"Hom chicky bomb chicky dongdiddly dong diddly dong dong bow wow wow..."

Hi YA!

Recently I purchased a Sudoku Calendar and each day I get a new Sudoku puzzle which needs solving. It has different levels: White Belt, Green Belt, Brown Belt and Black Belt... I have mastered the White and Green Belt... but the Brown and Black Belts are throwing me for a loop.

BUT... this young (okay middle aged) "Grasshoppa" will not give up. I am the Karate Kid of Sudoku... with Mr. Miyagi smacking my head saying, "At ta ta ta! Always look eye!"

So that's what I am doing with my opponent, Sudokuson... Weilding my pencils like chopsticks... Because "Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything." (So if I am solving my Sudoku puzzle and a fly zips by... I will be ready. )

In traditional "Cobra Kai" fashion... I am chanting:

"Defeat is not accepted in this dojo... is it?"
"No Sensei!"
"Mercy is not accepted in this dojo... is it?"
"No Sensei!"

"Strike Hard! Strike First! No Mercy's Shown!"

....That or I am Henry from the hit cartoon show Hong Kong Phooey

Hi YA!

You remember Hong Kong Phooey... right?

I am cool like that.

Who is this super hero?
Sarge?
NO!
Rosemary the telephone operator?
No way man!
Henry the mild mannered janitor?

COULD BE!


"Hong kong phooey, number one super guy.
Hong kong phooey, quicker than the human eye.

Oh, hes got style, a groovy smile, a bite that just won't stop.
When the going gets rough, hes super toughWith the hong kong phooey chop!

Hong kong phooey, number one super guy,
Hong kong phooey, oh he's quicker than the human eye.

hom chicky bomb chicky dongdiddly dong diddly dong dong bow wow wow"

Just call me the Hong Kong Phooey of Sudoku.

Seriously.

Okay... the Birthdays are over until May...

Whew.

All I can say is there were a lot of cold winter nights that Sydney and I enjoyed and that's why we have 3 children so close together. But when you think about it... when it is snowing out... there are really only two choices... Watch TV or make your own fun.

Apparently we did the latter. ... and now Christmas (in terms of presents) comes twice a year.

Too much information I know... but then when have I ever cared about that?

We also watched a lot of TV though too. I love TV. If my wife wasn't so beautiful (both inside and out) my options would have been narrowed down to one choice. I am amazed by the number of TV shows that are really good now days... and TIVO has allowed me not to have to make a choice and I can watch until my heart is content. That and the INTERNET. I really need to thank Al Gore for creating the internet... it is such a cornacopia of amazement. Did you know that you can watch TV on the internet now? You can blog... you can chat with your friends... and NOW you can watch FULL LENGTH EPISODES... without commercials... of your favorite shows like LOST or the Nine... at work even. (Unless you are Chirky.)

Crazy.

In the same breath, Al Gore is the Devil. Only an evil man would create something that would introduce such conflict into one's life. How do people get any work done with all of the options placed before them?

So, I guess what I am trying to say is: Al Gore, if you really did create the internet, and had I known that I was going eventually be able to watch FULL LENGTH EPISODES of my favorite TV shows at ABC.com... I probably would have voted for you. I would have even worn an I "HEART" AL GORE Button.

Maybe.

Okay... I am lying, I would have never voted for you... but you get the point.

Happy BIRTHDAY Bug!

You are such a Cutie!

3 years old today!

Have I told you guys that I absolutely love my family?

I am so Blessed.

Lowering expectations

Ben,Syd, and the kiddos are out of town. How I come by this information is top secret but I am a truthful mole if there was one. I also know the secret combination to crack into MIM and do a little bit of damage . . . . . but alas I won't.

I did promise to post in Ben's stead while he was off galavanting through fields of corn (not that they are actually doing that but it puts a nice mental image in your head). The problem is that my expectations of a "guest blogger" are high, really high, and I fear I will fall short, so I've determined to just start off with low expectations and when I meet those I will feel satisfaction and be able to point at this post and say with ignorant pride "Look what I did!!". Ben of course will roll his eyes and shake his head and say in a mumble "that's the last time I ask Katie for anything."

So what to post? Hmmmmmmmm, the witty part of my brain seems to be malfunctioning or is set on a timer to go off at an inappropriate time. Like when you are in a very serious meeting and you think of a really funny joke or completely inapproriate comment or pun and you just can't help but giggle and then you get the look of death from those around you and that only makes you giggle more because if they knew what you knew those looks of seriousness (or just constipation) would soon be replaced by joyful laughing (or fear). Why do people laugh when they are scared? I have. Is that part of our emotions in our brain so close togehter that the electrical charges get a bit woppy-jawed (embrace this word and use it in conversation, it always gets a good reaction)?

