The Lusby's

Congolese Love - ipad2 giveaway

2011-07-09T17:22:00.005-05:00

my sister and her husband are adopting!! we could not be happier for them! it is a very exciting time for them as they start this journey to bring home their daughter from Democratic Republic of Congo. in an effort to raise money to defer the costs of the adoption, they are having an ipad2 giveaway! go to their blog and enter to win! not only are you supporting a wonderful cause but you may get an awesome ipad out of it! tickets are one for $10 or three for $25.

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful Wife!

2011-06-18T04:32:00.003-05:00

I love you!

Nolan loves you!

Thanks for being an amazing wife and mom!

Here's to you on your birthday!

Miss you!

Longwood Gardens

2011-04-29T09:18:00.003-05:00

Lunch

2011-04-08T12:36:00.003-05:00

Nice Weather

2011-04-04T16:49:00.002-05:00

Trains

2011-04-01T09:35:00.002-05:00

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-12-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

Constantly trying to out-energize your kid.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-11-17T16:52:00.001-05:00

Getting good at reasoning with a seven month old.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-11-11T14:37:00.001-05:00

Making sure your kid is well fed and then realizing you haven't eaten all day.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-11-01T15:03:00.002-05:00

Being okay with the fact that at some point during the day the shirt you're wearing will inevitably become a burp cloth.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-10-25T14:37:00.002-05:00

Having your wife call you on her lunch break after reading your post to tell you that normal people don't take their clothes to the dry cleaners on hangers (see previous post) because if the clothes are dirty why would they be on hangers in the first place.

Being a stay at home dad is also being willing to be humbled every now and then.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-10-25T10:21:00.001-05:00

Having the time to take certain clothes to the dry cleaners.

Being a stay at home dad is also remembering to put said clothes on old wire hangers rather than the nice plastic hangers that you spent money on, knowing that you'll never get those nice plastic hangers back should you forget.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-10-15T09:54:00.001-05:00

Being the one to get everything ready, together, and packed for a weekend family camping trip.

Being a stay at home dad is also buying way too much food for the weekend family camping trip.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-10-04T17:10:00.000-05:00

Being prepared for the fact that you may not be fully prepared.

Mr. Cool Dad?

2010-10-02T08:53:00.003-05:00

It's a romanticized idea really. Being that dad that we all wish we had. Being hip without even trying. And the envy of all your kids friends. Don't deny it. All of us parents wish it.

So in an effort to be Mr. Cool Dad, I put Nolan on my shoulders last night while we were at a party. What's cooler than having your five month old up on your shoulders? Let's be honest...it's not like there's much else you can do to display your oh so nonchalant coolness with a five month old. And putting your kid on your shoulders epitomizes the essence of coolness.

One problem...Nolan likes to throw up...a lot. And I knew this and even thought about it. But hey, I was being Mr. Cool Dad.

Until, to the delight of all 50 people there, Nolan decided to throw up...on my head, which ran down onto my shirt, then my jeans, then my shoes.

And everyone laughed. So did I. There's not much else you can do in a situation like that.

Mr. Cool Dad has been humbled.

Jump Happy

2010-09-22T13:37:00.002-05:00

Nolan epitomizes the jumping spirit of babies everywhere. This picture tells the story of squeals, laughs, smiles, coos, and the like that emanate from him as he partakes in the rhythmic up and down of his jumper. I swear there are times, while playing with his other toys, that I catch him looking at his jumper longingly, smiling as if to say, "I can't wait to use that thing again." And then I get the look of "please dad, can I?" I think if we'd let him, he'd stay in it for hours and would probably fall asleep in it just so he can begin his jumping extravaganza as soon as he wakes up. And if drool is any indication of his level of enjoyment, then he's got that one all locked up. Soaked. He's completely soaked on the front of his shirt whenever we take him out of it. It is truly one the joys in his oh so short life thus far. And I love seeing him happy.

Fanatic In Philly

2010-09-10T14:10:00.004-05:00

If there's one thing I've learned about being a new parent, it's that the more prepared you are, the better things usually go.

If there's a second thing I've learned, it's that no matter how prepared you are, something inevitably will eventually go wrong.

Thus brings us to last Saturday night.

It's September. At that point, the Phillies were in the hunt for first place, and Halladay was pitching. Great night to go down to a game. Which we did.

And we prepared.

We packed Nolan's things up. Extra clothes and a hat in case it got too cold. Two bottles with water. Formula and rice cereal in the to-go container. Pacifiers. Etc. Etc.

My parents took Nolan in their car, and as we were sitting in traffic, Carla and I realized that it was getting close to the time when Nolan would need to eat. But we were close to the stadium, so we called them and said if he really starts freaking out before we get there, go ahead and feed him.

And then we got the call.

I picked up the phone, heard Nolan wailing in the background, and listened as my mom told me that the top of the to-go container for the formula had come off in Nolan's bag, mixed with the rice cereal and was everywhere. And by the way, did I mention Nolan was freaking out?

What to do?

We were literally just about to pull into the stadium, and we had to make a decision fast. We couldn't really use the formula that fell out, and even if we got enough for one bottle, we didn't have enough for two. So my immediate thought was we have to go home. Nolan needs food. What else could we do?

Thankfully the wisdom of my wife saved us from doing that. She said there had to be a drug store somewhere around where we could get formula. So we kept driving and happened upon a CVS right across the street from the stadium complex. Who knew?

My wife did. That's why I love her.

I ran in, paid way too much for overpriced formula, and helped to get Nolan happy again.

And we made it to our seats half way through the first inning with a happy baby who stole the eyes of everyone sitting around him.

Nolan got a little freaked out when everyone started cheering at the end of the game, but was soon smiling again. And yes, I took a picture of it.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-09-10T10:22:00.000-05:00

Making sure your kid looks cooler than you before leaving the house.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-09-06T10:17:00.001-05:00

Having a wife that makes more money than you...and being quite okay with that.

Dicey Ricey

2010-09-03T14:21:00.005-05:00

One week of rice cereal is nearly in the books. Twice a day. Once with mommy. Once with daddy.

Nolan's doing great, but Carla and I have seemed to make it a competition. (She might disagree with me, but competitive people never admit to being competitive).

It all about who can accomplish the feeding in the cleanest of manners. I'll admit, the first time I fed him myself, I was terrible. I didn't take into consideration Nolan's flailing arms, and more of the cereal ended up in the tray of his high chair, or the various areas around his high chair, or on his hands, or his arms, or his face than it did in his mouth. Lesson learned.

And Carla, after hearing me tell her this story, fed Nolan and then immediately came to "show him off" to me when she was finished. There wasn't a drop of cereal on him. And she said with an air of arrogance, "See daddy, feeding Nolan isn't hard at all." She baited the hook. (She so smart. There's a reason she has an MBA).

