We're Hooked

Yes, we are hooked. We have spent the last year hearing about the TV show Lost, but never really tuned in. I am not sure why, I think it was just one of those things that we didn't see the first episode and then we heard everyone talking about it, but it just seemed too late at that point to start watching it. Well then it came out on DVD and I thought maybe someday we will watch it. I wasn't going to buy the DVD because I am not one to watch TV shows I have seen over and over, so I joined Netflix and thought this would be a cheap way to watch it and other movies.

The first disc came yesterday and after the kids were in bed last night we started it. I have to admit I was pretty hyped to watch it, though I don't think Daryl was all that excited. Before we knew it we had watched 3 out of the 4 episodes on the first disc and we looked at each other and then looked at the clock and thought "we can't stop now", so we proceeded to watch the last episode on the disc. We could not believe how good it was and how quickly the episodes went. It is one of the shows where you don't move while it is on and you would never dare to get up and do something. The only other show that I am that way with is 24 though I know some other wired people who do the same thing with Alias.

As we finished the first disc Daryl said to me "well we can always go to Blockbuster and start on the next disc", so I took that to mean he loved it as much as I did. We figure we will spend this winter watching Season 1 and then hopefully Season 2 will come out this summer sometime and we can be all caught up by the time Season 3 starts. So, yes it was AWESOME and we are totally hooked.

Maturation

I was doing ministry stuff on my computer this afternoon (big shock to those of you that know me...) when suddenly everything seemed unusually quiet in the house. Since I was the only supervising parent in the house I decided I would have to be the one to check on the kids (I know - this isn't rocket science...) so off I went.

When to my surprise I find all three kids playing in Tyler's room peacefully and (almost) quietly. Now I'm usually at work all day, so for all I know this may be normal. But to me, this is progress! Given the age ranges, gender differences and the fact that they are siblings for crying out loud, I was just happy that they were all in the same room without blood being spilled...

If only it lasted forever...

Christmas 2005

Hello all! It's the Christmas season and here are two photoshows to prove it...

Christmas Eve [view photoshow]
On Christmas Eve we went over to Grandma Sandy's house to see some of the extended family. Sandy, Ashley, Morgan, Shelly, significant others and a bunch of kids were there to share in the festivities. There was great snacking food and the kids loved opening the presents and getting wrapping paper all over the house.

Christmas Day [view photoshow]
For the first time we were able to spend Christmas Day (morning) at home! The kids got up around 8:00 and we lounged in PJs while opening presents. Fred (Papa) and Uncle Ryan came over at 10:00 for a yummy breakfast of egg casserole, donuts, bagels and coffee (if you like that sorta thing...)

After that we traveled to see more extended family at the Clark home (Jason & Roseanne). We saw aunts, uncles, cousins and a bunch more kids! We opened presents and ate again. The kids had a great time playing together.

From there, we traveled to our best friends home (The Callenders) where more presents were exchanged and the kids were able to play with their new toys late into the night. The adults got to hang out, spend quality time together and talk about years gone by and the new year to come.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The BlogWorthiness Rating Scale (BWRS)

So just for fun I thought I'd create a scale to measure how "blogworthy" an idea, event, picture, video (or anything else for that matter) really is. So here it is:

BlogWorthiness Rating Scale (BWRS)

Each rating is based on these four criteria (although not all four need to be present or significant in order to warrant the rating):

• Significance: If the post appears significant or insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
• Relevance: If the post is relevant or irrelevant to the reader.
• Impact: If the post has the power to inspire/uplift the reader or if it is damaging/harmful to the reader.
• Validity: If the post is fact, opinion or completely inaccurate.

Keep in mind, this is a work in progress...

10 Extreme: significance, relevance and potential to inspire (highly factual)

09 High: significance, relevance and potential to inspire

08 Moderate: significance, relevance and potential to inspire

07 Mild: significance, relevance and potential to inspire

06 Neutral: has no significant positive or negative qualities. There is no reason to enter the post, but no reason not to enter the post. Leans toward the positive (mostly opinion and speculative)

05 Neutral: has no significant positive or negative qualities. There is no reason to enter the post, but no reason not to enter the post. Leans toward the negative (mostly opinion and speculative)

04 Mild: insignificance, irrelevance and potential to do harm

03 Moderate: insignificance, irrelevance and potential to do harm

02 High: insignificance, irrelevance and potential to do harm

01 Extreme: insignificance, irrelevance and potential to do harm (could be completely inaccurate)

File this Under "Confidential"

Not sure what to say about this picture other than it should be in a confidential personal file that only Tyler has access to. But it just isn't as fun when it's locked away like that. I think it needs to be out here for the world to see. Don't you think he could have been on The Little Rascals? I know Alfalfa got the part due to his hair...

Christmas with Grandma & Grandpa

Last weekend we went to Grandma & Grandpa McMullen's house for an early Christmas since they are flying out to see Lori, Bryan and the cousins for Christmas. We had some awesome food, time by the fireplace and the kids opened their presents with much joy and determination.

Go here for the photoshow!

And So It Begins...

Ahh Christmas! The Rockefeller Center Tree, Christmas carolers, snow drifts, icicles and stockings...

Bah Humbug! Just kidding - I'm really not the Grinch or Scrooge for that matter. But this time of the year means work - lots of work. I mean, you'd think it would be a time to sit back and relax - enjoy the season and ponder the true spiritual meaning behind all of it.

And we'll try to do that after the school Christmas programs (one tonight and one tomorrow night), after the Christmas Eve Service at GCC (I hear it's going to be awesome), after a late Christmas Eve, an early Christmas morning, after gifts and too much food, and a few great football games and wrapping paper and more friends and more family. And after putting gifts together (batteries not included) and pounding the morning coffee and evening hot chocolate, and cleaning up all the toys. After a Sunday and Monday of recovery and gift returning, after mistletoe (we can only pray) and gift cards, after rising at the sound of clatter to see what is the matter...

Maybe then we'll sit back and relax.

: ) Take some time to "experience" the true meaning of the season this year...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

What A Week

This past week was absolutely crazy. It has been a long time since I have had a week like this. There were a few days where I never sat down until it was time to go to bed. As much as I love this time of year it just seems that life moves at too hetic of a pace. Daryl said to me this week "ever heard of biting off more than you can chew?", I think he was just a little sick of me not being around. So here is a run down of the week.

Monday- Pretty normal during the day then as soon as Daryl walked in the door I was out to go shopping with my dad for the kids. Got home around 9:30pm and then made some Christams cookies.

