Hair

I was looking thru some old pics this week for a video that we are having produced at this time. I was stunned by the hair that I had way back when. The pics were taken during my two months in Siberia back a few months after communism fell.


The people I am with are my with my translators Vera and Alex. There are extra folks and they are all Vera's friends.

Vera, myself, Alex and Vera's friend just sitting around chattin away.

The 3 on the left are part of my team otherwise it is Vera translating for me while I spot to a Russian National on a park bench.

We traveled 3 miles from Irkutsk Siberia to stay with Vera and her family. Unfortunately she is hidden behind one of her friends sitting on the floor next to Alex my translator. The other two fella's are a few more of her friends that spent time with us.

Kinda crazy to reminise about my hair, I know, I really did have hair. Really it was all about the trip to Siberia which was awesome.

FB

First I want to apologize to you and let you know that I am still alive. I know some of you do not really care since you are still all wrapped up in the Circus that was BF and GB (Brett Favre vs. Green Bay for those under a very large rock). My thought is I will miss what could have been this year with Brett and the pack, but as a fan of GB I will move on. Go Pack Go! I would have liked to have seen Brett stay but we knew this day was going to come anyways.

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Sorry that was a bit of a side, but I know you were all interested in my take on the whole situation. If you were not interested in my opionion, ha ya got it anyway.

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For those checking for updates on a regular basis I apologize. With the lack of and the touchyness of some of the internet connections we had during the last six weeks of travels it was easier to utilize Facebook. Plus a nice feature is that you can create photo albums, put videos on and communicate with others a bit easier. The hits are quicker and that means what I have to type in is limited so all I needed was five minutes. Doing the blog takes a bit longer.

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Do not fret, I will still post on here when I have something more to say, but if you are on Facebook look me up. I have put a link below for you to connect with me. Well at least I hope it leads you to me. So click on the logo below and come visit and become a friend.

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If you are looking to blame someone, please blame my wife. She is the one that got me into being a booker, a "facebooker" that is.

So pop on over and view the photos and vids that I had posted.

A little break from vacation for a good laugh

Suspect steals truck, then gets carjacked

thecalifonian.com

A Salinas man who had stolen a Chevy pickup truck earlier on Saturday was later carjacked at gunpoint in the vehicle.

Then on Sunday, the carjacking suspect nearly drove the truck into Salinas Fire Station II, at 10 W. Laurel Street, as he was pursued by police.

"You couldn't make up something stranger than this," said police Cmdr. Kelly McMillin, when explaining the incident.

Edward Bishop, 33, told police he stole a Chevy Silverado in north Salinas at around 1 a.m. Saturday.

While sitting in the truck at the 7-Eleven on South Main Street later that day, Jomo Sexton, 34, entered the truck pointing a gun at Bishop, ordering him to drive around Salinas.

The truck ran out of gas near Kern and East Market streets and Sexton ordered Bishop to push the truck, but Bishop ran away and called police. Bishop was arrested for suspicion of vehicle theft and booked at the Monterey County Jail.

On Sunday, officers saw the Chevy driving recklessly on East Laurel Drive toward North Main Street. The truck ran a red light and struck another car as Sexton fled from authorities, police said. The truck struck a fire hydrant and knocked down a flag pole in front of Salinas Fire Station II.

Sexton was ejected from the vehicle at impact and landed in front of the American Legion. He was taken by helicopter to a Bay Area hospital, then released to Salinas police.

Sexton was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, carjacking, reckless driving, driving under the influence, unlicensed driving, hit and run and violation of parole.

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This story is funny in itself, no "Fume" needed.

We made it

Beautiful, WE MADE IT!

Home of the greatest circus on earth, between the Packers & Farve.

After taking a bit longer path to Wisconsin, 2000 miles extra, we have made it. We have traveled over 3000 miles so far on our trip. It has been a great trip so far. We have seen much of the country and can proudly state that God did great in his creation of the earth. Beautiful country we live in.
Here we are in Wisconsin! By the way, “When you say WISCONSIN, you’ve said it all”.

We traveled from Virginia after a great time there where we spent time at the beach. This was Caden’s first time visiting the beach. He enjoyed it as much as we can tell. He did not really like getting wet when we took him to the edge of the ocean.

There are two possible reasons:

1. the rushing water was overwhelming for him

2. the water had a bit chill to it.



