Family Highlights

It has been a fun year filled with two pre-teen adolescent kids, lots of sports teams, hiking, biking, and travel.  Having two "pre-teens" and all the hormones in the house is quit interesting, and can be pretty rowdy at times.  The kids are rapidly growing into teens, and every day is a new day. 

Monterrey, Mexico at La Cola de Caballo

(Horsetail Falls)

We returned to Mexico for Spring Break '04, this time to Nuevo Leon, just 100 miles across the boarder.  Stayed at a nice resort on the Boca Presa Lake on the south side of town.  Most importantly got to eat some real tacos and gorditas on the streets and cafes of Meh-he-co. 

Downtown Monterrey, Mexico

Homie, Sebastien, & Chloé eating ceviche on the Lake

Summer travels included another visit to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, and encore visits to Dayton and Columbus Ohio like last summer, but this time we saw our friends Karie and Mike get married and visited my cousin Tisch (William) and his family. 

We attended the Columbus, Ohio "Du-Da Parade" while wearing a bright Maize and Blue hat (must of brought bad luck this year).  Got a lot of strange looks from all the folks sitting on their scarlet red and grey folding chairs.  Got to visit a full size replica of Chris Columbus' ship, the Santa Maria and saw how rough life was for the sailors.   

Penny, Kristina, Tisch, Tatiana, Chloe, Kyle, Sebastien

The children's cousin from Paris, Benoit, came for a month long visit this summer.  Got to show him around the town including NASA, the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship Texas. 

Sebastien, Tatiana, Chloe, et Benoit

Had an incredibly fun Halloween bike ride through the streets of Houston this year on the early morning of Halloween.  Chloé pedaled the whole 20 miles route!  Not sure how she did it.  Pure will power and adrenaline.  She had never gone more than three miles before. 

Halfway point on Moonlight Ramble Bike Ride

Zorro, Mike, Tatiana, Cheerleader, Kristina

We are in the process of preparing for the first family ski trip ever... to Steamboat Colorado.  Wish us luck, we'll be driving of course and hope to get five days of skiiing in.  Wish us luck. 

Sebastien Catching Air...  maybe one day...

Oh, I almost forgot to introduce the latest addition to the family... Perito the wonder dog (means "little dog" in Spanish).  The kids call him "Eddie." 

"I ain't nothin' but a hound dog..."

(Actually a dachshund / Jack Russell mix... we think..?)

"I'm handsome like those painted horses and those Ayrshire cows..." say Eddie

Family Reunion July 4th, 2004

 - Eureka Springs, AR

The Whole Gang at our Family Reunion in Arkansas

Eureka Springs Photo Album Link

Finally coerced the family into a meeting closer to the Lone Star State (aka Texas).  We met in the former Health Spa town of Eureka Springs Arkansas, (S in Arkansas no longer pronounced as of 1868.) 

The whole gang showed up for a few days of swimming, canoeing, eating, drinking, and some quality "Tour" watching of Lance winning #6 (La Tour de France). 

Eureka Springs Trolley

Tatiana  

Tatiana in Columbus, Ohio

Adolescence, braces, acne, attitude, need I say more?  Tatiana is doing great at Lanier Middle School in the Vanguard program again this year.  She is on the Yearbook team, which means she has "credentials" to roam around campus without a hall pass and pretend she was taking pictures, or writing a story. 

She is also on the dance squad or "Dance Company" as they call it, but has to juggle schedules with the volleyball team. 

Had another great season playing (and me coaching) volleyball at the YMCA.  Went undefeated this past Spring season.   But the "for fun volleyball" stopped there.  

Tatiana in the Old Deaf School Park, in Columbus, where the park is a toporary of Georges Seurat's Famous post impressionist painting, "A Sunday On The Island Of La Grande Jatte"

It was then time to prepare for making the 7th grade "middle school" team the next fall.  Tatiana ended up being one of more experienced players on the team and decided to play for a "club" team this winter. 

