Checking in

I promise a boat load of pictures in a few weeks, but for now here is my post.

 The Obama campaign opens it's first 2012 office.

If this picture was an LDS calling it would be the "Webelos Leader"

This makes too much sense  to make a joke out of it.

What little girl doesn't need an assortment of pastel colored razor blades? I can think of a few nieces who are going to have a great Christmas this year.

Please people! Do it for the books!

Church, Family, Country, and Ron Swanson.

New Music Monday

A day late. Who notices?

Okay it's clear I'm not really creating trends with my song choices. However, I hope I find something slightly different than you are use to.

We have all seen the commercial associated with this song. Here is the video shot at the same time.

New Music Monday

Pomplamoose

Summer is almost gone.

 A little catch up on the things we have done over the summer

 In an exercise in humility and parental love we went to Wet n Wild Water park. Even with a coupon it was $135.00 to get all 4 of us in. (Local tip. Get a summer rate at one of Phoenix's resorts for an over night stay. The pools are great and you can play in them from the moment you check in to Late after you check out the next day. All for around the admission price to WW.)

In July Julie and the boys spent a week in Seattle with Grandparent and cousins.

 They went to The Ye olde' Curiosity Shop.

 Real Mummies!!!

I think they are more grossed out because the mummy is a topless women than anything else.

 John likes taking pictures, so when they went to a nursery he entertained himself by placing his lego guys in a scale forest.

 

The Zoo is always a must when we are in town.

New Music Monday

I know it's Friday but it makes for a nice alliteration.

Wees famous

Last year a tractor that my father and I restored we featured in a nationally distributed calender and TV show. He loves talking about everything about the tractor accept who made it look so pretty that it was chosen to be on Classic tractor Calender/TV.

My love affair

For you Julie.

Moar phunny pleez!

 I want to turn this into a t-shirt and wear it to Walmart.

 I wouldn't be. Those ice-cream sandwiches are delicious.

 I.....have......a......new........hero.

 Dr. Evil voice-"And I shall call her Mini-Farley"

 Oh, sorry. Can't think of a good come back? Well then you better come back with a sandwich!

 Proof that some women are just for looking at.

  Clothing.....preserved. Street cred......not so much.

Palette cleanser.

Lastly, if you like what you saw here go ahead and give me an internet fist bump (don't forget to blow it up). Or leave me a comment.

Went shooting on Monday

I went shooting on Monday with my brother in law and a few friends, But this post isn't about that. It's about the weird things you find in the desert.

The spot I like to shoot at is about 3-4 miles from the end of a paved road, can be truely described as the middle of nowhere, and at the base of a 500' hill. As we are shooting this guy comes sprinting into the center of our group. He has blood on his clothes from scrapes on his arms. He looks very confused and proclaims loudly "I don't know any of you!"

It took a few seconds to allow this moment to sink in. After several well placed questions we have determined.

1. He is drunk.
2. Had been on the hill since 2am.
3. Has no idea where the rest of his friends are.
4. Fluent in the use of the F-word.

Luckily we had noticed his camp sight on the way in about 1.5 miles away. I told him to hop in my truck and I would take him back. About half way we spot a guy. Picture Clark Grizwald walking in the desert after he wreck the family truckster. He has his shirt off, but it is still put to good use. He has it wrapped around his head like a terrorist just out of the shower. After he promised not to puke in my truck and he profressed an oath to owe me a castle for giving him a ride. Yeah, he now owes me a castle. I should have had him write that down, but any way back on the trail.

I left them at their camp and told them I would be back in a couple hours to check on them.

Here they are when we stopped back at 9:00 am.

There was also a guy and girl in the tent doing, what I assume, Bible study.

Great weekend

Our Friend Michelle, from Seattle, came to visit us over the weekend. We have been looking forward to it for quite a while. I even shampooed the carpets. We didn't do a whole lot accept eat, talk, and talk about eating. On Saturday we did go visit the Challenger Space Museum. I didn't bring my camera so I only have cell phone pics.

 While taking her out  for breakfast we gave a great presentation as to why she needs to relocate to Phoenix. We would love to have her live close by.

Will had another of his temper tantrums while at the museum. I was going the write a joke comparing Will's explosive tantrum to the Challenger shuttle, Like What is the difference between Will Condie and the Space shuttle, Will can explode more than once. But I don't need to stoop that low to get a laugh. I have standards and sometimes Julie reminds my what they are  and when to use them.

 Of course the boys favorite display was the Lego space toys. Is there a gene or fragment of DNA that activates on a boys 7th birthday that just makes them Lego crazy? Entire fights have been started (and finished) over who has ownership rights, whether implied or lent/leased, of a single lego brick.

