tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63273083400804307682024-03-06T00:54:36.491-05:00Echoes from the BlueRandom thoughts for your Random Days.BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-82865851792105815282011-08-10T12:02:00.004-04:002011-08-10T12:25:39.464-04:00Bold Faith Via "24"<!-- New post --><!-- Signature -->Wow. It's been almost a year and a half since I updated. No good. In that time, we've:
<br /><ul><li>Celebrated our 5th Anniversary</li><li>Watched Zachary turn 4</li><li>Started as Worship Pastor for FBC St. Rose</li><li>Jessica started as a teacher at the NOBTS Preschool</li><li>Had another baby (Tyler, born June 17th, 2011)</li><li>Left my position at FBC St. Rose.</li></ul>So, I guess I'm still looking for a job...maybe not much has changed after all.
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<br />As to the title of this post, if you know me well, or have known me long, you know that I love the show "<a href="http://24.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page" target="new">24</a>." While it might not be on Jon Acuff's list of <a href="http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2011/08/things-i-shouldnt-know-exist/" target="new">things I shouldn't know exist</a>, it is probably not the best TV show to enjoy as a Christian. Not many of Jack Bauer's actions or justifications echo Christ. Still, it was a wonderful show, and I do hope to see a feature film sometime soon.
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<br />But what does that have to do with "bold faith?" Well, again, if you know me, you know that I am a Twitter guy. I love it. I like following people, I like posting, I like staying connected.
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<br />Recently, I noticed that <a href="http://www.jpmorrison.com/" target="new">James Morrison</a>, the actor who played Bill Buchanan on "24," was on Twitter. I decided to <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/JamesPMorrison" target="new">follow</a> him, thinking I might see a few "24" related nuggets, and some interesting insight. What I got was a test of faith and paitience, and ultimately a growth of bold faith.
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<br />You see, Mr. Morrison and I disagree on almost everything he says politically, spiritually, and socially. However, I do believe it is his goal to make his followers <span style="font-style: italic;">think</span>. He and I have bantered back-and-forth several times, and I have found that standing up for my beliefs in love has helped grow my faith to be bold.
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<br />Christ was bold. He didn't just say, "let's agree to disagree," and move on. He was vocal about who He was and what He was doing. He didn't hit people over the head or start wars, but He did challenge the authorities to drop the formal rituals and pretense, and worship God as we were intended to do. He challenged His believers to take the Gospel and share it with all; to love unconditionally; to be humble; to put others first. Now <span style="font-weight: bold;">that</span> is being bold.
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<br />So, while I am sure Mr. Morrison wouldn't agree with my conclusions, I do want to thank him for challenging me to remain steadfast in faith while showing love to all...even those who don't accept the Gospel as I do. I must follow my Savior as He calls me, no matter the cost, and no matter what others think. I must be bold.
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<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-46558861414126849602010-03-02T08:07:00.001-05:002010-03-02T08:07:53.986-05:00Just Catching Up...Man, time managent is a difficult skill to master! It has been a few weeks since I wrote anything here, so I figured I could drop a little line for everyone. <br /><br />We're doing really good. Over the past few weeks, both Jessica's parents and my parents have come to visit us. I've sung in a few concerts with the "Seminarians," an all male vocal ensemble. And I've had a few tests and papers. All in all, life is busy. <br /><br />Zachary is growing like a weed. Jessica cut his hair Sunday evening, and it looks good. It's pretty short, but I like it. Zachary is, however, obsessed with parades and beads. He is always playing parades in the house - marching, pretending to be on a float, throwing beads, etc. If we end up leaving New Orleans, he will be so heartbroken without those Mardi Gras parades.<br /><br />I have been looking for a job, but nothing yet. I have my resume in to several engineering places, as well as about 6 churches. We're praying God will show us which one is right, and lead them to make us an offer. He has provided so far, no reason to think He will stop now.<br /><br />~E~<br />BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-27549195342415516402010-02-08T12:20:00.005-05:002010-02-08T12:44:55.814-05:00A Theological Dissection of a "Miraculous" Victory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://imgsrv.knx1070.com/image/DbGraphic/201002/1491291.jpg?1265602740"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 182px;" src="http://imgsrv.knx1070.com/image/DbGraphic/201002/1491291.jpg?1265602740" alt="" border="0" /></a>Several thousand years ago, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were sitting around in a pre-creation planning meeting. They were going over God's calendar of events for the universe, when they came to February 7, 2010. Jesus saw "Saints win Superbowl," and, being a bit puzzled, pointed at the date. He then looked at God and asked, "Who Dat?"<br /><br />Thus, the legend was born.<br /><br />In all seriousness, here in New Orleans, things are crazy. A lot of claims are being made right now, the most popular being that this was destiny, or that God had planned this. As a Christian, a seminary student, and a (relatively new) Saints fan, I wanted to dissect that claim.<br /><br />First of all, we know that it was God's will for the Saints to beat the Colts, otherwise, it wouldn't have happened. To get all Calvinist, God had this planned from before time began. None of this surprised God.<br /><br />Now, so many people in the French Quarter last night were drinking their "spirits" and celebrating like hooligans, shouting into news cameras that this was God's plan, and that this was a team of destiny. There was even a guy dressed as "Breesus," mocking Jesus himself, spouting claims that were, in essence, that "God's team won."