December Days - 12.30.09

She's waited patiently all month for the spotlight to turn towards her and has only reminded me once a day that I haven't blogged about her yet, but she's my most faithful blog reader and commenter, among many other special things she is.

The past week and a half we've enjoyed spending time with Marcy's brother and his family including our 2 year old niece, Preslee. All this time with Preslee has made it so clear how far removed from that toddler stage my own little girl is, but watching Makela with Preslee has given me a greater appreciation for what a great person Makela is growing to be.

She's at such a tough age right now, stuck in those tween years and rapidly becoming more annoyed with her parents than she ever has been before. That means there are definitely those times when we butt heads, but more often than not Makela is a really great kid. One of my goals this year is to make sure I increase the one-on-one time with her - more Dad/Daughter dates and time to continue working on staying close. I'm sure that as Makela is reading this, she's marking down sushi dates in her calendar.

Makela, Me, and Sushi....I can't wait!

December Days - 12.29.09

Top Ten Christmas Movies (IMO)

This may not be a topic that everyone thinks about during the holidays, but most everyone I know has some sort of holiday tradition focused around watching a movie or two or three with the family with some sort of holiday theme. People who know me even the slightest, know that I love movies. So below is my ranking of my favorite Christmas/Holiday movies.

A couple notes - First, none of these movies are masterpieces they are just part of how I like to celebrate the season each year. So don't expect to see anything real deep on this list, to me that's just not what Christmas movies are about. Second, Ralphie Parker and his Red Ryder BB Gun aren't even close to being on this list. I know it's a supposed classic, but I have never been able to sit down and watch that movie in its entirety. I just have a difficult time finding anything to appreciate about it, which may seem odd when you see this list:

Number 10

The Santa Clause (1994) - For me, I think it's just Tim Allen in a fat suit that does it for me. The story is okay and my kids get a good laugh out it, but I laugh at how funny and great Tim Allen looks as Santa.

Number 9

Home Alone (1990) - First off, I can't imagine leaving one of my kids at home while I flew to Europe, but I also can't imagine my kids talking to me or other family the way the McAllisters do in this film. By far and away though, the best parts of this movie occur when Joe Pesci & Daniel Stern are on screen. I still genuinely laugh all the traps they fall into when breaking into the house....heck, I'm laughing just thinking about them!

Number 8

The Preacher's Wife (1996) - I know this is a remake, but this movie is all about the music for me. In my opinion (which is what this whole list is about), this movie has one of the best soundtracks of the 90's. A peaking Whitney provided the vocals while Courtney B. Vance and Denzel handled the acting. Just a fun movie to sit back and enjoy.

Number 7

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - My kids aren't old enough to appreciate and understand this movie yet, but it's been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. I think it's the connection to childhood traditions that keeps me hooked on it, but it really is a classic and must see for those that have resisted for so long....you know who you are!

Number 6

White Christmas (1954) - Another old classic and it's special to me for both the connection to my youth - Mom and I used to watch this one together - and the music. It's not possible to play this movie enough during the season. It's great as both a feature film for movie night or to just have on as background noise.

Number 5

Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - Yes, I prefer the remake with Richard Attenborough, Dylan McDermott, and Elizabeth Perkins over the original. Those three along with the scene stealing performance of Mara Wilson that win me over on this remake of a classic. If there was a Santa, I'd want Richard Attenborough to be him, but with better teeth.

Number 4

The Family Stone (2005) - This is more about family than the holidays, but the huge ensemble cast does a great job of bringing the audience into the typical dysfunction of a regular family it's hard to not find something to relate to. We probably watched this one the most this year as we kept finding people who hadn't seen it yet and we felt they needed the introduction to the Family Stone. All who watched it with us agreed it's a winner.

Number 3

Christmas Vacation (1989) - "I don't know what to say, except it's Christmas and we're all in misery." - Ellen Griswold

Number 2

Die Hard (1988) - First, yes it's a Christmas movie. The entire thing took place during a company Christmas Party! Sure, it's not one to watch with the kids, but for a guy it really doesn't get better than this for movies at any time of the year.

