Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. My mom is a wonderful mom, and for the past 3+ years has been a wonderful grandma. For the most part, my mom exhibits the same great characteristics as a grandma as she has always shown as a mom. She is caring, kind, and loving. There is only one glaring difference between my mom and my mom as a grandma. That difference is candy. Now, every time we see her, she has candy for the boys. When I was growing up, I don't remember my mom caring around m&m's in her purse. My boys love that she always has some sweet treat for them. So I guess the only difference between being a mom and a grandma is candy.

Mom, I love you. I am so happy that you are a part of my boys lives. We all hope you have a wonderful day!

Cleveland Browns will win the Super Bowl!

Two weeks from today, the Cleveland Browns play their first game of the 2009/2010 football season. So, for the next two weeks, I can have the belief that the Browns will win the Super Bowl. Of course, after the first game, it may become clear that they will not win the Superbowl. However, until then, I believe!

Go Browns!

Super Fan - Not me!

If you've ever been to a sporting event, or even watched one on t.v., I am sure you have seen the "Super Fan". You know the guy. He has his face and/or body painted his team's color. He has all the team merchandise, whether it be the foam finger or the hat or the team colored silly hair. And, when the game starts, he is always the loudest, most enthusiastic person in the entire stadium.

As much as I am a fan of many teams, I will never take the step from "Big Fan" to "Super Fan", and this is why. Every year, whether it be at the Super Bowl or World Series or NCAA Championship, as the game winds down, the cameras scan the stands. There is nothing more pathetic then a close up of the losing team's "Super Fan", as the tears rolling down his face wash away his team colored, face paint. As exciting as it was to get all decked out in your team gear, I imagine it to be even more painful to change out of, after your team suffers a big loss. Such is the plight of the "Super Fan".

My Mind

I recently read a study, by researchers at the University of Virginia, that said a person's brain ability peaks at age 22. The study went on to further state that mental powers start to dwindle at age 27.

I am 36 years old, soon to be 37. So, that means that I have been losing my mind for almost 10 years now. Sure, I knew that physically I couldn't do the things that I used to do, but I thought my mind was as sharp as ever. I guess not.

Seeing as my mental ability is declining with every passing moment, I will seize this day to live life to the fullest. Sure, because of my diminishing brain ability, I may not able to remember it tomorrow, but at least I will have fun today!

National Enquirer Game

Years ago, we had a game called "The National Enquirer Game". In the game, each person or team would take a random picture from a pile and come up with a caption for the picture. The funnier, the better. I thought we could play that today. The picture is below. Just add your caption through the comments. Thanks for playing.

Our Song

Thanks for the responses on this blog and Facebook about what song Sarah and I should choose as "Our Song". After thinking it through and weighing all the suggestions, I have made a decision.

My decision, per a suggestion made through Facebook, is that Sarah and I do not need to have a song as "Our Song". It is ok if there is no special song that brings back memories when we hear it.

Who knows, maybe some day something will happen and a song will be playing, and it will be at that moment we decide to make that song "Our Song". Until then, we will go songless.

Thanks for the suggestions anyway.

What I've learned from T.V. (6)

People say that you can never learn anything by watching television. As a huge fan of the medium, I must disagree. I am a firm believer that you can gain great amounts of knowledge by watching t.v. This is my sixth post in which I will highlight some of the useful information that I now have stored in my brain because of television.

The Office:

I have learned more then my fair share about beets and beet farming.

Human resource representatives can often times be a downer when it comes to employee morale.

When it comes to doing anything, bigger is always better. (That's what she said)

See a man about a horse

Sometimes I like to use phrases that may have all but vanished from our modern language. One such phrase is to "see a man about a horse". If you have never heard this phrase, it generally means that you have to go to the bathroom, but you don't really want to say that out loud.

Sure, it might sound a bit ridiculous to say "I've got to go see a man about a horse" when you have to go to the bathroom, but I think that is why I like it so much. And, there is nothing cuter then your 3 year old taping you on the shoulder and politely saying, "Daddy, I've got to go see a man about a horse."

What phrases do you wish would come back?

Back to School

Back to School means a bit more to me this year then recent years past. Sarah and the boys will be headed back to school in the next few weeks, but this year I will feel back to school more through our College age ministry.