Tuesday- Worked most of the day. Had a late appointment in North Liberty, got home in just enough time to give 3 kids baths, put them to bed and them made more Christmas cookies while getting Christmas cards ready to got out. Making Christmas cookies is a tradition I started with my mom and something I am trying to continue. Granted when you had 2 people doing it it goes alot quicker. As of right now I have made 5 different kinds of cookies. I have half a batch to finish today and then I am officially done. You may ask why do you make so many? I give them away to friends and others as Christmas gifts. Then to top things off for this day, Tyler went to bed with a fever and was up every two hours during the night.

Wednesday- Tyler sick all day, which means lots of just wanting to be held. Had 5 kids for part of the day. Trying to get case notes done. Made dinner for 5 kids and then got them ready to go to Awana. I had plans to go to dinner with a friend this night, but she called and cancelled. You would think that this meant that I had lots of extra time, but before she called and cancelled I had made the decision that I would stay up as late as it took tonight to get things done. Which would have probably meant till the wee hours of the night, but instead I was in bed by 12:30am. Case notes were finished up, laundry was finished, and all but half a batch of cookies was completed. Again Tyler up every couple of hours during the night.

Thursday- Up for good at 6:00am to get ready for work. Today was spent training for a new job I start on Monday. I will be doing something totally different from what I do right now though I will still be working for First Steps and I will continue to be a Service Coordinator on a very part-time basis. I keep thinking to myself what a GREAT time to be starting a new job. After I finished training I headed to a home visit, then met with a lender to get pre-approved for a mortgage. So now we can officially start looking and we know what price range to look in. It was then to the mall to meet Beck with the kids, eat dinner and then drop Tyler off to Daryl so they can go home since Tyler is still sick and then off to church with the girls. It was nice to have some time to sit down and actually focus on God for awhile. I think I actually had some time after church to sit down and relax, though once I hit the couch I was asleep.

Friday- Tyler actually woke up today feeling better- thank you Jesus! After Rachel was done with school the kids and I headed to the mall. I still have some Christmas shopping to do and I am running out of time. The kids were great and actually got to see Santa before we left. Came home and did some work and then after dinner the whole family headed out to do a tradition we started when we got married. We headed over to Winding Brooke to look at the lights. Daryl and I both said that they did not seem to be as good this year as in previous years, but it was still fun.

This bring us today. My husband let me sleep in, oh how I love it when he does that. After some breakfast and a visit from the fire department and nipsco (see Daryl's previous post) it was time to make lunch for the kids and give baths. Now I have half a batch of cookies to finish up and then it is off to spend some time with friends tonight, I cannot wait. What a crazy week, hopefully next week will be a little less stressful, though I'm not counting on it.

One other little thing that has been swirling around in my head this week. Why do we as Christians say that we think something is wrong or at least may be wrong for us to do, which I assume means that we have had a conversation with God about it, and then we go ahead and do it anyways. It may mean that we have to sit and watch other people partake in the activity or may have to not put ourselves in a situation where we are tempted, but isn't that what we should do. God never promised us that the road would be easy, in fact I have always understood that the road we are to take as Christians is the narrow one. This is just something that has really been bothering me this week, there may be more to come on this topic once I digest it a little further.

Now it is off to finish up my Christmas cookies...

Just When You Thought it Was Safe

Just when you thought it was safe to own your own house, your carbon monoxide detector goes off. And so it did at about 10:00 this morning. Not for long, and not consistently but is that really something you should mess with?

I don't think so...

So yes, we had the South Bend Fire Department here in our house looking at our breakfast mess and stepping over the multitude of morning toys spread throughout the house. And when they were done, they called the NIPSCO guy to make sure there were no issues related to the gas service.

When all was said and done, there was nothing wrong with the house, but they suggested we buy another carbon monoxide detector. Nobody told me these little devices have a shelf life of around 5 years...

Really makes you think. You know, when everything is going well, you feel pretty safe, then all it takes is a couple beeps from an alarm and your whole world is turned upside down. I guess it's just one of those things you have to get used to when you own a house - or live in one for that matter...

The Early Bird Gets the Shaft

My parents would tell you that I'm NOT an early riser. But for the past year or so I have been able to get up at between 5:00 and 5:30 on the weekends. I do quiet time with God, I blog, I do web stuff and generally enjoy a nice cup of coffee in peace and quiet (not something I experience at any other time of the day...)

Well, this morning I got up fairly easily and was enjoying the fact that I would probably have a good three hours to myself when who should come walking downstairs at the butt-crack of dawn but my youngest daughter - obviously having the same thought as me (except for the peace and quiet part).

Normally I would get all ticked (hence the title of this post) and would make her go back to bed for a couple hours. But this morning she just looked so cute (and she said, "Good morning daddy - can I stay up for a bit just me and you?") so I caved. She read herself a book and played with toys while I took pictures and blogged about the experience...

Every once and a while you need that bonding time - especially with the middle child (those with a knowledge of birth-order theory will understand).

The Simple Pleasures...

I snapped a quick picture of Tyler at Abby's birthday party to show that he has already found a love for Starbucks Coffee. Of course we won't talk about the present with princess wrapping paper that he's also fascinated with. Back to the coffee - Do they sell bright red Starbucks Sippy Cups with the classic green and white logo? And would they refill it at the drive thru?

Maybe Starbucks will come up with a kids coffee someday with no caffeine and a more simple taste just to get them hooked from the birth canal...

A Night on the Big Stage

It's that time of year again. Snow on the ground, lights on the houses, Christmas carols on the radio and little kids on the big stage at Granger Community Church. Allison is a three time veteran while Rachel was testing her wings for the very first time. Amazing how different two kids can be. Allison freaked out her first time and had to be carried off stage. Rachel on the other hand seems at home in the spotlight.

Sorry for the poor quality picture, but the lighting during these services reeks havoc on your basic digital camera. Allison is in the middle at the top and Rachel is to the left on the top row. Both are wearing white shirts.

They did a great job but were on and off the stage so fast it was hard to get good shots!

Tammy Turns _ _ !

Well it was Tammy's birthday today. I'll let her tell you how old she is (if she feels like it). Another year to celebrate and another year to look forward to. The kids and I wrapped presents and signed cards as while Tammy got a few extra winks of sleep this morning. Then, when she finally emerged we pounced upon her - not even allowing her to fully wake up.

If you're wondering, that's why there are no pictures on this post. She told me if she found any she would delete the blog and I would be in serious trouble. So I'll stick with the boring text entry and leave it at that.

