Current

There, now we are caught up with the old posts from the old blog and now I can carry on with this one. I'll try to do better with my updating.

January 11, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

It's been a while...

So it seems I haven't made good on my attempt to write on here more often. But since I am here now, I will attempt to update from where I last left off. December was definitely one of the craziest months to date in my entire life. There was so much going on and to top off all the normal holiday craziness, we kept 3 foster kids for 6 days over Christmas.(We are respite providers but this was our first go around with the whole thing.) After the first 2 days/nights, I thought for sure that we were going to have to call someone to come get the kids or we would be go mad. But, like anything else, we had friends step in and help us out big time, and then we started learning the ropes ourselves. By the time that they were to go back into regular foster care, it was difficult to give them up....well, 2 of them at least. lol. I think I would be crushed if I kept a kid for months and then had to give them up. But, I guess all we can do is provide them with everything we can during the short time we have them. So there's that. In other news, I am in the middle of the most successful diet of my life. I have now lost 21 lbs and am really starting to feel it. I work out at the gym 6 days a week and for the first time in my life, I enjoy doing that too. Mandy and I made a deal that when I lost 40 lbs, I could get a big flat screen TV, and I'm over halfway there! Anyway, that's about all we have time for right now, so until next time....

Currently listening to: Shane and Shane...and Andrea Bocelli

December 8, 2009

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Soo....

Things are well. We have had snow on the ground for a couple days now; that always lifts my spirits for some reason...I just love snow. But with that it has been colder than tarnation the last couple days and it's looking like it will continue to be that way for a couple more days. Friday Mandy and I are going snowboarding for the first time in almost a year. Those of you that talk to me often will probably remember my snowboarding debacle from last year, but I'm feeling optimistic about this trip. We'll see. As far as the diet goes, I am down 7 lbs in 7 days which is always a good thing. We went to the YMCA last night and signed up for membership there and I was in working out at the crack of dawn today (5:15...a.m.) So hopefully that will help speed the process and give me a little more energy. That's about all for now, I'm due to eat here pretty soon so I better go see about that. : )

December 3, 2009

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Christmas is in the air

So a lot has happened since my last post. As I spent a little time this morning trying to revamp the ole page here, I read back quite a bit and realized that this past year has FLOWN by. It seems like just yesterday that I was whining because Christmas was a whole 300 days away...now its like 23 days away.

Last week Mandy and I went on a little vacation to Jackson Hole, WY. It was Thanksgiving and since we weren't going to travel to see family, we figured we might as well just treat ourselves to some time off. It was excellent. Truly a beautiful place with lots to see and do (just not over Thanksgiving). Yes, its true there wasn't a whole lot going on, but that's what we wanted, we just wanted to get away and relax, read a book and hang out with the dogs.

I've started a new diet. Along with my aunt and some of her coworkers, we are doing the "Game On" diet. So far so good; I have lost about 4 1/2 lbs this week. I will keep you posted on how it continues to go. The rest of this month is looking pretty busy so I'm not sure how this will go as far as updating again real soon, but we'll see.

January 30, 2009

Friday, January 30, 2009

Normally I don't do these things...BUT

Since I was tagged by non other than THE K.T.G...I guess I will : )

I was tagged by KT at Playing for HIM Here are the rules:

1. Go to the fourth folder wherever you keep your folder.

2. Pick the fourth picture in that folder.

3. Post that picture and tell about it on your blog.

4. Pick four other people to tag.

5. E-mail those people and tell them that they are tagged!

This picture was taken in....2004 I think, during one of the many trips we took to Sparta to get away from the stress of College and The Liberty Way. Looks like a spring trip by the way we are dressed. But anyway, thats my backyard in Sparta. Good stuff. In the photo is Aaron "Goody" Goodman, Me, Joshua "Taco" Montanya, William Bradley "P.S." Maines, and Derek "Squatting Hamster" Hulsey. Man...those were the days.

