The Chaos that is our Life

tap tap is this thing on?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 19:08:00 +0000

It's been a long time, hasn't it? I'm sorry. I guess I kind of lost the blogging bug. But I should at least keep this blog up to date because it's the one I made to share news and photos about family and kids and stuff.

It's been about 8 months since I posted last. That's too long. Huge amounts of insanity and just plain crazy can happen in that time. And so it has. So much that I can't even begin to share it all.

We're into our thrid week of school (or is it 4th?) of the 2015-2016 academic year. And it's seriously exhausting.

Miss D is a junior, Mr. I is a sophomore, Miss G is in 8th grade, Mr. L in 4th, Miss R in 2nd. Mom is in her second year of 4th grade teaching. Marching band is already off and running and soon there will be tryouts for the winter musical - and everyone wants to tryout.

Dad is just tired trying to keep track of where everyone is.

As for dad, we're still dealing wtih his issues. A while back we started Botox shots for his migraines. They're painful, but they help. Headache days are down about 25%, which means a few more days a month, like today, that he can be productive and do some writing and photo sorting and things like that. He's been getting some exercise too, so that's helping him to feel somewhat better too. We're hoping that he'll be able to do more around the house and even consider finding some way to work or volunteer more.

Here's some pictures.

Photo

noreply@blogger.com (The Andersen Bunch) — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 19:32:00 +0000

Blogging is still a thing.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 17:01:00 +0000

I still write some. Not much makes it into the public eye, so my blogs are horribly neglected. Every once in a while I look at them and feel guilty for not writing more.

So here's some pictures.

#NotOneMore

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 00:42:00 +0000

I am devoting all my blogs to angry rants in response to yet another child being killed by yet another gun in yet another school.

I love my kids. I want to keep them safe. I know that in a perfect world I could, but it's not a perfect world. I know that even in ideal situations there are not guarantees that my kids will be safe. But in the last 18 months there have been no less than 74 shootings in schools or on college campuses in the united states. 74 since 26 children were gunned down at a grade school in New Jersey.

And yet we go on and on and on in protecting the rights of gun owners over the lives of our own children.

This has to stop.

I do not want my kids and grand kids to live in a world where they see that the Second Amendment is more important than them. This has become so far out of hand that it literally sickens me.

If I had my way all guns would be piled up and burned. Send out the national guard with tanks, go door to door, and just take them.

But it's not up to me.

This is the real world, and like Pandora's box, the demons have been let out. We can't put them back.

But we can make them cause less heartache.

The second amendment has been used and abused. It's out of date and honestly doesn't apply anymore. There are other rights in the Bill of Rights that are far more regulated than the second. Freedom of speech for example, no one balks that there are times and places you can't say certain things, and even when you can you need a permit or a license. But background checks to buy a gun? Blasphemy!

How stupid is that?

No more dead kids. #NotOneMore

I encourage you to write every legislator you can, local, state, and federal, and demand to know what they are doing to put an end to gun violence in schools. And don't take any political rant as an answer. More guns aren't the answer. Armed teachers aren't the answer. Education is not the answer. Only real painful consequences to gun owners whose guns are used to kill. And real, painful effort into making sure only the 'right' people get guns (background checks, registration, licensing, taxing, testing - all the same things we do to own a car).

I am. Starting with the school board.

Too long

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 21:51:00 +0000

It's been too long since I've posted. That's mostly because so much of my time has been devoted to chasing around a toddler.

Well, now that toddler has gone to live with her mother, which is a great thing, but now I've found myself with much time on my hands and I'm rediscovering my old hobbies. Not the least of which is my blogs.

So now here's my latest input on my 'kids and family' blog.

...Uh... and now that I'm here I don't know what to write! Well, kids are doing well in school, that's good. Anna is doing well in her career, that's good, the swallows flew back to Capistrano, that's good....

We're pretty boring people. Never go much of anywhere, never do much of anything... I wish spring would really be spring instead of this cold windy stuff we're dealing with. I want to use our deck!

But, alas.

So anyway, we're in the home stretch of the school year, about a month left. Of course there's all the field trips and so on. Exhausting. And I don't go on any of them! But it's what they do, so every day there is another permission slip or some such thing and every day someone needs to be at school early for the bus or something or other.

