New Albums
Finally, we got around to putting some pictures on this web page! 2009, where did you go? Check out the new entries under the Photo Albums link.
The Gamboa Gallery
The Continuing Adventures of Ruben, Mona, Emily, Woodrow, Phoenix, Macy, and Hermione
Broncos Magic
The new season of the Broncos just got going. We lost the first game, but won the second (and then lost the third). I can feel the magic: 15-1 14-2 final record, homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and then a superbowl victory in Dallas. It’s going to be great.
Oh, and we have new seats, in the stadium’s new “Family Section”. The view is just a bit better than from the nosebleed section we were in the past two years, don’t you think? 
Innocent Greed
This year Woodrow announced that he no longer believes in Santa Claus. He just turned nine, so the announcement didn’t come as a surprise, though I will miss warning “Santa Claus saw that!” Along with his announcement, he gave me his and Emily’s Christmas Wish List. I enjoyed this display of avarice so much, I decided to list it for posterity (Woodrow’s misspellings and all). [Read more →]
5-0!
As season ticket holders, we make the trek down to Denver for every Broncos home game. We usually have a great time, though Emily thinks football is barbaric and pointless.
[Read more →]
Sonata for a Good Man
Friday morning my dad passed away after a bout with cancer. The thing about cancer is that it zaps you of your strength long before it kills you. My dad’s world shrank as his illness progressed, confined first to the city, then the hospital, a wheelchair, and finally his bed. What never shrank was his spirit. And what will never shrink was what he left with me. [Read more →]
Worldcon
This past week we drove to Denver to attend Denvention3, the 66th World Science Fiction Convention. There were the usual mishaps involving registration, the dealers room, and the art show, but overall the convention was wonderful. The kids programming, in particular, was stellar. Emily and Woodrow had so much fun that they’re begging to go to next year’s worldcon in Canada. [Read more →]
A “Non-Orthodontic Event”
Today was the kids’ dentist visit. We’ve been conjecturing for some time that Emily will need braces, and I’ve been swapping horror stories with other parents. “$5,000? And the insurance only covered $1,500?” But the verdict came down today, and the verdict is good. The dentist referred to Emily as a “non-orthodontic event.” We’re pretty sure that means she won’t need any braces…
Back Online
The redesigned Gamboas.org is now publicly online! Transferring the system from my laptop to the real www.gamboas.org turned out to be more interesting than anticipated — but what isn’t? The good news is that it’s up and running. We’ll be updating with more posts from Mona’s bike ride and the family reunion soon.
Disneyland
Today was Disneyland day. I woke up the kids around seven, and we made it to Disneyland when the gates opened at eight. It was great! Emily and I visited it a couple of years ago, and she loved it. Now Woodrow is about that age when I figured Disney could work his magic. I was right about that. What I didn’t expect was that Disney’s magic can still cast a spell on Emily. With the two of them together, the spell was woven into a terrific family tapestry. The kids rode all the rides, and I do mean all. And they rode the rollercoasters together. That’s the magic of Disney. Thank you, Walt. May your resting place be as magical as Disneyland.
Hooray for Hollywood!
Emily won’t admit it, but she really wants to be a star. The kids and I had decided to have some fun on the way to San Diego for the family reunion. I let each of the kids pick something that they really wanted to do. Woodrow picked Disneyland, and Emily picked Hollywood. She loves the idea of Hollywood! [Read more →]