My Gift to all of you...

...is a little more me.

I know, it's been awhile...seems like that's how I always start posts lately. Deb D. asked in a comment on the previous post if I'll ever post again. I thought about commenting back "no", yet here I am. Now that so many people have cracked my shield of defenses (commonly called 'searched for me') I've had mixed feelings about my good 'ol blog. She seems different to me now...I thought about abandoning her altogether. However, she's a steady 'ol gal, and we've weathered quite a few storms together. So, I was left feeling that, as long as I'm still safe from the Dust Bunny (thanks, Whitney), I will carry on. BTW, Holli - maybe you could look at building back some of the walls of my fortress, too many people are finding me!! Curse you search robots!! Also, to all of you whom I read, but don't comment on...I've had lots of comments to say! Really! For those of you whom I read and comment on...welcome back to the country, and...to the D-Nast...your last post is even older than mine.

So, quick update...
November - Keith's birthday...good. Involved lots of sushi, spur of the moment road trips, and gifts from a very attentive perspective. Thanksgiving...also good. Good food, lots of family, etc.
Also in this month was the now infamous day of waiting in line for a ps3...which we have yet to sell...because the price is dropping...which makes me sad. Good-bye 'free' X-box 360??? I don't know yet.

December - I feel bad commenting on this month as it's not dead yet and I don't want to make it feel self-conscious, or like I'm not appreciating it's final days. December, you are great! I've enjoyed you!

January (because I can see the future) - good. Keith's parents coming for a visit, Abbie's birthday, camping National conference (not necessarily good, but good to see the friends there), and someone else's birthday...on the 8th....rhymes with rebra...

February - AWESOME!! Six weeks from yesterday we will be in the second happiest place on earth!! Walt Disney World!!

Well, looks like I won't have to post til March...

Bigger or Better...you decide

Yeah, yeah...I know it's been awhile...off my back whitney!! So here goes, what has been keeping away from the wonderful world of blogness...

But before I get to that, just an observance. We're getting really bad at blogging/commenting, friends - myself very much included. Since this is one of the ways I keep up with certain people who choose to move far, far away near lands of wonderful seafood, we need to be better. I'll turn over a new leaf if you do!

So what's up...

BTW, in case you didn't understand the title of this post, it's a warning to you. This is gonna be one MEGA post!

Halloween is tomorrow! We've already done many costumed activities and have just a couple left. Why is this exciting...I mean, beyond the free candy??? BECAUSE! Check out Adam's SWEET costume!! He's a JEDI! He's totally into it! It's crazy! We feel like we're living in that commercial showing the balding guy talking about how now he shares Star Wars with the next generation. The nerd gene has not left the pool. It lives on strong! The dark side did take a mild victory this weekend however. Adam was robbed at the kid's costume contest at the Spirit Lake "mall". First prize, and the $100, went to some kid in a wal-mart costume. sick. I won't even embarrass myself by telling you how many painstaking hours went into creating the young warrior's robes. I console myself by knowing he's thrilled...and did I mention how AWESOME it is??! And yes, that is a little jedi braid that you see in his hair.

Abbie had her annual halloween party this weekend as well. It concluded with all the girls going to her first REAL dance. There were boys and everything. When we dropped them off the whole place smelled of sweat and cheap perfume...and plummeted me into a deep, dark flashback of the jr. high dances of my youth. The good news, there were contests and Abbie won TWO of them! She scored a cd player and a WOW cd...which she took to Wal-mart the next day and returned for a cool $37...sweet.

Okay, this is going to get annoying...I feel like this is one of those stupid Christmas letters where parents brag about their children, politely "forgetting" to mention little Jimmy's drug problem...but I just have to mention one more thing.

A few weeks ago Abbie and Adam both auditioned for the local children's theatre production of Beauty and the Beast. Abbie got the lead!! It was so fun!! Even Adam got a scripted part - a big deal in the children's theatre world. I'm thinking this could be a safety net occupation for one/both of them. It could definately bring in enough bank to support their parents.

Keith's birthday is this wednesday. The bummer part about that is that it is 6 days earlier than the release of Guitar Hero II. Can't wait.

November 7th cannot come soon enough. I'm sick of political ads and the politicians in them. Although one fun game to play is to try to create your own ad. We like to add phrases like "his opponent was witnessed kicking a kitten" and such. It spices things up.

