The Good O Days

Blog Hijack!

2011-04-19T10:54:00.009-05:00

The Four of us just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. You are the best dad and husband around!!

What is more fun then getting to run around and play with Daddy??
Fun with Daddy

Feb 16-18

2011-02-04T12:27:00.002-06:00

NFL vs. WWF

2011-02-03T15:56:00.001-06:00

Something tells me if the Super Bowl were in the WWF someone would be getting a haircut afterwards.

Remember back in the day when they had the hair match?

Polamalu vs. Matthews

Someone would be going home with a shaved dome.

I was 3

2011-01-28T14:04:00.002-06:00

On this day 25 years ago:

For the record I don't remember any of this day, all these stories are past down through the years.
So on this particular day I was home sick from preschool. My mom was at work so the lady that lived with my mom and I at the time stayed home with me. She was younger than my mom and had no children of her own but was willing to take care of me for the day. So we sat down on the couch with cereal in hand in front of the T.V. and she explained the best she could about space shuttles to a 3 year old. We were all ready to watch the shuttle take off.

Then you know what came next. Horror.

My mom told me that Lori didn't say a word to me. We sat there in total disbelief with the rest of the world. She called my mom and said I have no idea what to say to him.

Wow. I can not imagine what had to be running through her head right then.

Single Digits

2011-01-26T08:11:00.002-06:00

Here are the events that are happening around me:

In 1 week our church starts it's Flavour series. This signals the beginning of my busy time at work.
In 2 weeks we start preparations for our annual C3 conference. Even more work. We will almost go around the clock for 2 weeks to set the stage for the most amazing conference on the planet.
On week 3 Mandi's parents will fly in from the Philippines and we have our conference at church.
Then, in 4 weeks baby Lainey will be born. That is the cherry on top!!

Those are a lot of single digit numbers. Let's get ready to rumble.

Only Me

2011-01-25T18:52:00.002-06:00

Ever been driving the car and hear a concerning sound come from the back seat?

Today while taking a leisurely drive to and from our neighborhood popcorn store I heard a gagging sound. PANIC!! Head on a swivel kinda freak out.

And only in my world would it be that Lillian had stuck her toes so far in her mouth she choked.

Women are Wierd

2011-01-20T12:47:00.002-06:00

The other day I was on the hunt for the keys to my wife's car. This an almost daily occurrence because there is absolutely no rhyme or reason as to where she is going to put them down. This drives me crazy but doesn't seem to faze her.
So I checked her purse. I was looking for her keys (a pretty normal thing to find in a purse) and what I found instead was a measuring cup (not normal at all.) So I took it out and threw it in the dishwasher. I asked her why on Earth she had that in there and without second thought she said she was making oatmeal at work and went right on about whatever she was doing.
This is odd.
Reminds me of the game they used to play on Lets Make A Deal where he would call out random objects and those crazy ladies would pull out all kinds of junk.

One time I knew a girl that had a whole filing system in her purse. And for some reason it just seemed normal.

If you are wondering, in my wallet I have my ID, my debit card, insurance cards, and some business cards. That's it.

Soft Towels

2011-01-11T11:33:00.002-06:00

We have figured out the recipe to have the softest towels ever.

We used fabric softener, but not in the traditional way. No Downy ball for us.

One day when I got home I told Mandi that the house smelled nice. (Side note, we have a Scentsy wall plug-in in our bathroom. We got it a while back and it works amazing. We even have to turn it off occasionally because it can get to strong.) In the back of my head I thought that was what smelled. So after a while the smell was super strong and while we were eating dinner I said it kinda smelled like fabric softener. That is when Mandi jumped up from the table and ran to the laundry room.

The new unopened fabric softener that was sitting on the washing machine was now sitting on the floor in a puddle. And of course it was lavender vanilla so it was PURPLE. Panic. So we went into clean up mode. Something that with two kids running around we do quite well and rather quickly. I ran to get towels as she assessed the situation. So after we soaked it all up with about 6 towels we were in the clear.

Sent the towels through the wash a couple of times. And now, like magic, we have the worlds softest towels.

I don't recommend this technique but if you do find yourself in this same pickle take a word of advice from us; use your good towels. Don't go grab the junky ones from the guest closet. Grab the fancy ones.

Your Welcome.

Mini Me

2011-01-05T15:07:00.002-06:00

I got these from 2 different people for Christmas. Why? What makes everyone think I need miniature tools? Is there something I am missing?

The Omnipresent God

2011-01-03T08:38:00.002-06:00

Just one example of why Landon is to smart for her own good. She is asking questions like these that we don't know if she is quite ready for the answers to.

"Dad? Is there more than one Jesus?"
"How can Jesus be in Texas and Minnesota. Can He fly? Or does He just jump from cloud to cloud real fast?"

I am amazed at how her little mind works, I just wish it would slow down a little and just be 4.

Last night Mandi took her to the grocery store by herself. Mandi is typically the one that gets the really wild questions, and last night was no exception.

"Mommy? Are Jesus and Santa Clause friends?"

She must know that Mandi is struggling with whether or not to promote the big round man. But when she tried to compare him to Jesus the cat was almost out of the bag.

I have told her my strategy for these questions. "Landon? Want some ice cream?" But I guess when she is in the pressure situation she forgets her only way out.

Random Horse's Rear

2010-12-23T07:41:00.002-06:00

One day on the way to Magic Kingdom the intercom system went out on our bus so the driver had to tell us all the information of the day rather than just hit play on the recording. So he went through the normal stuff and threw in a little humor. "Like don't forget you belongings on the bus, especially your kids." He was a part time comedian. When we got to the park he said something that sent me on a mission. He threw out a little trivia. He asked,"how do you know what horse on the carousel is Cinderella's?" The answer was, Cindy, Cinderella's horse had a gold ribbon on her tail. So the hunt was on!! When Landon and I got on we were hunting. It isn't as easy as it sounds, there are 90 horses on that stinkin thing and they are 5 deep, and the clock is running, there are kids everywhere scrambling around. And on top of that Landon had to ride a PINK horse. So there I was like a mad man, hunting a pink horse next to the horse with the tiny gold ribbon (which at the time I had no idea what it even looked like.) So after a few minutes and an agitated kid, since we passed about 40 pink ponies, I gave up. It was OK though because I was cruising in circles in the shadow of the castle with my own little princess by my side. Then, I looked ahead at the horse in front of us and saw this:

I was so excited!! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I fumbled around trying to get my phone out and ready for the picture. And for the record, when I got home I Googled a picture of Cindy. And ladies and gentlemen, this is NOT her. It is just a random horse's rear.

Maybe next time I will find her.....

Bad Judge

2010-12-20T10:49:00.002-06:00

Today I realized I am a bad judge of what is going to "catch on."
Here are a few examples:
I can vividly remember in elementary school when a teacher of mine bought a new car. And that crazy lady got a CD player instead of a tape deck. How could she? Those things were just a fad and way too expensive.
Then, I can remember when DVDs were coming out. And we used to go to Blockbuster and check out videos and there was one little lonely rack with DVDs on it. Not many titles and you had to rent the DVD player and put a huge deposit down for it. Who would ever do that?
And now this morning I had another realization. I remember when you used to have to lick a stamp to put it on an envelope. I can remember when I first saw those sticker stamps. I though "Gosh, you have to be super lazy to pay for those. Just stick your tongue out!" And now that is the only option.

The Grass Is Always Greener

2010-12-06T17:32:00.002-06:00

So to prove that this is true,here are a few pictures:

(This is the tree in my yard)

(And here is the house across the street.)

Perspective

2010-11-29T08:24:00.002-06:00

Today Landon grabbed a rubber band that was on the counter. She looked at it kinda weird. Then looked at me and said, "this silly band doesn't look like anything."

Diversity

2010-11-24T08:03:00.002-06:00

This weekend I was reminded of the diversity of the church that I serve.

Every weekend I seem to realize something different or something stands out to me. This weekend it was the diversity of the individuals that make up Fellowship Church.

When we went to service on Saturday it hit me during the worship music. I could see a friend's parents sitting a few rows in front of us. They were an elderly couple. They were singing every word and had their hands out. To the side of us I could see high school students in full on worship. They were shouting, bouncing, and just about ready to jump on top of their seats. I could also see the mom and daughter in front of us. Mom had her arms stretched up in surrender as her and her daughter sang along to every song. What a diverse group. All there for one reason: worship their creator.