January 9, 2009

Friday, January 9, 2009

Hello 2009

Wednesday marked the first day that I messed up the date on something I was writing. I was putting in a request for a day off and definitely put 2008 as the year. That always happens. Anyhow, the family is coming to visit this week and Mandy and myself are very pumped. I know the last time I posted there was a lot of dissension between me and snowboarding and now, against my better judgment, I am going again tomorrow night. The goal will be to exert my dominance over the slope. Notice I said slope, singular and not slopes, plural. Slope as in, bunny slope. That will be my poison. Anyway, I'm psyched about it. I'm really only doing this because Josh and Allie want to attempt snowboarding. Perhaps I will even take pictures this time. The Chargers play the steelers on Sunday....the winner advances, the loser goes home. Hopefully the Chargers will overcome. Thats all for now.

December 31, 2008

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Ok, so I know I just posted yesterday and this is quite unlike me to post two days in a row, but I felt like I had to describe last night while it's effects are still wreaking havoc on my body. So, we get there and get our lift tickets, meet up with Pastor Jeff and Nathan (his son) and strap on the ole boards. (This was much more difficult than it sounds) When you get on the lift you have to unstrap on of your boots from your board, I'm not sure why this is, I just saw everyone else do it so I did it as well. Riding the lift for like 8 minutes getting to the top of the mountain was one of the coolest most relaxing moments ever. It was completely calm, the sun was just going down below the trees, there was snow in the trees and I felt almost as though I was looking at a painting. That was the hi-light of my evening because everything after that could be described much like an encounter between a 19 year old Mike Tyson and Webster (doesn't matter what age) in the octagon. I was Webster, the mountain was Mike Tyson. I should have known things were going to be bad when I bite it coming off the lift at the top of the mountain. Everything after that was down hill...literally and figuratively. I have to believe I set a mountain record because it took me just under 3 hours to get down one run (a run that was fittingly named "Spud.") When I finally got the bottom I was greeted by the entire group and I felt like I had just finished a marathon and was given the best news of the night: "so Joel, it turns out that the bunny slope IS open." When we first arrived, it was not...or so we thought. Anyway, I spent the last hour of the excursion conquering the bunny slope and actually went down it twice without wiping out. If anyone ever tells you that snowboarding is easier than skiing, punch them in the face. I couldn't even sleep last night because of the soreness in my body and the replays of wipping out going through my mind.
As I am writing this I looked down at my beverage can, its a Monster Energy Drink and there is a warning on it that says "consume responsibly - limit 3 cans a day." Wow...who can afford to drink 3 cans of this crap a day?
Currently listening to: David Cook

December 30, 2008

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tis the season...

Well, its official. The Christmas Season is over and now I must wait a whole 300 and some odd days till Thanksgiving comes back and thus propels me into the Christmas mode. Looking back over the last month I am very pleased with the way that things went with the transition to Idaho and mine and Mandy's first Christmas as a married couple. Tomorrow night we will celebrate the coming of a New Year together...joining in that celebration with us will be approximately 16 kids that will be staying at our house to help bring it in with a bang. This should be an interesting week. And tonight...oh tonight. I will be trying my hand at snowboarding for the first time ever. Next post I will give you the skinny on whether or not it's really easier than skiing.
Sometimes I would like to kill my dog...or wish that the chocolate would do it for me. If I recall correctly I mentioned the last episode that Manchu (the dog) had with the dark chocolate M&M's. Well it didn't kill him and apparently what doesn't kill dogs only makes them stronger. We come in from shopping the day after Christmas, low and behold, Manchu has somehow managed to get one of those massive 7 oz Hershey Kisses that Mandy's parents sent her and open it up and eat it. So this is the scene I walk into. I open the door, Manchu is sitting on the arm of the couch starring at me with crap all over his face. I look down at the floor to see the box that the Kiss came in torn to shreds. Then comes the search for the remainder of the chocolate kiss, I found it, hurled it across the room towards the trash can and then started yelling at the dog. Apparently for a while he treated the Kiss as he usually did one of his chew toys, slobbering on it, throwing it around the room, dragging it over the furniture, etc. There was chocolate on everything. Sometimes, I want to kill that dog. Oh yeah, and you know the foil that the kisses come wrapped in? We never found that. I guess he ate it too. Stupid dog.
Be sure to tune in next time for: "Joel pulls a Sonny Bono on the slopes."

