I just wanted to put this out there for all readers. Isabelle's dance troupe has been invited to perform at Disneyland/California Adventure on Saturday, November 21st. I don't know all of the specifics and won't know for another several weeks, including on whether we will be going or not. We would like to go and I suspect that we are probably 70% sure that we will be going. It is also my understanding that Disneyland does their Christmas decorations (including snow) starting on November 16th so this gives you a good excuse to go. The performance will be a 30 minute performance and my wife told me that there are several of Ryan's classmates in this class (sounds like a big group but this is a class where "no parents are allowed").
Anyway, if you are interested in joining us, please send my wife or I an e-mail and we will put you on our notification list.
Yesterday was Ryan's birthday and we may be rained out for the waterpark today which is a bummer as we have such a good time when we go.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Words of Wisdom
I just wanted to follow up to my last post. My brother sent me the following regarding my mother:
1) She told me the reason she helped people was she hoped that if one of her kids where somewhere and needed help she hoped that someone would help them.
and
2) She also told me that just because someone else had different religous belief it didn't mean that hers was right and theirs was wrong, i guess that could go for a lot of different kinds of beliefs
So, thank you to my brother for filling in those words of wisdom from my mother.
Personally, what I find important is to treat others as you want to be treated, you know, the Golden Rule (and not "he who has the gold makes the rules").
And so with that in mind, I am going to enjoy my last weekend of freedom for a while. You see, school starts up next Monday. And more importantly, Ryan finally hits double digits on Friday (that would be 10).
1) She told me the reason she helped people was she hoped that if one of her kids where somewhere and needed help she hoped that someone would help them.
and
2) She also told me that just because someone else had different religous belief it didn't mean that hers was right and theirs was wrong, i guess that could go for a lot of different kinds of beliefs
So, thank you to my brother for filling in those words of wisdom from my mother.
Personally, what I find important is to treat others as you want to be treated, you know, the Golden Rule (and not "he who has the gold makes the rules").
And so with that in mind, I am going to enjoy my last weekend of freedom for a while. You see, school starts up next Monday. And more importantly, Ryan finally hits double digits on Friday (that would be 10).
Sunday, August 16, 2009
How Time Flies
As I sit here pondering where the summer has gone, my mind starts to wander. I have had about a month off of school and I start back again in about a week from now. I have only 4 classes left, 3 of which I am taking this semester. I am not going to gripe/whine about these next 4 months of hard work as I know that I am almost done with this endeavor. And so, as I sit here, I ponder the past two years and think, where did it all go? I took a lot of classes and enjoyed most of them but for the most part, just went along thinking about finishing this class to move on to my next one, a step in this journey, so to speak.
And as I think about this, I can't help but think about all else that is in my life. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids. My son turns ten in about a week. Where did that come from? He can't possibly be ten. And while he will be ten, he just started 4th grade. I remember my 4th grade well. It was the year that my mother married my step-father and we moved to the east side of town and suddenly, a family of 15 (including mom and "dad" and let's not forget the "border Stan - may he continue to rest in peace" we had at the time) (editor's note: my mother was always bringing someone home to live with us that needed someplace to go. I never did discuss it with my mom but accepted it as life and as I look back on it, I am sure that she was acting as an angel on earth. I learned a lot from my mother and sadly, it wasn't until she passed that I truly figured it out.) My son can't possibly be ten since that was just a few short years ago. As with most parents, I remember the day clearly and it feels like it was just yesterday.
I also am left to ponder that the anniversary of my wife and I's first kiss (I know that I didn't word that right, but there you go). How many years ago was that? Okay, married in '97, so 15 years? That can't possibly be right. That also seems like it was just yesterday. And yes, for some reason, I remember the date of my first kiss with my wife. What does that say about me?
Of course, a lot has happened in the past 15 years. Marriage, children, numerous jobs and work experiences, the death of my mother and subsequent destruction of the entire family as a family unit. I still look back at the family getting together as a family and actually miss it when everyone was together. But, as we all know, time waits for no one and there are constantly changes.
