old one but a good one,

These are some of my favorite engagement pictures that I have taken. Before digital, oh yeah baby. the third one is my favorite.

Easter Weekend

We had a pretty large group over for Easter weekend, and for Blessing the baby. We had a really good time with our family and friends. The baby looked absolutely beautiful in her little blessing dress. I am overwhelmed with appreciation for my family who traveled to be here with us. Plus my wife looked HOT!!!

Easter Weekend

Well it is going to be a busy weekend. Kind of crazy in fact. I did get a few good pictures of the grandparents with some of the many kids of the family. Grandpa loves to be around his grandkids. Grandma is very proud of the fact that she delivered all the kids in the picture. It made for good times.

Isn't she lovely?

Mandy has been bugging me for ages to take some pictures of our little girl. I guess she thinks that since I have the camera, I should use it. Maybe she is right. Especially since I usually like what comes out. Okay, maybe that should be sometimes, not usually.

Soccer Time For Z

Today was the first day of Soccer camp for Zack. He was soooo. excited. We have been talking about it for a week. He was quick to get dressed this morning, and was anxious to go. We were hoping he would like it. HE DID. In fact when he was finished the first thing he said was, "Dad, can we go to the park and practice soccer". It was great to sit out there and watch him play. Jackson had a little bit of fun to. He always wants to be like his big brother.

Soccer time

It is always nice when the things you feel are explained so well.

9 Principles
1. America Is Good.
2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the external rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address.
3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson
7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.
Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson

Happy St. Patricks Day

Ah, what a wonderful day it is. Yes I wore green. I work at a middle school. I would have been in a world of trouble had I not. Speaking of Middle School children, I must admit how funny it was seeing the kids today. There was a few distinct groups of students. 1. Those who wore green with pride. 2. those who wore green out of fear of pinching. 3. Those who really went out of their way to not wear green, as to receive all the attention of the green wearing kids and to say, look at me I am not wearing green, but don't notice, and ESPECIALLY DON'T pinch me. I have to say it was amusing. There was one student in particular that I heard all the way down the hall saying "ow, ow, stop". The only thing is, as I saw him walk by, he had the biggest smile on his face and was loving every minute of it. Then of course there is the Vice Principal, whole different ball game. She did not wear green either. However, hers was more of a, go ahead, and pinch me, I dare ya.
In the end, I made a new resolution. Out of fun, and just because, I swear that next year, I am wearing orange on St. Patricks day. That's right, orange. It is an Irish color too, is it not. Maybe the other side of the island, but an Irish color non the less.

long time coming

Yes, it has been quite a long time since I have taken the opportunity to stop and write something in my blog. What I find interesting is that, I often do have the time to stop and read with others are writing on their blogs. Yes Laura that includes you. The sad honest truth comes from the some of the reasons why I have not written in such a long time. The word for the month is "Frustration". After the inauguration, I wanted to write so many of the thoughts that I was having. I wanted so badly to share what I was thinking that day, watching the "peaceful transition of power". From that do to this, every day has brought me a brain full of thoughts and ideas, but mostly just frustration. So for now, my political thoughts are a jumbles mess. Then there is the Photos, that I do love taking. Oh yeah, where is the time. The funny part is I know there are a bunch of fun family pics just sitting patiently on my memory card. Just sitting there waiting for me to do something with them. Pictures of Jackson, at his birthday party, cute pictures of Gabby. there are even some of a beautiful Cedar sunrise, somewhere. So, here it is, my first post in over a month. My idea is that if I just write something, anything, perhaps there is a small chance that tomorrow, or the next day, I might get back to writing the type of post that I like to write, and uploading a few of the pictures that I have taken that I actually like. Baby steps, right. That is what I am hoping for, baby steps.

finally finished-pictures to come

For Christmas, I wanted to make a bed for Mandy. We had a nice bed frame with our old Queen size bed, but when we bought the new king mattress, we did not have the money to buy a bed frame with it. I should interject, that I have never really built anything before. Not like this. It was a daunting project, but for some reason I have in my head that I can do anything, or build anything. I think, I don't need a pattern, I can just make it up. Well that is what I did. BUT, it was hard, and difficult, and well I ran out of time(the baby coming two days earlier then I had planned did not help).But today. with some major hiccups, I finished it. By major hiccups, I mean some things that I will need to fix, but it is put together, without the use of duct tape. I am just hoping that it will make it through the first night of sleeping. I can always fix it later. Looking at it now, I am pretty excited that it turned out as well as it did. I think it looks great, and I think Mandy likes it. All worth it.