I Can't Sleep

I am like a little kid, the Super Bowl is tomorrow and I feel like it is Christmas Eve! I can't wait.

True story:

Pam and I had a girl work for us this year at Tro Sno. Her dad is the Spanish teacher at North Scott High School. She went on vacation this summer for awhile in Arizona. She went to visit her aunt and uncle. I just found out last week that her uncle just happens to be Kurt Warner and her aunt (her dad's sister) is Kurt's wife. Ummm, yeah. Why did she never mention this? Pam said that she knew that her uncle was a professional football player but never mentioned it because she didn't think she would recognize the name anyway. Wow! How does that information elude me? Anyway, our employee was at the NFC championship game where the Cards beat the Eagles. How exciting. She isn't going to the Super Bowl, but her dad is.

Okay, I shouldn't be doing this right now, I get to go to church in the morning. Then eat A LOT tomorrow during the game. Happy Super Bowl everyone!!!

Random fact: The Super Bowl is 2nd only to Thanksgiving in most food consumed in a day in America. This only adds to the excitement for me.

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Hey Dude

For your enjoyment.

Hey Dude

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Double Orange Delight

I've started a new hobby. I am becoming quite the baker. I thought about going for butcher or candle-stick maker, but baker seems to be a little more rewarding. Butching is just too messy and candles are soooo 1700's. I like baking because I can eat what I make. Anything that ends with me eating is favorable to my liking. So I've been making chocolate chip cookie dough because Pam and I like to party when Gabriel goes to bed. We sit up and watch TV and eat cookie dough. Tonight Pam had class though. I thought I would surprise her by making cookies she could eat without feeling too bad (technically you're not supposed to eat raw eggs when you are pregnant). This is the story of my night without Pam.

First Gabriel and I played fetch. Yes, fetch. He got a can of tennis balls for Christmas and he loves them. It is a great game for him to collect the balls and stack them in the can one at a time. He also gets a kick pretending to drink out of the can and having the balls hit him in the face. No kidding, this kid is like a little comedian. Anyway, I would fling the balls one by one out of the can to all parts of the room. He would then collect them and bring them back to the can. As the ball went in the can I would make a funny noise and he would just laugh and laugh. It got to the point where he would delay letting the ball go into the can because he was trying to trick daddy into making a false noise. Sly child.

After awhile of fetch Gabriel took a bath. This was pretty routine.

When the bath was over we did dishes. Usually Gabriel is a pain in the butt when doing dishes. We let him "help" with house chores whenever possible. He vacuums, wipes off the coffee table, and sweeps the floor. He also likes doing dishes. This isn't so much washing as splashing and putting bubbles all over the face. Tonight was a little different though. Usually he stands on the clean dishes side and takes the clean dishes and tosses them back into the dish water. Tonight he stood on the dirty dish side and kept tossing dishes into the water, smiling up at me every time it splashed to see if I was okay with it. I didn't have to grab dishes almost the whole time. He would put them in as fast as I could wash them and put them in the other side. It was a lot of fun.

After dishes it was time to pick up the living room. We played "magic carpet" (all names of these games are made up by me, Gabriel is not yet making up names for things. Well, at least not names like "magic carpet"). Gabriel thinks it is a big game when we fold any blankets that we might use in the living room. Anyway, he sat on one end of the blanket tonight and I pulled him all over the apartment. I would wrap him up in it and then roll him right out of it. He loved the whole thing. He didn't make such a mess today with his toys so picking them up was a breeze.

By then it was almost time for bed so we read the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho in the Jesus Story Time Bible (HIGHLY recommended for all parents as it is extremely theologically sound and draws out some of the most major themes in the story of God and his creation). I put him in bed and he rolled over with Mr. Bear and Mr. Kitty (very original I know) and he fell asleep just as good as gold.

Then, with the house clean I thought I would try to boost my baking rep from apprentice baker to journeyman baker. I looked through Pam's recipe book to try to find a concoction that didn't take any ingredients that we didn't have. Unfortunately it was slim pickins as we are out of chocolate chips and any of the extra stuff. I did find a recipe on the Lemon cookies though. They involve grating a lemon peel and using lemon juice, neither of which we have. BUT...we do have oranges. I substituted orange peel and squeezed the juice right out of an orange. They are "Double Orange Delight" and they are GREAT! I am taking credit for the new and improved recipe. I was just so resourceful. I was like a ninja, using that which was around me and readily available to create an advantage for myself. Yes folks, I am now a journeyman baker. Maybe if I practice really hard and try my best I can become an expert baker.

