Presenting William Bryant Beck Jr

Many of you may not know this but my dad is a genius when it comes to photography. On a daily basis he takes some of the most amazing shots I've ever seen in my life. I know I'm a little bias, but you have got to check out some of his work below. For more visit him on his facebook page under William Beck. Click on the images below for a better look

Yea Mommy Did It!!

"Alex! Mommy is trying to use the bathroom. Please leave and close the door back!"
"Hmmmm...Mommy got potty?"
"Yes Mommy go potty, please go!"
"Yea Mommy did it!!!"

We Can't Forget.....The One Year Anniversary

Spider (Little) Man!

For a week we heard all about it. Adam's heroic deed in front of the entire class
"There was a huge black spider! Everybody was scared of it!!"
"I wasn't scared of it! I just went over there and stepped on it."
"Mrs. Wallace patted me on the back and said "Good Job!"

Every time we were outside it was brought up.
"Did you know I killed a big black spider yesterday?"
"I just went up there and stomped it."
"Good thing I don't see any big black spider's out here. I'd run up and jump on it. Yes sir"

This morning....
"Dad there's a big black spider in the bathroom!! Come get it! Come get it! Come get it!"
"Adam I thought you were the spider slayer? What happened to stomping on the next one you saw?"
"Well I didn't know I'd see one in the bathroom."
"What about Mrs. Wallace patting you on the back?"
"Mrs. Wallace isn't here Dad. It's getting away! Get it!!"

Could I BE Any More Preachy?

Tonight I gave the sermon that I published the notes to on Monday and for the most part it went pretty good. Being as my Grandfather Beck has been preaching for The Church of Christ for over 50 years, it does come some what naturally for me. I'm genetically engineered to have an above average ability to speak in public. Trained by the best, I don't typically get nervous and for the most part never worry about coming up empty with nothing to say. In fact most of the time there are huge chunks of time that I find myself missing when I review what I said afterward. The trick is to know your material and if you can't remember your notes, make sure the topic is something you are passionate about.

It never fails that at some point during the lesson I inadvertently throw the script out the window and do a little freestyling. One minute I'm talking about the dangers of serving things other than the Lord (Twitter, Facebook, Television, etc....) the next I'm proclaiming my love for Chandler Bing and how thankful I am that Friends is back on every night. Plus it's hard not to get up there and proclaim myself a complete fraud who has so many flaws to get off his chest that class will be starting a little later than usual tonight.

In another life maybe that's what I'm doing; preaching the Gospel three times a week. In this one though I'm continent at having my say when asked.

Best Of Blockhead: I'm Such A Potty Mouth (January 9th 2008)

Everyone seems to be talking potty training lately. Weird Girl has been trying for some time now with mixed results:

"Wednesday - almost all day successful tinkling in the pot when I took him in.  I think there was a turning point when, at one point, he started to go on the floor and he shut that valve off and walked to the potty instead! Yeah, baby!  However, I did/do have to remind him to go.  He wouldn't tell me when he had to pee."

It's no secret that after 22 months of changing dirty diapers, I still can't stand the smell and regularly pull my shirt over my nose choosing the smell of my own BO over what I'm about to be wrist deep in. This is such a predictable habit that if I don't do it Fred starts pulling my shirt up to my face for me. Still even though diapers aren't cheap and supposedly it's every parents dream come true the first time they make it out of Target without having to fork over $30 bucks for them, I think I may prefer diapers when compared to the alternative.
Lucy bought Fred a potty (or poop bucket as I like to call it) for Christmas for a number of reasons. The first being that he now can be seen entering a room with a fresh diaper in hand saying "My boot. My boot." on a regular basis. The second reason is he's moved up at the Hill and his new teacher insists he'll be potty trained in 6 months. Now they did say this was an option, but everyone else is learning and we can't very well expect him to use a potty at school and a diaper at home just because we don't want to clean out the bucket. I have a cat, which means I already have one poop bucket to clean and I think 2 may be over my "Poop-Buckets-To-Clean" quota.
Another thing that has got me stumped is how are we supposed to know when he has to go? Let's face it, I forget to go sometimes and I've been practicing for 30 years. That's why I keep that "Cleanest and Most Convenient Bathrooms In Town" map in my head. No matter where we go I always know where a good potty is just in case I have an emergency. It's not like he says "Hey! I'm about to wet myself!!!" Letting us know after the fact is great, but should we just pull his pants off and stake out the potty just in case? And if that's the answer, what if we get the origin of exit wrong?
I can just hear myself discussing the previous nights events with the folks at work the next day:
"Did you see The Biggest Loser last night?"
"Nope"
"That guy almost won a million bucks on Deal or No Deal"
"Missed it"
"What was the score of the game?"
"Didn't see it."
"So I guess ya'll rented movies?"
"Not exactly"
"So what did you do?"
"We spent a cozy night in the bathroom huddled around a plastic toilet looking for signs on Fred's face that could give us a clue as to whether or not he's about to go #1 or #2."
"Oh.um how did that work out for you?"
"Not so great. We are hoping the cat will have better luck teaching him to use the litter box."

Serving 3 Ways

I'm giving the lesson this Wednesday night at church so like everything else I thought I'd share this on Charlie too!

Lesson Notes 4/26

Serving 3 Ways

I. Thank you

a. Those To Serve

b. Lords Supper

    i. 10 on the table + 2 Alts + Talk=13

    ii. 2 for PM Lords Supper=15

    iii. 3 ushers for each Sunday Service=18

         1. 4mth rotation= 72 individual people

c. Prayer & Scripture

    i. 3 for each Sunday service= 6

    ii. 2 for each Wednesday service= 2

    iii. With 4 weeks in the month that’s 32 individuals

         1. Other than who is doing Lords Supper

d. 26 Individual helpers each week

II. Preachers Who Are Always Serving

a. Jack, Ben, MJ, MS, MB

b. How do they not treat the pulpit as a confessional

    i. Teaching by preaching their faults?

III. What does it mean to serve?

a. The movie Courageous

    i. Tragic event leads a father to reexamine his role in his family

       1. Joshua “As Joshua prepared the children of Israel for the land of Canaan he made it clear that first priority went to those with whom he had immediate and direct control: he and his "house."

       2. Joshua 24:14-15 “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”

b. What does it mean to serve?

     i. Def. 1. a. To work for.b. To be a servant to.

    ii. 2.a. To prepare and offer (food, for example): serve tea.b. To place food before (someone); wait on: served the guests a wonderful dinner.

    iii. 3.a. To provide goods and services for (customers): a hotel that has served tourists at the same location for 30 years.b. To supply (goods or services) to customers. See Usage Note at service.

    iv. 4. To assist the celebrant during (Mass).

    v. 5. a. To meet the requirements of; suffice for: This will serve the purpose.b. To be of assistance to or promote the interests of; aid: "Both major parties today seek to serve the national interest" (John F. Kennedy).

    vi. 6a. To work through or complete (a period of service): served four terms in Congress.b. To be in prison for (a period or term): served 10 years for armed robbery.

    vii. 7. To fight or undergo military service for: served the country for five years in the navy.

    viii. 8. To give homage and obedience to: served God.

    ix. 9. To act toward (another) in a specified way: She has served me ill.

c. Who are we serving?

    i. The iGroup?

        1. iPhone, iPod, iPad, iTouch

    ii. Music

    iii. Facebook

    iv. Twitter

    v. Television

    vi. Alcohol

    vii. Drugs

    viii. Money (Too much time at the office)

d. How much more clearly does the Bible have to make it?

        1. Joshua 24:14-15 “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”

    e. Who are we serving when we spend all night watching TV? Texting? Playing Words With Friends?

    f. What would our lives be like if we spent as much time serving God as we did serving other things?

    g. As men we are supposed to be the spiritual leaders of our families. Are we?

    i. Are we the ones that are setting the spiritual examples like Joshua or are we being dragged to church by our wives, by our children, by guilt, by fear of what people might say if they don’t see us walk through those doors?

        ii. Nobody expects us to be perfect. I fail at this all the time

       1. Making Christ your Lord and Savior does not mean you will never sin again, but it does mean you will never be comfortable with it when you do.

    h. If you feel you are not serving the Lord the best way you can or if you are not the Christian example you should be for those around you, come as we stand and sing.