As we get older, we are constantly reminded of our own mortality. We blink and the people that we knew are no longer there. So and so has cancer, or passed away or divorced or whatever else happens to people as time goes on. It makes me appreciate all that I have, coming full circle back to a loving wife, kids, and relatively good health (or so my doctor tells me).
And so I would like to leave you all with this much discussed thought but rarely considered: live life for today as you never know what will happen tomorrow. I promise to do my best to be the best father I can be to my kids, best husband for my wife, and a generally good person. I also must constantly remind myself to stop living for tomorrow and just enjoy today. I hope you try to do the same.
I know that was supposed to be my last comment but I have one more that I want to tell everyone. I made mousse for the first time this weekend. Not just any mousse, but White Chocolate Grand Marnier Mousse. It was a mixed response to be blunt, but everyone did like it. Some of us thought it was too much alcohol. Someone said that yes, it had a lot of alcohol but he likes it that way. Someone else, who is the first to complain about too much alcohol, loved it. So, I don't know. I will probably make it again but probably only for special requests (i.e. I probably will not make it for myself). Next on the list is a Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis. When do raspberries go out of season?
And as I think about this, I can't help but think about all else that is in my life. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids. My son turns ten in about a week. Where did that come from? He can't possibly be ten. And while he will be ten, he just started 4th grade. I remember my 4th grade well. It was the year that my mother married my step-father and we moved to the east side of town and suddenly, a family of 15 (including mom and "dad" and let's not forget the "border Stan - may he continue to rest in peace" we had at the time) (editor's note: my mother was always bringing someone home to live with us that needed someplace to go. I never did discuss it with my mom but accepted it as life and as I look back on it, I am sure that she was acting as an angel on earth. I learned a lot from my mother and sadly, it wasn't until she passed that I truly figured it out.) My son can't possibly be ten since that was just a few short years ago. As with most parents, I remember the day clearly and it feels like it was just yesterday.
I also am left to ponder that the anniversary of my wife and I's first kiss (I know that I didn't word that right, but there you go). How many years ago was that? Okay, married in '97, so 15 years? That can't possibly be right. That also seems like it was just yesterday. And yes, for some reason, I remember the date of my first kiss with my wife. What does that say about me?
Of course, a lot has happened in the past 15 years. Marriage, children, numerous jobs and work experiences, the death of my mother and subsequent destruction of the entire family as a family unit. I still look back at the family getting together as a family and actually miss it when everyone was together. But, as we all know, time waits for no one and there are constantly changes.
As we get older, we are constantly reminded of our own mortality. We blink and the people that we knew are no longer there. So and so has cancer, or passed away or divorced or whatever else happens to people as time goes on. It makes me appreciate all that I have, coming full circle back to a loving wife, kids, and relatively good health (or so my doctor tells me).
And so I would like to leave you all with this much discussed thought but rarely considered: live life for today as you never know what will happen tomorrow. I promise to do my best to be the best father I can be to my kids, best husband for my wife, and a generally good person. I also must constantly remind myself to stop living for tomorrow and just enjoy today. I hope you try to do the same.
I know that was supposed to be my last comment but I have one more that I want to tell everyone. I made mousse for the first time this weekend. Not just any mousse, but White Chocolate Grand Marnier Mousse. It was a mixed response to be blunt, but everyone did like it. Some of us thought it was too much alcohol. Someone said that yes, it had a lot of alcohol but he likes it that way. Someone else, who is the first to complain about too much alcohol, loved it. So, I don't know. I will probably make it again but probably only for special requests (i.e. I probably will not make it for myself). Next on the list is a Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis. When do raspberries go out of season?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
First Day of School!!!
First Day of school for my kids and their cousin. No one was real happy about having to get up early and get started, but all went well and we will see when it comes time for school to let out what their take on the new year is! Yeah, school!!!!!!!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Pictures!