And I bit with big eyes and a "NO WAY! How did you do that?!?"

She immediately burst out laughing. I had been had. She admitted to 'wiping him down' before bringing him to me.

So now it's on. May the best parent win.

Although getting rice cereal everywhere is rather cute...

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-09-02T08:29:00.001-05:00

Realizing that you have throw up (or some other foreign substance presumably from your kid) on your clothes right as you're about to walk out the door, and instead of changing, you decide to go with it.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-08-31T15:25:00.004-05:00

Going to the grocery store and remembering to park close to a cart return station so as to avoid a treacherous walk through the Wegman's parking lot with a car seat attached to your arm.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-08-30T10:00:00.004-05:00

Finding the best way to stack the bottles and all their accessories.

Christmas Came Early

2010-08-26T13:27:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lame cliche of a title, but the reality of it is, as you will see, it fits the bill.

This is a Premier Project One snare.

This is the drum that I first fell in love with over three years ago.

This is the drum that is so elusive and nearly impossible to get your hands on because it stopped being made I think around 30-40 years ago.

And this one in the picture is mine!

See why the title in all of its lameness is extremely appropriate?

The first time I played one of these drums, I knew that this was the snare that I wanted to own one day. But they're so hard to come by that one goes up for sale on ebay only once every 8-12 months (give or take). Even if you're in the market to buy one, which I wasn't for the last three years, good luck with the bidding process.

But that all changed this past weekend.

A good friend of mine sent me a link for the sale of this drum, and not only was I in the market to buy one, but I was in the market to buy one! (A little play on words).

I immediately emailed the seller, inquiring about the drum and such, and asked him if he'd be willing to sell it for a certain price off auction. He got back to me and said he'd sell it to me for the opening bid price! I was shocked! If I had been talking on the phone with him, all he would have heard after saying that was complete silence, and then a crack in my voice saying, "Okay."

So I emailed him back and told him I'd take it. He said he'd send it out on Monday and send me the shipping information Monday night. I was ecstatic.

But then Monday night came with no email from him. And then Tuesday morning came and still no email. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. What if I'd just gotten scammed? Should I have seen the signs? Selling it for starting bid off auction. Maybe I was a little too eager?

So I emailed him that morning asking if he'd sent it and if he had the shipping information for me. Mid-morning came, nothing. Afternoon, nothing. Late afternoon, nothing. Since he'd been so prompt to get back to me initially, I was a little concerned. Not even about the whole money thing. I've wanted one of these for so long, and now it seemed as if I had it in my grasp, and I didn't want it to be ripped away (Dramatic, I know).

But then the email came. He had sent it out. And the next day it arrived in all of its glory.

I can't wait to set up and play with it. I'll spare you the details as to what make this snare so great, and instead forewarn you that if you come hear us play in the future, you'll be struck by a pleasant sounding, honeydew sweetness in your ears.

And now you know where it'll be coming from.

Vaccines All Around

2010-08-25T11:45:00.008-05:00

Nolan had his second round of vaccination shots yesterday, so in order to be a good dad and share in the experiences of my kid, I figured I'd do the same. I'm going for dad of the year here, and if I have to get shot up with some sort of vaccine to win the prize, then so be it. So today I went to the doctor and got my own vaccination shot all in an effort to win the heart of my kid.

Okay, so that's not exactly true.

I did get a vaccination shot today, but the rest of that stuff was fluff and banter to reel you in.

MMR...not the radio station, but rather Measles, Mumps, and Rubella. That's what I had to get. Apparently when I was a child, I only received one round of the vaccine and you're supposed to have two. Good thing I didn't die. Somebody would have felt really bad about that being overlooked.

The crazy thing is, the only reason I found out about it was because of my enrollment at WCU. For some reason they need proof of your vaccinations, which I was remiss in getting my hands on the first couple of semesters, and a recent hold on my account helped to get my butt in gear.

But unfortunately my pediatrician no longer exists. No really, the guy was old when I was there, so he's probably not even alive anymore. And his practice isn't where it used to be (I drove there to be sure), and there's no answer when I try and call the number.

So what did I do? (I know you're all waiting with extreme levels of anticipation). I did what any college student stuck in a jam would do. I called my mom, and fortunately she was able to come up with a file that held my vaccination records. Ironically enough, attached to the chart was a little slip of paper that said something to the effect of, "Retain a copy of these records as your child may need them for the attendance and/or enrollment to colleges and universities."

So off to WCU I went to plead and prove my case for vaccinations. And their reply was that I needed a second shot of MMR...at 28 years of age...even though I don't live on campus. I don't even live anywhere near the campus.

Oh well. Thus one day after my kid got his vaccinations, I got my own.

Dad of the year.

I snapped this while waiting to get shot up. Reading literature on how this vaccine gives me a 1 in 3000 chance of getting seizures, a 1 in 4 chance of getting temporary stiffness in the joints (but that's mostly in teenage and adult women. If I get stiff, what's does that mean?), and a 1 in 30,000 chance of getting a bleeding disorder (I like the odds on that one).

The one thing all of this literature didn't tell me is how much it would hurt!

I have no problem getting shots, but this sucker stung, more so after the shot was given. It was like I had an open wound and the nurse was taken 60 grit sandpaper and going to town on that wound.

Me in pain. Disclaimer: The photo shown above may be for dramatic effect only.

The good news is, now I can attend classes, and one day I can tell Nolan about the experience we shared. Not sure he's going to see it with the same excitement as I do.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-08-25T07:58:00.002-05:00

Catching yourself humming the 'go to sleep' song while washing the bottles.

Being a stay at home dad is...

2010-08-25T07:56:00.002-05:00

Wondering if there is a proper name for the 'go to sleep' song (like lullaby or something like that) and feeling embarrassed that you don't know what it is.

Studly

2010-08-24T13:09:00.008-05:00

Nolan had his four month check up today. All is well. In fact, at one point, the doctor called Nolan a stud, and then asked him what his parents thought about raising a stud, or something to that effect.

Bragging? Yes, I guess so. But hey, it's my first kid.

And apparently he's huge, or huge-ish. I'm talking upper 80's in terms of percentile for height. Mommy won that bet. Daddy was way off.

The little man had to get two shots today too, which he took like a champ. And by taking it like a champ, I mean he cried, let mom comfort him, and fell asleep.

Pre-shots Nolan:

Post shots Nolan:

After his nap, we decided to take advantage of the 'cooler' weather and went for a walk on the trail. I'm a sucker for being outside on cool days, although after a 30+ minute walk, I was a little warm. I think my obsession with cooler weather and my desire for the change of seasons have both subconsciously made me think that it is colder outside than it really is. Guess I didn't need to 'layer up.' (Don't worry, that was a joke). Eventually all of the energy Nolan was exerting got the better of him.