Tatiana in action

She is currently enrolled in the Spike Sport Club and made the 13 y.o. National Team, which means they will travel outside of Houston to tournaments.  Stay tuned...

Here is Tatiana before, during, and after braces... poor thing.  But with some luck, they be off in time for her senior prom.  I can wait. 

Minutes Before

After...

Sébastien            

Sebastien is getting better and better at basketball.  The goes to clinics every week, and is playing again in the City League.  He is king of the school as a senior 5th grader this year and preparing to "graduate" this year.  We are currently planning the 5th grade trip to Big Bend, Texas again like with Tatiana two years ago. 

We also played flag football at the YMCA again this year.  His team went undefeated this year, and I coached the defense. 

Sebastien will be attending middle school next year.  So it is an important time to look for the right middle school so he can get into the "college of his choice" one day. 

Sebasiten's on the Father's Day Sail

Sébastien with a flower in his helmet... no wait, that's his long hair (back in style from circa 1975)

Chloé

Chloe is growing up, but not willing to release her role quite yet as the baby of the family and attention getter.  I guess she not supposed to. 

For Chloe is was more of the same, just four inches taller than last year, and twice the charm.  She is coming into her own now and loves to disagree and fight with her siblings when needed to stur things up.  Not longer just spectator to the show between her older sister and brother. 

Chloe riding no handed at Boco de Pesa

Chloe is now in Second Grade this year and doing well.  She is still playing tennis and is really improving her mountain biking skills.  She was able to complete a 20 mile "Moonlight Ramble" fun-raising ride with the whole family. 

Cheerleader in disguise...

(Disguising the fact that it was

really a reuse of 2002 costume)

with a great sense of humor. 

Mike (Author)

I've been playing the drums at our Catholic church this year in a "Christian rock band" for teens.  Lifeteen, they call it.  Yes, in a Catholic Church, what will come next? 

I'm still enjoying NASA and still the Risk manager for the space station.  I think I'm finally figuring out what managing "risk" means. 

Had a fun opportunity to travel to a University in Pachuca, Hidalgo out side of Mexico City.  Gave presentations on the History of the Apollo and the ISS.  Met a fun bunch of very enthusiastic students and got see some great museums in Mexico City.  There was an astronaut in the group so we got "rock star" treatment where ever we went. 

We even had a press conference...  too funny. 

Got to meet the Gobernador de Hidalgo

Pachuca, Hidalgo Photo Album Link

 Mexico City Photo Album Link

If you need a guest speaker at your next professional event such as a rotary club or professional society meeting and want to hear something related to "space", give me a call or see this link to JSC Speaker's Bureau. 

Had a wonderful trip this past thanksgiving to west Texas with Kristina.  We started out rock climbing with some friends, then visited Lost Maples State Park.  It was raining just about everywhere we went so we headed west in search of sunlight and dry weather.  We ended up visiting Del Rio, Marathon, Big Bend, and Marfa, the "Santa Fe" of Texas.     

Mike on the Summit of Emery Peak, 7824 ft

Highest Peak in Big Bend National Park and

part of the Chisos or "Ghost Spirit" Mountains

Marfa Photo Album Link

Marfa, Texas, know for the mysterious "Marfa Lights", is a Mecca for artists and art lovers (and also where many scenes of the last James Dean movie "Giant" were filmed).  There are lots of art galleries and a the Chinati Foundation dedicated almost exclusively to Donald Judd and my favorite (sarcasm) florescent-light-artist, Dan Flaven.  Coincidentally one of Dan's only other permanent installations is located right down the street here at Menil Collection in a old supermarket.

Mike in Marfa

"This is not poured concrete, this is a modern art sculpture, really..."

Had a great time hiking a biking around Big Bend and even got lost in the Lajitas Desert for a while due to the rain washing the bike trail away. 

My profile is still posted on the NASA website, so for some entertainment you can still visit the NASA Profiles site. 

Winner of the $100 Downhill Race

(Bike has to be valued @ < $100)

Only winner in history to win on a 20" wheeled bike