I'd say I'm looking forward to summer, but I'm not really. It gets too hot here. But at least we could use the deck! But it's too hot! But I wanna use the deck! Waa!

We've got praise team practice in a little while. Mr. I has filled his brother's shoes and is now playing the drums. He's doing really well!

Um... I'm really rusty at this. Don't know what else to say. So I'm signing of for now. Maybe I'll find some pictures or something.

Hiya!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 03:00:00 +0000

New year! Yay!

2014 is here! I'm living in the freaking future! Who would have thought the world would still be here? Well it is. And so are the Andersens.

This year could be a great year for us. Mom has completed her school and is now working in her life-long dream career as a teacher. Not only is this an amazing accomplishment, but it's a huge benefit to the family. We can catch up on our debts, fix up the house, get the kids shoes and pants.... awesome stuff like that.

In a few weeks I'll get my third Botox treatment, which my neurologist is the "magic" time that we'll know whether these treatments have been working or not. So far I haven't seen much of a change, but we'll see. I'm hoping I just feel a little better.

The kids are doing great. Miss D turns 16 this year. We really need to teach her to drive. Not because we want her to drive, if I had my way we'd wait until she was 18, but we need another driver in the house. So 2014, apparently, will be the year.

Other than that, everyone else is putting their way through school. Well, putting isn't a good word because they are all pretty much straight A students. All my kids are way smarter than me.

What else do we have to look forward to this year? I'm not sure. There is much adventure ahead.

Christmas 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 02:35:00 +0000

Greetings all! I know it's been a while since I've posted. I'm sorry. But I'll try to do better.

For now, I'll post these:

Christmas past

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 21:59:00 +0000

The holiday season is upon us! Here's some pictures of last year's Christmas! Enjoy! #exclaimationmarksrule!!!

Thanksgiving thoughts 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 22:58:00 +0000

Here we are, Thanksgiving weekend. The year has been rushing by and now here we are, one of our traditional family holidays with the food and the parade and maybe some movies and video games and napping and over eating and just being together (and not liking every minute of it, but overall being thankful for being together).

It's been an adventurous year. It's like we've just been on this crazy rocket-sled of stress and chaos and doctors and school and struggling and broken things scrounging to pay bills and get groceries and get by until we can get to the other side and possibly have a life where we don't struggle so much.

I'm not complaining, not really. We don't really do without. We have many nice things. We have enough food, even if we sometimes have to stretch the leftovers a little too far. We all have enough clothes to wear, even if some have too many holes. We're doing ok.

It's a time to be thankful, not whine. I am generally a negative person. People say "just be positive" or "think positive and positive things will happen". I don't know how to do that. I really don't. Why? I don't know. It's just how I'm wired. And I wouldn't say I'm a 'glass half empty' kind of guy, I'm more of a "well, it is what it is" kind of guy and the world is just a negative kind of place.

But I am thankful. I'm thankful that in spite of our struggles that my kids don't share my negativity. I am thankful that the hardest part is mostly over and there are better financial times just ahead. I am thankful that even though the kids might have to wait for the 'nice' presents from mom and dad this year that we will be able to give them nice presents in January or February.

I am thankful that we were together this week. In spite of the frayed tempers and the moments of disrespect and lots of slop and mess and burned pie crust and so forth, we are enjoying our time together. We're watching the parade, talking about what we're going to do the rest of the day, and waiting for the turkey to get done.

I am thankful that in spite of my ongoing health issues, this week has been very good. And that in spite of it taking a downturn today, I've been able to participate in most of the family fun this week.

And finally, I am thankful that the kids go back to school on Monday. Because dang.

Da Bunny

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 19:14:00 +0000

Google+, when you upload photos, does some interesting things with them sometimes. Photos that are similar it groups together. Sometimes it will even turn them into animated gif files.

I uploaded a lot of pictures of Da Bunny and it returned these groups. So I put them here to share.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on the first day of school 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 18:32:00 +0000

Today was the first day of school for all my kiddos. Some of them started last week, but today was the first day that all of them were gone and out the door. My youngest started kindergarten today. So in many ways it is the first time all of them have been out the door without one of their parents or older siblings.