Then on Sunday morning while I was working again I saw a show of diversity in the nursery. Normally you can predict the type of person who wants to work with the babies. Normally grandmothers and couples. Not us! We have all types: single moms, 18 yr old high school students, pastor's wife, even a couple with infertility issues who are struggling to have a child of their own. But the exchange I saw after our last service was special. We have an older lady who stays a little late to clean all the strollers. While she was doing her normal thing one of the girls that used to volunteer with her stopped by to say hello. The lady that cleans is the sweet old lady that her hair is always fixed up, smells nice, and everyone knows her name. The girl that came to see her, she did smell nice, but is covered in tattoos including a colorful neck tattoo, wears a pair of old check taylors, and has spiky hair. But they are friends. Now that's an odd couple. But it is just a normal friendship up there. Which made me feel special that I get to experience such a diverse place every week.

The last example was special to me. There is a guy that I have recently become friends with. He and I went to our men's conference earlier this year. We watched a few boxing matches together. We shared manly experiences. This weekend I saw him volunteer for the first time. And not just that, this manly man sang a sweet little girl to sleep. It wouldn't surprise me to hear him sing Led Zeplin any day of the week. But Sunday he sang You Are My Sunshine.

I am truly blessed by my experiences.

Sweet Embrace

2010-11-15T16:24:00.002-06:00

I had the privilege of witnessing one of the single greatest hugs I have ever seen this weekend.

There were many accommodations and specials scenarios that led up to the event. I could go into great detail but instead I will just tell the scene.

There we sat in a quiet room in the nursery. Just a normal Sunday. Worship music playing softly from the corner. And in a little glider I saw Jesus' hands wrap around a child and adult simultaneously.

The nursery volunteer was wearing a cute hat covering her still bald head from the effect the chemo had on her body. She had a smile that said that even though she was not the same externally, her soul was still filled with the Holy Spirit and no cancer would ever take that from her.

The child wore a baby doll dress with a matching headband. Her dress covered the plug where her feeding tube went in and also the port in her chest that was just used for her own chemo treatment. One of her hands gripped her Minnie Mouse doll and the other was wrapped around the volunteers body.

As we sat there all I could think about is they were both going through the same experience and were sharing a bond that not many of us will ever understand. I could see the looks in their eyes. No words were spoken. But the embrace was special. I will never forget that moment.

The little girl's parents were able to go experience worship for the first time since her treatment began and we sat in that quiet room praising God for His hand in this situation. Everything lined up perfectly for just that moment.

Video From This Weekends Service

2010-11-09T13:04:00.002-06:00

I Will Follow - Live from Fellowship Creative on Vimeo.

Crossover

2010-11-08T08:53:00.002-06:00

We no longer own a crossover, we have now crossed over.

Pockets

2010-11-03T08:33:00.002-05:00

You don't know what you have until its gone. True.
I realized recently after pulling out a pair of old fleece pajama pants (gotta go deep in the drawer for something warm and snuggly once it goes under 70 degrees) that I have to have pockets on my sleepwear.
Weird I know. But all my other pajama bottoms have pockets on them. Didn't even realized that I used them until they were gone.
I shouldn't be concerned with carrying around stuff at 10 o'clock, but apparently I do.
Oh well, I guess I will add that to my funky list of things that make me happy.

Gooble Gobble

2010-11-01T11:49:00.003-05:00

Just a normal day at work for me:
Here is a conversation that I overheard in the nursery at church this past weekend.
Keep in mind the two ladies talking are very proper ladies that were volunteering at church this weekend, both are mothers of three small children, both are married to pastors at our church, and both are stay at home moms.

Lady #1: "We have found a live turkey to live in the lobby next weekend inside the Thanksgiving food drive display."

Lady #2: "Thats great. Who had it?"

Lady #1: "We borrowed it from a feed store."

Lady #2: "What are you going to do if it poops?"

Lady #1: "We found out that if it gets nervouse one time it will empty out, that way we only have to clean it up once."

Lady #2: "Great. Then you return it Monday?"

Lady #1: "Yes."

Lady #2: "You think they would sell it to me? We need a turkey."

All of that is totally normal right?

Guabi Guabi

2010-10-21T12:36:00.002-05:00

A good one!

I love that little blondie!

Big World, Small World

2010-10-18T12:44:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday I experienced a big world become small and make a large impact.

A church that is way far away (Hillsong Church, Sydney Australia) 15,551 miles away
launched a new location this past Sunday (New York City) 1,555 miles away

So after church Saturday night we went down the street to eat with some friends (Chili's) 2 miles away

At dinner we started talking about churches that we would like to visit. One of my answers was the new Hillsong campus in NYC.

And that is when it happened!

The guy that we were eating with took out his iPhone and started texting like a mad man. I didn't know what he was doing at the time. But with a huge grin on his face he looked up and said that his sister and his father were going to go to the launch of Hillsong NYC the next day.

Wow. Via the Internet. Across a few oceans. All in a few short minutes. Someone was informed, invited, and going to attend a church the next day. I still am having a hard time concepting the magnitude of what all was in place and the simplicity of the simple conversation over a burger and fries that made it happen.

God is good and His timing is perfect.

A Peek Into Our Crazy Life

2010-10-15T17:18:00.004-05:00

This may look like a random picture but let me explain. Today I cleaned out the back seat of the car and these are the items that emerged. What you can't see is the bag of trash that came out, these are the real items:

9 pairs of shoes
1 clothes hanger
all the closing paperwork from our home refinance
6 snack bowls
1 sippy cup
Dallas Cowboys coozie
Hair accessories (headband, 8 pony tail holders, 4 bows)
2 books
approx. 6 pairs of dirty socks
1 watch
1 bracelet
4 silly bandz

Keep in mind these are the things that are NOT supposed to be in the car. We do have a small toy box that we keep in there for toys that stay in the car. In there we have a few books, dolls, and some small toys to keep their intrest on the road.
This is kinda embarrassing but it is real.
Now we have a clean car inside and out to sport around town this weekend.

Oh Canada

2010-10-13T13:00:00.002-05:00

Last night the Rangers won the ALDS! Go Rangers!! Antlers Up!

Then afterward there was a super classy act done by the team. When I heard the story I couldn't quit thinking about how awesome it was that not only the team did it, but they had to go out of their way to get it done. Josh Hamilton sat out of the champagne celebration when the team won the division because of his alcohol addiction. It was just not a place that he needed to put himself in. So as a team last night they did the time honored tradition again (and rightfully so), Hamilton again sat out. This time though someone asked him to come in the locker room the guys had something for him. He admittedly was nervous. Then the guys did the entire celebration again with Ginger Ale so that they could do it as an entire team. Amazing!!

Now on a related Canadian connection, where can I get some of these:

Remember those? I have put down many of those yummy bottles. And now I need more.

Versus

2010-10-12T12:50:00.016-05:00

I have been a blog slacker for a while. But for good reason. I have been getting ready for and experiencing the greatest men's conference ever!! Here are a few pics to show you a glimpse:

The Opener:

(included full SWAT team dropping out of the ceiling)

Worship Night 1:

Real MEN raising their hands in full surrender to God

Man Sports:

Bad picture of tug-o-war

(didn't get pictures of the arm wrestling, ice cream eating, or slam dunk contest)

1st ever FC Fight Night:

Those are real punches... 2 KOs and 1 broke nose that night.

Push Up Contest:

With a drill instructor on a microphone.

Car Show:

Phantom:

Ferrari:

And then there were sporting contest to challenge your friends:

And maybe I ran that thing:

Final Worship Set:
Men's Conference not complete without Pyrotechnics and power tools

Kevin Gerald:

Bringing a strong word about The Harvest

Pastor Ed Young & Kevin Gerald:

Doing a man's Q&A to wrap it all up

What can never be captured in pictures is the pure energy that was in the room. (also the smell) It was an amazing couple of days that I hope will shape me into a stronger man. Next years dates are already set and I am making sure I am there to do it all over again!

