Andrew & Ella celebrate life after Sunday lunch...

Take a Short Mental Vacation...

Have your child watch the video below if he swallows anything - it will induce vomiting almost immediately.

Date night fun with Daddy

Seriously...

A little Birthday prep

While Mommy's homeschooling program is a vigorous voyage through the halls of academia, Daddy's occasional guest-teaching experience explores the more creative side of learning...

A short video to inspire you to go to Disney World. Make sure you allow it to load all the way (small gray bar at bottom) before you watch it or it will be choppy (at 187mb).

This video gets better at the end - feel free to skip the first 20 seconds or so. Birthday at Disney for Ginny back in May.

Andrew and I recently had a great time at the Chattanooga Lookouts game. Here are some videos I took. He learned about a new drink from the 6'3, 250lb beer man standing behind us yelling..well, you'll see. It made an impression. And that one is going to come back to haunt me sometime at church I'm sure...

Many of you ask us, how did Ella get the name "StinkerBell", or, "Why do you call her a Viking?". Here is Ginny's typical day...

This vid was posted by my brother, who lives in the Middle East. Breneblog quiz. Is this:

A. His commute to work

B. Family Vacation

C. Shot on the set of the fake moon walk video

D. The far Eastern side of the Grand Canyon..far far Eastern

One more glance into Ella's world. Ariel is her back ground music! :

How many times do you think that we have read this book to Ella?

Quite possibly some of my proudest moments in fatherhood to date...

A little summer fun - why I haven't blogged much lately!

Check out the wide range of emotions shown on Ella's first ever roller coaster ride. The nervous laughter is my favorite. Good news - she did ask to ride it again. So we did.

We've Laughed

We've Cried

We've Been Silly

We're Out!

Top 3 Signs that You Know You've Pushed Your Kids Beyond Their Limits...

3. Child Starts Looking and Acting like a Dinosaur

2. When asked to pose for a picture, children make animal noises and scream.

1. Sleeping on Moving Rides

We are here during the international garden thing at Epcot - amazing topiaries (don't think that is a word). Click on the picture to enlarge to be able to see topiary.

I don't have my picture software on the laptop to clear up the red-eye, etc. This one is hot off the press...

Epcot!

This video by Bobby is entitled : "The Fit in C Minor".

In place of the weekly Graham St. project update we are going back in time - to 2004. So many of you have expressed your concern about why we would start this process again. "Hmmm", you say, "wowww...(long pause)...interesting". Your lack of words speaks loudly enough. Well, perhaps it would be an encouragement to look to the past. Just a few short years ago...

This week's update on the remodeling progress.  Please take our online poll to your right.  Winner wins a free day of working with us.  

Andrew and Ella spent a few days with Bobby and Granna last week.  The trip included a visit to Woodstock's finest where a very timid Andrew enjoyed a tour of the firehouse.  Sorry for video quality - still learning Sony Vegas.  

Andrew Fire Truck Visit from Ryan Breneman on Vimeo.

Like most people our age, I dream of having a YouTube video with millions of hits so that my children can be on American Idol some day.  We all know those British kids that paved the way (now having over 88 million hits!).  And we also all know just how difficult it is to recreate a classic.  I've got to get these guys in acting school.  

Charlie from Ryan Breneman on Vimeo.

Ella and Andrew Gymnastics from Ryan Breneman on Vimeo.

The other day when Andrew came downstairs to go to school there was something so oddly familair about him.....something from my childhood......watch the video and see if you can guess it. If you think you have it, post it in the comments section. For those of you who can't stand it, click here.

BEST FRIENDS

The Gate

At some point all good things have to come to an end.

It has been the wall that separates this young boy from independence. A baby-sitter at times. A container. A boundary to mommy and daddy's space. Many times that thin wall that separates the space between chaos and sanity. A metaphorical horizon for this 3 foot tall bundle of life.

Many young parents wonder at what point they should take the baby gate down. Well...

Many of you have asked "What goes on during those fun nights with daddy?" Well, this might give you a glimpse behind the curtain.

We usually begin the evening with some food. Actually, on a whim, we recently tried the Picadilly Cafeteria. And in one visit I cured myself of ever needing to go back there. And this might help you - a couple of post-manducated chocolate pudding shots(with sprinkles) -

Many nights there is a visit to the "paypace"or some other exotic locale. Notice the interesting social behavior of the two. Andrew quickly goes to make a new friend and ends up in the middle of the action. Ella...well, not sure EXACTLY where she is, but it is probably involves people named Drizella and Anastasia, Snow White, or maybe the "tep-mudda" (stepmother from Cinderella).

Finally, there is the celebration dance. Often enjoyed over an evening cocktail we call the "Milk Totty". The recipe is basically 9 parts milk, 3 parts back-washed milk, a splash of remnant graham cracker crumbs. Coat the outside of the cup generously with any left-over food from prior meals (within the last 2 weeks). It is rather potent...you'll see the effects in the video.

Feats Of Strength

Inspired by the folks at milescrew, we are including videos of this year's Festivus Feats of Strength. What is Festivus?

WARNING: Before you watch this video, make sure you have Kleenex nearby.

Ella has been honing her Hip Hop moves. Ginny started by working with her on the classic "pump fists round and round". Then I (off camera, as it went) showed Ella how to execute the perfect sprinkler head. (Some of the older folk might need a demo to understand). She was looking pretty strong until mommy intervened to keep macaroni out of her hair.

Winners of the 2008 two most beautiful women in the world contest (and favorites for the 09 event) . Winner: Ginny B. First Runner Up: Ella !

See how they grow? And you were all worried...