tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:06:11 +0000The triumphs and tribulations of young Jeremy Ian Galbraith Butler as he makes his way through this world.http://www.jigb.net/news/noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)Blogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-6821379925159897385Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:55:00 +00002009-10-07T18:06:11.598-06:00Ian has continued to develop his artistic skills. So, we've decided to create an online art gallery for him, which will be updated on an ongoing basis, as quickly as I can fire up the scanner.If you have an RSS reader, you can even subscribe to the album and receive updates as new images are added.Here's a sample of some recent additions: “My family go to the SMR.” Ian's family inside two http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/10/online-art-gallery-of-ian-fine-artiste.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-6352938224179867337Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:45:00 +00002009-09-12T07:52:42.369-06:00Ian's been quite busy at his new school (Matthews Elementary) -- learning more about letters and numbers and how to survive lunch in a cafeteria.He's also made great strides in his drawing skills. Here are the first family portraits he has ever drawn. The top row contains Mommy and Ian and the bottom is Daddy and Babcia (his grandmother Galbraith). His second family portrait sticks with the http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/09/ians-family-portraits.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-9164738946900350388Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:50:00 +00002009-08-16T14:21:24.978-06:00educationschoolMatthews Elementary11 August 2009 marked the beginning of Ian's formal schooling. Having graduated from preschool last may (see the entry for 10 May 2009), Ian continued to hang on at the Child Development Research Center Children's Program throughout the summer. As July came to an end, however, so did his time with them and with his much loved teachers, Ms. Alison and Ms. Gale. They did a great job preparing him http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/08/ians-first-day-of-kindergarten.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-7090029319874226387Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:17:00 +00002009-08-15T18:44:23.112-06:00kindergartenschoolIan's school and his teacher have been featured in two recent Tuscaloosa News stories. The first, an article about the Tuscaloosa County School System's financial squeeze, features a photograph of Ian's kindergarten teacher, Ms. Rebekah Owens, in their classroom at Matthews Elementary School!And the second article describes how University of Alabama students spruced up Matthews' halls with new http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/08/ians-new-school-in-news.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5391456255451272668Mon, 11 May 2009 01:46:00 +00002009-05-10T19:46:40.270-06:00Here's the diploma. It's official now! http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/05/diploma.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-3345557684954335860Sun, 10 May 2009 20:42:00 +00002009-05-10T18:44:12.347-06:00Last Friday Ian went through his first "graduation" -- from a program at his pre-school called "Kindergarten Connection." It's a program to help the pre-schoolers adjust to actual kindergarten, which Ian starts in just three months!I put together a little slideshow of the event...If you have trouble seeing the video above, you can find it at:http://vimeo.com/4579128.http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/05/ian-graduates-from-pre-school.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-3972182701510850359Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:18:00 +00002009-02-08T15:27:51.668-06:00The time has come.Ian has gotten too big for the stroller that he has used from birth. It'd seen some hard travelin' and was getting mildewed. We didn't feel we could rightly hand it down to someone else.And so, with heavy heart, Ian rolled it down to the curb today, to be claimed by tomorrow's trash pick-up (or perhaps by a passing scavenger in need of a well-used stroller).To commemorate the http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/02/ian-says-good-bye-to-his-stroller.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-7084428321419775872Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:04:00 +00002009-01-24T15:21:19.989-06:00Last night, Ian asked if he can play with food coloring. I decided, "why not?" After adding colors to water for a while, it was bath time. Ian was still absorbed in his color experiments, so I suggested he continue them in the bath. Here is the result.I expect it will wear off before school on Monday.http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/01/ian-butler-scientist.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Marysia)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-8026612924595290757Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:25:00 +00002009-01-19T20:29:02.891-06:00Ian played in a non-competitive soccer league in the fall of 2008, on the Bears. The league has a policy of cheering all goals that are scored. And everybody plays. I like that.Ian excelled at wandering around and falling down without provocation. I understand the latter is a valuable skill in professional soccer--all the better to draw penalty flags.http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/01/non-competitive-soccer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5826807380814853296Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:20:00 +00002009-01-19T20:24:15.687-06:00I love a hokey school portrait.This one isn't quite as hokey as the previous one with the globe prop, but I think the wooden bridge (?) on the left is a nice touch. How else could one get across the stream in the background?http://www.jigb.net/news/2009/01/hokey-school-portrait-fall-2008.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5170510365850933808Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:15:00 +00002008-10-27T10:02:18.485-06:00We did manage to take some time out of our vacation for formal portraits. On the Southern Belle: Underground, at Ruby Falls: http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/10/chattanooga-vacation-part-three.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5340842579235398144Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:14:00 +00002008-10-27T10:01:06.414-06:00Chattanooga is also known for its aquarium. We explored both the freshwater and the saltwater buildings. I think it's a sturgeon that he's petting here:Watch out for giant crabs!More river-boat piloting. This time at the children's museum. http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/10/chattanooga-vacation-part-two.