I'm keeping this short and sweet. 2011 was great, but I'm embracing change and I am ready for new, now, next.
As of today I am establishing only one resolution (more tend to creep in throughout January anyway), I will blog each day for everyday of 2012. It may only be one picture and/or one word, but I'm doing it.
That's all.
Happy New Year!
Oh, and baby Olivia is perfect, Megan is amazing, and Emmalee is the best big sister. Details and photos to follow. I'm too tired today.
Peace out!
I've been awake since 5am after a night of waking up hourly to look at the clock. The hospital said they would call some time this morning letting us know when we could come in. That is like telling a kid that Santa may come any given night during December...
What a tease.
Sometimes you just need a whole family, all in the same bed, late night snack. Our weapon of choice: cottage cheese with Chipotle Rice and Bean chips!...followed by a dance party, of course.
You know what, sometimes men get sentimental and sensitive. GET OVER IT!
I came across this Youtube video while reviewing the TOP 10 YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF 2011. I was surprised that that it got to me like it did because I am really not an animal, specifically a cat, person. BUT it made me think about my adorable Emmalee Ann and my amazing wife. It also got me even more excited for our new little lady (who will be here in 7 DAYS!).
Maybe I teared up a little bit . . . you shut up! I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU to not be touched by this clip. Go on, I DARE YOU!
Now allow me to end on this manly note:
Happy Wednesday!
You know when you were a kid and it was getting close to your birthday or Christmas and life took on a surreal, head-in-the-clouds kinda feeling? You know, when it seemed like everything else around you didn’t matter and all you could focus on was the big day at hand? I do, but this year it only has a little to do with Christmas and a LOT to do with the the 28th. . . the day my newest Little Lady will be born!
Almost from the day we were married I told Megan on a regular basis that I was destined to father a group of girls. I like girls. I can handle girls (I know, I know. I say that now . . . ) I know girls and it would be my honor to father all girls. In fact (and I hesitantly admit this), a while back I was changing my nephews diaper and was really taken back with what was staring back at me. Now what on the earth do I do with THAT!? Then I calmed down and remembered that I had about 28 years experience with such objects and all was well, but my momentary panic really threw me for a loop. (my Little Man, IF you are out there, don’t you worry, we’ll figure it out just fine.)
But really, can you blame me? I am infatuated with my Little Lady.
I am sorry to have to break it to you, but she is the most beautiful, intelligent, charismatic, caring, talented, witty, funny, busy little lady I’ve ever met. About 6 or 7 times a day I think about stealing her, but then I realize that SHE IS ALREADY MINE! I can’t believe how blessed of a man I am.
So here’s to you, Olivia Mae, you may now join the likes of your big sister and wrap your father tight around your little finger.
I’M SO EXCITED!
New Year’s Resolution: start blogging again . . . as of January 1, 2012. Expect a DAILY post and personal picture. That’s right, let the celebration BEGIN!
Now, get me excited by commenting and letting me know if you even check this blog anymore (I wouldn’t blame if you stopped . . . I did.)
When it comes to media, I am unfortunately brain dead. I love movies, books, and music, but I could forget their finer points and details within days, if not minutes. I see people with sponge-like brains that absorb and quote all sorts of media and I am immediately and WHOLLY jealous. I want that! (I just quoted from Napoleon Dynamite – one of the few arrows I carry in my quote quiver.) Along with my hairy, right-hand, ring-finger, mid-knuckle abnormality this is one of my insecurities. So much so that I tend to make media a lesser priority in my life (maybe my way of avoiding the pain of my media dementia). I love going to the movies, but make excuses that they are too expensive. I love music, but only talk about songs to myself while in my car. I love books, but feel so UNDERread that I busy myself with other tasks. It is sick, really.
BUT, ask me random trivia about either anatomy, mechanics, psychology, culinary arts, or . . . anything else not related to my current life and I could probably come up with a lengthy answer – none of which really serves me any real purpose, but is tucked in there tight just ready to explode all over the next random situation that presents itself before me.
Cake, eat it too . . . COME ON!
So while waving my standard of Invictus, I am usurping the helm of my life and altering my fate for the better. Step one, attempt to catch myself up on the great movies of the past two years (Megan, I am putting you in charge of the classics). Behold . . .THE LIST! (please feel free to critique and/or suggest addtions):
2010
2011
Also, please feel free to list the BEST book/series you have recently read (Careful, huge book lists excite me . . . then overwhelm me.)
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
READY . . . . GO!
My wife and I do not do well with mess and/or clutter. If we find ourselves getting a little snippy with each other, it’s a sign that we should probably get a cleanin’. The past two weeks have been put us to the test, yet we’re surviving . . . barely.