A few class members have already went back, while several others will go back soon. How will this leave our ministry? I don't know yet. Hopefully, there will be a few that come back for the school year. We will see.

Today, I ask you to say a prayer for our College ministry and all of our members. A few will be facing College for the first time, which can certainly be an adjustment. Others are nearing the middle or end of their College careers and will soon be heading out into the workplace. Pray that they will always look to God for guidance through every step they take.

Thank you Mr. or Mrs. Obvious

Have you ever heard someone say something that was so obvious that it made you laugh? Here are a few of the most obvious statements that I have heard that gave me a nice chuckle:

1) "If we have three kids, two of them are bound to be the same sex."

2) "When we were engaged, before we got married..."

3) "They need to know that or else they'll never know."

Hawaii

Today is the 50th anniversary of Hawaii becoming our 50th state. I have never been to Hawaii, but I have heard that it is an amazing place. I hope to be able to take a vacation there someday.

So, today, in honor of our 50th state, if you have a Hawaiian shirt, wear it. If you do not have a Hawaiian shirt, I am sure you could string together a grass skirt to show off to the world your support of our neighbor to the west, Hawaii.

Garage Sale

I am not a huge fan of garage sales. For the most part, I see them as someone trying to get you to buy there junk. I know that some people love garage sales and often times you can pick up nice things for little money. I guess I am just an anti-garage sale snob.

However, I have to admit that I have picked up a couple things at garage sales that I thought were pretty cool. The coolest thing I remember ever buying at a garage sale was a set of "Welcome Back Kotter" greeting cards. If you do not know, "Welcome Back Kotter" was a t.v. show that starred John Travolta.

I do not remember how old I was when I made this purchase. I would guess anywhere from 7 to 10. The cards had scenes from the show with funny greetings on the inside. I still remember my favorite was a picture of the Sweathogs (The name that the gang when by on the show) on the outside and a great greeting on the inside. The greeting read, "Up your nose with a rubber hose". I remember thinking how funny that was.

What was the coolest thing you ever bought at a garage sale?

Our Song

Many, if not most, couples have a "song". Whether it be the song that was playing when they first met or the song that played during their first dance together as a married couple, they have one special song that is their "song". Unfortunately, Sarah and I do not have a "song". But, that is all about to change.

I am seeking the help of my loyal blog readers to help Sarah and me pick our "song". Through comments left on this post, I will be taking your suggestions on what song we should choose. From now until next Wednesday, every suggestion will be considered and then I will post our top three choices for everyone to vote.

So, this is what I need from you. Post your suggestion as to the song we should consider as our "song" and the reason you are making the suggestion. Here is an example:

"Leaving on a Jet Plane" - I am suggesting this song because you guys had to fly back and forth to see each other a lot when you first met.

or

"Love of a lifetime" - I am suggesting this song because when you found each other, you truly found your love of a lifetime.

See, it is that easy. I welcome all suggestions, whether they be cheesy, funny, or extremely appropriate. So please, comment as often as you would like and we thank you for your help!

What I've learned from T.V. (5)

People say that you can never learn anything by watching television. As a huge fan of the medium, I must disagree. I am a firm believer that you can gain great amounts of knowledge by watching t.v. This is my fifth post in which I will highlight some of the useful information that I now have stored in my brain because of television.

Saved by the Bell:

By watching Saved by the Bell, I have learned there is "No hope with Dope". (Just ask Johnny Dakota)

I learned that the bigger your cell phone, the cooler you look.

Friends forever is an awesome concept. It's even better when you can sing a pop song about it.

And, probably the most true to real life thing that I have learned is if you are dorky and have a weird nickname, you will never get the girl. (Poor Screech)

The art of the TP

A couple days ago, we were driving out of our neighborhood when we passed a house that had been tp'd (That is toilet papered). I have to say that whoever did the job was pathetic. The yard had about 20 trees in it, but only 5 or 6 had any toilet paper in them at all. The trees that had been hit seemed to have only 1 or 2 rolls at the most. It just looked sad.

I wonder why such a poor display of tp-ing occurred. Was it the economy? People just couldn't afford to spring for an extra jumbo pack or two. Or, was it because this current generation just simply doesn't know how to tp a house.