We thank God for Tammy (mommy) every day. She is a keeper for sure. Happy 33! Oops - sorry Tam...

Calling all Princesses!

Yesterday we were all invited to Princess Abigail's castle for a regal gathering to feast on the delights of the morning (bagels, donuts and coffee) and to open presents in the grand ballroom. The kids all had a blast and the adults spent some quality time building community.

When we got home we threw some of our pictures and video into a photoshow. You can see it here!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Yes the roads are slippery and yes you had to put the petal to the metal just to get out of your driveway or down your street, but what fun it is for kids. Since there was so much snow today there was no school and that meant time to play outside. Jacob and Abby spent the day with us today and around 11:00am I bundled them all up and let them have at it.

It was so funny to watch them start walking through the yard, the snow was almost up to Allison's knees. They tried to get on the swing set, they dug for awhile trying to find the sand box, they made snow angels, and just spent time diving into the snow head first. It was lots of fun watching them play, they had constant smiles on their faces. The time it took to get them dressed and undressed probably exceeded the time actually spent outside, they got cold pretty quickly, but it was worth it. They had a ton of fun and that makes it all worth while.

XXth Winter Olympiad | Torino 2006

The Olympics are coming! I don't know why we get so caught up in the games each time they come around, but Tammy and I totally veg out for two weeks when they are on. This year the winter Olympics are in Torino, Italy and will begin in just over two months (64 days to be exact...).

The mascots look a little strange if you ask me...

Sort of like two marshmallows on gumby-esque bodies. The one tooth in the middle of the mouth needs some explaining as well. Check out the video on the website to see how they came to life one day.

I do love the torch though. Technologically advanced and ergonomic in it's design. I'd love to have one just to hold while watching the Olympics...

Of course that's probably more than you wanted to know about me...

The Blog Turns 100

We actually passed the 100th post already without noticing...this post makes 104!

Isn't it amazing how time can fly when your living life at Mach 5 (that's because we have 5 in our family by the way...) And that's over 100 without posting 20 pictures (as separate posts) for one event! Most people would say, "Duh, we expected that from you Daryl you computer freak!" But Tammy has really amazed me with at least equal posting since we started. She has quickly learned the finer aspects of blogging, image cropping/optimization and even a little HTML thrown in there for good luck.

I must say this is so much easier than keeping up our family website (www.mcmullen99.com). In fact if you go there today guess where you end up? That's right, the index page redirects you right back here to our blog! Of course you don't have the flexibility in layout with a blog, but I have some ideas for the future that may make this easier...

I also wanted to thank blogger for the incredible free service they are providing to the world. Sure there are more robust blogging packages out there, but this does all I need it to and I'm amazed at how it develops a sense of community between friends and family...

God job and keep up the good work!

The Beach is Calling Me

What a dilemma...it's dissociative at best. Rachel decided she would wear her summer sunglasses while also wearing her winter pajamas. Makes quite a statement and looks quite chic if you ask me...

Also, Daddy got to stay home today. Mommy has orientation for a new position at work and the kids were unable to hang out with their friends since they live at the "sicko house." Of course I can say that because it was my children that caused all of them (except Becky) to get the same thing...

It's weird sitting around the house in your pajamas all day (though I'm sure that's not what mommy does...) I'm trying to figure out what I can do in the house to be productive today. I've already made lunch, cleaned the kitchen, started the dishwasher, picked up after the kids and spent time on the computer (didn't think I'd pass that one up did you?).

The kids go down in 30 minutes - maybe I'll join them...

Real-Life Illustration #105

For those of us living in the United States driving boring American cars, this sign probably doesn't mean much. But to those living in or around Germany, or for the driving enthusiast, this sign is unmistakable. It's the official highway sign for the Autobahn (blue in Germany and Bavaria, green in Switzerland just in case you were wondering...). This incredible road is the one that has no speed limit (in many areas) and allows the driver to be an "enthusiast" rather than a "commuter."

I was sitting home supervising 5 kids the other night when I came across Modern Marvel: Autobahn on the History Channel (and since my wife wasn't home I was able to leave it there).

It was amazing to see the history, technology and intrigue surrounding this highway project (11,980 km long in Germany (second only to the highway system in the US) and 1,638 km long in Switzerland). When I was done watching it I wanted to trade my little Honda Civic in on a Porsche 911 so I too could feel what true speed is like. The only person I know that probably comes close to this in driving experience is Jason - a friend of mine that drives a nice car and races on the side.

The other thing I noticed while watching this documentary was the sign to the left. Again, I had no idea what it stood for - though Jason might...

This sign is the one you see when leaving densely populated areas. You see in the city, they have had to impose moderate speed limits to keep some level of safety. But as you leave these areas, this is the sign you're greeted with. It stands for the following: Limits No Longer Apply. Or in other terms: Put the pedal to the metal, give it some gas, turn the horses loose, etc.

And as I watched, I couldn't help but think of the practical application for the Christian. Before Christ we are the typical American driver, stuck in traffic, limited by speed signs in life and simply commuting from one useless pursuit to the next. But when we find Christ, everything changes. We become the enthusiast - getting so much more out of the drive of life. We experience and appreciate so much more. And as we venture into this new life we pass a similar sign that says, Limits No Longer Apply.

Now I don't mean this literally. For as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. A true Christ-follower will actually apply principals of self control more stringently so as not to offend others and give their Creator a bad name. But think of it in terms of consistency, faith, hope, love, integrity purpose and meaning. Limits no longer apply in these areas. Our lives expand into infinite possibilities the moment we come in contact with the Almighty.

This might not seem like much, but to me it was another Real-Life Illustration. I'm so glad that as a Christian I get to drive in Germany...

Trimming the Hedges

Well the time has finally arrived...Tyler started to run into things because his hair was so long so we had it chopped off!

Check out the before and after shot to see what I'm talking about:

• Before: Mountain Man
• After: GQ Cover
• Before: Non-tornado resistant trailer boy
• After: Penthouse suite playboy
• Before: Bath last week
• After: I bathe daily...
• Before: Neglect
• After: Loving parents
• Before: Grunge rock band
• After: Vienna boys choir
• Before: Pepe (from the Muppets)
• After: Beaver (from Leave it to Beaver)

I think you get the picture. He looks like a little man now and he will never be the same. Thanks Debbie Mann for the cool cuts - we can't thank you enough!

Girls - please don't call after 7:30 - Tyler hates it when his handsome sleep is interrupted...