To The Parents Of Alex Beck

To The Parents Of Alex Beck,
             Unfortunately it seems that Alex has had a very bad day and we must tell you all he has been up to. Alex has been misbehaving all day long and was sent to time-out three different times. The first thing he did was pick up a plastic frying pan from the toy kitchen, walk over to a nearby child, and whack him over the back of the head (Mandy, this is surely something he saw you do at home. lol). Next he decided that the child sitting next to him was way to close for comfort and hit him until he moved. Last but not least Alex took a toy away from another child and kicked them in the leg, apparently he has not grasped the concept of sharing.
             We love Alex to death and hate that he had such a rough day. This really isn't like him at all and are worried that maybe he just didn't feel well today. Still, we felt we needed to say something to you considering how much trouble he was in.

If we can help in any way,
Mars Hill Bible School

Pepper Ponderings

We were out junk'n today and came across this framed picture. Honestly the thing fascinates me on sooo many levels the first being on a parental one because I cannot understand how "Mommy" could throw away artwork from her little Pepper.  You put it in a box under the bed where you can easily get it so you can add the weeks latest masterpieces. Frame it sure, but don't donate it to the junk store. If you wanna give the frame away fine, but at least take the picture out first.

Now judging from the picture Pepper was a boy, but I see pepper more as a short red haired girl. A tom boy who loves to climb trees and go fishing with grandpa. I also see Pepper as a child with tons of potential. There is some awesome detail in the picture. Check out the lines in the trunk of the tree, the way the clubhouse is tilted to the left, Mommy is drawn very clean with a great fluid shape. Oh and the colors are spot on. Green grass, brown trunk, red shirt for Mommy with an orange one for Pepper.

Then I think about the date 4-20-2007 and wonder where Pepper is....maybe Mommy was a foster parent and this was Pepper's way of attempting to be close to her. Maybe Pepper moved on and "Mommy" didn't see the need to keep some picture from a foster kid she'll never see again. There could have been a fire and sadly nobody survived. As the fire fighter was sorting through the pile of debris he came across this picture in good shape and donated it to charity. Maybe Pepper's family got caught in a big storm that destroyed their home. The tornado sending their belongings hundreds of miles away where they were found and put in the goodwill box. Pepper and Mommy living to see tomorrow with nothing to hold on to but each other and their faith in God.

No Mo Fro!!

Before

After

This is the longest I have ever let my hair get. I've traditionally had scalp problems, that all changed with the new house. The shower in our bathroom is like a pressure washer shooting out ferocious beams of water at break neck speeds. For weeks Mandy has been saying I look like a Golden Girl (it was a toss up between Dorothy and Blanche). My barber had mentioned how he had seen me out one day last week and almost dropped a business card on the table because he thought I may had forgotten who he was. While some of it was definitely done out of spite, for the longest time I was very happy with it and wanted to see how long it would get before I got tired of it. Finally I'd had enough and decided the only thing to do was go to the opposite extreme i.e. shaved with a three inch guard.

Best Of Blockhead: Showdown After Sundown (February 08,2007)

It is a cold and frosty night along the border between the den and dinning room. The only light comes from a single lamp off in the background. The two gunslingers now staring each other down have never been the greatest of friends and it seems a line has been crossed.

Baby Fred sits firm holding the cat toy in his hand like a lion tamer grasping his whip. Across the five-foot expanse ready to pounce at a moments notice, Buttons the 20lb cat can only think of one thing “That there’s my toy and I reckon I’m about to take it from ya.”

Lucy and I are motionless waiting to step in on behalf of the baby at the slightest twitch of a tail or crack of cotton whip. Neither side budges. Suddenly Fred swings the whip over his head “Whakish Whakish” “Chirp Chirp Chirp” goes the fake bird noise inside the cat toy. Button’s back legs start gearing up like the Road-Runner about to be chased by Wyle Coyote. It is now or never. If he backs away from this battle his reputation as the King of Everything Below 3 Feet would be forever tarnished. Dare he give up his seniority to this drooling, infant that doesn’t even know how to use a litter box? “Somebody must lose this contest young bottle drinker,” says Buttons as he inchs his front paws forward while arching his back.

Baby Fred isn’t about give up what he considered to be “his” new toy. Not only does it have a cool handle, but also just like his furry, tuna-eating counterpart, Fred just can’t resist the chirping noise. The stage is set. Who will make the move first?

In a flash Buttons leaps up out of his stance and is about to grab what was rightfully his!! Until in mid-air he locks eyes with the only thing that can stop his forward assault….DADDY!!

Heart broken and with nothing left to do but tuck his tail, Buttons turns around and decides to play with Lucy’s shoe instead.

There Fred sits basking in the glow of his victory. Swirling the cat toy around his head…but wait Daddy has other plans. “Let’s just put this up for now, Little Man. I don’t want the cat to eat you for dinner when I’m not looking.”
Disgusted all Fred can do is scream “WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

That Thing You Do

I always thought it was funny how everyone on the show Friends knew that Chandler had a job they just didn't know exactly what it was. I still think this is one of the funniest running gags on the show mainly because I face the exact same problem every day.

"So how's work?
"Good. My spreadsheet on the latest payment trends is almost done"
"Ummm....that's cool.....I think"

"How'd it go today?"
"It was rough. The new price list I was waiting on still didn't show up. We are three weeks into the quarter."
"Wow...that's not good....I guess."

I seriously doubt that most of my own family members know what I do other than collect past due invoices. In fact while that definitely is what got my foot in the door, as an Accounts Receivable Supervisor I do very little collections and mainly spend my day fixing problems in an attempt to save the company I work for money.

Let's take today as an example of everything that went on:

* The morning always starts with cash being applied. This morning we received a large of amount of funds that didn't have an account that it could be tied to. Through out the day I spent time trying to figure out why this customer paid us for product I couldn't find they owed

*XYZ customer from Germany responded that we didn't actually ship their product under normal 60 day terms but in fact it went to a consignment (third party) warehouse and there was an entirely unfamiliar system that had to be gone through so we could get paid. Unfortunately XYZ couldn't tell us how this system worked even though they created it. This problem split off into a second problem involving trying to figure out if any other XYZ locations were also doing this.

*Customer ABC sent us a letter saying they were reorganizing and would be contacting us soon with a reduced payment plan for the balance they owed us. Anytime you hear payment plan and reorganizing you can bet the words bankrupt are not too far behind. Hours were spent trying to get as much unused product back as possible.

*Customer DEF wanted us to begin shipping to three dozen new locations each of which required their own individual accounts in our accounting system. Today I researched, tomorrow I implement. Goodbye Thursday morning.

It may sound boring, but it's what pays the bills and I'm good at it. Not the most interesting job in the world, but for the most part I enjoy it. It's nice to be able to fix things even if it is for a brief period of time. If you have trouble sleeping please bookmark this page for future use.

A Prayer Request

I don't normally talk about work for various reasons but tonight I feel called to speak about one person in particular that is need of our prayers. It was just a few months back that she found out that there had been a hole in heart her entire life. The moment it was discovered the surgery was scheduled and the damaged heart was repaired. This past weekend though my friend's life took another unexpected turn.

After having some severe chest pains her husband rushed her to the emergency room where they discovered several blood clots in her lungs. Today they learned that the clots may be tied to what they think may be a genetic disorder. The recent surgery caused the dormant disease to come to the surface. That hole in her heart may have been saving her life all this time by letting the blood clots pass and not being redirected to her brain.

While this is definitely a tragic turn with a still unknown outcome, it does go to show that we never know what God has in store for us. Today's health scare may turn out to be tomorrow's saving grace. Blessings come in the most unexpected of ways at times.

Please pray for my friend......

All NetGear'd Up

Gonna be a short post tonight. After weeks of going back and forth with AT&T about why I suddenly no longer had Internet service at home, I am finally back up & running. Oh but how have I been posting every night you ask? Every night I go to the far corner of the house also known as our bedroom and steal some stranger's vine nearby who doesn't seem to care or know their Internet is not password protected. Our router/modem went out two weeks ago and at first we were told the entire network was down in my area. This held water for a couple days until it still never came back on. Then we were told our router/modem went bad. First we replaced the plug which was the recommended course of action by AT&T then unfortunately we had to buy a whole new box. Luckily it was installed in minutes and so far I'm zipping through the web like never before.

New Home Favorites: Have Dirt Will Plow

Tonight's picture in the series on my favorite parts of the new house features the garden we planted today. Our next door neighbor plowed it a few weeks ago and we've been waiting for the perfect afternoon to get it planted. Today I raked it, hoed it, raked it again, and then the whole family got out to plant a ton of crops. If only half of it makes it to full growth we will have more than enough to feed the whole block. Just check out the list of what was planted:

*Two rows of cumbers
*Two rows of okra
*Seven tomato plants
*Two rows of green, hot, and salsa peppers
*Two rows of petite and rainbow carrots (Adam had to have rainbow carrots)
*One row of yellow squash
*One row of zucchini
*Four strawberry plants
*Two rows of sunflowers
*One row of cantaloupes
*Two rows of watermelons

Next week I'm thinking about planting an herb garden next to the house.