Pre-walk Nolan:

Post walk Nolan:

Our next adventure? Rice cereal. Truth be told (although apparently not to the doctor), we already gave it to him once, and he housed it...and then threw it all up. Can't wait to give it to him on a more regular basis. Something new. Something fun. Something else for my studly kid to take on.

Never Wake A Sleeping Baby

2010-08-23T11:33:00.004-05:00

While I was driving along, listening to the incessant wailing coming from the back seat, the old adage entered my mind: never wake a sleeping baby.

At the time it seemed like the perfect plan, something that should go off without a hitch, something that I've done before without suffering any unpleasant consequences. Yeah, like I said, it seemed like the perfect plan...

Around 10am this morning, Carla sent me a text saying that she was in dire need of some coffee and was wondering if Nolan and I would come bring her some. And since I have this romanticized idea of being a knight in shining armor longing to rescue a damsel in distress, I most certainly obliged. (Go with me here. I'm a stay at home dad, and while I love it, every now and then I need a little something to spice up the day). At the time, Nolan was still taking his morning nap, but he'd already been sleeping for the first hour and forty five minutes out of his usual two hours, so I figured it wouldn't be a big deal. Besides, I've successfully transferred him from his crib to his car seat while in his sleeping state multiple times without so much as murmur coming out him. Why would this time be any different? And even if he did wake up, he'd almost slept the full duration of his nap, and there was plenty of time to get to Starbucks, get to Carla's office, and get home before he needed to be fed again. No big deal.

Let's just say, stay-at-home-dad-fail.

He didn't stay asleep. And almost immediately as I laid him down in his car seat, he started straining with all his little might to sit up. He didn't want to be in there. But I put his pacifier in his mouth, which seemed to placate him at the time, and I figured once we got in the car, the soothing rumble of the engine and the winding of the car around the back, country roads would put him back to sleep.

It didn't. Don't get me wrong, he was fine at first.

At first...

He cooed. But eventually the cooing turned into whimpering, the whimpering turned in crying, and the crying turned into wailing.

And normally when he reaches the whimpering state, I reach back to the back, all the while keeping my eyes on the road of course (don't judge me...you know you've done it too), root around for his pacifier, find his mouth, and stick it back in. And if I'm able to do that in the whimpering, or even the crying state, he usually calms down. But, if it ever gets to the wailing state, well, there's usually no turning back. What's that saying? Something about hell and breaking loose?

So why didn't I just get the pacifier back in during the whimpering state? Good question. And all good questions deserve good answers.

Good answer: Lately I've been having issues with my shoulder. I think I have an inflamed rotator cuff or something like that. Anyway some days it's not so bad, and some days it is. Today it was bad, rendering it virtually impossible to reach to the back, find his pacifier, and stick it in his mouth. So I just let him cry with the intention of soothing him when I got to Starbucks. And soothe him I did, for a while. But while I was waiting for the grande skinny vanilla latte (my wife's drink of choice), Nolan decided he wasn't happy in his car seat any longer, and so...he...started...to...wail! It was the first freak-out like that I'd ever experienced in a public place.

So I started fumbling. I was racing to get him unstrapped, but he was so unhappy, flailing around (maybe it wasn't that bad, but it seemed like it), that getting him unstrapped was a mere feat in itself. On top of that, I forgot to put the arm carrier in the back position, so when I finally did get him unstrapped, I couldn't get him out of the car seat because he kept stiffening up, which makes it impossible to get him out of the seat, because he keeps hitting his head on the arm carrier. I felt like I was naked in the middle of Starbucks, and everyone was staring at. It's as if the thoughts of everyone there were bombarding me in the midst of my trial..."Will someone please rescue that baby from that incompetent man." "Dad's, they never know what to do."

I finally got him out, and he calmed down. We made it to Carla's office, dropped off the coffee and headed home.

And the ride home produced the same results as the ride there. Murmur, whimper, crying, wailing, and a gimpy arm incapable of doing anything to ease the child's suffering.

So I sucked it up, and like any well intentioned parents seeking to document every aspect of their child's life, I decided to take a picture. Seemed like it would be simple enough. I'm not through...

So as to not prolong Nolan's discomfort by trying to get that perfect shot (I'm not that mean), I figured I'd brake one of the rules I've been trying to follow: no unnecessary cell phone use while driving. I figured that right before I got home, I could turn on my phone, punch in the security code, pull up the camera app and have it all ready to go so that I could park, quickly get out of the car, open the back door, take a quick shot, put the phone in my pocket, get in the house, make a bottle, and get Nolan happy again.

And that's what I did...all the while nearly getting into an accident! That's right. As I came close to our road, I started getting my phone ready. My plan was working, or so I thought. We live in a neighborhood with very little traffic activity, so I didn't think anything of it when I took a wide right-hand turn onto our road. Fortunately, I looked up just in time to see a car pulling up to the stop sign. I turned the wheel hard right and just narrowly avoided hitting it. We're talking centimeters of space between my front end and theirs. I can see it now, Nolan freaking out while waiting for the cops to show up and process the accident. The other driver questioning my competency. Trying to answer questions for the cop over a screaming baby...all because I wanted to get a picture. Thank God that didn't happen!

Hello wake up call!

Thankfully I got parked, got Nolan fed, made him happy again, and got him down for his afternoon nap where he is now sleeping soundly.

And so I leave with a shot of an unhappy baby who's daddy has learned his lesson: Take extreme caution when waking a sleeping baby, and never use your cell phone while driving if you don't have to.

He actually doesn't look too bad here, but trust me, it was bad!

4 Generations

2010-08-07T08:18:00.005-05:00

Nolan is privileged to have 5 great-grand parents. We spent some time with each of them over the past few months. What a beautiful heritage Nolan is a part of.

Nolan with Dad, Poppy, and "Great" Mom-Mom Lusby

Nolan with Dad, Grams, and "Great" Grandma Smucker

Nolan with Mom, Grandpa, and G-G Green

Nolan with Mom, Grandma, and "Great" Mimi & Pop-Pop Whiteman

Phillies Game & Fireworks

2010-07-24T08:38:00.007-05:00

For as long as I can remember, we have been going to Phillies games around the 4th of July to see fireworks. They are always amazing fireworks and the baseball isn't bad either. I'm hoping that Nolan will get to enjoy this tradition too. Thanks to Grandpa, Nolan got to go to his first Phillies game. It was so much fun!! Nolan did great. He watched the game for a while with Grandma and Grandpa and then fell asleep around the 7th inning. The game ended up going into extra innings. You could feel the tension with all the parents in the stadium just waiting for the game to end so their kids could see the fireworks and get home. Finally in the 12th inning, the Phillies hit a home run and we won the game. Thanks to Bennett, who loaned Nolan his head phones, Nolan slept through the whole fireworks show. Maybe next year he will be able to stay awake for the fireworks.

