Spoiled

Angie and the girls took me out for mexican food on my birthday Wednesday night. We went to El Charro (I think that's what it's called) in Ankeny. Angie and I discovered it a month or so back on one of our date nights. It's cheap and very yummy. They're fast too. Our food came about 5 minutes after we ordered it. No kidding, it was that fast. Angie told them it was my birthday, so they put hats on us and sang some song. It was fun.

Tomorrow is Alex's birthday. Angie and I bought her the phone she wanted. Angie was able to get a good deal on a new phone. Alex is paying us for half of it. We gave it to her tonight. She didn't know she was getting it and was very excited. I know we spoil them, but it's worth it to see them smile like that.

Today was pretty warm, like 45 degrees I think. The snow was melting good. It won't last though. The high on Sunday is supposed to be 15.

Peace-
Matt

Slideshow

My wife has discovered a new found hobby. She has been making "slideshows" from groups of photos. She's made one from her trip to England this past fall, one of Robby's photos (see link on the right side of this page), and a couple others. She's very good at it and is enjoying it. We have been seeing less of her because of it, but I am still trying to decide if that's good or bad ;-) Anyway, check out the video and let her know what you think.

Peace-
Matt

Go Bears!

Rex Grossman sucks, but the Bears were able to get past that and win anyway. Way to go Bears, what a fun game to watch.

This is our big January birthday week. Mine is Wednesday and Alex's is Saturday. Alex wants a new cell phone for her birthday. The one she wants is like $250. No way I can afford to spend that much, nor do I feel that I should. Her phone broke when she "failed to catch it". So, if you're looking for an idea for Alex's birthday. She wants money to pay for part of her new phone.

It's so hard not to spoil a daughter.

70 degrees

This is what the van showed on my way to work Tuesday morning. It was 70 degrees warmer than that here just a few days ago.

Just passing time

Cleaning the Garage

The medium of photography can record not only what the eyes see, but that which the mind's eye sees as well. The camera is not only an extension of the eye, but of the brain. It can see sharper, farther, nearer, slower, faster than the eye. It can see by invisible light. It can see in the past, present, and future. Instead of using the camera only to reproduce objects, I wanted to use it to make what is invisible to the eye, visible. -Wynn Bullock

Taking a bath

I've always wanted to do a series of photographs that depict time passing. This all started from a photograph that I took a few years back of Alex doing dishes. It was something like a 2 minute exposure, I can't remember for sure. Alex was moving the whole time, so you can't really see her, but you can see evidence of time passing. I have lots of ideas for this series, and am excited about it. These are a couple of my first meager attempts. Tests really, but fun nonetheless.

TGTF

Thank God Tomorrow's Friday


Sounds like we're in for some winter weather this weekend. I started the snowblower tonight, just to be sure it starts. Early last winter, after the first snowfall, I dug the snowblower out to clear the driveway. It wouldn't start. Turned out I needed a new motor. After spending over $300 for that, it hasn't snowed since At least not enough to blow. The best $300 I ever spent.

Testing

I started "practicing" with my new lights this afternoon. It was a lot of fun and I think I'm going to get some excellent results from this setup. Here are a few that I did with one light and a reflector, just screwing around.



Abby had another game this morning. She wasn't the scoring machine that she was in the last game, but she did good and had fun.

Peace-
Matt

Dragging on

January always feels like the longest month of the year to me. I suppose it's because the holidays are over and winter is in full force (usually). February is short, and March has more spring weather. January just drags out forever.

I recently sold all of my 8x10 gear to buy some studio lights and a few misc other things. I'm going to try to start shooting some portraits on the side for extra money. I need to pay off some bills before I have to start paying for college and weddings. I need to practice a bit with the lights, but will be ready to start soon. Pass the word if you know anyone who wants portrait work done. I'll be very affordable.



This shot I took tonight with one of the "misc" things I bought. It's called a "lensbaby". Fun little gadget. No photoshop here, this is straight out of the camera (besides resizing).