Yet I am not home alone. While all MY kids are out the door, I have a grandkid that lives here. And I get to baby sit.

And that just makes me tired. I've raised all my kids, yet the process goes on. Don't get me wrong, I love my granddaughter very much, but at this time in my life I just feel old. Really really stinking old.

Actually, to clarify, her mom is home today too, so I have a chance to relax and do some of the things I want, like blog and watch all those grown-up shows on Netflix.

The pain isn't so bad today. My headache is kind of throbbing a bit, but not screaming yet.

Speaking of which, we're working with a new doctor for me. I think I mentioned that a while back, but we're onto a new treatment plan.

There are 3 things we're trying, botox, which is supposed to relax the nerves that spawn headaches, medical manipulation - which is like chiropractic treatments, but also like massage and kind of nothing like either, and a herbal thing my neurologist recommended called "butterbur", that's supposed to open up the bloodflow.

None of which has really begun yet so I'm still just kind of spinning here.

Anna is back to school too. She's finishing up her apprenticeship or residency or whatever they call it for teachers. It's hard, financially, but we just need to get to the other side of this and move forward. It will be a good future if we just deal with it now.

What other news can I share? Well, Da Bunny (granddaughter) will be one in a couple weeks. That's exciting. Derek is off at college, a junior. It's his first time being away from home for more than a night or so. I hope he's behaving. And... well, I don't know what else.

Here's a picture of a tiny bunny.

Dug this up.... from about 5 years ago or so.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

I caught my youngest son playing the other day....

5 months already? wow.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:54:00 +0000

New Doctor - New Stuff and Things

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:19:00 +0000

It's been over a year, close to two years, since I've been to see a neurologist. In case you don't know the story, I went to one, was very very unhappy with him (he basically said "I can't help you" after 1 visit), went to another neurologist that I really liked, got the ball rolling on some things and then for a reason I don't know, she left town. That left only the first neurologist that I went to as the "only game in town". There was a replacement coming for the second but all we could do is wait. And wait. And wait.

Finally they scheduled an appointment. Then they moved the appointment up a few days. Which we found out yesterday was today. Rather than wait any longer, Anna made the changes in her schedule and made it work.

So here we go. New doctor. In a nice shiny new building with cobblestone floors and a fountain and Anderson Cooper playing on the TV. Appointment was at 11:30, so of course it's was noon before I got called back. The assistant went through all my history and medications and all that stuff and then we wait some more. Like almost an hour I think.

But then there she was. Dr. Michelle Raphael. Very young. Very tiny. But she dove right in. We talked for a long time about my condition and my history with it and everything that has happened and everything that is happening. We talked and talked. I didn't feel rushed and felt she was very patient in getting all the information she wanted.

Then we do the standard tests. Poke. Pull. Look here. Look there. Push.

"So, doc, what you do think?"

And here's where the rubber meets the road. This is the time where you listen to what your doctor says and you find out if you are really going to get help from this person or if they are just going to run you through "the usual" and get you out the door. Here's what she said in a nutshell:

We're going to do more tests. We are going to schedule and MRI and an EEG right away (and they did, day after tomorrow - last time it was a 3 month wait.) Based on your previous MRI (which thanks to modern technology she was able to pull on on the computer right there) there is some plaquing and there are slight changes from one to the other so we need to get a new one and see where we are. Boom. Done.

Also, we're going to try some new medications for your headaches. Right now we don't care what's causing them, we just want you to try to live and function somewhat normally. So here's a new one that you will take every day to prevent them from happening, and here's one you will take as needed at the moment you believe you have one coming on. We'll ease you into these, so you won't see any change for many weeks, but once we get you up to speed we'll see if these are helping or if we need to get something else. Boom. Done.

So here's the gist. It doesn't look like your condition is deteriorating as much as you think. You're actually doing better than you think. I know you have pain and I know you feel weak, but it seems everything is tied to your headaches. It's probably not MS or anything else that is deteriorating as much as it feels. You just get bad headaches. And while that is serious and it sucks, ultimately it is something we can fix or at least help. We're going to grab you, and flip you, and poke you and prod you and pretty much torture you until we figure out what is causing your pain and make it stop. (I'm totally paraphrasing here, but this is the gist...)