Exhibit #1: This is what our bedroom looked like within only an hour of being home from vacation. . .
Our bedroom flooded while we were gone. THUS, we’ve been living in the front room until it is fixed by the HOA. Emmalee thinks it is a two-week slumber party. We are slowly going mad. Side sad – but funny – note: The two gentlemen showed up this morning to work on the basement until one of them shot himself in the leg with a nail gun and ended up in the hospital! I think the repairs may be hindered. Life.
I have not been myself lately. In fact, I have kind of let myself go. So much so that today I realized that I had dropped the ball on a secret I have kept quiet for years; a secret I was convinced I would take to my grave. A secret even I tried to forget; however, it’s too late now. The proverbial cat has climbed out of its bag . . . and I will no longer contain it.
Now revealing this is big for me. Why? Because I’ve hidden this for years. I never wanted anyone to see it because it disgusted me so much. I’ve been hindered and held back by this abnormality for far too long. Today it ends. Today I let it all hang out. Today is the day I look my oppressor in the face, reclaim him power over me, and proclaim “SCREW YOU!” Today is the day I WIN!
Behold . . . my monstrosity.
Can you see it! Don’t look away. Isn’t is HORRIBLE!? Right there on my right-hand ring finger. Two long, repulsive, random HAIRS! Thick, dark, grow-as-fast-as-a-damned-weed HAIRS! They DISGUST me! (There used to be three until I plucked the life out of one of them). I have traditional succumbed to their demands and plucked them regularly, but apparently the flood has distracted me. Like a thief in the night they have sprouted on me and grown out of control.
Regardless, there you have it.
Life Checklist - Liberate yourself from hideous secret: CHECK!
. . . and my day is AWESOME!
6:00am – Woke up early and did me a little P90X XSTRETCH! Unlike the other P90X disks, this workout is welcoming and a peaceful, early start to the day.
7:30am – My daughter woke up and immediately declared: “Daddy, let’s put on a show, lay on the couch, and snuggle!” So we did!
7:55am – I kissed by bride goodbye and headed to an appointment with a new doctor. New doctors make me a little anxious. I always want them to be great, but not all are created equal. This doctor was GREAT!
9:00am – It was amazingly sunny outside!
9:15am – Went to the dentist. From an earlier post you will know how I can feel about the dentist . . . but NOT TODAY! My gorgeous wife was there to greet me, the hygienist didn’t over talk (in fact, she just let me lay there with my eyes closed), and the dentist was quick and EASY. NO CAVITIES!
9:45am – It was STILL amazingly sunny outside!
9:55am – Got gas at Smith’s Marketplace (I LOVE this store!) and got an amazing gas discount!
10:00am – easy commute to work
10:30am – got into work with NO mean emails and THESE TWO gifts on my desk!
My work is doing the new WALKaDAY fitness program. It includes a new water bottle and a PEDOMETER. I don’t know why I am so excited about the pedometer, but I AM! LOOK OUT Mall Walkers. My pedometer and I are ready to powerwalk your A outta here!10:35am – I took the next link off of my 2011 COUNTDOWN TO SUN VALLEY PAPERCLIP CHAIN!
1:00pm – I will be headed to the Rec Center to get my swim on with the old men (Between the mall walkers and Rec Center Walruses (that’s what I like to call them) I am just around the corner to breaking my OWN hip!)
5:00pm – Headed home to see my beautiful wife and little lady. Anticipating that it will still be sunny.
What a DAY!
(Disclaimer: To be read with a light-heart. When it comes to trivial things, I am not to be taken too seriously . . . unless I state otherwise.)
I like Facebook . . .
. . . and I don’t have a problem saying it either. I enjoy that Facebook offers me unique, low-commitment friend connections/supplements and digitized “open mic” opportunities. I like that I can casually peruse people’s pictures and update MYSELF on the happenings in their life as much, or as little, as I would like. I like that I can make funny, bold, or random comments on friend’s statuses. I like seeing where my friends are “checked in” at. I like telling people where I am “checked in at”. I like to see which two of MY friends are friends with each other that I normally would not have been aware of. I like posting my thoughts on Facebook. I love when people comment on my thoughts. I accept Facebook for WHAT IT IS and I enjoy it!
I will now make a small list of things that I DO NOT like about Facebook?
That felt good to get off my chest.
In case you were wondering, I have similar thoughts on Fast Food and television.
I wish I could capture the essence of my adorable little Emmalee Ann and share it in a post. You would fall in love.
She is only 2, but she is witty, funny, compassionate, smart, emotional, and a MOTOR MOUTH. Her little brain can comprehend big thoughts. She makes jokes, writes songs, creates dances, and narrates elaborate tales (most of which includes her, Rapunzel, as the mom and whomever else is in the room as Eugene, the daddy – go watch Tangled). Her vocabulary and sentence structure is extraordinarily accurate, yet hilarious.