I just had to post this one. love the hair!!

Who do I look like??

2010-07-08T14:42:00.002-05:00

People keep asking who Nolan looks like. We'll let you be the judge!!

Greg

Carla

Nolan

Good Morning Nolan

2010-07-06T14:50:00.002-05:00

Nolan is the sweetest baby. I have found, one of my favorite things is coming to get Nolan in the morning after he wakes up. I video taped it one morning because I wish all of you could see how cute it is. Enjoy!!

Hilton Head (take 2)

2010-07-06T14:22:00.008-05:00

After Greg's family headed home, Carla's parents came down to Hilton Head for our final week of vacation. We had a great time once again just hanging out and relaxing. Grandma and Grandpa offered to take Nolan in the mornings but he is such an all star that he started sleeping later so it really wasn't the early shift any more. We spent more days at the pool and the beach. Watched the world cup. Hung out with Uncle Larry and Aunt Beth. Finished our books. Tried to get some ice cream. Oh well, maybe next year. Enjoyed Nolan as he started to become more and more vocal. He is getting so cute with big blue eyes. (He definitely got his dad eyes!!) Nolan swam some more in the pool and still LOVES it. We even got out to go on a little date while Grandma watched Nolan. All in all, we had a great time with everyone over the past 3 weeks and were blessed by the most amazing baby ever!

The drive home was a little rough. It ended up taking 14 1/2 hours when it should only take 11 hours. Nolan actually did the best out of the three of us. After hour 13 here he is, still smiling!! Love that boy!

time flies...

2010-07-03T10:53:00.004-05:00

Nolan ~ 2 weeks old

Nolan ~ 7 weeks old

Oh my how he has grown!!

Hilton Head (take 1)

2010-07-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

After the Outer Banks, we headed down to Hilton Head, SC for a week of vacation with Greg's family. We had a another wonderful and relaxing week. Plus as a bonus, Grams and Poppy let mom and dad sleep in each morning by taking Nolan for the early morning shift. What a blessing. We went to the pool, played tennis, went for long walks on the beach, swam to a sandbar, enjoyed chipwhiches & M&Ms, biked to Starbucks, played ruk-shuk and just relaxed.

One day while walking to get to the sandbar, we realized that the stroller could "push" itself. We literally walked the entire way without pushing the stroller once. A few times we had to run to catch up to it. It was so funny. Going back against the wind was a little more difficult but we made it. Check out the video proof!!

We also took Greg's family to the spot on the beach where we got engaged. It was really nice to share that with them and Nolan too!

Outer Banks...

2010-06-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

We took a trip to the Outer Banks with some great friends. What a wonderful time. We were a little nervous about how Nolan would do in a new place and at the beach. However, we were pleasantly surprised at how well he did. It made the trip so relaxing and enjoyable. He saw the beach and ocean for the first time, took naps in his tent, went in the pool for the first time, started smiling a lot, hung out with lots of little friends, and generally enjoyed himself the entire time.

Happy 30th Birthday Carla!!!

2010-06-17T20:36:00.006-05:00

Here's to my beautiful wife
May the next thirty years bring you as much joy as you've brought me these past eight years that I've been in love with you
As a wife, you're more than can ask for
As a mother, you carry an air of grace that I can only hope to one day emulate
You're the love of my life and my best friend
Happy Birthday!

Play time...

2010-06-17T11:50:00.003-05:00

Nolan has been enjoying his play mat that Bennett loaned to Nolan for a bit. At times the toys are a little over-stimulating but he has started to enjoy it enough to play by himself for a while giving mommy and daddy a few minutes to eat lunch or dinner with both hands!!

First Bath...

2010-06-15T19:17:00.004-05:00

After Nolan's belly button heeled, we were able to give him his first submergable bath. He really enjoyed it. He just chilled for a while and then started splashing around. After a while he started peeing which of course caught this new mom and dad by surprise. What do we do after that? Can you still clean a baby in water with urine in it? So, to be safe, we got more water and tried again. But within a few minutes, he threw up. After that, we decided it was time to call it quits. All in all, it was a success. He had that beautiful baby smell and gave us encouragement that he will continue to enjoy baths in the future.

How big is Nolan?

2010-06-13T08:18:00.003-05:00

SOOOOOO BIG!!

Big hug!!

2010-06-13T08:17:00.002-05:00

Meeting the family...

2010-06-09T09:52:00.008-05:00

Nolan Gregory

2010-05-12T16:04:00.010-05:00

Well it has been 7 weeks so we figured we should post about our newest addition...

He was born April 18th at 5:01am weighing 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long.

He is a wonderful baby. He sleeps very well and has started to become more engaged with mom and dad. We could not be happier. He has already brought us so much joy. There are times when we just look at him and start crying because we love him so much. It is amazing how fast you can fall in love.

Here are a few more shots of the handsome boy!!

We're Ready

2010-03-29T20:36:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow marks two weeks from Carla’s due date. Only two weeks. Realistically, the baby could come any time, but two weeks is when they tell us. And we couldn’t be any more ready. Now I know people say you’re never really ready, and I guess in all honesty, that’s true. We really don’t know what to expect, because first, every child is different, and second, we’ve never done this before. But while we may not be ready for the late night feedings, the constant changing of dirty diapers, or the potential unceasing of a crying baby, we are ready for this next stage in life. We’re ready to be parents. We’re ready to put someone else beside ourselves continually first. We’re ready for the change it’s going to bring to our lifestyle, with me being a stay at home dad, and Carla being the breadwinner. It’s not going to be easy, I gather that. We’re untraditional in how we’re going about this. But we’re ready. And we feel we’re doing the right thing, making the right decision for us, and because of that, we’re ready, and we can’t wait!

Only two weeks...or any day!

Food

2010-03-17T08:22:00.003-05:00

I love food.
Maybe a little too much.
I love fried food, french fries, chips, snacks, red meat, fatty foods, etc.
But I can't help but think that every time I eat some of this stuff, a little bit of me dies.
Literally.
I wonder how I'd feel if I ate healthy, really healthy. I wonder how much more energy I'd have. I wonder how much more clearly I'd think.
I had a good little run for a couple of weeks where I counted calories, ate healthier and as a result, lost weight and felt great.
But a skiing weekend away, full of snacks and eating without abandon, brought me right back to the center of unhealthiness.
I want to like fruits, vegetables, smaller portions, healthier foods. I want to crave the juice from strawberries, peaches, apples, and grapes rather than a half pound burger, cooked well done, topped with pepper jack cheese, bacon, jalapenos, ketchup, and a jalapeno ranch sauce with a side of fries.
But oh how that sounds so good.
Fortunately, as well as unfortunately, I have a high metabolism.
So while eating all of these unhealthy foods may not always show on the outside, I can't help but wonder what it looks like on the inside.
It can't be that good.
It's going to take an act of the will to change this.
It's going to take a renewing of the mind.
It's going to take a miracle.
But I believe miracles happen.
Here's hoping it happens to me.
And here's to healthier lifestyle.
Hopefully.

