I've got to start writting

So I brought this movie home tonight because my wife eats these stories up. I will fully admit that I've sat through every chick flick ever produced in the last 10 years but that is because I am completely in love with my wife. I am into enough weird things like blogging and guitars that I can put up with the occasional romantic comedy.
What I realized as I was watching this movie is that I need to write one of these. I called all the scenes in this flick...literally I knew what was going to happen in every scene. I've sat through so many of these that I know the recipe like it was my grandma's chocolate pie.
Anyone up for writing one of these with me and making a quick million dollars??? Billy???

How pumped am I...

...that the NBA finals are on ABC...the only channel I get with my HD antenna...word!!!
There are two reasons a person should have cable tv...NBA playoffs and Man vs. Wild. Outside of that, cable is useless. The Celtics are going to mop the floor with the Lakers...and after it's over Garnett's gonna poop on Kobe's MVP trophy...can't wait!
What's your reason for cable tv?

2 men and 5 kids in Red Robin

No...it's not a pilot for a new sitcom this summer.
It was mom's night out tonight...so the ladies took off for dinner and a movie.
Nate and I think to ourselves...Red Robin.
Go to a really loud crowded place were no one will care if your kids are screaming.
They all did remarkably well...we left throughly impressed with our kids.
I'm pretty sure I left my aviator's on the table Emily...if someone turned them in can you bring them to the Stirring?
A grandma came up to us at the end of dinner and said she was really impressed with us having the courage to bring out the kids. She said they were really well behaved.
I think it's funny that most people think fathers have absolutely no idea what they are doing when it comes to actually being fathers. I admit...I'm a moron and my wife is amazing...but I shouldn't get a brownie for taking my kids out to a restaurant. Have I talked about this before?

Blogger is killing me

I've been trying to load pics of our camping trip but it's not letting me...maybe tomorrow.
Camping was a lot of fun...really cold...8 hours of driving to get there...good times...great to hang with old friends.
Note to self...don't ever fill up your gas in Big Sur...$5.39 a gallon...that's not a type-o
Most romantic anniversary of all time...I wake up on an inflated mattress, fully clothed with a beanie on, no shower in three days and my wife whispers...happy anniversary. We celebrated 9 years of marital bliss by driving our kids back home from camping...good times.
I'm hopin' to take Alyssa out sometime this week to actually celebrate...anyone want to watch our kids?
We're back!

Goin' camping

The time has arrived for the annual camping trip. We leave tomorrow for Big Sur to hang with some great friends. We've been doin' this trip for years and now our destinations are becoming more creative. This trip started when we were the young pastors on staff at the Grove. The Osbornes, the Boones, the Foors, the McIntyres, and us. Now three of the five families are no longer at the Grove but the trip still lives. We have traveled north along with the Osbornes so San Clemente is a little harder to get to now. So we decided on a spot in the middle of California...Big Sur...should be awesome.
No blogs from Dan for a couple days. Start mentally preparing yourself now because just going cold turkey without one of my posts to get you through the day has been known to leave people pretty screwed up!
I'll take pictures. See ya Wednesday.
I think I found the bike I'm ordering...thanks for sending me that direction Ian. Can't wait to start ridin'!

Anyone know how to...

...get rotating links on blogger? I'd like to have 5-10 links for people that rotate on the side of my blog. I feel like I have an overwhelming amount of people in my blogroll. I know you can do it on wordpress. Can you do it on blogger? I'm also trying to hook up the category cloud, but I am html dumb. Give me some love Ian.

Tomorrow is the day...

...I'm becoming a bike man. I've looked at quite a few bikes now and I've saved up my pennies from my b-day. I'm pretty sure I'm getting a Lager like this one. I took one for a spin today and really liked it. I really want a road bike that I can take to work and get around town on. Let me know if you've seen any sweet deals around. I've been checking Craigslist like crazy but nothin' so far. I know you can take an old 10 speed and turn it into a fixed gear or single speed but everyone knows I'm not that smart. If you see me around town make sure you honk, point and laugh at me. I'll be the sweaty bald guy with really weird facial hair. Anyone up for a ride?

I've only been gone for five months...

