2012 - Day 3 - It's a Smallville After All

Day 3 of 2012 begins with me filling out a job application to become a sub and a Math tutor for Mansfield ISD. Once again, I am looking for a new job. Don't really wish to discuss how/why I need to do this, just back job hunting mode again. I am also going to be working at Starbucks again, hopefully for at least 20 + hours a week, so I can get insurance for me and the kids.

I have also started watching Smallville on DVD. My kids started watching it with their cousins over the holidays and now they want to get it through Netflix. So I borrow Season 1 from my sister-in-law and I am trying to catch up to the kids, so we can watch the rest of it together.

I am also trying to help my kiddos do a little catch up work with their home-schooling so they will be ready to re-enter public schools next year.

Sorry about the corny pun in the title! :)

2012 - Day 2 -- Please Approach the Elephant, Your Adventure is About to Begin

Today my family and I took a trip to visit Jamie's aunt in Lewisville. (We actually went to seen her new cats). After a short visit, we went to the Grapevine Mills Mall, where Rachel used her Books-A-Million gift card and we ate lunch at The Rainforest Cafe. While waiting almost 40 minutes to be seated, I purchased a stuffed King Penguin at their Build-a-Bear Workshop. I named the penguin "Nero" mistakenly thinking I got an "emperor" penguin. The guacamole hamburger I got was so big I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to bite it. As a result, a lot of the fixins fell out of the back onto my plate; it was sort of like eating a burger and a salad.

Despite the delicious food, the cost of the experience was a little pricey, which is probably why we don't visit there very often. It was fun though. I think I want to spend the rest of the afternoon, just sleeping off the burger, before heading out to do a little grocery shopping for the rest of the week.

2012 - Day 1

Happy New Year 2012!

It's another year and it's time to...time to...well...let's see...eat more healthy, try to exercise more, read more, and try to spend more quality time with the family. Seem's like I've heard or resolved all of this before. So, I try again!

Today, I started reading my first new book of the year. I am reading Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. I am also reading Bloom County Babylon: Five Years of Basic Naughtiness by Berke Breathed. I know Bloom County may not be considered literature by some people; however, it is classic reading.

My family and I tried a new place to eat today as well. We tried Babe's Chicken. We have been hearing for a while how great this place is; so, today we tried it. The food was good (I got Catfish, Jamie got Hickory Smoked Chicken, Caleb got a huge Chicken Fried Steak and Rachel got some Pork Ribs) and our waitress was fantastic. Overall the taste of the food couldn't outweigh the price of the food. Considering the price we paid, we would have expected our meal to be some of the best food we have ever eaten. Like I said, the food was good, but it was not great! It was a little disappointing.

So 2012 starts. I hope this year fairs better than 2011.

Books I've Read in 2011

Due to a heavy work load with my job as a teacher, moving and looking for full time work, the number of books I read this year, decreased slightly. Maybe I can get the numbers back up for next year.

Books I’ve Read in 2011

1. God Attachment: Why You Believe, Act, and Feel the Way You Do About God - - Dr. Tim Clinton & Dr. Joshua Straub

2. Scarlet (King Raven Trilogy - Book 2) - Stephen R. Lawhead

3. 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage -- David & Claudia Arp

4. The Evolution of a Creationist -- Jobe Martin, PHD

5. Tuck (King Raven Trilogy - Book 3) -- Stephen R. Lawhead

6. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service -- Ian Fleming

7. Bridge to Terabithia -- Katherine Peterson

8. Love and Respect For a Lifetime -- Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

9. Pirate Latitudes -- Michael Crichton

10. Crocodile Tears -- Anthony Horowitz

11. You Only Live Twice -- Ian Fleming

12. The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living Life With a Grande Passion --

Leonard Sweet

13. The Man With the Golden Gun -- Ian Fleming

14. Inkheart -- Cornelia Funke

15. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM -- Robert C. O’Brien

16. A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-Yet Hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished Christian -- Brian D. McLaren

17. Into the Wild -- Jon Krakauer

18. Alice in Wonderland -- Lewis Carroll

19. Onward: How Starbucks Fought For It’s Life Without Losing It’s Soul -- Howard Schultz

20. The Associate - John Grisham

21. Read, Think, Pray, Live: A Guide to Reading the Bible in a New Way - Tony Jones

22. A Treasure Deep - Alton Gansky

23. Beneath the Ice - Alton Gansky

24. Submerged - Alton Gansky

25. Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back -- Todd Burpo

26. Scorpia Rising -- Anthony Horowitz

27. A Stolen Life: A Memoir -- Jaycee Dugard

28. Bad Kitty Gets a Bath -- Nick Bruel

29. No More Cotton Candy: Energizing Your Spiritual Life with More of God’s Presence and Power -- Jim Hennesy

30. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats -- T.S. Eliot

31. The Confession -- John Grisham

32. Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed -- Patricia Cornwell

33. Chasing Darkness -- Robert Crais

34. Contrary to Popular Belief - Joey Green

What I'm Thankful For - 2011

I am thankful for my beautiful bride, Jamie, who told me just yesterday she would take care of me, "even if my mind was gone." Some times I think she's doing that now!

I am thankful for my son, Caleb. God has great things planned for him.

I am thankful for my daughter, Rachel. She is so full of love for everyone; especially the kitties.

I am thankful for my job. It's not easy being a teacher; however, the few times you witness the look in kid's eyes when they "finally get it," makes most of the bad times, go away.

I am thankful for our two kitties, Scout and Ramey. They are always there for me after a bad day.

I am thankful for my best friend Brent. If only we could retire and watch Ranger games all summer long.

I am thankful for our new home in Mansfield.

I am especially thankful for the LORD God Almighty, who loves me despite the fact I am such a idiot.

There is so much more to be thankful for; however, I need to go. Things to do you know!

Adjusting to a Life in Mansfield, TX

It has been one month since my family and I moved to Mansfield, TX. I finally have a new full-time job teaching 7th/8th Grade Math at Red Oak Jr. High School. So far I am enjoying it. My wife, Jamie and I are trying to car-pool to work on Mondays and Wednesdays to spend more time with each other. (She works in Waxahachie, TX at the Ellis County Children's Advocacy Center.)

We found us a great rent home in Mansfield and as of today (Oct. 22) our home in Longview, TX is under contract to close on Nov. 2nd. This will eliminate our mortgage payment, allowing us to use my salary to make larger payments toward our remaining debts. Dave Ramsey would be happy.

The kids are still enjoying home school, although they do miss getting out to mingle with other kids. We are looking into getting Caleb a car, so they can get out during the day while Jamie and I are at work. We are also looking for a new church home. We have visited a couple of great local churches and plan on visiting a couple of more before we narrow down our choices and try to settle in somewhere. We are hoping the kids get involved with the youth group and Jamie and I can get plugged into some good classes or small groups to make some new friends.

The only bad thing that has happened since we have moved here is my blood pressure has gone back up and I am back on blood pressure medication. I guess the stress of the move, the stress of teaching/disciplining kids at school and me not eating healthy, have triggered the rise in BP.

We are slowly unpacking and turning this rent house into our new home. We have an option to buy and the neighborhood is great. Maybe once we get most of our remaining debt paid off, we will see about buying this home.

Good luck to the Texas Rangers on going to the World Series for the 2nd year straight!