A night at the movies......

One good thing about kids is that you get to relive some of your firsts. The first time we took Bug to the movies I was instantly transported to being 5 or 6 years old and my first movie. Now every time we go, I still get that same feeling.

Tonights forecast....Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs....Topped off with dinner at Umi's (Japanese steakhouse)

Tip of the day: Always get the super large popcorn. That's what the kids look forward to the most.

(Sunshine was present but not photogenic)

What about pictures

From the McDonalds on Spillway Road in Jackson MS.

Is this thing on?

Testing. Testing. Is this thing on?

So much time and so little to do...scratch that..reverse it

They say that the summer solstice is the longest day of the year (June 21). I would like to argue that December 24th is actually the longest day (if you under 10 years old). Today we will spend the day trying to rein in Bug and Sunshine. Entertain. We will spend the day watching Christmas specials on TV and checking the Santa radar on the computer.

Christmas is an emotional time of the year. I think more so than any other. Memories (happy or sad) of Christmas's past come rampaging through. We have had several deaths in our community during the last few weeks. The families affected will be spending their first Christmas without their beloved wife, mother, grandmother, father, son, etc. That makes an impression. I have a link to the Fat Cyclist on my side bar. This will probably be his last Christmas with his wife. How can you cope with that?

Of course their are happy memories too. Those happy times as a child. The Christmas I proposed to my beloved Bride. Each of the kids first Christmas. The family dinners. Times when everything seemed so right in the world.

My heart goes out to those that will have a tough time this year. I'm not talking about not getting that ipod you wanted. I'm talking about grief, depression, loneliness. I offer a word of encouragement. "This too shall pass" It will get better. The sun will shine again. I pray that God will give you peace, comfort, mercy.

To those of you who are having a great Christmas, take a look around. Surely there is someone you could reach out too. Send a card. Take a plate of cookies.

Reach out and put your arm around someone today.

Rain..Rain.. Go Away....

So technically it didn't rain today. But it has rained a lot in the last month (see yesterday's post). The ground is still saturated.

Right here is where I was going to insert a picture of my mountain bike with gobs of red clay stuck all over it.......but I can't find it. That will be a post on it's own.

Anyway, I thought since this was "supposed" to be a blog with a bicycle angle and I had yet to write anything about riding, this would be my first. So use your imagination.

The area in which I live has a high content of clay in the soil. This makes the mud extremely slick and sticky. Is that a contradiction? I can remember as a kid walking through this sticky concoction. With each step, your shoe size grows. Pretty soon, they look like snow shoes (like I'd know what they look like). Now imagine that happening to a bike tire. Pretty quick your bike looks like this.

So what have we learned today.

1. There has to be a better way to organize photos where they can be found.
2. If it's wet stay at home. It's better on your bike and the trail.
3. We learned that Cornbread only has two points.

Once upon a time.........

Once upon a time, there was magical place where it never rained.....the end. That's a line from the Disney movie holes. One thing for certain, it wasn't written about Mississippi. At least for the last month. I think we had 7" in one weekend.

But the sun came out today.

The sun has always had a prominent place in human history. Many cultures worshiped the sun. They didn't know much about it, but new it was something powerful. The sun makes things grow, warms the earth, and displaces the darkness.

I know some people who are going through some dark times in their lives. Maybe you're one of them. Just remember the one day the sun is going to come out. It's not going to rain forever.

One of the things I'll miss the most......Part1

There are a lot of things I'll miss as the kids grow up. Somethings have already passed and other are sure to follow. Baby talk, toddling steps, onesies are all a things of the past. There are a few things that I can still hold on to.

One of things that I'll miss the most is holding hands. My heart soars each time one of my kids reaches up to grab my hand. It may just be instinct, a reaction, that we've ingrained in them. All ways hold hands crossing the street, for example. When we are in a crowd, we hold hands to keeep them near. I like to think of it, not as instinct or routine, but as them seeking protection, guidance. I hope they think, if they are holding daddy's hand then they are safe and out of harms way. If they are holding daddy's hand, no one can get them, they can't get lost.

Our current night time ritual, is that my wife rocks sunshine, while I lay down with Bug in his bed, until he goes to sleep. Last night as he was settling in, with his head laid on my shoulder, he reached across and grabbed my hand. He squeezed, I squeezed. My hand enveloping his.

One day, he'll be to big for daddy to lay down with him. He'll be to big to play army with daddy. He'll be to big to hold my hand to cross the street. I don't know how many days I have left, but I'm trying to make the most of every opportunity.