Great Companies

Holly and I are SO grateful whenever happy customers tell others about our photography business and services, so I make a point to tell others about things I'm excited about when I think about it. Here are a few that I was thinking about this morning...

Interstate brand batteries are awesome. I'm talking about car batteries. Oh, and a little known fact is that you can buy blemished Interstate batteries for like $30. Call any store and ask where you can buy a "blem" as they call it.

Also, BG engine treatments are amazing! My buddy Guy treats all my vehicles with BG stuff and it definitely makes a noticeable difference. The induction treatment costs $100 but saves an average of $300 in fuel per year.

And if you ever need anything electronic and cellular or car or home related, check out Petra for amazing prices. We buy all of our cellular accessories there, like car chargers for $0.99 each and new batteries for like $8 each. They have the 10 commandments posted behind the will call desk. You have to have a tax number in order to buy from them, but you can use your SS#, I believe.

Mom's Blog

Did you all know that my own mother has started blogging? Those of you who know her and would like to keep up with her latest, check out her blog here. If you don't know her but you enjoy good art/paintings, then you can check it out, too. =) I'll add it to my list of links on the right hand side.

Hope y'all had a great Christmas. It's been fun to just relax for a few days and hang with the fam.

Duct Tape Feats

Well, it turns out my diaper duct-tape modification wasn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of duct tape feats. I have since seen entire costumes and outfits made of duct tape (mostly from college friends going to Halloween parties) and then I was sent this jewel. This is wrong in more than a few ways, but it's still so funny.


No, that's not Addie. I don't know who she is, but she doesn't look upset at all. That's more than we can say for her dead duck friend who got it around the neck. =)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas is Almost Here

Well, it's almost Christmas and we're already at Holly's parents' place hanging out, watching movies and having a generally good time. John Wayne's "The Green Berets" is on TV and I'm catching up on blog posts that are long overdue. We've been a bit behind since we had so much fun during my parents' visit relaxing and enjoying their company.

We actually got a lot done while they were here. We moved a light fixture in the kitchen (that was installed about a foot out of place and in the way of tall heads) and installed a couple of ceiling fans in the bedrooms, too! Dad sure is handy to have around. We planted a bunch of evergreen ivy, too. Hope it takes off, because it sure is pretty on Mom and Dad's house up in PA. Dad, here's a pic of the finished product. You did a great job of the ceiling patch! It took 3 heavy coats of paint to get it all covered, but it looks great!


One of the simple pleasures of living in OKC is the crosses on the tallest buildings downtown. I took this photo while driving, without a flash and from about a mile or two from downtown (on the highway), so it's not perfect, but you can still see the crosses. Pretty neat, huh?


Here's a funny photo. Blockbuster puts out computers with a screen displayed for customers to use to get a free trial of their online services. The computers are locked down -- there's no navigation bar, you can't right-click, there's no start menu and many of the keys are disabled in a noble attempt to keep the computers on their own web page. Micah, sneaky guy that he is, figures out a way to navigate to Netflix's "Free Trial" page in about 4 seconds. and I just had to get a photo. =)

0-8 Loss

Well, turns out we were missing several of our key players due to Christmas break, so we ended up losing pretty bad out there tonight. It was fun, though. I play defense, but came pretty close to scoring twice.

Here's a bad picture of the T-shirts we got for making it to the Finals.


Well, it's late and I have a big day tomorrow. It's our office's Holiday Open House at Senior Care Services and I have to figure something to bring between now and 8AM. Was going to make pull-apart bread, but with the game tonight, I don't think I have enough energy to do it. Going to hit the sack.

Championship Game Tonight

We've done it, folks. The Crippled Squirrel Football Club has made it to the championship game and we're playing tonight! It's at 9:30 at the Hat Trick Indoor Soccer complex near NW 122nd and Meridian and we'd love to have spectators if any of you are interested. I know this is late notice, sorry!

And sorry for the sparse posts of late. I took a week off for my birthday and relaxed with the fam from PA. Was a great time! Catching up now. =)

Birthday Cake 2006

Well, it's time for my birthday again! 33 years old this year. Every year Hol asks what kind of cake or cookie (or whatever) I would like for my birthday. This year, I couldn't think of anything that really tickled my fancy. Until they come out with a good recipe for Starburst or Skittle cake, there aren't that many great cake options out there. This year, I opted for Rum Cake.

We had some last year at Christmas and it was great! I found a good recipe online that included custard in the recipe, so it should be really moist. I love a good, moist, custardy cake. Holly actually made the cake and I poked a bunch of holes into the top with long skewers so the rum icing could get down inside it and make it even more moist. Mmmm!





Well, tomorrow I'll have to let y'all know how good it is. They say it tastes better with age and some people actually leave it for weeks to age before eating it. Not me. We'll dig in tomorrow and maybe make french toast out of the leftovers if there are any. =)

We're going out to eat tomorrow for my birthday and then to Hol's parents' place for dessert where we'll dig into this beauty. Holly's trying to get some curtains finished before my parents come visit next week and Holly's mom has some really nice sewing equipment, so we'll go down there instead of having dessert at our place.

Well, it's late and I have a few pics to post of Addie's latest catastrophe, so I should run. Thanks for stopping by!

Email from God RE: Christmas

I received the following email (forward) from a 2nd cousin of mine living in Dallas. How does one go about getting on God's email forward list? =) Anyway... What a great message! Here it is:

"Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

"How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

"I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

"If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santa's and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

"Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

"If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose several or all of them:

"1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

"2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

"3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

"4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

"5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

"6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

"7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on the Sabbath. If the store didn't make so much money on My day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

"8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

"9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

"10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

"P.S ~ Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; TIME IS SHORT. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember. I LOVE YOU!"

I particularly appreciate the sentence in the third paragraph in all caps. "If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER." Man, that message needs to go out to everyone fighting for a place in line to check out of the busy retailers this month! I purposely avoid all retailers this month unless I can hit them when they're not busy, like during a snowstorm or before work. =)

Personality Type

I remember doing these personality tests in Chicago with my staff, but I forget what I came up with up there. I know it wasn't the same as this one came up with. Has my personality changed? Probably it has. I think I was an ENTJ, but I don't remember. Can't find any notes on it, either.

You Are An ESFP

The Performer You are a natural performer and happiest when you're entertaining others. A great friend, you are generous, fun-loving and optimistic. You love to laugh - and you like almost all people equally. You accept life as it is, and you do your best to make each day fantastic. You would make a good actor, designer, or counselor.

What's Your Personality Type?

I can't argue with what this came up with for me. I like it, so I'm not going to argue with hit. =) It actually does sound like me. I think all that responsibility in Chicago made me adapt my personality just to survive up there in that high-pressure, stressful environment. I hope I wasn't too terrible to work with. =)