We are back from our WONDERFUL vaction to Disneyland! Got a TON of pictures to show off so I may end up boring you later with pictures!!! Here are just a few to get started!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A sad day
Well, we finally did it. About 4 years ago (maybe 3), Ryan caught a lizard in the yard. Jerry (or Gerri, we don't know which) found a home. Okay, seriously, how long could a little Leopard Gecko lizard live in captivity? Well, kind of like the question of how many licks does it take to get to the center of the tootsie pop? 4 years for us. Earlier this year, as I was paying 10 cents per cricket (times 30), which we have been doing on a bi-monthly basis, a young woman asked me about what I was feeding. Long story short, she has had her little lizard for 12 years and is going strong. I didn't think that was a good idea so we set a date in the sand and started working on Ryan. As the so often told story goes, Ryan really didn't do anything for Jerry/Gerri until we reminded him (Ryan, give your lizard some water, etc.) . In addition, since I got done with first semester of summer school, I have been on a tear "simplifying" my life. The fish are gone and now so is the lizard. Ryan was a little upset but he got over it by swimming, sans clothes, in G and G's pool. Oh, the lizard is in G and G's backyard, living with whatever other lizards and other wildlife are back there. He could not go into our backyard due to the lizard killers we have that wander the house and backyard looking for anything that might move (aka, Homer and Kyra, the killer beagles). Ginger, our foster beagle, really doesn't have that trait in her and for the most part, just kind of looks at Homer and Kyra like they are crazy. Although, speaking of Homer and Ginger, Ginger has this odd trait. Frequently, she will walk up to Homer and lick him in a place that no respectable guy is going to complain about. In fact, he will, on occasion, complain when she stops too soon. She had this trait before moving in with us.
I have just signed up for my third class this semester. Yes, I only have 4 classes left. No, I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for it other than it is an evening class and thus, will not interfere with my work schedule and yes, it will just leave me with 1 class in the Spring so I can graduate next May. It will have been a long 3 years (or will I look back on it as a short time?) but I will be happy when I have completed this marvelous goal. Of course, what will I do after that? That is too far in the future to think about. A master's program might be a possibility but still not sure.
Kellie has agreed to let me pick out new living room curtains as she detests the thought of it but feels that it is time for new ones. I politely explained to her, after she tried to tell me what I could not get, that she could either tell me what to do or how to do it but not both. I see royal purple velvet curtains in my future. Along with honey colored bathrooms. Would anyone like to take my wife away for a weekend? Oh, and life is short. If I want something royal purple in my house, then so be it.
Both Isabelle and Ryan have decided that they want to live on campus when they go to college. This is a switch for Isabelle since she has previously stated that she doesn't have any intention on leaving home and planned to take all of her classes online. Ryan, on the other hand, feels that living away from home for college might be pretty good. In addition, he was completely jazzed when I informed him that he could request to live with his best friend.
I have just signed up for my third class this semester. Yes, I only have 4 classes left. No, I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for it other than it is an evening class and thus, will not interfere with my work schedule and yes, it will just leave me with 1 class in the Spring so I can graduate next May. It will have been a long 3 years (or will I look back on it as a short time?) but I will be happy when I have completed this marvelous goal. Of course, what will I do after that? That is too far in the future to think about. A master's program might be a possibility but still not sure.
Kellie has agreed to let me pick out new living room curtains as she detests the thought of it but feels that it is time for new ones. I politely explained to her, after she tried to tell me what I could not get, that she could either tell me what to do or how to do it but not both. I see royal purple velvet curtains in my future. Along with honey colored bathrooms. Would anyone like to take my wife away for a weekend? Oh, and life is short. If I want something royal purple in my house, then so be it.