If any of you are still reading this, I'm impressed...

Speaking of politics, here's another fun home game. It was born when I came to the conclusion that everything our president says has been dubbed. No, I don't mean the voice-over kind of dubbing...I can only assume if that were the case that he'd actually complete a cognitive thought. I mean 'dubbed', as in "having been altered by W". The examples are everywhere, so the challenge is to come up with one that he hasn't already done. First, start with a common saying/phrase. Here's an example to get you started: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Now, think of ways you can "dub" this saying. One way might be: An ounce of premption is the cure for a pounding...and so on. Have fun.

For some reason, blogger is not letting me add more images to this post. I wanted more eye candy!! Plus, it would really add mega-ness. Alright, I guess I'm done.

Go Huskers!

Alright...we didn't actually purchase the corn head hats...but we did go home with that foam finger.

The game was AMAZING. Yes, there are the obvious reasons...seeing YOUR team, and it was very nice that they pulled out an incredible 56-0 victory. However, the true value lies in the experience itself. For those of you who have attended large sporting events...I know you've got my back. It's not just the game...it's the whole experience. There's fireworks, stealth bombers buzzing the stadium (Keith's favorite part), the bands, the food, the Weiner Schlinger, the sights, sounds and smells of what autumn Saturdays were created for. Our kids have never attended anything on this scale...almost 85,000 in a sea of red. They were enthralled. Adam was engaged every millisecond for 4 hours. I didn't know he had it in him outside of the video game realm. Abbie asked when we could go again. I've never been so proud.

In other news...
D-Nasty back blogging...'bout friggin time!
Choidog...back in the books...s'bout tym u got sum schoolin'.
ShayK...if you don't update soon my head will explode.
Abbie gets braces on Thursday and we don't have dental...sigh.
Adam will be a green belt soon...be afraid, be very afraid.
No x-box in our house yet...keith says he "isn't sure if he wants one". This has kept me up at nights crying...because it can only mean he's dying. Why else wouldn't he want one???

Sick?...More like Suck!

Drugs are good...don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I've managed to catch the cold that Adam introduced to our house last week. Usually Keith and the kids are the only ones to get sick...but this one hit me too. Suck. Did I already mention the drugs?? They don't suck. They make you feel like you're swimming...even when you're on dry land!! Cool!!

Keith doesn't like my cookies. He says they're not soft and chewy enough. Last week I made a batch of run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookies and he went on and on about how amazing they were. I did nothing different. After 3 days of Jonesin' for more cookies, I made a batch using chocolate "chunks" (in a Nestle aisle near you) to sooth his cravings. They passed test again. I have no idea why.

We're all going to a Nebraska Football Game in just under 2 weeks!!! The kids are stoked, I'm stoked, and Keith is letting us be stoked!! I can't describe the magic....it'll be awesome and worthy of an entire post when we're back.

I don't know what to have for dinner. I think something with a psudeoephedrine sauce would be good. Did you know you can't just BUY that anymore!! I hate meth-heads!!

I'm going to go lie down...

Workin' for the weekend

So, this being the big holiday weekend, we are heading out tomorrow after school for a camping trip. We're headed to MN, near lots of tax-free shopping, so hope to finish up all those back-to-school needs.

Speaking of school, have you all realized that we have an "official" Jr. Higher living in our house? Abbie is finishing her first week of 7th!!! grade. She babysits and everything. Less than 6 months to go till the teenage years. I swear I'm not that old.

FYI - I'm really enjoying our new wireless router. I'm surfing in the living room while Keith is on the desktop in the office. No more waiting to get on the computer in our house...which should bode well for the frequency of blog entries. Ahhh...nothing brings families together like technology.

What are you all doing for your long holiday weekend??

Holy Cow!!!

...There's a new post!! Yes, friends, it's been a long time coming, but I'm back..and as mediocre as ever.

...I rode with Lance Armstrong!! Well, technically not with him, but we did see him twice. However, I did ride the entire week - plus extra century loop - of RAGBRAI. It was completely awesome, in the non-overused sense of the word. Wonderful, exciting, fun, fun, fun! You all are invited to come with me any year.

