Kudos to Tyler - No FISH

I know, 2 post in one day? What am I thinking? Just a real quick note, though. I have to give kudos to Tyler. He is in K5 and his teacher "pulls a fish" out of the fish bowl every time she has to get onto one of the kids. Each kid starts out with 3 fish each day. Anyway, Tyler "has gone fishing" many times since the beginning of school in August. It seemed like he was getting at least 1 or two fish pulled almost everyday. Most of them just for talking (one for fighting - I'll tell you about that another day - he actually made me proud). He had so many fish pulled that back in the Fall we requested to have a parent/teacher meeting. We met with his teacher and the VP and the VP said she didn't see it as that big of a deal and we should not make a big deal out of it. I liked the VP. His teacher, not so much. So, we decided to back off of him and not make it a big deal when he had fish pulled for the day. December, January and February were much better than the first half of school. Now, I am happy, no, I am proud to say that Tyler did not have a single fish pulled for the month of March! I knew he could do it! It cost us several Star Wars toys and games, but it worked! Love you Tyler!!!!!!!

Torn Medial Meniscus

So, I have a torn medial meniscus! I actually found out that I had it 2 years ago when I had an MRI. The doc then said we should not do anything to it to see if it might heal on it's own. All seemed to be well, but about 2 months ago my knee started to hurt again after playing basketball. Went to the doc about a week ago and had another MRI. It showed that the tear had actually more than doubled in size and he recommended that I undergo surgery. He'll actually just go in (arthroscopically) and remove the part that is torn. He said I'd be out anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks (he was hoping for 2 weeks b/c I am in fairly good shape). I'll also undergo therapy for a few weeks (physical therapy that is). I'm shooting to be back at work within two weeks (if not after the first week). I will update you more as the time nears and give you post-op updates. Surgery is April 15th. It seems like a fairly easy surgery and I'm sure everything will go just fine, but any prayers are appreciated! I'm sure Ryan will be praying for my surgery b/c he prays for everyone's surgeries .... even if they didn't have one! It just seems fitting though, in the past year or so:

My mom had a knee replacement.

My mother-in-law had a knee replacement.

My dad had a knee replacement.

My wife had some female surgery.

My mom fell and broke her leg (the same leg she had her knee replacement on).

My brother had shoulder surgery.

A friend of ours (JF) had surgery.

And now my knee surgery.

Even though a few of these surgeries took place a little over a year ago, Ryan still prays for them every night. If he prays for me half as much as he has prayed for the others, I should be alright!

2 New Features

I'm sure you've noticed that I've added a countdown widget to this blog. Due to the overwhelming excitement that I have about going on my 6th cruise this summer, I thought I would share it with you!

I've also added my very first playlist to the right. Feel free to click on the PLAY button and listen to some music while you read. Right now, there are about 46 songs on the playlist, so if you just want to hang out and listen to music, that's fine, too! If you don't like the song that's playing, just press the forward button (>>) and it'll go to the next song; however, sometimes it will just make you listen to whatever is playing. Enjoy!

Also, we had a great time at Miyabi's last night. However, Ryan talked non-stop the entire time! The chef just kept shaking his head in disbelief at how much Ryan was talking.

What's he doing?
What's wrong with that chicken?
Why isn't it cooked yet?
What's that brown stuff (soy sauce)?
Where's my soup?
Where's my salad?
What's that green stuff (brocolli)? I don't want any trees!
Why did he make that rice look like Sponge Bob?
Why is he cutting Sponge Bog into squares?
On and on and on and on and on and on .....................

Lots of questions from a very inquisitive little boy! Nonetheless, we did have fun and both the boys were very brave when the chef lit the grill on fire.

Happy Birthday Ryan!