Below The Belt

I don't normally get pranked too easily, but tonight Mandy got me good. I've been complaining about my weight lately and that I was going to have to go on a diet. Tonight while in line for Zaxby's I'm sitting there in the car huffing and puffing to myself about what I've already eaten today and yet there I was still hungry. As I'm breathing in and out, Mandy slips her hand down, pops my seat belt and off it goes. Only I thought that I popped it off with my mega-belly so immediately I'm all "Good Grief I'm so fat I just broke the seat belt!!" She couldn't hold it in and just busted out laughing. It was all I could do to hush her so I could order a chicken tender plate.

Party Foul

I need to the tell the story the boy's birthday party before too much time passes. As I mentioned last Saturday, we could not have had a better time. The party which was Adam's 6th and Alex's 2nd was held at Gattman Park under a perfect sky with temps in the low 70's. The park was deserted except for the boy's friends from school and church. The funny comes from what was going on just a few feet away from where Adam was busy having a birthday blast.

It started with a text the night before from coach saying that a make up practice was going to be held at 9:00 the next morning at Gattman Park. We politely sent word that Adam wouldn't be able to attend never realizing the confusion that was about to be created. So there we go strolling into the park at 9:30 with plenty of time to get the decorations up when Adam shouts "HEY THERE"S MY TEAM!! WE ARE PLAYING BASEBALL TODAY!!"

What followed next was a series of questions from a very confused child followed by several awkward answers from two parents trying to handle a delicate situation.
"I thought I was having a party?''
"Um you are...."
"That's my team. I have a game first?"
"No....you are having a party."
"My team is coming to my party?"
"Well I guess if they want to. You don't really know any of them that well yet and all your friends from school and church were invited. That's like 30 kids that might show up."
"Sooooo I don't get to play with my team?"
"No but you get to have a birthday party!!"

Thankfully Adam got the idea after a few minutes and things were fine again until we stepped out of the van....."Adam we're over here!! We got your uniform! You're late, grab your bat."

Mandy flashed me a look that said "DEFCON 5 Emergency Maneuvers Must Be Taken!!" She grabbed the kids and rushed off to start decorating while I jetted in the other direction to have a few very awkward words with the coach who was standing on the pitchers mound. All the while praying silently that I would find the words to explain how we were not only skipping practice, but that a mere 50 feet away we would be having an amazing birthday party in which no one besides Adam's best friend Max who was currently playing first base was invited to; including might I add said coach's son.

"Hey I know you are in the middle of practice and I hate to catch you off guard here, but Adam's um...well that's his birthday party over there. Um....he didn't really know anyone on the team....I guess you guys could come by after....the odds of you picking this field out of the 100 around here are just mind blowing...um so yeah I guess...anyway that's why we are here..but we really aren't here....we're over there."

I remember Coach smiling and nodding his head, but for the life of me I was too embarrassed and so desperate to get out of there that I have no idea what he said. It must have been said with understanding because he did pop over for a few minutes after to deliver Adam's uniform.

Best Of Blockhead: Attack Of The Monsta Possa (From 5/10/10)

Up until a few weeks ago the closest I had ever been to a possum (other than running one over with my car) was staring out across the yard late one night at the Garfield house. At the time I swore I had scene an armadillo. That changed a couple weeks back around midnight as I stepped out onto the back porch and landed about 5 feet away from one. Shrieking like a little girl I let out an expletive and ran inside deciding immediately that the trash could wait until the possum free morning came.

Always one to have my back Mandy "encouraged" me to finish the task of taking out the trash knowing what lurked just out of sight. I banged and clanged my way to the trash making as much noise as possible in order to scare the beast away. This seemed to work except that in my haste to get outside and back I closed Buttons between the wood and screen doors. Once this was discovered yet another expletive was heard echoing through the neighborhood that night.

I quickly learned my lesson though. Don't go outside after dark and I won't have to face the giant possum (or possa as Adam calls it). Then last week at 5:30 in broad daylight as I was staring out the kitchen window the Monster Possa proved that I had more to fear than a late night stroll around the backyard. There it was just walking through the yard in broad daylight like a cat or dog except twice as big and with many many more teeth. Afraid to go outside at any time of day or night for fear the giant possa will attack at a moments notice I am have become the caged animal. Trapped in my own home scanning the terrain with every step. Fearing the MONSTER POSSA!!

Little Man Whoop Whoop

Tonight before church we grabbed some McD's and headed down to the river for a quick picnic. We found a great spot near some genuine indian tee-pee's that were set up and of course the kids had a blast checking them out. Alex kept running around going WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP!

The Boys Of Summer

Adam's first game of machine pitch baseball was tonight and I was able to snap this pic before the game got underway. Nobody is more happy than me to see summer come around and with it hours spent in the backyard playing with the boys. The new house just begs for you to be outside enjoying the fresh air.

The game went really well considering there were 1,000 people there including Gigi, Nani, Baby V, Alex, and of course Mandy & I. Adam hit the third pitch thrown to him and that was enough to call the game a success in his book. A Big Jack & fry afterward sealed the deal on a perfect night.

Sunday Suppers

Looking to make something different, tonight we took a yellow bell pepper, a red bell pepper, an onion, some garlic, laid it all on top of some pork chops, and set it to bake for an hour. The result was more than I bargained for. When we stepped out for a good dose of yard work, what we were leaving in the stove was simply another in a long line of meals. What awaited us when we walked back in though was a trip to a far off land that I had not thought of in quite some time.

It hit me in the face the moment I walked in the door. The smell of onions and peppers mixed with a hint of garlic and the sweet smell of the pork. In an instant I was back in my Granny Beck's kitchen begging to see what smelled so good. The sound of rice boiling in the background, Grandpa in his recliner getting ready to teach the evening sermon. Soon the table would be filled with black eye peas, peppers & onions, a fresh salad, homemade pickles, some of the best tasting pork chops I've ever had in my life, and surrounding it all was the sound of laughter coming from a family that truly enjoyed spending time together. Those days are few and far between now, but if ever I were granted a wish it would be that someday we will all come together every night to sit around that table once again.

Happy Easter!!

Happy Birthday Boys

We had the boy's birthday party yesterday at Gattman Park, then a cookout at the house, then we died easter eggs, then topped it off with a hotdog roast late last night. Needless to say that's why I didn't post last night (posting twice today to make up for it). The kids had a blast, the park was empty except for us and 50 of our closest friends, and the weather was perfect! God has truely blessed with such great treasures.

Money Down The Drain

As long as I can remember back I don't recall ever living in a house with a garbage disposal. I've really never put much thought into it. Never had any sleepless nights staring at the ceiling wondering what life would be like had only I been given the chance to dispose of my trash in the sink instead of a simple garbage can. Never got the feeling that I would have been a better man had I simply been able to empty my food scraps into the sink.

Now that I have one though I'm not exactly sure it's adding any value to the new place. The first night it ate a knife which put it out of commission for three weeks. Then it sucked up half a pot of fresh spaghetti noodles there were going to be our dinner. Last night it almost took two dollars from Alex after he literally tried to throw money down the drain.

At this point I'm not even sure if it can be considered an actual appliance. It's more like this swirling black hole sitting in plain site destroying anything that gets sucked into it's twisting vortex of death. Somewhere in the back of my mind as I reach down into it to remove the latest object of it's affection, I imagine a location somewhere in deep space where a similar black hole sits swirling only suddenly my hand comes rushing out of the opening to grasp some unseen piece of space trash.

Best Of Blockhead: Morning Glory's (May 16 2010)

Now that there are four of us waking up on the weekends is always an interesting slice of life. For one thing the same people that have to be yanked out of bed by their toes Monday-Friday seem to come alive at the crack of dawn on Saturday. I'm speaking of course about Adam. I'm the oposite. Alert by 6:15 during the week and still walking around like a zombie at 10:00 a.m Saturday. Now that Alex has come along, mornings around the house tend to fall into three varieties.

1)The sun is barely peaking through the blinds, the birds are chirping, a feeling of quiet calm covers me like a blanket. I resist opening my eyes for as long as I can, but eventually I take a peek to see what time it is....wow 9:00 a.m. Adam must have fallen out of bed and knocked himself unconcious or has run away from home....either way it looks like Alex and Mandy are still sleeping too. So I just lay there and enjoy the silence as long as I can.