<br /><br />While I agree that it was God's plan, and that this team is a team of destiny, I don't agree that this team is more special than any other. Don't get me wrong, I have totally immersed myself into the Saints, and I do love the team. But in actuality, every team is a team of destiny. The Detroit Lions last year were just as much a team of destiny as the Saints were this year. So were the Pittsburgh Steelers in Superbowl XLIII, the New York Giants in XLII, etc. God has it all mapped out.<br /><br />Now, the other thing I hear is that God was showing New Orleans kindness for all they had to deal with, with Katrina and the issues there. And that may be true, but I just think that this victory is more of an object lesson for believers in this area. We just have to look for the lesson.<br /><br />You see, I found myself wondering: Why would God give such joy to a populace who constantly reject and mock him?<br /><br />See it yet?<br /><br />Jesus suffered and died for a people that laughed at Him, spit on Him, ripped His beard from His face. They didn't deserve it. They deserved death and punishment. But they were given love, joy, peace. We are given love, joy, and peace. Except the peace, joy, and love of Jesus is worth more than a thousand Saints Superbowl victories.<br /><!-- Signature --><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-7780739544717751352010-01-29T16:41:00.002-05:002010-01-29T16:58:31.615-05:00Seminary Started...<!-- New post -->Well, I am finishing up my second week here at <a href="http://www.nobts.edu">New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary</a>, and I am just now getting a few moments to bust out a new blog post. I'm going to keep this short, because I have tons of reading to do, and I really need to get back to it.<br /><br />Anyway, for those that don't know, I am trying to get my Masters of Divinity degree in Worship Leadership, focusing on Music. It will probably take me 3 years (or more) to get done with the degree, so we will be here for at least that long.<br /><br />We really enjoy it here. The campus is beautiful, and very family-centric. Outside these walls is a different story, but, as one of my professors said, this just shows what light looks like in the midst of darkness.<br /><br />For those wondering, I am taking 4 classes this semester: Intro to the Cooperative Program, Baptist Heritage, Exploring the New Testament, and Technology in Worship Music. So far, I like my classes, but it is hard getting back into the swing of doing school work. Time management is key!<br /><br />Jessica is babysitting a couple of our neighbor's kids. It can be frustrating at times, going from one child to three, but it is good for Zachary. He gets interaction with older kids, and it is helping expand his communication (not to mention, stretch his ability to share).<br /><br />Over all, we really love it here, and are glad we listened to the Lord's call in our lives.<br /><br />Anyway, that is about it for now. Love you all, and see y'all soon!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-47519774133932669682009-11-03T21:30:00.002-05:002009-11-04T08:11:12.162-05:00Press the Pause Button...Have you ever said something in the spur of the moment that you immediately regretted?<br /><br />With Twitter, Facebook, text messaging, and the like, it is easier than ever to stay connected. Right now, I am typing this blog post on my mobile phone.<br /><br />However, it is also invariably easier to be too quick to speak, and, in doing so, speak without thinking. Just this past week, the Kansas City Chiefs suspended running back Larry Johnson because of his devisive comments on Twitter. Because of, and in spite of, our technological advances, and our reliance on social networking, we have lost something. Chuck Olliver, sports radio DJ in Atlanta, said it best: "We have lost our ability to pause." In normal conversation, we usually take the time to think through our thoughts. But, in social networking communication, we tend to "speak our peace," without stopping to think about what we are saying (or typing).<br /><br />The Bible says in the book of James that we are to be "quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger" (James 1:19). We need to take the time to pause. Whenever your boss treats you unfairly, don't immediately post it on Facebook. When your wife isn't listening to you, don't tweet it on your way to work. Take a step back. Take a breath. Hit the pause button. Think it through. Try to see the other side.<br /><br />Slow to speak, quick to hear, slow to anger. Trust me, it'll be worth the wait. <br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-6392885698023770252009-08-04T19:08:00.004-04:002009-08-04T19:18:54.383-04:00The Agent: An Unfinished Tale...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.gwu.edu/%7Ensarchiv/news/20000817/lobbyseal-lg.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 138px;" src="http://www.gwu.edu/%7Ensarchiv/news/20000817/lobbyseal-lg.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><!-- New post -->Well, to anyone who saw my tweet earlier today, I ran across a story I had started writing five or six years ago. It is a story of intrigue and action; suspense and daring...well it would have been, had I ever finished it!<br /><br />It is a story about a secret government agent, Derek Williams. I had some really big plans for this story, but I never got around to finish it. In fact, I never really got it completely started.<br /><br />I think the story is pretty good, if I do say so myself, but definitely needs some touching up (in addition to finishing it, or course--seeing the pattern?)<br /><br />Anyway, if you care to read it, it is <a href="http://stephenjennings.googlepages.com/theagent">here</a>.<br /><br /><!-- Signature --><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="new"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-29304740126919935822009-07-13T11:13:00.003-04:002009-07-13T11:16:45.862-04:00Busy Busy Busy....<!-- New post -->Well, things have been crazy busy lately. The project I am working on at work is deploying, meaning I am in the field (thankfully it is local), and so I haven't been able to update the blog much.<br /><br />I am using Twitter now, so if you really need to keep up, you can check me out at <a href="http://twitter.com/bigeasy60">http://twitter.com/bigeasy60</a>.<br /><br /><!