Are You Monogamous?

Not in the marital sense of the word - I'm talking about your software. Do you stick with programs that work, or do you "sleep around" with every new software package that comes along?

I only pose the question because I am in a very difficult position. I would say I am monogamous when it comes to the program I use for email. Microsoft Outlook does what I need it to do, it's user-friendly and it interfaces well with everything else I do. So you can imagine my complete horror when my employer was bought out by a corporation still using Lotus Notes.

Needless to say it is the most archaic piece of software I am currently "forced" to use. It took forever to learn, is NOT user-friendly and is not even compatible with some of the more advanced technology in use today. They keep telling us we will be "upgraded" to Outlook in the near future but next week is not soon enough for me...

Of course that brings up the whole Internet Explorer vs. Firefox debate. I'd have to say I'm not so monogamous with my browsers. So I "get around" when surfing. It's not all bad. As a developer you don't have much choice in the matter, but for personal browsing I'd say I am 60% IE and 40% Firefox. IE is the standby, but boy does Firefox have some great extensions for developers. I even have a link in the IE right-click menu that says, "View this Page in Firefox" if that tells you anything...

Holiday Fun

Thanksgiving is gone - Christmas is right around the corner. So of course that means it's time to do all that festive stuff like put up the Christmas tree, the Christmas lights and all those little breakable things that sit in the crawl space the rest of the year...

With three kids it takes a little longer and more things break, but that's what it takes to make memories! The kids couldn't wait to get started and did their best to help us get everything done. Tammy took the girls out shopping for a while and I did other fun stuff like cleaning leaves out of the gutters and raking up the leaves that should have been raked up in early November.

What a day - that's all I can say...

McMullen Photo Gallery

Check out the new and improved McMullen Photo Gallery thanks to the free online photo solution provided by Comcast. It's fairly easy to use so hopefully it will make it easier to create photoshows of recent events and activities...

I Sleep Around

I know the title led you to expect something totally different - shame on you - keep your mind out of the gutter! Anyway, just thought it would be funny to post a picture capturing every parents fun dealing with children and their sleep habits. You know, since every child seems to have his or her own ideas on how, when, where and why they sleep.

Most nights we put socks on the girls then find them on the floor in the morning. Recently we found Rachel in different pajama bottoms in the morning. Once we found Rachel sleeping in the recliner in the family room in the morning. But this picture shows how one night she decided to move her bed onto the floor - pillow, comforter and all. I've heard soft mattresses are highly over-rated these days.

Thanksgiving 2005

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone yet again. Isn't it strange how holidays creep up on us and are then over in a matter of hours? Reminds me of my wedding day - though it didn't really creep up on us, it sure was over in a hurry. I remember Tammy saying, "That's it? We're actually married? Now what?" Of course that's another blog post all together - so back to Thanksgiving...

We had friends and family over to "Papa's house" for an incredible feast and great conversation (along with a little football of course - Go Denver!!!). One thing I am definitely thankful for is that my parents get along with Tammy's side of the family. We've all heard the holiday horror stories about family in-fighting leading to physical aggression, swearing, poisoning and the like...

Tammy stepped up to the plate by taking over the time honored tradition of making eclairs. Fred did the heavy lifting (turkey, stuffing, etc.) and everyone else pulled their weight with the fixings. Thanks mom and dad for bringing the pies again this year.

You'll notice that our video camera just gets stuck on Tyler for some reason, but there are cameo appearances of Allison, Racher, Tyler (cousin Tyler) and Chance. The video doesn't tell the whole story of the day, but when kids are around, the cameras just seem to follow them.

So far, so good! That is until about 11:30 that night. We stopped by Becky, Adam, Jacob and Abby's house to spend some time with them (around 6:30). The kids played and then went down until the big people were through chatting. Then came 11:30 and our world changed dramatically. We heard some strange noises and eventually crying coming from upstairs. When we went to see what was up, we found Tyler covered in puke - head to toe.

This led to impromptu bath time, scrounging for clothing that would fit and a decision to head home rather than hang out any longer. But just to commemorate the fun evening Tyler decided to puke one more time all over himself (and daddy) before making it to the van...

So to sum it all up: We had another great Thanksgiving Day, but an evening we will never forget...

By the way, for those of you that find this funny, here are 339 synonyms for the word puke...

A Weekend Away

As I told you in the last post, Daryl and I got out of dodge for the weekend for his birthday. It was a surprise, he didn't know until Friday night, and even then I did not tell him where we were going. We dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpa McMullens house on Saturday afternoon and then headed to Holland, MI. When I was planning this weekend I knew that I wanted a weekend with no agenda. I just wanted to be able to sleep in, hang out and have nothing that we had to do. I just wanted us to be able to spend time as husband and wife instead of dad and mom.

Our weekend basically consisted of checking into the hotel, taking a nap, seeing the new Harry Potter movie, going to dinner, relaxing in a whirlpool right in our room, sleeping in, going to breakfast, and doing some shopping. There were a few other things thrown in here and there but I won't be sharing those details. It was so nice to just hang out and reconnect with each other without distraction. There is just something to be said about getting away with your spouse every now and then without kids. Actually I think it is a must in order to keep a marriage strong. Daryl and I have tried since we got married to keep God first in our lives, to put our marriage before our kids, and to put our family before work and other outside activities.

Thanks for the great weekend Daryl. I cannot wait till our next get out of dodge weekend.

Happy Birthday Daryl

Today is my hubby's 35th Birthday. Yes, it is true he is now closer to 40 than 30. I have been teasing him about this all week and the only reason I can tease is because he is older than I am so I have a few more years before I have to worry about this.

The kids spent the whole day waiting for daddy to get home so we could celebrate his birthday, they could hardly wait. We made him his favorite dinner and then he opened up his cards and presents and then it was time to sing Happy Birthday to him. He is not a big cake fan so I made him a pumpkin cheesecake instead.

Now the kids are in bed and we can have our time. It was a great night and will be a great weekend. My present is yet to come, we are getting out of dodge without kids for the weekend and I cannot wait. Where are we going you might ask? Sorry I can't tell ya, it is a surprise. I just love Birthdays!

Happy Birthday Daryl. We love you!

Why I Don't Listen to Country Music

Those of you that know me (really know me) will probably recall a time in my life when all I listened to was country music. For crying out loud - I had cowboy boots and a cowboy hat (just no place where it was acceptable to wear them...)