2)The sound of something crashing to the ground jolts me out of a deep sleep. As I open my eyes I halfway expect there to be pieces of airplane wreakage laying around me as if I've woken up on LOST beach. Suddenly Adam yells I DON"T WANT TO CLEAN MY ROOM! I'M HUNGRY! The island is angry this morning. Mandy runs into the room with Alex screaming his head off. "Alex needs to changed, I'm about to beat Adam within an inch of his life if he does not quit whining, the kitchen is a mess, my mom is bringing breakfast, and I've have got to go the bathroom. Take the baby." Things are happening all around me too fast for me to even register them. The phone begins ringing. Baby in my arms I manage to make it before the machine kicks on. The doorbell rings. "Hey mom, Gigi is at the door with breakfast, I have no idea what we are doing today. I just remembered who I was. Got another call, Hi Granny" Can't go the door cause I'm in my underwear. Adam takes off running for the door, but it's locked so he starts yelling at her through the door "I CAN'T OPEN IT GIGI! DID YOU BRING ME A CHICKEN BISCUIT?" I put the baby down, he starts whaling again, I drop the phone, grab some shorts, a shirt, all the while trying to remember where I left my keys so I can unlock the deadbolt, trip over the cat on the way down the hall barely stopping myself and Alex from rolling through the house. The day never stops from there.

3)I hear a pounding sound coming from the other side of the wall. Adam is up and going through his closet for some reason. Good he's letting us sleep and playing in his room. He comes in a few minutes later. 'Can I wear this?" Without looking I say yes. Honestly I have no idea what time it is or what he's holding up, but sleep is my only priority. He returns moments later "Can I lay on you?" I say yes, get a few jabs in my ribs as he climbs up, but I think it's sweet he wants some attention. Plus I might actually get to go back to sleep. Alex is between Mandy and I so I put my arm around Adam so he doesn't roll over on him. That's when I get the finger in my ear. Laughing hysterically Adam has decided wrestling is more fun than sleeping. I go to swat him off and he almost falls on Alex. I catch him and get another finger in my ear. My child is kicking my A@# and there is nothing I can do about it. I plead to Mandy "Adam won't quit picking on me." Without opening an eye she whispers "Boys go play in the other room we are still trying to sleep".....looks like us boys will have to find breakfast ourselves.

Mug Shot

Adam got me a brand new mug this past weekend replacing my 100 year old Starbucks mug that looked like the real deal cardboard cup, but was actually glass. Love this one so much more!

New Home Favorites: View From The Couch

Another of my favorite parts of the new house are the French doors that open up to the backyard. Combined with the attic fan that is installed nearby, the result is a breeze that creates a slice of heaven. Soon the smell of fresh flowers will be coming through; plus once the pool is fixed I may never want to take a vacation anywhere other than my living room ever again.

Kiddie Continues

Adam and I are watching Ninjago last week. It's a normal episode till the end when we were hit with the TO BE CONTINUED closer. Apparently there is a major season finally coming up next week in which one of the major characters won't make it and I'm on the edge of my seat because....this is the dumbest thing I've ever seen!!

We are talking about a cartoon for six year olds!! Not an episode of LOST where actual fictional lives are in danger every week. Yes I'm smart enough to realize this is all a marketing campaign tied to some toy line, video game, exclusive DVD release that are all timed to come out together and spur millions of zombie Ninjago kindergartners to steal money from their parents, hitch a ride in the back of a pickup truck under a sack of potatoes, and put money in the pockets of some corporate fat cat.

I just remember when cartoons didn't come with commitments. Jerry cracked open the fridge, took out the cheese, Tom showed up, swallowed a bowling ball, end of story. We never had to hold our breath for a week while waiting to see if Bugs Bunny would regret making that wrong turn at Albuquerque only to find himself in the starving clutches of Elmer Fudd for the last time. Bugs simply put his finger in the mussel of the gun, it exploded it Fudd's face, and it was back on the road for Bugs.

New Home Favorites: The Boy's Bathroom

I haven't posted pictures much here on Charlie in a while and some of that is because I don't get the security that I would by posting them on Facebook where to a larger degree I can select who sees my profile. From the very start of this blog I've always been concerned about photos and their use. That being said, one thing I am going to start doing to celebrate our new house which we are absolutely in love with is taking smaller shots of my favorite parts as they come together. The above is one of my fav's from the boy's bathroom. The room is done in ducks with baby blue paint, white tile, and Mandy has really done a fantastic job giving it a classic boy look. This chatter box was made by Mandy's great uncle Joe and is perfect for showcasing rubber duckies (and of course bubble bath Spiderman).

The Waves Of Change

The above may look like a pile of rocks and dirt, but it's actually the site of a few treasured memories. This used to be the The Gattman Park Public Pool. Adam spent two summers learning how to swim here every afternoon from 5-6. Nothing in the town we live in is far, but the new move put us within walking distance. Recently they announced they were tearing it down to build a new gym and in turn destroying our dreams of walking to it in the coming months for a quick dip. Ironically the recent for the demolition is because the company I work for gave a near by country club to the city which included a much nicer pool. Still though no matter what they put there, we'll never forget those days teaching Adam to swim and all the fun that was had.

The Solution Is The Problem

So the poison ivy is going away but I've still got 5 days left on the medicine. Just to put it out there what the medicine that is helping is putting me through I've listed all the possible side effest. The majority of which I experience at some point during the week (the ones in bold are my most common on a daily basis):

headache
dizziness
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
inappropriate happiness
extreme changes in mood
changes in personality
bulging eyes
acne
thin, fragile skin
red or purple blotches or lines under the skin
slowed healing of cuts and bruises
increased hair growth
changes in the way fat is spread around the body
extreme tiredness
weak muscles
heartburn
increased sweating
vision problems
eye pain, redness, or tearing
sore throat, fever, chills, cough, or other signs of infection
seizures
depression
loss of contact with reality
confusion
muscle twitching or tightening
shaking of the hands that you cannot control
numbness, burning, or tingling in the face, arms, legs, feet, or hands
upset stomach
vomiting
lightheadedness
irregular heartbeat
sudden weight gain
shortness of breath, especially during the night
dry, hacking cough
swelling or pain in the stomach
swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
difficulty breathing or swallowing
rash
hives
itching

I'm In The (Predni) Zone

As a result of digging up the plants from the old house and moving them to the new, I've once again got poison ivy which mean I'm taking a steroid for 7 days which makes me impossible to deal with as I can barely stand to even put up with myself. For the next week I should just wear the below around my neck:

Little Bits Of Blog

It's been an odd day all over. Every where I turned is seemed that something strange or blog worthy was happening. Only way to cover it all is by pairing it down into....

Tonight's Chips Off The Ole Blockhead:

* Had to go the pharmacy for me (I'm on the roids again more on that later). The pharmacist sees us and says "Oh those poor boys what do they have now?" Apparently we have been going by there a bunch if she knows our names and faces.

* I've still not gotten a haircut out of spite. Today somebody asked me if I'd gotten a perm. Mandy says I look like one of the Golden Girls. She's leaning towards Blanche, but I might be a Dorothy.

* Adam refuses to let anyone forget that I once ran a red light taking him to school. Every time I get behind the wheel with someone other than the two of us in the car, he insists on saying how I just got tired of waiting and went on even though it was red.

*I think typing is taking the place of conversation in my world. At the office I always feel more comfortable sending emails and go as far as not answering a call then emailing seconds later so the person understands I'd rather conduct business in a way so I have a record of what is said. Instead of calling I typically only text. At night I tell my best stories via Charlie Blockhead. Now I've started Tweeting of all things. I'm afraid it's gotten so I don't know how to converse with anyone.

*I went to the Dr. today because of the Ivy on my arm. I only go to the Dr once a year and as if I needed to somehow prove it I pulled into the parking lot to find an abandoned building. Apparently they had been gone for some time and I never knew.

Attack Of The Catcher Mom

Tonight was ball practice and being spring break there were only four kids there. This isn't the worst thing though because it meant Adam got some extra time at the plate and fielding grounders. Kid has got a natural arm that can throw the ball the length of a football field. The only thing is that he's yet to learn how hard he needs to through it in comparison to how far away his target is. Hence the guy standing 5 feet away is going to get the same 50mph throw that the guy standing 30 feet away gets. If you are the 30 foot guy that's fine. However by the time you take into account Adam's arm is right around the average adults waste in height, then you can understand why this may worry the 5 foot guy.