Well as I said Ben, Syd, and the kiddos are off doing something, and they left me here to entertain you, or at least to not bore you so much that you never return. That was my one goal, to not drive off all of Ben's readers, so if you come back tomorrow and the next day than I will have reached my pitiful goal.

Ok, that's it for me. Hopefully Ben and the crew will be back soon so this post will mosey its way down the page after being replaced with much more entertaining and Ben-style publications.

Realizing that you are falling short is never a fun thing.

So I have been thinking lately... I think my kids are scared of me at times. It is a sad and humbling realization that I am falling short of being the father that God wants me to be. And what bothers me more... I know that the characteristics that I display through my actions tend to be the same attributes that my kids will assign to their Heavenly Father. Not a good thing.

I grew up under a father who had a quick temper... who, when he was in a good mood, his love was evident... but then when he was in a bad mood... love was not there. Love was somehow conditional. It still is to a certain extent... but... I left, so I don't have to deal with his fits of rage anymore. Unfortunately, as a result, I struggle against this idea that God's Love is unconditional. It's hard for me to believe. Do I believe it? Not sure. I have to, but I am not sure if I am there yet.

...anyway, back to my kids... unfortunately for them, I too have a short fuse.

When I was a kid, I remember lighting firecrackers on the Fourth of July. Most of them went off without much effort... but every now and again, one would have a fuse that would stop burning. I remember approaching it cautiously not knowing if and when it would go off and when you did light it again, the fuse was so short that you couldn't get away fast enough and it scared the crap out of you. That's me. My kids approach me cautiously because they don't know which dad they will encounter. Honestly, it depends on the day.

What can I say? I am my father's son. It's not an excuse because I know that even though this is the case, it is unacceptable. I need to change. I just don't know how to change something that is so ingrained in me. I need to break the mold though so my kids, particularly my sons, don't end up like me... so that none of them have the same perception of God that I do...

I guess that as I think about this... it also becomes evident that I can't change it by myself. It is apparent that only as I walk more closely with my Heavenly Father will I begin to display His image... Only then will I display Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self Control. And only as I am able to display these attributes will my kids' perspective change... only then will they truly find me "approachable."

As I begin to change, only then will they have a perspective of the true attributes of God.

I only wish walking closer seemed easier... it's worth the effort... but am I willing? It is definately a struggle of my will against His good and perfect will.

Old friends.

Today has been a day of visiting with old friends... gotta love old friends.

You know the kind... the ones that you can pick up like you never left off... and even though you are miles apart... you never forget them... although, when I called my friend Katy... she did say, "Um... I think you have the wrong number bud." We proceeded to talk for 40 minutes after that exchange.


Old friends are like your favorite hat or shirt... no matter how long it's been since you have seen them... when you are reunited, something just fits.

Happy Birthday...

Jakers!!

I can't believe you are eight!

EIGHT!?!

When did that happen??

Gosh. I am old.

"Everyone likes Boobies"

Conversation heard as I was fixing the kitchen sink last night...

Bug Bug: "Mommy... everyone like's boobies."
Sydney: "What did you say? Every one likes buoys?"
Bug Bug: "No.. boobies"
Sydney: "What... I can't understand what you are saying... Buoys? Boys?"
Bug Bug: "No. BOOBIES?"
Sydney: "Boobies?"
Bug Bug: "Yes. Boobies."
Dad from under the sink: "Guys like boobies."
Bug Bug (with a confused look on her face.): "No Dad. Boys don't have boobies."
Dad: "But they like them..."
Sydney: "Do we really need to have this conversation?"
Dad: "I'm just sayin..."
Sydney: "All we need is for her to go into Sunday School saying that "boys like boobies."
Dad: "Good point."

End of conversation.

All I need is a bullet...

and a gun...

Okay... I have both. But I am this close to using them...

The dog chewed up Micker's glasses. Mick fell asleep on the way home from Grandma's and Grandpa's house and took her glasses off and placed them in her lap. When she got out of the van, they fell to the ground. Buddy found them the next morning and proceeded to chomp on them.

It's not his fault... or Micker's fault... it was an accident... a $200+ accident... but an accident none-the-less.

Maybe if we sell the dog... we can make enough to pay for the glasses?