And then she was gone. We waited about another 45 minutes while her assistant set up the MRI and EEG and faxed the prescriptions to our pharmacy.Then we went and got some lunch because it was almost 2 o'clock.

So how do I feel about my new doctor? At the moment a little overwhelmed. In spite of the waiting, I feel that she took the time and listened. I think she was very patient as I rambled about my condition and kept looking to Anna to help me fill in the blanks. I think she was very understanding of the pain and the need to do something RIGHT NOW. I also feel she was very sympathetic at our frustration with the previous doctors and feeling put "on hold" for almost 2 years.

But I think I feel just a little cheated. And maybe that's not the right term, but let me explain.

I've been in this condition for 6 years now. I can point to when it started. I can tell you how I felt then and how I feel now. I can tell you my symptoms then (well, Anna can) and I can tell you my symptoms now. I KNOW things have gone down hill. I KNOW that generally I've gotten worse. Her assessment that "I haven't gotten as bad as I think", that kind of .... I don't know. But it was just the first "get to know you" visit and all she has to go on is the records of the neurologists before and my primary care doctor.

BUT, I do feel good about getting the tests done right away. I don't know if that was more her influence with the offices to get it done NOW, or if it's the fact that THIS time I have insurance, but I don't care. It's going to get done sooner rather than later and I feel good about that.

I also like her being very knowledgeable about the latest and greatest meds. The new stuff she gave me is really REALLY new and wasn't available 2 years ago. Targeted specifically at the head pain, regardless of the cause. And it's not a change from my current meds, it's on top of it. Which, on the one hand, good because the benefit I am getting from my current meds won't end, but on the other, bad because it's more stuff I've gotta take. But if it works as she described, I am optimistic of more pain free days.

So, generally, overall, I feel pretty good about her as a doctor. I like that we're diving right in and working right away to get to the root of the problem. Time will tell, I guess, whether she really will go to the mat for me, so to speak, or if we'll just coast again.

And now that I've written all that, I feel a headache coming on. So I'm going to close the curtains and try to rest.

Thoughts upon waking up early Christmas morning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 14:14:00 +0000

Good morning. Merry Christmas.

I don't know why I'm awake, but I am. It's very quiet, the only sound is the air moving though the furnace vents. Not even the dogs are awake yet.

I haven't peeked outside, it's still very dark, but it was snowing pretty good when I went to bed. We very rarely have a white Christmas here, being the high desert plain, but we got one this year. It makes me a little homesick for Nebraska, but not too much.

Any minute now the kids are going to break down the bedroom door and chaos will ensue. There will be much shredded gift wrap and noise of movies and video games and toys, but for now I am enjoying the quiet all to myself.

I haven't been much in the Christmas mood this year. Even though I have kind of isolated myself from the crush of commercialism in our world, I still felt that this time of year just doesn't mean much to most people other than the giving and the getting. And while there is something to be said about 'more blessed to give than receive', it is still missing the point.

I'm going to get a little religion on here, hope you don't mind.

Jesus was born in a tiny town near Jerusalem. Whether it was winter or summer or whether early Christians made up the holiday and stole the date from other celebrations - none of that really matters. What matter is, it happened. And whether you believe He was born of a virgin and was killed on a cross and rose from the dead, you cannot argue that He changed the world. In spite of all the hate and wrong and ugliness that has been done (and continues to be done) in His name, His simple message of love, peace, and forgiveness still survives.

I often wish everyone that believed in Him - or at least claimed to believe in Him - focused on the things He actually said instead of assuming what He wants us to think about issues such as abortion and education and homosexuality. What would happen if all Christians everywhere started picketing at funerals in their area, not with signs that say "God hates fags", but rather with signs that said "I'm so sorry" or "We love you" or "We brought a ham, can we leave it with you?"

Jesus didn't come roaring into town with avenging angels to strike down the "perverts" and false teachers. His birth was about as humble as you can get. The modern equivalent might be being born in a taxi while stuck in a traffic jam on the freeway. No doctors or nurses, just noise and car exhaust, and a lowly taxi. His whole life was like that. Below the radar. Simple. Some have criticized that 'secular' historians of the time, in that place, don't mention Jesus at all. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but if it is it doesn't surprise me. A simple man with a simple message at a time of military occupation in a mostly rural area. But that message resonates throughout the millenia.

