My trip home

I flew home from Jacksonville, Fl today. It feels like I have been there for about three months. I am not sure why this trip hasn't been enjoyable, but I look forward to coming home more than usual each week. Today I was lucky enough (so I thought) to catch an earlier flight home. Little did I know that sitting behind me on the plane would be little Tyler and his sister Satan. I have three kids myself, so I like to think that I am fairly tolerant of kids acting up in public. Its much harder to say "If I were his parents he wouldn't be doing that!" when you have little ones of your own. You have a better understanding of what their parents or this case grandma is going through.

It all started immediately after I sat down. Satan repeatedly slammed the tray table into the back of my seat. Now, I am what some people would call a stout individual. To have a 30 pound girl hit the back of the seat hard enough to move me is saying something. Shortly after this Tyler began screaming at the top of his lungs. I still don't know why! Even when they were just talking, they were screaming. After hearing the grandma tell them that people don't like it when you scream, I had enough. Please understand I have a beautiful little daughter. When it comes to screaming, she is like a Corvette. She can go from zero to cry in about 3.2 seconds. Also, because of the unfreezing process, she has trouble controlling the volume of her voice. Let me say, that Mia has nothing on these two. I kissed her twice as much when I got home.

Luckily for me, I have a PSP loaded with music and a set of very nice Bose headphones. I turned up the music extra loud. The headphones used every ounce of their noise canceling beings, but they couldn't drown out the shrieks from the dynamic duo.

Finally little Tyler fell asleep just before we started the decent. No doubt dreaming of torturing kittens. Grandma had time to catch a few Z's herself. Although she let out a pretty loud snore, it wasn't at an octave that made you think you were stabbing yourself in the eardrum with a steak knife.

In the end, I made it home. Grandma gets to spend the next month with Tyler and Satan.

10 Things Tuesday on Wednesday

Look at XBOX Wife's blog for information on 10 Things Tuesday! If you are thankful, you can follow along.

1 I love this time of year. Fall has to be my favorite, and it all begins with Halloween. I hope we can do a little trick or treating on Friday.
2 I know that Mama Mia is feeling a little sick, but I am so thankful that my kids are healthy and full of energy. It is amazing how physically demanding keeping up with them can be, but it is well worth it!
3 I am glad that we have had some cold weather. I hope there is colder weather still to come.
4 It is nice to have a job right now. There may be some new things on the horizon, its exciting to think about.
5 Only 2 1/2 more days in Jacksonville. Can't wait to be home.
6 I am going to miss our house once we move, but we need more room. I hope that we can find someone soon that wants to buy it.
7 I am glad that Jackson really likes his school. He growing up to be an exceptional person.
8 I am thankful that the kids have their individual appreciation for music. Jackson and I both want to learn to play the guitar. I hope to take lessons once the travel lightens up.
9 I am thankful that Jennifer takes tons and tons of pictures, it is always fun to sit at the computer and watch a slideshow.
10 I love our church. It is grown so much since we placed membership. I hope to be more involved when I am in town more.

Music:
Finally finished off AC/DC!
AC/DC (31 Songs)
Ajax Cleaner and Laundry Detergent (2) These were recordings of old commercials. You will see a few more of these.
Alka Seltzer Effervescent Antacid (2) More commercials
Annoucer on TV Tunes (1)
Armour Hot Dogs (1)
Ballantine Premium Lager Beer (2)
Bavu Blakes & Rapid Ric (29) Rapper from Austin
Big & Rich (14) They covered and AC/DC song
Billy Idol (14)
Billy Joel (42)
Just started The Black Crows

Funny video:
My favorite is the chick that runs away and leaves her kid. Thanks mom!

10 Things Tuesday and more

Now is the time on Skelty's Blog when we are thankful. Take a look at XBOX Wife's Blog to participate in 10 Things Tuesday.
1 I enjoy watching The Office, it is entertaining.
2 I am thankful to have a job.
3 Jackson is enjoying his new school. He has done well with the transition.
4 I am thankful that Halloween is here.
5 Looks like it is going to be a great fall weekend. Nice and chilly for Trunk or Treat
6 I am glad that all of my kids enjoy music in their own way.
7 I am thankful that I married a strong woman.
8 I enjoy my job.
9 I am thankful for friends,
10 and family.

Continuing with songs
Beck (26 songs) The dude is weird
Belle and Sebastian (2) From the Juno soundtrack
Ben Folds Five (36) Not very impressed
Last week my friend gave me more music. I had to go back to the letter 'A'.
AC/DC (21 Albums, 232 Songs) I said that I wanted more in the last post. Be careful what you ask for. I still have 3 albums to go.

This is guys is dumber than I am.



More later...

10 Things Tuesday (Wednesday)

I had a long day at work yesterday followed by a long one today, but I promised that I would continue with 10 Things Tuesday, so here it is. Visit my friend XBOX Wife for more details.

1 I am thankful that my kids are healthy.
2 I am thankful for being employed.
3 I am thankful that my wife is able to take care of everything while I am away. She has a more difficult job than I can imagine.
4 I am thankful for friends.
5 I am thankful for family that is always there to help out!
6 I am thankful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
7 I am thankful that Jackson's school situation is resolved for the moment.
8 I am thankful for not being anonymous!
9 I am thankful to have participated in the 24 hours of prayer. It opened my eyes at a time when I needed it most.
10 I am thankful to be home next week!!!!!

Theme time

This post is too catch up a little. Are you surprised that I haven't posted in a while. Judging from the amount of visits I have received lately, I would say no.

Speaking of visits, I have received more hits from people searching for information on the woodchuck. Why in the world does anyone want to read about a woodchuck?

I am in Tucson today. It is about a 2 hour drive from Scottsdale. If it weren't for all the highway patrol on the road, I would've fallen asleep and probably hit a cactus.

