#26

Few things in life better than coming home after a long day at work and seeing the red envelopes in the mail.

It's like somebody sends you a present every week of the year.

Like an old friend saying "Sit down and relax. I shall entertain you."

#25

Never take for granted the beauty of electricity.

Here's a story: Yesterday it was quite warm here. Some rain, but the temp was 49 degrees at four o'clock. Than the wind came. Sharp, biting, and cold. The temps dropped, and by nine at night it was five degrees, with a wind chill of ten to fifteen below. That rain froze up everywhere, and it also turned to snow.

After midnight, our power went out. Frustrating, because one block either way still had power, as did the people right across the street. With temps below zero outside, inside began to drop. My oldest boy is battling a rough cough. I just got over being sick, and my wife just started. Not to mention we have a three month old baby here. I called the power company and found out we had a few hours before power returned. So we had to abandon our home at two in the morning for my Mom's house. I know how a pirate captain feels, and it ain't good. Not to mention the quick temp drop meant I had to chisel my way into my car while that wind blew me to hell.

The baby was awesome. Never woke up. Took awhile to get Jude to sleep. The wife and I slept on Mom's couches, barely, not feeling right in a strange environment. Finally, at six we went back home and the power was back on.

Never take for granted the beauty of electricity.

#24

Glory Glory Man United

Glory Glory Man United

Glory Glory Man United

The Title's Staying Put!

#23

Yes, that is snow on the ground.

And yes, that is an ice cold rain a-fallin'.

And yes, there is a chilly wind a-blowin'.

And yes, the cook is just getting over a illness that put him on his ass for thirty hours.

But nothing gets in the way of a man and his Johnsonville Brats!

#22 (apologies for being late)

THIS IS MY SUNDAY PICTURE. Sorry it's late.

I was sick as a dog yesterday. Just a horrible cold. Almost felt like a flu. Zicam and OJ were my two best friends, and thanks to them, I am feeling better today.

I cannot recommend Zicam enough when you feel a cold coming. It works.

I'll be back later today with my Monday photo.

#21

Jude picked out his Valentine cards today. He also informed me that he couldn't give any to girls because they didn't like Pirates.

Daddy picked out Sullivan's. Guess which is which?

#20

I go to the local library, chock full of literary genius, and come out with these three films. Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (cos I've seen the first two), 2001 (2nd greatest film ever), and the remake of Halloween (original is awesome, this will suck, but I got to do it).

They should revoke my library card.

#19

So the girl across the street, known to us as "Neighbor Girl" is preggers. I'm talking she was due this past Sunday preggers. We just found out a few weeks back. She's not big and usually wears a coat that covers it all up. So, now whenever it snows, I get out my trusted friend Snow Thrower and clear out her driveway and walks. She lives alone, and probably shouldn't do that sort of thing right now.

Today, in appreciation, she brought over this nice basket of goodies. There's a loaf o' bread, some oranges, bags o' micropopcorn, plus a jar of peanut butter you can't see, and a dozen eggs, which I put in the fridge so as to not spoil and kill us all.

This is how neighbors should be.

#18

A lazy day for me today. Just took some time to myself, which includes playing this, the greatest PC game ever.

(of course, my DC United lost one and drew the other, so not all was well).

#17

Best $300 ever spent.

Even though we only got about two to three inches today, this bad boy saves me a lot of back pain.

#16

Like father, like son.

Gotta learn 'em early the pure pleasures in life, like reading on the toilet.

Extra Photo of the Week

Is this not the happiest baby you've ever seen!

Three months and one week old.

#15

The fixin's for a really awesome dinner.

BLT's, Kimber's style!

Saturday January 19, 2008

The weekly shopping trip with the boys.

Daddy and my two sons hit the Super Target to replenish the food supply.

Friday January 18, 2008

Dinner tonight with the family here.

Mayhaps the best pizza in Northern Indiana.

Thursday January 17, 2008

The mail going out today. On the bottom is yet another Netflix flick being sent back (gotta get our money's worth).

