mmmmmmmm . . . BURGERS!

I like ghetto food.  I like "man" food.  I like Ma 'n Pop restaurants with the Blue Plate Special food.  I like sandwich food.  I like spicy, flavorful, hearty food.

Wanna know what I don't like?  Fancy food.  Okay, well I don't HATE it, but I don't crave it like some people.  Who wants to go to a "fancy" restaurant and pay RIDICULUS prices to only get a fluffy piece of ARTISTIC CRAP on their plate?  COME ON!  I came to eat because I am HUNGRY and you serve me this mess?

Megan likes "fancy" food, but I have also helped to introduce her a wider range of GHETTO food and she is slowly embracing it,  embracing it so much that, not too long ago, SHE took me HERE!

WELCOME TO FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES!  I first heard about this through our wedding photographer (and family we blog stalk . . .) the Sansoms.  This is the MAN'S place to eat.  You walk in and immediately to your right is a garbage with peanuts on top.  I wish I had this in my apartment.  It tells me, "WELCOME."

The menu is simple, burgers and fries.  And they ain't no fluffy burgers either; you need to come hungry.  Also, nothing is said by the employees in anything less than a minor shout.  Your food is served in paper bags and wrapped in foil.  All the makings of a great food experience.

Even Megs loved it! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That same week (in fact the day PREVIOUS) I was bacheloring it up came across this great Provovian diner.

It was AWESOME!  Sammy's Cafe is just a little hole in the wall diner that just may replace the hole in my heart left by the ORIGINAL Carmacks

(For those of you who know Carmacks KNOW my longing.)  It had the bar stools, small family-run environment, and great food that I needed.  The steak fries and fry sauce were AMAZING!

 

AND because they are in Provo, they even make their own, hand-designed SCRIPTURE CASES as a side business. 

 

 

 

If you are looking for a great night out with good company, come on down to Provo and we will hit up Sammy's.  Trust me, we know how to have a good time.

Canine Compromise

Megs and I have always loved dogs.  In fact, a little known secret about my wife is that she actually enjoys puppies and puppy BREATH ALMOST MORE than she loves babies.  Weird, I know.  We even had a little "incident" this past summer when Megs saw some puppies being walked down the street and, with NO regard for her, my, or ANY ones life around us, demanded that we turn around and hunt those dogs down so she could get another look . . .

Anywho, because of our fondness for dogs, Megs and I began discussing our future dog breed preferences early on in dating, and painstakingly, we did NOT agree.  Possibly one of the reasons it took us TWO AND A HALF YEARS to tie the knot!

Meet NED!

Ned is a Dachshund (aka WEENER DOG!)  He is lively, playful, and overall full of life!  And just like my old 1972 VW Beetle, NO ONE can pass him up without a smile. Who WOULDN'T love Ned? . . . Answer: MEGAN!

This came as a pretty big surprise and kick in the gut.  I tried and tried and tried to no avail.  I pictured Ned playing with my children and growing old with us.  I saw Ned coming on family camping trips with us and biting at fish as they swam by.  I envisioned Ned rolling around in the backyard, playing with his favorite plastic, newspaper-shaped chew toy, and galloping his awkward body toward me as I called his name.  Dreams . . . thrashed!

After a few years of stubbornness and avoidance of the topic, compromise led us to this beauty of a canine:

She has yet to be named, but this will be our family dog.  Beagles are family oriented, loving dogs that play well with children. Sadly, their bodies are only a LITTLE awkward, but I guess that will do.

So there you have it, CANINE COMPROMISE.  Now we just need to work on the degree, the career, the house, and children, and the backyard.  Minor things, really.

P.S. For good measure and to always stay on my wife's good side, I have attached the following puppy pictures:

A Fond Farewell

Today I got some sad news.  My mom informed me that Rocky, one of my long-time family dogs, had to be put down today.  This comes only months after Abbey had to be taken in.  They were the perfect dogs and I loved them.  It really is amazing just how much of a part of the family that they become.  They have personality, and I am convinced that Abbey understood Human.  They were so much fun and today, I'm pretty bummed. 

