grab a stick

Okay, so it's probably bad luck or something to talk about proud favorites and what-not -- sort of like saying a pitcher is well on his way to a no-hitter or a perfect game after 5 or 6 flawless innings. Just one of those things you just don't do, right?

Meh. No yielding to superstitions today. I mean, how many cracks have you stepped on in your life only to discover, to your relief, that it did not, in fact, break your mother's back? Precisely. So, with that in mind, we proudly present the Rodabough clan. Or, well, some of them.

Now, the heart of this post is about image #4, our dear friend who is secretly a ninja warrior and/or stick-wielding tyke. Either way, we have long thought this little snip of a man to be one of the funniest chaps we know. Full of character and of life. The one who's first to point out which kid has the smelly diaper in a room full of 2 year olds. The one who quickly but politely turns down a carrot stick after asking, "Where's the ranch?" and discovering there is none. The one who's growing up so quickly we can't believe it. Point of it all: it's so rewarding when a person relaxes and his personality transcends an image, as it has here.

And whether it ever makes it onto a wall or a Christmas card is truly beside the point. The point is, we absolutely love the shot. And hope you do, too. Hope it inspires you to go ahead and be yourself. You know, grab a stick or a leaf and just start swinging.