I had a little fun starting and stopping the music. This video is proof that no matter what you are doing or what position you are in, there's always some way to get your schwerve on.
14 July 2011
13 July 2011
Dad's Turn
What? I didn't want to miss ANY of the USA women's semifinal. He made it to the crib at halftime...
12 July 2011
Jonathan's Development
Over the past few weeks Jonathan has really started to develop - both physically and mentally. It's fun to witness him growing up since I've been able to spend so much time with him over the past year. So you all know what's going on and so we can have a record of it, I decided it's time to make a post about some of the more memorable things he's now doing at 1 year old.
1. He definitely understands words. Cheerios, fan, stinkies, hungry, eyes/nose/ears, etc. I don't know everything he comprehends, but it is substantial. Although he doesn't speak much yet, he seems to know what's going on. For example, today we were in the basement while feeding him. The entire time he was playing. When we finished I asked him if he wanted to go upstairs. He made a beeline for the stairs and climbed all the way up them to the main level. Not only can he climb stairs, but he obviously knew was I was referring to when I said "stairs".
2. He's got a serious temper. Well, at least much more then Julia ever did. If we tell him no or take something from him or prevent him from getting something he wants, he throws a little fit. Now that he's walking it's pretty funny to watch. He'll get really mad and randomly take a path over to the closest wall, door, or piece of furniture and pound on it. That, or he'll just lay down and flail on the floor. We are pretty much just ignoring it. This is something Julia never really did, so it's funny to see him get so worked up about something.
3. He's really walking well now. In fact, he's probably walking more then crawling now. I think he prefers it since his balance has quickly improved.
4. He waves at cars that drive by...and airplanes. When he hears one of them while we're walking outside, he starts to wave. Today he got a wave back. He probably learned this one by watching Julia wave at the cars and garbage trucks that go by. The fact that he waves at airplanes because they make noise just shows you how innocent the entire waving act really is.
5. He likes to yell out open windows. Julia also taught him this, but now he does it on his own. From our bedroom window sounds echo back of off the neighbor's house. Although I asked Julia to stop yelling out the windows, he still does it on his own and thinks it's funny.
6. Headstands. Ever since he started crawling he's gotten a kick out of putting his head on the floor, straightening his legs, and looking back through his legs like a center in football. This gets a lot of laughs and a lot of peek-a-boos, and even sometimes a flip over on his back if I get a hold of his hands.
7. Ni-Nights. He goes gown for naps and at night like a champ. All we have to do it tell him it's time to go ni-nights and he goes straight down without a sound or a fight. I really think this started when we got him his own blanket for his birthday. I could be wrong or it could just be coincidence, but he does like his blanket and at least now it is a big part of him going to sleep. There must really be something to the concept of a security blanket. He reaches for it when it's time to go to sleep and that's all he needs.
1. He definitely understands words. Cheerios, fan, stinkies, hungry, eyes/nose/ears, etc. I don't know everything he comprehends, but it is substantial. Although he doesn't speak much yet, he seems to know what's going on. For example, today we were in the basement while feeding him. The entire time he was playing. When we finished I asked him if he wanted to go upstairs. He made a beeline for the stairs and climbed all the way up them to the main level. Not only can he climb stairs, but he obviously knew was I was referring to when I said "stairs".
2. He's got a serious temper. Well, at least much more then Julia ever did. If we tell him no or take something from him or prevent him from getting something he wants, he throws a little fit. Now that he's walking it's pretty funny to watch. He'll get really mad and randomly take a path over to the closest wall, door, or piece of furniture and pound on it. That, or he'll just lay down and flail on the floor. We are pretty much just ignoring it. This is something Julia never really did, so it's funny to see him get so worked up about something.
3. He's really walking well now. In fact, he's probably walking more then crawling now. I think he prefers it since his balance has quickly improved.
4. He waves at cars that drive by...and airplanes. When he hears one of them while we're walking outside, he starts to wave. Today he got a wave back. He probably learned this one by watching Julia wave at the cars and garbage trucks that go by. The fact that he waves at airplanes because they make noise just shows you how innocent the entire waving act really is.