A guy I work with is a big lover of music. He has given me over 25GB of music to listen too. I pledged that I would listen to everything at least once. I am going in alphabetical order. Here is what I have covered so far:

Weird Al Yankovic (65 songs) - I was never a big fan of Polka music, and Al has done nothing to change my mind
3 Doors Down (12)
ABBA (19)
AC/DC (10) - Could've used more
Aerosmith (25)
Aimme Mann (24) - Sang "What if God was one of us" and nothing else
Al Mckay Allstar (15) - It was enjoyable
Al Stewart (1)
Alan Parsons Project (34) - Never again
Alannah Myles (1) - Black Velvet, need I say more
Alien Ant Farm (1)
All-American Rejects (23) - Solid
America (12)
Antje Duvekot (11) - Exactly
Antsy Pants (2)
Arcade Fire (21) - I don't remember, so that should tell you something
Artic Monkeys (13) - Great name, and that is where it stops
Audioslave (14) - Good
Bad Company (10) - Its Bad Company
Barenaked Ladies (45) - Easy on the ears
Barry Louis Polisar (1)
Beatles (71) - I didn't realize how many Beatles songs I had never heard

I am going to start a theme, hopefully that will make me post more often. The first theme is PEOPLE THAT ARE DUMBER THAN ME.

Ten Things Tuesday

I am in Arizona right now, so it is still Tuesday. I have been gone for a while, I will blame it on the summer. My friend XBOX Wife has a weekly 10 things Tuesday where you list the 10 things that you are thankful for the week. You should check it out!

1 I am thankful to have a job that enjoy. It would be nice to be home with my family more, but I have had jobs that really tore me down. I am glad to have something to I can handle.
2 Jackson was nominated for Student Council at his school. I am proud of him. I don't know if that is done randomly or if his teacher see something in that would make him a good fit. I hate that I am away from him so much, but I am proud to hear that he is taking care of business at school.
3 I am sitting outside on the balcony of the Hampton Inn in Scottsdale, AZ. Lightning is filling up the sky. It reminds me of the days that I lived in Midland. I know that West Texas is not the most beautiful or inspirational spot in the state of Texas much less the world, but I am proud of where I grew up.
4 I am thankful for the friends that road to the airport with me on Monday. They were able to experience the beating of riding the bus to airport that I experience every week!
5 I won every fantasy football game that I was involved in.
6 I am thankful to participate in the KK&C Top 20. It feels nice to be involved even though I am not there.
7 I am thankful for old cowboys.
8 I am thankful for the grandparents that watch our kids. I know they can be a handful, but they take them in without hesitation.
9 I am thankful for family.
10 I am thankful for friends.

Its Football Time

It is football time in America. I have been looking forward to this season more than usual. It all started last week with the college football season. I even broke down and recorded the Wake Forest and Baylor game.

I am involved in 3 fantasy football leagues. Two are serious, and I was guilted into one of them. I am not as interested in fantasy sports like I used to be, but it is a good way to stay involved with my buddies. Maybe (although highly doubtful) put a little coin in my pocket.

I am also a pollster in the KK&C College Football Top 20 college football poll. This is my first experience with a football poll, and I have to say my inexperience is showing. I hope to get a little better as the time goes by.

My Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated Eastern Washington. I can't really defend TT scheduling. They generally play high school teams prior to Big 12 play. I will say that they tried to play a semi quality opponent in Tulsa, but they were shafted at the last minute. I didn't see the game, but I have a few questions about the defense. I have long thought they were a decent defense away from challenging in the Big 12. It looks like all the preseason hype over the defense maybe a little overstated. I shouldn't knee jerk, but I think it is more a case of not getting my hopes up. They generally lay a frustrating egg. I think there will be a clearer picture of how this season will go after the game against Nevada. Nevada apparently runs the ball like crazy.

Finally I am in an NFL suicide poll. I have gone in with a buddy, but if you knew the typical results of our endeavors you would be asking me why I even bother. It seems like we always start with a "there is no way we can lose" attitude only to be disappointed. Sometimes the disappointment doesn't show its face until the last minute, but usually it rears it's ugly head way earlier. This time I think we have conceded that there is no way we'll win. I guess it softens the blow of losing.

Can't wait for Redskins/Giants, but I really can't wait until the Cowboys. Have fun with football season. I hope to have an update sometime during the season.

Olympics

Glad to see that the Americans weren't cheated out of another gold medal in gymnastics.

Anybody catch the trampoline finals the other night? When Bob Costas announced that trampoline coverage was coming up, I thought the Man Show had made it to the Olympics. Apparently there really is a competition. I watched the first routine, but was forced to change the channel when motion sickness set in. I will say this, they girl was at least 15 feet off the trampoline. That is great and all, but does it make sense to get rid of softball and keep the trampoline?

I also saw some of the ping pong competition. It was hard to stay with, especially watching their body language. When the commentators started talking about injuries that the players had suffered, I had to change the channel. How do you get hurt when you don't even move 2 feet?

Oh well, good luck to the rest of the Olympians!

Long time no post

To say this summer has been busy would be an understatement. There have been so many things going on, sometimes I can't tell which way is up. I guess I will begin with vacation. We took our annual trip to the Frio river. The river was down this year because of lack of rain, but we still had a great time. We spent hours playing in the water, and the kids weren't ready to leave. That is always a good sign.


You can see that Owen is really happy to be there.





Speaking of swimming, we have certainly gotten our money's worth out of the passes to the neighborhood water park. Between meeting friends and birthday parties we have been there at least once practically every week. Of course I have started traveling again, so I have missed out on a few of those, but I know the kids are having a blast. On a side note, Jackson won't let me trim the mohawk. It is beginning to drive me crazy, but if he wants it I won't stop him (for now).