Whatever the reason, it made me feel bad. I felt bad for the tp-er. If the word got out, about how bad of a tp job they did, they couldn't show their face around town any more. The humiliation would be awful. Then, I felt bad for the victim of the tp. Someone cared about you so little that they only used maybe 1 jumbo pack for your entire yard. Again, just sad.

Toms Shoes

If you are in the market for a new pair of shoes, you may want to consider buying a pair of Toms shoes. If you haven't heard of Toms shoes, you should check out their website here. Toms is a shoe company, that is true. However, it is much more then that. You see, Toms is a company that not only wants to sell shoes, but also wants to make a difference in the world.

The founder of Toms Shoes, Blake Mycoskie, started the company with the idea that, for every pair of shoes they sell, they would give away a pair to a child in need. Check out their website to see what a difference this company is making. While you are there, you might consider buying a pair of shoes. You will have a nice pair of shoes and be making a difference in a life of someone less privileged.

Are you ready for some football?

Yesterday, Madden NFL football came out for the Xbox 360. I have yet to pick up my copy, but I hope to real soon.

Every year I think that I might not get the latest Madden football game. I figure it will only be a little bit better then the year before's version. So, why buy it? That lasts until they start marketing this year's game. All the commercials and all the hype get me excited to play the new game.

So, here soon I will be heading out to pick up this year's Madden game. I can not wait to play it!

Welcome home Molly!

Today, our friends, Kevin and Teresa, arrive home from China with their daughter Molly. According to Teresa's blog, everything went well, for the most part, with the adoption process. I know that big sister Meg and big brother Carson are anxiously waiting to meet their little sister.

Please say a prayer for their entire family as Molly transitions into the family and life in Ohio.

Swim Lessons

Recently, my oldest son, Selleck, started taking swimming lessons. He is such a natural in the water, without even a little bit of fear. His favorite thing to do is a flip off of a diving board or the side of the pool. Where does he get that from? I don't know.

When I was younger, I used to try flips off the diving board. In fact, on one vacation, I spent the better part of three days trying to learn how to do a good flip. However, after a red back from smacking it on the water, I knew my flipping days would be few.

What causes a person to stop trying to do a flip? Is it wisdom? You get to the point where you know that, more times then not, when you try to flip you will hurt your back. Or, is it fear? You fear the outcome, so you don't try the flip.

Many times in life, there are opportunities that we let slip by, either out of wisdom or out of fear. There is a fine line between the two. If you turn down an opportunity because you are wise enough to know that it is not for you, then that is the right thing to do. However, if you let an opportunity pass because you have a fear that a similar result will occur as it has in the past, then you could be missing out on something great.

How do you make the determination between wisdom and fear? Honestly, the only response I have is to lay it at the feet of Jesus. His guidance will help us be wise when appropriate and will help us overcome our fear when that is needed as well.

Clocks

In our bedroom, we have 2 clocks. The first is an alarm clock at the head of our bed. The other, a digital clock we have inside our entertainment center. The first problem is our alarm clock runs fast. It is not unusual to set the clock, then a week later it is already a few minutes fast. The second problem is our entertainment center clock runs slow. It can be set properly, then a few days later it is behind by a couple minutes. The entire thing is maddening.

The funny thing is that I have never thought about returning those clocks, to the store I purchased them, because they are defective. But, when you really think about it, they are defective. Sure they keep some sort of time, but not accurate time. Most other products that are not working, even a little bit, we have no problem returning as defective to get a replacement. But clocks, we just accept them no matter how fast of slow they run.

What if other products we just kept, even if they were a little off? Could you imagine a lasik eye doctor that had a laser that every third day it would make an incision slightly off where the doctor intended it. That doctor would get a new laser pronto. How about a chef that had a range that every couple of days it would heat things hotter and cause everything to burn? That chef would be looking for another range.

It seems like we have been giving clocks a free pass to be as wrong as they want to be. I think it is time I bought a new clock that can keep accurate time. Of course, then I would not have my clock to blame, if I am running late. Maybe I will keep my clock after all.

What I've learned from T.V. (4)

People say that you can never learn anything by watching television. As a huge fan of the medium, I must disagree. I am a firm believer that you can gain great amounts of knowledge by watching t.v. This is my fourth post in which I will highlight some of the useful information that I now have stored in my brain because of television.