Who reading this likes to cut their lawn? I know it is not the funnest, cheeriest duties around the home. We were in Merrillville, Indiana (after visiting our friends Chad and Susan in Indianapolis) driving to find a park to take the little guy too. We found an idea on how to handle not having to mow the lawn. I have seen whole yards filled in with rocks but I have never seen, or thought I would ever see what we saw. Fake turf! Not just fake turf, some of the stuff today has some sort of realness to it, but not this lawn.

This pic is of two lawns, one with turf and the other one is real. Can you tell which is which?

Here is the home with its lawn. Can you see where the “lawn” overlaps? "Honey have you vacuumed the lawn yet?".

Random thoughts during our travels

Trees

I am very pleased to announce there are a lot of trees in them thar hills. Really, there are plenty of them throughout the United States. Well at least the east side of the mighty missip. I guess as we drive I started to think of all those people looking to "save the tree's" as we drive past millions of trees along the highways. I am not saying that I want all trees cut down, or want logging expanded. It is just an observation I have made during our drive.

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Flat lander

Man Dallas, TX is flat. I have always known that but as you drive thru the mountains it hits ya hard.

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Job

Not having a job over the summer to make this trip, PRICELESS.

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Priceless

this statement is far to over used, that is why I chose to use it for myself.

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Rhyme or reason

There is none of that for this post.

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Internet

Man I wish wherever you are the connection and the equipment would be the same. Have had a hard time getting getting things to work, post and the sort. A one size fits all would be nice. But we are so past those days.

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I know you are so very proud that you know me, especially after such grand statements that I have just laid out there for you.

Day #2 fun pics and vid

Today we drove from Hot Springs to Nashville. We made a couple hour stop in Memphis and decided to do a few things downtown. We went to Beale Street and walked around a bit. Had lunch there as well and wnt to the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks in the hotel.

While there we took some time within the hotel for him to let loose as much as a 10 month old can do. He loved the ducks and since he just started crawling this weekend we let him move around on the floor there.

He is such the boy, a bouncing baby boy and the video proves this fact. Funny stuff!

Also the photo below is funny as well. At the Welcome Center just over the mighty mississip river they had a 8 foot tall mosaic egg welcoming you to Memphis. Well my wife snapped a photo and we were surprised to see someone pop into the photo. Take a look.

As with before we have snapped a pic of Caden and a state he has visited. This time...

Check back to see more pics of our Great Adventure of the summer of 2008!

Next Tuesday!

Next week Tuesday we depart for Charlotte, NC for two weeks of training for our agency SIM (Serving in Missions). We leave early Tuesday for Hot Springs Arkansas and stay the night there with Alycia's Aunt and Uncle.

We will be breaking the trip up a bit, with a 10 month old kiddo he will hopefully fair much better that way. He is already very well traveled for being so very young. He has traveled over 5,000 miles already with two round trip flights and a long car trip earlier this year. The Lord has truly blessed with Caden and are looking forward to this trip.

Ultimately we will end up in Wisconsin for 2 weeks. We are looking at about 6 weeks of being away from home. Right now we have a bit of packing and straightening of the homestead so those looking after the home are not scared off.

I will try and keep a little journal/ record of our trip as we go along.

Caden's dedication photo

Cute boy ALERT

1st Mom's day

Caden and the one he made Mommy!

1st

How awesome are first's for growin kiddo's?

He has his first tooth popping out right now. He has done great with t, he had a few days of a slight fever but other than that he has been a champ!!

Fam

Wild and planted!

One day I was drivin down the street and as I usually do my eyes are just taking everything in. I noticed this sign in the middle of the median and decided to take a look at what it said. I have not seen a sign like this in the median.

To my surprise it is a sign that reads "Wildflower Planting Area".

Huh?

Wildflower Planting Area?

I dunno, the fact that wild and planting on the same sign just caught me funny I guess.

Wonderful vacation

Well we have made it back from Florida in one piece safe and sound. Well Caden now has Pink eye along with an ear infection, so I guess that is the only blemish on our trip.

Ya wanta know one of the greatest things about this vacation and how it fits in with my new job at a Jr. High School? No not that I get a week off for spring break, which by the way is pretty awesome as I stated previously, or summer vacation. I am no longer stressed while on vacation.

I had been in sales for 8 years before taking this position. When in sales you have clients that are your responsibility to continue to sell and maintain. So when I was out of the office I always worried about the office back home. Who called? How much have I sold for the week? Are my clients being taken care of? Are my clients correct ads running in this weeks edition? are my colleagues checking my e-mail and voicemail for all sales?

I had lost clients due to one or all of these factors in the past. So now that I am out of sales I did not have to worry about any of that, I could actually enjoy the entire time outside of work. How sweet it is.

