52

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52

Contrary to the popular adage, age isn’t “just a number”. Age isn’t just A number. Age is THE number. Quite literally, it might be the most important number of a person’s life. I am 52. If I walked up to you and, absent any context, proclaimed, “Hi, I’m Matt and I’m 52.” There would no doubt to what I was referring. I only get to live this one life, I was born once and I will die once… and aside from quality, age is the scoreboard. We only get to live on this earth for so long, and the goal for most is to have that number be as high as possible.

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On Turning 40...

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We are finally 40. Being an identical twin born on 11-11 means that I was destined to be a significance junky. Ever since I was a small child, I have always looked forward to 11-11-11, and to turning 40. Of course, for most of my life, this milestone seemed so incredibly far in the future.

But not anymore. It's here. Mike and I are finally 40. Age, as I always remember old people saying, is just a number. But, still, 40 years is a long time!

In November 1971:

  • Intel releases the first microprocessor
  • Led Zeppelin releases the album that most of us call Led Zeppelin IV, which eventually becomes one of the best selling albums of all time
  • D.B. Cooper hijacks a Northwest Orient Airlines flight and escapes by parachute with $200,000 in ransom
  • Mariner 9 becomes the first spacecraft to successfully enter Mars orbit

The past 40 years have been a blast. Now here's to another 40, with my original womb-mate.

  

 

Happy Birthday Sashi

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Happy 4th Birthday to the youngest member of our household. Sashi Noir Beckwith turns 4 years old today. It seems like only yesterday when Dawn and the girls took me to see her. "Just come see her, Dad" said Emily. "If you don't like her we don't have to bring her home" Makenzy added. Well, we all went to see her and it worked... there was no way I was telling them no.

Sashi_Noir_Beckwith_Sashi_061704_14-2 June 2004

P6070036_Sashi_061704_07-2 It isn't just Sashi that is growing up fast... look at the girls!

DSC03868-2 Look at her now... at four years old.

Happy birthday Sashi!

Happy Birthday Makenzy

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Makenzy turned 9 last weekend which meant that she got more parties and more cake than any child needs. Last weekend, on her actual birthday we ordered her favorite take-out (DaVinci's), rented a movie (The Last Mimzy) and had cake. Then, this weekend, she had two more parties. First, Makenzy and some of her friends were treated like princesses at Panda Girlz. The folks at Panda Girlz really put on a great party for Mak and her friends. Hair, make-up, nails, followed by a fashion show, karoake and crafts made for one of Makenzy's favorite parties ever. If you have daughters you should check this place out.

makenzybdaysign

Party number two was pizza for the family and our favorite family pizza joint where the kids (and some of the adults) quickly went through handfuls of tokens on the redemption games. I wonder if the major casinos help fund the redemption game manufactures, to help turn today's youth into tomorrow's slot machine addicted gamblers.

Check out today's pictures here.

Happy Birthday Kelsie with Mimi and Ralph

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Today, we went to Vacaville to Pietro's Pizza to celebrate Kelsie's 6th birthday and to spend some time with Mimi and Ralph. It was great to see Mimi and Ralph. He was in great form and seemed to really enjoy having everyone there visiting with him. Here's a picture of everyone with Ralph. Not sure why Makenzy isn't smiling. familywithralph

Click here for the rest of the pictures.

Christian's Birthday Party

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Happy birthday Christian! chrisbday

After everyone devoured cake and ice cream and Christian opened up his gifts (and counted his loot) Ken and I went and picked up theboneshaker / penny-farthing. Mike and I had tried, unsuccessfully, to ride it a few weeks before but Ken was sure he could do it on the first try. And ride it he did... he had no problem riding it right from the start. Here's a quick video of him sprinting down Mike's street.

Even I was able to finally ride the bike.

mattboneshaker

Check out the pics here.