Backhanded Compliment

2010-10-02T08:05:00.002-05:00

Here's the back story: There is a men's conference at church next weekend. It is the first ever so everyone is trying to throw the testosterone around pretty thick up there. One of the things that many of the guys are doing is not shaving until the conference. So what did I do? I took that challenge (kinda.) We all know that there is no way I could ever grow full facial hair. It would look like a hot mess. So I told Mandi that I was doing it just to get a rise out of her. I haven't shaved since Tuesday when I went to work. And just as I thought, it is nasty. So while she is at work today I will shave it off. She will be thrilled.

So here is the compliment, even though it was not intended that way: Last night when she got home from work she was on one couch and I was on the other. Then she looked at me and said, "You need to shave, your face looks like you have dirt on it." There it is! Many wouldn't see the silver lining there but I did. She noticed my scruff from across the living room. Mission accomplished!

p.s. I'm thinking about leaving the stash as a tribute to Dan Stark. If you don't know who Dan Stark is shame on you. He is one of the cops on the new series Good Guys on Fox. Great show.

Stary Night

2010-09-30T22:09:00.002-05:00

The last couple of days we have had a new trend at bedtime.

We have gotten home later than normal, after dark, and me and the girls have gone outside and laid on the trampoline and looked at the stars. The weather has been awesome and it is a great time to just lay and hold hands and be together.
I wish we could do it every day. But the truth is that the weather wont always be perfect and the new will wear off.
So I will have to come up with new ideas to have special bonding time with the girls.

I dream of a lifetime of special moments with these little princesses.

Um......No Thank You!

2010-09-27T12:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday Landon and I had to make a quick run to the neighborhood Walmart to grab some soup for Mandi jo who was at home couch-bound.

I asked Landon if she had to go potty before we left home and of course she said no. And of course when we got there she started to do the pee-pee dance. So off we go to the public restrooms. Joys of being a dad of a daughter. Thankfully the family restrooms are popping up everywhere so I don't have to walk her past the urinals to get to the safety of the stall. So we got back to the potties (at the very back of the store) and the men's was blocked by the janitor's cart and the family restroom was locked. OH NO, decision time. (ps Why is there always only 1 family restroom?) Do I wait? Is the family one locked because it is occupied? Or because it is being cleaned also? So I did what anyone would do. Panic! And in my state of just standing and staring at the family restroom door we had a very awkward conversation:

Walmart Lady: "Does she need to go to the bathroom?" <--- What was your first clue?
Me: "Um....Yes"
Walmart Lady: "I can take her to the girls restroom."
Me: "Um....No Thank You." <----- With a very confused and befuddled face I'm sure.
Walmart Lady: "Oh, it's ok, I work here." <---- Obvious by the name tag. She was sure to point it out.
Me: "I think we will wait."

Then a miracle happened. A dad with his little girl came out of the family restroom. It was like a ray of sunshine came shining out. I almost cheered. We ran in as quick as we could.

So after that ordeal when we came out I thought I would get her a little treat from daddy. So I approached another guy in a name tag. This one a little less creepy. I asked him where we could find the kites. (Landon learned at church this weekend that God made the sky, so I thought this would be a fun activity for us.) His answer was we don't have any...... ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

So we just got some soup and headed home.

Love Letter

2010-09-24T09:33:00.002-05:00

Love letter to my wife inspired by Sanctus Real's "Lead Me"

Mandi jo,

I promise to stand with you always. Through everything!
I promise to lead our family and stand strong in any situation
I promise to stand within arms reach whenever you should need me.
I promise to stand firm in any decisions we make together.
I promise to stand aside and let you shine.
I promise to stand up to any opposition that may come our way.
I promise we will always stand together.
I love you always.

DH

Me and My Bride

2010-09-23T13:09:00.003-05:00

As many of you know that read this my wife has a shutterfly account that she shares family pictures with our family. Well, our sister in law has one also that she shares with her family. So I checked hers out today and I found a few of Mandi and I on there. I love this first one. It is us from the wedding that we recently attended in Minnesota.

Then she backed that up with this one:

Great! Now her family thinks I am a goober. Thanks for sharing the love. I can't wait till we catch her on camera doing something ridiculous.

Crazy Love

2010-09-22T11:07:00.002-05:00

2 different people suggested the same book to me last night at 2 different times. So what did I do when I got home? Bought it online, downloaded it, and jumped right in. It is a really cool book that links to internet videos in the chapters (what a cool idea.) Here is one of the few that I watched last night while reading Chapter 1:

Hope you enjoyed it. And I hope that if have read or decide to read it in the future we can discuss it.

Charity:Water

2010-09-20T18:07:00.003-05:00

If you would like to donate $2 for Lillian's 2nd B-day to a good cause check out:
www.mycharitywater.org/lillybug
She has her own site set up and would like to give 3 little kids clean water for the next 20 years.
Big goals for such a big girl.

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

2010-09-20T13:23:00.001-05:00

Anyone ever caught their 3 year old kissing their friend in the lobby of the children's church?

I did this week. What a classic dad moment.

Time Management

2010-09-16T13:32:00.002-05:00

I decided to start a weekly newletter to my staff for weekday childcare. The purpose is to inform, motivate, remind them of events, and give them an opportunity to give feedback. There is another girl that did similar notes for a weekend team and I loved them, just a little to girly. So my first week was a teamwork themed notes. And my goal was to make them masculine and I think I did a pretty good job. I had chains, shields, and the Under Armor logo of "protect this house", I would say it was a success.
So to back it up this week I decided on a "Time Management" theme. I based it all on the most random quote I could find:

"Don't try to teach a pig to sing,

it wastes your time

and annoys the pig."

So I was getting it all ready for my staff to have when we started our shift and I was bombarded with all kinds of things going on. Needless to say it didn't get done. I did finish it up yesterday and hand it out. Nothing like handing out notes on time management a day late. Oh well. Now they know I'm human.

Cravings

2010-09-15T08:19:00.002-05:00

I have come up with a theory:
All women are a little weird, then they wait till they are pregnant to show you. Then they have the excuse "it just the pregnancy"
No one should ever be sitting on the couch at 9:30 and say, I don't know if I want an apple or a cucumber. That is one strange craving!
(she just bought the apples, 4 for $11)

Me 2

2010-09-14T11:58:00.002-05:00

I been thinking of coming up with a new name for my blog. I have been thinking about "Light It Up" kinda to say I have a light inside of me that I want to shine and be seen by all. Then after the FC 20th Anniversary celebration I am thinking that is just what I will settle on. I don't have the time to do the graphics yet, but know it is coming. (sooner than later I hope)

The purpose of this is to promote community. I recently read that one of the strongest ways that you can connect to someone is to say "me to", and to be able to have that connection one or both of you has to be able to open up and be vulnerable. So here goes. I'm about to open up a little more.

Here is one of many videos that was done this last weekend:

It's Always Been About You from Fellowship Church on Vimeo.

Come On BOYS

2010-09-13T08:46:00.003-05:00

That game was sad!! Then I had my heart ripped out of my chest at the end of the game. And to see #71 on the field after the game smiling and shaking hands made me sick. All in all it was like being sucker punched in the throat. And that aint no fun! I will hold onto hope though. I liked what I saw from all of our backs and receivers and when Romo has some time to think back there I think it will all come together nicely. Hope D. Ware isn't hurt to bad and that stud will be back to be the beast he is. (Classy move by McNabb to take a knee while he was hurt - it hurts me to say anything nice about the skins.)

Squirrel vs. Rat

2010-08-30T12:30:00.004-05:00

When I was in a psychology class in college my professor posed a question to the class that I have often thought about. She asked why do people think squirrels are cute and rats are gross? She said they are essentially the same animal, one just has a fuzzy tail. I am guilty. I think squirrels are cute. I know they are rodents and carry many diseases but I can't help but to think they are cute. I have even been guilty of trying to sneak up on one and try and pet it.

Rules

2010-08-23T15:14:00.003-05:00

As a young dad I have learned a few things along the way. One of the most interesting things to think about are rules and their evolution as the days go on.
I have learned to stay away from certain terms when setting rules. These are the "set in stone" words. For example: I will never ________ or, we will always ____________. These are likely at some time going to need to be amended for some special circumstance.
I like to have game plan rules. Like, we will, if available, all sit at the table to eat dinner. We then have the flexibility to change if need be.
Today I implemented a new rule that I don't envision us changing:

"We will not walk outside without our pants on."

That's one that I hope sticks around for a while.