Number 1

Elf (2003) - This may be the most quoted movies in our house throughout the entire calendar year. Even Kyron knows some of the lines. It's Will Ferrel at his best and he's surrounded by an awesome cast.

I'd love to hear some of your lists or favorite holiday movies, so please share in the comments below.

December Days - 12.28.09

Thanks to my brother-in-law, Jason, I was able to go to a Blazer game tonight for the first time in a number of years. My father-in-law and I had great seats, maybe the closest I have sat to the court. My boys sat with Jason in the club level and had access to free food which they made the most of and it may come back to bite them later tonight....time will tell. Despite a poor performance by the Blazers resulting in a loss to the Sixers, it was a fun time cheering on our favorite basketball team.

However, the most special part of the day came an hour before we left for the game when my 10 year old, Caleb, came home from shopping with his grandparents. He had heard me talking about how I wanted to get myself a Blazers jersey - one of the RipCity versions you can only get in Portland - and while out at the mall he saw one and bought it for me with money he got for Christmas. A completely unselfish act done just because he wanted to do something nice for his Dad. It made my day and the jersey is much more special to me than any jersey I'd have bought myself. I'll wear with the pride of a fan and a father!

December Days - 12.27.09

Today is a special day for our family. It's the anniversary of our move to Indiana three years ago. It's an anniversary that is both sad to celebrate and happy to celebrate all at the same time.

It's sad because leaving Portland was something we never thought we'd do. We have all our family in Portland - on both sides - and we both grew up there. It's home and will always be home, at least for Marcy and I. Returning to Portland over the past few years we've also developed a greater appreciation for the beauty of the Pacific Northwest that, as natives, we just took for granted way too long.

The part of this anniversary that is happy for us is the celebration of the wonderful things that have happened in our family since moving. Life experiences over the past three years have brought the six of us closer together in ways that I am certain would never have happened had we stayed in Portland. We've grown stronger in our faith and closer as a family unit, more reliant on each other rather than dependent on the rest of our extended family for support. At the same time, we've also developed a greater appreciation for our families in OR/WA, sort of the absence makes the heart grow fonder concept.

So, today we celebrate an anniversary that while happy and sad is worth celebrating for us, and we're very thankful and blessed to have all the people in our lives that have made it worth celebrating.

December Days - 12.26.09

I am breaking my rule of one picture per day to blog about because the story really takes both pictures to be complete.

A couple years ago we started a little competitive tradition on Marcy's side of the family. We refer to it as the Green vs. Red game. It started when the little boys began taking an interest in basketball and the big boys were looking for an excuse to play. The teams have stayed the same with Marcy's brother Jason anchoring the up and coming talent of Caleb and his cousin Kobe on the Green team; and Caeden making up for the shortcomings of his Dad, Grandpa (AKA Bumpy), and Uncle Travis on the Red Team. We figure one more year and Kyron will be ready to join the game too.

After a competitive 24 minutes of game play, the Green team held off a last minute push by the Red team to win 38-36. My out of shape body will be feeling the effects of today for the next 48 hours, but it was a great time spent with family.

December Days - 12.25.09

MerryChristmas!

If you read our family holiday letter this year (http://christmas.hawaiianhoosiers.com) I talked about how the kids argue over who the favorite child of the family is. This debate is taking place for the second generation in a row.

My own brother, sister, and I have debated for years which one of us was our parents' favorite. We each make our own valid arguments for the title of 'the favorite' but Mom and Dad have never give us the answer we have been seeking for years. That is, until tonight when Mom gave us all special new ornaments declaring who was the favorite, or so we thought.

My brother and sister opened their ornaments and we discovered that Mom had wimped out, the ornaments designated birth order in big bold letters and then in parenthesis it said "Mom's Favorite". So it initially appeared we would still be left with the generic answer that we're all favorites, until I opened my ornament. Sure my ornament said First Born (Mom's Favorite), but unlike my siblings' gifts, the head of the character on my ornament had been broken off - a clear sign that the other two held a bit more clout in my mom's eyes than myself.