My youngest turns 4 today! The good news is that maybe we will turn the corner with his 3 yr. old attitude. The kid is stubborn! He does what he wants, when he wants, where he wants and how he wants. He looks like me, but acts like his mom!!! The bad news is that he is growing up!
I'm not sure if I'm ready for that! :(

We actually had his birthday party this past Saturday at Chuck E. Cheese (the place where his mom and I met and fell in love). Surprisingly, the birthday party was a pleasant experience. There was only one other party there at the same time so there weren't 200 kids running around. The only negative is when Chuck E. Cheese came out to sing Happy Birthday. Ryan bolted under the table and would not come out until Chuck E. left. I don't know what was wrong with him. We went to Disney World a year and half ago and Ryan didn't have any problems with the characters there. I guess because that is the "Happiest Place On Earth" (I can't wait to go back!).

Tonight, we are taking Tyler and Ryan, my parents and Megan's parents out to eat at Myabi's Japanese Steakhouse for Ryan's birthday. We have been there several times with the kids and every time we go they hide when the chef makes the grill burst into flames. I guess that is a good sign that they are scared of fire. At least they know to stay away from it! I guess we know that our kids aren't anywhere near like Beavis and Butthead. That's good to know! Hopefully tonight, we will have a pleasant experience and fun will be had by all.

Although you frustrate me 99% of the time, it's that 1% of sweetness that has got me hooked! It's that hug around my neck! It's when you tell me you love me! It's that cute little smile! It's those big blue eyes! It's when I tuck you in at night and I tell you "Good night, sweet dreams, I love you!" (it has to be exactly in that order, too). It's when you pray at bedtime for everyone that is sick or has had surgery (currently, my family has been plagued with surgery, but Ryan is solid in praying for each of them, even if the surgery was over a year ago!). In fact, he prayed for Tyler's surgery the other night just because he was sick! I guess he thinks if you're sick, you must have had some type of surgery! Very cute!

Anyways, Ryan, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Bloggin' Ain't Easy

Shortly after my last blog, I had really decided not to blog anymore. I didn't feel like I really had anything to offer and I still feel that way, but nonetheless, here I am again and will try to give this one more shot! It's not that I don't enjoy blogging because I think that I really do. It's trying to find the time to blog. So, here's my second wind! I know that there has got to be at least a few people out there who check my blog and are interested in what's going on my life and for whatever reason, my brain. Some people read my blog simply to stay in touch and I appreciate that. To be honest with you, I have no idea who reads this blog. I know that my wife, Megan, and my friend Jessica read it from time to time, but other than that, I just don't know. If you do read it, please feel free to leave a reply every now and then.

Tell me that I'm right or tell me that I'm wrong!
Tell me that I made you laugh or I made you cry!
Tell me that you sympathize with me or tell me that I should get over it!
Tell me that I'm a dork or tell me that I'm the man!
Tell me something!

That will at least let me know that someone is reading it and that I should continue blogging.

To be honest with you, I think that we all blog everyday in our thought life. I know that I am always thinking about what is going on in my life and how certain events relate to me and my family. I am always trying to figure out what God is trying to teach me through different circumstances and how I am suppose to be living out loud for Him. The task at hand is taking those thoughts and putting them here, not necessarily for my thoughts to be exposed to everyone because some thoughts are meant to be private, but to help me learn from what's going on in my life and to share those special moments in life with family and friends.

Bloggin' ain't easy, but here I go again!

1/2 Bath Before and After Pictures

Well, I did finish the 1/2 bath last weekend, but haven't really got around to posting the pictures until now. Nonetheless, here are the before and after pictures. Hope you enjoy! I am sure glad to have it complete!

A Christmas Story

Not exactly what you expect to hear in late February, but I thought I'd take this time to share with you why I am now called Ralphie. Some of you already know and I'm sure still find it very funny. For those of you who don't know, well, here it goes .....

I am really not one to know a whole lot about guns. I did grow up with a BB gun that I used to shoot soda cans, paper targets and the occasional bird or squirrel. I know that you load it, cock it, aim it, pull the trigger and it shoots. I can't just look at a gun and tell you what type of gun it is. My friend Brian, however, grew up in the boonies and knows a lot about guns. He even owns quite a "few". To be honest with you, his wife knows more about guns than I do. She even has one that she totes around. Nonetheless, Brian called me one Saturday back in December and asked me if I'd like to go the shooting range with him and shoot some rifles. Like I said, I don't know a lot about guns, but I knew that I'd love to be around them a little more and get comfortable with them and learn how to shoot them.