...and Riverside is experiencing the apocalypse. Today at 4pm a tornado touched down at March Airforce base which is a couple miles from the church I used to work at. Plus my dad told me they've caught 4 snakes in the last week trying to get into the facility. I say watch out for locust and frogs. Today was 75 degrees and beautiful in Redding. Hope I didn't just jinx it! If some of my Riverside crew could run by our rental on Diablo and make sure the roof is still on top of the house I'd really appreciate it.
There's no place like home...click, click.

couple days with Trav

Trav came up for a couple days to hang at our District Conference for the C&MA. So good to see him...great talks...got to talk about family and dreams and what God is doing in us. He will always be an amazing friend. I love the way Trav follows Jesus...it makes me want to do it better. Great friends are hard to come by. Thanks Travis.

I really like my week

Sunday's I hang with the fam all morning. Head to the Stirring around 2pm. Get home in time to talk to my wife and chill for about an hour.
Monday is my Sabbath. I think I took three naps today. Monday's are awesome.
Tuesday is staff day. Nate, Meg and I meet. Nate, Derrick and I meet. We have staff meeting. Tuesday night are my Life Group nights.
Wednesday I get up early. We pray with the advisory team. Nate and I go work out. Then it's off to downtown Starbucks. One of my favorite times of the week. We study, laugh, argue, talk vision and ask them to turn the music down for hours.
Thursday and Friday I spend a lot of time with my Life Group leaders and other peeps. Phone, email, coffee.
Saturday I chill. Hang with friends and family.
I've realized that showers are optional Monday and Saturday...I like it that way...these are the days I get refreshed with my family.
I really like my week. I feel like I've got a pretty good rhythm in Redding. There are weeks that are crazy but it's a good crazy. I don't feel overwhelmed.
I'm telling you...when I start eating right and exercising, everything in my life makes more sense.
BTW...I lost 3 pounds this week...WORD!!!

May is moustache month!!!

I've only been in Redding for five months and the inner hick has already surfaced. Alyssa can't get enough of it. I need everyone's opinion...who do I look more like???
1. Wyatt Earp
2. Cereal killer
3. Hulk Hogan
4. Member of Village People
5. You decide

Death cabs new album

do yourself a favor and grab it.
$10 bucks at amazon. i scooped it up at Starbucks for $13
picked it up a couple days ago.
really like it.
way more distortion and electric than your typical Death cab album.
don't go into it with old assumptions and I think you'll dig it.
love the song "Grapevine fires"
if you know me that won't surprise you.
i always skip the pop radio hits and gravitate to the drawn out dark songs that turn into crazy anthems that want to rip your face off...i'm a sucker for it every time!
Any other reviews, or other albums people should be picking up this summer?

600th post

That's pretty crazy.
Can't think of too many things I've done 600 times and still enjoy doing.
I'm pretty sure I've played the chord progression...D...A...Bm...G 600 times and that never gets old.
In the past 3 years I'm pretty sure I've ordered 600 tall Americano's with no room and that will never change!
So I guess I like this blogging thing is what I'm trying to say.
Honestly I just love the blog crew that has surfaced in Riverside and Redding. I feel like I've had a little bit to do with that and it makes me smile.
Keep blogging.

What month is it???

Farmers market this morning at 7:45am...80 degrees.
Yesterday at 3pm...105 degrees.
What happened to spring?
Thought my allergies were gone in Redding...they aren't!
Sorry for the Debbie Downer post

Random pics from vacation

Good times had by all!

The Aftermath

Both our kids got shots today. They each got four to be exact. I had to hold Zeke down straight jacket style...it wasn't fun. We hate giving our kids shots but they won't let Zeke into Kindergarten without them. These are pics at our house at 6pm tonight. It was a long day for our little ones.

Good times

After my 45 minute walk this morning I thought it would be a good idea to go out and play hours of ultimate frisbee tonight. One problem...I built up some crazy chaffing this morning because I never walk that long...couple that with running after a frisbee till I can't breath and you got the perfect recipe for a guy who now walks around like he's been riding a horse for 2 1/2 months on a sandpaper saddle...too much information...sorry...the best blogs always involve details...are babies the only ones that can use diaper rash cream? Just wondering.
Until next week...