HOWEVER, they had great lives.  We would love to take them up to the mountains and let them go wild.  They would run so fast that they wouldn't be able to keep up with themselves and would tumble down the hill.  Abbey knew she was the princess.  When we would make them go outside, she would pause, give us a look that said, "You KNOW you're not going make me go." . . . and we wouldn't.  This probably stemmed from her sleeping in our beds from when were we young.  She would wake us in the morning with a friendly lick.  AND I LOVED IT!  Rocky was the goofiest dog in the world and loved nothing more than to just lay around and clean Abbey.  They were inseparable.  

When Abbey was taken in, Rocky pretty much just gave up.  He really didn't know what to do without her.  It has been quite sad.  As hard as it is to see them, it was time.

SO, without dwelling on sadness, here's to ABBEY AND ROCKY.  Here's to great memories and two of the greatest dogs.  Here's to being able to love your pets like a member of the family.  Everyone deserve these kind of memories.  Everyone deserves a great family dog.

Christian? . . . PROVE IT!

Last night, after Fetal Fotos, we drove into downtown for the Church's annual Mo-Tab Christmas Concert!  This year was with Brian Stokes Mitchell.  Megs is in love with him, and as the concert started (which we enjoyed from THE SECOND ROW!  Hearing the Mo-Tab+Orchestra from that close is BREATHTAKING), I looked over and saw her blush and let out an almost silent giggle.  "MEGS AND BRIAN SITTIN' IN A TREE, K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

. . .Well, to validate her crush, I will say that he is pretty darn good.  Just one of the people you could listen to all day and be happy to do not much else.  It was an outstanding night full of amazing talent, beauty, and the Christmas spirit.  It feels good to filled with near perfect, wholesome, holiday bliss that signals to your mind "CHRISTMAS."  A great evening.

HOWEVER, to get the evening in motion first comes, what I consider, "THE CHRISTIAN TEST."  What is this test, you ask? . . .PARKING, parking AT THE CONFERENCE CENTER FOR AN EVENT.  AND not just ANY event; the CHRISTMAS, MO-TAB, BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL event.  Now one would think that a bunch of Christians headed off to a wonderful Christian event would make this a pleasant experience . . . WRONG.  It's either eat or be eaten out there!  Past experience and performance has taught me to drop off the wife and kids before this test.  Last night, thankfully, I did just that.

From the moment I dropped Megs and her mom off I began to chant "CHRISTIAN TEST, CHRISTIAN TEST" and within 30 SECONDS, I lost that test!  The person in front of me STOPPED in the middle of RIDICULOUS TRAFFIC to turn around and look at the lights . . .

I was pretty bummed about failing the test so quickly, but, thankfully, "PLAN PERSPECTIVE" kicked in almost as fast.  This plan points me to thoughts and ideas such as, "Well, maybe it's their first time in SLC and they are overcome with the beauty Temple Square at Christmas" or "I am sure it's a grandpa stopping to show his sweet little granddaughter the beauty of the temple and sharing a brief testimony."

After overcoming such failure, I pressed on the drive about 300 feet in about 15 minutes and made it with basically not additional failures.  I found Megs and my new primo, secluded, not-well-known parking spot(which I REFUSE to give the exact coordinates to.  It is prime! and only a block away.  I would hesitate to even disclose it to my own mother, but would if pushed hard enough.  FIND YOUR OWN!)

I got parked, walked to deposit my money, realized I forgot my money, went back to get my money, walked back to pay, paid, walked half way to the Conference Center, realized I forgot my ticket, walked BACK to the car, FAILED the Christian Test again, got my ticket, took a silent moment to repent and collect myself, reviewed the car for any additional items that I MAY need, and then walked to the Conference Center.