Dadhood

2010-03-15T08:24:00.002-05:00

It's funny how the prospect of becoming a parent causes you to come to grips with the reality of the flaws and inconsistencies in your character. At least it does in mine. I'm not perfect, and I'll be the first to admit it. And fortunately, God pours out his grace upon me every single day. But thinking about and preparing for stay-at-home-dad-hood is forcing me to face those flaws and inconsistencies head on.

There are areas of my life that, quite honestly, I don't want my son to become like. Maybe God created parenthood because it forces us to grow in areas where we otherwise may have let fall by the wayside. This is not to say that I want my son to think I'm perfect, because I don't. I want him to see some of my flaws so that he understands the grace of God. But I also don't want to sit around and think that I'm absolved of all responsibility to grow as an individual, because certain areas of growth will benefit the betterment of my child. What kind of parent would I be if I didn't take the years of experience that I've already been given and lavish it upon my son? He deserves that, and I've been entrusted with that responsibility.

So here's to growth. May those of us who are parents or are becoming parents continue to look at our lives and see where we can grow so that our children grow with us, while at the same time remembering the grace of God which pours itself into our imperfect lives so that we can share and show the same grace to our children.

Four weeks tomorrow!

In Full Baby Mode

2010-03-12T07:45:00.002-05:00

We're almost four weeks away and are pretty much at the point where we can say that the baby could come anytime. Crazy! Up to this point, I've been pretty laid back about getting things ready, and that is mostly due to my amazing wife being so efficient. And while there isn't much left to do before the baby arrives, yesterday I had a brief moment of panic about what still needs to be accomplished (I guess my stay-at-home-dad mode is beginning to kick in). I kind of had to remind myself that it'll all get done, and even if it doesn't, we'll be fine.

It seems unreal that we're almost there. Almost to the point of everything changing, and couldn't be more excited. Almost to the point where we have to put our selfishness on the shelf and put our focus on someone else, and couldn't be more ready.

We love that we're finally at this point in life!

Only Eight Weeks To Go!

2010-02-15T09:53:00.003-05:00

It's amazing, but we're only eight weeks away from our due date. The house has become infiltrated with baby things. Our kid isn't even born, and I think he already has more stuff than I do. But with every new thing we get, it feels more and more real.

There really isn't anything like feeling the kid move and roll around. He already brings us joy and makes us laugh. We can't wait to meet him and hold him!

Soon enough...

It's A Boy

2009-11-26T10:08:00.004-05:00

Last night, Carla and I had our families over for a party to reveal the sex of our baby. On Monday, we had our twenty week ultrasound and asked the technician to write the sex of the baby on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope. We then gave it to our good friend, Lindsay McIntire, who took it to the baker and had a cake made based on the sex of the baby. We had no idea what we were having. It was actually kind of weird that friends of ours knew what we were having before we did, but it only added to the excitement and anticipation. This is the video of us opening up the cake box and finding out that we're having a boy!

Thanks to Lindsay and Brian for your help and for keeping it a secret! And thanks to our families who indulged and participated with us in all of the excitement. We love you all and are very excited!

P.S. Bennett was so confused as to why there was so much excitement about opening up the box for the cake. While we were all saying, "It's a boy," he was saying, "It's a cake." Love that kid! He's going to be a great cousin!

If Only

2009-11-03T14:13:00.002-05:00

Have you ever had one of those moments where you think, "If only I had done this or that, I'd now be here or there?"

I had one of those moments this morning.

I was walking around campus heading to class, and I thought, "If only I had gone to college immediately following high school. By now I would be finished my undergrad, my masters, even my doctorate, and instead of walking around campus on my way to sit in a class, I could be walking around campus on my way to teach a class."

Yeah, if only...

Just to be clear, though, I am in now way complaining. I've had the opportunity to do some truly amazing things because I didn't go to college right after high school and I'm a better person because of it.

But maybe someday...

The Baby's Room

2009-10-25T08:52:00.004-05:00

Carla and I were discussing how to decorate the babies room this morning. She was looking at the Babies R Us website and commented on how there are so many different styles, which makes it hard to choose. I suggested we just come up with our own theme, and proceeded to tell her about my idea for a "Literature Baby" theme. I said we could go buy all the classic children's books, like Peter Rabbit, and the fairy tails, hang shelves in the room, and stack the shelves with books. Being an English major, I thought it was a great idea to introduce our child to the world of literature and reading. Carla looked at me and said, "I was thinking something more like circles." I love my wife. She always brings me down to earth. Yes, circles is probably better.

Cousins Night

2009-10-15T14:57:00.005-05:00

I'm one of the lucky guys who has something like twenty-two first cousins...and that's only on my mom's side of the family. Add my dad's side, and well, let's just say that family get-together's are a large affair. The crazy thing is, I'm actually close with a lot of my cousins. But, as life goes, the older we get, the less we see of each other. That is, until recently.

Three of my cousins, Jordan, Kyle, and Karla (and Karla's husband Justin), have all recently moved to our area. All of my life, they've lived in Texas, but now they live right down the road. With their arrival has come a weekly Tuesday night cousins night (we need to come up with a better name). I'll be honest and say we don't make it every Tuesday night, but having a time where Carla and I can get together with my cousins has been great! Anybody would enjoy spending time with these people!

This past Tuesday, they came out to our house. We had more food than we could handle. When we were done stuffing ourselves, we all sat down to watch The Biggest Loser. Why is it that I always overeat or eat unhealthily when that show is on? Anyway, it was great hanging out, and hopefully one of these days, the majority of the cousins will all be able to get together. It's always a good time!

Burnie:

Jordan:

Karla:

Shana:

Gent:

My Carla:

Blurry self portrait:

House Projects

2009-10-12T16:24:00.002-05:00

When Carla and I first bought our house a little over two years ago, we spent the first three weeks refinishing the hardwood floors. Nights and weekends were spent sanding and staining our floors alongside tremendously patient friends and family who graciously helped us accomplish our task. When all was said and done, the floors looked amazing, and we moved in. There was only one problem. We were so spent physically, emotionally, and mentally (yes, I'm exaggerating) that any other projects we wanted to do around the house were put on hold. One of those projects was a bedroom turned office. We knew at some point we wanted to revamp it, new color, new curtains, new furniture, but we kept putting if off, and putting it off, and putting it off.