-- Signature --><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-58704411818915882612009-06-08T21:31:00.003-04:002009-06-08T21:58:48.404-04:00Super Dad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.geocities.com/carstenweye/SuperDad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 136px;" src="http://www.geocities.com/carstenweye/SuperDad.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Being a dad is not for the faint of heart. When you become a father, God entrusts you with another life -- a whole person that you are supposed to mold and shape into something that is pleasing to God and functional to society. Society's demands on what a man/woman should be are pretty high, but God's standards are higher...<span style="font-style: italic;">much higher</span>.<br /><br />We, as fathers, are stewards of our children, just like we are stewards of our time, talents, and money. We will ultimately answer to God for how we have raised our children -- and that should send a chill up your spine. Paul wrote that we should not <a href="http://studylight.org/desk/?query=col+3:21&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en">"<span class="contextverse">exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart." (Col 3:21)</span></a> He also stated that we have the responsibility to discipline and educate our children in the Lord <a href="http://studylight.org/desk/?query=eph+6:4&t=nas&st=1&new=1&sr=1&sc=1&l=en">(Eph 6:4)</a>. Those are big responsibilities to have. <span style="font-style: italic;">We</span> are responsible for how our children turn out.<br /><br />Tonight, I was delivered a wake-up call of sorts from my 2 year old son. There is no doubt that he loves his daddy. But I, like most fathers, tend to have a hard time actually spending time with him. When I get home from work, I want to relax. I want to zone out and watch TV, or something. But all Zachary wants is for his daddy to play with him. He is <span style="font-style: italic;">craving</span> some attention from me. Most nights, I confess, I just want him to play on his own, and stay out of trouble. But tonight, it hit me how important it is for me to spend time with him. <span style="font-style: italic;">Why I <span style="font-weight: bold;">must make time </span>for him.</span><br /><br />After his bath tonight, I got him into his PJs. Tonight, his shirt was a Superman shirt. After I got him ready for bed, I left him to play in his room, while I went to our bedroom. Jessica and I were sorting through some old clothes. As we have both lost a little weight recently, we were looking to see if any of the old clothes fit. I grabbed an old t-shirt that had a Superman logo on it, and decided to try it on, since Zach was wearing his (it fit, happily). As I was putting it on, Zach came into the room, and saw my shirt. He started saying "Superman!" and pointing at my shirt. He was saying it over and over, "Superman! Superman!"<br /><br />I pointed to his shirt, and asked him, "are you Superman too?" His reply: "No! Superman Daddy! Superman Daddy!"<br /><br />My son thinks I am Superman. It's time I started to act like it. Maybe it is time for you to act like a Superman to your kids too.<br /><!-- New post --><br /><!-- Signature --><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-62965858856178421322009-06-05T08:54:00.004-04:002009-06-05T09:43:41.190-04:00Brave New World...<!-- New post -->Well, it has been a while since I posted something sports related, so I figured today I would talk about what has been going on with the <a href="http://braves.mlb.com/">Atlanta Braves</a>. The Braves are 26-26 this year, and sit in <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/standings">3rd Place in the NL East</a>, 6 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.<br /><br />But, the big news out of Atlanta this week was this: Tom Glavine was released in order to make room for rookie standout pitcher Tommy Hanson.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.chattanoogan.com/photo_images/gallery_30943.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 204px; height: 249px;" src="http://images.chattanoogan.com/photo_images/gallery_30943.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/images/2009/05/21/YTT5omKV.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 270px;" src="http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/images/2009/05/21/YTT5omKV.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><!-- Signature --><br />I guess this move wouldn't bother me so much, if the Braves had handled the situation better. I understand the cost and the liability of having Glavine pitch a game you think he will end up losing, but the man did all that you asked him to do. Why wait until he is about to make his season debut to do it? To save yourself $1+ million?<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong, Hanson does make the Braves a better team. But he is still a rookie, and Glavine is a 300-game winner, hall of famer. From a baseball perspective, it was the right move. From a personal perspective, it was bad. You gotta treat people better than that.<br /><br />Now, on to the other move that went down last week: Nate McLouth is an Atlanta Brave!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://umpbump.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/nate-mclouth2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 253px;" src="http://umpbump.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/nate-mclouth2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>McLouth is a career <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mclouna01.shtml">.261/.339/.462 hitter</a>, with 60 career HR, and he won a Gold Glove in CF last year. He was an All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, as well. He is under contract through 2011, with a club option for 2012.<br /><br />Many people wonder what the aquisition of a center fielder does to Jordan Schafer's place in the organization. Schafer is a much better defender than McClouth, and both men can play all three outfield positions. So, I don't see that this causes any problems. More than likely, it will allow Schafer a year in AAA to get his swing back together, and he will patrol CF next year with McLouth in LF. That does mean that Jeff Francoeur will have to step up his game in RF, or he may find himself playing somewhere else.<br /><br />I really like the McLouth trade. The guys we gave up were pretty good, but we needed a bat in the outfield, and McLouth is young and a decent fielder. Assuming the Phillies start playing like humans, and not baseball-programmed robots, the Braves still have a good shot at winning the East.