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone. I hope it brings all that you deserve.

We had a nice trip to Kevin's house last weekend. It's always a lot of fun to spend time with them. We watched Iowa and the Bears lose, and the New Year come in.

Peace-
Matt

Happy Birthday Shannon

Christmas morning at my house, before the kids woke up.

Happy Birthday to my sister Shannon today! For 27 days each year, we are the same age. Happy Birthday old lady, I love you.

Preparations

We've been busy preparing for the big birthday party (thanks G). This weekend was the annual "baking day" at my sisters house. They made something like 580 cookies. I don't care if I see another cookie for months.



If I don't talk to y'all before Christmas, have a great one!

Peace-
Matt

Aurora Borealis

the icy sky at night...

I saw the northern lights for the first time ever last night. At first I thought "man those clouds look funny". I couldn't really see the green color too well with my eyes, but the camera picked it all up. Very Very Cool. Sometimes it pays to live in a small town. I'd have never seen these it the city lights.

Both of these were taken in the soccer field behind our church in Elkhart, IA. I was there dropping Alex off for the Christmas Choir practice.

Peace-
Matt

Catch up

It's always so busy this time of year. I like spending time with loved ones, but I could do without work parties, choral concerts, shopping, and so on. It will be over soon though, and life will become normal again.

I don't have time to write much (choral concert tonight) but want to attach some photos from the past week.

Peace-
Matt

Balance

Falling


Husband - Father - Homeowner - Provider - Brother - Friend - Individual

I'm sure there are more, I just can't think. They all overlap somewhat. As Mr. Miyagi taught us, balance is essential for a healthy, happy life. It is difficult too.

Thursday I photographed my sister Kym and her three dogs. Kym's relationship with her dogs is one that I haven't been able to completely understand. I just can't comprehend why/how someone can elevate a pet to such importance in their lives. When I think about balance though, I can see it. In my life, I don't have room on my "scale" for pets. Kym does. Kym doesn't have children, she has dogs. Her life has more balance when she can be a caregiver. When I think about it this way, I do understand.

Friday, Angie and I had another date night. We had dinner at the North End Diner (yummy & cheap) and then did a little Christmas shopping. It's always nice to spend time alone with her. I look forward to more and more of this as time passes by.

Saturday, I spent some time with my brother Tom. Of all my siblings, I'd say that I am closest to my brother. Tom and I are always completely honest with each other. I can't say that about most people in my life. Tom has been having a rough go of it in the past couple weeks. Damn women.

I finally finished the new bathroom Sunday. Yes, I'm completely done. This may be the first time ever that I've completely finished a project at home. I usually get very disinterested towards the end of the project and leave just a few minor details unfinished. Not this time. I worked on the trim both Saturday and Sunday and finished it in the bathroom. I still have to finish the laundry room trim though.

That left no more time for the rest. I feel I shortchanged my children this past week. My balance feels off.

The reason?

Every year we go through this. Angie does 95% of the Christmas shopping and I worry, fret over, and question just about every purchase she makes. I don't want to do the shopping and I don't want to pay for it either. I get so stressed when my already tight budget has to absorb the gigantic hit that comes at Christmas time, especially when it comes on one weekend! It's hard for me to understand why Christmas has to cost us so much. Who's jackass idea was it to give out so many gifts? That's not what Christmas is about. It's Jesus, man. We should be giving to those who need it most; not spoiled kids and their spoiled parents. I just wish I could practice what I preach.

On a lighter note: Angie's Aunt Carolyn sent us a beautiful comforter/pillow set. Thank you Carolyn!

Stupid Cattle

It's hard to believe that the long Thanksgiving weekend is already coming to an end. It's been quite enjoyable for sure.



Wednesday night, a few of the Troutslayers and I went out for a couple beers and to see the Tenacious D movie "Pick of Destiny". It was a good time. The movie is not for everyone, but I thought it was hilarious. I will see it again, just to pick up on some of the lines.