So we're off to the shooting range! I am a little excited at this point, but after about an hour drive to the range, we find out that they are closed due to the Christmas holidays. Well "shoot"! So much for that! On the way home we stop by this gun shop and look at some guns and ammunition. It was starting to intrigue me even more. I wished that the shooting range had been open now. Oh well, back to Brian's house.

As we get to Brian's house he begins telling me about a pellet gun that he bought his 5 year old daughter. So that the day was not a complete waste, he suggested that we go out on his land (8 acres) and shoot out some holly hanging in the trees. I thought that would be cool! We go down by the creek and find a tree that had some holly in it and Brian takes a few shots. He then proceeds to hand me the gun and I hoist it up onto my shoulder and begin to take aim. I was having a little trouble looking through the scope as my eyes get really dry all the time. I blinked a few times and still could not see clearly through the scope so I brought the scope in just a little closer to my eye. There! I can see the holly and so I put my finger on the trigger and pull. Wham! That little bitty pellet gun kicked back and popped me in the eye. I didn't immediately say anything about the power of that little pellet gun until I go to wipe my brow. Wait a minute! Why am I bleeding? I looked at Brian and asked him if I was bleeding. Here was Brian's response ..... "Dude! You have a gash above your eye!" Of course that comment was followed by laughter. Brian is our kids pediatrician and so he says that we need to go to his office so he can stitch it up. As we walk from the creek back to the house he simply cannot stop laughing at me. Now does that sound like what a friend, a doctor even, should be doing at a time like this? We walk into his house and Brian regales what happened to his wife. What does she start doing? Laughing of course! As if that was not enough, she calls my wife to tell her of this "extremely funny" thing that happened to me. So, I have my wife, my friend and his wife all laughing at me while he is now glueing my head back together. Where's the love?

So now, I don't think I'll ever live that down. There's a certain phrase that I'll forever hear now at Christmas time everytime A Christmas Story is on TV ..... "You'll shoot your eye out!" Poor Ralphie! I now know what he must have been going through when he shot his brand new Red Rider BB gun and he shot his eye out. Fortunately for him, nobody saw what happened and he was able to muster up some tears and blame it on an icicle that fell and struck him in the eye. Unfortunately for me, Brian saw what happened and for me to muster up some tears would have only added to my embarrassment (besides, it didn't hurt that bad). I think what really happened was that I struck that holly "dead on" and it fell from the tree and struck me in the eye. Yeah! That's what happened! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

But don't expect me to wear a pink bunny suit next year for Christmas!

Some things, you never live down! I guess that's what friends are for!

Too Busy, Too Tired

My wife instructed me that I have not updated my blog in quite a while. It's true! It's been 10 days! However, I have been way too busy to update it lately and if I haven't been too busy, I've just been way too tired!

I have been working on updating our bathrooms, mainly our 1/2 bath downstairs. I am hoping to have that completed by this weekend. As soon as I get it done I will post before and after pictures so everyone can see what I've done. I know it's only a 1/2 bath and why in the world would it take me so long to update a 1/2 bath right? Remember, I have a 3 yr. old and a 5 yr. old that DEMAND my attention at all times! Also, Megan has been working overtime every night this week so I haven't had much time to get in there and finish it up! I will be extremely happy when it is done and can't wait to share the before and after pictures with you.

And for some reason, I have been extremely tired this week, too. By the time Megan gets home from work and the boys have been bathed and put to bed, all I want to do is sit down, relax and watch a little American Idol (Go Syesha Mercado!), or my favorite, LOST! Which by the way, last night's episode, as all of them are, was very good! The writers for LOST have to be the best writers out there! My wife and I love watching it and then talking about how much more confused we are afterwards. Each week they answer so many questions, but they leave you with just as many unanswered. It really is a great show! If you watch it and want to share thoughts on it, please send me an e-mail. If you don't watch it, you should go to http://www.abc.com/ and watch all the episodes from the beginning and catch up!