Influence

2010-08-21T11:28:00.003-05:00

I blogged a while back about us going to Going Bonkers with some friends of ours. It was a wonderful night and the kids loved it. Here are some pictures to prove it. Lillian had such a good time in the little kids area, there was a spot where she could climb 4 little stairs and go down a slide. She must have done it 1000 times. Here she is going down all proper while her buddy takes it head on. She must have taken mental note because the next time around she went for it.

Go Lilly!

Love Love Love that girl!!!

I Can Read Minds

2010-08-19T11:39:00.005-05:00

This series of pictures was taken at the pond right before we got our fish on. It was a great night and Landon was so excited. She has talked about it ever since. When we got home she wanted to look through all the pictures that mommy took so she could see her big catch. When we came across these three we got the biggest chuckle. So here goes, here is what she is thinking:

"Yeah, I'm cute. Now let's fish."

"I don't know what 'the bird' is, but I think I may be giving it

to you under this goofy smile."

"What? Me? I wouldn't.... Well, maybe I would. Now let's fish."

We had a wonderful night and will cherish the memories forever. There are pictures of the fish but I will have to share them another time. I just couldn't pass up posting these gems.

Little Bunny Foo Foo

2010-08-18T15:12:00.002-05:00

This picture scares me. There I said it. I am not ashamed to say it. And if I was at a camp in the woods and turned around to see this thing chasing me I would say some "choice" words.

And that is just what happened to a friend of mine. When I heard that story I laughed till my side hurt. But then I could totally sympathise with her. The best part of the story is that the whole thing was caught on camera. Boy would I love to see that, to sympathise of course. I would never want to see it just so I could laugh so hard I peed.

On My Heart

2010-08-17T12:08:00.003-05:00

We are starting to think about a birthday party for sweet little almost 2 year old. So naturally we thought about the splash park (one of her favorite hang outs these days.) But while thinking about it for some reason the contrast of her beautiful life was somehow connected in my mind with little girls all around the world that don't have the same opportunities. It wasn't hard for me to quickly look through the pictures on our computer and find the one below of her playing in the crystal clear water at our local splash park. It unfortunately also wasn't hard for me to find the next picture either. The cup in that little girl's hand isn't for playing, it is for her drinking water. It breaks my heart to think that 1 in 8 kids around the world don't have access to clean drinking water. And out of those, 4500 will die today because of a water related disease.

So there spawned my idea. What if at her party we could raise money and awareness for these little girls. What if we could all bring a little and in turn make a huge impact. For $20 we can provide a child with clean water for 20 years through charitywater.org. The picture below could be replayed every day for the next 20 years because of our generosity.

Fishing

2010-08-17T08:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we went and got Landon a fishing pole. You would not believe how happy this made her. She danced all over the store when she got it. Then we she got home she called her Pops and had a whole conversation about bobbers. It was awesome. So, this morning how else would you expect her to watch cartoons:

11:30

2010-08-12T08:59:00.002-05:00

There are many sounds I can think of that you never want to hear at 11:30 PM. One such sound is your dog gagging. That is how I awoke last night and it was NOT fun. My first thought was get him outside he is going to yack. Then in my half asleep state I realized he was under our bed. OH NO! Our bed isn't very tall and somehow he squeezed his round little body under there. NOT good at all. Right then, amidst my panic, he puked. Then it hit me, this clean up process is going to take a while. So I had to turn on the lights (Mandi was not happy about this, she slept through the commotion), get my pregnant wife out of bed, remove the dog from under the bed, move the bed, then start cleaning. My gag reflexes were in overdrive and Mandi was zero help. It was a long process and I still have to figure out how to get the bed back where it belongs. But that is a task for later. We have to get to story time at the library....

Legal Mombo Jombo

2010-08-10T12:44:00.002-05:00

We recently got new medical insurance. Joy! And now we are trying to figure it all out. Bottom line, we have to pay and pay and pay and eventually there is an end in sight. Well we hope anyway.
So we started trying to think ahead (I know, noble idea) for the delivery of baby #3 and how much the whole thing is going to cost so we can budget accordingly. Not that it wont be worth every penny, we just have to start planning.
I for one don't understand all the lingo these insurance people use. Maybe I am uneducated or just slow but it seems to me they talk with terms that only they understand. I called on the phone only to be frustrated so Mandi sent an email. So we can go slow and try to digest it all.
Here is an example of one of the phrases we heard:
"For covered In-Network services that are currently considered at 90% of the allowed amount, the benefit level would increase to 100% of the allowed amount once you have met both the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum."
See what I mean? That's crazy talk!
Now here is the final paragraph that I thought was particularly interesting:
"The information provided in no way represents a guarantee of payment. The benefits quoted are general and based upon the information present on our computer records and may not reflect information recently received. Benefits for any claim will be provided according to the eligibility, terms, and conditions of the participant's contract at the time the service is rendered. All services must meet medical criteria for coverage and are subject to all contract limitations or exclusions."
Is this just on long way to say if something changes between now and then don't rely on what I just said? What a good way to cover your tracks.
I think I will start including something along those lines at the end of everything I say. And I'm going to say it real fast, under my voice, and with my fingers crossed. Ha. Gotcha.

Blurred Lines

2010-08-09T12:38:00.002-05:00

Friday night we had to privilege to go to a 16th birthday party for one of our friend's daughters. We went to Going Bonkers which is a big indoor play area from kids off all ages (including the 28 yr old dads). Not were you would think a 16 year old would pick but given the families involved it was a good time.
As I sat with the people there, all families from our church, I thought about all the ways that our lives are connected and how fun it was to all come together and spend time playing.
There were 4 families which equalled 11 kids which equals good times.
1st story line: The Kuders, which it was their daughter's bday invited us all because we are friends first and foremost.
2nd: I am in charge of weekday childcare and the Kuders are on my team
3rd: I work in the nursery on Sunday, the mom of one family is a vol in the nursery on Sunday
4th: The Kuders are Landon's teachers on weeknights
5th: The Kuders are Lillian's teachers on weekends
6th: Another girl there was Lillian's teacher when she was in the younger hallway
7th: The lady from the nursery was Lillian's teacher when she was a newborn
8th: One guy was on staff at our church
9th: When I was teaching elementary kids on weeknights I was one of the Kuder girl's teacher
So you can see our lives are all intertwined. And it is awesome.
So when Landon went off to play with the Kuder girls in the play area she came back to me all excited and full of stories. She kept telling me what all her "teachers" had taught her. I know there are a lot of story lines above, but the Kuder girls have never been her teachers. She was so confused.
Which got me thinking: how awesome is it that we are so engaged in connecting on so many levels that Landon can't figure out what title to call people. There are so many ways we could identify each other if we chose titles, but instead we just call each other friend.

Guess What We Found

2010-08-03T07:45:00.003-05:00

Oh yeah! We found a new splash park that has been right under our noses. This is a favorite way to spend summer evenings around here. We go to the same one over and over and over again. It is great, that's why we have been about 100 times. Free, cool, and loads of fun. But when I found out about this new little gem we had to go on an adventure to find it. And it was well worth it. The girls played hard there last night followed by sleeping hard.

Changed

2010-07-31T10:08:00.002-05:00

Hillsong LIVE Tour update - Dallas [with David and Kari] from Hillsong Church on Vimeo.

Here is a video blog from some of the singers that put on a concert at Fellowship last night. What a night! I have a feeling a lot of people are walking around today forever changed by the level of worship that they experienced last night.

There was a feeling of expectation and anticipation surrounding this event for weeks leading up to last night. There was a feeling of excitement that filled the campus hours before the concert. But nothing compares to walking in the back of the worship center and FEELING the Holy Spirit in full force. I was changed by 1 song.

As you can see in some of the clips that are shown in the above video our House was on FIRE for God last night. I truly believe that people are going to pursue or God with more enthusiasm, intensity, and passion because of the way that they were led to worship last night.

Over The Top

2010-07-29T08:11:00.003-05:00

I bet you thought this post was going to be about the totally awesome old school movie about arm wrestling didn't you? I can understand. Every time I hear that term that is the first thing to comes to my mind. That little boy, the tuckers, the arm wrestling tournament. I loved that movie. Oh, and remember when that guys arm snapped? Made me cringe every time.