We finally came to the decision to sell our house. We have enjoyed it, but I think everyone is ready for more room. In order to prepare it for the market we are have the one of the showers tiled. To save money, we tore out the existing wall and hung the Backer Board. If you were wondering, I am not a drywall professional. In any case junk was moved to storage, shower is ready for tile, and the backyard is ready for renovation. I don't know when I will have time for that, but it has to be done sooner rather than later.

P.S. If you know of anyone looking for a nice first home point them in our direction.

More later!

The State of Television

I feel like I have been in front of the computer for about 90% of my waking hours the last two days, but I wanted to get this in before vacation.

I am not a big television fan anymore. There are very few shows that I make a point to see, and two of the season finales (My Name is Earl and The Office) remain unwatched on the DVR. That being said, I think TV is in a sad state of affairs. Here are my arguments:

1 Cartoon Network should've never been invented. I remember when I was young one of the special things about the holidays was the cartoons that were shown in the evening. I think the rarity of seeing a cartoon at night was one of the things that made the holidays feel special. It is still my favorite time of year. I try to share that with my kids, but instead seeing The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, they want to see Sponge Bob. Forget there is a daily Sponge Bob marathon on one of the cartoon channels.

2 Much like the movie industry, television has run out of new ideas. See Reality TV, movie reruns, and 13 different Law and Order series. I am not a total TV snob, I enjoy the Amazing Race, Biggest Loser, and CSI fill in the blank. I couldn't tell you what night the shows air, but I will stop down if I come across one.

3 They need to outlaw the advertisements that run across the bottom of the screen. I can't begin to tell you how annoying that is. TNT (and the cartoon stations) is a serious offender. Once they have a new show or new mini series, they run that animation that will literally take up half the screen. If people care about watching The Closer they will make a note of when it airs when they see one of the promos that run during every commercial break.

4 Soap Operas! I don't understand them at all! If you enjoy them, more power to you, but you will never convince me that they are quality entertainment. They pass each other around, their kids go from 2 year old to teenagers overnight, and if someone leaves they don't get rid of the character they replace them with someone who looks nothing like the previous person.

I guess they can't show the UFC, Cowboys and Rangers all of the time. It sure would be a better world if they could.

I have been tagged

The Sinister Minister has tagged me. This is my life from A to Z.

A. Attached or Single? Attached

B. Best Friend? Jennifer Jane Skelton 16 years (although we’ve only been married 12)

C. Cake or Pie? Yes please! If I have to choose I would say cherry pie.

D. Day of Choice? Sunday, it is usually the only day that the family has time to spend together.

E. Essential Item? Toilet paper

F. Flavor of Ice-Cream? Vanilla concrete with Strawberries

G. Gummy Bears or Worms? Bears

H. Hometown? Midland, Texas (I’ve always been confused, is hometown where you live now or where you were born)

I. Indulgences? Dr. Pepper

J. January or July? July

K. Kids? Jackson 8, Mia 3, Owen 1

L. Last Movie I Saw In A Theater? Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

M. Middle Name? Adams

N. Number of Siblings? (2) Brother Brien and Sister Lori

O. Oranges or Apples? Oranges

P. Phobia or Fear? Bears (not gummy)

Q. Quote? We're gonna need a bigger boat! -Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) I need to work on my quotes.

R. Reason to Smile? Please see the letter ‘K’

S. Season? Fall

T. Tag Four More? Here are 4 that won't participate: Mi Mundo Loco, Parks Unlimited, Man Among Many Women, World O'Wolfe

U. Unknown Fact About Me? I pulled a bicep muscle playing the Wii last night. I get a little excited about bowling.

V. Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals? Meat is murder....delicious murder.

W. Worst Habit? Procrastination

X. X-Rays or Ultra-Sounds? Never had an Ultra-Sound so I will say X-Ray

Y. Your Favorite Food? Chipotle

Z. Zodiac? Capricorn

Focus

My friend d4dad spoke to us the other night about focus. I have to say that his message really came through to me. I have already seen improvement in my ability...WHOA!!! DID YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT CHICKEN!!!

Like I was saying, we had a very pleasant Memorial Day. The kids and I made a quick trip to the park to chase the ducks and play on the playground in the morning. Later in the evening we went to the community water park by the house. It is a really great place for the kids to play. They have a blast. Especially Owen who is a little more of a risk taker than the other two. Of course our fun came to a end when some other kid threw up in the pool. Luckily we were no where near the event and not even in the same pool.

Here is too a summer full of water parks and throw up!

Self Help with Skelty

A reader of mine, Mike Honcho, is going through a rough stretch right now. Mike, just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big old storm right in the eye and says, "Give me your best shot. I can take it."

God Bless!!

Bathroom Humor

I will probably lose all of my 12 readers with this topic, but this is something I can't tolerate anymore! People need to learn the rules of bathroom etiquette. I am working on the rule book, but I have included the cliff notes for those parties that are interested. They are as follows:

1 Do not talk to me while I am in a stall
2 Do not talk to me while I am standing at the urinal
3 You may talk to me while you are at the urinal and I am at the sink, but not the other way around
4 Do not talk to me if you are in a stall and I am at the sink
5 You may talk to me while we are both at the sink
6 Wash your hands
7 Flush
8 Do not talk on the phone while you are in a stall
9 Do not call me while you are in a stall (If I find out, I will drive to where you are and kick you in the nads)
10 Do not take a drink into the bathroom (allowed if there is a table in the bathroom that is a reasonable distances from where you do your business)
11 Flush!!!!! (Seriously, did you forget why you were there? I do not understand why people don't flush)

While on the topic of bathroom humor, I thought I would include this video. I hope Jesus is safe!

Ten Things Tuesday

I thought about this yesterday, does that count? I was going to do this last night, but I had a date with the PSP last night.