Looking back over the years I can recall specific chunks of time in which my music tastes were very exclusive and specific - usually in one of the following genres:

• Christian / Contemporary Christian
• Pop Rock / Hard Rock
• Metal
• Industrial
• Grunge
• Country
• Etc.

I can't really tell you why I exited the country music phase other than to say I grew out of it. The songs on the radio were probably overplayed, and there may have been a new style of music catching my ear at the time. But whatever it was I left and left hard - complete change and didn't look back.

[Present Day] Tammy has been getting back into country - which means if I want to sleep in my own bed, I have to at least pretend to like it when I'm in the car with her. But I think it has been good for me, because it has helped me to identify the reason why I haven't been listening to it!

It's quite simple really - I don't listen to country music because it hits too close to home.

You know - most music is light hearted, fast paced, feeds into your emotions whether happy or angry, makes you feel on top of the world or willing to take it on full force or simply keeps you from having to listen to complete silence...

But country music on the other hand has another element involved. Sure there are the fun country songs like Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under and the "plinkety plunkety plink" old western style country songs, but these are the songs that I'm referring to:

• Skin (Sarabeth) by Rascal Flats: Dealing with cancer in an adolescent girl
• Arlington by Trace Adkins (lyrics here): Dealing with the death of someone in the military
• Believe by Brooks & Dunn (lyrics here): Dealing with conversion to a faith in God
• Jesus, Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood (lyrics here): Dealing with faith in miracles and letting go of our desire for control

Maybe it's the emotional side of me. Maybe it's because I'm a Social Worker and see the darker side of life every day. Or perhaps it's because I am a Christian whose heart breaks (as does the heart of Jesus) when people suffer and struggle.

Whatever the case, I think that's why I don't listen to country music...as much as I probably should...

Uninformed People Bother Me...

So this dialogue came to our attention quite a while ago, but it actually took me this long to respond. Over the past month or so I have been giving a lot of thought to the comments made here (along with corresponding threads) and to this flash movie (view before reading further...).

First, I understand the basic argument here is where to draw the line when it comes to the use of "worldly" content and practices in the church setting. And the continuum is fairly broad in this regard. There will be churches that stick with the pipe organs and those that incorporate a video clip from the latest Hollywood Blockbuster. But while we may debate the tactics, we should at least agree to be open-minded, honest and willing to understand the others intent instead of spreading rumors and sensationalizing something if we haven't actually experienced it for ourselves.

This is what led me to this post. I viewed the flash movie again the other day. It is entitled: The Church Growth Movie and the basic premise is that our church growth philosophy is to entertain people to fill the seats. Our new Megaplex philosophy keeps the numbers rising but the message is watered down to the point where it is "pointless" according to the movie.

So I thought I'd do a little compare and contrast so these folks will be better informed before any future post about the church they have never attended. Here are just a few of the differences I see between the "Megaplex" and the "Megachurch" I attend:

• I have never been greeted by real and genuine people at the Megaplex.
• I have never had someone help me with parking at the Megaplex.
• I have never had a shuttle pick me up at my car in the rain so I didn't have to walk to the Megaplex.
• I have never been to a Megaplex that offered to take care of my children so I could pay attention during the "entertainment."
• I have never been to a Megaplex that offered to help teach my children about the Bible, Jesus and how to live as a Christ-follower.
• I have never been to a Megaplex that suggested I become involved in helping others take steps toward God.
• I have never been to a Megaplex that had hundreds of people volunteering in key positions so that the "show" could go on.
• I have never been to a Megaplex where the entire focus was on the Bible, God, Jesus or some other component of the Christian lifestyle.
• I have never been to a Megaplex where they offered free classes to help people take next steps in their faith, financial responsibility, knowledge of the Bible, etc.
• I have never been to a Megaplex that encouraged me to put God before my wife, my wife before my children, and my family before my job.
• I have never been to a Megaplex where I was asked to make a decision about the person of Jesus Christ - to stand up in front of hundreds of other people and declare it publicly.
• I have never been to a Megaplex where people regularly give 10% of their earnings and where the money used to build the Megaplex comes from patrons that believe in its mission - not just donating out of public duty, peer pressure or the tax write-off.
• I have never attended a Megaplex that had such an impact on a patron that he or she went home and made so many positive changes in his or her life that family and friends had a hard time recognizing them.
• I have never been to a Megaplex where people are encouraged to meet outside the Megaplex on a regular basis to build positive relationships, encourage each other and discuss the things learned at the Megaplex.
• I have never been to a Megaplex that provided a support group for those helplessly chained to an addiction that is ruining his or her life.
• I have never been to a Megaplex where I can sit next to a complete stranger that is a different gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class or intellectual level than me and we can be on the exact same page, want the exact same thing and have a desire to tell others about the incredible thing we have found.
• And this is a partial list...

I don't have the time to try and incorporate every single incredible thing about our "Megachurch" into this one tiny little post. If you like what you've heard, simply attend a weekend service and see for yourself.

KIDS!!!!!

Okay it has been one of those days. I am about at my wits end with one of my children. Why is it that they feel like they need to test you to see how far they can push you? Then when they hit a certain age not only do they test, but then you also get attitude. Let me just say one thing about the attitude, it drives me crazy and pushes me right to the edge. I thought we had at least 3-4 years before the attitude would start. Why does a 5 year old think it is okay to have attitude and where does it comes from?

It all started today at lunch. We went to lunch at Culvers with Becky, Abby, Debbie and Lexi. Allison could not seem to sit in her seat and act like a 5 year old should. She was up and down out of her seat, knocking things off the table, taking things off of other people's tables and interrupting me about every 10 seconds. I felt like all I was doing was dealing with her. We then leave Culvers and head to Target for a quick trip. She starts to get an attitude because she wants me to buy her a winter hat and gloves and I tell her not today. All she does through the entire store is ask me about the hat and gloves every 10 seconds and then whine about it. Oh and I feel the same way about whining that I do about attitude. So as you can imagine I have about had it. All I keep thinking is I just need to get these kids home and all will be okay. We head for home, pull into the driveway and as I am getting the other kids out of the car she starts playing with the lights in the van. Now, I have told her a hundred times to not play with them. I tell her one more time to leave them alone and what happens but I get attitude. She does not even have to say anything it is just the look that I get. That is all it took, I was done! I then proceed to tell her that she has lost TV privileges and will not be watching any TV for the rest of the day. As you can imagine she was not happy with this. She goes inside mad and I continue to get Tyler out of the car. As I walk in the door I see the TV getting turned off quickly. Okay now I have really had it. I walk into the family room and she is holding the remote with this look on her face, I walk over to her and my hand makes contact with her bottom, you better believe it she got a spank.

