So much to say...  Life has been crazy and I really do need to be better at updating this blog, but if I can do it once a month, I'll consider it a success. 

So we left Vermillion, SD the week before Thanksgiving.  I gave a seminar at my old alma mater Pepperdine University and met to talk over a paper I am writing with my old advisor.  Once that was done it was fun with Thanksgiving.  The big fun was watching my laptop die a few days previous to my trip to Mexico.  I had yet to finish my 30 min talk for the conference I was attending when suddenly I just could not get it to start.  Nothing.  Awesome.  Luckily, I had access to the hard drive, and I am a big time prof with a research budget- so I just went to Best Buy and bought a "netbook."  It is a laptop that wieghs only 3 lbs.  It is not high powered and would probably melt if I tried to run statistics on it- but it is the perfect little thing to throw on your lap and finish your presentation on.  It is also sweet in that it is small enough to use on the plane without tilting your screen completely forward because of the seat in f

ront of you.  I am sure I'll have to deal with folks from purchasing for not going through them, but that is old hat for me now.

The conference was great.  I met some people, hung out with others I knew, but most of all- I was able to travel with just my wife!  We left the kids at her parent's house, and Rachel sat poolside reading while I went to talks.  Then in the evening we toured  around the old city of Merida.  It was great.  We took an evening trip to see the ruins at Uxmal, which were really cool- 

we stayed for the "lights and sounds" show there though- which was really lame. 

We then returned and have been bouncing back and forth between my parents house and hers.  I haven't done nearly the amount of work that I had hoped to do, but about the amount I expected to get done...  It's all good though, because I got to sit in the Premier seats at Staples Center t

wice.  Once for a Lakers game, the other for a Kings game.  Also took the kids to the Long Beach aquarium- that was pretty cool as well.

  Unfortunately, I had scarred Lucas for life on entering small dark places with lines of people.  Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.  My aunt Jackie was gracious enough to take us all to Disneyland once 

again.  We started off well with Dumbo, but then I thought Mr. Toad would be fun.  Nope.  It basically ruined Lucas for the entire day.  Any ride after that he pretty much flipped out on.  It was a miracle to get him onto It's a Small World.  When he saw the boats outside going he was ok with it, but once he saw the boat go INSIDE- nope.  I did what any good dad does and forced him onto the boat kicking and screaming.  Luckily it worked this time, because even though that ride is a little scary to me (lots of dolls

 singing gives me Chucky nightmares) Lucas thought it was ok.  

Christmas was great... but I am going to save that special story for after lunch... Yes two blogs in one day!