Well maybe this post is about arm wrestling, maybe it's about crazy ipod gadgets, or maybe it is about one of my pet peeves. My pet peeve is that I like the toilet paper to be placed on the roll just as this one is. I think the paper should come over the top, not around back and down the bottom. Is that to much to ask? I didn't think so.

Dangling Feet

2010-07-27T09:16:00.002-05:00

This weekend Mandi and I realized that the girls feet dangle a lot during the day. They dangle when they are in their car seats, when they sit at the kitchen table, and anytime they sit in full size chairs. The world isn't made for legs that are only 2 ft long. Which got us thinking, do they not fall asleep. They must not. I know when my feet fall asleep there is no hiding it. You kinda walk like a duck. Or a drunk pirate on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Either way, no hiding it. So feet falling asleep must be an adult thing, I wonder why?

Side story: I remember one time in elementary school there was an awards ceremony in the gym. I have never been a good Indian style sitter, still not. And I got called for some sort of award, I don't remember what it was because what happened next scared me for life. When I stood up my feet where asleep but I didn't know until I took that first step. Or lack there of. I face planted. It was ugly.

Rhinestones Make Everything Cooler

2010-07-23T17:04:00.003-05:00

One of our really good friends had these awesome shirts made for the girls. We love them.

A Slight Improvement

2010-07-21T12:20:00.003-05:00

Now that's what an elementary area should look like! That's a 2 story mountain made out of Styrofoam. It has a working train that cruises around it and has a water fall that flows right through the middle. What an impact. If you check out the top there is a cube balanced on the top with our FC Kids logo on it. Oh, and for good measure there is a hot air balloon floating above your head that has the logo of our children's curriculum. WOW! So you can see that today's post and yesterdays are completely different images. (I wonder what happened to the 1 lonely plant at the bottom of the stairs in the other picture.) I get to work with some amazingly creative people.

Elementary

2010-07-20T13:14:00.003-05:00

I found this picture today of the elementary area at our church. It is right after it was built. If you go to Fellowship Church the picture looks wild to you because you know what it looks like now. Tonight when I am at work I am going to snap a picture of what it looks like now. And if you don't go to Fellowship you will think the next one is wild.

Work

2010-07-20T10:08:00.002-05:00

I feel so blessed that instead of thinking "I have to go to work tonight" instead I am thinking "I get to go to work tonight." I can't wait to get there and share in fellowship with my co-workers, and together we will make an impact in the world.

Feet

2010-07-17T08:52:00.002-05:00

If you are not from my wife's side of the family you may not understand this post. But if you are, you will be so proud of this little girl. Back story: Landon loves to take pictures with Mandi's camera and then browse through the pictures and admire her handy work. Like mommy like daughter! She is in this position because on this particular day she was taking pictures of her feet. (Just like every Brink, she thinks she has the prettiest feet.) On any given day you could click through the pictures on our camera and find about 4 or 5 of kid feet.

Peaceful

2010-07-15T10:05:00.002-05:00

This picture of a wedding reception looks so peaceful to me. It is elegant and tranquil. All that is missing are the smiling guests. I can picture them there in their formal wear dining on small portions of fancy food and sipping champagne out of crystal. It just look classy.
And now why I posted this:
This is a picture of where Mandi's cousin will have his wedding in September. This is where my two little princesses will be all dressed up and ready to throw some flowers. And this tranquil scene will be turned upside down. My girls don't know peaceful and tranquil unless they are asleep. So please pray for us. When I see this picture all I can think about are those rails up top overlooking the guests, I wonder how secure those drapes are fastened up top, and if those table clothes have some sort of stain protectant on them.

Old Spice and Glitter

2010-07-14T09:25:00.002-05:00

I'm a man. Lets just get that out there. I am tough if I want to be.
I don't ride a Harley (or any other manly car), I don't have a beard, and don't chew tobacco, and I don't get into bar fights. But I am a rough and tumble guy in other ways. So when I get ready in the morning I like to smell like a man. I have a body wash that is only for men, some sort of active scent (very manly) and Old Spice deodorant (very manly) and my after shave is definitely manly.
Now in the other bathroom there is a different story. My girls love to put on lotion and glitter. They have a kiwi berry scented lotion, and they put their "sparkles" on their arms and cheeks. It is super cute and they love it.
Now this is where my manly scent disappears. When you hug two little girls covered in girly lotion and glitter your manly scent is instantly covered up. Even if someone recognizes that I have on some super manly Old Spice the first thing they notice is that my neck and face have glitter on them.
Oh well. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Family

2010-07-13T11:04:00.002-05:00

This morning I have been thinking about how we deal with and talk to people who are going through a tragedy in life. Last night I read that a co-worker of mine lost his younger brother earlier that day. This morning I turned on ESPN to hear that George Steinbrerner had passed away. And I just received an email that a guy that I am currently doing business with is on his way to the hospital to be with his father after an accident.
The phrase, "our thoughts and prayers are with the family" keeps repeating. Which got me thinking. It is important to pray for people when they are going through difficult situations. And it is important to pray for people and let them know you are thinking about their families during these situations.
But I think we need to take a lesson from this in everyday life. One that I need to apply to my own life. We need to pray for families not just individuals. Behind every person there is a family. And that family whether it is biological or just a sphere of influence has a major influence on all of our lives. I know when I pray for people I will pray for them specifically and whatever they are going through. But now I will concentrate more on the bigger picture. Situations don't only effect the individual they effect a family of people. And together a family will have a great impact on an individual. So if we pray for everyone in the family we can make a stronger influence on any situation.

House Rules

2010-07-09T08:18:00.002-05:00

Yesterday in the mail we got an awesome canvas to display in our house. It is super cool. WE LOVE IT. Partly because of what it says, partly because who made it, and partly because it is handmade with love. It is a list of house rules and scripture that back them up. I love it. So here they are:

Always be honest

Proverbs 12:22

Count your blessings

Psalms 34:1-3

Bear each other's burdens

Galatians 6:2

Forgive and forget

Micah 7:18

Be kind and tender hearted

Ephesians 4:32

Comfort one another

Thessalonians 4:18

Keep your promises

Romans 4:21

Be supportive of one another

Acts 20:35

Be true to each other

Revelations 15:3

Look after each other

Deuteronomy 15:11

Treat each other as you treat your friends

Matthew 7:12

but most important...

Love one another deeply from the Heart!

1 Peter 1:22

And if you want to check out what it looks like check out my friends blog who made it for us. She is pretty crafty and a pretty cool chick. We are lucky to have a friend like her!

Dreaming

2010-07-08T11:34:00.002-05:00

We cruised into Best Buy this weekend to check out some point and shoot cameras. It was a sad day but Mandi's point and shoot that she keeps in her purse of the diaper bag ALL THE TIME decided it was done. We tried sweet talking it, changing the battery, threatening it; but nothing worked, it was gone. So while her and the girls were browsing the cameras, taking pictures of each other, checking out all the cool new features I did what every other self respecting man would do: I went to check out the 3D TVs. They are SWEET! So the salesman, he must not notice I am with 3 women (consequently have NO extra money for a 3D TV) led me over to the home theater area to check out the most awesome TV on the planet. They had this nifty video that showcases the 3D very very well. The one thing that I noticed was that it was a little weird around the edges where the screen ends. Not to be picky. But it got my brain in day dream mode..... what if? What if someone invented a wrap around screen that went around all your walls? Or what if it was an LCD wallpaper that was flexible so you could wrap it yourself? And what if someone would come up with super cool movies that put you inside the environment? That would be awesome!!!!! OK, back to reality. We only have 1 TV in our house. And still no point and shoot camera.

The Price is Wrong

2010-07-07T09:24:00.003-05:00

I am NOT happy about what I found out yesterday. The Price is Right is in town doing auditions for contestants. I should be happy because I love this show and I should want to audition so I could win. I would rock at cliffhanger or plinko or any other game. And I would throw down on the showcase showdown. I would love to win a refrigerator, a boat, a trip to Jamaica, and some new carpet, and a watch (all at once.) But instead I realized something......this show seems to be rigged. Sadness has overwhelmed me!! I thought it was a random selection out of the crowd for who gets to "come on down", apparently not. If that were the case why would they have auditions?

11 years

2010-07-06T10:47:00.004-05:00

"If tears could build a stairway,

and memories were a lane.

I would walk right up to Heaven

to bring you home again."