Why aren't we doing the same? Why aren't we practicing the example of the manger? Of coming quietly, gently with a message of love and simplicity? Why do we have to be in the faces of those we disagree with, even though Jesus never actually said what we claim he said? Why do we insist on being right instead of being helpful. Which is better? To campaign for a candidate that claims he will end abortion, or to open the doors to a food pantry in your church and give to those in need? To write your legislators and insist he or she not support same-sex marriage, or to make friends with someone who is struggling with physical pain and illness and offer to babysit or drive them to the doctor?

What would happen if we started saying "God loves you, let me show you how much" instead of "God hates that, you can't have it"? What if we came as quietly as Jesus did in the manger, instead of acting like Nazis going into Poland? (A little harsh? Maybe, but it makes my point).

The kids are waking up now. The sun is peaking through the window. It will be time to delve into the chaos.

Anyway. I hope you have a Merry Christmas, and thank you for letting me rant.

Dad's Birthday 2011 to Birthday 2012 - stuff that happened in pictures.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:45:00 +0000

Grandson Gnarly Dude, being gnarly.

Jazz hands are called jazz hands because of what you do with your hands while singing jazz.

Small venues have the awesomest music. Especially when she sings.

Ugly Dog

Auntie G. Best Southern accent ever.

Gma, tellin' the Christmas Story.

Christmas is always a pajama day.

Mr. D. Drummer Man.

DOG PILE!!

Nobody really wanted their picture taken.

He's up a tree now.

Kindergarten graduation

I made a lot of these for my facebook

Sometimes you just have to scream

Eclipse!

Watching the eclipse

Red hair is so HAWT!

Camp moustaches

Puppies, just before they got a new home.

ERMAGEHRD!

No, that's not creepy at all.

Bad case of love pox

Sisters forever

Miss V. 10 seconds old.

Miss V on the quilt Great Grandma made

Kind words

The lemon eating champion of 2012

There's a bug on you.

Everybody loves cakes

Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah

Happy to be going somewhere

Guts

Future pumpkin model

Charlie Brown. He's a clown.

We so gangsta

Nap time

No, really, not creepy at all.

Day at the pumpkin patch

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:00:00 +0000

We wanted to get out of the house on Saturday, so we loaded everyone up and headed to the pumpkin patch.

As you can see, reactions were mixed, but generally everyone was glad to get out for a while.

After a quick stop for some grub and hitting the ATM we headed out to Sutherland Farms.

We weren't prepared for how far out in the boonies it was, so the anxiety among the little ones built to quite a fever pitch before we got there.

But eventually we made it and prepared to enjoy a very pleasant fall day out in the country.

We had never been here before so we didn't know what to expect. From what I had heard I had expected a little more of a carnival atmosphere, rides and such.

Instead we found a family farm with lots of hand painted signs and home made attractions.

But this was nice too. Something we hadn't seen a while lot of since we had left the midwest.

There seemed to be plenty to do. There was very much a county fair atmosphere, but that also meant that everything had a price. But we came to have a good time, so why not?

They had a cow milking station. Unfortunately, though, the water had froze and ruined the nipples.

They had lots of these picture taking stations.

A few barnyard animals to make faces at. Unfortunately they discouraged petting.

This was a duck race. You put the ducks in the trench them pump like crazy.

The goose was very talkative, but when anyone got close it tried to run.

It shared a pen with a very ugly rabbit.

Everyone decided to see how tall they were. Maybe we'll come back next year and see how much taller they are.

We headed off to the corn maze. We took this picture in case we got lost and were never heard from again..

If you've never been in a field of dried corn plants, it is very spooky. The wind rattles the plants and you can just imagine it's the rattle of the dried bones of others who have gotten lost in the field.

We had to turn around a lot.

Fortunately, we all survived.

The kids enjoyed the tractor train. This particular run was all Andersens.

To get to the actual pumpkin patch we had to take a wagon ride. The kids had never seen mules up close before.