God cares about my health

So yesterday I decide to get serious about getting back in shape. This morning I wake up to an alarm...go outside for a walk...have no idea where to go...turn left out of my house....then right...seven minutes of walking through new housing development...stumble upon Clover Creek preserve (a beautiful 30 minute paved walk through a huge clearing and around a couple ponds)...I love being out in nature when I hang with God on walks.
As I was coming back to my house I just thanked God for caring enough about my health to give me a sweet place to walk and meet with him that is right around the corner from my house. Sometimes you need some sweet incentive like that when you're starting back into a routine. God is good...my legs are burning.

The notebook of shame is back

I have officially gained back more than half of the 55 pounds I lost a year ago...sucks.
The notebook of shame is back. I write down everything I eat and every time I exercise in this bad boy. This is the only way I stay disciplined with what I eat...call me weak but it works. No crazy gimmicks, no detox cleansing, just good old fashioned smaller portions. It's a novel idea but when you don't eat like a horse you can stay at a healthy weight.
175 by the end of summer is the goal. If I don't reach that goal I give everyone in the blog world permission to come up to me at will and slap me. If you don't live close feel free to berate me over the internet or hurl insults at me with reckless abandon.

What kind of idiot forgets Mothers Day?

Oh wait...that's me!
Sucks.
Alyssa just reminded me.
Gotta go.
I've got some makin' up to do.
If you're reading this and you forgot but you haven't been caught yet...there's still time...do something nice for your wife or mom.

Made it back!

Last night was great. Bunch of friends a the Spaghetti Factory...money! Came home...packed...took off this morning...kids did awesome on the plane...drove to Redding...suckiest drive on earth...made it. We're back!
Thanks to our families and friends that made vacation awesome. Love ya'll!

Best Office moment of the week

Andy taking the golf cart and flying into the sand trap...classic!
The blisters on his hands were pretty funny too.

Last night in the time share

This vacation has been awesome.
Great times with my wife, my kids, friends and family.
Tons of rest.
Lots of great food.
Lots of reading.
4 movies in 4 days.
And I bought a new hat today. Life is good.
You become a hat guy when you're bald and you live in a place that gets up to 187 degrees in the summer. I'm preparing myself.
We'll be back for the Stirring this Sunday!

Things you only see in Newport Beach

Today at Fashion Island we saw a woman with a Maltese dog strapped to her chest in one of the baby sling backpack things that you throw your kids in...unbelievable. I'm so mad I didn't have my camera. Last time I checked dogs like going for walks and not being strapped to people...only in Newport.
This place cracks me up. I can't look in any direction without seeing a Mercedes, Land Rover, or Hummer. I'm pretty sure my Echo wouldn't feel at home here. We are definitely a little out of our element. It's nice to visit but I could not survive down here.

Justice in the Burbs

Just finished this book...really enjoyed it.
I like how it was set up.
It was written by a married couple. They share a personal story about their journey to living justly...then they give you some application to how this can work out in your context...then they have some third party contributers offer a meditation based on the chapter.
Here's the benediction at the end of the book:
May the God of peace, justice, and hope lead you on the pathways of mercy and compassion. May you have the heart of God, the eyes of Jesus, and the leading of the Spirit as you seek to join with the work of those who have gone before you. and may you grow in grace.
That's my prayer for all you RevRock readers today.
Shalom

Alone with the wife

I love my kids...but I LOVE my wife! Today is the first day that we got to spend just the two of us at the beach. It was amazing. It's been a long time since it's been just the two of us for the day. The only weird part was how quiet it was. No one repeatedly asking us the same questions or grunting and doing sign language for "i'm hungry." Here was the itinerary for the day:
Sleep in
Chill
Lunch
Chill
2 hour nap
Yard House
Black and Tan
Movie
Starbucks
Chill
The perfect day

100 days to go till Moses shows up

creepy floating baby says so. What the heck...i'm gonna be the father of three...still hasn't set in.

Vacation is on!!!

we made it.
I've already taken a nap
played a round on golf
watched some playoff basketball
eaten at Sub Station (chilled with Sam and Mike)
saw my life group homies over coffee
spent time with family
chilled in a timeshare (thanks moms and pops) with three flat screens...totally necessary
shopped at TJ and eaten some sushi
tomorrow the beach!