So, while we still don't know who the real favorite is, at least we're a step closer - it's not me!

Truth is, my sister is the favorite. I know it, my brother knows it, and my sister knows it. My Mom is such an amazing woman though that somehow she has been able to love each of us equally for all our lives. In fact, few people have grown up feeling more love from their parents than we were fortunate to feel. So there may be only one real favorite, but in the end it really doesn't matter....at least that's what my brother and I tell ourselves. :-)

December Days - 12.24.09

For most families, the day before Christmas is filled with anticipation of the big day to follow. For our family, we don't call it Christmas Eve, we call it Marcy's birthday! Admittedly her birthday often gets lost in the hustle and excitement of the holiday season and we probably don't do enough to celebrate the special day for her. If anyone deserves more special, it's her though. She puts up with 4 kids with strong personalities, each with their own special gifts for make parenting frustrating; and she has to put up with me, a forever work in progress. We love her though and when I asked the kids to collectively describe their mom in 10 words, below is the list they came up with:

• Loves us
• Cares about us and others
• Helpful
• Always there for us
• Happy
• Creative
• Fun to be with
• Good person to be around
• Great Cook
• Pretty

The kids give her grief most of the time, but they really do love their mom. I've mentioned before how much I admire and respect her work as a Mom, but she is so much more than a Mom.

I've known Marcy the majority of my life and she has always been a special person to me. First as a friend I grew up with and eventually as the woman I am growing old with. She has stood by me, supported me, and hoisted me up when I needed it. No way would I be the man I am today without this friend in my life. As we celebrate her birthday today, I'm thankful for the past year, but I look forward to the many more years we will share together, including the many more opportunities the kids and I will have to be able to work on letting Marcy know how special she is. Love you Marcy!

December Days - 12.23.09

Marcy and I have been blessed with kids that are not really that picky when it comes to food. Sure, they have their favorites and others they don't like, but for the most part they'll eat whatever we make or choose to serve. In addition, they also aren't afraid to try something new and even something strange. Which brings us to lunch today. My 7 year old, Caeden, joined Marcy and I, along with my parents, for sushi lunch. That's not that big of a deal since all my kids like sushi and typically jump at the chance to eat it. What was special about today is my growing appreciation for Caeden's adventurous spirit, even when it involves his palate. We saw a Spider Roll on the menu and after learning it was a soft shell crab roll we debated if we should try it. I have eaten soft shell crabs before, but for him to first process the term 'spider' with food and then the concept of eating a crab's shell, it took some conversation before deciding to try it.

Like the trooper he is, he waited long enough to pose for the picture before diving in and trying it. I love having adventurous eaters, but as you can see from that pile of plates, it can also be expensive. Like I told my mom though, it was money well spent for a little bonding time with one of my kids as we created a fun memory. My only regret is that I would have brought my camera in from the car to capture the moment instead of the resorting to using my phone.

December Days - 12.22.09

This afternoon, my brother-in-law (Jason) and I took all the kids up to Government Camp at Mt. Hood to go swimming in the snow. Jason's friend has a condo at the Collins Lake Resort and we just took a few hours out of the afternoon to experience a typical summer time activity in the middle of winter. It was sort of surreal to be in swimsuits outside with snow piled high around you and even more falling from above.

We all had a blast swimming, throwing snowballs at each other, and relaxing in the hot tub. The walk to and from the pool was a little rough through the cold snow, but the reward at the end of the trek was well worth it.

December Days - 12.21.09

Warning! Spoiler Alert!.......If you're a believer in Santa Claus, don't bother reading further!

We've never been a Santa focused family. It all started when Makela was only three and refused to sit on Santa's lap at The Festival of the Trees in downtown Portland. The man dressed up as Santa was a friend of the family and as soon as Makela realized that, then the myth was over. From that point on, we really didn't stand a chance trying to convince the older two boys because she couldn't keep the secret. Kyron may be the exception, but even at four he's not real convinced there's a Santa.