Sadly, being the end of the season, the patch was picked pretty thin. Also, it had froze a couple of nights before so the pumpkins that were left were damaged and rotting. It was a big disappointment.

We did, however, manage to find a few that would make good jack-o-lanterns as long as we kept the designs simple.

All in all it was a great fall afternoon to be out and about and getting some air and sun.

collage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:26:00 +0000

A Story

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 04:08:00 +0000

Today was my lovely wife's birthday. For lunch we loaded up all the kids and went to one of her favorite places to eat.

The kids aren't huge fans of anything that doesn't come wrapped in paper or delivered in a cardboard box, but this place has amazing food and a very family friendly menu.

It was very quiet, being later than the 'normal' rush time, which is when we normally try to go because at busy times it's hard to seat the 10 of us. (Well, 9, Mr. D couldn't be there, he had a gig.)

And being a crowd unto ourselves, we're always slow at ordering. But the hostess was awesome and even took a picture of us trying to figure out what to eat.
When ever you go to a Greek place, you have to get flaming cheese. So of course, we did....

(Not a video from today - mine didn't turn out *sad face* but this is the same place...)

The staff was very awesome and patient with us, even when miss R said the cheese was "ew gross!"

So we order the food. The kids all got burgers and fries - which looked and smelled amazing - and Anna and I got the "Award Winning Gyro".

This happy thought greeted me on the way to the restroom:

Miss V was very facinated by Na-na's light-up Halloween necklaces.

I drew a walrus. Nos sure why he had to be all rainbow-y, but we didn't give the kids any brown crayons to go with their kids' menus.

We had a really lovely time joking and visiting while we waiting for our food. The kids didn't have to wait long. Their burgers looked awesome!

Miss V got a little overwhelmed at all the excitement and decided to crash. Which was just fine because she couldn't have any of the awesome food we were having anyway.

Miss R was having so much fun that she barely ate while we were there!

Mr. I and Mr. L had themselves a lemon eating contest. Mr. I got as far as one tiny nibble.

Mr. I, however, dove right it, putting the whole slice in his mouth!

At first he was all like...

That wasn't so bad! So let's have another.

Miss G decided my walrus drawing needed improvement, so she added a beret and glasses and named him Jamie.

The rest of the food arrived and we all really enjoyed it. So much so that we barely spoke as we stuffed our faces with those amazing noms!

At some point I had Miss G slip away to mention to the hostess that today was Anna's birthday. They delivered a little birthday surprise...

Anna was sufficiently embarrassed.

Miss R never did eat, but she had a great time.

We waved good-bye to our beloved Greek place - left overs in tow.

Everyone was full, happy, and tired.

Mr. Sloth was not impressed.

After attempted homicide, we went shopping.

We looked at some Halloween stuff... I really thought the snowman and penguin would at a lot to our spooky display...

Mr. L, of course, wanted to add Angry Birds to our decorations....

All in all we had a great day. While shopping we got some last minute gifts for mom - and then pretty much crashed when we got home.... no pictures of that, though. Pretty boring watching people sleep.

Happy Birthday Anna, hope it was great.

October

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Wow I hate this time of year. Well, love it and hate it. I especially hate it during an election year. Commercials, the media, and the 'net just go totally insane and everything becomes more about image and sound bites than actual facts. And whenever I try to talk about facts, all I get is arguments based on soundbites and image.

I've made no secret about where I stand this time around. Is Obama and the Democratic party a perfect choice? No. But there has never, ever, been a perfect choice in the history of democracy, in this country or any other. Has the current administration been an example of promise keeping always doing the right thing for everyone all the time? No. Have there been mistakes made? Huge ones. But show me one administration, apart from William Henry Harrison who only served 30 days, that hasn't made a huge mistake in someone's opinion.

But what is the best for my children now and in the future. I can't look at the platforms of the Democrats and the Republicans and not conclude that the Democrats have the best plan for this time in our nation.

But enough of that.

The absolute worst part of fall is allergies. I have allergy problems all year round, but especially in the spring and fall. Fall seems to be the worst in the southwest. But along with the allergies comes the sweet relief of the first freeze. It's like magic. As soon as it freezes allergies are over. (At least the worst part thereof.)

