Howdy

So... Isaiah is now a full grown man. Well, he will be soon if this rate of life passing by continues.

I'm testing some stuff with image sizes here..

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JJ before cutting his hair last night. My all star.

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iPhone front cam photo shoot with my "zaiah"

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The happiest playmates ever. Always goofing off and having a great time together.

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Humiliation

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Awesome friend at work showing me his custom bass.

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Happy.


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Video default 400 300

Video changed to 720

- Posted from iPhone

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Swagger Wagon

If you've ever considered buying a min van, this will easily convince you.

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Weekend of Relaxfulness

This weekend was probably one of the most relaxing that we've had in months. Saturday was "chill" day which meant almost no obligations. I had some quality time with Isaiah on Saturday morning while Sheen and JJ caught up on their much needed rest. Later we went to the park and then came home to have a backyard picnic. LOVED it. Family time = happy time.

Busted out the D5000 for a few snapshots at the park. My beautiful fam:

Love this angle. JJ is becoming such a big, little boy:

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Our House

I thought it would be fun to post pics of our home since I don't think I've ever done that. We are proud and blessed to call this home. Bought in August 2007:

View of front yard

View of back yard

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Title

If you're reading this from a RSS reader or email, come check out my new blog header. It's really cheesy.

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Click click!

I've taken over 1000 pictures already. Most of them have been just messing around, but it's seriously addicting. I want to bring this camera everywhere I go.

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I. Hate. Flies.

And because I hate them, I often make myself look like a psycho maniac when going ALL OUT to kill them inside my home.

Take this morning for instance: there was this nasty creature buzzing through my kitchen. I grabbed the nearest fly swatting item (kitchen towel) and lassoed that little sucker. Only thing is, he just happened to land near a glass jar of jelly before I pulled the trigger. When he was struck, so was the jelly, sending them both airborne to the other side of my house.

 I want my jelly back.

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Making High Quality Memories

Not much of a blog update here, but at least I have a few cool pictures to share. We finally bought a new camera; we've been in the market to get one for quite some time now.

It's the Nikon D5000. We got an awesome deal on it by buying it refurbished. It takes professional looking pictures, and HD video too. Here are just a few of the 90-some pictures I took tonight. It's addicting since it takes them so fast and crisply:

(click on the picture for the full detail effect)

 

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Tiling Countertops

We finally completed the project that has only been talked about in our home for the last 18 months. We tiled our counter tops and back splash, and installed new sinks and faucets throughout the home. I’d like to send a huge thank you to our Arky Schlegel family for providing all of the tile, grout, tools, and advice for free! My friend at work for loaning his tile saw. And my beautiful wife for putting up with gallons of dust, dirt, and slivers, 3:00AM hammering, banging, and sawing, no water, no counter space, and shoe tracks and crumbs everywhere.

We started demo on a Tuesday night and still managed to finish the job 100% by Sunday night, on top of everything else going on at the church, including two services, LWTV filming and editing, prayer school, and a Youth Ministry meeting. We are more than conquerors!


Original was the look when we bought the home. Phase 1 was what we did before moving in. Phase 2 was last weekend (click to see more detail).

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Staying Out of Trouble

I grew up with 5 siblings, and loved it. I loved playing with them, going to school with them, eating out with them, playing sports with them, hanging out with them…enjoy even more the next phases of life in growing older with them, raising families with them, etc etc.

I don’t think we were the type to fight and bicker with each other a lot (interjections from parents are welcome here) and I have always appreciated that. I’m not saying we’ve never fought, but we were friends. We were all really close in age, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sheena and I expect the same for these two little guys. Not sure how many more kids we will have, if any, but these two are already best of buds. No one can make Isaiah smile like Jeremiah can.



I saw Isaiah become legitimately sad for the first time two days ago. It was when I was disciplining Jeremiah. I remember looking at Isaiah’s face, and he had puckered his lower lip and began to cry. Sheena was telling me that Isaiah seems to notice when Jeremiah is getting disciplined lately and doesn’t like it.