<br /><br />Only time will tell, but I do have a good feeling about this Braves team. Or, as Zachary would say, "Go Braves!"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-6843092290377411552009-05-25T10:55:00.003-04:002009-05-25T11:08:36.716-04:00Gone to the dogs...<!-- New post --><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6anjRrsviASugCeN68BKiIICf5jmiC7sT0NF__aMo0Z3_fb5Bb7pN-xTlftq4mBjr_fgC7sz6fyLI1lrjH4mbqhrcY66EfiYxk9Wd0Wu65UwGNa0lXi_I20DVwZJYRWtVd5hP7uZgKe0/s1600-h/100_7427.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6anjRrsviASugCeN68BKiIICf5jmiC7sT0NF__aMo0Z3_fb5Bb7pN-xTlftq4mBjr_fgC7sz6fyLI1lrjH4mbqhrcY66EfiYxk9Wd0Wu65UwGNa0lXi_I20DVwZJYRWtVd5hP7uZgKe0/s320/100_7427.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339777858381792834" border="0" /></a><br />So, I was going through some old pictures, and I found a few of Zachary with Grandma's last set of puppies. I thought they were cute enough to share. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnZBAwuUkRhg-SxSGBskjgTqvKI8w9vE0vb2a6xajbjTrBKSOkNvEUat8rNN78dpTxJGGxHxnL6SaDsAk6mSkGDqA-iR-YcyBsuqOhE0BPN8d2P6xthNk-OAPqEfcjX5p_YFXAvjPk4s/s1600-h/100_7426.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnZBAwuUkRhg-SxSGBskjgTqvKI8w9vE0vb2a6xajbjTrBKSOkNvEUat8rNN78dpTxJGGxHxnL6SaDsAk6mSkGDqA-iR-YcyBsuqOhE0BPN8d2P6xthNk-OAPqEfcjX5p_YFXAvjPk4s/s320/100_7426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339777851523222146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxsO2Y6QE_8lqxTHOAmHkPUVrS4EzYsSX2U6JzvTV5e4dxI1Qu2OdW2slyiQ4ApwOgDiyhOVKeJNuT2F4-Ea94w6LJjx-nynhSfz5EbW9ifgs474TQPU4J-3yBXDkiDGPa06tncyWbMc/s1600-h/100_7433.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxsO2Y6QE_8lqxTHOAmHkPUVrS4EzYsSX2U6JzvTV5e4dxI1Qu2OdW2slyiQ4ApwOgDiyhOVKeJNuT2F4-Ea94w6LJjx-nynhSfz5EbW9ifgs474TQPU4J-3yBXDkiDGPa06tncyWbMc/s320/100_7433.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339777866591116754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlnJ6kbJUj_-gceH80wL0rncom1FDmYlNIEQrCJs3oEwHaNHFVCSKT0_UIR0ilktg7BQos7TYbzNwtE2QsC4P8v7h73VKqj-8QLBlQ5JkoD7BxihqUZOMECfJGuYSypj_ZjgKaXixfA4/s1600-h/100_7436.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlnJ6kbJUj_-gceH80wL0rncom1FDmYlNIEQrCJs3oEwHaNHFVCSKT0_UIR0ilktg7BQos7TYbzNwtE2QsC4P8v7h73VKqj-8QLBlQ5JkoD7BxihqUZOMECfJGuYSypj_ZjgKaXixfA4/s320/100_7436.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339777873463344722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl4_VkpfYJJ-jlwOWMwgjF15AxO0ibyBy7GtbJHTGEOBNaN7SRQQjt6zZ2p-dO57kgMNhwiWqYTpnpXTkG4ZSe6_IZ1Fj9IR8sJZmhyzbmyDScn0mEl3UfvqQHI809v64ZGuJa7k21sc/s1600-h/100_7435.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl4_VkpfYJJ-jlwOWMwgjF15AxO0ibyBy7GtbJHTGEOBNaN7SRQQjt6zZ2p-dO57kgMNhwiWqYTpnpXTkG4ZSe6_IZ1Fj9IR8sJZmhyzbmyDScn0mEl3UfvqQHI809v64ZGuJa7k21sc/s320/100_7435.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339777869671920498" border="0" /></a>He's a mess, but he loves those puppies!<br /><br /><!-- Signature --><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-50332338448149481362009-05-13T08:44:00.004-04:002009-05-13T09:21:57.273-04:00Remembering Chris...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v653/182/6/741876829/n741876829_2331539_2179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 451px; height: 338px;" src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v653/182/6/741876829/n741876829_2331539_2179.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><!-- New post -->I got a call yesterday, informing me that a good friend of mine from SPSU, Chris Shaffer, had died. He collapsed on the bus on his way to work. He was 29. Please pray for his wife Jennifer, and their two young children, Makayla and Ben.<br /><br />This is a picture from one of our labs at school.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxXhAg-zt9e8WVpGw6t3QMm01O4DHf26B18kuC_Gs0aJZHS8FEs5o8NnOJOH07cxPOMDLzx-EWsbljk75H1XGu1MWxDQLL9RVH1pnj6ai77IZ1ApkHiZp3wki_ijzQWBeHFMdjYw3rq4/s1600-h/meinlab.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxXhAg-zt9e8WVpGw6t3QMm01O4DHf26B18kuC_Gs0aJZHS8FEs5o8NnOJOH07cxPOMDLzx-EWsbljk75H1XGu1MWxDQLL9RVH1pnj6ai77IZ1ApkHiZp3wki_ijzQWBeHFMdjYw3rq4/s320/meinlab.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335297027703024706" border="0" /></a>Chis was a jokester, and the sign "I Love Digital!!" was a dig at the professor taking the picture. It was an Electronics 2 lab exercise, and Professor Hodges was an analog guy. So, for fun, Chris made up that sign.<br /><br />We spent countless hours together working on projects, or playing paintball, or just hanging out.<br /><br />I hadn't seen Chris in a while, and had talked to him a few months ago. He seemed well, and happy. It is sad that someone so young is now gone. It is a statement to how short life really is, and that we are never promised a tomorrow.<br /><br />R.I.P. Chris.<br /><!-- Signature --><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-62958034000662656122009-05-12T13:15:00.002-04:002009-05-12T13:17:10.193-04:00Format ChangesSo, I decided to shake things up a bit. Changed my layout, etc. Gotta keep you all on your toes.<br /><br />Hopefully I will have a new post sometime this week.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/165/58EB9F8A41BCED00507B004C78CC8BFE.png" /></a>BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-68239823398526953282009-04-27T10:11:00.006-04:002009-05-12T12:54:00.692-04:00Weekend Adventures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxF0BAulJ81qG2H23PDqyY5g1lNWqBE7lgskr5INbb5cXSLdPVnFR1nVdz7GV6MX0PvyO9SBE2sUw84092FOqe33mAUpXVwRMAS9DrFokFWSxLWduuf3eJcfJp3o2Kvmq3T8s_t4vOKg/s1600-h/IMG_0128.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxF0BAulJ81qG2H23PDqyY5g1lNWqBE7lgskr5INbb5cXSLdPVnFR1nVdz7GV6MX0PvyO9SBE2sUw84092FOqe33mAUpXVwRMAS9DrFokFWSxLWduuf3eJcfJp3o2Kvmq3T8s_t4vOKg/s320/IMG_0128.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329375297796840882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This weekend, we had a few family adventures. Saturday, we decided to go to Stone Mountain, and take the walk-up trail.