Tonight's practice also gave Catcher Mom a chance to shine in all her angry glory. Catcher Mom sits in the bleachers making small talk until her daughter gets up to bat and then turns into the Bobby Knight of machine pitch baseball. From directly behind the plate fence she yells "WHAT ARE YOU DOING PLAYING GOLF!!!" "IS THERE A BUG UP THERE YOU KEEP SWATTING AT. TELL ME AND I"LL COME GET IT FOR YA SO YOU CAN CONCENTRATE""GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!! BEAR DOWN"

Catcher Mom always likes to act like she knows how crazy she sounds as she sheepishly heads back to her seat proclaiming fake embarrassment in the way she's just acted. Meanwhile the little 6 yr old girl that just got torn a new one can't wait to get to way left field so she can be out of ear shot. Tonight I almost joined her out there.

iPhone-ing It In

Got a new (used) iPhone tonight and still working on getting it customized with my favorite apps, contacts, wallpaper, etc....I still wanted to get some new content on Charlie though so I thought I'd share the history of Venus in the sky. It's the closest it's been to us in awhile so tonight Adam and I walked outside to see it. You may not know it but:


A daytime apparition of Venus in the sky was famously spotted by none other than President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

It was March 4, 1865, and the streets of Washington, D.C., were packed with crowds watching the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln for his second term as president. Suddenly someone in the crowd spotted something strange in the sky: a tiny brilliant point of light. Excitement swelled through the crowd as each person pointed it out to their neighbor. The commotion even reached as far as the Lincoln himself, and soon he too was pointing at the brilliant point in the sky.
One of Lincoln's bodyguards, Sergeant Smith Stimmellater, described it this way: "Soon after the President concluded his address, he entered his carriage, and the procession started up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, the escort from our Company following next to his carriage. Shortly after we turned onto Pennsylvania Avenue, west of the Capitol, I noticed the crowd along the street looking intently, and some were pointing to something in the heavens toward the south. [Great Skywatcher Photos of Venus and Jupiter]

"I glanced up in that direction, and there in plain view, shining out in all her star-like beauty, was the planet Venus. It was a little after midday at the time I saw it, possibly near one o'clock; the sun seemed to be a little west of the median, the star a little east. It was a strange sight. I never saw a star at that time in the day before or since. The superstitious had had many strange notions about it, but of course it was simply owing to the peculiarly clear condition of the atmosphere and the favorable position of the planet at that time. The President and those who were with him in the carriage noticed the star at the same time.

These Crazy Boys

The thing about having two boys is that you really just never know what they are about to do at any given second. They might decide to jump down a flight of stairs, take a swing at you with a golf club, or intentionally stick their finger down their throat just to see what happens. This past week gave a couple great examples of how totally insane and unpredictable boys can be:

I Pee Freely- I took Adam to practice on Tuesday and everything seemed to be okay. He hit the ball a couple times (still getting used to the machine) then took his turn in right field. I sat there an hour and watched him play never thinking that something completely crazy was going on right in front of me. I soon found out after practice that not all was as it seems. "So Adam before we leave I figure you gotta go to the bathroom, right?" "No Dad. I just went" "Adam, I just sat in the bleachers for an hour watching you. You never left the field." "I know Dad." "So what are you talking about?" "I pee'd while I was out there!" "Um you just stood out there and pee'd in the middle of the field?" "Yep" "Are your socks wet?" "No daddy it was just a little. Only my underwears are wet."

The Run Down- Like most brothers my boys fight on occasion and for the most part spend some time each day getting on one anothers last nerve. The problem however is that Adam knows it's wrong to strike Alex, but Alex is still only 2 and hasn't learned the rules yet. The result is that there are times when Alex gets a couple in before the ref can make a clean break. Today we were all outside and the boys were making the driveway on their scooter and big wheel. Adam bites it just feet away from Alex and the moment he hit the ground you'd have thought the baby had hit some hidden nitrous switch he kept under the handlebars. Like lightning he takes off ramming into Adam before he can get up. Adam goes down, but Alex isn't through he backs up just enough and takes off again. Down goes Adam with a cry for help. Mandy and I see what's going on and take off, but before we can come to the rescue Alex runs him over one more time. All the while little man is cackling like Hans Grubber from Die Hard!

Best Of Blockhead: Sing Me A Song About Tacos (December 29, 2008)

Ever since his first big boy haircut several weeks ago (Sadly the curls are off. Once Santa thinks you are a girl it's time for a change) Fred has been going through some changes that don't all revolve around his appearance. The most interesting of which is his increased vocabulary. Suddenly he's adding words and phrase to his repartee that I never thought I would hear him say.

• "Not a commercial Daddy! I don't like commercials!" "Sorry, but not everything we watch is TiVo'd"



• "This meal is delicious! These are my favorite!"

Everything now seems to have a musical quality to it and follow a verse of some sort.

• I like tacos tacos tacos. I like tacos tacos tacos. I want some tacos pleaseeeeee



• I want to watch Wall-E in my roooom in my roooom. I want to watch Wall-E in my rooom



• I need to PeePee PeePee PeePee. I need to PeePee please take me right now. Gotta go to the bathroom and PeePee PeePee PeePee

Oh and every time we are in public he starts singing Happy Birthday to some random person. He's so convincing that people actually believe it's that persons birthday.

• "Happy Birthday Mommy! Happy Birthday Mommy! Happy Birthday to you!"

Too bad I can't seem to get him to do that last one whenever we are at a resturant. I love free birthday cake.

The Barber Of Shef-field

I'm not one to knock my barber. I like him, like the place, it's got a TV always set on the game. Guys sitting around telling stories. It's a nice little place for a cut. Anyways I'm a little annoyed at the moment because I think dude didn't cut my hair short out of spite.

I'm sitting there getting my usual cut which is basically a half inch higher than a full on buzz and suddenly the phone rings. Dude picks it up, gives the other person a couple Yeah Yeahs, and says to everyone in the room that his mom is coming over to show him off to family that is in town. Turns out Dude comes from a long line of barbers. His mom's a barber. Grandfather's a barber. Uncle's a barber. The whole family cuts hair.

So I'm sitting there getting my cut and the family walks in. They start talking shop. This that & the other. They start talking about regular clients when dude says "I get some that come in every week. Others come by every couple weeks." I'm feeling included so I pipe in "Or guys like me that come by every 4 months". I didn't take it that way at the time, but the next thing he says has stuck with me "And then I get this guy that thinks he comes in every 4 months but it's really every 2."

Now I don't mind getting the business because I sure dish out my share in the course of a day, but I think he tricked me. He says he's done, I look in the mirror, looks short enough so I pay and leave. I think he set me up so I would have to come back in 2 months. Yes I looked at it in the mirror, but I remember water being involved. I think he wet my hair to make it look short so I'd have no choice but to come back sooner.

Why? I have no idea; maybe I he thinks I tried to show him up in front of the family. I got it figured out though. I'm still going to wait 4 months and just let it grow out till I can't stand it anymore.

Dear Taco Bell

Dear Taco Bell,

It's only been a few months since I lifted my boycott of your establishment because of the whole "lower grade meat than what is found in dog food" episode that I can safely say we have both chosen to forget and once again we find ourselves at yet another spork in the road. Before I go into my latest source of contention, I must first compliment you on your new food item the Dorito Taco. I love Doritos. I love tacos. It only makes since that I would love a taco wrapped in a Dorito shell. It was an inspiration to my pallet. Truly your chefs are men among men in the field of drive thru Mexican food.

Sadly as much as I enjoyed the latest culinary delight, I must take issue with your chosen method of delivery aka the tweaked out meth-head who I found eagerly awaiting my check card at the window. Now I understand things are tough all over and I know it's tough to find good help, that's why I never have a problem pulling up to find a very pregnant 17 yr old, an elderly woman without teeth, or a shall we say a less than smart Mexican American who thinks he is actually selling authentic Mexican cuisine. That being said you can imagine my shock when I rolled down the window of my swagger wagon to find a crackhead grinning from ear to ear stretching out his pencil thin tattoo covered appendage salivating at the sight of my check card. Quite honestly I might have been able to get over his appearance had he not started to do some sort of convulsive jig as he swiped my card through the machine all the while most assuredly memorizing my card number. If not for the promise of the above mentioned Dorito taco laying in wait only feet from my grasp, I would have pulled away instantly.

So you see Taco Bell, as much as I do love you....I can only say that more thought will need to be put into whether or not I will be returning in the near future. Surely such an individual as I came across today cannot hold down a job longer than a few weeks so for now please understand my temporary absence. Then again I did notice an ATM across the street so just forget I ever brought this up and I'll start using cash.

Sincerely,
Charlie Blockhead

Just Like Riding A Bike

We got out in the yard tonight and started teaching Adam how to ride his bike. The second he got on and started trying to pedal I realized something very significant.....I have no idea how to ride a bicycle.