That’s a good thing! They will help each other stay out of trouble….. right?

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Melt my Heart, Child

Our house was quiet as can be when I laid down with Jeremiah last night to assist him in going to sleep. He was to my left, and I was laying on my back. My patience was running low, and it was quite a bit past bed time. I turned my head to the left to look at him, and didn't say a word. He just locked eyes with me and offered a huge smile.

Then he reached out both hands and grabbed my two cheeks and head butted me. HAHAHA… I love having boys.

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Techy Tuesday

Two things:
1- I miss my iPhone. But even though it’s an old flip phone that does everything in the most inconvenient way possible, I am still able to get my email on it without paying for a data plan. I setup my gmail account to forward a copy of every email to my phone number @txt.att.net, which mean I get every email sent to me as a text message. It’s nice so I don’t have to ever “check” my email. I already know because it came to me immediately as a text when it was received in my email.

2- If you’ve been planning on buying a flat screen TV, you might want to wait a couple of months. My personal prediction is that the prices on them in general will drop with the new 3D TVs hitting stores soon. If you haven’t heard about 3D TV, it’s the next new thing in the world of TV and will require you to wear 3D glasses to get the full effect. Nerdy, I know. But mark my words: It’s coming, and will be “normal” in the coming 2 – 3 years. Just not at my house. :)

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Cheesy Gas Station Advertising

Ever used a gas pump with a TV screen on it?
I used one today and almost threw up. As soon as I pulled the nozzle off of the unit there was a really cheesy short video that played with some guy “pumping gas” in his truck and looking at the camera saying something like “hi, I bet you’re pumping gas right now. Come inside, we have snacks and beer” something lame like that.

As long as people have money, there will be a huge market for advertising. I mean, if there was someone standing outside of my office all day dressed in complete golf attire, swinging his clubs with a sound track of chirping birds, practice putting into my office, etc. you better believe it would make me want to hit the links.

Just when you think you can’t be bombarded with advertising to a greater degree… You will.

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Chocolate Milk and Car Seats

It’s warming up around here, but what else should I expect? It’s Arkansas, right? It’s pretty neat how some of your memories can be tied to seasons. There’s buds on the trees and a crispiness in the air. It was 60-something degrees the other day, and Sheena and I were putting the kids into the car after a regular visit to ‘Wally World’. As I lugged my 2-yr old Jeremiah into his big boy car seat, my mind flashed back to a year ago, when he was not so big-boyish. The days when he actually wore diapers, couldn’t recite the alphabet, and was unable to request chocolate milk in perfect dialect.

I glanced across the Jeep’s back seat to see Sheena doing the same for Isaiah, and couldn’t help but imagine what these two little boys will be like a year from now.

It truly is a wonder how time flies by so fast. We are making so many wonderful memories with our children right now; I pray that I don’t get caught up in busyness of life to notice them growing up.

P.S. Mom: the chocolate milk we provide is [edit: non dairy], with added vitamins. Believe me, it tastes nothing like chocolate milk.

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Four Years Arky - VISION

Sheena and I have officially lived in Arkansas for four years now. Crazy to think its been that long, and yet somehow it seems like its been longer. In those four years we've had four different mailing addresses. There's a fun fact for the day. I can't say it's been the easiest four years of my life, but I can say its been the most blessed. I have grown a lot spiritually and don't plan on slowing down the pace either. In fact, I have more anticipation AND vision about this year than I ever have before. God has placed specific things in my heart that I am to walk out this year.

That last sentence has created so much excitement in my heart, and I believe it is a result of increase in my time in praying in the spirit. God is showing me exactly how I am to focus on my job, and my position at my local church. Obeying Him in these things requires less "me time" but wow the rewards of doing so are great. By committing to obey and pursue the things He has placed in my heart, God is giving me more. I believe the spiritual mandate this year is "turning the corner" and with that, I am not going to sit back and watch things happen. I am going take action and obey what God shows me. I greatly anticipate looking back on this year later, and reading this post only to give God glory for all that He has done.

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