Back at it....enjoy the silence.

Today was a good day. Did my 4th and 6th grade homework (Kaleb and Ayden), got to work on time, sat in meetings most of the day, ate healthier, played basketball and cleaned some of the house. Rachel is coming down with a cold. I do not like to see her sick, probably because it rarely happens. She does a lot around the house and it is hard to see her try and get things done is such a state.

Zachary hit a deer in his car tonight coming home from basketball. It is not too bad. We will probably make a trip to a car grave yard and find a panel to replace the one that is dinged.

We are pulling tons of tomatoes out of our garden. There are probably 30-40 sitting on our counter. I need to find some time to make some salsa and can it. We have been blanching and freezing the tomatoes but do not have too much more room in our freezers.

Isaac and Connor were outside tonight eating their pizza. They were singing and eating, it was fun to see them have some much fun eating. They were watching Zach mow the lawn next door. They were seeing how loud they could get.

I am having 80's flashbacks today. Weird. I am all the sudden thinking of songs that I used to listen to. Remembering friends and places, kind of cool.

I cannot believe how quite it is around the house. This rarely happens. It is kind of nice. Enjoy the silence..........

Chris

WOW

Rachel and I have been treading water for the past few months. School starting was a difficult challenge for both of us this time. It is hard to track 5 individual homework plans and activities on top of that. We need to simplify our lives much more. I need to blog so I can write through my emotions and make some plans.

One thing I did do recently was set up a plan to live healthier. I set up a separate blog because a friend and I (I twisted his arm hard enough) are going to help motivate each other to keep going and make better choices. The blog is wowtohealth....I will see how it goes. My friend, Miles, used the phase social accountability. I guess that is why I am blogging my path to health.

I need to find better balance in my life and hopefully this will help with my overall commitments. My wife would have fainted if she reads this.

Here is to a better life!

Curly freakin’ hair!

Not sure if people with straight hair have these same issues but…having curly hair I am very loyal to the products that I put in my hair. There are a few things that make the curls behave and do what they are supposed to do. A few years ago, I was a faithful user of a certain Tresemme’ pomade. I would buy a few canisters every so often and be good for a bit. I went to the store to obtain more and they were out. I asked the sales associate if they would get more shipped, he told me they will not carry that product any more. I thought I would be able to find some, somewhere else…but didn’t!

I then went through this sampling phase of trying something out for a few days, not liking it, choosing something else, over and over again. I am sure my family wonders why I have a variety of things I do not use. Finally, I found something that works VO5. A few years go by…last night hits me in the face!!! No one carries the stuff I have been using faithfully for these years!! AAARRGGGHH! I feel like Elaine in Seinfeld with her sponges…..can anyone say STOCK PILE! I wish I would have purchased a case of my hair goop.

I spent an hour in the hair product isle last night. That is a bit unnatural for a guy to be looming in that isle for more than 2 minutes. I would look, open bottles, leave for a minute, then come back. I think I found something…I keep feeling my hair today (also a little unnatural)…so far, so good. Maybe I will be exempt from the multiple tries this time. I just wish someone would send me a memo…”Chris, your hair product is becoming obsolete, stock up”!

I know I am being petty today…it is actually a respite from my daily work today! Curly Hair Away!

Sickness Blahhhhh….Health Blaaaahhhhh....

Whenever I get sick it makes me reflect on my own mortality! I guess I should do it more than that but don’t. We are very resilient, frail creatures. We cannot control the sickness that invades our bodies (in some cases) but can come back worn, but well afterwards. I am always amazed at what a simple virus, bacteria, infection can do to an individual…it can have riveting affect on body and soul. Sometimes when I get sick I remember nightmares that I had as a child that seemed so real to me but are now just a small memory. This time it was a little chilling how some of those young, tender feelings came back a little stronger than anticipated. When I am well I cannot bring those feelings and ideas to my mind…this continues to amazes me …the profound interconnectedness of body and soul.

These thoughts makes me more cognizant of my health+attitude+mental state=output for interactions with others. These things need to stay in balance in order to have meaningful, productive days. Now I am starting to sound like Stuart Smalley…gag. I am just glad to be back to normal (whatever that means).

My wife does yoga and Adriana Heskett mentioned in one of her last blogs about being sore from it but hopefully finding its usefulness. If I had an outlet like this to find my center and to improve my mental state, I know it would be extremely helpful to me daily. I need to find the gumption to commit and stay with something like that……….PAUSE A DAY……….listen to some elevator music………………....I found the motivation (I believe) to get my physical state to a better place. I had a good talk with a friend last night and he will help motivate me, and inspired me to do better.

Get up and get goin’!