She struggles with her personalized tenses (i.e., “Mine must go skipping right now. Mine too happy not to.” and “Mine thinks I’m so fancy in this new princess skirt”) She is well aware of her options and her ability to set them. (Me – “Emmalee, can I have a hug?” Em (head tilted and face squished) “Um, mine sorry. Not today.”) In fact, she just asked me to meet her in her room. Upon my arrival she announced that she had laid out all of her “beautiful clothing options.”
She is very neat and orderly. She LOVES all things princess. In fact, her princesses participate in approximately 4 bathtub parades per week.
She is a little obsessed with Keva Juice and the term “oopsie doo".
She likes expensive, yet classy things.
I am a little obsessed with my Little Lady.
This weekend Megs and I took to the road with Beth and Steve and set our coarse for sunny ST. GEORGE!
We began our ROAD WARRIORHOOD with the best of intentions . . ., but then needed a break about 45 minutes into our journey. (Unfortunately, the idea and hindsight of the road trip ends up being more exciting than actually driving itself.)
We made our first stop at the Red Barn. That’s right, it’s a red barn in the middle of 
nowhere that sells random sweets. Why wouldn’t we stop?
Then OFFICIALLY began the three hour drive. We laughed, I napped, Steve and Megs talked about and analyzed their favorite songs, we overate extra tart dried cherries and Sun Chips, we pit stopped in Cedar, and then we laughed a little more.
We pulled into St. George and set our priorities . . . we drove straight to Benja’s Thai 
Cuisine! We indulged ourselves on Green Curry much spicier than expected, sushi (even I had a piece), ginger chicken, and spring rolls. We learned how to appropriately Soy Sauce our food and split our chopsticks from Steve and Beth escaped an early, laugh-induced death.
We checked in Beth’s family Cottage, took a late night stroll through the golf course, laid down on the tee box of hole #9, gazed at the stars for approx. 22 seconds, began screaming as I was hit directly in the face and we were under a foreign attack, took another 3 seconds to realize it was the rainbird sprinklers, ran to safety, laughed so hard I almost vomited, dried off, walked home, talked for hours, then went to bed.
After about three hours of sleep, I took an early-morning journey to pick up our FIRST Bountiful Basket. It was full of great fruit, veggies, and a couple things I have never seen before. The morning was full of omelets, fudge from the Red Barn, lounging, more laughing, and a little of the Wii. (If you look extra closely, you will see Steve’s approval of me taking his early-morning head shot.)
The afternoon was full of the pool, sunbathing, a failed attempt at a back dive, more sun, and YES even a trip to go get our feets did. (you’re only judging me if you have never had it done before. Consider yourself double-dog dared! It MAY just be the best thing you’ll ever treat yourself to.)
After another relaxing evening of Brick Oven, A GARBAGE BAG FULL of pebble ice, movies, and more late-night laughter we turned in.
Sunday we lazed it up, watched more movies, cleaned, and prepped for another 4-hour drive home . . . BUT not before I took the scoot for a test drive.
Moral of the story . . . it’s fun to have fun with fun friends in sunny, beautiful weather.
. . . AFFIRMATIVE!
(I’ll leave it up to the good folks at M*A*S*H to explain the rabbit bit)
That’s right, we are gonna have ourselves a new BABY and we could not be more excited!
When: The end of December/first of January
Where: Hopefully in a comfortable hospital bed
What: TBD
How: Mind your own business!
Now, I could have told you the same way Meg told me, but I will spare you the gory details. Curious? You want to know? Tell you NOW!? Okay pipe down, I’ll tell you.
So I am involved in a busy, meeting-full day at work, you see, when Meg begins to call me over and over. I silence my phone and send her a quick text indicating that I will call her back in about an hour. She replies with THIS picture message entitled “will you call me back NOW!?” . . .
I left my meeting and called her back. . .
I have blogger’s block . . . I REcommitted to blog, considered a few great posts, sat down to write . . . nothin’. I need the juices to start flowing. I need the ideas to translate to the computer. So, in an attempt to “prime the posting pump” I am presenting you, my dear reader, with my most recent phone photos (one of my favorite pastimes is to take random photos with my phone. I never know what I am going to do with them, but I still enjoy taking them.) Sit back, relax, open your mind to randomness, and enjoy!:
ONE GUESS on where this toilet it located! . . .THE CHURCH. I am serious. What a great way to simply “mark your territory”.
I went with some co-workers to a Greek restaurant in Sugar House to enjoy my first Shawarma. I love me some foreign food and enjoyed it thoroughly. They didn’t. They said that it was too different from what they remembered, but then again neither one of them served in Greece. Go figure.