Cheers:

There are so many things I have learned from watching Cheers. First and foremost, I have learned all of Cliff Clavin's little known facts.

I have learned that there are 988 bolts holding together the basketball court of the Boston Gardens.

The best birthday gift is often a song from the heart. (See below)

National S'mores day!

Did you know that today is National S'mores day? If you did not before, you do now. My family loves S'mores. We even have a indoor S'mores maker thingy ( I don't know what the actual name of it is).

Maybe you all know this, but I just heard about something awesome that I am going to try the next time we make S'mores. Instead of using a chocolate bar, substitute a Reese's cup. Brilliant! I do not know why it never occurred to me before to do this. I am sure it will be delicious.

So, enjoy a S'mores or two today to commemorate National S'mores Day!

Help!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have started writing for the Examiner.com, as a travel, road trip examiner. I have already posted several articles and have a few more ideas for others. I wanted to ask for you help. If there is any place you have been or have heard about, that would make for a good travel feature, let me know. I can always use the help.

Even if you do not live near Cincinnati, that is ok. As long as I can get there in a car, I will call it a road trip. Europe, Asia, and Hawaii are out, but most other places are fair game.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Bacon

I love bacon. Almost every non sweet food there is, bacon makes better. Bacon on burgers, perfect. Bacon wrapped tater tots, wonderful. Bacon crumbled in macaroni and cheese, nothing could be better.

However, I think someone has finally taken things too far. Someone has now made bacon flavored lip balm. As I mentioned, I love to eat bacon, but I certainly would not like to have a piece of bacon stuck to my lips for the day. I do not think I will be trying bacon flavored lip balm.

Preaching vs. Teaching

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine that teaches Sunday school. We were discussing what was harder, preaching a sermon or teaching a Sunday school class.

His contention was that preaching was harder because you had to command every one's attention for 30-40 minutes, up front, all alone, without any interaction with others.

I felt that teaching was harder then preaching for several reasons. When you teach, you can have others take you on a tangent and it is sometimes hard to get back focused on the lesson. Also, when you teach, people can ask you questions. Some questions can certainly help clarify some of the points you are wanting to make, while others may just distract you completely from your points. And, the worst part of taking questions is getting the question you don't know the answer to. Where as if you are preaching a sermon, no one gets to ask you questions. Whatever God directs you to say and what you have researched and thought out, you get to say without interruption or having to worry about not knowing an answer.

So, to me, I still think teaching is harder then preaching. But, in the end, if God truly calls you to be a preacher or a teacher, he will equip you with what you need to be successful.

Cincinnati Premium Outlets

Today, in our town, the Cincinnati Premium Outlets open for business. They are billed as an upscale outlet mall. My wife is so excited. I, of course, not being a fan of shopping, am less excited then she is.

It will be nice to have a new place if I need to find something, hopefully at a discounted price. I am sure I will visit the Nike store on more then one occasion.

So, if you are like my wife and can not wait to visit the outlet, I have compiled a few things to know that you might find helpful. You can read it on my Examiner.com page here.

Good luck finding the bargains!

All hope is gone...

All hope is gone...No, not in life, in baseball. Last week I officially gave up hope for the Cincinnati Reds to make the post season.

It is sad when it happens. But, inevitably, each year about this time, I go through the despair of admitting the baseball season, for me as a Reds fan, is over. Not only is it sad on it's own merit, but it also seems to signal that summer is drawing to an end. Fall will be here before we know it. The World Series will happen, again not with the Reds involved.

So sad.

Chick-fil-a does it again

First of all, I need to apologize to you, my loyal readers. Yesterday, Chick-fil-a, at Voice of America park in West Chester, was giving away free chicken sandwiches to all customers to celebrate their birthday. I did not find out about this until the afternoon, so I could not blog about it to let you know. Again, I am sorry.

However, I did stop by Chick-fil-a on my way home from work to pick up a chicken sandwich. It was a mad house. The drive thru line circled twice around the building. Every parking spot was filled and many people parked at nearby businesses and walked over. It was crazy.