11 years ago today I had one of the worst days of my life. I lost my brother and my best friend today. I miss you dearly Marcus and can't wait until the day we get to make new memories together. I love you!

The Honor System is a Hassle

2010-07-03T10:20:00.002-05:00

This morning we went to McDonald's for some hot cakes and McGriddles. It was a great morning treat. Mandi didn't have to be at work till 10 so we had some time to squeeze in some family time. But.....and here is where the morning turned into a hassle, when we went to pay the debit card system at Mickey D's was out. Oh NO, we are a plastic family, we never have cash. But the friendly manager stepped in and took care of our meal, on the honor system. She let us have our hot cakes, mcgriddle, coffee, and OJ; all she asked is that when we were done if we would come back and try to pay again. We tried. Nope. System was still down. So we had to drive across the street to an ATM to get some cash. We then headed back to pay. So I ran in and paid for our meal. It took her a while to figure out how to complete the transaction, I guess they don't do this kinda thing often. Then back to the car I go. When I got home I realized that there was a grand purpose to this morning's events. Maybe it was that we just completed a series at church on Honor. Or maybe it was because the snowcone stands also only take cash, and guess who now has a little cash in his wallet from the change at McDonald's?

A Rare Glimpse

2010-07-02T13:56:00.002-05:00

Very rarely is there a video of an entire service at Fellowship Church. Most of the time when you check it out you may get one song or only the sermon. But here it is, an entire service beginning to end. Even has the greet your neighbor part of service. This is a good one to, Easter Sunday. There were many cool creative elements on display here. A lot of services we have something that makes you think "wow", but we normally don't have a full size train dropped out of the ceiling - that was a little something extra for Easter. Some people wear new ties for Easter, or get a fancy hat, pull out the pastel shirts, or eat ham, here at Fellowship we drop locomotives out of the rafters.

Easter Experience 2010 from Fellowship Creative on Vimeo.

I Keep Good Company

2010-06-30T11:43:00.002-05:00

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our daily routines. Mandi gets up and goes to work about 6:30. Usually at that time of the morning everyone is still wiping the sleep out of our eyes (We don't accomplish much before about 10 o'clock.) But today was a little different. She didn't have to be there quite that early and she sat with Landon at the kitchen table and made this. We are lucky to have a mommy like her that will take time out to do little things like this first thing in the morning. We love you!!

Just BE

2010-06-28T11:26:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading this book by Christine Caine. It was awesome!! Challenging, thought provoking, and encouraging. At the end she put together a list of things to "BE" as part of her 31 day Selah study.

Here they are:

BE: Whole

BE: Christlike

BE: A Pilgrim

BE: Generous

BE: Relational

BE: Intimate

BE: Grateful

BE: Content

BE: Prepared

BE: Obedient

BE: Loved

BE: Transformed

BE: Fruitful

BE: Authentic

BE: Brainwashed

BE: Intentional

BE: Determined

BE: Genuine

BE: The Church

BE: Salt

BE: Compassionate

BE: A Light

BE: Focused

BE: Different

BE: Advancing

BE: A Solution

BE: Memorable

BE: Responsible

BE: Vocal

BE: Interruptible

BE: A Christian

Childhood Memories

2010-06-26T08:26:00.002-05:00

There are some traits of humans that we have to learn to do and there are some that just come natural and we don't have to think about. For example. We don't have to teach our kids to breathe, we do however have to teach them how to hit a baseball. We do NOT have to teach them when they are done drinking a Capri Sun to blow it up like a balloon. Landon had her juice this morning and it brought back a great childhood memory when she blew it up at the end. Just glad she didn't slam her hands on it like I used to do to get the straw to fly out.

Beatboxing

2010-06-24T10:28:00.002-05:00

I could so do this:

If the other guy was good enough to do both parts.

Side note: I really like the dude on the rights shirt.

Ice Cream

2010-06-22T07:20:00.002-05:00

Want a peak into our house after dinner time. Here is Landon finishing the very last drop of ice cream. She does it after every bowl.

Happy Dad's Day

2010-06-20T16:28:00.002-05:00

To all the amazing dads that I know: Happy Fathers Day!

And to Landon and Lillian: thank you for being the most precious daughters that a dad could ever have the privilege of raising.

Girls,

I want to tell you that you are what make this day special. You are the reason I get to walk a little taller and with my chest out a little farther when you are with me. You girls make my day every morning and make me thank God every night for what He has given me.

I love you,

Daddy

Awkward

2010-06-18T10:08:00.002-05:00

We recently attended a friend's wedding at an Asian art gallery and it was absolutely beautiful. So we got this picture of us. Mandi handed her camera (the good one) to a friend to capture this shot. It is the only picture of us together from the night and that is why I had to share it. Remember how I said it was at an art gallery, and remember the name of the post "awkward", now check out the statue in the background. I think that is a naked man with a bow and arrow. Not exactly how I have always pictured cupid and his arrow. But we are in love and he can be our cupid.

What We Learned This Week:

2010-06-18T09:52:00.002-05:00

What a week!!!

This week we spent close to 35 hours at church for our Mini Camp. And every single one of them was worth it. We had so much fun and learned so many great things:

- Landon learned all about the walls of Jericho and the importance of obeying

- Lillian learned to take naps in a room with other kids. This is something I thought I would never see my little curious one do, she is into everything.

- Landon learned how to squirt a water gun and how fun it is to squirt her pastor with that water gun.

- I learned that a walkie talkie can survive a direct shot from a water gun.

- Landon learned how to lick the pudding off the foil lid.

- Lillian learned that she likes banana popsicles

And more than anything we learned that we work with an amazing group of people who have a tremendous love for our kids and for our church.

Space Camp. GO!!

2010-06-15T09:42:00.000-05:00

This thing is gonna rock! Lets do it!

My Camper

2010-06-15T09:26:00.002-05:00

This is her goofy smile if you couldn't tell. She is all ready to go to camp this morning. She has been telling me all morning everything that she did yesterday and all that she is going to do today at church. Don't tell her that the camp is only for the kindergartners and first graders :) because in her mind it is all about her! It is an hour before we have to leave and she is lunch in one hand and cup of water in the other. She has her Capri Sun and Lunchable packed and ready to go. I love that she is so enthusiastic about going to church and feel truly blessed that we are part of church that cares so much about our children.

Vuvuzela

2010-06-11T13:02:00.002-05:00

If you have never heard the sound that these things make just turn on the World Cup. They are loud and ANNOYING. Tony Realli from Around The Horn (my favorite sports show) described them as the sound of a flatulent elephant. And that is pretty accurate. I can't help but wonder what would happen if I were to bring one into our house. We have a flute the girls play and it takes a lot of self control not to hide it every day. For sure this thing wouldn't make it till night fall.

BE: A Pilgram

2010-06-10T09:58:00.002-05:00

Many people when they look for inspirational words will quote Shakespeare...

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts."

Sounds romantic, but boy did he miss the ball on that one. Life isn't all about acting it is about doing. It is about being on a pilgrimage. Like throw on your top hat, grab your cornucopia, and get going. It is about being a wanderer and just "being."

We are told our call to action about being Pilgrims on a journey in 1 Peter 2:11-12.

Today I am reflecting on my reading and the Bible verse that I read. But I learned something else today. While reading Landon asked me if she could read. So I read aloud to her from my devotional. I know she didn't get it (anything more that Dr. Seuss is over her head) but it was nice to hear the words out loud. It made them seem more real and more alive. It was nice.

BE: Christlike

2010-06-08T08:20:00.003-05:00

Today I am reflecting on what the motives were for all that Christ did while he was on Earth. He did many amazing things; healed, delivered, fed, clothed, led, and all where rooted in one emotion: Compassion. Jesus didn't do anything outwardly until He was led inwardly to make a move.
So today's selah raised a great question

When you think about imitating Jesus, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you think about reproducing His actions, or do you consider His inner motives and attitude?

When I think about answering that question it hits close to home. I have been thinking about "things" that I would like to do. When I dig deep into those thoughts I realize they are about the action without the motivation. They are about the results without the personal transformation. But when I flip the thoughts around, and think about what I am compassionate about, I realize that there are many "things" that I am already doing that are motivated by compassion for others.