1 I am thankful for my PSP. Portable video games, can you get any lazier?
2 I am thankful that Mia has an endless supply of the word Daddy. I know at some point I won't hear it as often.
3 I am thankful to hear the kids running around the house. There is a line in an Alan Jackson song "The sound of little feet, was the music we danced to week to week." I am ready for a new house, but I am going to miss that sound.
4 I am thankful that Owen likes me to retrieve his ball from under the entertainment center and then throw it right back under.
5 I am thankful for Jackson's sense of humor. I love watching laugh at something on TV to the point he is almost out of breath.
6 I am thankful that Jackson is an outgoing person, I just hope he gets a better understanding of personal space.
7 I love to hear Mia sing.
8 I am thankful that I am the only one in the office today. (I may sneek home a little early).
9 I am thankful that I had a chance to mow the yard last night before the rain. It would've been a jungle by the time I could get to again.
10 I am thankful that my boss is letting me fly to Portland next week so I can be at the platinum level on American Airlines. I am also sad because that is important to me.

Run over to XBOX Wife to join in.

Ten Things Tuesday

XBOX wife has a wonderful exercise to promote positivity. Check out her blog and join in the fun.

1. I am thankful that my kids are healthy. I have been receiving a prayer request for a little boy who was in an accident and is now in the hospital. I fear my children being seriously sick or hurt. I pray that the little guy will be OK.
2. I am thankful for the storms we had this morning.
3. I am thankful that soccer season is over.
4. I am thankful for being home these last few weeks, and I look forward to being here a little longer.
5. I am thankful that I understand bathroom etiquette. (A new post will follow)
6. I am thankful for a short commute to work, especially with gas prices so high.
7. I am thankful that the kids have been acting more like people and less like monsters lately. They were on a tear for a while. Of course Jennifer might disagree with this.
8. I am thankful for friends that ask us for a night on the town. I wish we would've had time to participate, but it was nice to be asked.
9. I am thankful for a clean house. Jennifer worked really hard the last few weeks to unclutter the clutter as best she could. I might also add that we have done a good job of maintaining the cleanliness.
10. I am thankful for my dad taking time out of his day to come fix my dryer. It took longer for him to drive over to the house than it did to fix it. He hates driving in that traffic, and his body is breaking down on him so I am incredibly thankful for the help.

I have been tagged.

My friend Jill, tagged me about 2 years ago, so I thought it was about time to participate. Sorry for being late! I am suppose to write 7 random things about me. This shouldn't be that hard!

1 I have a little OCD (obsesive-compulsive-disorder). Of course this is a self diagnosis, but for example if I tap my left 5 times I have to tap my right foot 5 times.
2 I talk to myself way to much, and with too much volume. I mean I can hear myself even if I am talking in my head. I don't know why I have to vocalize.
3 My grammar is horendous. (and spelling)
4 I want a Toyota Tacoma in the worst way.
5 I didn't participate in 10 things Tuesday this week because I wasn't feeling it. I am still thankful, but I needed a different outlet yesterday. I still think it is a helpful exercise. Sorry XBOX Wife!
6 I eat way too much junk food.
7 I have a recurring dream that I am attacked and eaten by a bear. It's not always the same bear, but the results are the same. It doesn't matter if it's a grizzly or polar bear, everyone else makes it safely into the house, while I am devoured. What does this mean? I know, I am terrified of bears!!!!!!!

I think everyone has been tagged that will participate, but if you would like be my guest!

Random Randomness

Well, it is about 4:45 on Monday afternoon. I am sitting at home waiting for the Dish guy to show up to install my HD programing. You know, I excited about finally getting HD. I bought the TV back in November, but we relied on an HD antenna to get our HD programming. We started having problems with our service, so I decided just to upgrade the equipment. Anyway, they scheduled the service between 12-5 today. Luckily I have a job and a boss that allow me to be at home today, and I have to say there nothing wrong with being here. It is a little annoying when they are not here on time. I would charged a cancelation fee if I didn't show up.

TXU energy just stopped by to sell me energy. I think I'll take the deal. I need energy.

The family flew kites yesterday. We had fun. They don't make kites the way they used too.

Time to get the energy out the door, Jennifer will be here with Jackson who will need to change clothes and go get his baseball pictures taken.

Dish guy is here now. It's a party!!!!

Ten Things Tuesday (Yet I will rejoice in the Lord)

OK this may be a little cheap, but this is the type of thing that I am thankful for today. If you don't laugh at this, you're dead to me. By the way, if you want to participate then check out my friend XBOX Wife's blog for further instructions.

1-10 This isn't my kid, but everyone loves to hear a baby laugh. I especially like his red face.



My kids can be a handful sometimes (especially about getting dressed), Yet I will rejoice in Lord that they are unique individuals who stand up for what they believe in. They mean the world to me, this video is a reminder of how much joy they bring me. I don't have time right now to explain the Yet I will rejoice, but you can check it out here.

Go home and tell your kids you love them!

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck?

I was talking on the phone with Jennifer this afternoon when I spotted a strange creature lurking outside the office. After our conversation concluded I decided to take a closer look at said creature. I followed it for several yards trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. I discovered that it was a friendly woodchuck. Also known as a ground hog or marmot to some. I returned to my computer to research our friend the woodchuck. Little did I realize these guys are extremely terrifying. Here is what I found:

The wily woodchuck is an inoffensive yet challenging target. While normally harmless, the woodchuck can become dangerous when aroused. It is frequently hunted at ranges of 200-400 yards. Although many people believe that this is because they are shy and easily frightened, quickly disappearing into their burrows, experienced hunters know that the extended range is for personal safety. It is critical to move cautiously when encountering groups of woodchucks, as they are known to engage in cooperative behavior and react explosively.

As you can see from this picture that I able to take shortly before I fled the scene, I was well within the woodchuck's kill zone. To add to my Ten Things Tuesday, I am thankful to still be alive.

Ten Things Tuesday (Wednesday)

I had a long day at work yesterday. Go to my friend XBOX Wife and check out the details.

