The Splendidly Mundane Life of Us.

Chicago

2010-08-03T11:31:00.001-07:00

The city is a little divided over allowing the filming of Transformers 3. Apparently stuff is being blown up daily and no, this is not the wake caused by our visit.

A few shots from Epic Burger.

Michigan Avenue.

90 Seriously!

2010-05-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

April pt. Uno

2010-05-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

40....40...

2010-03-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

Shake it like a Polaroid picture.

2010-02-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

Guess What???????

2010-02-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

It snowed at our house too.......

Why 40 is only a number.......

2010-01-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

So Saturday Tara threw a bash for my 40th. Here is MOST of the evidence. Some of it is being held to be used later for blackmail. Hopefully no one loses their job!

Double Standard?

2009-12-17T05:55:00.000-08:00

These people are a little controversial right now. That is probably the most stupid thing I have said all year.

Before I get started let me say this. I am a child of a broken home. I was a little boy when unfaithfulness crept into my family, so I know that pain and the lifelong issues that comes with a moment of weakness.

The fact is we are just like Tiger.....Don't freak out! Go to your happy place and keep reading.

Isaiah. 54:5 "Your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name."

Ezekiel 16:8 "Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine."

I love that.

So marriage is just a mirror of God's covenant with his people. Something that HE created not something we did. How are "we" his people, doing with that relationship? Just look around. I am not sure "we" ever take it seriously until something tragic happens, or we want something we think completes us. The truth is God never takes it lightly. That is TRUTH!

I don't know Tiger's relationship with God. If he doesn't have one I pray that God reveals himself to him. That he comforts his family, his wife, his children. That his face shines upon him. That the people who follow Christ don't pile on. We know better. Don't we?

Somethings I do know.

I know that Tiger is just a man.

I know that sin is sin. Let me expand this. While adultery might be a deal breaker for you, we all fail in some aspect of our marriage. Either to our Maker or to our spouse. Thankfully we don't get the prioritize them. I mean we love to do it, but in fact judgment is not ours to give.
"How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:4).

I know that our hearts are wicked. (Proverbs 4:19).

I know that no one is righteous, not even one. (Romans 3:10).

I know who the author of forgiveness is. (Ephesians 1:7).

I know that his grace abounds. (2 Timothy 1:9).

I know this makes me convicted.

So he who is without sin, cast the first stone, and thank God that he doesn't turn his back on you at your moment of weakness like the world has Tiger.

Bethlehem, Texas....huh?

2009-12-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

We loaded last up last Saturday to head to Waxahachie to witness for ourselves the recreation of the town of Bethlehem. It was cold!

Ryan's visit.

2009-12-09T18:41:00.000-08:00

I don't' even need to explain......

2nd Annual Turkey Murder Feast

2009-11-17T17:51:00.000-08:00

Tara and I teach 10th grade small groups. She's got the girls, I've got the guys, hold your comments and sarcasm please. We have had the same students since 7th grade. God has blessed us so much by allowing us to love on these amazing kids. We started having them over every Sunday a few years ago. Our Sunday night tradition is Queso, 3 bags of chips and 4 gallons of tea. But we have something the resembles Thanksgiving but we have our own name. Our 2nd annual Turkey Murder Feast. I mean Thanksgiving is what you have to do, murder feast, its what you get to do! These kids made everything but the Turkey, it was impressive and of course good.

Faith's Turkey Cake!

Avery, Emma and Amber!

Callie!

Um Food doy!

Jessica, Marley!

Sarah and Tara!

1 Timothy 4:12
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

Good Times.

2009-11-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

A little big brother finale.

Gosh Allie why are you legs all tense?

Shane and Shane concert.

These guys lead Worship.

So you think you can dance?

2009-11-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

Homecoming 09

2009-11-03T06:37:00.001-08:00

T Minus 15....

2009-10-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

I guess I better answer these or Allie will kick me to the curb. But I don't like rules so you don't just get one word all the time. That is the way I roll.

1. Where is your cell phone? good question....do you know where it is? I can't find it.
2. Your hair? Abundant.
3. Your mother? Pleaser.
4. Your father? Selfish and Forgiven.
5. Your favorite food? Bentley wings.
6. Your dream last night? zero
7. Your favorite drink? Iced Coffee, 6 pumps of classic and whole milk.
8. Your dream/goal? I think his question is overrated. Less dreaming more working.
9. What room are you in? is a cube a room?
10. Your hobby? Projects.
11. Your fear? to lose motivation.
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? on a boat, in my flippy floppies.
13. Where were you last night? Football
14. Something you aren't? serious.
15. Muffins? The batter.
16. Wish list items? world peace...doy!
17. Where did you grow up? Rockwall
18. Last thing you did? Ripped one, kidding! typed these words.
19. What are you wearing? nothing but a smile....oh and sarcasm.
20. Your TV? 50" Samsung
21. Your pets? Cookie
22. Your friends? users.
23. Your life? Grace.
24. Your mood? I have a staff meeting in 15 minutes so irritated.
25. Missing someone? No
26. Vehicle? Shopping list.
27. Something you're not wearing? tutu
28. Your favorite store? Home Depot
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? 10/20/2009
31. Last time you cried? a month.
32. Your best friend? best is so specific.
33. One place I go over and over? carpet.
34. One person who emails me regularly? some guy wanting me to enlarge.
35. Favorite place to eat? Allie's

Makeover......part 2.