Sneak Peek

2010-06-07T19:04:00.003-05:00

Today was one of those days that I was reminded of how much I rely on my wife to get home from work and save me from my crazy days. She had to work late so I was all on my own until after bed time. (Oh so sweet bed time!) She is normally home for dinner, baths, story time, teeth brushing, and bed time. Tonight it was a one man show, and I survived to blog about it. This is a picture of just one corner of the living room in all its glory just before bed:

I would show you more but when Mandi did make it home from work she would for sure kill me. Now off to clean a little before she gets here......

Selah

2010-06-07T10:33:00.002-05:00

Well this is back to the basics. While reading a book by Christine Caine I realized my blog is about to go full circle and back to the basics.
When I started this blog it was to journal while I was doing my daily devotional. And in the past few months I have gotten away from that. I am not going to stop blogging about my personal experiences and doings of the family. But I will be getting back to my daily devotional and journaling about my spiritual growth.
She suggested taking an example from the book of Psalms and enjoying a time to reflect. The psalmist often uses the term "selah" which is thought to mean to stop and take a time to reflect and think. So that is what I will be doing.

The book I am reading is "Stop Acting Like A Christian, And Just Be One."
The 31 day devotional is all about how and what to BE.

Day 1.
BE: Whole

Today was all about being whole. Not just being a Christian on the outside, but being full of layers. The innermost layer of our soul should be completely Christ like. We can become consumed with putting on layers that make us look Christ like but until we are transformed at our core those layer can be stripped away and we are left looking empty.

Today I am reflecting on taking off empty layers and building into the layers of substance.

Kids Workshop

2010-06-05T10:43:00.004-05:00

Today was Kid's Workshop day at Home Depot. We missed last month so we were extra excited about today. Only problem was mommy had to work this morning so it was me and the girls. Girls - plural. Outnumbered. And I knew the big one was going to armed with a hammer, glue, and an I can do it myself attitude. But we did it anyway and I am glad we did. It is so much fun to see how excited Landon gets when she gets done with her project. Mommy wasn't there so this is the only action pic I could take quickly on my camera while juggling the madness:

Here are the girls once we got home. Landon is teaching her sister how to play foosball.

And here is why Lillian likes to go.....FREE POPCORN!

It was a great time, we can't wait for next month......

Arboretum

2010-06-03T10:18:00.002-05:00

My girls!!

I wonder how they all stayed out of the waterfall. Our luck is that one or all of them would have ended up in there. But they all stayed dry, and they are all beautiful.

6 Years!!

2010-06-02T10:47:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful night Sunday for our anniversary. And by the pictures you can tell that we are wild and crazy kids.

This is us about to go into dinner. There is no pictures from inside the restaurant (I don't know how Mandi could let that happen.) We went to Kobe Steak and it was wonderful. There were no other people at our table so the chef cooked for just us. Food was yummy and the companionship was great.
From there we went and rented "The Blind Side" from Red Box. It is rare that we get to watch a movie that isn't a cartoon so this was nice. We where going to go to the theater but 10 o'clock was WAY to late.

Then we hit up a family favorite. Orange Leaf Yogurt. We grabbed this to take home and eat while we watched our movie. It was kinda weird to not have 2 extra spoons attacking our food while we tried to eat it.

I even through some sprinkles in mine to remember my girls.

It was a great night with a wonderful wife. I am in love with this woman and I can't wait to see what the rest of our years have in store for us.

Can't Take Her Anywhere

2010-06-01T20:39:00.004-05:00

Try and take this girl out for dinner and a movie and apparently this is what she is doing in the passenger seat while you take a quick phone call:

Words with Friends

2010-05-28T08:07:00.003-05:00

I didn't think I would like the app Words with Friends because I never really liked scrabble. But boy was I wrong. I kinda love it.

I was just handed my second defeat last night at the hands of a good friend of mine. It was a good game. She didn't double my score or call me a dumby in the process so all is good. We will remain friends. The other defeat was not so fun. It was with a total stranger who I am pretty sure is in Mensa or writes the New York Times crossword puzzle. Those are the only two logical definitions as to how that guy got some of the words he did. It was bad.
I am currently in the process of one more game, it to is with someone I know. I am currently winning, but with my spelling skills that could turn sour at any second. But I love it anyway.

So if any of the 5 or 6 of you that read this have a Words with Friends ID lets play. Game on!

Grateful

2010-05-24T10:48:00.004-05:00

I am so grateful that I go to a church where I get to experience this:

What an amazing celebration it was!!

On The Playground Is Where I Spent Most Of My Days

2010-05-21T08:00:00.005-05:00

I'm pretty sure this place wasn't called a "private school" when I went there. It most more like day school. And it was only preschool age kids not all the way to 5th grade. But that aside this is the same place.
I feel like I owe Ashley's a few thank you's.

Thank you for introducing me to the peanut butter and honey sandwich.

Thank you for letting me play Ms. Pacman for hours at a time. I still LOVE that game!!

Thank you for putting the bar of soap in that kids mouth. It made a huge impression on me to NOT to end up like him.

Thank you for your swing set. I had hours of target practice with my sling-shot.

Thank you for giving my mom a huge laugh when you called to tell her I was involved in a "gang fight."

Thank you for taking me to roller rink to polish my skills. I also developed my love of the pickle-sicle from that roller rink.

Free At Last

2010-05-20T17:45:00.002-05:00

He's Alive!! I went to put the girls in the car this afternoon to go grab a Jr. Candy Sundae from Sonic and guess what.....the bird had escaped the how water heater. He was free but he was stuck in the garage. Apparently he had a hurt wing and couldn't fly. So with the girls safely hunkered down in the car I set out to get the bird out quick enough that I could still make happy hour. He hid under the car. Ran behind the tools. Circled the the trash cans. So I had to pull out the heavy artillery......THE BUTTERFLY NET. I know Landon told me to not use it, but when you have a raptor on the loose you gotta do what you gotta do. So we set the little guy free after a quick camera phone photo shoot and we were on our way. Even got a 96 cent large DP to celebrate the events.
Hope it was a girl bird. If it is a dude, he is going to be embarrassed that he got caught in a pink net.

Bats in the Belfry

2010-05-19T09:09:00.003-05:00

OK. I looked it up. A belfry is a bell tower. But who cares? Not me! All I care about is the dumb bird that is stuck behind my hot water heater.
That's right, there is a BIRD stuck behind my hot water heater in the garage.
And since he can't take off like a helicopter I don't know how he is going to get out of there. There is only about 1/2 inch clearance on either side and about a 2 inch clearance on the bottom. So it seems as though he has gotten himself into a fatal predicament.
Now I am brainstorming how to remove said bird when he bites the dust.
Any idea? Landon has already said that I can NOT use her butterfly net!

Game Time!

2010-05-17T07:31:00.002-05:00

Saturday at church we sat behind a high school basketball team. Could have been the most distracting thing ever, and I must admit that when I heard the ushers say that they were saving those seats for a basketball team my immediate thoughts were not pleasing ones. But they were not distracting and actually planted a seed of thought in my head.
Before I get to the seed of thought I can't help but to give praise to that coach. What an amazing thing to do as a role model and a leader of a group of kids, take them to church. He was modeling leadership to those kids that most don't experience. Way to go Coach!
Now here is what got my brain rolling:
The service went a little long because we had a guest speaker. Andre Olivier from South Africa was there and that guy can't be limited to the typical hour that we have service. So towards the end of service they had to stand up and leave. They had a lot of energy during the worship music and during the message but when they stood up to leave they had an extra bounce in their step. We heard one guy say to the other when they got up, "Game Time."
And then they were headed out. Extra amped up. Ready for game time.
All I could think is that is the same way that all of us should leave service every week. The real game is outside the walls of the church. The world outside the walls, the people that don't come to church, the hurting who can't make it to church; that is where we should be excited to go.

Creativity

2010-05-14T10:21:00.002-05:00

I love to listen to Landon in the bathtub. For some reason it is when she says the funniest things. She is so creative and imaginative in there. She is other places also but it seems that every bath time she comes up with something new.
Here are a few of the things that she said today:
"Dad this is my turtle, he can talk." Really honey, what does he say? "I don't know, he speaks turtle."
"Daddy, you know what his name is?" "Crayon" What? Why is that his name? "Because he can change colors and draw things with his head." <---- I have no clue where that one came from but I laughed out loud.
Then she took out the sticks that came with her floating xylophone and told me they were magic wands. She turned us all into crayons. Usually she turns us into animals, today we were colors.
After trying to draw on the walls with her hair she changed her magic wands into chopsticks.
"Daddy, want to see me eat fish with chopsticks?"
Her brain is all over the place and it is so fun to be along for the ride.