Not a big deal, right? We had a desk and a chair in there, and it was serving its purpose. Except for the fact that it became the bane of our existence (again, I'm exaggerating). Not only was it bland, but it became a catch-all for papers, mail, files, etc. Oh yeah, and there was one more thing...the unfinished wall. Being that we live in an old house, the closet space is minimal at best. I guess eighty years ago they didn't have as many clothes as we have today, which is a whole other discussion and blog post for a different time. So, Carla and I decided, with the help our good friend Mike, to bust through the back wall of the little closet we did have in our bedroom, and frame out a bigger closet. The wall, however, went into our makeshift office. I ended up finishing the inside of the closet (which I kept putting off as well), but never got around to finishing the outside. So, in our office we had a protruding wall that had drywall on it, but wasn't spackled, nor painted. And that's how it stayed...for...two...whole...years.

Needless to say, it was time to get over the emotional distress that finishing our hardwood floors had caused us, and come back around to being homeowners who actually care about their house. So, I eventually finished the wall and painted the room. My wife picked out fabric and made curtains, and we bought new furniture. Pictures of the office will arrive shortly. We still want to hang some pictures and do a few more things, so bare with us.

But the other day, I was doing some things in the office that I figured I'd share. We bought shelves from Ikea (that's comfortable) to hang on the walls. The particular shelves we bought are great because you can cut them down to whatever size you want, and the hangers go over the ends to hide the cut. However, the hangers were a bright silver that didn't fit the warm decor of the room, and after I hung them, they annoyed me. So, I decided to take them down and spray paint them. I found a great bronze color paint that ended up working perfectly, and now I love the shelves and their hangers.

We also decided to keep the closet door off and use the closet as a big shelf. We bought baskets of different sizes to put in there, and it really works great. I decided to doctor up the shelves themselves (rhyme...sort of) by pin-striping them. I found a can of paint in the basement that was left over from when the previous owner painted the room. After priming them, I painted them with the left over paint, then measured and taped them all up, then used the same color we painted the walls to pinstripe them.

Before:

During:

After:

They turned out okay. It definitely livens up the closet, but the shelves are so old and kind of have a dull feel to them, while everything else in the office is nice and new. Oh well, I more than anything, it was fun painting them. Oh yeah, I picked the windiest day of the year so far to go outside and do all of this painting. Wind and spray paint can be a tough combination. Wear old clothes.

When the office is finished, I'll post pics. I will say though, that I'm writing this post from my new desk in my new office, and I love it!

Back In The Saddle

2009-10-09T16:14:00.005-05:00

I know, I know...it's a lame, overused, cliche way of saying that the guys and I are back at it, but I figured I'd go with it. Last night was the first of many scheduled nights in the studio at Second Story Sound in West Chester. We're hoping to spend the next three months trying to get something together by Christmas.

For the past three years we've played at a conference for Campus Crusade for Christ called Radiate. This past year, we had all the sessions recorded live, and the idea is to try and put out a live album. Last night we spent 5 1/2 hours listening through all the tracks. I don't think I've laughed as hard as what I did last night in a long time. But all in all, we were able to find a handful of tracks that we think might be possibilities, so here's hoping!

It was nice having some visitors there with us. Lindsay, Owen, and Tyler hung out for a while. Somehow Steve and I started playing this game where we pretended Owen was a football. He loved it, and kept asking if we could play it again and again.

So we officially have some hours logged in the studio, with many more to come! Here we go!

Creativity

2009-10-06T17:28:00.003-05:00

Right now, at this moment, I'm astounded at the amount of creativity that is out there. I was just glancing over some blogs/photo blogs and websites, and they just seem to go on and on. One website leads you to another, which leads you to another, which leads you to another. It seems never ending. And while there is a lot of not so good/bad stuff out there, there also is plenty of tastefully creative things to look over and read. In one sense it's daunting (a deluge of creativity can sometimes lead to a lack of creativity). In another sense, though, it's inspiring. I think finding a couple of places/websites to keep tabs on can go a long way in helping to keep the mind thinking creatively.

Hitting it Right

2009-10-05T08:32:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday, Carla, Denise, Patsy, and myself took Bennett (yes, four adults took one child) to Highland Orchards. This is the second time I've been to Highland Orchards to go apple picking. I think in my head, I have this romanticized idea of what apple picking in autumn should be like. Cool air, jeans, sweater, hot apple cider, snuggling on the open air truck that takes you to the apple fields in order to stay warm. But every time I've been, I guess I just haven't hit it right. Both times have been hot and muggy, with little fruit flies and bugs swarming around my face the entire time I was walking through the fields. It's not at all the picture I have in my head.

That's not to say we didn't have a good time. Bennett loves petting the goats, and always remembers to mention that there is a llama amongst the other animals. Cider donuts are must buy while there, and they're amazing the following morning with hot coffee. Oh yeah, and there's the added benefit of spending time with friends and family. That's always a plus.

Maybe one of these years, everything will line up properly, and the romanticized idea I have of apple picking will come to pass. One can only hope.

Weekends

2009-10-01T13:51:00.004-05:00

I've been away the past couple of weekends with some of the greatest people in the world. First, Steve, Brian, Lindsay, Lauren, Carla and myself all went to Baltimore's Inner Harbor for a sneak peak weekend for this year's upcoming Radiate. The new location (years past it was in D.C.) is outstanding, with the hotel being right on the water and within walking distance of dozens of shops and restaurants. The kind people at Cru put us up in the hotel and took great care of us all weekend. The guys and I led worship on Saturday morning for group of students and staff. We played stripped down, and as a result, I forgot to bring my snare. It turns out that a bass drum pedal case can make a great sound! During one of the meetings we made headgear (pictures above) with these little fuzzy wire things they had on the tables. On Saturday night, Pete and Katy joined the six of us for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. Mojitos anyone?

Last weekend, Steve, Brian and I rented a Suburban (amazing!!), loaded our gear and headed down to Radford, VA to lead worship for the Radford Cru Fall Retreat. We had a great time hanging out with and getting to know the students and staff. The camp was literally in the middle of nowhere. There was no cell phone service or anything. But it was beautiful. On Saturday, Aaron, one of the locals, took us into the town of Radford to show us around. We went to the Coffee Mill where we watched You Tube videos of Camel Spiders and Bot Flies (these are not for the faint of heart), and then had wings and fries at Sharky's, where a bunch of Hoakie fans were watching the game. Needless to say, it was loud.

I love when I get to go away with these guys! Great friends are a blessing!

Ringing Rocks

2009-08-05T14:55:00.002-05:00

Again...

2009-05-03T12:06:00.007-05:00

last year we posted about delaying the destruction of the ugly trees in our front yard due to the bird that built it's nest in one of the trees. well, this year the bird has returned. and with no tree to build its nest, it decided to put his nest on the next obvious place, our mailbox...

however, in a few short weeks, we will be parents again!!