2009-10-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

This was the next project, the hallway. We ripped up the carpet and starting installing a new Bruce floor. We went with real hardwood since that is what we had in our entry way and they luckily they still make the same color and style.

Here is the first phase from the entry way to the living room.

Another view.

After the quarter round install.

Down the hallway to the girls rooms.

Post the final pics soon.

Makeover......part 1.

2009-10-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

After about 9 years at our house we decided it was time to do some stuff we'd been really wanting to do for awhile. Other circumstances kinda forced our hand but here is what we've done so far . So we stained all the bedrooms concrete after pulling up the carpet, can't really explain what is under carpet but trust me it is an awakening. The color we used was coffee and here is some photo's of our progress. We also ripped all the hallway carpet up and put down more wood in the high traffic area. So here is the skinny on what's up.

Here is the supplies. Well the supplies I had to purchase anyway. Labor of course was free.

This is what left after the carpet was pulled up and the concrete got scrubbed with just water. That took all of the texture overspray off. The stripper was used on all the paint over spray. That was pain to take up.

Here is the final before the TSP wash which opens the pores of the concrete up to absorb the stain.
This is half sprayed on and half painted on. We liked the painted so we went with that, but this is for Ryan so she can get an idea of the difference. There was too much grey for us, so we decided to go with something a little darker since the walls of our bedroom are light.

This is the look we preferred. Getting close to being finished here. I will post the final pics after the baseboards are painted and the room is back together.

Are you tracking with me....

2009-09-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Move in Day Pt. 1

2009-08-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

I have to say that Wednesday was one of the most surreal days in our lives. A day to be excited about, a day to be incredibly terrified of, it was the college move day for Emilee. I don't know that anyone really wanted the summer to end, but we all knew this day would come. Its a incredibly overwhelming realm of emotions, it really is. You are excited that a new chapter of growth is starting, a new phase of your life, but you feel this overwhelming helplessness that comes with having to just......let.......her........go.....

We grew up with Emilee, we were such kids when we became parents. I remember feeling the exact same way I did Wednesday.........excited, scared, blessed, overwhelmed, proud.

You never forget the first time you hold them.....when they walk.....when they say your name the first time.....when you drop them off at daycare.....when they go to school.....the first time you leave them overnight. God stamps those moments in your mind but more importantly he etches them on your heart. Incredible how much he lets us in on.

But we all survived...or mostly anyway. The goodbye was tough...IT WAS SO TOUGH!

On the move....

Hello, you can't move without food and drink or ice cream.

Is this college or prison?

I want you to move this over here dad, I changed my mind.

Get your Lion Camp on!

Look what we stole at Chick-Fil-A......mints! Is that considered a meal?

Gosh this crap is heavy!

Well my internet works that makes us happy!

Tunes and TV!

Mimi giving instructions.

Mimi giving more instructions, and screwing up the shelves! HA HA!

Em......it's almost time for us to go. Please don't look at us that way.

I told you Goodbye's were TOUGH!

Were going back this weekend to finish it up so I'll will Post the finished product. Class starts Monday!

WTF?

2009-08-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

So at work when your going to be out of the office we post those messages to a website for anyone in our group to be notified. So Today my boss his message says this.

"WFH - Duane kept me up last night........"

Did you just type another coworkers name in there???....You now know the whole office thinks ya'll live together now??? Seriously kept you up doing what??? Awkward!

I think any POST on any social networking site or web page needs a button to click...That button would say something like this.

"Click this button to check your phrase or post to make sure that people won't spit there coffee out on there monitor because you just said something only a tard would say"

The start of the craziness....

2009-08-13T06:06:00.001-07:00

Well I guess officially its starts tonight. The madness that is football. The 3 hour pregame show, the analyst arguing about the in and outs of the flex defense. Don't get me wrong I like me some foozball. From now until February 1st its the "I can't the game is on" season. I do feel for you girls out there because you suffer because of it. All the constant watching of games where your significant other has no vested interest in either team, other than the fact he has a player from the game on one of his 12 fantasy teams. The season of working everything around 12 or 3 on Sunday afternoon. My advice just tell them shopping is a sport and shop, shop, shop away. Seriously just tell him that the game is much better with a big new couch and his food taste way better with some high quality cookware. By the way I do agree its a little odd that he puts on eye black just to watch the game, good luck getting that stain out of his wife beater.