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-1647591993779725830Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:09:00 +00002008-10-27T09:59:56.651-06:00A recent trip to Chattanooga (31 July to 2 August 2008) was dominated by modes of transportation. The most exciting for Ian was the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. He just about lost his mind when a genuine antique steam engine (which Ian much favors over diesel engines) pulled up to the depot. We rode it six miles down the track to a turntable where we got to see the big locomotive turn http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/10/chattanooga-vacation-part-one.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-2514447946920876670Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:30:00 +00002008-10-11T19:59:33.657-06:00On 27 September 2008, Ian celebrated his fifth birthday. The celebration began on the Friday before the actual date. At school he treated his classmates to donuts and chocolate milk. His teachers, Ms. Allison and Ms. Gail, managed to stick a lit candle in Ian's donut.Saturday was the actual birthday and we elected to take a relatively low-key approach. Ian invited three of his best buds to meet http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/10/ians-fifth-birthday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5015066268283292848Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:19:00 +00002008-07-24T06:28:15.603-06:00While in Poland, Ian was able to experience many local artworks. In the Rynek Główny (market square) in Kraków he particularly enjoyed Eros spętany (Eros Bound) a piece of sculpture by Igor Mitoraj.According to Wikipedia, "Mitoraj's sculptural style is rooted in the classical tradition with its focus on the well modelled torso. However, Mitoraj introduces a post-modern twist with ostentatiously http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/07/ian-in-big-polish-head.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-4511111104211748335Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:35:00 +00002008-07-20T18:39:15.779-06:00Several months ago, Ian's spring 2008 school pictures were taken. The ones we selected show two faces of Ian...The Pensive IanThe Happy Ian http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/07/two-faces-of-ian.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-8914049109036261800Sun, 08 Jun 2008 15:38:00 +00002008-06-08T10:06:54.555-06:00Poland traveling anthropologyMarysia and Ian zipped off to Poland last month, leaving 27 May after a quick visit to Long Island first. They've spent a week in Kraków, but now are off to the Bieszczady mountains for several weeks -- first in the farming/holiday village of Zawóz and, starting on Tuesday, in Lesko.Marysia sent these first pics.On the plane, seemingly having a great time, and wearing his Alabama colors.With http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/06/ian-returns-to-poland.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5010320943117039834Mon, 12 May 2008 00:44:00 +00002008-07-20T18:46:35.188-06:00 Ian says, "My mom is funny when she does her funny dance." http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/05/my-mom-is-funny.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-9210180698416243854Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:49:00 +00002008-04-28T16:01:57.125-06:00Recently, the City of Tuscaloosa sponsored the "Mayor's Cup 5K Race." Marysia ran and had a very good race -- third overall woman and a time that almost beat her personal best. Plus, as this photo shows, she was this close to edging out the mayor, Walt Maddox. He's the young guy in black. She's a couple of runners behind him, in blue.Ian and I were there, too, urging Marysia on. A Tuscaloosa Newshttp://www.jigb.net/news/2008/04/ian-at-mayors-cup-5k.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-8871527822229105960Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:43:00 +00002008-04-20T09:27:05.343-06:00Last month, for the last weekend of spring break, the Butler-Galbraiths headed to Camp McDowell, a summer camp/adult retreat center. It's about 90 minutes north of Tuscaloosa, but we actually drove there from Birmingham. Marysia and Ian had been in New York, visiting her folks. I picked them up at the airport and off we went.We had a fine time canoing and hiking and hanging out with three or fourhttp://www.jigb.net/news/2008/04/easter-at-camp-mcdowell.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-4570376971672114985Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:54:00 +00002008-02-28T10:06:43.283-06:00 Marysia addressed valentines cards that Ian made, and then he signed some of them. This one is for his friend and classmate, Penelope (not his grandmother, Penelope)!At this point, his signature is more legible than that of either of his parents!http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/02/ians-first-signature.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-6868191978118215747Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:37:00 +00002008-02-10T19:37:46.786-06:00Sorry... another new-camera image that's too adorable not to share. Ian recently received a subscription to The National Geographic. It fascinates him. Here, he's reading it under the living-room coffee table.Oh, and that's Brent Davis's big toe in the lower left corner. He was in-state for a writers conference and buzzed down to Northport for a too-short visit.http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/02/ian-reads-national-geographic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-5491603991336872830Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:52:00 +00002008-02-10T19:34:06.514-06:00I'm still testing out my new camera and Ian is still eating cereal for breakfast. Put those two things together and you get a breakfast montage, including this image:The montage was shot without a flash, using only natural light and a slow shutter speed. Hence the blurring effect...http://www.jigb.net/news/2008/02/ian-eats-breakfast.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-7691110832227602862Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:06:00 +00002008-01-12T10:18:38.057-06:00For Christmas, I gave myself one expensive new electronic gadget: a digital SLR still camera. Specifically, I bought a Nikon D80 camera.I'm really liking it. It reminds me of my first SLR camera, a Minolta SRT101 that was a combination birthday and high-school graduation present in 1972. Come to think of it, that was also my last SLR camera as it's survived all this time. 36 years!I shot hundredshttp://www.jigb.net/news/2008/01/new-camera-for-daddy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6282690.post-895603991326133211Wed, 26 Dec 2007 03:05:00 +00002007-12-25T21:10:51.751-06:00We have had a most happy Christmas, due in large part to the generosity of family and friends. Ian, as you might imagine, cleaned up.Many thanks to all "and to all a good night"!And now... pictorial proof of the merriment:View the gallery online over here.http://www.jigb.net/news/2007/12/happy-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jeremy Butler)