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UBGYBt1vNlr3_EgAXz8jeN4xB73MjYufB9OWbH7MQwjrh6D6o5Op-yGt1OIXjzUawz4Rwi3DDmJXDP93U1FZIVEbY1PKfvP0zPVbI_xXI4tXFpoL2KMSd0QzoWLH6FtBhZ5fExo0bww/s1600-h/IMG_0120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UBGYBt1vNlr3_EgAXz8jeN4xB73MjYufB9OWbH7MQwjrh6D6o5Op-yGt1OIXjzUawz4Rwi3DDmJXDP93U1FZIVEbY1PKfvP0zPVbI_xXI4tXFpoL2KMSd0QzoWLH6FtBhZ5fExo0bww/s320/IMG_0120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329375289822989138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We actually made it all the way up to the top! Zachary did a good job climbing up there, and seemed to have fun. The climb down was a bit rougher for him, because he was really tired, and it was really HOT Saturday. But we had a lot of fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbu68TOR1_-gf2S5gr5XC07f9e4cJzBKV7VpsAx5ZrJrtIryDw8KaD9NdzXYZTOrRejnKv-GhaLfPXi1gs5vN5OKyy7Q17GIaxtNtdUT9fwz9kpAzGvqE16sxx3vjwwAOQQtv1_8mgwQ/s1600-h/IMG_0129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbu68TOR1_-gf2S5gr5XC07f9e4cJzBKV7VpsAx5ZrJrtIryDw8KaD9NdzXYZTOrRejnKv-GhaLfPXi1gs5vN5OKyy7Q17GIaxtNtdUT9fwz9kpAzGvqE16sxx3vjwwAOQQtv1_8mgwQ/s320/IMG_0129.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329375289467007346" border="0" /></a><br />On Sunday afternoon, we went out to Patrick and Holly's and grilled out some ribs! Before we left, Zachary had to go see the horses. He actually petted a couple this time!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOD0eRHVlg4H-JOVLGLQjaGcP_XAwi9IfST2XH1LaObv_KMLCTY2fazLiPb8gxNLESm4uQ-J0P4-RV8o-L9yEVfrMZqDVw0c3aLsgnkCsc3NmuPI6lX8B5fnMXYkVy68NaOEpQyhyNIY/s1600-h/IMG_0131.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOD0eRHVlg4H-JOVLGLQjaGcP_XAwi9IfST2XH1LaObv_KMLCTY2fazLiPb8gxNLESm4uQ-J0P4-RV8o-L9yEVfrMZqDVw0c3aLsgnkCsc3NmuPI6lX8B5fnMXYkVy68NaOEpQyhyNIY/s320/IMG_0131.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329375299512582066" border="0" /></a><br />It was a good weekend, and we had a lot of fun!<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-18737209130526118612009-04-22T08:55:00.002-04:002009-04-22T09:11:12.606-04:00Making Brownies...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zRWyODbFWvT4iP74QDVby99P32hMHWCRnfxjoQN5wwd8UPSdjTzkJOg2_FNaBXprPMjarsvXwhwQ6ejKV63TeO4s4RlH9WfKiD8hh0AGI6T1WLOnBuMmIxf5kDckXB0rTUwJTWYbav4/s1600-h/IMG_0113.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zRWyODbFWvT4iP74QDVby99P32hMHWCRnfxjoQN5wwd8UPSdjTzkJOg2_FNaBXprPMjarsvXwhwQ6ejKV63TeO4s4RlH9WfKiD8hh0AGI6T1WLOnBuMmIxf5kDckXB0rTUwJTWYbav4/s320/IMG_0113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327501238446800386" border="0" /></a>So, we decided to make some brownies last night. Zachary wanted to help. Here he is helping mix them up (although we had already poured them up at this point, he still wanted to mix).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0YpjbJi-zz_x40n225AhgwgT5oZt6oVKc3cYDyqRIqlHScw9QDobathaOkQ_f6p0UraAyVG3jJ98smyVdpmjDy-6qQYumdXlhOPt1AhDDtgeySjItl_0qpAqwo8iY9NXF2K5sFMMHUg/s1600-h/IMG_0105.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0YpjbJi-zz_x40n225AhgwgT5oZt6oVKc3cYDyqRIqlHScw9QDobathaOkQ_f6p0UraAyVG3jJ98smyVdpmjDy-6qQYumdXlhOPt1AhDDtgeySjItl_0qpAqwo8iY9NXF2K5sFMMHUg/s320/IMG_0105.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327501243685870610" border="0" /></a><br />Here, he figured out he could lick the spatula.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOYRhraHGGeY5-iQSvWbwAjtU-6Y-3j3XGb7qbRRmkPsHEdZ6FfTtg79c5970hZBMPSRE9IyTAUiPo2hLovM8gM17HKskLdrcdjWa4GkGS_16ZgeaChJgvg-mSxAhwgMQhVUprFgR8N4/s1600-h/IMG_0106.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOYRhraHGGeY5-iQSvWbwAjtU-6Y-3j3XGb7qbRRmkPsHEdZ6FfTtg79c5970hZBMPSRE9IyTAUiPo2hLovM8gM17HKskLdrcdjWa4GkGS_16ZgeaChJgvg-mSxAhwgMQhVUprFgR8N4/s320/IMG_0106.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327501249327334002" border="0" /></a>"Mmmmmm...these are yummy, mommy!"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFP69KNoUuXFgZhWcHhg2q4sehJzgRwy14pWUjkqy1PRpG7cSoQbROjt99Pyz-h4bPcVlkMYIwbdo0omlw9OFn4_joGi8gyvbg0FKYw6Tac8RQoAOV_1oD_R6m7opCQPNB_frIhpkFvQ/s1600-h/IMG_0111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFP69KNoUuXFgZhWcHhg2q4sehJzgRwy14pWUjkqy1PRpG7cSoQbROjt99Pyz-h4bPcVlkMYIwbdo0omlw9OFn4_joGi8gyvbg0FKYw6Tac8RQoAOV_1oD_R6m7opCQPNB_frIhpkFvQ/s320/IMG_0111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327501243382008450" border="0" /></a>"I like making brownies!"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXFBsD8cZ6j826bu4madznZS8iIv19hS82hloWh7w37-8g6kieF5bdoAXBKlvbZcBmCSaZx9QImd3KeztSRU9NEc-zfsa3a5GUYhT0EFZPqNlDBT_UQYi-6oJn7qons5-HGhMNE8awyM/s1600-h/IMG_0110.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXFBsD8cZ6j826bu4madznZS8iIv19hS82hloWh7w37-8g6kieF5bdoAXBKlvbZcBmCSaZx9QImd3KeztSRU9NEc-zfsa3a5GUYhT0EFZPqNlDBT_UQYi-6oJn7qons5-HGhMNE8awyM/s320/IMG_0110.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327501245990478130" border="0" /></a><br />It was a lot of fun, although he had more on his shirt and face than he had in his tummy.<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-55134277432175950562009-04-20T09:32:00.003-04:002009-04-20T09:48:03.357-04:00Gwinnett Braves Game<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBtI_lrjGz0CjEicuX39eRVGgmC0_kvw8ehv-yq5zbc3Xtbk0Gf5Q0gNObcBwddxIwLi2y_6BVxdy6l1kAzxsZ7C6klak35PN_32iHUwIvz_gbl8mHUd9PXQl1Tpt-bKkC_ILmx1X0Jc/s1600-h/IMG_0103.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBtI_lrjGz0CjEicuX39eRVGgmC0_kvw8ehv-yq5zbc3Xtbk0Gf5Q0gNObcBwddxIwLi2y_6BVxdy6l1kAzxsZ7C6klak35PN_32iHUwIvz_gbl8mHUd9PXQl1Tpt-bKkC_ILmx1X0Jc/s320/IMG_0103.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326769001971040194" border="0" /></a><br />Saturday evening, we went to the Gwinnett Braves game. It was opening weekend for the new Gwinnett Stadium, and it was pretty packed. We got seats on the outfield berm, and it was pretty fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_N45yBbBTq3xUIILGaEOYG0LXeEU-C1y2fFi3vh48rPnb8hxvpT2nMq1AGR-AXY_HRZ3j6AN7diubGnvJYQvPxR3AWttLixTo9ydzPb1uDkAWa4XnbmLYj3AcgVuCiBfPZJzXhWZM5A/s1600-h/IMG_0101.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_N45yBbBTq3xUIILGaEOYG0LXeEU-C1y2fFi3vh48rPnb8hxvpT2nMq1AGR-AXY_HRZ3j6AN7diubGnvJYQvPxR3AWttLixTo9ydzPb1uDkAWa4XnbmLYj3AcgVuCiBfPZJzXhWZM5A/s320/IMG_0101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326769015392431858" border="0" /></a><br />Out in the berm, they have several of those blow-up bouncy things for the kids to play on. Zachary had fun playing on one of those.