Currently listening to: Ever Stays Red <---the are kinda punk/emoish but their lyrics are great.

December 23, 2008

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Tarnation...

Well, it's been a while so I suppose I should update, lest I get lazy and stop doing this altogether. The last few weeks have been good, real good, and real busy...perhaps that's what I haven't updated. The youth kids have been busy with Christmas singing and plays and games and all that good stuff, so naturally I have been busy following those things. It has snowed a lot and been colder than a well-diggers rear end this past two weeks and I love it. Mandy loves the snow. And Manchu...well, Manchu doesn't really know what to think. At first he hated the snow, but I think now he likes it. Last night it kinda froze over so now he can walk on top of it but sometimes he will walk over a weak area and break through; I think this confuses him because he stops and looks at the door where I am standing as if searching for support. Stupid dog. Anyway, Fantasy Football ended up this past week and I finished 3rd in one league and 4th in another, not a bad season. On an even brighter note, the Chargers will have the chance this weekend to make up for the garbage call that led them to lose to the Broncos in week 2 as they will have a rematch this Sunday and it will determine which team makes it into the playoffs! So, they are still alive, which makes me very happy. Boise St. plays tonight against TCU, should be a real throw-down, I'm excited, hopefully Mandy will let me watch the whole game. Lastly, one week from today I will brave the slopes of Pomerelle Mtn on a snowboard for the first time ever, lets pray I don't die.
Ok bye.

Currently listening to: Toto <---I know thats not Christmas music, but still...come on.

December 11, 2008

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Wow. So things have been incredibly busy here as of late, thus my excuse for not making a post in a while. I have been really busy doing activities with the youth, just in the last week went out for pizza, decorated houses for Christmas, had our regular meetings and attended some band concerts. The next two weeks are looking to be even busier. I love the Christmas season. As I was browsing through the channels last week I came across High School Musical again, it was on the Disney Channel and after about ten minutes I realized that I was still watching it. Maybe I enjoyed that movie more than I led on. I got to see the first half of Prince Caspian last night, watched it with the youth and man, that movie is pretty intense. I like it. Mandy and I have also recently started working out, doing the ole' Power 90 DVD...we realized something. We aren't as young as we once were (and I'm definitely not as light as I once was.) It's all good though. I have many things to do so that's about all for now. I would like some feedback on something though, if you read this then please comment and give me your opinion. If you were given the option of of creating two service times for Sunday morning church, what would they be and which one would you most likely go to? Thanks!

Currently listening to: Jeremy Riddle

December 1, 2008

Monday, December 1, 2008

Alright, well I watched High School Musical last week and it was a movie...and sometimes movies are good. Sometimes movies are not so good. This movie fell somewhere in between but in an ok sort of way. It was Disney at its finest, a movie that 8 year old kids can watch and enjoy without being bombarded with filth and a older people can watch and think, man, this is really cheesy yet I still find myself kind of enjoying it. I will say that I liked the Lizzie McGuire movie better, but this was not as bad as I thought it would be. Moving right along. Mandy and I ventured down into the South Hills this past weekend in search of the perfect Christmas tree and after about three hours of searching, we found a pretty good one. There are some pretty good sized little peaks in the south hills, nothing over 10,000 ft though. The location that we finally stumbled upon that had our tree was quite high and took us up a dirt road up the side of a mountain. Mandy said repeatedly, "Joel, drive to the right...drive to the right!" I think she was a little concerned that the road was going to crumble and we were going to plunge to our death. Needless to say, we did not. I have posted some pictures of the excursion for your viewing pleasure.