Well the fit that proceeded was pretty impressive. I waited till she calmed down a little bit and then I went over and talked to her about it and told her I loved her. I thought this would be the end, but no she continued to cry and cry and ask if she could watch TV. Though it would have been much easier to just give in, because I know the crying would have stopped, I stuck to my guns and told her to find something else to do. If there is one thing that I believe whole heartedly in it is not giving in. She did everything she could to try and get me to give in and there were moments that I thought about it, but then I remembered what my job is as a parent. If there is anything that I take seriously it is raising my kids the best of my abilities.

So there is my day in a nutshell, thank goodness Daryl will be home soon!

File this Under "Eye Opening"

There's just something about this video clip that makes me cringe. I tried to tell Tyler, "Just because you find girls underwear laying around the house (quite often in fact) does NOT mean they should become more interesting to you than your trucks." But he doesn't seem to listen...

And I really don't have anything more to add to that. So I'll let you watch and then give me your feedback. And while you are doing that, I'm going to pull all of the trucks out of the crawl space and put Tyler right in the middle of the pile...

Buckets Of Candy

We now have way too much candy in our house. We like most others spent Monday evening (yeah I know I am a little late) trick-or-treating with our children. Rachel woke up on Monday morning and the first thing out of her mouth was "is it trick or treat day"? They spent the rest of the day asking when it was time.

We got them all dressed up and headed over to the Callenders so the kids could trick-or-treat together. Last year Beck and I got to stay home and hand out candy while Daryl and Adam went with the kids so this year it was the girls' turn. At first I thought no big deal, it is actually pretty warm outside. Well about 45 minutes into it the rain started, by the time we got back to the house we were all pretty wet. The kids did not seem to mind much though. I am sure they were thinking "Rain-no big deal. We have more candy to get". After leaving the Callenders it was off to the grandparents house and then home and to bed, amazingly they fell asleep even though there was sugar running through their veins.

Princess Snow White, aka Allison

Princess Cinderella or as Rachel calls her "Cinderelli".

Spiderbaby, aka Tyler

Should I Call CPS Now or Later?

Lately we've been having a problem with our kids - apparently they love us too much! You know the problem - the one where your kids can't be in another room - more than two feet away from you - where they expect you to entertain them and become extremely crabby when you suggest things like playing outside, playing with toys or in some way being independent from the adults...

So this morning we decided to send them to one of two locations so mommy and daddy could have some alone time. The gate (see above) served two purposes:

1. Kept Tyler from climbing upstairs or falling downstairs.
2. Allowed the girls access to either their room or the toy room downstairs.

After about 20 minutes of this, it became painfully obvious to me that I should call CPS on myself for "locking my children up." Rachel (above) shows her excitement for being locked up. And with the look on her face (below) they were not forced to stay behind the gates much longer...

I Love Fridays

There is just something about the end of the week that makes me smile. When I worked full time it always signaled the end of the work week and two days off, no wonder I liked it so well. Once I quit working I still loved Fridays, it tended to be the day where I did what I wanted to do. It normally entailed lunch with my mom and then shopping and then home to watch some Oprah while waiting for my husband to get home. Things have changed a little in my life and unfortunately I seem to always have some work to finish up on, but I still like to make it a fun day. Today was no different. I joined some great friends, Becky and Jami, at Chick-fil-A for some really good chicken sandwiches and great conversation. There is just something about sitting around a table with just your girlfriends while the kids are off playing that just feels good.

The other thing I love about Fridays is knowing that my hubby will be home with us for two days. The girls count down the days during the week until daddy gets to stay home with us. I love spending two straight days hanging out as a family, going to church, and catching up with friends.

Oh yeah, I also get to sleep in on Saturdays ,daddy gets up with the kids and makes pancakes on Saturday mornings. Now that is something to look forward to...

Pumpkin Pie for All

It's that time of year again - the cool fall air, the leaves falling from the trees and pumpkins just dying to be carved up for Spook Day. As the Alpha Male in the house it falls on me to do the honors. The girls weren't much help - they just wanted to use markers on them when I was done... Needless to say, I didn't take a huge amount of time on each one. But I doubt the kids are old enough to understand that yet. Allison and Rachel took pretty good pictures with their pumpkins. Tyler on the other hand had to be propped and entertained just to get this one shot. Apparently he doesn't care for the pumpkins much.

And then there are the actual pumpkins. Not much to look at, but then I was carving with inferior cutlery... The The girls got the typical jack-o-lantern faces, but Tyler got the Spidey face (or at least as close as I could get it...)

Date Night Rocks

Monday night Tammy and I took the kids over to the Callenders' house so we could have our date night. We have been alternating date nights (almost) weekly for the past year or more. It's a great time to get away from the stress of parenthood and reconnect in the more important relationship.

Needless to say, the typical is dinner and a movie. Call it the Indiana Initiative, the Mishawaka Modality or the South Bend Situation. Regardless, it just seems like the only thing to do in town.

Monday we broke the mold slightly. We did dinner at TGIF and did a little light shopping. Tammy took some things back to Kohls and Old Navy. I looked at some sweatshirts...

After that we went to B&N (that's Barnes & Noble for the book store challenged...). Here's what happened:

Daryl read: CSS web design RSS & Atom feeds XML web design Blogging with blogger Other technical stuff...

Tammy read: The latest Nicholas Sparks book Thumbed through Wild at Heart

And that's what we did - nothing fancy - but there's nothing better than hanging out with your wife doing mundane things. It's the company that turns mundane activities into special memories. (I think I read that in a Nicholas Sparks book...)

: )

Walking Tall

So last week I tried numerous times to get a video clip of Tyler walking, and of course he always stopped doing it when the camera came out...

So this is not the first walk by any stretch of the imagination. But it is a good example of what he looks like trying to walk around the house. I think he almost has it down.

Next, the stairs...

This Makes My Blood Boil

You have all probably heard recently about the mother in California who threw her 3 boys into the San Francisco Bay, if not check check out the story. When I hear stories like this I get so mad, I cannot even at times put into words how this affects me. My first reaction is to find that mother and throw her into the Bay. I just don't understand how a mother can do that to her children. As mothers we are supposed to protect our children, not harm them. We are the ones they depend on for that, they trust us. They trust us to catch them when they fall, they trust that we will take care of all their needs, they trust that we will not let anyone harm them. So imagine what those kids must have thought as their mother, the one they trust, throws them over the edge.