...I survived a 21 hour car ride with 2 kids and 1 dog!! That's right, we decided, somewhat on a whim actually, to do the entire drive from Washington to Iowa in one stretch. Keith drove the entire way...he's a stud, and also a coffee addict. My job was to talk to him and keep him awake...mission accomplished.

...The camping season is over!!! 10 summers done and gone. Where does the time go?

And possibly the biggest 'holy cow!' of all..

...The Dagit's are moving to SEATTLE!!! So many emotions over this, most of them not pretty (envy is a start). You guys will love it. The Kalb's will love having you so close. We will love to visit. Go to Ivar's and have a clam chowder for me.

Let's discuss this over coffee...

...a big, big cup of coffee. It'll take a BIG cup of coffee to discuss everything, and is there a better way to chat about anything than over a steaming mug of freshly brewed goodness? Coffee...you are so wonderful, so warm, so giving of your caffeine to my bloodstream...what a good friend...anyway, I digress.

So, what's up? Well, there are two worlds at play here - house and head. What's going on in the house? It's CRAZY time! We're in the middle of some crazy-busy weeks at camp, and there's all sorts of kid activities that have either just happened, or will be happening very soon. (take a sip of Joe) I don't want to talk about it anymore...

Then, there's what's going on in the head. (Take another sip) Again, so many topics that I have been wanting to go off on lately, that it's baffling where to start. (take a good, long pull) I've had the opportunity to be in my home church the last two Sundays, as we have not been on the road for camp. I also attended the Maundy Thursday service. This gave me three chances to again experience what 'my' church is up to. Oh, Oh, Oh...I really try not to sit there and critique the entire time, really I do. I consciously try to have an open mind when I walk in the door, but it never takes too long before my juices start to boil. Some highlights...equating baptism with salvation (uh, yeah, I've got a problem with that) and saying that God does not hear/answer all prayers (isn't 'no' still an answer?).

Actually, what has been occupying much of my head time lately are the blissful thoughts of bicycling. It was warm here last week and I got to go out a few times. Ahhh.... Bike....almost as good as coffee. I'm so excited for RAGBRAI! Nothing could be better! Unless it was riding it on a brand new road bike....hmmm...

As we finish our cup together, let me take this opportunity to reiterate a few long standing truths...W sucks (did anyone see Dave's bit on presidents speaking eloquently? So funny, so sad and embarrassing), salesmen SUCK (that's a whole other post) and Tom Cruise is a total nut job (but I'll still go see MI3).

Anyway, what would you like to say over a hot cup?

Male bonding

There is a smile on my face and a warm spot in my heart as I sit to post. You see, we've always loved our son and enjoyed partaking in many various activities with him. These activities though, were usually for his benefit. Sure, we enjoyed them, but we're doing them for him. However, he has recently crossed the threshold into equal level coolness. The material that built this bridge?...video games.

The men in the house can spend hours...nay, days...playing PS2. They've developed their own language. They can talk to each other - extremely enthusiastically - and go on and on and on....and I have no idea what they have just said. It reached a pinnacle the other night...

Keith was playing after the kids had gone to bed and came upstairs after a bit, looking pretty forlorn. I thought "uh oh, what's wrong? Is he not feeling well?" Then, he sighed heavily and said "I wish Adam was up. I just got past a part I've been stuck on for two days. He'd understand. I almost want to wake him and tell him." He then slunk off to the computer realizing the only person awake enough to hear the important news was me...and I don't understand...and would probably just mock him if he tryed to explain how cool it was. He needed his boy.

Yays and Boos

Too much time has passed between posts, I just don't know where to start. Let me just ease back into it with a few ice breakers...

Oscars - yay Jon Stewart!! yay George Clooney!! Two of my favorite men! Also, Yay for Crash!! It was just plain better than Brokeback Mountain. If BM (by the way, isn't that funny!) was the exact same move, only with a heterosexual couple, it wouldn't have even been on the radar. Slow plot, undevelped characters....original? yes. Does that mean it's good? No.

Boo for Crash - the other kind. This was our Mini a few weeks ago after some 16 year old chick with a mohawk (the cool kind that still leaves the long hair on the sides so you can dress it down for Sunday mornings, but still totally rock for party time) decided to use her mommy's car without permission, run a no-left-turn sign and hit me...and my daughter! The Mini is back, and she is better than ever. She actually likes having been in an accident, says it gives her street cred.