So this Christmas has been fun staying with Marcy's brother and his kids who are Santa believers. Our kids are old enough now to understand the importance of not spoiling the Santa secret for other kids (although they've busted it for their share of their classmates) so they've had some fun playing along with the Santa excitement. Although their Santa plans don't really involve milk and cookies so much as they do trying to snare the jolly man in some sort of trap or capture his actions on videotape, all to prove the existence.

With three more days of planning and scheming left, I'm sure Christmas Eve will be a fun night in this house as both believers and non-believers prepare for Santa's (supposed) visit.

December Days - 12.20.09

It's a pretty exciting time in our family right now as the kids have two different Aunts that are pregnant and expecting babies next summer. Since we've been in Oregon the past few days and around these Aunts, there have been lots of conversations about babies and such.

So it really shouldn't have come as a surprise tonight that when driving back to Marcy's brother's house after dinner with my parents, Kyron dropped the big question: "Mommy, how do babies get in your stomach?" His question sent the other kids into fits of "Oh, no!", "Please don't tell him right now!", "I don't want to hear this again!" Marcy just smiled and reminded me that boys were my responsibility in this area of life.

I guess this holiday season we'll be answering more mysterious of life questions beyond just how Santa fits down the fireplace chimney.

December Days - 12.19.09

Many of us have brothers and sisters, and those of us that have good relationships with them are blessed. One of the special relationships I am around is that between Marcy and her sister Lisa. Having known Marcy since we were kids, I've also known Lisa for a very long time as well. I've seen the two of them fight as teenage siblings, grow to appreciate each other more as young adults, and as grown women eventually become best of friends. We live 2300 miles apart, but they talk everyday as though they're next door neighbors. Marcy has an immense amount of pride in Lisa's success and Lisa has a great respect for Marcy's experience and knowledge as Mom and big sister. There is nothing these two wouldn't do for the other.

So when we visit Oregon, this relationship is one of the most enjoyable for me to watch as sisters get the chance to spend time together in person. It's also one of the goodbyes that breaks my heart at the end of each trip, but I'm thankful for the time they get to spend together and take solace in knowing the phone will ring soon with a cheerful "Hello!" coming from the other end.

December Days - 12.18.09

One of the great things about coming home is having the chance to eat at those places that I love and can't get back in Indy. One of those places is Burgerville! By most definitions, Burgerville is a fast food chain, but ask their employees and they prefer the term "quick service." They're all about the Pacific NW, using products that are specific to the region and as a result supporting local businesses, farms, and producers. Marcy and Makela love the milkshakes and I'll admit they're pretty good!

What I also appreciate about the company is how mission focused, or 'missional', they are. They put their mission on their food containers, and employees are ready to share and discuss it with you when asked. Tonight I put this rumor to the test and asked our drive through attendant about Burgerville's mission. She smiled and went into her explanation including recent examples of initiatives they had made at their store in support of the mission. I think that type of awareness and focus within a company is awesome!

The food is great, the Pacific NW connection makes it unique, and I have great admiration for their mission and commitment. The $31 for a 'quick service' meal for four....not so great.

Burgerville's Mission:

SERVE WITH LOVE

Be the Difference

Reach out

Start a Conversation

Share a Smile

Create a Memory

Inspire Hope

December Days - 12.17.09

The two older boys each have their own iPod Touch now and they came in very handy during our plane flight tonight. Makela has her own video ipod and Kyron was using mine to watch a movie during the flight. That left the parents without any entertainment during the flight. I tried to get my laptop out, but the 5'2" woman in front of me thought she needed the extra space in her exit row and decided to recline her seat into my precious travel space. Using the laptop is tough in the confined space as is, but that made it impossible. So, I sat there realizing I forgot to get some reading material and pondered how to pass the time.

