Frost

Questions

Sunset

Fishin'

Sitting at my favorite fishing spot.

Transition

Yep, still here. 

Peace-

Matt

Deepstar

Yesterday, we returned from our annual Miller campout at Lake MacBride State Park.  Last year we had a ton of rain.  This year it was heat and humidity.  We all decided that we will be skipping the MacBride campout next year and will be taking a trip to Colorado instead.  

We are replacing our kitchen countertops.  They are long overdue.  We decided to go with laminate.  It was way cheaper than any other option.  The color we chose is called Deepstar Glaze.  Menards called today.  They're ready to pick up.  I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.

Peace-
Matt

Surpassed

My youngest daughter has finally surpassed her mother in height. I guess that's what happens when you keep feeding them. 

It's going to be a fun next few weeks. Dave Matthews Band on Tuesday and then our annual family camping weekend 9 days after that. Fun times. 

I'm posting from my phone again. I can't figure out how to make it post higher quality photos. They just don't look right. 

Peace-

Matt

Petty

"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things"
  - George Carlin

Peace-
Matt

Advice

"Our life is frittered away by detail… Simplify, simplify, simplify!" - Henry David Thoreau

Great advice from a man who was anything but simple. I've had an audio book CD set of Thoreau's "Walden" in my car for several years. I'll pop in a cd every now and then.  It's really good stuff. He sure gives you a lot to think about. I find myself pausing it after just a few paragraphs because it's so much to process. 

I really need to take his advice. Sometimes enough is enough already.

-Peace

Matt

Testing again

Testing again. 

Testing

I've always only posted from my desktop computer. This is a test post directly from my phone. I'm curious how this will look from a real monitor. 

Full

We have this white board on the refrigerator that we use mostly to write notes and reminders on. Occasionally, I'll write a note to one or all of the kids. Sometimes it's overly passive-aggressive. Last week I was off of work and had a few mornings of free time (I could really get use to that!) to myself. One morning I spent probably an hour writing and erasing a bunch of notes. I photographed a few of them with my phone, and have put them all together here:

How to be an Adult (in 8 easy steps)
1) - Clean up your messes - expecting someone else to do it is childlike thinking
2) - Pay your bills - we all have to work hard and no one feels sorry for you when you have to.
3) - Take responsibility for your actions - mistakes happen, learn from them, never pass the blame
4) - Realize that your actions have consequences - not just for you, but for others, "how will what I do affect others?"
5) - Respect your parents - Yes, they might actually know what they're talking about.
6) - Don't take things that don't belong to you - shouldn't you have learned that in 1st grade
7) - Be a contributor - to household (chores, etc.- without being asked), to community (volunteer, donate blood, etc), to each other (if you see someone in need, help out)
8) - Above all - TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WANT TO BE TREATED

Emotions run high around here, lots of drama. I miss being bored.

Life is full - time to simplify

Peace-
Matt