So, this weekend I'm going to try and finish the 1/2 bath and move on to the master bath or the boy's bathroom. I'll let you know how it goes! Oh, and by the way, I still have 2 leaky P-Traps!

P Trap Frustrations

You'll all be glad to know that I have not ran off to join the circus (as of today). In fact, my intrigue over the circus has diminished significantly over the last week. I'm sure it will not resurface again until next time they are in town. So with the circus having left town, what have I been doing? Well, I have been working on giving our 2 1/2 baths a facelift. We have replaced the "Old Yeller" formica laminate countertops from the 80's in each of the bathrooms with a cultured marble top. We have also replaced all of the chrome faucets with brushed nickel faucets. I must say that the new countertops and faucets have brought our bathrooms from the 1980's to the 1990's. All I have left to do in each bathroom is replace the brass light fixtures, find new mirrors, get new toilets, and paint over the 1980's paint on the walls and the cabinets. That should bring us "close" to being up to date! I can't wait to share with you my before and after pictures! We are very excited to be updating our bathrooms! I think you'll be amazed. If not, at least Megan and I will be!

However, I have had a major problem with installing the plumbing for the new faucets. You might have noticed that I entitled this post "P Trap Frustrations". What in the world is a "P Trap"? That's what some of you might be saying and that's what I was saying a week ago. A "P Trap" is the PVC piping that connects the drain pipe coming down from the sink to the sewage pipe going into your wall underneath your cabinets.


It's a pretty nifty setup. It keeps the gas smell from the sewer from coming into your home and stinking up your house. Anyway, I had to install new "P Traps" with each new faucet. Well, 3 out of the 4 are leaking. I spent 6 unsuccessful hours last Friday trying to figure out how to stop the leaks. So, I had to call my friend Brian, who happens to be a Jack of All Trades, on Saturday to help out. He spent an hour on them and they had all stopped leaking (or so we thought). Sunday morning before I left for church, I realized that the 3 began leaking again. To say the least, I am very frustrated and am ready to go Rambo in my bathrooms and throw a stick of dynamite underneath my brand new coutnertops and blow up the "P Traps" and everything else around them. Any suggestions on these leaks will be greatly appreciated! In fact, you are more than welcome to come on over and FIX THEM ALL!

The Greatest Show on Earth

This past Friday, Megan and I chaperoned Ryan's class to The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it! I guess it reminded me of being a kid and just being awe struck at what the performers were doing with their individual talents. Nothing's changed. At 35, I was still awe struck at what these performers were able to do. It was amazing to watch! It was also quite nerve racking! I think the aerialist make me the most nervous. Not the trapeze artist (because they perform with a net), but the girls that perform in the set of rings high above the ground, the high wire motorcycle guy that thinks it's cool to stand on top of the seat at the highest point of the arena and start spinning around and upside down while a girl is hanging onto a bar on the other side of the bike, and this one guy that was walking upside down on the arena ceiling with his feet going in and out of these small loops. They all do this with no net! I think I would actually enjoy the show more if they used nets. Anytime the aerialist were performing, my palms just became soaking wet with sweat! I'm not kidding! I almost felt sick in my stomach while watching them, but for some reason I still could not take my eyes off of their performance. Anyway, I really did enjoy the show and have since become interested in the circus life! I have Googled the circus several times this weekend just trying to find out more about the history of it and anything else that I can find out about it. No, I am not going to go off and join the circus (keep your jokes to yourself), but the life that these folks lead and that talent that they have just simply amazes me!

So, since I have been to the circus twice this weekend (I took Tyler on Sunday because I liked it so much the first time), I have gone through this self-evaluation and asked myself - What are my talents and what am I doing with them? Most importantly, am I using them to glorify God? I would ask the same of you. What are your talents and are you using them to glorify God?

One more last thing about The Greatest Show on Earth. The Ringling Brothers might have the market on that for now, but one day, when Christ returns for His church, that will be The Greatest Show on Earth! I hope that you are not just watching it, but that each of you are actually a part of it!