If Diner’s, Drive-ins, and Dives visited it I guarantee I will love it! (visit Food Network Local to find Food Network approved restaurants around you!) This AWESOME calzone is from the Rusted Sun Pizzeria in SLC. EAT IT! I would also recommend Moochie’s Meatballs and Ruth’s Diner. . . I LOVE GOOD FOOD!
Dear Modern Civilization: This is a picture of the urinal at work. This is also a picture of the urinal that I was inflicted with a URINAL CONVERSATION at. . . this is a NO GO! GOT IT!? I will speak with you once I am socially presentable, washed up, and ready to look you in the eyes. Allow me my 45 seconds of peace. Allow me this time . . . conversation free. Thank you.
I’m the Cubmaster. (Are you listening to a Akella’s Call? . . . anyway) I was in charge of arranging this year’s Nature Hike. It was suggested that I coordinate with a fellow member of the Stake who loves the outdoors and would love to guide the hike. I wholeheartedly put the lives of all of my Cubscouts, their parents, their siblings, and myself in his able hands. All until we hiked up the RAGING river to THIS MOTHER FRIGGIN’ BRIDGE! . . . That’s right, a rickety, branch and twine, HANDMADE bridge that crossed the raging water of DEATH inches below . . . I stood in the middle and literally held the young cubscouts and children across. Mothers were crying, little girls were screaming, and I saw my life pass before my eyes. . .
I have a feeling that I will be released soon . . .
Our new family obsession: KEVA JUICE! Emmalee likes to get her own, got it!?
A poster of this guy is hanging on Chuck Norris’ bedroom wall. This may be the BEST sniper-shot I have EVER taken on my cell phone. I was in line at the bank and purposely stood within his personal bubble just to get him to turn around and look at me. JUST LOOK AT THE MAJESTY that is his handlebar mustache!
Truckers for Jesus! I couldn’t have been happier to run into this truck driver while battling traffic the other day (seriously, I almost ran into him trying to get my phone out!)
During my lunch break the other day I wandered on down to the Thomasville furniture store below my work. I took a jaunt around reviewing quality furniture options for my future home. I came across this virile bookshelf complete with sliding ladder. This sold, high-end craftsmanship would add a touch of strength, class, and beauty to your home for only . . . wait for it . . . $33,000! I am in the wrong business.
If the bookshelf is too rich for your furniture blood, you could scale down with this hand-crafted Crane sculpture for only $3,000. They have something for every budget! . . . If I happen to see this stationed in ANY of your homes be ready to be hit upside the head and then be solicited for a bit of “spare change.” Some people’s kids . . .
Though I cannot give you a precise reason why, Smith’s Marketplace is one of my favorite places to be. It just got EVEN BETTER now with delicious gelato that you can eat while you shop. If I ever go missing, look for my here.
Don’t tell Megs, but I am having a little side love affair with peanut butter and chocolate. I have always defaulted to Reeses until I came across THIS GEM of a treat. A small scoop of Skippy CRUNCHY PB dipped in a handful of Nestle Semi-Sweet chocolate chips. Judge me now . . . thank me later!
One of my new favorite restaurants is SIMPLY THAI in South SLC. They have amazing Thai cuisine that will leave you smiling the remainder of the day. While enjoying my lunch the other day we elected to finish things off with dessert . . . Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut Cream Sauce . . . drooling, drooling. If you are in the mood for a culturally exciting, mind blowing party in your mouth, call me and we will go!
So, every man has to prove himself in varying degrees of life circumstances, right? I have a friend that insists that every man should have to kill and cook his own food at one point in his life. I can’t do that crap so I just watch videos of hunting and humane animal slaughter on Youtube, with my eyes half open. I believe that this fulfills that requirement. I have also discovered a new manhood test: Going into the Ward’s basement, standing inches away from this buffalo, looking him directly in his artificial, glass eye, and trying not to collapse and/or cry. I am getting better. I’m becoming a man; no, a warrior.
This was my lunch break the other day. The only thing that could have made this better? . . . peanut butter and chocolate chips on a spoon. Welcome to summer!
There you have it. Here’s hoping that this Breaks the Block and allows the posting flood gates to open! I have a few ideas in the works. You should should be excited.
If there are any of you out there that still even CHECK this blog . . . I think I’m pulling it out of retirement.
Life is too funny, too rich, too dramatic, too unreal NOT to blog about it. Besides, I have all kinds of crap that I need to get out.
SO, if you are willing to help, let me know where I need to REstart my blogging. I need a few suggestions, a few ideas, and a few directions to get me going again.
. . . YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED!