1 I am thankful for big trees.
2 I am thankful for big trees that do not fall on my house.
3 I am thankful for Dad and his hired hand that helped (i.e. did all of the cutting) with the removal of big trees.
4 I am thankful that my neighbor didn't mind his fence being destroyed by big trees falling down.
5 I am thankful to be staying at home for a few weeks.
6 I am thankful to be working for a generous employer.
7 I am thankful for my wife and all of the hard work she does, both with the family and her business.
8 I am thankful for our small groups.
9 I am thankful for all the people that check this blog, and for XBOX Wife's help sending a few my way.
10 I am thankful that the work day is almost over, I am still tired from yesterday.

Meanwhile back at the ranch

Sorry it has been a while. I spent the majority of last week in West Texas. I was invited, along with the rest of the IT department, to visit the Man's Ranch (the man being the founder of my company). This is the Man's way of giving something back to his employees. The idea is spend some time away from work to recharge the batteries. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to it because I spend so much time away from home anyway. I glad that I went. We had a good time, and I finally got to meet more people in my department.

We began with a flight to Midland, from there we drove about 2 hours to the ranch. We enjoyed some free time that night. There is a movie theater, shuffle board, darts, pool, and various card games that you can use to occupy your time. I decided to watch "No Country for Old Men". I thought it was a pretty good movie, but I fell asleep during the last 10 minutes so I didn't see the ending. I heard it wasn't that good anyway.

The next day we had our choice of various outdoor activities. I went cowboy and rode a horse. I haven't been on a horse in about 15 years, and I have to tell you I wish I more opportunities. I rode a paint horse named Monkey. He had a little bit of temper, and the other horses knew it. Every time he got close to one of them, they would move away and he would follow right after them. He kept me busy. I rode a 4 wheeler that afternoon. We weren't allowed to take them off the main road. That combined with a 25 mph speed limit, and a 50 mph wind didn't make an enjoyable ride. More movies and games in the evening.

I took it easy the next morning, and rode a horse again in the afternoon. This time it was a horse named Clyde. He must of been half Clydesdale because he was really tall. Riding a horse was a nice way to see the country side. Although I realized that I an no cowboy. That horse jumped a few times, and I thought I was going to die. It is amazing how fast an animal that large can move.

We drove to Midland on Saturday and flew home. As I said before, I enjoyed my time out there. It was nice to see Midland again, even though it was only from the air. There aren't many trees out on the ranch, but I think it there is some beautiful countryside there. I hope to go back next year.

Sorry for the long post, but I had a lot to say. Tomorrow there will be 10 things Tuesday. At some point I will share what went on at home while I was away, and a few thoughts on the Man.

Ten Things Tuesday

My friend XBOX Wife has a little exercise she calls Ten Things Tuesday. The following are 10 things that I am thankful for this week.

1. I am thankful that Owen and I spent a little alone time together today.
2. I am thankful that Owen and I watched a little of the Rangers Opening Day game. After sitting silent and motionless for about 5 batters he simply said "ball". I couldn't have said it better myself.
3. I am thankful that my daughter loves me as much as she does.
4. I am thankful that I had a date night with Mia on Friday. We had a great time at the movies.
5. I am thankful that Jackson and I had a guys night out on Saturday. We changed our plans a little, but we enjoyed our time.
6. I am thankful for the fireside chat on Friday with the guys. Those nights are few and far between.
7. I am thankful that I have a selfless wife that allowed me to have my weekend even though she was working.
8. I am thankful that my employer is giving us three free days off at his ranch this week. I'm not sure how I feel travel for my enjoyment when I am never home, but it is nice of him to do none the less.
9. I am thankful to have a huge yard to mow. I am now only realizing its potential, too bad we will probably get it just how we like right before we move.
10. I am thankful for my new PSP. I am taking my nerdiness on the road. I am so tired of Soduku!

Ten Things Tuesday

I have to admit this is a tough one today. I am trying not to repeat anything from last week, but there is not much finding its way into my mind. The ones I do repeat are extremely important to me.

1. I am thankful that Jenn received good news about new opportunities today.
2. I am thankful that cavemen don't exist anymore. They really creep me out!
3. I am thankful that Owen loves to walk every where we go. It is diffcult to keep up with him, but I am glad he is active.
4. I am thankful that Mia's burps are "nice and shiny". (Her words, not mine)
5. I am thankful that Jackson enjoys getting exercise. I especially enjoyed his baseball game Saturday.
6. I am thankful that we are preparing to put our house on the market. That means we are closer to moving to a bigger place.
7. I am thankful for friends that include us in their activities (even though we stay a little later than we should).
8. I am thankful that my in-laws kept the kids for us the other night. It was nice to have a little time alone.
9. I am thankful that I don't associate with dishonest people. I will explain this in greater detail later.
10. I am thankful there is a UFC Fight Night tomorrow night on Spike.

Sgt. Faith

To just to catch you up, I travel basically every week all over the United States. I have had to the priveledge of sharing flights with many B list celebrities, and I enjoy documenting the encounters here on my blog. Well, I have a new one on the list, her name is Sargent Faith.

This dog may actually travel more than I do. Her owner told me that she has flown 16 times since the beginning of the year, and she has 20 more trips planned including one to Iraq. She visits army hospitals to boost moral of the soldiers who have been injured during the line of duty. She really is a remarkable dog. She has no front legs. Her owner said that she was born that way, and she is the only dog to walk on her hind legs 100% of the time. Faith doesn't travel in a carrier, she has her own seat. In fact she receives frequent flyer miles. I have to admit, this might be the freakiest thing that I have ever seen. It was like a little hairy person walking down the jetway.

Ten Things Tuesday

My friend XBOX Wife has challenged several of us to share ten things that we are thankful. List will appear every Tuesday. Check out her website, and join in.