OVERALL, it was a great night: family, Christmas, music, beauty, lights, crisp air, the Conference Center, and peace.  Many times I think my life is so rushed and focused on point A and point B that I forget to stop and really take it all in; take a mental snapshot, if you will, of the many memorable opportunities that surround me.  Life is full of so much good and joy and here's to recognizing that goodness and joy, those small, peaceful moments, and the Christmas spirit . . .  Oh yeah, and NOT losing the "Christian Test" for a long, long time to come.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

No words...

There isn't a way to properly describe how I feel right now! I am in awe, completely in love, and a tiny bit nervous. Let me explain: Greg's parents gave us a special treat for Greg's birthday and surprised us with a gift certificate to Fetal Fotos to see our baby girl in 4-D! Our appointment was earlier this evening and I have been so excited all week... I could hardly sleep last night! I can already feel that she has a distinct personality and how special she is... I do spend all day with her you know! There are times when I feel like I take advantage of the fact that she goes EVERYWHERE with me... eating, sleeping, crying, laughing, driving, singing... she is there for it ALL. Greg asks me everyday if she is has moved today, and my reply is always"yeah, she moves all the time." I forget just how lucky I am to have the constant reminder that the most amazing miracle is going on inside of me... How stupid do I feel?
Back to my story... So, we got to see her today.. And I have absolutely no words of how to describe it! I am so in love with her already, I want to kiss those already chubby cheeks, smell her brand-newness, and just cuddle her close to me. There is however a tiny ounce of fear in me... just exactly how am I going to get that baby with the already chubby cheeks out... after she has grown a few more months? I suppose the love I so inadequately described before is the only answer to that question... So now the waiting continues.



A little sneak peak! Isn't she adorable?!... (that is rhetorical)

HEY MAN, YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT

This is my Christmas gift to you! ENJOY!

(It would be THAT much better of a gift if you could see the dance that I have made up for it! But you will just have to save that for another day and another time.)

Payin' me due diligence

For a living, I do this:

but I WANT to do THIS!:

 

That's not asking too much. . . . is it?

The death of censorship

Tonight, Megs, Bethany, and I were enjoying ourselves a little Grinch Who Stole Christmas.  It looks as if the Grinch has more to worry about than the destruction of Christmas.

 

Are those . . . breasts?

 

Where has censorship gone?

 

Shame.

My little life lesson

Sometimes I make decisions that I like to call "life lessons."  A couple years ago I made such a decision and this past weekend it all came to a sad end.

Introducing Joseph Manuel

Joseph was my rebound.  I just finished a good run with my Jeep (and 14 mpg) and was jonesen for a car with great gas mileage.  After a quick go on KSL.com I came up with this beauty, my 1996 VW Golf.  It came equipped with tinted windows, 20inch wheels (not shown), a MagnaFlow muffler, high-end sound system, and suspension kit and mariachi music . . . (okay, so not kit or music, but it really would have finished off the whole theme . . .)  I really didn't tell anyone and just went ahead and did it.  If only I had a camera with me when I introduced other to Joseph Manuel.  Oh the joy that came across their faces.

The fun didn't stop there.  Joseph Manuel came with a few additional features that weren't listed on the title:

• As a safety feature, the A/C wouldn't work after the temp reached 70 degrees
• In an attempt to keep me driving within the speed limit, the car would thoughtfully shake when I reached 60 mph
• The passenger door would randomly swing open on the freeway to keep me on my toes.  However, I sneakingly side stepped this feature by tying the door shut with Meg's headband.  The father-in-law really appreciated me escorting his daughter into the driver side back seat on our dates . . .

And LAST, but definitely NOT LEAST

• When the temp would rise above 80 degrees MARIJUANA would leach from the seats as to keep me light-hearted and youthful.

After a good run together, a mechanic stole my joy by informing me that Joseph Manuel was not going to "pass the state SAFETY'S TEST."  I think he was jealous and Joey Man was parked and stayed parked for 14 months.  This past weekend, Craigslist finished him off and now he is gone.

SO, Joey Man was one of many "life lessons."  Specifically, life lessons that Megs won't even let me forget.