Last day of school

 William with his teacher Ms. Salazar.

John and his teacher Mrs. Ellis.

Fathers and Sons

Okay, so this is a couple weeks late. On the 13-14th we had our wards Fathers and Sons camp out.

I was asked to do dinner for everyone in my dutch oven. I was asked to have it ready by 7:00pm. I always tend to go over on my time so I made sure to get to camp early and get started. I was very pleased with myself when dinner was ready at 6:30. The down side, There was only 4 families there at 6:30. The person with the bowls and spoons didn't show up until 8:30. I suppose I was a little miffed that I had worked (3-4 hours) so hard to feed everybody and nobody seemed to care or do their part. Most everyone showed up after dark.

 On the way in we saw a heard of elk.

 Johnny loves camping.

 Mandatory grumpy Will pic.

Seven yearolds playing chess while camping, you know that old chestnut.

More musuc

 Julie brought home this CD a few weeks ago. I have been wearing it out. I tried to sing along on a few songs and it made me feel like I had never known how to sing before. Dang, this woman is good.

Nothing says Smooth Criminal like dualing cellos.

I got released this Sunday

This post is more for my LDS friends. However, I know a lot of people serve in various ways their own churches. You may be able to relate.

For the last 3 years I have served as the Ward Clerk. It has required long Sundays and tested me more than I even considered when I accepted the calling. In fact I was the last remaining calling from when the Ward was created in 2008. In a way I saw it coming. I thought about trying something else. Having a calling less stressful, and one that let me get out from the "administrative" side of things and get back to the ministering.

This last Sunday I was released and for some reason it has been much harder to deal with than I thought it would. I spent all Sacrament Meeting thinking of ways I should have done my job better, better prepare others to do it, wishing I had appreciated my time more with the inspirational men I served with. I was distraught. I had no idea that I had become so attached to it. I had even already been given a new calling. Another adventure to look forward to, but still I feel remorseful at not being the Ward Clerk anymore. Which makes me wonder if I was this happy serving the Lord or because of the title I had while doing it? Am I as needed as I thought I was? Are people still going to talk to me now that they don't have to?

I guess this could all be an amount of fear of change and realizing the loss of blessings seen from serving in a way I had never done before. Also, I have yet to see the types of blessing to come from my new calling. I think I am narrowing down to my real question. Outwardly most people celebrate being released from callings, if only in jest.While others pat them on the back and congratulate them on being "set free". Am I the only one who feels a sense of loss after a calling is over?

Things I have learned

...from being a welder.

1. Before dropping your hood. Ask yourself one question. "How's my breathe?"
2. Working in a weld shop is like dating an angry latina, it WILL cut you.
3. Much like the force electricity will "flow through you", but you don't want it to.
4. Chicks may dig scars, but wives don't like burn holes in your clothing.
5. I have parts I have built that are defending our country while orbiting in space, but when people find out I am a welder they only have one question. "Can you fix my pool fence?"
6. If motivated, I can take my pants off in 2.3 seconds. (see line 4. for clarification)
7. I know what a sunburn on my eye ball feels like.
8. Most jokes that start off "You might be a redneck if..." could easily start "You might be a welder if...".
9. Choosing to be a welder in Arizona in the summer is like deciding you are sexually attracted to cactus.
10. A fire is only deemed news worthy if it was "Started by a welders torch".
11. Never ask "Is this hot?" while grabbing something. Either way you look like an idiot.
12. Line 6 includes the shoes.

Harry Potter 7 part 1

In honor of the video release of HP7.1 today.

Worlds best Baseball fan interview

This is what is referred to as "TV Gold".



Opening Day: The Cubs biggest fan from WBEZ on Vimeo.


"Are you single?"

President Barack Obama's First Ad of 2012

I like it. Finally truth in political ads.

Disneyland

We pulled a double surprise for spring break. We told the boys that we were going to a friends cabin for a few days. Then when we got in the car we told them that our friends canceled on us so we couldn't go. So instead we were going to Disneyland. Then when we got there Julies parents aka Grandma and Grandpa showed up as we went out to dinner. See double surprises.

I can't tell if this is John's "Leading Man" pose or his "I'm constipated" pose.

One of my favorite rides as a kid was Peter Pan. 

Who doesn't love a $6.00 single scoop of ice cream?

Will with his "Bunny ears" gag never gets old. I wonder where he got that from?

Mystery solved.

I'm hesitant to post this picture. It looks like Will is participating in a Hitler youth "Drive across Poland".

I was so fond of this picture. I liked how my boys started climbing on the giant Lego, and in my ability to capture such a unique perspective. I liked it until I realized that every time we walked past the Lego store for the next 3 days I saw dozens of kids having their picture taken my equally impressed parents.