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5Bqjox9vkUIxlMU2OyxJbEs2wOCaTkfyJfqFnNAU489MQjyJ5sRU9fJQI0NgWIfn5XU-fjvZ2fXPGjR0_9PyL3ah0ftTONebYDZI_fXlWkb-Vt4JMghoZSvIec3Y9Wv08DlP6fKH5Ac/s1600-h/IMG_0100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5Bqjox9vkUIxlMU2OyxJbEs2wOCaTkfyJfqFnNAU489MQjyJ5sRU9fJQI0NgWIfn5XU-fjvZ2fXPGjR0_9PyL3ah0ftTONebYDZI_fXlWkb-Vt4JMghoZSvIec3Y9Wv08DlP6fKH5Ac/s320/IMG_0100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326769010083592354" border="0" /></a><br />He also enjoyed watching the game (for about 2 minutes), and cheering whenever we did something good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHN2lw8Yk9aiF92kBylypQs0nn-p_nMeDnyVJkNBhi1B87GPXL_V0soe_cYSug6GDqXf5Vn3ZqOPf4kDwVAoN6yZUZ2khn6c4TTGmsDRRrcZL4TjSPSt1ormJkVjSADyJKVBJNSiUn-Nk/s1600-h/IMG_0099.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHN2lw8Yk9aiF92kBylypQs0nn-p_nMeDnyVJkNBhi1B87GPXL_V0soe_cYSug6GDqXf5Vn3ZqOPf4kDwVAoN6yZUZ2khn6c4TTGmsDRRrcZL4TjSPSt1ormJkVjSADyJKVBJNSiUn-Nk/s320/IMG_0099.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326769005665936114" border="0" /></a><br />It was a lot of fun, and something we will probably do a lot more!<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-87481860328155649932009-04-06T11:18:00.006-04:002009-04-06T11:50:14.411-04:00Stone Mountain Choo-Choo Ride...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://stonemountain.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/stone_mountain_train_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 376px; height: 242px;" src="http://stonemountain.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/stone_mountain_train_small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>On Saturday we went to Stone Mountain for a picnic lunch, and walked around a bit. It was a lot of fun. While we were there, we walked over to the "Walk-up Trail" and took the train back to the village. We took the train because Zachary <span style="font-weight: bold;">loves</span> trains. We figured, since he slept through his ride at Dollywood last fall, we would see how he liked this one.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Q8R-gMJUyYBfUcHwLiJSZ7q_7AACMVUTpe3nc6WeWP3ZrelF34Vb6qE-D0SMsIbs3qvejWEN_EXYQHzGSzpKd9x6TJi9_rI5LSNQ_8G3Tjdl_kXolPjvfTnIoKCQmpiSYvXgzDBIHfI/s1600-h/IMG_0090_rotate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Q8R-gMJUyYBfUcHwLiJSZ7q_7AACMVUTpe3nc6WeWP3ZrelF34Vb6qE-D0SMsIbs3qvejWEN_EXYQHzGSzpKd9x6TJi9_rI5LSNQ_8G3Tjdl_kXolPjvfTnIoKCQmpiSYvXgzDBIHfI/s320/IMG_0090_rotate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321599211147822626" border="0" /></a>He did pretty good. We were far enough back that it wasn't too loud, so he seemed to enjoy it. He actually wanted to get back on and ride again!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaH9K7h0-1RbS9ayzrmXdDmO3C__DtDzq5mI6U6NYuOtvhcmI-lorpRkXkwQMCchXuZytJSVYmRl2ZgfMwOcQXycNbmPDqHW6-bcvhV8Rd7vb2tV773Kh02hMpad6NGERLpPF_67BE2g/s1600-h/IMG_0089.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaH9K7h0-1RbS9ayzrmXdDmO3C__DtDzq5mI6U6NYuOtvhcmI-lorpRkXkwQMCchXuZytJSVYmRl2ZgfMwOcQXycNbmPDqHW6-bcvhV8Rd7vb2tV773Kh02hMpad6NGERLpPF_67BE2g/s320/IMG_0089.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605957898168034" border="0" /></a><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-87079584914927546872009-03-26T11:55:00.003-04:002009-03-26T11:58:02.300-04:00"Then"Heard this song the other day, and I had to put this here. This is for you, Jess:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="264"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/npE8QdDtN4I&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/npE8QdDtN4I&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="264"></embed></object><br /><br />I love you, baby!<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-80386157440447254752009-03-23T16:10:00.005-04:002009-03-23T16:23:46.069-04:00Get on your trike and ride!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrutjftDf-u7NpIFJXNNtqkM5fm2oxJmr4XOYu4pAzLQwT6oeIcvS5Szm-2KhVeri1wH70y88AeUFwPlybpI3cOwX-pQxFYWPdDur9I9741w4l6oM9BSdgjMK5q0E1LL-k3JQpoYVykc/s1600-h/IMG_0076.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrutjftDf-u7NpIFJXNNtqkM5fm2oxJmr4XOYu4pAzLQwT6oeIcvS5Szm-2KhVeri1wH70y88AeUFwPlybpI3cOwX-pQxFYWPdDur9I9741w4l6oM9BSdgjMK5q0E1LL-k3JQpoYVykc/s320/IMG_0076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316480194930661362" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So, we went up to see Nana and Papa this weekend, and took some time to ride Papa's newest toy, his <a href="http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/2009_Motorcycles/2009_Motorcycles.jsp?locale=en_US#/model/flhtcutg" target="new">Harley-Davidson Tri Glide</a>. It is a factory direct trike from Harley and it is sweet.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuenNWn5gs5Au94uaFvs9af8wgpZt74FVsBYFU2Tsat3bWcT_Rita9xGXXVoVq4GFIam7kfUOXHIJRxLPmMCjkKwZ3qSGCS_AKS0mQXF4GbYK8XrcexOqF-UJGbdxm7uisyebPi4jTRM/s1600-h/IMG_0084.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuenNWn5gs5Au94uaFvs9af8wgpZt74FVsBYFU2Tsat3bWcT_Rita9xGXXVoVq4GFIam7kfUOXHIJRxLPmMCjkKwZ3qSGCS_AKS0mQXF4GbYK8XrcexOqF-UJGbdxm7uisyebPi4jTRM/s320/IMG_0084.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316480182716907154" border="0" /></a><br />It was the first time I had ever ridden a motorcycle, but I didn't do too terrible -- I only killed it a couple of times. It was a blast to ride, and everyone enjoyed themselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRkXnZIwFofuY9FzSkJsMepOkhrMUkjK6QJT32byzHLjsAoyBcSM-79oA48IX-zdEil_4_4yg43MprhWHAlXaWQzixoVuNEclhCi6lxjXQ5py-vfcbFL-ODuB9ROtd69f6QVuwwBy6Rs/s1600-h/IMG_0081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRkXnZIwFofuY9FzSkJsMepOkhrMUkjK6QJT32byzHLjsAoyBcSM-79oA48IX-zdEil_4_4yg43MprhWHAlXaWQzixoVuNEclhCi6lxjXQ5py-vfcbFL-ODuB9ROtd69f6QVuwwBy6Rs/s320/IMG_0081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316480195511450546" border="0" /></a><br />Zachary isn't really sure about it yet, though. Loves to see motorcycles and even Papa's trike, but he doesn't want to get on it yet.<br /><br />I'm sure that will change sometime soon.<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-88837835471313076272009-03-06T08:49:00.003-05:002009-03-06T08:52:37.866-05:00Happy Birthday Nana!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgre9ZHBkSbv00uKwyUcfwa2k0pl2SS3higLTNhi9ZZJrrqSDfH-nn7cYcvhnQ_b2eC4X-YF8Xn3bzYfjhbiUDQ5Ozl9PQZQY0J0NwDnfd3eiyqr6tfnVLEfd5kMpAOM5DvDx28S3tGNWk/s1600-h/100_2280.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgre9ZHBkSbv00uKwyUcfwa2k0pl2SS3higLTNhi9ZZJrrqSDfH-nn7cYcvhnQ_b2eC4X-YF8Xn3bzYfjhbiUDQ5Ozl9PQZQY0J0NwDnfd3eiyqr6tfnVLEfd5kMpAOM5DvDx28S3tGNWk/s320/100_2280.