Christmas in July

 

Why were my wife and I up till 12:30 last night? Well we weren’t wrapping presents or making gifts. We weren’t Watching a movie together. It turns out that we weren’t doing anything normal parents of five with one on the way should be doing on a long Friday after the kids are asleep, (I.E. sleeping).

We decided that it was time to go through the thousands, (seems like it sometimes), of toys that have accumulated in our house over the last 9 1/2 years. I brought all of their toys from the two bedrooms downstairs, brought all the toys stored in the attic. After all the toys were gathered, (we started around 9:30), we spent an exhausting hour and a half to two hours going through toys and deciding what to keep, what to toss, and what to give to Good Will.

This is the total of all the toys in the house not counting Legos or Duplos which we are keeping forever. The big green tub close to the white door is full of Little people which we are also keeping forever.

 

We discovered that we had way to many toys from fast food joints. Lots of broken or parts missing toys were found and lots of toys that don’t get played with.

At some point in the evening I was sent out on a food run, Taco Bell and Dairy Queen… What it was hard work…lots to carry down stairs.

 

When All was said and done we ended up with no broken or parts missing toys, no happy meal toys, and no unwanted toys.

This is what the load to Good Will looked like: 10 boxes and 1 basket

 

Needless to say the kids never saw what got trashed or donated so they can’t miss it. There was great excitement this morning, (like Christmas type excitement), as the kids woke up to find all the toys downstairs. The excitement grew as we took the toys to there rooms and started putting them away in closets and on shelves.

 

End result: Two very tired parents, Five happy kids, Less mess…for now…

 

Jason

Weird Eating habits

Eating is a fact of life. Every one has to eat. The one thing that sets us apart from each other is how the food gets to our mouths. From straws to forks to spoons it gets there, some how. People have different methods; the fork everything method, it's opposite of spooning everything, to the two utensil shoveling method (very messy I might add).

I like the fork every thing method even for applesauce. Now when it comes to foods that require a spoon, (like ice cream and soup), I have an odd habit, as pointed out by my lovely wife, I will put the spoon to my mouth and then, turn the spoon over and scrape the food off toward my tongue. Why such an unusual eating habit? It's simple enough for me. I have sensitive teeth. The idea of hot or cold food touching my front teeth makes me cringe. In reality it is quite uncomfortable.

Another lesser habit I have involves ketchup. I like it on my grill cheese sandwich, on my potato chips (i.e. ketchup chips out of the bag). Funny enough everything else use ketchup for seems pretty normal to me.
What are some of your weird eating habits? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Jason

All I need to know about life I learned from the movies….

Bad guys-

-When confronting bad guys in costume (i.e. full body armor with matching helmet) remember that they can't shoot straight so you can run straight to cover (car, building, around a corner, or over a hill).

-When sneaking up behind bad guys reach around and cover their mouth so they can't yell/scream.

-A karate chop to the neck always works

-Bad guy bosses love to talk... So you can always find out what their secret plans are...you just need to find that one really easy way to escape and then ruin the bad guys day.

-The hide out is almost always below ground, dark and grimy, unless the baddy is super rich and powerful already then it is a pent house apartment or CEOs office.

-Bad guys always lose....after about two hours of action.

Driving:

-There are two types of cars; really cool and fast cars, and really old cars you know will just be torn up, scraped up, damaged beyond repair, or be destroyed in a spectacular explosion.

-When bad guys drive they plow through traffic. When the good guy drive they weave through traffic..... Leaving other drivers to plow into other cars/buildings/or poles.

-The car always seems to run out of gas at the gas station.

-Any car can make a spectacular jump. Only the cool ones survive the jump and keep going.

-When being chased... Jump over a river... The other car will do one of two things; try to jump and end up in the river, or plow nose first in to the river.

 

-Dating:

-When making dinner for a date.... Don't forget the begets.

-always dress to impress, apply copious amounts of make-up, and make a fashionably late entrance.

-There's always a spark

-Espionage/Spies

       - Always carry a blank cd to copy important secret  information,    (you never know when you will get another chance).

