the kids dressed for school a little, but left for work early, because I had a lot to get done.

Worked all day. Got about a thousand “Happy Birthday” wishes via facebook, IM or email throughout the course of the day, which was touching.

Went by NxNW on the way home, to visit with a client of ours over a beer, then called Christine to let her know I’d be home soon, so she could load the kids up in the car, as we were planning on going to Chuck E Cheese’s for a small family birthday party.

I got home, walked in, and the house was dead. No activity. I suspected something was up when I spied some balloons in the kitchen, but wasn’t sure.

I walked into the kitchen, and was surprised by my family, crouching down behind the couch in the den, springing up and yelling “SURPRISE!”

It was hilarious. Grayson had the look of absolute and pure joy in his face. A look I’ll never forget. Jack was excited as all get out that he was able to surprise his Daddy.

Christine had a look of massive accomplishment in her face as she really did accomplish something amazing. (you try keeping a 4 and 2 year old quiet while Daddy unlocks the doors and takes his time putting his stuff from work away).

There was a cake on the table, and balloons in the air, and the boys were exstatic to be getting ready to have dinner and a cake.

I proceeded to cook steaks that Christine had been marinating all day. She finished up the baked potatoes and brussels sprouts (it’s okay, I LOVE brussels sprouts and so do the boys).

We had cake, and then put the boys to bed (after a bath to wash all of the icing off their faces and hands).

Overall: a great birthday. Probably one of the best I’ve had in a long while.

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 155 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

This past weekend we went camping with Marc, Cyndi, Rowan and Kaelyn, and Ted, Joan, Lydia and Leo. And man did we have a blast.

Bastrop State Park has to be the best place to go in the spring with the kids… especially when Cyndi’s mom lets us borrow her trailer to sleep in. I’m going to have to buy me one of those soon.

The kids got dirty, and had a blast. Seriously dirty, and a serious blast.

Photos here.

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 258 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

I posted a lot of photos the other day, and haven’t had time to write full entries for them all, so here’s a list of the photos, with some comments:

  • Lakeway, November 27, 2008: We had a blast out at Debbie and Raymond’s lakehouse for Thanksgiving. Cheri and Greg brought their kids up, and we all played. I got some good photos of the kids being kids, making cookies, making smores, eating smores, eating the gingerbread-man cookies they’d made, and generally having fun.
  • Hardin Kids, November 29, 2008: Cheri asked me if I’d take some photos of the kids for their Christmas card, so I did. I’m pleased with the four options we came up with for them. Great kids + great parents = great photos.
  • Hot Chocolate, December 10, 2008: Just some fun posed photos of Jack and Grayson drinking hot chocolate at the dinner table on a cold-ish December day.
  • Friends’ Christmas Party, December 14, 2008: We went over to Joan and Ted’s house, to have a little Christmas party with Leo, Lydia, Joan, Ted, and a friend. The kids made cookies, traded gifts, Ted smoked meat all day for dinner, and then we all headed the Luminaries show at the Texas Wildflower Center. There are some great photos of the kids, Blue Santa, and good friends in this set.

I have more to write about, and more photos to post, so stay tuned!

Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 252 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

Today, Jack and I took a trip to the grocery store while Grayson napped… so Christine could relax and read a book, and so Jack and I could spend some quality time together (why is it that every trip to the grocery store takes an hour at least?)

We had a blast, and on top of that, actually got everything Christine put on our grocery list (I have always forgotten at least one thing).

We passed a “Hot Wheels” display on an end cap, and Jack wanted one. He started whining, and I said “Ok, if you want that Hot Wheels that bad, we’ll just have to leave everything else right here, and go home right now.” He knew better… and knew we needed food, so he put it back.

Then a little later, he wanted some SeaMonkey’s that were hanging on a display on the aisle, and I said “those aren’t on Mommy’s List, so we can’t get them. If it’s not on Mommy’s list we aren’t getting it.” He didn’t whine, so I knew I had a winner.

Then on the baking/chocolate/mixes aisle, he asked for cornbread. But it wasn’t on Mommy’s List. I was in a tough spot.

I acquiesced and told him “Ok, let’s get the cornbread.”

Jack turned around in the cart and said “Daddy, you’re the best Daddy ever. Thank you for getting me cornbread. I want to give you a hug.”

I said “Right now” and he said “yes, Daddy! Right now!”