Marcy captured the scene perfectly, the boys with their gadgets (I'm both proud and envious) and Me without - probably could have used something a little stronger than the Ginger Ale too. It was a long flight, but I'm glad we made it.

December Days - 12.16.09

Most people who know me, know that I am a gadget guy. I think technology and cool trendy gadgets are a lot of fun and I've passed on that love of the gadget to my kids. The pile of cables above is only part of the collection of cables, chargers, connectors, and such we take when we travel as a family. It's sort of insane that we pack a small bag just for our gadget cables! We get some pretty funny looks from the TSA employees at the airport.

December Days - 12.15.09

Tonight we went to go see Kyron's preschool Christmas program. It's so great having him in a Christian preschool where he is learning about the true meaning of Christmas with certain jolly bearded men as after thoughts, not the main emphasis. His lessons and interest in Christmas have been a great reminded to the rest of us what the real reason for the season is. For the past few weeks he has come home singing the songs they'd been practicing and talking to us about the Christmas story, asking questions about things he didn't understand at school. Like, why'd they ride a donkey instead of drive a car? Or, "Who's the mergin Mary?" Gotta love the mind of a four year old!

December Days - 12.14.09

So, my team is reading The New Gold Standard by Joseph Michelli. It's a leadership book based on principles learned from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. It's been a great read and experience so far as we hold weekly D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) meetings and then discuss topics and issues presented in the sections we read.

Yes, we are wearing shower caps in this picture. Some could argue they are metaphorical "thinking caps" as we take lessons learned through our readings and try to find the application in our own business. Others are just running with the hotel theme.... Either way, this is a fun group to work with and they aren't afraid to let loose and still be productive and get work done. It's one of the best small groups I have been apart of, each member bringing different skills and gifts to the team to create a real ensemble. This is the group that makes me really enjoy coming to work each day.

December Days - 12.13.09

As a kid, one of my favorite visuals of the holiday season is a dark room lit only by the glow of the Christmas tree lights. I've always found it a very calming scene and as a kid would beg my parents to let me sleep on the couch in the family room so I could fall asleep by the glow of the tree. When I got into high school, my parents got these really cool lights that had 25 different lighting combinations that were controlled through this strange whistle remote. The tree became an interactive experience and all of us fought over the tree remote often.

In our house today, we don't have remote control Christmas lights, they're just plain white. The tree tells a story though of Christmas past with ornaments we've collected over the years and those given to us as gifts from special friends. The glowing Christmas tree is still a favorite sight, that to me reminds me of many of the blessings in my life. Although I don't sleep on the couch in front of the lights, Marcy told me today that she wants to put a tree in our bedroom next year. I'll get to fall asleep to that glow every night! Something to look forward to....

December Days - 12.12.09

Today was a big day in our home, we celebrated 10 years of Caleb! It's hard to believe that our little boy is 10 years old. I mean, Marcy and I aren't old enough to have two kids over 10!

Caleb has brought us some interesting experiences as parents:

• At only 6 weeks old, Marcy noticed a mass in his throat that seemed to be obstructing his air way. Later that night, we were in the ER watching our baby go through tests and CAT scans. - No Fun....
• At 4 months, he became seriously ill on a family trip to Disneyland. It was serious enough, we got to take the Disney Ambulance to the local hospital where he was diagnosed with RSV, among other stuff.
• At the age of 2, he almost single handedly broke apart a Mom's group due to his incessant hitting of the other children.
• His drive to be an individual and not conform began early in life when would "participate" in pre-school activities sitting alone under the tables instead of with the other groups of children. Our wonderful pre-school teacher assured us this was fine and he would grow out of it. Thankfully it was only short lived.
• In Kindergarten, the girls began to take notice of the Kaopuiki charm and he was a favorite among his female classmates, seeming to prefer the play dates with the girls. ;-)
• During the months we were transitioning to our new life in Indiana, Caleb brought home a Colts coloring page to color at home and bring back to school to be hung up in his class. Again, demonstrating his independence, he colored the helmet with the Dallas Cowboys' blue star, not the the Colts horseshoe. Pretty brave for the new kid!
• In the last two years we've had four different hospital visits for broken bones and surgeries for Caleb - solidifying his standing as the most expensive of our four kids!