I mean I know how to ride a bicycle the same way I know how to put together a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, but it's one thing to jump in and do it and another to explain to someone how it's done. Riding a bike is like parenting; you just accept the fact that this is who you are now. A diaper changing, vomit in the palm of your hand catching, forever a giver of piggy back providing parent. You just wake up one morning and start doing it. Scared to death yet knowing that with a little patience everything will fall in place.

He fell a couple of times. He got back up, it hurt, his eyes red and cheeks stained with tears. Wiping his shorts off he nodded his head to indicate he understood what needed to be done next and jumped right back on. Still learning. Still trying to do better. He will get this. He'll get better. A little practice and soon today's mistakes will be behind him......yep just like being a parent.

Our Baby Turns 6!!

Today is Adam's birthday and it's hard to imagine him not being around. This year he got a brand new bike in his favorite color orange, some new shoes, a couple shirts, and had a party at school. All day he has been nothing but smiles which is exactly the way it should be.

Is it weird I am somewhat jealous? I mean kid has got it made and doesn't even know it. DVR, iPhone games, a new super hero movie out every other week, playing every sport known to man, tons of brains, everyone likes him, a Wii, great in school. Kid has it made and I hope he knows how much his Mommy and Daddy love him.

Best Of Blockhead: My New Suit (March 30, 2006)

I have a new suit.
My new suit keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
It's quite small at the moment ...but it's getting bigger everyday.
I spent months worrying about this new suit. Can I afford it? Will I be able to keep it in good shape? Will it be the kind of suit your proud to wear and show off to your freinds?
The second I decided to buy a suit,I began day dreaming of what it would look like. Would it be the kind of suit that would make people ask "Hey. Is that your suit over there in the corner? I thought so. It looks like you"
Lucy took her time getting it. We had to make room in the closet. Had to make sure we had everything we needed to keep it clean and smelling good. Can you believe she took time off of work just to get my new suit? I guess thats why if you look from just the right angle..you can see her in my new suit.
My new suit keeps me up at night and puts me to sleep during the day.
I'm fearless and scared to death when I'm around my new suit.
The second I put my new suit on I forgot all about TV,movies, food, work,hurt feelings and old grudges.
My new suit is the most amazing thing I have ever seen and will ever own.
Lucy bought my new suit on March 20, 2006.
I named my new suit Baby Fred (Adam) and it covers me like nothing ever has before.

Six Degrees In Parenting

Adam is turning 6 this coming Tuesday believe it or not. Being our first child every year with Adam is like a new science experiment in that we learn from him what we should or should not do with Alex when it's his turn to be that age. Thanks to Adam we know that a fever of 102-103 is nothing to rush to the emergency room over. Thanks to Adam we know how late is too late for a child to stay up watching TV. We know that falling off the bed and cracking your head on a hardwood floor should only be considered a major emergency if you press on the bump and it sounds like rice krispies.

We know that regardless of what the doctors say, a child will decide he is ready to be potty trained at 1 & 1/2. Thanks to Adam we know that when your child says someone bit him or her on the finger, you must ask if that finger was attempting to steal a cheeto from the other child's mouth. Adam taught us that it's always best to keep a small garbage can in your child's room for trash and more importantly for those sudden stomach viruses that pop up in the middle of the night.

This weekend and I guess if I try hard enough to consider it probably most weekends, Adam taught us that despite all of the yelling, shouting, crying, questioning, complaining, hitting, stomping, fighting, vomiting, and chaos that a child puts you through; they are always paying attention and will most certainly surprise you by their actions when you least expect it. Tonight Adam and I went solo to church, because Alex wasn't feeling well. Mandy received a call moments after Adam left class, asking how little brother was doing. Turns out Adam asked his class to pray for his baby brother who was sick at home with Mommy. I wonder what Adam will teach us next.

Bathroom Duets

As a family in general we all love music. Our iPods are always within arms reach and for most of the day there is music playing in the background of the house. Adam has been known to be asleep in our lap, here a jingle, wake up, dance, and lay back down fast asleep. Adam begs to play his guitar any chance he can get.

Last weekend we were at Applebee's when of course Adam had to take the browns to the Superbowl. As I was standing there waiting for him to get done (Adam takes forever and likes to try to carry on a conversation while doing the business), I found myself singing along to the music being pumped in over the P.A. Next thing I know Adam is singing along too and a full on concert is taking place. About five minutes goes by when I ask Adam if he is done, "Sure Dad, but the music in here is so good I thought I'd see what's playing next."

We Might Be Giants

One of the worst feelings a parent can have is the feeling that comes from not being able to deliver on a promise. We showed up last night early to our second practice with the Braves which was technically our third practice of the week since we spent Monday night with the T-Ball Giants. We are early so the boys are running around. Playing under the bleachers. All the while Adam is getting super hyped about playing ball and I'm starting to notice that nobody from his team has yet to show up. At five after Adam catches on and we start walking the park thinking we had the wrong field. By ten after we head to another field down the road thinking maybe I got the time right and the place wrong. Sadly still no team to be found. Adam is almost in tears and all he wants to do is play baseball.

I'm standing there holding Alex in one hand who is desperate to play, the baseball equipment in the other, trying to calm Adam down, and all the while wondering what on earth has happened. Praying I didn't get things wrong, doubting what I know I heard. That practice was cancelled and since we were new to the team we just didn't get the call. Instead of admitting to Adam that honestly I had no idea what had gone wrong, feeling like a failure yet again this week, I simply told him that because of the storms on the horizon practice had been canceled. "HOW ABOUT WE PLAY AT MCDONALDS!!" It was a small consolation, but Adam had been worried about the storms anyway so he didn't fight much.

I called and called and called. Mandy sent Facebook msg after msg and finally we got the scoop this afternoon. Apparently the coach of the team had some personal issues that at least in his mind made it acceptable to abandon his new team and the league was left with no choice but to find new homes for 10 kids. We got to pick which team we wanted. Looking for some stability we asked to be put on his best friend Max Davis's team which oddly enough were also called the Giants. So on Monday we will start our third team in a week and Adam will finally be able to play ball.

Glimpses Of His Greatness

I debate posts like the one yesterday before, during, and forever after I hit the publish button. Should I have admitted that life is less than great right now? Should I just post funny after funny never touching on the real issues that I am facing? If I did I would be defeating the purpose of this blog and that's to give my kids an exact without a doubt idea of who their father was when they were growing up. That means admitting that there are times when I am simply spent. I've given my last effort. Stood my ground for the last time. Pinned my hopes on tomorrow only to be slapped in the face once again. I'm in a corner and all I can do is pray.

I'm not gonna do anything drastic. Not going to forget who I am and where I've been. I'm just beaten down and need to sit a round or two out. I need to learn to let God take this from me and not make a move that could put my family in a worse situation than we are already in. He's there giving me glimpses of his greatness.....my car will only cost me $30 to fix thanks to a dear friend at church.....Mandy passed a major test tonight with flying colors.....the backdoor is open, fan is on, and the lightning storm outside is amazing.....tomorrow I will be stronger....I will learn from today......I will do the best I can.

Life On The Beach

It's funny how you find yourself going through something, walk into church, and find that the night's lesson speaks directly to your heart. The Civic quit today. Cracked radiator. Estimate to fix was $250, but after a couple of calls to a few church members I found out quickly that I could have the job done for $50-$80. Tonight's lesson was all about how you never know when life is going to interrupt your plans. When God is going to throw you a curve ball and how you will react when the time comes.

Lately it feels that I just can't get a straight foward down the middle of the plate pitch. That with every passing day there is a new challenge that leaves me on shakey ground. I think I understand the story of the man that built his house on the sand. Frankly at times I feel like I am that man.

Rise Of The Machine

By the time this week is through Adam will have had 3 baseball practices with two different teams. He started the week out on the west coast as a San Fran Giant and will end the week on the other coast as an Atlanta Brave. Apparently there was a mix up and his first team was a T-Ball team. We quickly realized the mistake and was told we could choose: T-Ball with the younger kids or Machine Pitch with kids his age. There would be some 6 year olds on his T-Ball team, but nobody he really knew. There would be some 7 year olds on the Machine team, some he may not know. At T-Ball he would be guaranteed a place as the star of the show. After just a few minutes it was clear he could run faster, hit further, dig out grounders better than all the rest. At Machine Pitch he might not be the cream of the crop. At T-Ball he might appear as if he were a refugee who hopped aboard a spare tire and floated his way across the Atlantic seeking political asylum from the terrors of Fidel's Cuba. At Machine Pitch he might simply be a fairly good 6 year old that has a ton of potential but has to try just as hard at the rest.