5. He likes to yell out open windows. Julia also taught him this, but now he does it on his own. From our bedroom window sounds echo back of off the neighbor's house. Although I asked Julia to stop yelling out the windows, he still does it on his own and thinks it's funny.
6. Headstands. Ever since he started crawling he's gotten a kick out of putting his head on the floor, straightening his legs, and looking back through his legs like a center in football. This gets a lot of laughs and a lot of peek-a-boos, and even sometimes a flip over on his back if I get a hold of his hands.
7. Ni-Nights. He goes gown for naps and at night like a champ. All we have to do it tell him it's time to go ni-nights and he goes straight down without a sound or a fight. I really think this started when we got him his own blanket for his birthday. I could be wrong or it could just be coincidence, but he does like his blanket and at least now it is a big part of him going to sleep. There must really be something to the concept of a security blanket. He reaches for it when it's time to go to sleep and that's all he needs.
11 July 2011
Drama Queens
I've been debating whether or not I should make a post about the amazing game I watched on Sunday between USA and Brazil in the Women's World Cup. Since these posts are eventually printed out, I've been trying to only include posts that will be worth reading about in the coming years. However, considering the reaction on ESPN and other mainstream media outlets, I wasn't alone in how I felt about such a memorable match.
Our local news covered it. NBC news showed highlights before their coverage of the Women's Open at the Broadmoor. It was all over ESPN as the lead story on multiple shows. The World Football Daily podcast spent the entire first hour of today's show talking about it. Before I get too carried away, I must say that I really don't care that much or follow women's soccer. Compared to the men's game it can't compete on the same level physically (as with every other sport), but that doesn't mean it doesn't provide the viewer with everything else in terms of excitement, drama, passion, and the fact that these ladies are still representing our country.
In case you haven't heard, 12 years to the day that Brandi Chastain ripped off her jersey after winning the first World Cup for the USA from the penalty spot, we also beat Brazil in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks. Abby Wambach scored the lastest goal ever recorded in the Women's World Cup...in injury time...in extra time...after USA had played with only 10 players for over an hour. Everyone knew after the goal was scored that the USA would beat Brazil in a shootout.
The drama really stemmed from the fact that the USA should have won in regular time had it not been for some seriously questionable calls by the referee. First, the red card sending off probably wasn't even a foul. The ensuing penalty kick was saved to keep it 1-0 USA but the referee made the players take it again because someone from the USA had their toes in the box a fraction of a second before the kick was taken. You hardly ever see that called. Of course, the second time the ball went in the net. Brazil's second goal originated from a player in an offside position, yet again leaving everyone else feeling like fate was conspiring against the USA. When the Brazilians started acting and feigning injury, the crowd (and presumably the neutral fans) started to boo the Brazilians and got behind the United States.
Everyone watching the game had the same feeling - that is, that we were all witnessing a serious injustice happening before our eyes. Yet, the ladies just kept trying and trying instead of giving up. They fought until there wasn't any time left on the clock and were eventually rewarded, albeit with practically the last kick of the game. When it went to penalty kicks, I was very impressed with all 5 of the takers. All of the kicks were perfect shots and were executed flawlessly. Hope Solo saved another penalty kick and that was all we needed to advance.
A lot has been made about this game and the comparisons to the American spirit. That never say die attitude was readily apparent in this performance. I think one would be hard pressed to find another game where a team had to overcome this much adversity to win. Actually, the stats probably back it up. This was the first time in Women's World Cup history that a team down to 10 players and losing the match came back to win. I don't know if this has ever happened in the men's tournament, but I'm guessing it probably hasn't. This sort of thing on this big of stage just doesn't happen very often. This was a special performance and I'm glad that it got the recognition it deserves. If you don't believe my biased opinion, the fact that the average joe sports fan in this country was talking about the game should be enough to convince you. If male non-soccer fans are talking about a game and a team performance in the Women's World Cup, you know it had to be something special.