Tired Of Thinking

2009-04-14T17:29:00.002-05:00

There are days I grow tired of thinking.
Tired of analyzing.
Tired of examining.
Tired of theorizing.
Tired of hypothesizing.
Tired of trying to find the underlying meanings.
Tired of pulling something apart
Putting it back together
And pulling it apart again.
Tired of recalling.
Tired of making connections.
Tired of problem solving.
And all I want to do is sit
And drink a cup of coffee
And read a good novel
And let someone else do the thinking for me.

Today is one of those days.

Easter

2009-04-12T07:36:00.003-05:00

I was thinking this morning of how incredible it must have been for the disciples and followers of Jesus to see him alive after they had seen him crucified only days before. The scriptures even say that after his crucifixion "They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead." Imagine being a follower of Christ, beginning to believe that he is the Messiah, and then seeing him crucified, not understanding that it needed to happen for the Scriptures to be fulfilled. Imagine the pain and the confusion they must have felt as they played back in their minds all the experiences and interactions they had with Jesus before he was crucified. Imagine walking with a friend, discussing the events that had transpired over the past couple of days, and being greeted by a man who opened up the Scriptures to explain all that they said and prophesied about Jesus the Christ. And then imagine your eyes being opened and realizing that the man talking to you is Jesus himself, flesh and blood, fully alive, fully aware, fully Himself, risen from the dead. How amazing that must have been!

Any Connection?

2009-03-14T14:18:00.002-05:00

Monday I turned 27
Today I bought a pair of shorts
The waist size of the shorts was 2-3 sizes bigger
Than what I normally buy

Could it be?
Could the thing I've joked about for years
Finally be?
Has my metabolism stopped?!?

I knew I shouldn't have eaten
That third helping of fries!

It's All About Perspective

2009-03-09T19:22:00.004-05:00

Yours:

Mine:

"You should blog"

2009-03-04T22:41:00.002-05:00

This is what Carla just told me. I can't think of anything to say right now, but at least I'm blogging. It's always good to make your wife happy! Happy wife, happy life!

Things That Make Me Smile

2009-02-20T18:04:00.002-05:00

Monday night pizza night at Planet Fitness
I've never been
But the thought
Of eating pizza while exercising
Is enough to make anyone smile

Things That Make Me Smile

2009-02-19T20:02:00.002-05:00

Getting my acceptance letter
From West Chester University
So long community college
Bye Bye, Adios, Salut, Wiedersehen
Aloha, Shalom, Ciao, Vi ses,
Lamtumire, Zbogom, Hooroo, Cheerio

Things That Make Me Smile

2009-02-18T20:09:00.001-05:00

Trying to hold a conversation with my dentist
While my teeth are being cleaned

Things That Make Me Smile

2009-02-17T17:53:00.002-05:00

I love cloudless winter days that allow the sun
To warm the inside of my car
And instead of stepping into an icebox
Waiting to be thawed
I find myself unexpectedly enveloped
In a retreat of warmth

My Wife

2009-02-05T18:19:00.007-05:00

Lately, it seems that the only goal I have on a daily basis is to finish my work as quickly as possible, or convince myself I can put it off until another day, in order to maximize the time I have with my wife.

Furnishing the house
Cooking dinner
Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Olive Garden
V for vendetta
Planet Fitness
Downingtown church plant
Egg casserole
Lost, 24, The Biggest Loser, Top Chef
Taxes
Planning for spring break
Excursions
Overheard conversations
Driving to Lancaster and back again
Lazy Sunday afternoons
Lazy Saturday mornings
Drinking coffee other than starbucks
Drinking starbucks because the other coffee tasted terrible
Bad movies
Good movies
Shopping for jackets

Everything is better when she's involved

And I recently learned she makes delicious chicken salad

Hace Frío

2009-02-05T18:10:00.000-05:00

It hurts to be outside

My Brother

2009-02-02T18:22:00.004-05:00

He'll love you even if you show up two hours late.
And then he'll take you to a quaint little coffee shop
that has amazing sandwiches.
I don't see him as much as I'd like
But I like every moment I do get to see him.

First Date

2009-01-31T07:49:00.006-05:00

A little while back, Carla and I went on a first date, although it wasn't ours. We went to Cosi for dinner, and we were seated ridiculously close to another couple. As a result, we were able to hear their ENTIRE conversation, and it was obvious that they were on a first or second date. It actually was rather humorous. At one point we tried to talk about something, but as soon as we looked up from our food and made eye contact, we lost it, laughing histerically. I think the awkwardness of being able to hear everything they were saying got to us, and the fact that they were on a first date made their conversation even more humorous. I can't remember everything they said, but I will give you some advice about what NOT to talk about on your first date.

First, don't tell the person you're with that you live paycheck to paycheck. This topic bodes well for a fifth or sixth date conversation, but could be detrimental to a first date.

AND

Second, don't recount every detail of the first time you met (which in this case happened to be five months prior) and how you tried each others water ice, the flavors you had and such. That has the potential to creep someone out. Again, better to be left for a fifth or sixth date (or maybe after you get engaged), when a memory such as that would be considered sweet and endearing, and not creepy and stalkerish.

It's all about timing people!

However, I will say, the couple did seem to be having a good time, and neither of these things seemed to cause a lull in the conversation. So, here's to the couple from Cosi. I wish you well! Cosi has a great reputation for first dates. In case you don't know it's where Carla and I had ours.

...on December 18th, 2002, and we shared cheesecake (see, that was cute, not creepy).

Patience

2009-01-29T16:48:00.001-05:00

Be careful asking God to teach you patience.

For if you do, chances are, He'll try and teach it to you at a time when you just don't have the time to be patient.

Joy

2009-01-26T18:37:00.003-05:00

I've been to the slums of Indonesia and was greeted by children. And there was joy.

I've attended church behind closed windows and doors in order to protect those involved. And there was joy.

I've been to the village of Babak in Senegal and worshiped with a small group of people who live in grass huts in the middle of nowhere. And there was joy.

I've been to restaurants in the states where people are eating until their heart is content. And there was no joy.

I've been to the mall during the Christmas season and watched people spend billions of dollars on gifts for others. And there was no joy.

I've been to football games and stood among thousands of people who have their basic needs met and then some. And there was no joy.

Homeownership

2009-01-25T00:34:00.003-05:00

I cleaned the gutters today. I think it was a last minute attempt to get myself out of doing school work without feeling guilty about it. I guess I'll be spending Monday and Tuesday writing annotated bibliographies. Ah well.