Torn we left the decision up to him...actually that's not what happened. What really happened was we decided to let him be the star of the San Fran Giants never knowing he what may have been had that pesky paperwork not have gotten mixed up. Then at the last minute as we were leaving the ballpark and I saw his other friends at Machine Pitch getting ready to face new challenges, learn new techniques, learning just how good they can be if given the chance...I blurted out his choices. T-Ball or Machine. This caught Mandy completely off guard something I am still paying the price for, but begrudgingly she agreed....if we never give him the chance to be something more all we are doing is setting him up for a life of always playing it safe.

Two Is Better Than One!!!!

Alex turned 2 today and he was soooo excited. The fun started last night as Adam and I stayed up late putting together Alex's new Big Wheel. It was up early this morning to get everyone ready for the day in enough time to have 15-20 minutes of birthday fun. Tonight we had his favorites for dinner BBQ sandwhiches, BBQ chips, and chocolate cupcakes. Needless to say little man was all smiles all day long.

Elmo-Better-Blues

Today we took Alex out to find the perfect birthday present. Being as he's only turning two we can do such things as have him come a long to look for presents. With Adam turning six the following week everything has to be on the hush hush, but he does know we are thinking a new bicycle might be in order.

Like millions of other toddlers Elmo is Alex's absolute favorite and retailers definitely know it. Today we saw Elmo band aides, Elmo sheets, Elmo shirts, Elmo shoes, Elmo video's, Elmo soap, Elmo bubbles, Elmo lamps, Elmo pillows, Elmo backpacks, Elmo socks, Elmo towns, Elmo action figures, Elmo jump ropes, Elmo tents, Elmo bikes, Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo Elmo....I say his name a thousand times because that's how many times it came out Alex's mouth.

Sadly you can't have the entire Elmo everything...or at least it can't be bought all during the same shopping trip. So we started to say no to Elmo. Then Alex starting throwing down and like Elmer Fud luring Bugs Bunny with a carrot on a string we slowly lured Alex out of the store. The Elmo video stopped him crying for 3 isles till he saw the Elmo coloring book which bought us 6 isles till he saw the Elmo bubble bath which almost got us to the cereal where he saw the Elmo table mats which got us to the registers where we distracted him by telling him there was an Elmo movie in the car and he was about to get to go watch it.

Weekend Warriors

The person that invented the 5 day work week needs to be shot. I spend all week creating lists of all the things that need to be done at home and then practically kill myself trying to get it all done during the two day weekend. There's simply not enough time to get everything done and sadly it's the kids that suffer.

Most Saturday's start the same with Mandy and I having a group meeting to discuss all that we must get done. Gutters need cleaning, car needs an oil change, birthday party @ 10:00, would like to grill out tonight, grill needs cleaning, need to put away rest of boxes, take boxes from old house to storage, go get that fridge we were promised, change the church sign, play ball with the boys, fix the fence, hang a flag, buy the boys birthday presents, plan birthday party....literally that was our list for this weekend.

What got done today? The gutters got halfway cleaned. The grill got cleaned. Most of the boxes got put away. So that's 2 things that got halfway done and one that got all the way completed. That leaves 11 things to do between church services tomorrow.

Oh and JOY TO THE WORLD we lose an hour tonight!!! The boys don't understand why they gotta got to bed earlier tonight which they won't and why they will have to wake up earlier which we will all pay for the rest of the day. Tomorrow I think I'm throwing the list out the window!

Help Me I'm Bent!

I hate to post Best Of's for two days in a row, but I've come down with a horrible cold/sinus infection/bronchitis....honestly I'm just guessing. It costs so much to go to the Dr. and I'm always afraid they are going to find something horribly wrong so I'm just happier using a combination of advice from friends, a bit of Internet research, and a heavy dose of guess work to determine what is wrong with me. I know it sounds crazy and only proves how stubborn I am, then again if I went to the Dr. every time something hurt I'd be going 3 times a weeks.

I walked around for two months having my arm go completely numb within a minute of sitting down. I called it a pinched nerve and just kept my arm moving. Now it's gone.

My big toe on my right foot got really puffy and very painful. I limped around for a few days, went looking for a cane to help me walk, and found that 800 milligrams of Ibuprofen does a body good. Came back last week so I tried drinking orange juice and it was gone the next day. I'm calling it gout.

I get poison ivy at least once a year. Every go around I wait until I absolutely positively cannot stand it then I go to the Dr. It's like a test to see if I have any self control and every year I fail miserably.

If ever I get a stomach virus or something contagious, I just wait till Mandy gets it and then I cypher offer her meds.

Heaven forbid I were to break anything I wouldn't know it until it started growing back at a 90 degree angle.

Best of Blockhead: In One Day...(March 10,2010)

One day and some odd hours left and the nerves are in full force. This week has flown by, but I just know tomorrow will go at a snails crawl. I need to say though (and I know I mentioned it the other day, but I'm going to again) after just walking in from Church, putting Adam to bed, and coming to the computer....I really have best Church family anybody could ask for. All night we were blessed with prayers, well wishes, and wonderful gifts from some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. I know we are closer to some than others, but my heart goes out to everyone tonight who attended this evening service. No matter what happens this week, next month, or years down the road Mandy and I will never forget your love and support.

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day as a family of three. In some ways it's kinda sad. Not because I'd don't want Alex to come, but because the dynamic is changing and I don't want Adam to feel like he's going to get lost in the mix. I love both my boys like crazy and I look forward to all the days ahead, but at the same time similar to what I went through before Adam came bringing with him an end to our days as simply a married couple change is a very scary thing.

I remember all the worry that Adam brought with him. The endless waking up to make sure he's just sleeping soundly and not something else. Then worrying when he does wake up crying. Trying like crazy to keep him healthy, but also making sure he's not being so guarded that he's not being able to experience life. What does this cry mean? Why is he doing that? Should I really be letting that person hold him? It all starts again this Friday....and even after all the worry and woe....I'm so excited I can't see straight.

Best Of Blockhead: To Kill A Fly (November 17th,2009)

There's probably more than a thousand ways to kill a fly. If you really think about it I'd guess you'd agree that the possibilities are limitless when it comes getting rid of the pesky things. All that buzzing around your face, constantly trying to land on your head. At first you try to ignore them. Eventually when swatting them away with your hand isn't enough you begin to look for the heavy artillery. A rolled up newspaper. A fly-swatter. A shoe. A paperback book. I've seen some self proclaimed animal lovers catch the fly in a mid-air, open a nearby door, and release the bug just so it can swoop back inside before the door even closes.

As I said for those with a vivid imagination the ways to end the misery brought on by these flying pests could very well be infinite. Today it seems that Fred may have found his own unique way of taking care of the common house fly. All it requires is a full bladder and the ability to hula. Of course it helps to have a momma as nice as the one he has to come behind and wipe up all the pee off the walls, floor, and ceiling, but it's been several hours now and the fly is yet to make a repeat appearance.

Finally Legal!!!

I am no longer a crook! Yes I'm still a Coke addict, but I'm no longer stealing WiFi from some unsuspecting neighbor who isn't smart enough to lock up their signal (God bless their ignorant souls! I love them!! I truly do!!!). Not that it was all that great a signal though just one bar and at times barely that. It's been a few weeks now that we've been at the new place and I gotta say I may have missed WiFi more than anything! So how am I going to celebrate finally being able to surf the web at full strength again? Going to bed, still sick as a dog.

If you haven't got your fix tonight check out my pals Weird Girl and Father Of Five!

Daddy Has A Coke Problem

I'm sick as a dog tonight so I don't really have anything that deserves it's own post. Instead here's a few....

Chips Off The Ole Blockhead:
# I love sesame seeds. I wish they were on all my breads. Some people eat the cheese off their paper once the burger is gone. Me I lick my finger and get all the sesame seeds off.

# I miss my FRIENDS. I've started watching them every night before bed and it makes me sleep better. Like hanging out with my buddies sharing old stories.

# I think every word that follows the word every should be a compound word. Everyword, everynight, everytime.

# I have a Coke problem. Adam is at that age where he's like a blood hound constantly searching for change. Pennies, Nickles, Quarters, Chuckie Cheese tokens, he doesn't care. Like I said though I have a Coke problem and I need those quarters to get my daily fix. It's gotten so bad that last week I heard of companies that clean their rusted bolts by dipping them in cola and all I could think about was how great it would be to have a Coke while I had to sit there listening to what should be a eye opening story.