Unfortunately, no one will really remember this unless we go on to win the entire tournament. Just like the Miracle on Ice, it won't carry as much historical weight if we don't seal the deal against France on Wednesday and win the Final this coming weekend.
Our local news covered it. NBC news showed highlights before their coverage of the Women's Open at the Broadmoor. It was all over ESPN as the lead story on multiple shows. The World Football Daily podcast spent the entire first hour of today's show talking about it. Before I get too carried away, I must say that I really don't care that much or follow women's soccer. Compared to the men's game it can't compete on the same level physically (as with every other sport), but that doesn't mean it doesn't provide the viewer with everything else in terms of excitement, drama, passion, and the fact that these ladies are still representing our country.
In case you haven't heard, 12 years to the day that Brandi Chastain ripped off her jersey after winning the first World Cup for the USA from the penalty spot, we also beat Brazil in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks. Abby Wambach scored the lastest goal ever recorded in the Women's World Cup...in injury time...in extra time...after USA had played with only 10 players for over an hour. Everyone knew after the goal was scored that the USA would beat Brazil in a shootout.
The drama really stemmed from the fact that the USA should have won in regular time had it not been for some seriously questionable calls by the referee. First, the red card sending off probably wasn't even a foul. The ensuing penalty kick was saved to keep it 1-0 USA but the referee made the players take it again because someone from the USA had their toes in the box a fraction of a second before the kick was taken. You hardly ever see that called. Of course, the second time the ball went in the net. Brazil's second goal originated from a player in an offside position, yet again leaving everyone else feeling like fate was conspiring against the USA. When the Brazilians started acting and feigning injury, the crowd (and presumably the neutral fans) started to boo the Brazilians and got behind the United States.
Everyone watching the game had the same feeling - that is, that we were all witnessing a serious injustice happening before our eyes. Yet, the ladies just kept trying and trying instead of giving up. They fought until there wasn't any time left on the clock and were eventually rewarded, albeit with practically the last kick of the game. When it went to penalty kicks, I was very impressed with all 5 of the takers. All of the kicks were perfect shots and were executed flawlessly. Hope Solo saved another penalty kick and that was all we needed to advance.
A lot has been made about this game and the comparisons to the American spirit. That never say die attitude was readily apparent in this performance. I think one would be hard pressed to find another game where a team had to overcome this much adversity to win. Actually, the stats probably back it up. This was the first time in Women's World Cup history that a team down to 10 players and losing the match came back to win. I don't know if this has ever happened in the men's tournament, but I'm guessing it probably hasn't. This sort of thing on this big of stage just doesn't happen very often. This was a special performance and I'm glad that it got the recognition it deserves. If you don't believe my biased opinion, the fact that the average joe sports fan in this country was talking about the game should be enough to convince you. If male non-soccer fans are talking about a game and a team performance in the Women's World Cup, you know it had to be something special.
Unfortunately, no one will really remember this unless we go on to win the entire tournament. Just like the Miracle on Ice, it won't carry as much historical weight if we don't seal the deal against France on Wednesday and win the Final this coming weekend.
08 July 2011
07 July 2011
06 July 2011
Sanctus Real - The Redeemer
Sometimes I just wanna start over - Cuz everything looks like a wreck - And I need the courage to carry on - Cuz I can’t see what’s ahead
And there are places I’ve wished I could be - Battles I’ve wanted to win - Dreams that have slipped through my hands - I may never get back again
But I’m still a dreamer - A believer - Oh, I lost my faith in so many things - But I still believe in You - Cuz You can make anything new
Sometimes I just wish we could say - All the things that are easy to hear - Ignore the injustice we see - And explain every unanswered prayer - But I’d rather speak honestly - And wear a tattered heart on my sleeve - Cuz in the middle of my broken dreams - Redemption is here
And I’m still a dreamer - A believer - Oh, I lost my faith in so many things - But I still believe in You - Cuz You are the answer - The Redeemer - Oh, I’ve given up on too many things - But I’m not giving up on You - Cuz You can make anything new
I don’t have every answer in life - But I’m trusting You one day at a time - Cuz You can make a weak heart stay alive forever - And this is where heaven and earth collide - I lift my hands, I give my life - This is how my weary heart stays alive
Oh, I’m still a dreamer - Still a believer - And You are the answer - The Redeemer - Cuz You can make anything new - Yeah, You can make anything new
03 July 2011
Jonathan Walking
By popular demand, here is some footage of Jonathan walking around the house. He actually does a lot more walking versus crawling then this video indicates. At least you'll be able to see his dog walk.