Serve or Be Served?

2009-08-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

Why do people not suffer to serve? People include me!

Why is it OK to sit year after year with zero movement towards service? Aren't you not serving right now so you can gain all the knowledge you need through teaching to serve with purpose? When does all that knowledge come by the way? at 30? at 40? Your never really are fully ready to serve God, until by grace you serve. God will be there when you fall into it, grace saves and grace sustains.

No one signs up to serve, its not a flavor of the month, God appoints us to service. Paul made an incredibly powerful point, "to serve by God's grace that allows you to overcome your sin to introduce other to Christ to overcome there sin." That is a call out right there. That isn't a 5 step program or a blank to fill in, its truth, and its blinding.

Jesus came to serve and not to be served, oh but wait he didn't have small kids or a baby, grow up! people are perishing, that outweighs your level of comfort trust me. There will be no greater joy than extending the grace that was given freely to you. Just ask someone what its like for someone to be so moved by your small part that they wrap there arms around you and say thank you.

Serving is pouring ourselves out to others.

Love your neighbors, not in YOUR way either. Love them like Christ loves the church.

New Laptop, hurry hurry!

2009-07-29T08:03:00.001-07:00

I am a blog slacker. Work is a flippin mess. We hired a new person from Mexico. I swear you would think a communication company would actually hire people that can communicate, but he can't. But any-who I am getting a new laptop so I can't blog until its returned. Its suppose to be ready by Thursday assuming that person doesn't get laid off before its finished.

Why Grow Up?

2009-07-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

These are my people. Well my peeps that still poo in a diaper. I hope their parents don't screw them up or they might end up like me....Actually maybe they need a little more of the crazy parent in there life. Who wants your kids to grow up just average anyway? That was sarcasm right there in case you didn't get it.

Have you ever noticed how uptight and pretentious most people have gotten? They refuse to even laugh at themselves? Why does everyone pretend they have it all together? Guess what you may in fact just be average? Embrace your average people! You waste a lot of time proving your not just like EVERYONE else....relax....if your friends keep score, find new friends.

Things I Hate!........Sorry, I mean things that irritate me.

2009-07-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

Irritation abounds today, so what better thing to do than make a list. List are gay but whatever I am making a incredibly gay hate/irritate list. There is no particular order to my list but those who know me will know what would be in the top 10 if the list was numbered.

a.) I can't stand the pale white fat-a across the street that flicks his cigarette butts in the street, which of course end up in my yard. Dude walk to the trash can, the exercise will in fact not kill you nor will the sun.

b.) People in the fast lane. Just cause your speedometer shows you to be doing a whopping 2 mph over the posted limit, please live out your wild side in the right lane I am hungry and ready to be home.

c.) The dude wearing his IPOD into the grocery store. Seriously when Al Qaeda runs in the front door screaming Allah is Great!, you will be dead cause your Master P greatest hits won't allow you to hear all the comotion, and by the way the lady down the aisle is not talking about how cool you are.....she is pissed that she can't find the bean dip.

d.) Clingers....Oh gosh the clinger. What can you do for me? If you can further my status I will gladly latch on to your overpriced jeans and we can be besties for the foreseeable future or at least till the holidays are over.

e.) Mr. Monster Truck.....you crack me up! Everyone knows your over compensating with those big rims and the 8 inch lift. I will bet money that when you get out of that great big truck of yours, your legs in fact will be shorter than those of your girlfriend/wife.

f.) What is up with stay at home moms with rims on there Tahoe's. I mean really its as bad as Mr. Monster Truck in reality. Are you reaching out to your 214 roots? I mean is there a cute badge you get when you reach this historic achievement? The thing is you know they check to see if there doors are locked when they drive behind Sonic.

g.) Apple. Why is it that your not busted by the government for price fixing? Every store I go in sales your products for the exact same price. How is that even possible? Nothing else cost the exact same price everywhere you go besides something Apple makes.

h.) Off brand products... Seriously why can nothing off brand come in decent packaging. If its not a name brand you know its not going to tear along the "tear here line", and your going to be cussing for not spending the extra 10 cents to get the good one, then end up throwing it away cause the Ziploc doesn't work right and it rots.

i.) Questionable pics of your family member or there "members". No one wants to see that crap! Cover it up.

j.) Whining.......Really your the only soul on the face of the earth that is overwhelmed or had a bad day? I have had a lifetime of bad days this week, and there so hard I just want to run away and..........Oh!....wait......<----example of whining. No charge for that one.

k.) Posting messages to your spouse on Facebook. Trust me if you can't say it in person your doomed.......doomed I say. Call them they will love it.

l.) People pleasing. You know the reality is its your own fault. Learn to grow a pair and say "no". There not going to leave you out of the will or not invite you over for smores. Why is OK for you to always say "yes" and for them to always say "no". Take a stand. I need to tattoo this on my arm.

m.) This one is for Allie. OK, devoting a blog to pictures of every single day of your kids life is flippin whacked out. No one wants to see him on the pot, its not cute, its CREEPY! There going to grow up with major issues when your in there room, there 16, and your taking a picture of them when they wake up. There going to flip you off in fact. We know you think your kid is the best, you have to say your kid is phenomenal or you can't bring them home. It's like a hospital rule or something.