It's been 10 wonderful years and Caleb is a really great kid that Marcy and I both very proud of. Happy Birthday Caleb!

December Days - 12.11.09

Marcy and I just returned from the Harrison College employee Christmas Party and we had a great time. In a year when so many people have had to deal with the disappointment and stress of losing a job and/or difficulty finding a job, I realize how blessed I am to have not only a steady paycheck, but a great job with a great employer. Not only is the work very enjoyable and satisfying, but to work with such great people is just an added blessing. I appreciate how gracious my co-workers have always been to me, but to see how welcoming and inviting they are to my family, specifically Marcy, only makes me appreciate my Harrison family more.

I'm also thankful for just having the opportunity to have a date night with Marcy! We need those every now and then.

December Days - 12.10.09

I think one of the favorite stages each of our kids have gone through is the stage that Kyron is in right now, year four, before kindergarten begins. He just enjoys life, isn't trying to impress anyone, and everyday brings some joy into our lives. He doesn't have any inhibitions and he isn't self conscious which gives him a freedom to just be himself without worrying what anyone else thinks. He's that kid at the basketball game that enjoys dancing to the music blaring over the PA system even though it's embarrassing his older siblings. He's that cute kid dancing on the basketball court when he's supposed to be playing defense. He's that adorable little boy hugging and kissing his mom, telling her and everyone within ear-shot "You're the best mommy in the universe!" And He's that painfully honest kid who shares his thoughts, feelings, and word for word quotes he heard from Dad with people Dad never intended to hear that much honesty. Whether he's dancing, singing, recreating his favorite Star Wars scene, or sharing family secrets, he's our Kyron and all his quirks and characteristics make him perfect....at least while I write this and he's sound asleep in the bed next to me.

December Days - 12.9.09

We're an Apple biased home, that's really no secret and five of us have had our own iPods for some time now. As of today though, Caeden, at only seven years old, is now the first person in this home to have his own iPod Touch. We've been resisting the switch over to iPhones only because we're locked into Verizon, but the iPod Touch has been a tempting piece of technology for a couple years. Caeden has been saving his money for some time and finally had saved enough to purchase his own. The funny thing was that when we went online to order it, he chose to have it laser engraved with "Number One" on the back. When I asked him what that meant and why he wanted "Number One" his response made me roll....."because it will be the first iPod Touch in the family!"

He's been the envy of the household all day and we've all had fun playing with his cool new toy! We'll see how much longer we go until there are more of these iPods around the house....

December Days - 12.8.09

For breakfast this morning I warmed up some muffins for the kids. Now, initially that statement doesn't really mean much until you dig a little deeper into our definition of what a "muffin" is. About a year ago, one of my co-workers introduced our family to a recipe of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. At first description, I thought the combination of pumpkin and chocolate sounded a little strange, but these are not your normal cookies. They are spongy and more cake-like than typical cookies causing my kids to label them "muffins" instead of cookies. When we make these cookies, I mean muffins, more of them are consumed before 10am in our house than any other time of day - that alone should constitute a "muffin" distinction!

A couple months ago, Caleb wasn't feeling very well at school and had to go to the nurses office. The school nurse asked him what he had for breakfast. Caleb said he panicked at first not sure how to explain to the nurse that he had eaten cookies for breakfast, but he relaxed when he realized they weren't cookies.....they're muffins! So in order to support his claim and justify our occasional breakfast choice, no one in our house is allowed to call them anything other than Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. If you can't believe we'd feed our kids these muffins for breakfast, well, you've clearly never had them!

Shout out to the O'Connors for sharing the recipe!