Both Isabelle and Ryan have decided that they want to live on campus when they go to college. This is a switch for Isabelle since she has previously stated that she doesn't have any intention on leaving home and planned to take all of her classes online. Ryan, on the other hand, feels that living away from home for college might be pretty good. In addition, he was completely jazzed when I informed him that he could request to live with his best friend.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
In Memory Of
I need some help understanding something. Now, when I hear "In Memory Of....", I am well aware, and especially since I am Catholic and "older," of what is coming. Just like we love a good Catholic wedding (I love the 2 hour Catholic wedding and the upcoming wedding reception aka wild party). I also, in a very weird sense, enjoy a Catholic funeral. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to wish anyone any ill will or anything of the sort but I take great comfort in the ceremony that is steeped in tradition. Although I am a strong proponent of cremation, I will almost feel cheated at the prospect of going to a Catholic funeral and not being able to be there for the part of the ceremony where the priest walks around the casket with incense and blesses the casket and body.
Editor's side track note: Check out this video on youtube. I know that it is not a Catholic wedding but I can't help but think that I missed a great party.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
It is with this in mind that brings me to my next thought. About 10 or so years ago, I first noticed people putting "In Memory Of...." (and the person that they were close to - child, spouse, etc. that has passed on to the next life) on the back of their vehicle of choice. So, can someone please explain this to me? I completely understand that if someone spent a great deal of time into a vehicle that they lovingly cherished and then passed on. If their survivors of the dearly departed then put "In Loving Memory Of" on the back of that vehicle, that I understand. But to put it on the back of their own car, that I don't understand. Maybe it is something that I can't understand unless I actually go through it (which, by the way, I wouldn't wish upon anyone).
I did see one today and was getting ready to get annoyed (I do that a lot lately, about a lot of stuff - just ask me and I can tell you about all sorts of stuff that annoy me on a daily basis) but once I saw what it was, my annoyance dissipated. The "In Loving Memory Of" was for someone that died in service to our country, defending our Constitutional Rights. Anything that will keep the deeply lasting effects of our current debacle in the forefront of our psyche, then I am all for it (let's not get started on Iraq. Let's just say that we should support our troops but not the politicians that put us in the middle of the wars - and I am still looking for someone to logically explain to me why we went into Iraq).
So, other than this one I saw today, please explain to me why you would put it on your car. Trust me, if I put "In Loving Memory Of" on something, I intend to keep it and revere it. For the most part, cars don't fall into that category for me.
Little things I want to comment on:
1) I saw an interesting article earlier this week about the sexes fighting about the thermostat. I love my wife for many reasons that are too numerous to list here on the website but I can tell you right now that our house is at 82 degrees right now and probably will stay there for a while.
2) I have 4 classes left to graduate. My adviser informed me that I could substitute out a class this coming semester instead of waiting for Spring semester to take it. So, in a fit of insanity, I am signing up for it (another 3 hour evening class once a week). That will leave me with one class this Spring. Please remind me in September why I did what I did. I will say though that I had to get an override to take the class and just from the email, the professor seems really cool and I look forward to an interesting semester with him. Hopefully it won't be like my last 3 hour/1 night a week class where we had maybe 20 people show up (out of 100 students). The times that students did show up, I was privileged to witness one gentleman show up in pajamas (this was an evening class) and another young woman show up in a see through dress that I firmly believe that she did not know was see through. For whatever reason, I have a lot of emotions about it but none of them was "turned on." And for those wanting to know, the professor did tell us at the beginning of the semester that there really was no reason for us to come to class every week - we just needed to turn in the homework online and take the two exams. Kellie asked me if I intended to go to class and my answer was - of course. How could I not go to every minute of that stinkin class? I did get an A+ in the class but that was just as much of a function of the ridiculousness of the class and the way it was setup. I personally was highly disappointed in that I really wanted to enjoy the class (it was an elective that I needed to take).