1 I am thankful that I made it Maryland safely and relatively on time.
2 I am thankful that I was able to spend a little "quiet" time with Owen this morning. The other two kids can sometimes dominate my time.
3 I am thankful that my wonderful wife takes care of the family while I am away (and when I am there).
4 I am thankful that my 7 year-old has fun when he is playing baseball.
5 I am thankful that I am employed.
6 I am thankful for the nerds that play Halo with me.
7 I am thankful that I have friends that will call me when they need to vent their frustrations.
8 I am thankful that I have friends that I can call when I need to vent my frustrations.
9 I am thankful for everyone that spends their free time reading this blog. I am not the best writer, and I know this can be boring sometimes but I appreciate their interest in my life.
10 I am thankful that Mia loves to invite me to her room to play.

Randy Pausch

"Experiance is what you get when you don't get what you wanted."

"When you are doing a bad job, and no one points it out to you, that is when they have given up on you."

"Brick walls are there for a reason; they let us prove how badly we want things."

"Work and play well with others."

"Don't complain; just work harder."

This was sent by the president of my company. It is only 12 minutes long, you might find some benefit in it.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8577255250907450469&hl=en

Quick Hits

I passed 1,000 stalkers. Thank you so much, you guys make me feel special.

I am looking for a new car. I have narrowed the search for a few models until today. Looks like I will be driving the yellow dog for a few more years. In 2010 Pontiac is releasing the new El Camino. Is it car? Is it a truck? I don't know!



If I can remember next week, I am going to bring my camera. I plan on documenting my life on the road. It should be seconds of fun for you the reader.

Of course I have some photos to upload now, but I can't seem to get it to work.

Josh Hamilton Again

I had a post not long ago about my favorite Rangers. I mentioned Josh Hamilton as a person that I am rooting for the most. If you didn't read his story, he was perhaps one of the best baseball players to come out of high school ever. He had everything going for him. At one point in his life he turned to drugs and almost lost everything. With the help of family and friends he has turned to the Lord and that has changed his life. Again, you really need to read this story to appreciate everything that he has been through. http://tinyurl.com/2l7lck

(From today's Star-Telegram feature penned by Jeff Wilson: "You'll probably see me with [Josh Hamilton] all the time because I'm drawn to him," Bradley said Wednesday. "Once I got to talking to him, and found out about his life and things he has to deal with every day, I kind of understand where he's coming from." Bradley said Hamilton has inspired him to return to studying the Bible and attending services.)

Milton Bradley is another person that has been blessed with exceptional baseball talent. His problems have been mostly mental. I believe he even got into a fight with a fan in the stands. You can see the kind of impact that Josh is having on people like this. Makes you feel good. I'm thinking about inviting both of them to our Life Group.

I CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, maybe that is an over statement. I remember standing in the hall outside my Freshman Bible class at ACU. I had just finished the final exam (one of the first of my college career). I was waiting for a friend to finish, when all the sudden there was a terrible commotion in the room. Apparently a very enthusiastic young lady stood up in the middle of the exam and yelled "I CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE!" at the top of her lungs. Now, this is freshman Bible, it was an obvious joke, and I chuckle every time I think about it.

There is so much pressure to entertain on this blasted thing. I appreciate a voicemail that I received last night and the advice that you gave me JD. I am working on it, obviously not on this post, but hopefully there will be more to come. In the meantime, its OK to be envious of this picture.

(It won't let me upload a photo right now, I will add it later. Carry on!)

Finally made it

Well, we finally made it to Maryland. It turns out that the plane was delayed coming in because of the weather we were having. On the way in it was struck by LIGHTNING! They had to replace the cone of the airplane. They finally determined they could not do it, and they gave us another plane. Once we were on board, we could not take off because the ground crew went to lunch before they loaded our baggage. All in all we landed in Dulles about 5 hours late. We didn't even make it to the office, needless to say. Today feels like Monday. Oh well, what are you going to do, it is the nature of the beast. No need to lose sleep over it! The important thing is that I made it safe.

Stuck in the Airport

Scheduled to leave at 8:40 am. Now boarding tentatively scheduled for 11:00 am. Will arrive at the Maryland office around 4:00 pm. Leave for hotel at 5:00 pm.

Poker Night

I completely forgot about poker night Friday at Tricky's. We had a great time. It had been a while since I had seen my Frisco friends. I can't think of a better way to enjoy an evening with the guys. It was highly entertaining. We saw a girls gone wild fight between Chad and Wells. I was right in middle of them, and the entire time I was thinking I hope one these big guys doesn't land on me and spill my beer. I don't blame them for getting into it, we're talking about a $7 pot after all.

We played a lot of Gut, which I guess is a poker game. I don't know where it originated, but it is a blast. I lost on a $46 pot (thank you JD for covering me). I eventually won it back and then a little more, but honestly some how everyone walks away with a little more than they came with. I still haven't figured out that math.

I am up for it anytime (if my wife lets me)! Seriously, I really do have a wonderful wife. She is really understanding when it comes to letting me have some free time. She probably lets me have too much. Thanks honey!

Goodbye Houston!

Houston smells!

Good-bye Houston, hello Maryland!

It is cold and rainy. That is it for weather.

When I started this thing, I asked myself if I would be able to talk about real issues that I am having. Well, it turns out that I don't have the guts. It is nothing terribly huge, but I am incredibly frustrated right now. My disappointment is beyond belief, and I can't figure out what to do about. I would like to talk to a certain person about it, but I just can't figure out what to say to them.

Wow, that was productive!

On a happier note, I will be home a day early this week. It is always nice to have an extra day at home. I don't think we have any big plans. That will be nice, it seems like we have been running non-stop the past few weekends. I need to get started on the house. We are planning on putting it on the market soon, I don't know if we will be able to sell it for what it is worth, but it won't hurt to try. I guess if we don't sell, we will have an updated uncluttered house for another year.

Where were you when Castro stepped down?

To be honest, I have already forgotten!

Challenger - Mrs. Foreman's class at Pease (pronounced peas) Elementary.