Cleaning the gutters is something that should have been done long ago. Every time it rains, we have a waterfall cascading off our front porch. The problem was, I only remembered that they needed to be cleaned when it rained, which is not an opportune time to clean gutters. I knew it was bad when my neighbor kindly informed me that there was a danger of the wood behind them rotting if they didn't get cleaned. I think I was secretly hoping that I'd wake up one rainy morning and everything would be fixed, and water would be flowing smoothly. Things don't always work out the way we hope.

So today was the day. I climbed up the ladder and took a peak. I actually thought it wasn't going to be too bad. There was a thin layer of black soot blocking the hole to the downspout. I cleaned it out and thought I was done. Things don't always work out the way we hope.

Turns out that thin layer of soot rounded the corner and went down the length of the house. So I grabbed a putty knife, scraped it all out and emptied it into a plastic bag. By the time I got to the end, I was too lazy to take the ladder around to the other side of the porch to see if there was any more soot, so I climbed on the roof and walked over to the other side. Bad idea. If you know me, you know I'm afraid of heights. It's not so much the going up as it is the coming down. I suddenly realized that I was going to have to, at some point, turn myself around and precariously get back on the ladder. It must have looked hilarious, slowing turning myself around, searching unsuccessfully for something to grab on to to brace myself, panic strewn across my face. And I was probably only twelve feet off the ground! I hate heights.

But now the gutters are cleaned. It's one of those things that you don't think about needing to be done when you buy a house. I guess most people just hire someone. But hey, why hire someone if you have school work to get done?

Who took the fun out of learning?

2009-01-23T18:58:00.003-05:00

As an English major, I get to read biographies of various authors, most of whom are dead, and the biographies never fail to talk about the author's education. But I can't help thinking that the education these authors received hundreds of years ago has to be different than our education system today.

I'd be willing to bet that most of them got an education because they wanted to, not because they had to. And I'll also bet that for them, it wasn't just about getting the grade.

I feel like school today is about just that, getting good grades. Are we really learning anything? Or are we so focused on what we have to do to get an A that we forget to digest the information we're given. Do we even take the time to think anymore, or do we just cram?

When I first went back to school, I went because I wanted to learn. But I've gotten so caught up in the rat race of getting good grades, that when I walk into a classroom on the first day of class, I'm not as concerned with the content as I am with finding out how much time I'm going to have to put in to get an A.

Oh to be like that great authors of the past who listened, learned, read, and studied not because they had to, but be because they wanted to.

Oh to have learning be fun again.

Burnt Orange Sparkle

2008-12-11T18:11:00.002-05:00

it's long overdue

Trust

2008-12-11T09:32:00.001-05:00

the backbone of every relationship

Does God...

2008-11-28T17:37:00.001-05:00

really listen

I Believe...

2008-11-28T17:36:00.002-05:00

He does

But Sometimes...

2008-11-28T17:36:00.001-05:00

He seems so far away

Thankful

2008-11-27T08:56:00.002-05:00

for so many things
but most of all for you

love you

Art History 101

2008-11-13T18:41:00.002-05:00

I enjoy the class, but...

I wonder if Art Historians
ever over analyze a piece
of art, so much so that
what they predict is nothing
near the truth of what the
artist originally intended...

I wonder...

Shuffle

2008-11-06T09:07:00.004-05:00

It's how I've been listening
To my music lately
I hear songs I'd forgotten about
And love
And hear songs I'd forgotten about
And still want to forget
Maybe that's not entirely true
But
Either way
I love the randomness

Break In

2008-10-30T21:08:00.004-05:00

Tonight, Carla and I were hanging out in our living room watching Survivor (or was it the Office?) when we heard someone comment on our "cute pumpkins" (see previous post) and walk up our steps.

We weren't expecting anyone, so I started to get up to answer the door when a girl talking on her cell phone opened it up herself, without knocking, and started walking in.

We just looked at her and she said, "Is this the right house...Oh my gosh...this isn't the right house."

We started laughing and the girl got so flustered that she nearly dropped her cell phone, closed the door, and ran out.

We've been laughing about it all night!

I knew there was a reason why I always lock the doors.

Go Phillies!!!!

2008-10-29T22:48:00.003-05:00

This is what we did with Beth and Kev while watching the Phillies win the World Series! I can't believe we won!

Why?

2008-09-22T17:28:00.001-05:00

I probably can quote at least one line from a good majority of the movies I've seen, but I can't quote one verse from all the books of the bible that I've read.

What's wrong with this?

So Behind

2008-09-11T17:12:00.001-05:00

The more I read, the more I realize there is so much I haven't read.

Painting

2008-09-07T08:10:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I painted.

And now that our dining room is a slight shade of green and awaiting another coat, I've come to this one conclusion:

Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World is one of the best albums I own.

So here's to Jimmy. Me, my dining room and the paint I used to color it thank you for eating world.

seriously, can he be any more cute?

2008-09-04T21:36:00.003-05:00

His and Her's

2008-09-03T21:21:00.003-05:00

Here's to technology

Raise a glass for the iphone

From the Dock

2008-08-29T10:00:00.002-05:00

From the Boat

2008-08-28T09:43:00.004-05:00

Vacation

2008-08-27T11:15:00.004-05:00

Rode our bikes to starbucks this morning for breakfast. Great way to start the day at 10:30 in the morning!

Table 15

2008-08-17T13:43:00.005-05:00

Syndrome?

2008-08-09T13:09:00.004-05:00

Greg's hair has started to get a little out of control. the other day i noticed he was taking on characteristics of a certain villain from the movie the incredibles. what do you think?

waverunners

2008-08-09T12:59:00.007-05:00

last weekend we went out on the waverunners with my parents and greg's parents and gentry. so much fun! this year they made a new rule that you have to have your boaters license to drive the waverunners which was a pain to get but now we have it and can ride without fear of being towed out of the water or fined by the Water Authority (or whatever the boat with the flashing blue light is).

we are going again on August 24th so if you are interested in coming, just let us know.

being an aunt & uncle is great!!

2008-08-09T12:30:00.005-05:00

this summer, greg and i have had the privilege of babysitting for our nephew bennett quite a few times!! it is so fun having the little man run around our house. he does make us laugh. don't tell kate & ryan but we are not the best babysitters. here are just two ways that we tortured our poor nephew this summer.

#1 let him fall out of the front door onto the door mat thus covering his face with small divots and plenty of dirt. then further torture him by documenting it on camera.

#2 take bennett outside in 98 degree weather. if you didn't know, bennett sweats perfusely evidenced by his hair soaked in sweat. this was only 2 minutes after we got outside! can you see the sweat beads coming down his face?

Now before you start thinking we are a terrible aunt and uncle, bennett was able to get back at us when he woke up at 6:30am one saturday morning. as you can see, bennett was ready to take on the day...i on the other hand was not.

good-bye ugly trees

2008-08-09T12:22:00.006-05:00

before

during

after

thanks dolph and greg for taking out the ugly trees.