Up top is something for my insurance. Seems that they believe my wife has other coverage besides them. She don't. She hasn't for two years. But they think she does.

This has led to many problems with them denying a claim from the hospital. Every claim. And anybody who's had a child knows, you get a lot of hospital bills. So every bill gets denied, and we get to call the insurance to remind them (yet again) that she has no other coverage.

After many many calls, they finally sent us some paper form to fill out. That is in the envelope up top. Hopefully, the problem will be fixed.

Not holding my breath though.

Wednesday January 16, 2008

I wanna be a cowboy.

And this shall be my castle.

I had planned to take a photo at a meeting today introducing our new products. But my bosses frowned heavily upon that, as if worried that the competition is reading this blog and would steal our thunder.

So you get the boy in all his glory.

Tuesday January 15, 2008

The sunset from our front porch. That's my big o' tree on the right.

Monday January 14, 2008

A trip to the library brought home these three books, and a trip to Borders garnered the most recent issue of FourFourTwo magazine.

A reading cornucopia!

Sunday January 13, 2008 "The Artist"

My son directs his own version of Spider-Man 3.

Saturday January 12, 2008 "Perks of the Job"

Last year my company's holiday party was at a hotel in Indianapolis. Dinner, rooms, and a night of casino gambling that cost the company thirty grand.

This year? Dinner at a nice restaurant in Southwest Michigan for the South Bend team only. Cost $600.

Oh, plus I got these three units of ice cream (well, ice cream and frozen dairy dessert) free of charge.

The times, they are a-changin'.

Friday January 11, 2008

My love, my love.

Mother of two boys. Daughter of a nut. Wife to a dork. Love of my life.

Thanks for loving me, Kimbers.

The Unofficial Thursday January 10, 2008 Photo

We have decent yard on the sides of the house, but as you can see from this unofficial photo, the backyard is small. I'm standing in the back door, that's my rainpipe there on the left, and that's the neighbor's blue house and fenced in deck about three feet away. Even better, officially I think my backyard ends at the row of bushes. You can't really tell, but you can kinda see the dead branch of one there on the right.

I'm sure the neighbors can't wait to see the boys kicking a soccer ball to each other in the "backyard" in a few years time.

The Official Thursday January 10, 2008 Photo

Five points to the first contestant to guess where we put Jude's pool in the summer.

Wednesday January 9, 2008

This perfectly captures my day off today. I steam cleaned that carpet, I did three loads of laundry, I washed the dishes, and I burned that CD.

Busy busy busy.

Tuesday January 8, 2008

"The Third Date Rule"

Eight years ago today, my wife and I had our third date. She came over to my apartment for the very first time and I made dinner. Not a bad night.

These five books, all about serial killers, were on the top shelf of my bookcase. As I made dinner, I noticed her checking out my books. Who knows what she must have been thinking about this nice, quiet guy with an interest in serial killers that she barely knew.

Can't believe I got a fourth date. She probably couldn't believe she'd make it out of the apartment alive.

I'm one smooth operator.

This is me and the Boys.

Daddy and his Two Sons. Jude and Sullivan, watching some soccer in the morning.

Just so you know who I am.

Extra Photo

This was taken Saturday in the lobby as we waited to see "Sesame Street Live: Ready for Action". Jude hanging out with two of his best pals, Elmo and Zoey.

Monday January 7, 2008

Our home, sweet home.

New Year's Eve it snowed.

By the time it stopped three days later, we had 15.7 inches on the ground.

This was taken today. It's 65 degrees out and all the snow I battled so valiantly against those three long days is gone.

Suddenly, global warming doesn't seem so bad.

Sunday January 6, 2008

Jude was such a good boy, Santa brought him a castle and a pirate ship.

Daddy gets to play too. As he puts it, "Daddy, you can be the bad guys."

I'm always the bad guys.

(posting this a day late, but wanted to start with a Sunday photo)