Desert Storm - On my way to nearby grocery store/gas station to pick up hamburgers for dinner.

Columbia - In bed, didn't even know it happened. Jennifer said she heard it, "it" could've been my snoring. I've been told it is powerful.

Memory Verse

At the men's advance we were asked to write down our favorite verse. I had one, but I couldn't remember the entire thing. What does that tell you?

I have heard several upsetting stories lately. I don't understand why things happen, probably never will. We were told at the retreat that some of those things are going to happen to us. That was a very uncomfortable feeling. I finally found my verse. It provides some comfort for me, hopefully it will for you as well.

11For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

-Jeremiah 29:11-12

Happy Late Valentine's Day

Looks like I am a few minutes late. Sorry about that. Let's see where were we.

I spent last Friday night and Saturday at the Men's Advance. I have very little time with my family, so if I am going to use that time for something else it better be well worth it. I believe this was. We talked about being a leader. It really goes along with what we talked about at small groups last Sunday night as well. We are challenging each other to step out of our comfort zones. I feel like I did that a little today.

I wish I would've invited a couple of my buddies to the retreat, but I didn't even think about it. Sorry about that! I think they could've taken something away from the weekend. If not from the discussions, they would've throughly enjoyed watching me land flat on my face during paintball. I'm sure the 30 or so that were standing near by had a good laugh, I know I did.

Paintball was certainly fun, but I can't see that ever being a hobby. There were some guys out there that take that a little too seriously. There were times when I was on the wrong end of some sort of machine gun. When you see twenty paintballs flying towards your face, you know you may be over your head. It was fun, and I will certainly do it again sometime. These pictures are courtesy of LT and the preacher man. Being away from puts me at a disadvantage adding pictures.

I am the one on the left. That helmet makes my head look small, and that is saying something!

House Cleaning

I promised these pictures for a while. I was finally able to get them this weekend. I attended a men's retreat this weekend. We talked about being manly men. What is more manly than holding a dead animal by the head? You can tell they are dead because they have "X's" over their eyes.





You can see that Dad is manly also.

I had a great weekend. I will write about it later. Right now I am tired, and I'm going to bed.

Super Bowl

I heard the Super Bowl was played this past Sunday. I didn't see very much of it. I wasn't all that interested, not even the commercials. I can probably watch those on the internet anyway. Thanks to the hosts of our small groups, and thanks for letting us stay a little late to watch the game. You guys did a great job, even though you tried to poison us with tainted cups.

I spent the first three quarters or so making paper airplanes for the kids (I'm available for birthday parties). Jackson brought a book that has 73 different airplane patterns. These aren't your father's paper airplanes. Gone are the days of the simple triangle. Kids today want the space shuttle (I'm not kidding). You almost need a welding torch to complete some of them. It was well worth the time, the kids seemed to enjoy them. The babies loved them even more. If the planes were left on the floor those guys would pounce on them and crush them like king kong.

Even though I didn't see much of the game, I saw the most exciting part. I really had a good time, and I think the rest of the family did too. There were a few complaints about bedtime, but the kids were to exhausted to really put up much of a fight.

New Blog

The wifey has a blog. You should check it out, there are already a lot of great topics on there.

http://jennij-livelaughlove.blogspot.com/

More later.

Texas Rangers, Driving

Today is another travel day, with a new twist. I am driving back and forth from Houston. I wanted to give air travel a break. That and I also think I shouldn't fly on any plane where my head can touch the ceiling. Anyways, I don't really mind the drive. The secret is sunflower seeds. I have found that I eat sunflower seeds I don't fall asleep. I guess I concentrate really hard on it. All I know I was about to pass out on the way down here early Monday morning, and sunflower seeds saved my life.



Baseball season is right around the corner. I know what you're thinking, who cares!!!!! I used to be a baseball fanatic, but I have sort of lost interest. I played fantasy baseball with my buddies for almost 15 years until this year. I decided to give it up. I am interested in the Texas Rangers, its always fun to pull for the underdog (I also love Texas Tech, Raider Power!!) Michael Young is my favorite Ranger, but there are two others that I think are exceptional people. I am proud to have them on my home team. I think these guys alone are reason enough to cheer for the Rangers. They are:



C. J. Wilson - (This is from the Newberg Report)
C.J. Wilson is hosting a Guitar Hero 3 Benefit Tournament this Friday, February 1, at the Landing Cafe at the Southwest Airlines Corporate Headquarters, 2702 Love Field Drive. The event will benefit Cook Children's Hematology and Oncology Outpatient Treatment Room, where Wilson has undertaken an effort to build a new video game lounge and entertainment room stocked with gaming systems, TV's, and DVD's for young patients and their families to enjoy. This guy has no reason (that I know of) to do anything like this, but this is at least the second time he has held a benefit like this. That is too cool.



Josh Hamilton - I really know very little about this guy, but he has gone through considerable hardships (that he brought on himself). You can read his story here: http://tinyurl.com/2l7lck

I am really pulling for this guy. I hope he makes it!

Introductions

Nothing really new to post, I just thought I would introduce you to my family. Some of the blogs I read use real names with a ton of pictures, and some use pseudonyms without any pictures. I began using nicknames, but to tell you the truth sometimes its hard enough to keep their real names straight. So I'm not going to worry about stalkers and share my family with you. I don't have a picture of my wife to share, but she will should pick one out soon. I don't have a picture of me either, so I will use the dog for now. He is better looking than me anyway, and I'm tired of the smoking alpaca.

Anyway, here we go.

This is Owen and Jackson. Owen is the small one with the incredibly round head.

This is Mia. Don't let the beautiful face fool you, she is trouble!

This is Sam, Samson, or Sam Sam. It depends on who you are talking to.

More to come!

Donuts with Dad

Just found out that Mimi had donuts with dad yesterday. Wow, that is depressing! Looks like she didn't know it was anything special which is good. I hate that I'm missing things in my kid's lives. I will never get used to that! I keep telling myself I have a good job, and this travel is not going to last forever. It certainly makes the weekends more special.