Thursday we had Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Everyone wrote a poem and we all read them right before dinner. It always sounds corny before hand, but it's very cool. After dinner we played a few games and had some laughs. This is the stuff that the kids will remember.

Friday was the shopping day. Angie had a list of stuff for me to get at Target when it opened at 6am. I got there about 5:40 and the line was already over 100 yards long and growing quickly. I decided to wait until the store opened and just walk in like usual. That's what I did too, along with a bunch of other folks. I felt bad for about 1/2 of a second when some lady yelled "you ought to be ashamed of yourself". I don't feel comfortable joining the crowd like a bunch of stupid cattle. Screw that. When the store opened, I went in. It was a fucking zoo. I got one thing on my wife's list. That was enough for me. I then went to Staples and waited in line at the cash register for 45 minutes. Karma.

Friday was the annual "Girls shopping weekend". Each year, after Thanksgiving, my wife and sisters get a hotel room somewhere and shop, eat, & talk. So, it was just me & the girls on Friday night. We went to Hickory Park for dinner. I had ribs and they were good. Not as good as Wicker's though.


Saturday was a relaxing day. Abby kept begging to get the Christmas tree and decorations out. Her consistency finally paid off and I got everything out. Now there's a big mess upstairs.

We went to see the Jolly Holiday Lights last night. Tina, George, and Jordan came along for the ride. It was fun to see Madeline so excited that she was clapping. I love that.

E. Viction

Friday, when I picked Alex up after school, one of her friend's mom came up to my car window and started bitching. I'm not going to go into details about what she was bitching about, but I will say that she was VERY immature about it. I wish I would have rolled my eyes at her, because that's how I felt. Then, yesterday, we had a conversation with friends about one of their children. Angie and I feel that these kids' every move is directed by their mother. Parenting is really hard and everyone does it different. However, I think it's important to let them be themselves. Kids will be kids. They have to go through life and experience it for themselves. As Angie said last night, "At least Alex is real". She is and I'm proud of her.




The girls and I just got back from a trip to Iowa City to watch my nephew in a school play. He did great and it was a pretty good play. The girls did good on the way out, but lost their minds on the way back.

It's going to be a short work week. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and and four days off. It's supposed to be warm too.

Riblets

I just finished watching an episode of the Glen Beck show. It was about how the radical islamists use propaganda to teach their children to hate Jews, Christians, and Americans. They showed a clip from a cartoon in which a terrorist had a bunch of grenades strapped around his body. He jumped into a truckload of Israelites and blew himself up. In the same way that we are raised to love each other and to treat each other with kindness, they are raised to hate non-muslims and to be martyrs. It's all they know. How do we stop that?

Sunday, Angie and I finally got to have real date. The first in a very long time. We went to Home Depot for paint samples and then to Applebees. I got a steak and riblet dinner. Bad choice. Don't ever get the riblets. There were way too many small bones. I was constantly picking bones out of the half-chewed food in my mouth. yuck. Next time I'll get the baby back ribs.

Buttons

It happens every year. The kids love it, but I despise it (sort of). We had our first snowfall of the season on Friday. I think we got about 2 inches in Cambridge. It was 80 degrees here on Wednesday. Crazy.

Angie showed Madeline how to sew on a button. That's all she wants to do now. She's pretty good at it too.

Bath time

A few months ago our "old" bathroom roof sprung a leak. For the past week or so, the local handy man has been putting a new roof on the bathroom and fixing the ceiling. I elected to hire someone this time because I wanted it done quickly. If I'd have done it, it would have been strung out over several months. That's just how I roll.

Anyway, the "new" bathroom doesn't have a tub, just a shower. With the "old" bathroom under construction, Madeline has had to resort to baths at the sitter's or showers with me. Tonight we decided to give her a bath in the kitchen sink. It worked great and she had fun with it.

It was nice today, in the 60's, so we raked some leaves and Abby torched them.