# I don't miss having a cat, but I do like living with somebody else's dog. The Gigi has a little puppy name Triscuit. I get all the emotional attachment without the responsibility. I bet that must be what being a grandparent feels like.

# Sometimes I just need to watch a movie where people get the crap beat out of them for an hour & a half. I've seen Rumble In The Bronx at least 50 times. It was on again tonight and after finding out that Adam turned on the shower full blast, left it running for half an hour and wasted all the hot yet never actually stepped foot in the tub, 30 minutes of Jackie Chan beating the stew out of scumbags made life tolerable again.

Lost In Translation

Adam

It's hard when you are first learning the English language. It's I before E except after C, but what about the word freight? Bad can be cool or not good, cool can be almost cold or smooth, there's weather or whether, you get the idea. When it comes to kids sometimes things can be taken way out of context. Take today for example: Alex is showing off at the dinner table and getting all of the attention. Adam is desperately trying to turn the spot light on him, but without any luck. Finally he becomes so obnoxious that we can't take it anymore so Mandy says "Stop it Adam! You're not special!" Now what Mandy was saying is that Adam is not mentally challenged that he is smarter than he was acting at the time, but what Adam heard was that he was not unique not cared for not wanted. The poor kid immediately starts crying and takes off. The Gigi and I don't know if we should laugh or cry. It was hilarious and sad all at the same time.

Alex

Is keeping a band aide over his stitches for the next few days. We change it out at bath-time while it's wet. Last night I said "Okay buddy I need to pull off your boo boo" Alex got the most shocked look on his face and put both hands over his crotch. It was then I realized he must have thought I said "Okay buddy I need to pull off your doodle!"

Time Share

We are at this weird point in the moving process where we are not 100% done with the old place, but things are really pressing to get done at the new. Today we spent the morning at the old getting things cleaned, moving stuff to storage, and the afternoon was cutting grass at the new.

Both the old and the new have chore lists that are a mile long, but there's simply not enough time to do it all on the weekend. I'd say we still got a few car loads at the other house. Still though we are tired of walking around boxes at the new and are really feeling the need to settle down.

Tonight's Chips Off The Ole Blockhead:
# Alex is doing a lot better. The stitches seem to be good and he let us change the band aid this afternoon without any trouble. In five days they will have to be removed. That may be a nightmare.

A Stitch In Time

I got the call around 3:15. I answered to hear Alex screaming his head off. Grabbed my keys and the second I cranked the car the sky fell out. It was the hardest rain I'd driven through in quite some time and I was going about 65 in a 35. I ran the first red light, stopped for half a second at the next in front of the police station, didn't hesitate at the stop sign, and fish tailed into the driveway two seconds later. It was too late, Mandy had already left. She was a good five minutes ahead of me by normal standards, but I managed to pass her on the way to the E.R.

They were hanging pictures and Alex tried to help. Although it only fell a foot...maybe a foot and a half, it caught him in the left eyebrow. It was deep and it was bleeding badly. We ran into the waiting room, took one look around and saw the despair in every one's eyes that could only mean we were in for a huge wait.

Four hours later we walked out with 4 stitches and zero patience. The whole thing was a nightmare. First he was quiet and that made us nervous. Then he got hyper and that got us nervous. Then we got surrounded by inbred hillbillies and that got us nervous. We asked for juice four times, it never came. At one point they shoved a huge machine into our teeny tiny room and said they were ready to X-Ray his finger. "Why his finger?" I asked. "Because this piece of paper says that's what we should do." "That paper is wrong, he's got a cut on his head." Now with attitude the nurse came back "I see he has a cut, the paper says to X-Ray his finger." " Ma,am it's time for you and that piece of paper to leave this room." Mandy chimed in "The guy next door has the cut finger."

Finally we made it home, but it will be months before the events will cease haunting me. The fears that flooded my soul as I drove into some unknown future will take weeks to silence themselves. Thank God he is okay.

Girls Can't Be Brave

Tonight me and boys sat down to watch the latest Buddies movie Treasure Buddies. While waiting for it to start the preview for this coming summer's next Pixar hit Brave came on. Haven't seen it yet? Check it out I'll wait......

Okay so Adam is watching this story of a girl viking that goes up against a giant bear with nothing but a bow & arrow and says "That's not real. That could never happen."

"What do you mean that could never happen?"
"Dad! Girls don't know how to work bows & arrows!!"
"Anybody can learn how to do something."
"Not girls. Only boys can go hunting"
"Adam that's not true. Girls can do things."
"Not bows & arrows Dad. Everybody knows girls can't do bows & arrows"
"Um first of all this is a cartoon soooo it's not real. Second girls can do whatever guys can do."
"Well her mommy would let her be out there hunting bears anyway"

He's 5 and he's already a chauvinist pig. Where did we go wrong?

She'll Always Come Back

Yesterday was the Nani's birthday and I wanted to post something nice about her but the boys wore me slap out so I did a Best Of. Today I make up for it.

I don't remember what age we were, but I do remember it was Broccoli, mom, and I in a car going down the road when a song by K.T. Oslin came on. I remember she kinda teared up for a moment and said anytime we missed her to think of this song. Happy Birthday Nani

Oh there's a nursery rhyme it's a favorite of mine
Bout a little girl and some sheeps that she could not find
They told her not to worry they'd come back
Darling you're my shepherd I'm your little lamb
You ain't always gonna know where I am
Oh but don't you worry I'll come back
I'll always come back baby to you
I'll always run back straight to you
I'll never get too far away from you
I'll never get too lost that I can't be found
And I'm never gonna swim too far out I might drown
And I'll always come back come back baby to you
I'll come back
Keep your eyes on the horizon and when you start to missin' me
Just look out your window and there I'll be
Cause I'll always come back baby to you...I'll always come back come back baby to you

Best Of Blockhead: A Room With A Coo (August 9,2010)

It's only been a few weeks since we found out our second child was on it's way and things are being discussed that to the casual observer might seem insignificant. To the soon to be parents of two though what may seem trivial to some are matters of National consequence to others.

We live in a modest 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, that while not a mansion fits us fine. I've always thought that one of the most interesting things about a home is that the more rooms you have, the more you feel the need to pile them high with things you don't need. For example before Lucy moved her office in there, our front room was a beautiful living room with couches, a love seat, and a complete entertainment center....that nobody went into because the big screen is in the backroom along with the computer, another more comfortable couch, and the fridge is closer.
Before Fred we had a Guest Bedroom, a Master Bedroom, and additional bedroom that Lucy was/is using as a walk-in closet. In came Fred out went the Guest Bedroom. You can understand why this really wasn't that big of a change (unless you were a guest and got sent to the Ho-Tel Mo-Tel Hol-i-day Inn)in terms of the way the house was being used. Now while the announcement of Baby#2 isn't really the shock to the system that brought on mass fits of panic as did the first trip into the Parenthood, this visit easily makes up in storage issues what it lacks in first time jitters.

The best example of this decorating dilemma involves the litter box which is currently being kept in the...you guessed it....future room of Baby#2 (which I like saying better than calling it an IT). There's no room in the kitchen, Lucy uses the front room for clients and has people in an out all day (doing Real Estate stuff you perv!), the bedrooms are out of the question as nobody wants to go to sleep smelling that (clean or not), the 1/2 bath is more 1/2 than bath....this leaves the den or the Full Bath. Like the bedroom the den is no place for what that cat leaves behind (scooping only buys you a few moments cause he likes to hold it all day and hide around the corner waiting for it to be fresh again) and Lucy says no to the Full Bath. Which leaves....you're guess is as good as mine. I'm thinking about taking it up with the United Nations.

The Grass Is Greener This Side Of Avalon

I thought we had a big yard at the last house. I saw the yard at the new place from a distance and thought "This isn't so bad. I can cut this easy" Over the last few days I've walked across it and thought "It's not that much bigger. I got this!"

Today was the first afternoon since the move that we were really able to get outside and play around. We got the basketballs out and shot some hoops. We got the bikes out and toured the driveway a few dozen times. We got the football out and ran and ran and ran and the yard that I had paid little attention to at the beginning suddenly stretched for miles and miles.

Now this isn't a "look how much cooler I am than you with my huge back yard" kind of post. Instead it's a "HOW AM I GOING TO KEEP THIS GRASS CUT ALL SUMMER!! kind of post. I'm sure tonight I will awake in a cold sweat crying "Please Mandy let me hire somebody to cut grass. I just can't do it I tell you. I just can't"

Tonight's Chip Off The Ole Blockhead:
# Adam got his test scores in and was way above the end of the year numbers. My boy is a genius!!!