December Days - 12.7.09

We woke up this morning to the first snow of the season. When it gets really cold outside, I'm of the opinion that it might as well snow....it just seems an easier way to justify the chill. Anyways, when Kyron woke up we told him to look out the window for a surprise! He ran to the window and when he pulled back the curtains we heard his little gasp of surprise and then he said "Is it Christmas?!" The innocence in that question made me smile all day as I thought of the moment.

By the afternoon the snow was gone, but the morning snow built up the excitement for the future snow I'm certain will come. My only hope is that we won't have the 3 ft of snow in Oregon we experienced last year. As much fun as it was, it was too much!

December Days - 12.6.09

When I was a kid, I loved playing with dart guns but the only thing I had was this cheap plastic thing that shot a rubber dart maybe 15 feet. My kids are totally into Nerf dart guns and our house is often covered with little foam darts shot from these fancy toys. We have Nerf wars throughout the day and many times at night as well.

It's not just the kids though, these toys are so much fun that I'm usually right in the thick of things. Whether it's the single shot pistols, double barrel shotguns, long range rifles, or the 3 shots/sec machine gun....it's all fun! Anyone looking to purchase one of these for their kids (or yourself), feel free to give us a shout and we can make some recommendations on which Nerf guns perform the best. We've got a family of Nerf experts!

December Days - 12.5.09

It's winter time in Indiana which means.....Basketball! All three of the boys are playing basketball this winter. Kyron plays one night a week, Caeden 2-3, and Caleb 4-5 times a week. We're getting very familiar with all the field houses in central Indiana! The boys really love it though and we love watching them play.

It's amazing how intense it all is though. It's a completely different basketball experience than anything we grew up with or experienced in Oregon, but our involvement makes us feel like real Hoosiers! :-)

December Days - 12.4.09

Our very first Christmas together, Marcy and I started collecting buildings and accessories from the Department 56 Dickens Village series. Some great friends and our family bought us our first few buildings to get us started and for a number of years after that we just gradually added to the collection. It never grew to anything substantial because we started collecting/having children instead and we struggled to find a place in the house big enough for the village.

We haven't added to it in years, but every Christmas season we still get it out to display. For me, it's a reminded of the beginnings of our family and early traditions Marcy and I started when it was just the two of us. One of these years, we'll start adding to it again but for now the village is one of our favorite and most sentimental Holiday decorations.

December Days - 12.3.09

One of the favorite areas of our house during the holiday season is our Christmas Card stair rail. As we receive holidays cards over the next month, this railing will get filled with cards, pictures, and letters that remind us of how blessed we are with special friends and family. We've received a couple cards already (Thank you!) Can't wait to get more!

December Days - 12.2.09

This Christmas is our 15th together since we were married, and through each Christmas we have had the same Angel on the top of our tree. I remember Marcy bringing her home shortly after we were married (months before the holiday season), explaining she saw it in the store and thought we had to have her! Over the years, it's been the single decoration that everything and everyone stops for as place it atop the tree. Even this year, with Marcy doing all the work, the Angel didn't get placed on top until I was home to be a part of it.

She's survived 7 ft falls, crayon and marker attacks, poor packing, eight moves, and even the great spider infestation of 1995 - a terrible and psychologically scarring event that nearly destroyed Christmas that year! (If you really want that story, you have to ask for it.)

When you get right down to it, She's our very own version of the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. It wouldn't feel the same if we couldn't look to the top of our tree and see her looking down.

December Days - 12.1.09

In an effort to capture the happenings and going-ons of the holiday season, I've decided to share one image and a thought each day, throughout the month of December. I truly have no idea where this journey will take me, but my plan is to always have a camera on me to capture sights I see each day and then spend a couple minutes sharing my thoughts on the day or image. The holidays can sometimes be a stressful time of year, filled with undue stress and worry. My hope is that through this exercise I will be forced to slow down and enjoy, even the smallest moments, this special time of year can bring. If it helps anyone else do the same, all the better.