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310072166704501810" border="0" /></a><br />Today is my mom's birthday! She's a wonderful....well, I'm not going to say how old, because I value my life ;).<br /><br />Love you mom!<br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-89188495527700440882009-02-19T09:10:00.003-05:002009-02-19T09:14:08.626-05:00What Happened?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/media/mlb/2000/0125/photo/a_griffey.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 262px;" src="http://sports.espn.go.com/media/mlb/2000/0125/photo/a_griffey.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Well, so much for seeing Junior Griffey in a Braves uniform.<br /><br />Apparently miffed that the AJC reported he was going to choose the Braves, Griffey backed out of talks with the team, and decided to head back to where it all began for him, in Seattle.<br /><br />I gotta say, I am disappointed. I was really hoping to see him in Atlanta this year. Oh well. It is what it is.<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-35507564276027640252009-02-18T08:57:00.003-05:002009-02-18T10:14:14.234-05:00Spring is in the air....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://obrienbaseball.com/images/baseball_firstbase.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 349px; height: 233px;" src="http://obrienbaseball.com/images/baseball_firstbase.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Ahhh...baseball is here again! That's right, Spring Training has started, and that means that we will have real games real soon! I <span style="font-style: italic;">love</span> baseball. It is a great game. Some people think it is boring, but I don't understand how. Baseball is like chess, only with 90 mph fastballs thrown in for color.<br /><br />Of course, most of you know, I'm a Braves fan. Now, the last few years have been a bit disappointing for the Bravos. We haven't made the post season for three years now, and last season was about two-steps short of a full-on disaster. But this year is gonna be different.<br /><br />The Braves have a revamped rotation that stacks up favorably with everyone else in our division (better than some). The rotation projects to be Derek Lowe, Jair Jurrjens, Javier Vazquez, Kenshin Kawakami, and Tom Glavine. Glavine, who is currently a free agent, is expected to sign with the Braves at any time. According to <a href="http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/">David O'Brien</a>, the Braves beat writer, it is a matter of crossing the t's and dotting the i's.<br /><br />Now, the exciting news for me. According to the <a href="http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/02/17/braves_griffey.html">AJC</a>, Ken Griffey Jr is going to be a Brave. I know that he is past his prime, and I know that he isn't "The Kid" anymore, but, I have always liked Junior Griffey, and have always wanted him to be a Brave.<br /><br />If this works out, we would have two guys with over 1000 combined HR on the field at the same time (Chipper has 408, Griffey has 611). I am just crazy excited to see Junior on the field as a Brave.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://pro.corbis.com/images/BE053981.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B22DCDFBB-D694-47D5-9FF2-B1728B509460%7D"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 426px;" src="http://pro.corbis.com/images/BE053981.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B22DCDFBB-D694-47D5-9FF2-B1728B509460%7D" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I saw this picture the other day, and figured I would post it here. It is from 1987. That is Ken Griffey Jr standing with his father in the Braves dugout. Interestingly enough, as a rookie, Tom Glavine's left fielder was Ken Griffey Sr. He could make his first start of 2009 with Ken Griffey Jr as his left fielder. What a way to bookend a career!<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-45962649104876291442009-02-03T14:29:00.008-05:002009-02-03T17:27:52.273-05:00Random Zachary Pics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhcFvM__L6wMt_yk2a8MMt7uW3YgQH4l4a6-RUGaYlrjyT7qwscTZBKj-usUm6fyYpEL3t-XofnBHpBvALApg2O_iL1feJXYj21UJfT7WOfclq7aC5v9zkPA9-gCkTslhyphenhyphen7bLM1Rd-IQ/s1600-h/Z_cowboy_hat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhcFvM__L6wMt_yk2a8MMt7uW3YgQH4l4a6-RUGaYlrjyT7qwscTZBKj-usUm6fyYpEL3t-XofnBHpBvALApg2O_iL1feJXYj21UJfT7WOfclq7aC5v9zkPA9-gCkTslhyphenhyphen7bLM1Rd-IQ/s320/Z_cowboy_hat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298657217427923970" border="0" /></a><br />Well, no real theme today. But since I haven't had time to update recently, I'm just gonna post some random pics we've taken in the last few weeks. Above is Zachary in my cowboy hat. He is such a little farmer.<br /><br />Here's a couple that Jess took that are precious.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCGSfooBmIOheUfwr7VZvs4EdVdi2Eu3ukCQRFE9eUnSSkjavy3MyUxiO2JBShKDTYYa03jcpwAlrnipKkLv5OPQNmnoxBOfcooygtYvtWOsO60c-2gAuqmUx5noBUlNeIapC9ZZXwhw/s1600-h/IMG_0011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCGSfooBmIOheUfwr7VZvs4EdVdi2Eu3ukCQRFE9eUnSSkjavy3MyUxiO2JBShKDTYYa03jcpwAlrnipKkLv5OPQNmnoxBOfcooygtYvtWOsO60c-2gAuqmUx5noBUlNeIapC9ZZXwhw/s320/IMG_0011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298699414465457730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3ns_A_pQomJCxaf_JjmIXBdtOZ_X5tvv6VjHnFeC4c6fCtyKLzrxKQL37TDt7jZIKzZYvbZhVR0jpAWmLELv8_gRXMr-SPKBdbNDn6TlxQZW9F6gn8jFID9UiwAOAhN_TPZ4FY9czbc/s1600-h/IMG_0012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3ns_A_pQomJCxaf_JjmIXBdtOZ_X5tvv6VjHnFeC4c6fCtyKLzrxKQL37TDt7jZIKzZYvbZhVR0jpAWmLELv8_gRXMr-SPKBdbNDn6TlxQZW9F6gn8jFID9UiwAOAhN_TPZ4FY9czbc/s320/IMG_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298699418562380162" border="0" /></a><br />Jess caught him sneaking some Cool Whip out of the fridge!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vDoXucb6u-OACH0U444IS-DU6SzOFXO2Iqf34b55oubvRRkP8sto1_PqS23qcqLjEX5lLH8G0sIA869LjrNCQWquGsbNa7r2VsvUyGxEZ5triv5ziKblHvVJgDS2dkjnFBe4zLwbD9U/s1600-h/IMG_0021.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vDoXucb6u-OACH0U444IS-DU6SzOFXO2Iqf34b55oubvRRkP8sto1_PqS23qcqLjEX5lLH8G0sIA869LjrNCQWquGsbNa7r2VsvUyGxEZ5triv5ziKblHvVJgDS2dkjnFBe4zLwbD9U/s320/IMG_0021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298699418716624722" border="0" /></a><br />I love this picture! I took it on Christmas day, when Zachary was playing with his new tractor at Nana and Papa's.