3) I am cooking this Saturday. Shredded beef tacos (of which my wife's friend Ann cannot duplicate - Ann if you are reading this and want to learn, contact me on Saturday mid-morning and you can come over to learn - better late than never), flan and my niece Sarah recently told me she made the recipe I gave her for black bean and corn salsa that went over well with her friends in D.C. Actually, if anyone reading this wants to learn how to make these recipes with me, I will be happy to spend some time with you teaching you this Saturday. I have gotten rave reviews on my flan recipe.
Again, I hope that this post finds everyone in good health.
Editor's side track note: Check out this video on youtube. I know that it is not a Catholic wedding but I can't help but think that I missed a great party.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
It is with this in mind that brings me to my next thought. About 10 or so years ago, I first noticed people putting "In Memory Of...." (and the person that they were close to - child, spouse, etc. that has passed on to the next life) on the back of their vehicle of choice. So, can someone please explain this to me? I completely understand that if someone spent a great deal of time into a vehicle that they lovingly cherished and then passed on. If their survivors of the dearly departed then put "In Loving Memory Of" on the back of that vehicle, that I understand. But to put it on the back of their own car, that I don't understand. Maybe it is something that I can't understand unless I actually go through it (which, by the way, I wouldn't wish upon anyone).
I did see one today and was getting ready to get annoyed (I do that a lot lately, about a lot of stuff - just ask me and I can tell you about all sorts of stuff that annoy me on a daily basis) but once I saw what it was, my annoyance dissipated. The "In Loving Memory Of" was for someone that died in service to our country, defending our Constitutional Rights. Anything that will keep the deeply lasting effects of our current debacle in the forefront of our psyche, then I am all for it (let's not get started on Iraq. Let's just say that we should support our troops but not the politicians that put us in the middle of the wars - and I am still looking for someone to logically explain to me why we went into Iraq).
So, other than this one I saw today, please explain to me why you would put it on your car. Trust me, if I put "In Loving Memory Of" on something, I intend to keep it and revere it. For the most part, cars don't fall into that category for me.
Little things I want to comment on:
1) I saw an interesting article earlier this week about the sexes fighting about the thermostat. I love my wife for many reasons that are too numerous to list here on the website but I can tell you right now that our house is at 82 degrees right now and probably will stay there for a while.
2) I have 4 classes left to graduate. My adviser informed me that I could substitute out a class this coming semester instead of waiting for Spring semester to take it. So, in a fit of insanity, I am signing up for it (another 3 hour evening class once a week). That will leave me with one class this Spring. Please remind me in September why I did what I did. I will say though that I had to get an override to take the class and just from the email, the professor seems really cool and I look forward to an interesting semester with him. Hopefully it won't be like my last 3 hour/1 night a week class where we had maybe 20 people show up (out of 100 students). The times that students did show up, I was privileged to witness one gentleman show up in pajamas (this was an evening class) and another young woman show up in a see through dress that I firmly believe that she did not know was see through. For whatever reason, I have a lot of emotions about it but none of them was "turned on." And for those wanting to know, the professor did tell us at the beginning of the semester that there really was no reason for us to come to class every week - we just needed to turn in the homework online and take the two exams. Kellie asked me if I intended to go to class and my answer was - of course. How could I not go to every minute of that stinkin class? I did get an A+ in the class but that was just as much of a function of the ridiculousness of the class and the way it was setup. I personally was highly disappointed in that I really wanted to enjoy the class (it was an elective that I needed to take).
3) I am cooking this Saturday. Shredded beef tacos (of which my wife's friend Ann cannot duplicate - Ann if you are reading this and want to learn, contact me on Saturday mid-morning and you can come over to learn - better late than never), flan and my niece Sarah recently told me she made the recipe I gave her for black bean and corn salsa that went over well with her friends in D.C. Actually, if anyone reading this wants to learn how to make these recipes with me, I will be happy to spend some time with you teaching you this Saturday. I have gotten rave reviews on my flan recipe.
Again, I hope that this post finds everyone in good health.
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