-See bad guys above…

-Don’t get Caught…..If you do get caught “Mums” the word.

So in life; go to work find corrupt entity, get caught, run like crazy, fall down, getup, run, run, run, get into car drive really fast weaving in and out of traffic. Find co-pilot, drive to motel, stay the night in fear and terror. Run, drive fast again, jump a river, out maneuver the following car by e-brake turning into an alley that just fits your car but the SUV has to find another route giving you time to get to headquarters and spill the beans thereby ruining the bad guys day.

Dune series review

 
About a month ago I finished about a month long listening experience. The Dune series by Frank Herbert. The author wrote this six book series before his death. The series has since been carried on by other authors.

Book one: Dune

Dune starts off on a green water filled world called Caladan. In a castle/fortress lives a the Duke Atreides, his Bene-Gesserrit which, (you'll learn more throughout the series) wife, (by all but marriage) named and titled Lady Jessica. And their son Paul, the ducal heir.
The Duke Atreides is forced to leave his planet, by the Emperor, and relocate himself, his family, servants, and military to the planet Arakis (also called "Dune"). Dune is a desert planet (complete desert, no water, no rain, all moisture is captured and reused). It is the dream vision of the native population (called the Fremin) to remake Dune into a paradise planet,though it may take many generations. They will do this by placing collector plates around new plants.

Through strategic and subtle plans the dukes enemies overwhelm the many defenses around the new fortress (a very trusted and un questionable servant becomes the tool of the downfall).
In the after math Paul and his mother manage to escape into the dessert. There they meet up with the locals called the Fremen. After a tense encounter they are invited to join the  Fremen life style in the desert.

When Paul starts to see future events he is regarded as someone out of prophecy or legend. He ultimately "marries a native Fremen named Chaney, leads the Fremen to freedom and power by destroying the Harkonnens that took over the dukedom of dune, then maneuvers him self into being emperor.

My thoughts:

This book was a good listen.  It had stealth, cunning strategy, a completely different universe with different rules and personalities.
I did like being transported to another time and place.  I did however find it difficult understanding the new rules and relationships. It seems that the priorities set forth in the first book of this series are: selective breeding to bring forth the desired traits. Love is not the rule but the exception to it. Religion is only a tool of the powerful, (i.e. The Bene Gesserrit and even Paul Atraides who uses the prophecies and legends about himself and his mother to gain control of all Fremin and ultimately the empire), to control the masses and changes constantly. There is an a constant battle over power for three different races.

Over all this was a fun ride.

Hollywood....leave my entertainment alone

 

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My family does not have cable at our house. As a result we have a large movie/show collection (we like to watch shows as a family). Most of the movies we have are what you could call kids/children's, movies from Pixar,DreamWorks, Disney. We also have DVDs of Dora the explorer, go Diego go, Backyardagains, Blues Clues. If you count movies like Harry Potter and Star Wars as kids movies the add those to the list as well.

Recently I bought Avatar and Star trek. Both of these are really great movies with one big exception....wait for it.... A sex/bed scene. Obviously the directors thought this act would add to the movie in some way, whether it was for a tender moment, i.e. Avatar, or for a funny interaction between characters, i.e. Star Trek. This does not  add to the enjoyment of the show.  The only things this does for my family is cause mom and dad to pay close attention to where the offense is and skip that section, (my kids love Avatar, (they hate when we have to skip something even when they have no idea why), I like Star Trek minus the aforementioned scene).

I have a show that I like, (I watch it on hulu.com), called Stargate Universe. It's about a group of scientist and military personnel that are forced to evacuate a crumbling planet through a stargate. By change of the address on the star gate they end up on a ancient space ship, (Destiny), that is flying through the universe billions of light years from earth. Sound interesting so far.

About every three episodes or so the makers of this unique show find it necessary to introduce a "Bed Scene", (not long of course, (does it need to be long), or show what some characters sexuel preference is, (don't know don't care), to mix up the "emotions" of the show. It disturbs me... I would rather they just get on exploring planets or fixing the ship or fighting random aliens. I don't need to see what happens in bed rooms, (I’m married…I know). The last episode was great; Strategy, tension, and a little helping of true friendship!!!

