The Rear View Mirror and Eyes on the Road

It's amazing what a picture can do to stir memories. Whom ever coined the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words", was right on the money.

This was taken in the 80's sometime in one of those photo booths at the mall, or some random location.  I am pretty sure Amy and I were in a tickle fight and I was dominating!  We still have those every once in a while and I still am the champion, although her tickling turns a bit more aggressive to gain the upper hand.  I usually walk away with a stinging scratch and she ends up in the bathroom before it's too late.

As another year comes to a close I find myself thinking about the past and the future.  I look through the photos and wonder where in the world time has gone.  Amy and I met when we were 14 years old... freshmen in high school at Jordan.  Now I see Hannah at 13 and realize, come Saturday, New Years Day, that she will be 14 in 2011.

I still remember the day of her birth.  I couldn't have been more proud; or emotional!  The same with all of the kids.  Fatherhood is a glorious adventure.  She has danced for years and participated in soccer.  Most recently she made a difficult decision to give up dance and go for it in soccer.  I wish her all the best and am looking forward to spending lots of time working with her in the back yard and going for runs.... heaven knows I could use it too!

Then there is our little athlete Joey.  Named after his grandpa Don, Joey has truly amazed all of his family with his athletic, and God given mind you, talents.  There pretty much isn't anything this kid can't do if he wants to when it comes to sports.  He loves this picture.  He says he looks like a general leading his troops into battle.  This was a big game against Bingham, the arch rival of Alta.  I can't begin to tell you how many life lessons this kid is learning through sports.  Particularly football.  He has big dreams, and we encourage them, all the while reminding him of the percentage of kids that actually make it pro... in any sport.  I just want him to be a decent father and husband, and contribute to his community.  Good enough for me.

And then there is our little Benny Boy.  Joey's proverbial shadow.  I have so much fun watching these two interact (except for when they are arguing about something).  Ben wants to be and do everything that Joey is and does.  I remember being the little brother.... still do.  I followed my two older brothers around everywhere I could.  They taught me lots of things.  It's funny... Joey would never admit it but I know he looks up to Hannah and wishes he could be like her in many ways too.

It's hard to believe that Ben is in Kindergarten now.  He is one of the best readers in all of Kindergarten at his school... naturally.  We don't push him to read and never have.  He is just a good student and loves to learn.  He has an amazing imagination and is so funny.  I hope he keeps his blonde hair his whole life.  I love it.  But if he is anything like I was, it will fade away... in color and existence!  Hopefully the pattern holds true that you follow your mother's father's hair gene.  If that's the case, my boys are set.  Don had the thickest head of hair you have ever seen.

Well, who knows what 2011 will bring.  It's always an adventure.  We are looking forward to spending time together again as a family and going through life's ups and downs.

Here's to my family - I love you all.  And here's to 2011 - Bring it on Father Time.... bring it on.

They Gave Up Their Christmas

This is a great video about giving during the Christmas Season.  Not giving of money or temporal gifts, but of talents and service.

It is especially endearing to me because this is where I served my mission.  All the work that you see these people do, I was able to do as well in the same fields while I served in Fresno.  It brought back a lot of memories.

I hope we can all find time to share ourselves not just during the holiday season but all year round.

Benny and the New Bike

Christmas came and so did Santa.  Benny got a hot new bike and because there was no white Christmas, he got to try it out!

The Elusive Sleep Over

Do we participate or not?.... more often than not.... NOT.  And that's totally fine with me.

"We don't do sleepovers".  That's been our motto for a long time.  But every once in a while we try to give it a go and either give permission for out kids to sleep over at a very trusted friends home or have them sleep here.  We are secretly happy when permission is denied from the other side.  Heaven knows we have done more than our fair share of saying "no".  It has been particularly difficult with our 10 year old lately.  We sound like a broken record.  No, No, No, No... and No.  Our 13 year old daughter asks and we think... probably ok.  She's pretty level headed and the her girl friend comes from a great home.

Things are very different from when I was a kid.  We practically lived at other friends homes on the weekends or holiday breaks.  That was before... well, before a lot of things.  You can fill in the blank.  It usually takes me thinking about things a little longer before I remember that we don't "do" sleepovers... and  why.

So all the kids are home.  Safe.  And even they are glad about it.

http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/courageous-parenting?lang=eng

5th Grade Teacher Witch Hunt

So Joey is sitting at the kitchen counter nearly in tears because he has to do math homework over the Christmas break.  I don't know whether to write his teacher a nasty email or thank her.  He's been glued to electronic devices for a week straight.  I am glad that he has to exercise his brain a little but the notion of homework over the Christmas break is ludicrous.  It is a violation of all that any elementary kid holds dear. For 2nd amendment activists, it is akin to having your guns taken away.  If elementary kids could organize like the NRA or the NAACP we would have a serious law suit on our hands here folks.

Luckily mom is here to save the day.  Not only is she walking him through it page by page, she reminded him that he has the glorious golden ticket.... a home work pass for one of the assignments.

I am thinking about making a list of pranks we can implement when he gets back to school but I am pretty sure we want to avoid suspension.

Gaming Romance

I witnessed an amazing thing this week.  My wife of nearly 18 years seemingly addicted to a series of video games on the kids new iPod touches.  I have known Amy for almost 26 years and I have never seen her check out and go to planet "Rock Band" or planet "Fruit Ninja".

I fell asleep to the sound of Lynard Skinnard and Rolling Stones and dreamt of psychadelic eggnog parties. While she levelled through the wee hours of the night I fell asleep only to find her rooted to the couch in her pajamas the next day on to a new found passion of "Traffic Rush Hour".

Now, it seems to me that history has a way of repeating itself, only the tables have turned here.  Usually one would expect to find me wasting hours on end playing mind numbing electronic devices and depriving myself of a good nights sleep but this time it's different.

I remember the nights of Halo, Madden, Donkey Kong and yes... I will say it, World of Warcraft.  But those days are gone.  At least those long nights are.  I learned through experience that a good nights sleep is much more valuable than reaching level 80 on my Undead Death Knight.

Now don't get me wrong.  I am not criticizing my wonderful wife for her most recent behavior.  On the contrary; I have a new found respect for her.  Even a deepend affection and love for her and this because at last, she has revealed her inner Geek that I knew was always there!

Ah, be still my beating heart!

Out With The Old, In With The Gently Used

I had lunch with a colleague the other day and he told me about a great Christmas gift he gives his wife each year.  She is an avid blogger... It's all about her family.  I ask myself, "what else is worthy of blogging about?".  At the end of the year, he puts together a hard bound book of everything she's posted.  It's a great way to make a history of your life.  So... here I am (and hopefully someone else out there.... Hellooooo! Echo, Echo, Echo).

2010 is coming to a close.  Although I am somewhat optimistic about the future, that optimism is guarded.  I am a little bitter about how guarded it is.  I want to abandon my cynicism and enter the new year recklessly abandoning any common sense about managing expectations.  But that's just not my style.  Actually, forget about style... I am not hardwired that way.  It's just not in me.  I have to weigh reality against ideal and my nerves hang in the balance.

Marriage is wonderful.  A beautiful wife of nearly 18 years and three awesome kids, and a mother-in-law in the basement.  It was a package deal I guess.  Much more to that story.  Another time maybe.

Stay tuned for what is most certainly going to be an average ride!