On a happy note, O has been walking since New Years. That's what this blogging thing is suppose to be about. He is really turning into monster. Its funny to watch him around other people. He is so reserved, but when he around his brother and sister, he is a madman.

The cat's out of the bag, I broke down and told more people that I have a blog. Hi, to all my new visitors out there. I promise not every post is depressing. I am really going to make an effort to post some pictures this weekend.

Traveling home today, I can't wait!

Travel is fun

Well it started last Wednesday night. There was snow in Atlanta, at least an inch. My travel partners and I decided it was a good idea to show up early at the airport on Thursday. We were schedule to fly at 7 pm that day. We were going to shoot for the 7 am or one shortly after. Upon arriving at the airport, and being greeted by a less than hospitable ticket agent, we found that the first three flights of the day were canceled. They were canceled because there might be bad weather. Give me a break! I might win the lottery, but I'm not ready to quit my job tomorrow. After 7 hours in the Atlanta airport we finally made it home. I didn't find out until I unpacked my bag that I left my shirt at the La Quinta. Nice way to end that implementation. On to Houston.

Man, Houston is depressing! I understand Seattle can be that way because of the gloomy weather, but at least you something to look at. Houston is just Houston. I hope to be out of here in a month.

Weighed yesterday, 237.5 pounds. I gained 4.5 pounds in a two week period. That is actually closer to my accurate weight. Of course, I didn't do any exercise so what do you expect. We'll give another shot for the guilt that the accountability is suppose to be gernerating to begin.

Weight, Birthday, Travel Buddy

Well, the weight thing hasn't gotten off to a fast start. I was in Lubbock all weekend so I didn't have time to weigh on Sunday morning. At best there was probably no change. I had too much birthday cake and Taco Villa to have lost any weight.



Speaking of Taco Villa, we had that for my birthday lunch. It was nice, my sister-in-law bought me a cake and everything. I was actually flying to Atlanta on birthday. I guess Atlanta's present to me was to get me through baggage claim as fast as possible. My bag was the fourth on turnstile.



I am going to break into a sports analogy now. I think I have always looked at life like a home run hitter. Always looking to smash the ball over the fence no matter what kind of pitch it was or where it was located. I am only happy with the home run, I'm not interested in singles or doubles. The problem with that logic is that I am closer to a Jason Tyner (1 career home run) than Barry Bonds (pre or post steroids). I am trying to take some enjoyment from the smaller things in life. I don't need the lottery, my freaking suitcase was one of the first ones off the plane. That may not be a smash over center field. It is more like I went with the curve ball on the outside part of the plate. Sure I grounded out to second, but I moved the runner from second to third putting him a position to score on a sacrifice fly. Its the kind of thing that doesn't show up in the box score. Enjoy the smaller things in life.



There is a new #1 travel partner. Knocking off Rowdy Roddy Piper is the great Dan Reeves. Coach Reeves is one of my all-time favorite coaches.

Hopefully I will finally get those pictures up sometime this week.

New Year's Necessity

I am not making a New Years Resolution. I am making a New Years Necessity. Everyone wants to lose weight at the beginning of the new year, but I need to lose weight. I weighed in on Sunday morning before I flew to Atlanta. I have to say the results weren't great, but it was actually a little better than I thought it would be. I guess staying off the road helps my wasteline. Anyway, I don't really have a plan, so I'm not off to a great start. I did some push-ups and sit-ups this week. I didn't find out until this morning that the hotel I am at has a small workout room. Its not much, but it does have a treadmill. I guess we will see how committed I am beginning next week. I am going to post my progress here every week. I hope the blog will hold me accountable. After all I don't want to disappoint both my readers.

At the beginning of week 1, I weighed in at 233 pounds. Wow, that hurts me to say that!

My wife is doing WW, which she has done incredibly well with, and I think their first goal is to lose 20%. So, 20% of my total weight is 46 pounds. That would put me at 187, and that really is about where I want to be. Since that is going to put me close to my final weight I may have to rethink that goal. It seems like I need a few in between. Of course, I may get to 187 and still need to lose, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I also need to think of a time frame. I don't know what is realistic, and what is selling myself a little short. I'll talk to the queen of weight loss and come back with some concrete goals.

Hunting

I shot a 10 point buck last weekend. Actually that is why there has been a delay in posting. I was hoping to get a picture posted of him, but that will have to wait. All in all it was a good hunting season. We saw several bucks that were bigger than they were in years past. That area has seen a lot of rainfall, and you notice the benefit it has had on these animals. My brother-in-law shot an eleven, and my father-in-law shot a huge ten. It was actually the deer I wanted, but I really shouldn't complain. He is generous enough to let me hunt for basically nothing. He can shoot what he wants, but I had to give him a hard time about it.

I really enjoy hunting, at least I think I enjoy it. It is nice to spend some time outside in the middle of nowhere. (You can't believe the amount of stars that you can see at night) It is interesting to watch the deer interact with each other. I like the rush of adrenaline when you see a big buck, and the anxious moments waiting until you will have a shot. Even the disappointment when it doesn't work out. We have cameras set up at the feeders, and I love seeing what happens when I am not there. You learn to identify different animals, and it helps you decide which animal to take. The only part I have a problem with is the actual shooting of the deer. So does that make me any less of a hunter? I can't figure out what I am feeling from the time I pull the trigger to the time I collect the deer. I guess it is the fact that I am taking a life. I just can't put a finger on it. Maybe I will figure it out someday.

I will continue to go every year, if no other reason than to spend time with Dad (that what the grandkids call him). I married the oldest of his three daughters. Jenn says that he likes spending time with me because he always wanted a boy. Whatever the case, we have a good time and now my oldest has been going with us. In the mean time, I will wait 10 months for my new trophy to be hung on the wall.