Now, are there times when I am at my wits end with my kids and I feel like I could scream? Absolutely, but would I ever do anything to hurt them, NO WAY. In fact I get mad when I see other people hurt them and not just in a physical manner. I get mad when someone else hurts their feelings. There is just something inside of me that wants to protect them at all costs. Now I know that there will be times when I cannot protect them as they get older, but you better believe that for right now if you mess with my kids you mess with me.

So, I know there are some of you out there who will say but she was mentally ill, she did not really mean to do that. Well, let's talk about that for a minute. She very well may have been mentally ill, the article says that she was on medication for a mental illness, but she chose to go off of her medication because she was feeling "better". I just don't understand why people do that, don't you go on medication to feel better and feel more normal? If so, then why do people go off of them when they feel better. I have seen this happen with people I know and it drives me crazy. The article also says that she told her family that she was going to harm her children and they did not believe her. I just don't get it. Why would you not take that seriously, especially coming from someone who has a mental illness and is off of her meds. There were people in the family that went to the authorities and tried to tell them that she was not capable of being a mother and no one listened. Actually they may have listened, but they obviously did not hear.

These children were failed my so many people and it just makes me ANGRY. If you choose to have a child, BE a parent. What does that mean in my book? Protect them, do everything in your power to make sure that they are safe at all times. Know where they are and who they are with at all times. When your children are little this means if they are not with you then you better really KNOW and trust where they are. If someone else is watching them stop in unannounced, maybe even at times when you know it is the most chaotic. If they are old enough to tell you that they don't feel safe, believe them. It may be inconvenient for you, but it is not about you. If they are older, know their friends and know where they are at. I had a rule in my house growing up that my mom always had to know who I was with and where I was going and if plans changed she had to know. I have already decided that when our kids become teenagers there will be a sign posted on the door with the 5 "W's", who, what, where, why, when. Before they leave the house those questions will be answered and if I think they are not being totally honest you better believe I will be in my car checking up on them.

Daryl and I have already decided that our house will be a safe haven for our children, this will be a place where they will know they will be loved and protected no matter what the cost.

I beg you BE a PARENT, and not just to your own but to all the other children out there who need you. Not only will I protect my own, but I will also do all I can to protect those who have no one to protect them. Their lives are in our hands.

Bonneyville Mill

I had the privilege of taking Allison on one of her field trips today. We went to Bonneyville Mills in Bristol, IN and learned all about how mills work. We got to mill corn by hand and see how the mill works with the power of water from the river. The pictures above do a fairly good job describing the trip. Alina (seen in a couple pictures with Allison) rode with Allison and me in our van. She had a great time and gave Allison someone to laugh with on the drive there and back...

Introducing... My Husband

For those of you who don't know, this is my husband Daryl. We have been married 6 years and they have been the best 6 years of my life. I met Daryl while we were both working at Madison Center for Children as Case Managers. I remember going to lunch with all the Case Managers (all of us were pretty close and did lunch together a lot) right after he started and we just sat and asked him all kinds of questions. I remember thinking, sure he is handsome and nice enough but he is a little too quiet for me. Well he started hanging out with all of us outside of work and before I knew it we were doing more and more together. We officially started dating on April 17, 1997, got engaged on April 17, 1998 and were married on June 19, 1999.

I never thought I would be so happily married. Of course I had always hoped for a wonderful marriage, but let's be honest it is not very often that you see happily married couples. I have the best husband there is for many reasons and here are some of them:

-He loves and obeys Jesus
-He adores his 3 children (he took tomorrow off so he could go on a field trip with Allison)
-He works hard so that he can support me and our kids
-He loves our church and loves being a part of the Livewire team at GCC
-He rubs my feet (which he is doing right now)
-He has no problem doing whatever needs to be done for the kids
-He cleans the toy room
-He cooks when he has time and it is very good
-He gets up with the kids every Saturday morning and makes pancakes
-He makes sure his family is at church and that it is a priority in our house
-He will go to chic flicks
-He kills all the insects in our house
-He helps me fold laundry
-He gives me cards just to tell me he loves me
-He will dance with his daughters while they are dressed up as Cinderella
-He lets me put my ice cold feet on him when we go to bed
-He listens to Country Music when I want to

This is just a short list of the things I love about him. I could go on and on. He has 2 little girls and one little boy who adore him and a wife that cannot imagine her life without him. He has played a huge part in making me the woman I am today. There is truly no one else I would rather be sharing my life with. I love you Daryl McMullen.

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Green Day has a new song called, Wake Me Up When September Ends (recently a performance song at the church we attend). And while I'm not sure exactly why they were sleeping through September, I feel their pain, because September wasn't exactly the best of times in my life and the life of my family. It was fairly stressful (not exactly sure why) and just dragged on there for a while...

But now that October is here, things seem to be going a bit better (at least for me). Here is a list of things that seem to be going well in my life right now and things that I am thankful for:

• Fall is officially here - Hence I don't sweat as much...
• The lawn looks better than it has all summer
• I watched the Denver Broncos win the other day
• The NHL is back (though not completely sure I like all the new rules)
• Did I say fall is officially here?
• My kids are growing up and say the wackiest things
• Tyler is walking
• Allison and Rachel dressed up in their Princess costumes the other night
• Gas is not over $3.00 a gallon like predicted
• It's not cold enough to need the furnace all day
• I get to go to Granger Community Church (usually two times a week)
• I get to do web ministry at GCC with an awesome team of professionals
• I get to hang out with some really cool people on a weekly basis
• I get to come home to Tammy every night
• I get to be a Christian and receive amazing grace
• I get to go to heaven some day

And this is the short list...

Hello Moto

Tyler just loves to show us that he is a boy through and through. The girls never got the engine sound down and yet Tyler has mastered it in the first year of his life... He loves playing with his trucks, cars and especially his new motorcycles (watch out Tyler - you know you're mother will never allow you to own a real one...)

PS - Never mind the baby doll he has in his other hand - that was a fluke accident...

Walkin' on a Thin Line

Tyler has finally decided that crawling is for babies...and though he cannot sprint accross the living room, he can take 4 or 5 steps in one direction before the backside hits the ground!

Eschatonline

This is my invitation to join me on a slightly different journey. I recently began my own blog on eschatology (the study of end time events). I'll still post on this blog, but will now have a more focused outlet for my minds wanderings. I will put a link on the sidebar so you can easily find Eschatonline in the future.