Happy Dance Time!!

2010-05-13T15:00:00.004-05:00

Thats right.....if you blog it, it will happen.

Lillian went #2 in the big girl potty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So to celebrate we had M&Ms,

and maybe we danced a little (A LOT)

My Appologies

2010-05-13T07:58:00.003-05:00

Sorry that I had a moment yesterday and posted about, well, you know....
It was gross. Just like the title said.
Yesterday I was having one of those days where the mundane was dragging me down. Anyone who stays at home will understand.
So in response today I will post a small list of the things that make me smile:

The smiles that greet me EVERY morning. They forget the previous day as quick as it passes and are excited about the possibilities that await today.
Staying in our pajamas as late as we want. PJs make for a comfortable day.
Spontaneous bath time (for them, I have to strategize on mine) They get so excited to splash, I don't even mind cleaning the floor afterwards.
The way that Landon prays before she eats. She learned at church to shake her hands first and we do it every time. She is even starting to teach Lillian.
Tea Parties are the best!
Talking about princesses, watching princess movies, dressing up like princesses.
Waiting for mommy to get home. Landon likes to hide and Lillian likes to peak out the windows.

This is just a small list of the things that keep me going. My girls make me a happy daddy every day and I wouldn't change a thing about my days at home.

Warning: Gross Post

2010-05-12T12:54:00.002-05:00

I'm SICK of Poop!

There, I said it. I don't think it takes me out of the running for Dad of The Year. I'm just sick of it. If I never had to change another poop diaper again I would jump around and do my happy dance.
It used to not bother me, it was just a part of life as a dad that I embraced. I told myself these days will be gone soon so tackle this stage of life full on. And I did. I just went for it.
But now, now I hate it. It isn't even just the smell. It is the whole process. It is gross.
And now guess what I do for my job on the weekend. I work in the nursery -- full of poop. Lucky for me at church men aren't allowed to change diapers, but I am still surrounded by them. They haunt me.
And then when we potty train the girls, they do it so soon they can't wipe well so I am still involved in the process. Joy.
So here is what I was thinking this morning. And this is the gross part:
"If poop is submerged in the potty is it as gross?" The answer for me is NO. It hit me today (I know this is a weird thing to think about) I don't mind submerged poop. It is the dry, live ones that make me cringe.

OK. I promise that will be my one and only poop post. Sorry.

Backfire

2010-05-06T10:31:00.004-05:00

I know I already blogged about this but this is an update.

There is a local news channel that keeps trying to report our church in a negative light. The first time they did this was right before our annual C3 conference. Then this happened:

Amazing!

They tried to stop momentum but only kick started what God was doing. Thanks channel 8 for that. Many people that came where led to turn their lives over to God.

Then, last week they did a follow up story. Tried again to shine a negative light, all I could do is wait for the backfire.....

So this weekend God showed up again in a big way! 983 people signed membership cards to join the church this weekend alone. That is awesome!!!

2010-05-04T10:29:00.003-05:00

Last night, while playing games on the iPad I had one of those thoughts that pops in your head and then decides to set up shop and not pop back out. I have been going over and over it and wondering why it hit me.

So here is the set up: I was playing a game that my wife and I like to play. There is little skill level involved but it is mostly a game of chance. There is a small inkling of strategy involved (that is what keeps my playing). So one day I got the high score and accidentally put her name in. So now on the leader board her name is on top. I know and she knows that it was me, but now I MUST beat that score!! It has to be done.

So last night I played and played and played. Never beating the high score. I have a way I like to play, a strategy that I came up with.

And here is what hit me:

"Instead of trying to prefect an old strategy to get better results,

why not come up with a whole new strategy."

I know it sounds simple. But it is stuck in my head. I can't help but wonder if it is in there for reasons other than games. For some reason it is there and won't go away. Huh? What now?

P.S. The game was not Ms. Pacman, but Ms. Pacman is the greatest game ever invented.

Prize Fighter

2010-05-03T11:51:00.002-05:00

I know this is about to be a weird comparison....

This Saturday there was a big boxing match (I know no one really cares about boxing anymore, but I am a fan of almost all sports, so I care, kinda). Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sugar Shane Mosely were fighting in Vegas. It was a big spectacle, lots of flash and glitz. I was intrigued just by the weigh in that was shown live on ESPN.

But enough of that.....

I didn't watch the actual fight. Partly because it was pay-per-view and was expensive (not that big a boxing fan), but mostly because we go to church on Saturday night. It is our sabbath.

So here comes the comparison.....

I couldn't help but relate my pastor to a prize fighter that night. I don't know why, it just popped in my head. Where Mandi and I sat this weekend we were a touch in front of the front center row where our pastor sits while the worship music is going on. It's hard to explain unless you have been there, but go with it. I'm saying that because we could see his face and actions from where we where.

When he walked in I could see immediately that he had a bounce in his step. You know the bounce that fighters have when they walk to the ring, just a slight little bob on the balls of their feet. It was a walk of confidence and anticipation.

And then my mind wander to when fighters walk to the ring they have a posse all around them. Ed walked alone. Well, alone to our Earthly eyes. I know that the Holy Spirit always walks along beside him. Like the posse guides the fighter, the Holy Spirit guides his words.

Then while he was at his seat I could see him rubbing his hands together. Like the build up to going into the ring.

It was about to happen. He was going to step into the ring (in front of the congregation) and fight (take territory for the Kingdom).

And fight he did! His words were like punches right to the head of the enemy. It was great.

I am thankful that Pastor Ed comes ready for a faith fight each weekend. It is amazing to see the intensity and enthusiasm that he has for the church. With a man like that in our corner we can take on any opponent out there.

Yummy Yummy get in my Tummy!

2010-04-28T09:01:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we went to Orange Leaf, it is a self serve frozen yogurt place right down the street from our house. Might not have been the best idea......we are hooked. As soon as we got back in the car we were talking about what we were getting next time. And I don't think "next time" is going to be to far into the future. It was yummy and we all had a wonderful time.

We let Landon make her own, guess which one is hers:

Wheels Off!!

2010-04-25T21:12:00.005-05:00

This last week and a half has been wild to say the least! We had company of friends and family stay at our house and share in our lives every day. This is not normal for us at all. We are normally pretty boring and don't do a whole lot, but last week it was the opposite. We were going going going.

It all started Friday, my mom came and spent the morning with us. It was a fun afternoon. Lots of time spent on the swing set :)
Then that night Mandi's parents flew in. Landon stayed up till 10:30 and hid in their bed when they walked it. What a welcome! She was so tickled she couldn't stop running and screaming and jumping and hugging. It was greatness.
The next week was wild. First off it was awesome because Mandi took off work all week so we got to spend a ton of time together, those times are always blessings. Then it was full on grandparent time. The zoo, Chuck-e-cheese, dinners, ice cream, story times, and lots and lots of hugs and kisses. Lillian will now tell you without hesitation that she is "Pop's girl." Want to see a grown man melt?
We dropped Pops and LouLou off at Mandi's brother's house on Thursday and went straight from there to the airport where we picked up Landon's new best friend, Jo. Forget the fact that she is really Mandi's friend and flew in to spend the weekend with her, her and Landon are buds, no doubt. Lillian likes a good Jo hug also :) The girls spent the weekend sharing some good ol girl time, I worked.
The common denominators in all of this:
Little sleep
Lots of stories
Playing hard
Loving fully
It was a great week!

We had a wonderful time.

Pure Excitement

2010-04-14T16:37:00.003-05:00

Why does this excite me?

Maybe it's because of the dramatic music.

Maybe it's because of the bright colors.

Maybe it's because I have taught the Elevate curriculum in a classroom to preschool kids.

Maybe it's because when I see this map and the series on it all I can think about is the life change that will happen over the course of the next year.

It is because I know if parents will make the commitment to bring their children to experience the biblical teaching that will accompany this map there will be a supernatural change that will occur.

It is because I wholeheartedly believe that if we can impact this generation of kids with the love of God we will see the world change!

Check out Pastor Mike's blog, it is awesome.