Well here are a few pictures from our trip, enjoy!

Caden & I in front of sign welcoming us to Florida. I want to get a picture of Caden in front of a sign for every place he visits. Just like in a past post in front of a sign for Arkansas.

Caden with his Grandparents, my parents by the way.

Caden's first swim! OK he did not actually swim, but he still had fun.

Caden and I with the Atlantic Ocean in the background. As we looked to the ocean I whispered in his ear that later this year we will prayerfully be on the other side of that ocean in Nigeria. It was a windy day as you can tell by my shirt filling up with cool air.

Such a great traveler! This is him on the plane with a plane on him during our flight home.

Booted out of work

Wow, never thought I would enjoy my employer kicking me out the door. Never thought that it would happen like this. It's not that I have been told to just leave but then told to not come back for a week on top of that. Never thought I would enjoy this day.

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What a wonderful feeling.

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Spring Break! Florida here we come.

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Well now that I am working in the public sector, a school, I have now just entered a week off. A week I did not have to actually ask off for. I did not think I would enjoy those words again, who would have thunk?

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How many years has it been since I actually enjoyed this week? 16, wow have I been out of school for that long? Yikes. That means my 20 High School reunion is next year in 2009.

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Gettin old am I.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Wanted to share a few photos with you of our little guy this past weekend. Some of ya don't know that here in the Dallas area it snowed 2 times last week. OK last week Tuesday it snowed like an inch or two in some area's. At our home it was just a trace and it was gone by the time we woke up.

Thursday all the kids where I work were praying for a day off due to more snow over night. Well it did snow and where we live it accumulate about an inch maybe. But a few miles north of here they got about three inches and about a few more miles north of that they got 6-9 inches of snow. Did you read that and comprehend that? I said 6-9 inches of snow, to just north of Dallas, Texas.

So on Saturday we went up to where they had all of the snow at my wifes grandparents and cousins farm. There was still a good patch of snow left so I had to take the boy out to enjoy, here are a few pics and a short video.



Our little Bub angel, perfect form!

Ahh this stuff is soft! Nice and comfy.

See daddy, no yellow snow here

Just posing for the camera

Oh no not again!

SPORTSNETDAILY
Colorado Rockies face mediation over 'Ladies Night'Promotion discriminated by gender, Civil Rights Division concludes
Posted: March 04, 200810:41 pm Eastern© 2008 WorldNetDaily
The Colorado Rockies have been ordered into mediation by state authorities after a man complained that he was denied a free "Ladies Night" game pass because of his gender.

The ruling comes from the Colorado Civil Rights Division, which concluded that the man, Stephen Horner, had a valid concern and it needs to be addressed, according to a report from KDVR-Television in Denver.

Horner reported he attended a Major League Baseball game with the Rockies in Denver in 2007 when employees of the team were handing out free vouchers to a future game – to women only. He said he asked for a voucher but was told he couldn't have one because he is a man.

He complained, but got no results, he claimed in a subsequent gender discrimination complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division.

"I felt like I got a bad deal," he told the station. "My rights were genuinely denied."

state agreed in the division's notice of "Probable Cause," which ordered mediation in the dispute. The Rockies, who can appeal the decision, withheld comment because team officials felt it was premature to talk about whether such "Ladies Night" promotions will be dropped.

Team officials earlier reported it was their intent to give the vouchers to anyone who asked.
According to a report in the Rocky Mountain News, the state Civil Rights Commission also earlier voiced support for Horner when he complained of having to pay a higher cover charge when bars and restaurants featured "Ladies Nights."

"Ladies night promotions are an illegal practice and the commission urges public establishments to immediately cease and desist such practices," the commission wrote in his ruling.

Such promotions, the commission said, are inappropriate even though they are "dissimilar to other, more pernicious types of public accommodation violations."

"Why should I pay $5 [while women are admitted free] just because I'm a guy," Horner told the newspaper at the time. "Women are growing up these days feeling they are entitled to favors. I believe that this entitlement mentality is counterproductive to the social goals of an egalitarian society."

He's generated more than a dozen court cases over "Ladies Night" promotions in bars, and has lost several cases that ended up before judges.

But now comes the state opinion on his complaint that no organization would hand out coupons to just one racial or religious group, and genders should be treated the same way.

Toebee's Fume:
Yet again some guy out there feeling slighted that someone got something FREE and he did not. (Click here for page to my first writing about similar story, scroll way down)

OK who here reading this does not realize that a sporting event is typically a guys thing? This is a nice way of trying to get new peeps, especially the ladies (all the ladies in the house say HEY!), the park decided to give them a free ticket. A give away that might just get them back to the park to spend money.