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At this moment I am sitting in a church leadership meeting. Contrary to popular belief it is entirely possible to be completely engaged in the meeting AND blog at the same time. It just so happens we are voting for "leadership team officers" right now and since I am merely a staff member my vote doesn't count. So I am blogging.

Okay, I'm done now. I've got nothing.

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It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Super Bowl Sunday, America's favorite holiday, is upon us. This year's battle is between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. I have a feeling it will be a good one too.

I was able to watch both games last night. In the first game I was rooting for the Arizona Cardinals for a few reasons. First, who doesn't love an underdog? They are the Cubs of the NFL and while I don't personally like the Cubs all that much, if they are in the World Series I root for them. Only because that means my Giants are not. Second, who doesn't like Kurt Warner? The guys is old, he's tough, he's a real role model, and he's under rated. Third, despite what some would say about playing better when it counts, the Eagles didn't even deserve to be in that game. I know, they won, they beat the #1 seed etc... blah blah blah. The games immediately prior to and during the playoffs made the Eagles look like they were in a perpetual Christmas season. They got gift after gift after gift. Good teams literally handing games to them on a silver platter. In some cases even playing the worst games of their seasons. The Eagles did nothing more than show up. Take the Cowboys game for instance. If the Lions had been fortunate enough to schedule Dallas that week, they would be 1-15. I just can't give credit to the Eagles for making it this far.

The Cardinals won.

In the second game my hope was for the Steelers. I know, I know, I just talked about being for the underdog, but I have to say, I love watching that Palamalu (spelling?). He flies all over the field like a hungry raptor spotting its prey. That is really the only reason though. I have a ton of respect for the heart of the Ravens. Flaco is a stud. Anyway, I was really looking forward to watching this game. It was everything I'd hoped. There were more BIG hits in the game than any I've seen this season. I'll be honest, I love seeing hits like the one that was put on Willis McGahee. It is never fun when people don't get up from hits like that, but he is fine (It is sometimes harder to feel sorry for McGahee since he is "questionable for play" every week of every season).

The Steelers won.

I think it will be a great Super Bowl.

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Baby It's Cold Outside

So I just watched the weather. Because we don't have cable I find that my TV viewing resembles that of an 80 year old man. We watch "The Wheel" each night hoping our number in the wheel watchers club will pop up. We watch the news almost every night. I look forward to the weather. Anyway...tonight we have expected lows of down to -40 degrees. I just talked to my dad. They are having record highs of 80+ degrees. The difference is over 120 degrees. It is currently warmer at the south pole AND north pole (not kidding). In a month I'll be in California where it doesn't matter. I hope that this weather comes back to Iowa while I'm in CA. I hate this weather.

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The Vacation Bug

I have it...the vacation bug. Pam, Gabriel, and I will be going to California one month from today. I can't stop thinking about it. I am so excited. I can't wait to escape the winter wasteland called Iowa for a short time. I have the bug.

I also have to give a shout out to Alistair Begg for his awesome sermons. Subscribe to his podcast. He rocks.

Contest Trivia:

What is Cookie Monster's first name?

Every once in awhile I will sit down with Gabriel and watch some Sesame Street. I learn cool things. So does he I think. Anyway, one of my favorites is Near and Far by Grover. Look up the classic clips at http://www.sesamestreet.org I love it. Oh, and maybe you will find out the answer to the previous question.

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Vikings = Finished

The Vikings lost today. I have found that the closer I follow the NFL the more in love I fall with my favorite team the Vikings. That is why I get frustrated when they have games like today. Their offense is just not up to speed and definitely not deserving of continued play in the post-season. I DO have to mention that I think it is a complete joke that the Eagles are in. Anyway, I have never witnessed a running back that can do what Adrian Petersen does. It is weird to watch him run. There will be people that look like they have an easy tackle and they'll completely miss. It just goes to show though, it takes a full 11 people on the field to play the game. 1 guy can't do it all. There are a few key moves they need to make. If they do, they will be tough in the years to come.

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