Yay and Boo for RAGBRAI. The entire route has been officially announced...yay!! It's one of the shortest ever with only 444 miles...boo. By the way, consider yourself invited to join our team. I need to know fairly soon, but seriously, if anyone wants to do it, it's pretty fun....plus, it's a cool thing to tell the grandkids someday. I figure if you're reading this, you're someone I would want to come along. Nasty?? Sam?? Shannon?? You have some free time coming up...

Yay for Spelling and Math....Abbie qualified for the regional Spelling Bee and made the Math Bee team. Some would call her a geek. She says she's a 'mathlete'. I say, she's gonna pay for my retirement.

Yay for Orange...the color of Adam's new TKD belt! Now he can beat up anyone who makes fun of his geeky sister.


Feel free to leave some yays and boos of your own...

Invisible Nation

I'm feeling a little frustrated. Let me explain...

I love my country, I really do. I'm even hokey enough to admit that I can be moved to tears at times hearing the Star Spangled Banner or seeing a veterans memorial - even if it's just a local veteran's day celebration. I love us alot...at least on paper. I love the words of our Declaration of Independance, the ideals on which we were founded. I love how radical the idea of "all men created equal" was - still is - but especially in the 1700's. I love what we strive for and represent. I even love the cheesy 'American Dream'. We take for granted that we really are one of the few places on earth where anyone can make it. Yes, I love America and I love being an American...but my country has disappeared.

I know I'm naive about some things, and I will heartly acknowledge the dark spots in our nation's history. We're not perfect, not even close...I know this. However, I still think of us as the country who pulled itself up from it's bootstraps during the depression, while fighting (and winning, mind you) a world war. The country where you can worship as you please, or not. The country where, if you work hard, you can 'make it'. This is my America...and it's missing.

America is now a mix of the world bully and the world idiot. Watch foreign films...watch the perception of America change during the last 2 decades. American punchlines need no explanation anymore, it's accepted that we're selfish bullies...and not very smart. This is what the world thinks of us, and it seems they're right.

When communism fell, I think our nation-and the world-saw this awesome opportunity. Ok, we're the only major superpower left. Let's take this thing out for a spin and see what it can do! Think of all the good that can be accomplished! Think of the example we can set! Go America!! Turns out...not so much. A golden opportunity - once in a lifetime - squandored.

Well, maybe there'll be a second opportuity...behold Sept. 11th. We were a divided, bitter, partisan nation on Sept. 10th. One day later, we held to each other and vowed to protect our nation, get the terrorists and use this wake up call to the world. We loved our President on Sept 12th. He had us in the palm of his hand. Whatever we felt about him before, we were standing behind him now, waiting for him to lead us to healing, to prosperity once again, to justice against those who attacked us.

Fast forward to today. The 'American Dream' is now almost dead, if not totally. Small business owners are being taxed out the ear and being forced to provide health care at astronomical costs. They can't do it...no matter how hard they work...so they fold. Our president talks, at length, about fighting AIDS in Africa, helping the homeless in India and other humanitarian efforts throughout the world. These are noble causes and I will agree that we are not doing all we should be, as the world's wealthiest nation, to help in these areas. But what about the homeless HERE! We don't need to go overseas to find problems with AIDS, just go 10 blocks in any direction of the white house. Another large company, FORD, just announced more massive layoffs. What about unemployment HERE. It's shameful that children in our country don't have enough to eat when we're also facing a national health care crisis due to obesity. We're so busy messing up the world that we got a bonus and messed up ourselves too!

And what does is say to the world when we re-elect a leader that more than half of the country, at his peak, doesn't agree with?!! Oh, I've got to stop right here...

I could go on and on and on and on...but realize I kinda already am. So, I'll just leave it at, I don't know where my country has gone, but this isn't it. I never thought I'd say this, and it truly bothers me to do so, but I'm embarrassed to be an American.

Fear his wrath

You are seeing clearly, that's 2 medals (one gold, one bronze) around his neck and a trophy in his hand...he proves his dominance and strikes fear in all who see him. This weekend was Adam's first TaeKwonDo tournament and, as you can see, I think this is the beginning of a long and fruitful career. He got the trophy for his form, the bronze for board breaking and the gold for 1-step sparring...where he beat his opponent 4-1. That's my boy! I'm not sure what's next for him, beyond testing for his orange belt in two weeks, but all last night in his sleep he kept murmuring something like "must kill Chuck Norris". Or something. I couldn't quite make it out.