We've got to make sure he's either wearing shoes or barefoot when he walks on the wood floor, otherwise it's like a newborn fawn on ice. Check out the hands while he's walking - they are going a mile a minute too.
We've got to make sure he's either wearing shoes or barefoot when he walks on the wood floor, otherwise it's like a newborn fawn on ice. Check out the hands while he's walking - they are going a mile a minute too.
02 July 2011
Breckenridge
This weekend we dropped the kids off at my parent's house for some much needed downtime. Our weekend without the kids started on Friday afternoon and will end on Sunday afternoon. It's been so long since we've had time alone that we had forgotten about all the simple pleasures. Thankfully, we were able to do a lot of things that we otherwise haven't been able to do.
On Friday night we ate dinner on the front porch and then took a walk around the neighborhood. In the summer, being outside in the early morning or late evening is pretty nice. We ran into some neighbors we know and chatted with them for a little bit. Saturday morning we slept in and then headed up to Breckenridge. It's amazing how quiet and how easy it is to hop in the car and take a short trip by ourselves.
The weather was pretty good up there. Since we arrived in the late morning we walked up main street in search of a nice place to eat lunch. We found a little cafe hidden from the street and had a nice lunch outside together. After that we hopped on the gondola and took a free ride up one of the mountains overlooking the town. There weren't many places to stop except hotels, so the views were from inside the car. We pretty much just wandered around town the rest of the afternoon looking for a nice coffee shop but had to settle on Starbucks. We both nursed our iced drinks for over an hour while sitting outside, something we wouldn't even consider with the kids. It was fun to people watch.
Towards the end of our afternoon espresso break we witnessed one of the more entertaining events of the day: watching a local policeman in a Suburban trying to parallel park right in front of us. There was plenty of space to park, he just didn't know how to do it. Since the crowds were out this weekend, there were plenty of other people that saw this too. At first the police truck pulled up and tried to back it in. The first time was close, but he didn't quite make it. He had to wait for cars to pass and then pulled back into the street and tried again. This time he went the wrong way and was practically sticking his nose into the street. After a few more tries he got the vehicle far enough in that he was able to go back then forward over and over again until he inched his way around. That was funny enough but it got better. At the end he tried to straighten the vehicle out and sent the car in front of him lurching forward a good six inches when he hit the rear bumper. To top it off, I realized a few moments afterwards that the car he hit was brand new. Have you ever watched a policeman put a note on another car? I told Stacey he should write himself a ticket. I guess if he goes to traffic court he can represent himself and be the officer filing the report all at the same time...
We drove around town a little bit in the late afternoon and then headed back to I-70. Along the way we checked out Frisco and the marina from the car. It was nice. While taking the back way to Castle Rock we discussed what to do about dinner and the rest of the night. When we saw a movie theater we spontaneously decided to go see a movie since we are never able to do that either. Part of the reason why is because the cost to see a movie these days is a rip off. Regardless, we enjoyed some popcorn and a good showing of Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. We arrived home at about 9 p.m., after a very pretty drive thanks to the perfect combination of light, clouds, and mountains on this summer evening.
We need to do this again.
On Friday night we ate dinner on the front porch and then took a walk around the neighborhood. In the summer, being outside in the early morning or late evening is pretty nice. We ran into some neighbors we know and chatted with them for a little bit. Saturday morning we slept in and then headed up to Breckenridge. It's amazing how quiet and how easy it is to hop in the car and take a short trip by ourselves.