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMvYe1yqi07PptOqWOMTsv_ahoxDLeWv0seYjGIY1_eI8SEC0-9P3nYUnKZHuA0S6kjPI1K7Bey5w8cEwoorpkTRli5xzRLfTBOGLIpuKGS3SkgHVh1x6uCJ6HfA09pj9lXZnkWwK6SQ/s1600-h/IMG_0042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMvYe1yqi07PptOqWOMTsv_ahoxDLeWv0seYjGIY1_eI8SEC0-9P3nYUnKZHuA0S6kjPI1K7Bey5w8cEwoorpkTRli5xzRLfTBOGLIpuKGS3SkgHVh1x6uCJ6HfA09pj9lXZnkWwK6SQ/s320/IMG_0042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298699424437464338" border="0" /></a><br />Like Father, like son. He loves biscuits and jelly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSouiHasBA9xq8hZTptE4N33OB6webotHsj8YWaX8ALiL10B7Hfh51EDhqNSWRgHD9AAhnonbmrgioS2sBH8T5rdRekFXd3EIxGCdzmrQklPOrNpO4OXTnWsCTcDbGj3irWVQsnNp0Pxg/s1600-h/IMG_0059.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSouiHasBA9xq8hZTptE4N33OB6webotHsj8YWaX8ALiL10B7Hfh51EDhqNSWRgHD9AAhnonbmrgioS2sBH8T5rdRekFXd3EIxGCdzmrQklPOrNpO4OXTnWsCTcDbGj3irWVQsnNp0Pxg/s320/IMG_0059.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298699427526112482" border="0" /></a>Yummy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVhoxocIwTD2ietRRqmFfaBjczLjABnvpMQG_fxOYvIxWZh2u8CVBrzatnh2qrfSMptf7FeN9-VcIDXOb4PXL8OvaaJSp9hYjOHsoZlKOWGIxbtFQC2ymaRDwZv8spqriyNDYlaOpot0/s1600-h/IMG_0060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVhoxocIwTD2ietRRqmFfaBjczLjABnvpMQG_fxOYvIxWZh2u8CVBrzatnh2qrfSMptf7FeN9-VcIDXOb4PXL8OvaaJSp9hYjOHsoZlKOWGIxbtFQC2ymaRDwZv8spqriyNDYlaOpot0/s320/IMG_0060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298699546324361954" border="0" /></a>Well, that's it for now. Just figured I'd throw some stuff out there while I had a moment.<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-8768830752536849852009-01-20T09:26:00.003-05:002009-01-20T10:17:32.078-05:00Super Bowl Matchup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freewebs.com/footballthoughts/43.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 143px;" src="http://www.freewebs.com/footballthoughts/43.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Well, the teams are set for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. The Arizona Cardinals will "host" the Pittsburgh Steelers (the NFC is the designated home team in odd numbered Super Bowls).<br /><br />I have to say, it has been a year of bad predictions and much crow eaten. I didn't think Arizona would get past Atlanta. I didn't think they could hang with Carolina. And I <span style="font-style: italic;">knew</span> that they would get blown out by the Eagles. Well, I have to say, after watching that game, the Cardinals really are a good team. Kurt Warner isn't fazed by blitz pressure, and Larry Fitzgerald is catching anything thrown within 20 yards of him. This team was mediocre during the season, but peaked at the right time.<br /><br />The Steelers, on the other hand, have the best defense in the NFL right now. It will be interesting to see if their blitz packages will rattle Warner, or if he will pick apart their secondary like he did the Eagles'. Roethlisberger will need to have a big game, and that Steelers running game will need to be going.<br /><br />I think the Steelers will win the game, but I think it will be closer than expected. The Steelers are going to the big game for the second time in four years, and for the seventh time overall. The Cardinals are going to their first Super Bowl (they did win an NFL Championship in 1947). However, Kurt Warner was the Super Bowl MVP for the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV, so he has "been there, done that."<br /><br />It will be an interesting game, and I am looking forward to seeing it.<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-21909661323459939122009-01-16T13:54:00.003-05:002009-01-16T13:58:00.352-05:00Star Wars StoryOK, so I get an email at work today from a colleague of mine, who is also a Star Wars fan. Somewhere out there, he came across a link that was extremely funny.<br /><br />Basically, this is a retelling of the plot of the original Star Wars trilogy by someone who has never seen all of the films in their entirety. As a Star Wars nut, I found it mucho hilarious.<br /><br /><br /><object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2809991&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2809991&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/">Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user759504">Joe Nicolosi</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6327308340080430768.post-90439574990020135862009-01-16T09:18:00.004-05:002009-01-16T09:29:26.764-05:00Under the Weather....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k139/Laurab25/UndertheWeather.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 201px;" src="http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k139/Laurab25/UndertheWeather.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The joys of winter. Those wonderful, bitterly cold days, when you have so much sinus pressure that it feels like you need to take a drill directly to your forehead, just to get some relief.<br /><br />Ahhh...such a great feeling!<br /><br />So, it has been a yucky few days (or, more realistically, weeks). Zachary has had croup and impetigo again, and as he got over that, he had a cold to back it up.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I had a cold that turned into a sinus infection, that turned into a sinus infection <span style="font-style: italic;">plus</span> an ear infection. Yay me!<br /><br />And while all of that was going on, Jessica came down with a sinus infection too!<br /><br />So it has been a <span style="font-style: italic;">wonderful</span> few weeks at our house. And there is nothing like force-feeding a toddler medicine, let me tell you that! Jessica is a lifesaver, because I can't do it. I don't know how she did it during the day -- holding him down (that is both arms and legs), holding his head, and shooting the antibiotic/steroid/fever reducer down his throat, and avoiding the inevitable spray as he tries not to swallow it. All that on her own. Crazy. Moms are superheroes, straight up.<br /><br />Anyway, that is the main reason for the lack of bloggage here. Well that, and the fact that we have been so busy lately as a family, and I've been so busy at work. Just a crazy time.<br /><br />Who says things slow down after the holidays?<br /><br />Later,<br />~E~BigEasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120614355082017298noreply@blogger.com1