November 25, 2008

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Well, it is two days till Thanksgiving and since I addressed being thankful in my last post I will spare my readers the expense of doing it again, just remember we should always be thankful. Ok, so since I got to watch Rambo I now have to pay a price. You see, the way it works with our Netflix deal is Mandy gets to choose a movie, then I get to choose a movie, then Mandy gets to choose, etc. Strangely enough, up until Rambo most of the movies we had watched were Mandy movies...it looks like we are headed back in that direction as the movie on its way to us today is none other than....High School Musical. Now, I'm very open to different types of movies, I will sit through almost anything and there have only been 2 movies that I actually got up and left the theater during, Master and Commander and the second Meet the Parents movie. I can only take so much. No doubt my limits will be tested again tonight as I subject myself to the teeny bopper phenom that is High School Musical. I will let you guys know how it goes. In addition to the HSM movie, I have another dilemma approaching. You see, I have a problem. I am an impulse buyer. I see things that are cool and are cheap (because I never pay retail) and I immediately want to buy them. It doesn't matter that I don't need it, or I already have three of them, I still need to buy it. Why is that a problem you ask? Well, because Friday is Black Friday and I will be up with the East Coast Friday morning knocking down the doors of various internet sites trying to get good deals....mostly on things that I don't need. Please pray for Mandy as she will get extremely tired of saying, "Joel...NO!" on Friday.

November 21, 2008

Friday, November 21, 2008

So last night marked the first time since being married that I was off duty. Off duty means Mandy was out of town overnight. Knowing that I would be off duty for a night, I got on Netflix and requested the latest Rambo movie. I was quite impressed to say the least. Even at 61 years old Stallone can still throw down with the best of them. Anyway, he is living in Thailand and working a boat and catching cobra's for a living, then some missionaries ask him to take them up the river into Burma, he initially is like, no way, but then does it. The missionaries are captured by some rebels that are pretty much just going through and killing everyone and that opens the door for Rambo to open up a can...if you know what I mean. Now, this movie definately deserved its R rating and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with a squemish stomach (or sensitive ears). But it does give a good look into the kind of warzones that missionaries risk their life going into everyday.That takes a special kind of person. Its interesting because I was talking to my kids last week about how rich we are, even in the midst of this bad economy...I mean, we have a car to get from point A to point B, 92 % of the people in the world dont have that luxury. I may look at my purple Toyota and think, "man, that thing is such an eyesore," but 92% of the rest of the worlds population would look at me in my ugly car and say, "man, that person is rich." I can get up off my couch and walk to the fridge, get out my Brita Water Jug and get a drink of water. Millions of children would look at me doing that and and think, rich. As Thanksgiving rolls around I think it would be good for all of us to take some time to think about how good we have it, and then take some time to think about how we can spread it around. Despite what the media tells us, we are rich...and lucky that we aren't being stalked by John Rambo.

Warning: You should probably stop reading here.
I talked to Brad yesterday about the movie before I watched it and he is like, "dude, text me when he rips the guys throat out." So naturally I'm like, yeah, ok. I thought he was being sarcastic. Low and behold, just as this rebel is about to do away with the woman missionary, Rambo pops up behind him, grabs him and literally rips out his throat. It was crazy. If you read that and are regretting it, I'm sorry that I'm not sorry, I warned you.

October 30, 2008

Thursday, October 30, 2008

A squash is a squash...