So I bent over, and he gave me a hug on aisle 18 at the local HEB.

Made my day.

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 211 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

Jack’s teacher at FUMP takes photos during the day when us parents aren’t around. The photos are classic Jack:

  1. Jack loves to build stuff:
  2. He loves to “pose” for photos:

  3. He loves Story Time.
  4. He loves playing with his friends

Average Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 166 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

On November 16th, 2008, we celebrated Jack and Grayson’s birthday together at Kiddie Acres here in Austin.

Boy did we have fun (parents and kids included). We took a butt load of photos that day, but my favorite has to be this one:

Marc took that one, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Notice that as Grayson blew out the candles with Jack, he spit a little… you can see it coming out in that photo. Yes, it landed on the cake, and yes someone ate that piece of the cake. Not sure who ate it, but I love that it happened, and no one seemed to notice but Marc and I, and we didn’t say anything to anyone. No harm, no foul, right?

Anyways…

LOTS of photos of kids having fun here.

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Posted on by John

On November 15th of last year, Ella and Momo came to visit, as did Michael, Nana and Papa. So we had a little “family” birthday party at the house (we were planning the big party with all of the friend’s the next day).

Some of the photos we took came out great:

There are a bunch more here.

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Posted on by John

It’s been waaaaaay too long since I’ve updated the photos section of the site, or written about what has been posted…

Back in early November, Christine and I took Jack and Grayson to the OU game. We didn’t win (which was normal for the Aggies this year) but we had a blast.

Grayson got to see his first Aggie game. The boys loved the band, and we all had a great time… especially running down the ramps at the end of the game:

Not sure if we’ll get season tickets again next year…

Photos here.

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Posted on by John

Today I was changing Grayson’s diaper, and the little tab broke, and I said “shit” really softly, while trying to make it another word, and immediately after I said it Grayson says “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shiiiiit!” … all I could think to say was “Don’t tell your mother I taught you that word.”

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Posted on by John

Love these boys:

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Posted on by John

Something tells me Jack knows what he did wrong today, after getting this email from Christine:

From: Christine
Subject: day from hell at 10am
Date: January 5, 2009 10:26:00 AM CST
To: John

Let me recap what has taken place since you left.

While I was in the bathroom with Grayson, Jack went upstairs and made a HUGE mess.

1) Food, water, litter, and cat poop all over the floor
2) Sweet Peas dishes in the litter box that was half dumped out because Jack wanted to get him out of there WHILE HE WAS POOPING
3) Toothpaste all over the cat kennel and bathroom
4) Bed from cat kennel in sink with water running and spilling over.
5) Did I mention cat poop all over the floor.
and best of all…
6) Sweet Pea was covered in toothpaste.
Oh, and your tooth brush was on the floor in the middle of all.

Needless to say, I was pissed.

Jack got yelled at, a spanking, and sent to his room crying for about 30 minutes while I cleaned up. Sweet Pea got a bath. When I was finally finished with everything, Grayson peed on the carpet in front of the stairs as I was coming down. I hadn’t had a chance to get a diaper on him yet.

I told Jack that Rowan would not be coming over and he has to give up Optimus Prime until after you get home and have a talk with him about what happened. I also told him that he is not allowed upstairs without our permission. If he goes up without are permission, he will be in BIG trouble. After today I think he knows what BIG trouble looks like.

I love my wife.

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 166 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

We went to see the luminaries tonight at the Texas Wildflower Center in South Austin tonight. It was a lot of fun. We saw Blue Santa and Frosty the snowman and lots of lights. Joan and Ted, Leo and Lydia joined us after we had dinner at their house – pulled pork sandwiches and Carolina cole slaw. Mmmm. Fun times.

Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 234 user reviews.

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Posted on by John

Jack and I recorded this the other day on my iPhone:

I Think I Can, I Think I Can

You can just hear the little train running in the background. It’s a Thomas the Train motorized train that runs on our Melissa and Doug train track.

WooWoo!

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Posted on by John

We had a very good Thanksgiving this year, out at the lakehouse with Debbie and Raymond. Cheri, Greg, Paige, Patrick, and Matthew were there too, and our friends Joan, Ted, Lydia and Leo joined us as well. I took a bunch of photos but haven’t downloaded them to the computer yet. So here are a few that Peggy took:

Like I said, Thanksgiving was very good this year 😉

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