The weather was pretty good up there. Since we arrived in the late morning we walked up main street in search of a nice place to eat lunch. We found a little cafe hidden from the street and had a nice lunch outside together. After that we hopped on the gondola and took a free ride up one of the mountains overlooking the town. There weren't many places to stop except hotels, so the views were from inside the car. We pretty much just wandered around town the rest of the afternoon looking for a nice coffee shop but had to settle on Starbucks. We both nursed our iced drinks for over an hour while sitting outside, something we wouldn't even consider with the kids. It was fun to people watch.
Towards the end of our afternoon espresso break we witnessed one of the more entertaining events of the day: watching a local policeman in a Suburban trying to parallel park right in front of us. There was plenty of space to park, he just didn't know how to do it. Since the crowds were out this weekend, there were plenty of other people that saw this too. At first the police truck pulled up and tried to back it in. The first time was close, but he didn't quite make it. He had to wait for cars to pass and then pulled back into the street and tried again. This time he went the wrong way and was practically sticking his nose into the street. After a few more tries he got the vehicle far enough in that he was able to go back then forward over and over again until he inched his way around. That was funny enough but it got better. At the end he tried to straighten the vehicle out and sent the car in front of him lurching forward a good six inches when he hit the rear bumper. To top it off, I realized a few moments afterwards that the car he hit was brand new. Have you ever watched a policeman put a note on another car? I told Stacey he should write himself a ticket. I guess if he goes to traffic court he can represent himself and be the officer filing the report all at the same time...
We drove around town a little bit in the late afternoon and then headed back to I-70. Along the way we checked out Frisco and the marina from the car. It was nice. While taking the back way to Castle Rock we discussed what to do about dinner and the rest of the night. When we saw a movie theater we spontaneously decided to go see a movie since we are never able to do that either. Part of the reason why is because the cost to see a movie these days is a rip off. Regardless, we enjoyed some popcorn and a good showing of Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. We arrived home at about 9 p.m., after a very pretty drive thanks to the perfect combination of light, clouds, and mountains on this summer evening.
We need to do this again.
01 July 2011
Rough Week
I haven't posted much this week. In all honesty, this week has been one of the most stressful since Stacey and I have been married. That's the reason for my recent silence. It's just been one of those "when it rains it pours" periods most of us go through. Every day, and even multiple times each day this week, things were happening. We're pretty spent.
I'm not going to go into too many details, but the issues surround the topic of my next job and medical insurance relating to Jonathan's hospital stay. At least the letter we received on Thursday from the IRS helped the situation in the end. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I feel like I've been given a beat down. What made this week so tough was that some pretty significant things we're happening left and right all while we were trying to make some important decisions. The timing of events was uncanny and not a coincidence. Whether it was an attack or a warning, we didn't know. All we knew was that someone (good or bad) was trying to tell us something. Each time we'd pray and talk about something and finally come to a decision, all hell seemed to break loose.
I realize the vagueness of this post makes the week we had hard to understand. In the end, it's looking like the week from hell was a warning. Who knew the tax man would be the final nail in the "direction we were headed coffin"? I guess what I needed was to be scared straight. There are still so many things up in the air, but at least we think we're now headed in the right direction (fingers crossed).
I'm not going to go into too many details, but the issues surround the topic of my next job and medical insurance relating to Jonathan's hospital stay. At least the letter we received on Thursday from the IRS helped the situation in the end. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I feel like I've been given a beat down. What made this week so tough was that some pretty significant things we're happening left and right all while we were trying to make some important decisions. The timing of events was uncanny and not a coincidence. Whether it was an attack or a warning, we didn't know. All we knew was that someone (good or bad) was trying to tell us something. Each time we'd pray and talk about something and finally come to a decision, all hell seemed to break loose.
I realize the vagueness of this post makes the week we had hard to understand. In the end, it's looking like the week from hell was a warning. Who knew the tax man would be the final nail in the "direction we were headed coffin"? I guess what I needed was to be scared straight. There are still so many things up in the air, but at least we think we're now headed in the right direction (fingers crossed).
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