Halloween is almost upon us and that can only mean one thing...actually, it could mean several things, but most importantly for me, it means Mandy's birthday. Of the other less important things that Halloween signifies, pumpkin carving. Last night I carved the first pumpkin myself of my life. Mandy brought the pumpkin in, did the outline that she wanted and then said, "here." Everyone knows that I am terrible with numbers so naturally when I see the sign at the pumpkin place that says $.18 lb, I'm like, sweet I can get one of those big ole honking pumpkins and its only going to cost like a dollar. Well, either I'm not a good judge of weight or am worse with numbers than I thought, that joker cost me like 8 bucks. So needless to say, as I am carving it with a filleting knife I start kicking myself for getting such a big pumpkin. The walls of this thing are like 5 inches thick. Anyway, this is what it looked like last night after I got done with it. We roasted the seeds and ate like 10 of them until I was about to throw up. I'm glad pumpkin seed roasting time only comes around once a year. Last night also marked the end of the World Series. Not that I really cared because my team was at their respective homes watching on their home theater systems. Gas has finally got down under $3 a gallon here, thank goodness. So anyway, like I was saying before I thought of that stupid pumpkin, Mandy's birthday is tomorrow. She will be....23...yes, that is correct. And I went out on a ledge and defied the "you don't have to get me anything," bull that I was given last week. I'm pretty sure she is going to enjoy what I got her, although since my money is now her money and her money is my money, it's like she bought herself something except, I bought it...oh well, at least I am covered because I didn't fall for the don't get me anything line.

September 30, 2008

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The states I despise...

Well allow me first off to say that Mandy and I did finally make it to Idaho after 4 very long days. The stories from along the way are probably enough to fill a short book but at this moment I'm not ready to take the time to write them. I will say this though, Colorado has risen to the top and overtaken West Virginia as my least favorite state in the history of the world. I despise West Virginia because of their roads, they have the nerve to charge money to drive on their crappy roads? I can't fathom, but I deal with it because the last time I tried to beat that system I took route 52 through WV and found myself on the scene of Deliverance...I said to myself then and there, never again, I will just pay the stupid toll. Anyway, I cross several more states, good roads, no tolls and then I come to Colorado and I think to myself, I'm only on this road for 24 miles, surely the toll won't be that much.....$18 dollars and 24 miles later I found myself barely resisting the urge to throw everything I had in the truck out the window so that some employee of that crappy system would have to spend time picking it up and thus putting my STOLEN hard earned money to use. I have been mad before folks, but never as mad as I was when I crossed through that last toll plaza. Fortunately Wyoming, Utah and Idaho were very pleasant drives and by the time I got to Twin Falls I was over it...now that I'm writing about it I am burning with anger all over again. Stay tuned for the tale of "Manchu throwing up on Mandy as we pass through St. Louis."

September 5, 2008

Friday, September 5, 2008

A brush with death...

So lets take it back to yesterday morning at approximately 9:00 a.m. I was settled in at the computer, prepared to waste another day simply not doing anything. Mandy walked into the room and I, like an idiot, just sat there on the computer, sublimely ignorant of her intentions. "Let's take a bike ride," was the statement that brought me the first hint reservation. Actually, let me rephrase that, "Joel....JOEL, are you listening to me?" was the phrase that first nailed me, followed by the infamous bike ride comment. Like and idiot I enthusiastically stopped what I was doing, found my tennis shoes which conveniently no longer fit and "saddled up the horses," (put the stupid bikes on the bike rack. Off we were, charging along, myself putting forth the same unbridled enthusiastic spirit I had kept hidden deep inside since the last time I was sent in for a hemorrhoid surgery. The first 6 miles was a breeze, it was cool, shady and slightly downhill (a fact I wouldn't realize until later when I was coming back, slightly uphill). We stopped and had a very relaxing chat by a beautiful waterfall and then when hunger hit we decided it was time to head back. This was the first mistake, as I stated, the trek back was all a slight upgrade. The sun had risen to an overhead position, there was no more shade, no more cool in the air and the only comfort I had was that of my woman's camelback-which every time I took my hand of the handlebar to reach for the tube to put it in my mouth, I almost wrecked. We finally arrived back at the car after what seemed like hours of laboring that stupid bike. Then came the redeeming part of the trip. Japanese for lunch. Mmmmm!