Go to Eschatonline Now

Krispus Kremus Rediculus

I love Krispy Kreme doughnuts just like the next guy. And every time I've gone there I've experienced this surreal atmosphere where there are more employees than humanly necessary, everyone is smiling from ear to ear and there is the sensual aroma of icing and coffee in the air...

Unfortunately this picture I had of the doughnut shop was blown way out of the water this morning at 5:45 a.m. when I rushed in to get 3 dozen doughnuts and a coffee box for the training I was putting on at work.

It started when I realized the Hot / Now light was not on. Next I realized there were only three or four employees behind the counter. Then I noticed there were no doughnuts rolling off the line. But I continued on and placed my order for three dozen doughnuts (2 original and 1 with the chocolate glaze). It took them a good 15 minutes to complete my order since the doughnuts they gave me came off a covered rack somewhere in the back of the store. All this without a single smile...

Frustrated, I took my doughnuts and coffee and sped on to work - only to find out after the training that the attendees had to choose from one dozen original, one dozen blueberry and one dozen pumpkin spice!

Needless to say, I will still frequent the "Double K" but it will be during regular business hours only. Also, I will be sure to make eye contact with each and every doughnut placed in the box...

Overwhelmed

So it is 10:45pm and my whole family is in bed right now, yes even Daryl. He has to be at work tomorrow at 7:00am so he headed to bed pretty early tonight. I am sitting here on the couch enjoying a moment of peace and quiet, blogging and watching Oprah on UPN. As good as it feels to be sitting here doing nothing, I find myself thinking about all the things I should be doing. There is laundry in the dryer that needs to be folded, the dishwasher needs to be started, there are dishes that need to be washed by hand, the kitchen floor needs to be mopped, the kids clothes need to be put away (from doing laundry yesterday), the family room and every other room in our house needs to be dusted and this is just stuff that needs to be done on one floor in our house and there are 2 more floors.

Then I start to think about all the stuff I need to do for work. I don't even know where to begin with that, besides the fact that I have case notes to finish from last month. I HATE case notes!!!! I would rather do just about anything else in this world but do case notes. I just need to employ Becky's old technique for doing case notes. I really need to find a job where case notes are not needed, but unfortunately in my field they are part of the territory. If just someone would have told me this in college, I may have changed my major. Okay maybe not, but I still think I should have been warned.

There just does not seem to be enough time in the day to be the person I want to be. I want to be a great mom, great wife, great friend, great employee, great daughter/granddaughter/niece/sister and most of all I want to be a great leader for the cause of Christ. I just don't feel like I ever have the time to be those things. There are times that I get so overwhelmed with what I have to do that I don't even know where to start. I very quickly find myself thinking, if only I did not have to work, if only there wasn't so much to do to take care of a house, if only this, if only that. It is then that I just have to step back and know that I am only one person and can only do so much. This is much easier said then done though. I know that God is in control and that He will sustain me and with His help things will get better, but at times I think the rest of my life may feel this way. The things that get me through are hearing Allison tell me that she loves me all the way to Heaven, having Rachel tell me that I am the best mommy in the world, watching Tyler take his first steps, and seeing my awesome husband walk through the door. It is then that I know that I can do it all over again tomorrow.

So with that said, it is off to bed I go to get ready for another day. Though I think I will go start the dishwasher before I head to bed, one less thing to do tomorrow!

Allison Hits the Big 5

Allison officially turned 5 today (9:10 on 10/9 for those wondering...) and I was the lucky dad that got to take her out for the afternoon. As the photo above explains, we started by seeing Madagascar at the dollar theatre. She was a bit antsy and even asked when it was going to be over (but she knew we were going shopping after the movie...).

Next, we went to Target and picked out some Strawberry Shortcake lip stuff and the brand new Cinderella Special Edition DVD.

And finally, we stopped by Ritters Frozen Custard to satisfy that craving for something sweet.

It was the first time I can recall us doing actual father-daughter bonding. Hopefully we can do it more often so when she turns 17 she will still want to hang out with me...

Later that day I heard Tammy talking to Allison about her delivery, how small she was and how it seemed like just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. It is definitely strange to think that we've had kids for 5 years! And while it seems like just yesterday, it also seems like we've lived this way for years. Surprisingly it's one of the best feelings this life can offer...

Tyler's Buds

Tyler had a great day on Friday. He had two of his best buddies here to play with. Carter spent most of the day with us which was great fun. After lunch Tyler and Carter had the chance to sit on the floor and play. Tyler finally had someone to play cars and trucks with. It was so funny to watch the two of them. Tyler kept crawling over to Carter to give him hugs and would just lay his head in Carter's lap and almost knock Carter over. Carter would get his balance back and just look at him with a look of "what are you doing" and then go on playing. I can't wait to watch them grow up together, hopefully they will be great friends!

As Carter walked out the door, Jacob (another one of Tyler's buds) walked in the door. Tyler gets to see Jacob many times a week and it is so much fun to watch them play together. Jacob does such a great job playing with Tyler. It was so cute on Friday night, Jacob was pushing Tyler around on his new Thomas the Train push toy that he got for his birthday. Of course it makes noise and plays the Thomas song, so Jacob would push the button that made that noise and Tyler would move his body to the music as Jacob pushed it while we all laughed hysterically. Jacob also saved Tyler from the big bad red machine-also known as the vacuum. For some reason Tyler is very afraid of the vacuum, which I have yet to figure out. It isn't like I ran over him with it or anything like I did his sister (that is a totally different blog entry). So while Daryl ran the vacuum(hence the look on Tyler's face)that night Jacob sat with Tyler on the couch and protected him. I wish there was not such an age difference between the two of them, but hopefully Tyler will always look up to Jacob and follow his example.

Tyler in Sugar Shock

Tyler Eats More Cake

Excuse Me - I Burped

It's Official

Well, the big day finally arrived. Allison and Tyler had their "combined" birthday party and it went off without a hitch. Here you see the two lucky participants and the other one (that asked all week why her birthday was in June...)

All the friends were over and had a blast in Papa's basement.

As you can see Allison had a great time and feels fairly confident that she received all the things she was hoping for. You should have seen her eyes when Uncle Ryan brought out her new Princess Bike!

Tyler not only got to stuff his face with cake and ice cream, but he also got TRUCKS!!! Lots of trucks and other manly stuff that we don't usually see in our home. He had a great time and is obviously happy at the type of toys he got. Oh yeah, he was glad to see Carter there too...

Stay tuned for a few video clips from the big bash...