This pattern of "adding to the emotions" of the show happens in a lot of TV shows with increasing .... With movies and TV shows it just dampens the enjoy ability` of what I am watching.

Did all the mirrors break?

You've seen it before, at public places like a fair, zoo, theme park, or even a mall, the various states of dress that people are wearing, (or rather not wearing). There seems to be a trend in the world to wear less and less.

Last month I went to the zoo with my family, sister in laws family,and mother in law. We wanted to see the new polar bear exhibit. We had great fun. On our way back to the exit, (and throughout the zoo), we were assaulted by several people who, (for reasons unknown), chose not to look in a mirror before leaving their house that morning.  They had clothes, (used very loosely,no that is not a pun), that were made for younger people or were just three sizes to small or what some people would wear to bed. I wanted to yell "Mirror Check".

I know that summer is much warmer than winter, that doesn't mean people need to go around in there underwear or pajamas. When the clothing you are wearing might as well be your swim wear you need to check a mirror.

One may consider whether a piece of clothing is comfortable to go out in. Now I don't nesseccarily mean the feel of the cloth, (though that can be a determining factor), I mean whether you would be comfortable wearing that with your mother/father/preacher around. Another thing to consider  is the many adjustments to the articles on your person, "got to make sure that "this part" is covered", not to mention the feeling of over exposure.  Speaking of adjustments.....seriously guys pull up those pants...no one wants to see those "awesome" underoos you are wearing. And pleeease Keep your shirt on.

 
My wife and I try to teach our children modesty in the way they dress.  We (my wife) go through great lengths to find clothing that fit and or of a modest design. Those items are getting harder to find, (especially for young girls)... Why? Because more and more people are buying the clothes that don't fit right, for themselves and for their children.  Leaving designers to make more ill fitting clothes.

  Teaching moments occur when we are out in public , when we can ask if that person is wearing clothing of a modest design. They also occur when you see young women and men adjust thier clothing, be it straps or waist lines, (get a belt). 

I assure you that it is possible to look nice (sexy even), while still wearing all of your clothes (that cover everything up). It is possible to look "cool" with your pants held up by a belt.
In closing just remember to "mirror check" before going public with today's outfit! 

Door Openers

Definitions:

Door:a movable structure for opening or closing an entrance, as to a building or room, or giving access to a closet, cupboard, etc.: most doors turn on hinges, slide in grooves, or revolve on an axis. (http://www.yourdictionary.com/door)

Opener:a person or thing that opens. (http://www.yourdictionary.com/opener)

I have opened a lot of doors in my life, in fact  I  am willing to bet the farm that everyone has opened a lot of doors. Its a fact of life… If you want to get inside.

I open doors (by myself) close to one hundred times a day, going in and coming out of stores that I deliver to. I do this while using a loaded hand cart, I have become quite adept at it.

Occasionally a customer at the store I am at will hold the door for me, it is a relief for me as some times (not often) I really need it.

Now as I see it here are two ways to hold the door for someone;

1- Hold the door from the outside (most common I believe)

2- Walk through the door and then try to hold it open from the inside

I have absolutely nothing against the first way, there is nothing to get in the way of the hand cart or the person operating it. I do however have a “pet peeve”, (maybe not the right word), with the second way. It can be hard to bring in a load of Gatorade (which can way almost two hundred pounds) while holding the door by your self but throw in another obstacle in the door way and it gets harder by multiples. when holding the door with one hand I can just pull in the cart and be on my way. If someone is “helping” then I have to worry about “running them over”, bumping into them with me the cart or the load, while trying to pay attention to the way this particular store is laid out, (counters, racks, people, ect…). So way #2 in my opinion and situation is less helpful.

Please don’t get me wrong I love it when someone takes the time to open the door for me. I will even hold the door for people before taking my load inside.I would just rather hold the door for my self than risk “mutilating” a good Samaritan.

There is an easy fix for all this door opener nonsense….. Automatic doors…. (I have still had people offer to hold the door for me (not realizing it to be an automatic door (I thank them any way).