Another good thing? Pumpkin flavored everything. Everything. Well, ok, so lately food makers have gone nuts with it, and some of the imitation stuff is just...ew... but pumpkin is awesome. If I could I would eat pumpkin pie every single day. I would weigh 80 thousand pounds, but I would.

School pretty much sucks for those of us not in it. Everyone is gone all the time. Makes for lonely times. Everyone is doing well, but all I seem to do is sit and wait for something to happen. Never get to go many places. I wish I could go to movies and plays and restaurants and stuff. But, alas, those things will just have to wait until life settles down. The missus is only a short time away from starting her career, miss R will start kindergarten next year - and then I'll be really lonely... ok, maybe not, but I am hoping we'll find some time to do some of those things.

I've taken way too many pictures over the last month to be able to share them all here. But here's some...

crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:36:00 +0000

I keep starting posts and then something else happens and I never finish them.

Most of you that would read this know everything that is going on anyway via facebook and just life, so do I really need to share news here?

I feel that the 'newsletter' format for this blog is out of date, since news is now shared in 'flashes' over on facebook. That's also where all the pictures and everything are.

I think it's time to take this blog back to it's original purpose: an online journal.

There was a time that this was my only blog. Actually, in the beginning, it wasn't even called a 'blog', although that's what I was doing. I wrote my first post in what would later become this blog in 1994 or there abouts. The Internet was still young, digital cameras were basically non-existent, at least from a consumer perspective, had been married for only 6 years but already had 3 children.

Those very early attempts at an online diary have been lost in the mists of time. Some are probably still floating around in AOL's servers, some were in the 'personal web space' offered by our hometown service provider back in the day, others vanished with Earthlink.

In 2004 I made this blog official. At one point I had imported some older posts from other sources, but over the course of time, things got dropped, deleted, lost... But I'm sitting here looking at the first post that still exists - from May 2004, and am amazed that that was 8 years ago. Older than some of my children.

It amazes me even more how much of my blog was written after I became unable to work. Has it really been that many years? And years? So much of that time is just lost to me. I have no memory of some of the events I've written about. I can't blame myself for that, I know it's caused by whatever is going on in my brain, but still I feel guilty - it's like my kids' lives are passing me by and I'm missing all of it.

As I write this, my youngest son is in his 3rd week of first grade, my youngest child is in her second week of preschool, my second grandchild is a week old, my eldest child just moved, with my first grandchild, and is currently out of touch (which really freaks me out!) My eldest son is finishing his second year of college, he, my second eldest, and my wife will all graduate this May.

And what have I done? What have I accomplished in all this time? What have I produced? An odd bit of writing here, some photoshopped thingies there, nothing substantial. Nothing I can plant a flag in and claim as mine. When I first became unable to work, I vowed that I would DO something, that I would PRODUCE something. A book. A work of art. Something. So far I haven't done that. I'm not sure I know how.

But now I'm just having a pity party. My point was, going forward, this blog will be less a news letter and more of a journal or diary about thoughts and feelings. Still lots of pictures. Still some fun. Just less repetition of what you're already seeing on facebook.

Cool?

July things

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:10:00 +0000

Hi! How are things?

Here we are in the dog days of summer. Actually, right now in New Mexico, it's Monsoon season. Slightly less hot, but cloudy, humid, and if we're lucky, rain.

It's about that time that we start thinking about back-to-school shopping. Ug. That's always a miserable time. Never enough time or money to get everything we need.

But we always manage to get by.

So what news is there to share this month?

Baby countdown is at about 33 weeks. We're so totally not ready to have a baby in the house again. Cheni goes from being very excited to being horribly terrified. She's in good health and there have been no problems with the pregnancy, so she's going to be fine, physically. Emotionally, however... I know pregnant women have this hormone thing going on, but dang.

She's pretty well set up. Between friends who have recently had babies, our church family, and some other help she's getting, she's pretty well set up. Except for having enough room. Space was already very tight here, but we'll make do like always.

Cheni got a job at the local Wal-Mart. She hates it, but its going to help her tons and tons with diapers or other things when baby gets here. I hope they don't jerk her around with leave and stuff, but being Wal-Mart, I'm not optimistic.