Our Portland Trailblazers themed tree with the Fireplace mantel in the background

Some people really enjoy seasonal decorations around the home, Marcy is one of these people, but I usually fall on the other side with a lack of appreciation for the seasonal decorations. I appreciate the creativity and the effort put into it, but I just generally have a lack of understanding about why it's important to decorate your home different for each season. Again, the effort and work put into it is great, it just seems a little unnecessary. Except for Christmas time....I love Christmas decorations! Let me be clear though, I love the decorations, not decorating. So one of the the early Christmas presents I received was coming home from work and finding the house alive with Christmas decorations, and I didn't have to do any of the work! Like I said in my last blog, I have a great wife and we have great Christmas decorations.

I need to brag about my wife...

My kids are so lucky that they have such a great Mom! I continually try to remind myself how much Marcy gives up to be at home with and for the kids, but I don't think I'll really ever truly be able to appreciate her work for its true value to our family.

Kyron has some play time with some strange textures, while Mom works in the kitchen.

She doesn't just 'stay at home' though, she works very hard and in the midst of working hard still finds time to create simple but meaningful experiences for the kids. It also amazes me how intentional she is with it too, how professional she takes her role as Mom. In my professional life I try to read and stay educated about business and education issues/concepts that are important to my work. My wife sets a good example for me to follow and strive to mirror. She is constantly reading, learning, and challenging herself with parenting and family books spending hours a week on her own professional development. It's awesome commitment!

She's far from perfect, but her efforts to be the best Mom she can be are a model for those of us who don't 'stay at home' in how we can effort to be the best teacher/accountant/lawyer/doctor/professional we can be....and then be thankful our job isn't as hard as a 'stay at home' mom. :-)

Capture Today to Make You Smile Tomorrow

In going through a stack of DVDs this week I found a very special DVD. It was a little project my kids and I worked on a couple years ago. At that time, my boys were going through a phase in which they loved the children's book The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, & the Big Hungry Bear. They had heard it so many times, they had it memorized and could just recite it at the drop of a hat. Hearing these little voices reading their favorite book was so cute, I had to capture the experience and send it back to the grandparents and other family. That's what I found this week, and after hearing it again I decided I had to share it with others.

This is Caeden's reading of the book. He was 4 at the time and didn't have any front teeth so his S's were tough to say. Have you heard anything this cute!?

Finding this treasure was a great reminder of how fast our kids seem to be growing up. It was also a reminder that it's important to capture those special everyday moments (whether in writing, picture, video, or art) because while they seem ordinary and everyday in the moment, in just a short time they will turn to special moments you'll wish you'd have saved forever.

While, I don't have a recording of it, I'd also recommend another Little Mouse book, great for the holidays, Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear!

Revisiting Boyhood Dreams

This past weekend we continued in our efforts to burst our "Carmel Bubble" and experience more of our Indiana/Midwest surroundings. After the fun time we had on a day trip to Turkey Run a couple months ago, we initially thought another day trip to a state park would be fun, but the weather forecast scared us away and we instead decided to venture south to Louisville and visit the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. My father-in-law was in town visiting and with our shared appreciation for history and my love of baseball, I think we were more excited than the kids for the trek down I-65.

I haven't played baseball in 20 years, but I've never forgotten how much I enjoyed playing, and how good I thought I was as a kid. This trip also reminded me how much I still enjoy being around the game, not just for the sport itself but because it represents so much more and is woven into American culture and history so much . I've said before how much I enjoy watching my kids play sports, but this experience was special because it was a chance to explain a "fun" part of American history to my kids, to help them see American history in a different context than just what is taught at school. It was fun being one of the many groups of fathers and sons, running around the museum clamoring to hold a piece of history in Mickey Mantle's bat, or debating who could hit a 90 mph pitch (only to whiff in the batting cages at 40 mph), or just sharing memories and stories. I loved the opportunity to share the experience with my boys and father-in-law and it was a great opportunity to step out of our bubble and experience something new in the Midwest. It was also fun to watch my father-in-law connect with some of his own boyhood memories and share those with my kids. All-in-all, a great trip and well worth the 2 hour drive.