September 3, 2008

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

On the mend...

August was a rush of emotion, change, uncertainty and then laziness. It was a good month but all in all I truly believe it will pale in comparison to September. We have finally started having success in calling rental places in Twin Falls and perhaps might even find a place to live in the event I get hired. Mandy has an interview this evening with an accounting firm. My fantasy baseball team made the playoffs as a 4 seed and is currently winning this week. I found a website that has old television shows on it and now Mandy and myself send ourselves to sleep watching old re-runs of ALF, which is not as kid friendly as I remembered it being. I do find it to be very hilarious every time ALF makes an attempt to eat the cat. Oh goodness. I have also started walking....yes, I did indeed say walking. Its an attempt to become healthier and perhaps work my way up to being somewhat athletic again. It's a long shot, but we will see.

September 1, 2008

Monday, September 1, 2008

New Beginnings

So here we are, September 1st 2008. A new month means a new attitude. I successfully went from Sunday August 17-Sunday August 31st without really doing anything at all. While it was quite enjoyable to have time to wind down from a busy camp season, it at times also became somewhat boring. Yesterday I filled in for dad at the pulpit while he and mom went off gallivanting at the beach - you can rest assured that I brought the hell-fire and brimstone...actually I spoke mainly on being merciful. This morning I started going through crap of mine that hasn't been touched in years - I always have been a pack rat and it has finally caught up with me. I probably have a truckload of junk that is destined for either the goodwill or the dump. Ten days until we fly to Idaho. Also on the bright side, Manchu has not defiled the house since Thursday.

August 28, 2008

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The marathon continues

I am currently nine working days into the marathon and I can honestly say that I have never felt more worthless in my entire life. I am slightly comforted by the fact that I am indeed in the process of a big change, but nonetheless I haven't done anything even remotely productive since the morning of August 16th. So what do I do with my time off, you may ask. Well, I'm glad you asked. I read John Grisham books that I have read before, I piddle around on the internet, I call apartments in Twin Falls to ask them if they will allow me my dog in the residence-only to be told that I may not unless I have a doctors note. What am I supposed to do with that? Go to my family doctor and say, "Jack, hey man, long time no see! Umm..listen, I need you to write me a note saying that cleaning up dog crap off my floor is thereaputic for me, so if you could do that, it would be great. By the way, I don't have insurance, so if you could not charge me for this, that would be good too." Apparently Twin Falls does not like my dog. I feel their pain. Which reminds me. I was putting a load of laundry in this morning, Manchu, the dog, followed me downstairs and managed to go after mom again by walking into her bedroom and dropping a deuce on her floor, she caught him. I'm sure by this point they are wondering, when are they going to get this dog out of the house? Revenge was mine yesterday, I gave the dog a haircut, all by myself. : )

August 26, 2008

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Leaving the dog unattended

We are currently 10 days into the "how long can Joel go without doing anything" marathon - I must say, I feel quite worthless. When mom and dad came home this evening with a new dryer I jumped at the opportunity to help unload and set it up. Caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment, I left Manchu (our two year old Shi-tzu) unattended upstairs. 30 minutes later I come back upstairs, feeling good about myself for not allowing the entire day to be wasted only to find my mother frowning at me. "Your dog peed three times and crapped in the floor," was the statement I walked in to. I looked down at Manchu who was starring up at me with his tongue barely sticking out of his mouth, eyes bugging out of his head and couldn't help but chuckle inside. I hate that dog.

Starting again...

Well I somehow managed to go long enough without signing into my other account so that I no longer remember how to gain access to it. So I suppose I will try to get back to blogging regularly and I will do so from this account. It's been almost a year since I made a post and I don't want my old ones to go to waste so I reckon I will copy them from my old page and paste them on here.

We'll start with the oldest and work forward.