Here is where I say that Chick-fil-a did it again. It was awesome to give everyone that stopped by a free sandwich. That is impressive all by itself. However, this is where Chick-fil-a knocks it out of the park. I got in the back of the drive thru line, that wrapped twice around the building. One would have thought it would take an hour to get through the line, but it actually took less then 10 minutes. That is impressive. Some fast food places take longer then 10 minutes when you are the only one in line and it is 3:00 in the afternoon.

Chick-fil-a staffed in a way that they could still provide great customer service, even though they knew they would have huge numbers of customers. It would be easy for them to think "We are giving you free food, so you will wait as long as it takes". But, they didn't. They wanted to give me something, but still valued my time. Way to go Chick-fil-a.

If I was not already before yesterday, I for sure will be a life long customer of Chick-fil-a. They never stop exceeding my expectations. Yesterday, besides the free sandwich and great customer service, they also put a coupon for a free breakfast entree in my bag. Chick-fil-a, you are awesome!

Kodak Theater and Oscars

While in Hollywood, Sarah and I toured the Kodak Theater, which was right next to our hotel. All in all, it was a pretty boring tour. However, there were a few things I learned about the Academy Awards that I thought were interesting enough to share.

First of all, when the camera pans to "back stage" at the Kodak theater, they are really at the hotel we stayed in, the Renaissance. No photography is allowed within the Kodak theater. I know, it is a bit ironic that no pictures can be taken in a theater named after a film company.

Also, I learned that the Academy Awards has a $30 million dollar budget. They sell the t.v. rights for $100 million, but still charge everyone who attends, including those presenting and winning awards, $375 for each ticket.

I thought this bit of information to be funny. When the red carpet is first opened, inside the theatre, all the bars are open bars in an attempt to lure stars off the red carpet into the theatre. However, once the show starts, all the bars become cash bars to get the stars to leave the bars and go sit in their seats inside the theatre. You would think that big Hollywood stars would have no problem paying for their drinks, but it seems they like free stuff the same as everyone else.

Another funny fact is that many of the stars stay in the Renaissance Hotel, which is just steps away from the Kodak Theatre, but still get in a limousine, drive around the corner, then get out on the red carpet.

The Kodak Theatre, by itself, is pretty boring. However, learning about the Academy Awards can be interesting and a little funny.

Classic Video Game Systems

As I recently played my Xbox 360, I thought about how far video game systems have come in my life time. I can't even imagine how far video games systems will progress by the time my boys are my age. Here is a list of the video game systems that I have had and some of my favorite games.

Atari 2600 - This was my first video game system. Some of my favorite games were bowling and Pit Fall. Looking back at it now, it was very basic, but it seemed like such great technology at the time.

ColecoVision - This was my second gaming system. It was a step up from Atari. The graphics were much better and the games were cooler. My favorite game was Super Action Football.

Commodore 64 - This was my first computer, which was mainly used to play video games. The graphics were so much better then the ColecoVision and there were lots more games. I had a friend that seemed to have all the games and I would borrow them from him. My favorite games were Summer Games and Dr. J and Larry Bird go one on one.

Sega Genesis - This was my first console system that did not have the block looking graphics. My favorite games were Bulls vs. lakers and the NBA playoffs and Michael Jackson's moonwalker.

Playstation - This was truly the first step toward the next generation of video game systems. The graphics, for it's time, were leaps and bounds above anything else out there. My favorite games were Dream Team (basketball) and College Slam.

Playstation II - This was the first next generation gaming system. The gameplay and graphics were very realistic. My favorite games were Madden Football and Legends of Wrestling.

Xbox 360 - This is my current gaming system. The graphics are amazing, especially on a high definition t.v. The games are very realistic feeling and each year they get better and better. Currently, my two favorite games are MLB 2k baseball and NCAA college hoops.

Lynn's Paradise Cafe

For my first post, on Examiner.com, I wrote about a restaurant we visited on our trip to Branson Missouri. It is called Lynn's Paradise Cafe. It is just outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

Lynn's was such a fun place to eat. The entire restaurant is decked out with bright colors and interesting things to look at. The food was great, as well. The portions were huge and the menu included many unique items. So, if you ever find yourself in the Louisville area, check out Lynn's Paradise Cafe. You will be glad you did.

You can read more about Lynn's from my post on Examiner.com here.