Anna has been having a bad summer. It started with having a cast iron skillet dropped on her toes, breaking 3 of them. Then one of her teeth broke and in visiting the dentist found that she needs close to $5000 worth of work done (some serious infection in her jaw). And to top it all off, on July 4, while checking to make sure our neighbors weren't burning the town to the ground, she fell off the steps and banged herself up pretty bad. Scraped up her face and most of that side of her body. The worst part, the kids were playing video games, didn't notice she had fallen. She threw rocks at the door hoping they'd hear, but they didn't. So, needless to say, we're doing away with video games for quite a while.

Derek has been working hard this summer. Well, at least part time. He's got his car and he's just happy to be able to go and do the things he wants to go and do. He's looking at his future plans as this will be his second year at San Juan. Time to be looking at transferring to a bigger school. He could, like his mom, continue his education locally with UNM's branch location, but his course choices are limited that way. I'd like to see him transfer to a big school, one with lots of opportunities for him in music and whatever else he wants to do. He would love being part of a marching band again, especially a big one.

Miss D got glasses! We had suspected she'd needed then for some time, she had been having issues at school and she'd started sitting a foot away from the TV, even though it's kind of big. She's at about the same age as her older sisters needed them. I don't know how the boys are getting away (so far) without needed them, but I'm not complaining. Those suckers are expensive!

But she can see better now. She doesn't squint as much. Plus she's really darn cute when she's wearing them.

Not much to report on the others this time around, other than they're making me insane complaining that they are bored and begging to play games on the TV and so forth. Sigh. I hate summer for so many reasons, but especially the "I'm bored" thing. READ A FREAKING BOOK! GO PLAY WITH THE 20 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TOYS YOU HAVE! LEAVE ME ALONE! I miss school.

Screaming headlong through Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Howdy. So here we are in June. I haven't lost my mind yet. The older two tweens are off at church camp as of yesterday. It was really quiet here this morning so far.

So here's some things I probably said on facebook that I haven't mentioned here:

We have puppies. Again. They are at that really cute stage of getting up and around and playing. Also ruining all our shoes. They should be weaned pretty soon and then they are out of here!

Here's a picture of Mr. L as a pirate:

We were able to see the eclipse at our house.

Anna dyed her hair for me. She didn't have to, she was beautiful before. But I like red.

Derek bought his first car.

Last week of the school year!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:36:00 +0000

Only a few days of school left before summer!

Drat.

I love my children, I really do. But I am not really looking forward to the summer. It gets too hot to send them outside, too expensive to take them anywhere (we'll still go and do stuff, just not all the time) so we end up trying to stay cool inside the house, fighting over the TV and video games, struggling to get chores done, basically being grouchy all the time.

And yea, there's a lot of things we can do for free, but mostly outside. Where it's hot.

We're trying to find a summer project everyone will enjoy. We've been talking about making our own video game. It's something everyone can get into. There's a story to write, characters to draw, dialog to record, and something for everyone to do. We don't have any illusions that it will be the next Halo, but it could be a lot of fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Yesterday was Mother's day. And it was pretty great. We had a bit of a hiccup right after church. I left my bag which, along with cameras and bank cards and other important things, had my asthma inhaler in it.

So after driving down to Wal-Mart, we had to back track and go get it. But while we were doing that, the kids took turns picking songs we had on our iPod that their mom would like to hear.

After we had gotten to the church, got my bag, and headed back to Wal-Mart, someone picked the song "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles.

Every one of us knows and loves this song. We're big John Hughes fans and have watched Ferris Beuller's Day Off about 4 billion times.

So the effect Twist and Shout had on the kids was immediate. For the better part of the song, we were parked. That's when things got really fun. Everyone, even Mom, was doing the twist in their seats.

This picture was snapped just as the song got to the "AHHHH AHHH AHHHHHH!" part just at the end of the song. Someone walking by the van would have seen it rocking back and forth and then hearing all the kids screaming this part at the top of their lungs. Probably would have called the police.

Just as I snapped the picture I felt that... something... I don't even know how to describe it, but you know it when you feel it. That warmth, that bursting, that something in your chest when you are feeling pure, unfettered, joy.

I'm an amazingly rich man.