Pat-land

As I'm sure many of you have already heard. Pat Robertson, spear-heading a group of evangelical Christians, is planning on opening up a theme-park of sorts on the shores of galilee. (if he can make ammends for his previous Sharon comment, that is, as the nation is now pretty pissed and has said they'll pull out of the arrangement)

Anyway, we've had quite a good time thinking of what rides/attractions could be part of a Christian theme park. Also, what would the park itself be called? It seems obvious that the biggest, most intense roller coaster will be called 'the Crucifixion". But what else? Maybe a target range where you try to shoot nails into cutouts of Jesus' hands with holes in them??? Suggestions, please.

I've seen the light...

...and Pat Robertson is holding the flashlight.

That's right, once again, one of our great Christian leaders has set the world straight. He turned what could have been seen as a tragedy into something with a reasonable explaination, thus making it less fearsome and even good.

In case you missed it, Pat has explained that Israelian Prime Minister Arial Sharon's most recent massive stroke is, in fact, a hard, stinging spank from God for being bad. Sharon had the audacity to to offer up part of Isralian occupied Gaza to the Palestinians in hopes that it would be a step towards peace. He was even quoted as saying that although he does beleive the land was given to his people by God, they are willing to sacrifice this gift in the name of peace. What an ass! As Pat explains, God says "Hey, that's my land! You better not go messing with it!" The sad part, I didn't even make up that last quote...that's what he said.

Now, I had always been under the crazy assumption that God would smile upon such an action. He's usually pretty big on personal sacrifice for the greater good and all that...or so I thought! No, no, no! God likes His stuff - and He hates re-gifters! Shame on you, Sharon!

Pat's had a busy year bringing those of us in the dark to his light. Through him, I learned that hurricanes and tsunami's are only God killing bad people, so they're okay. And to think, I had wasted precious time actually feeling bad about all the suffering of these people! Glad that's over! Pat also showed me that if you live in PA and you vote to not exclusively teach ID theory in your classrooms then, you might not have a hurricane yet...but just you wait...it's comin'!! Pat has made my faith journey so much easier by boiling everything down to one simple point...if you screw up (defined as anything Pat disagrees with) God's gonna get ya! He hates screw ups! He wants - and frankly expects - you, and everyone around you to be perfect (defined as pleasing to Pat Robertson)

Yes, now I see the glimmering light of truth...thanks Pat. Oh wait, that's not truth....turns out it's my white hot fiery rage!!

Timing is everything

It's undeniable that certain things are best at certain times...
The best time to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate is after sledding
The best time to go running is when someone is chasing you
The best time to go jogging is when someone on crutches is chasing you
And the best time for procreating is late spring. Seriously.

You see, I know there are those of you out there who've been married for a little while, and are thinking of maybe adding a little one to your tribe. Now, I won't get into the fact that some of you should NOT put your genes into the collective pool of humankind - but that aside, let me offer you some advice. Go for spring! God had it right when He made all the animals 'frisky' in the springtime. Why?? Two-words: After Christmas Mega Sales!!

By, how shall I say....sowing your seed, in late spring you can expect the fruit of your loins to join you towards the end of January. This is the IDEAL time for a birthday for so, so, so many reasons. A few:

You can "bat clean-up" with gifts - didn't get it for Christmas? Birthday is just around the corner!

For us, falls in a not-too-busy time of year so you have time for crazy/extravaganza/blow-out parties

Still far enough away from Christmas that you're not stuck getting lame Christmas/Birthday gifts

Also far enough away from any holiday like Valentines or Easter to get stuck with a dual gift on that end

And...your friends and family can shop at the huge sales!! We're not talking the lame 26th of Dec. sales either. Oh no, we're talking the "holy crap! it's January 15th and we've still got 5 asiles of toys we've got to move to make way for our garden section!" kind of sales.

Because of above reason, you make out like a bandit!

Yes, having a birthday late in January is, for all practical purposes, perfect. It is for this reason above all others that Abbie is, by far, my favorite daughter.