That is it for now. I feel much better.

You know you have a list. Post it.

Viva San Antonio!

2009-07-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

20 yrs. of marriage.....The 1st anniversary we had back in the day was in San Antonio, we went back at 10 yrs. and now at 20 yrs. It holds some significance in our relationship. It was the first vacation we took even before we were married...my first vacation with her family. I can't believe that wasn't enough for me to run away! run away! but that is another post. We went right after we found out we were having Em, there were lots of walks and talks and lots of blank stares and someone might have said, what the hell are we going to do now?

You know its really odd, weird, shocking to say you've married for 20 years. They ask why its lasted....what's our secret.....Of course you get the priceless look of she must have been pregnant....they don't' say it out loud but there minds churn, do the head math thing, asking the age of the oldest, its really fun to watch actually. She wasn't I can assure you of that. We came from such different backgrounds you could have bet and most people would have checked the Fail box on there scorecard. You had her parents who have been together for like 30+ in one corner, 30 years of bitching and moaning about whose right!.....You had my parents who lasted 5 years....who got married at the same age but got married to escape there home life and there siblings.

If you did check fail back in 1989 on your will it last worksheet, you would owe us some serious coin right now. So pay up! It hasn't been perfect, it's been filled with indecision, stress, joy, happiness, fear, sadness, laughter, tears and ALOT of craziness.....But its always been filled with something. Trust me if you don't have YOUR something you don't have anything.

So here is some evidence we did in fact leave the room.

Our suite..Yes I picked this out all by myself.

Energy: Of course we got out of the car and went for mexican food. Same place we always go the Rio Rio.

San Fernando Church.....WOW! This church claims to be the first established church in the state. It's gone through four major renovations since its founding and is a working church still to this day. I know the church is just a building but this is a serious building, the Catholics do it right.

So the story is a Mexican fighting at the Alamo with the Texans collected the remains after the siege concluded. The bodies of Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and William Travis were buried in this church and were discovered during one of it's remodels in 1936. Of course people at the Alamo dispute it.

The remains as uncovered in the old sanctuary in 1936. Notice the plaque on the right.

This is the spot where Santa Anna raised the red flag a token that he intended to give no quarter.

Organ that still in use today. They just play it now by a freaking computer! Points off for that.

The French influence.

This is actually carved out of limestone, looks just like wood.

This is a building that comes up from the Riverwalk notices the faces on the ledge? Reportedly put here because the Germans were very superstitious and these were a sign of good luck. They didn't work to well during the stock market crash of 1929 this building was quite popular for ending your life as people repeatedly jumped off to there death....Gosh I have been on the boat tour too many times. Tips are appreciated.

Check out the Gargoyles coming out to protect from evil spirits.

Hmmmm....He said what? He did not.

2009-07-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

So I thought I always had plenty to say until I clicked on create Blog...now I am speechless it seems. I don't know if I will really have a theme like cooking or such, I think I might more just jump around and spout randomness. In fact I know I will. Any who. Mark, Set. Go!!!!

So Em (the oldest) gets in the car after church......distraught. She proceeds to tell me that in her class this morning her teacher told them that if things aren't going wrong in their lives their probably not living the "right" life. That their not in God's will. Seriously? He said that? So let me get this straight if we as Christians don't have problems continuously were not in God's will? Ever read Isaiah 41:10? What about Psalm 9:10?

Pretty ridiculously deep topic for a first post but I said it would be random. So scripture tells us that God is the author of EVERYTHING (Matthew 28:18), not ANY leeway in that statement, ZERO! Maybe......just maybe....in all of God's wisdom, the reason some people have more struggles, hurt, or pain has nothing to do with there threat to Satan or there ability to carry out the great commission, but has more to do with there relationship or lack thereof with Jesus? Maybe you have problems cause God is reeling you in, or he is exposing something in your life that has become your "God"? Gosh has he never heard of sin, and that sin has a consequence that being judgment??? Ecclesiastes 12:14

Amazing how much people are formed from things they hear.....even crotchety old baptist....can't we just sticks to the facts? They have held up pretty well on there own.