This guy is most likely already a fan and would come back on his own anyways and pay the cash.

So if we went back into his life and took a look, how many of you think he took advantage of something free for being who he is? My guess is YES! We all have come away with things because of who we are.

Restaurants have "Kids eat FREE days", ballparks with gifts for the kids entering the park, breakfast in the office for only his department and so on a so forth.

This is just too much, I am sorry especially if you cannot live with the fact that we are not entitled to everything. He talks about the entitlement mentality when I think he has a worse case of it. The women entering the park did not ask for the froe ticket as he did. They were just simply given a gift to say thanks for coming and please do come back again.

No foul there.

Something

Has it been a month since I last wrote? Well not exactly, it has been a while but it falls a few days short of a month. Last November I left my Sales Job (best thing I have done in a while) where on breaks I could up date my blog a few days a week. Since then I took a day within a School here in the suburbs of Dallas. They block such things so students cannot get to such sites. When I get home my Blog is not the first thing on my mind.

Plus where I know work does not have as much drama as my last job, OK I never wrote about all of the drama which would have filled my blog completely. I just never wanted to relive the pain that was some of the ladies in my last office.

Right now I am the ISS (In School Suspension) person within this school here in the area. It has been an interesting job so far since I have never worked within a school before. Coming from Sales to a job to school, a Hr. High school at that! Then put on top of that the trouble makers in Jr. High makes some of the days to be very very eventful. The funny part is that I am now in the know of all the incidents that happen @ School. Who would have thought!

In my Jr. High days I was always the loner and outcast. Now I walk thru the halls and actually have some of the so called "cool" students say hey to me. Kinda cool especially from my past of when I was in Jr. High. I guess it is a testiment to growth in my life.

I have more to learn and need to learn more about myself.

What?

OK I know we have all been there where we say we have to make friends with someone cuz they own a boat, or a cabin on a lake, season tickets to the Packers or something along those lines. I have that "thing" I want that guy to have for me to inspire me to get to know him.

Introducing:

Where was this thing when there was this little thing when I was growing up called the "Cold War".

If ya have one GET A LIFE and live a little bit. We are going to die someday whether or not it is from a "nuk". RE-diculus I tell ya.

OK b4 the "NUK" hits let us get something right first, below you will find what I am talking about.

Huh, I was just tooling around online ad found an article that is, well, late, to say the least. We have already started this madness called ethonal and it will be hard to back away from. There are already too many millions of dollars then wasted if they dispose of this little pet project that they have going. Taking Corn and turning it into fuel is not a smart thing. We are taking food off our tables due to the high prices due to the madness.

How much is Milk? Does it still do the body good if farmers do not use corn to feed the cattle?

Well I have found someone actually doing a study that makes sense in it's outcome. It is long but do take time to read ya might learn something new. Well not everyone will learn but it is worth the read.

click for article Ethanol adds to Glodal warming? Click for article

say it ain't so Charlie!

What ya selling me?

I started a new job last week in the ISS (In School Suspension) department of a local School district. This means I am taking a new road to get to work. If you know me I am and have always been a curious guy. So as I drive I tend to keep my eyes moving around reading everything that I pass. This new trip to work is no different for me.

I found a biz that caught my eye and my funny bone.

This first pic is of their sign on the front of the building. What do they sell?

OK if you are still wondering what they might be selling please check out the bottom right corner of the picture. A red neon sign states "BOXES". How did I not get that from the name of the biz? Thanks to the neon sign for clearing up my confusion.

Answer to my last post!

Destiny, Porsche and Cocoa are the Customer Service department at my local Verizon store. I had an issue with my phone and had Porsche as the person I dealt with. As I was there waiting I looked over at the lady next to her and noticed that her name was Destiny. I looked to my right and noticed the third ladies biz card and read Cocoa. I just had to laugh at that, funny eh?

Q 4 ya

I know I have lost all of my regs since I have not updating all to often. But I do thank those that have stuck around with me. I used to have time, and bored, at my last job to blog but since I left there in November I have slacked a bit.

Q 4 ya!!

What do Destiny, Porsche and Cocoa have in common?
check back later this week for answer, i promise.

ridin'

Have you noticed that on TV there is a bunch of garbage on the tube at this time? I know this should help me in stepping back from watching the tube but I still tend to watch a bit too much.

One of those shows that I have found myself watching from time to time is "Pimp my Ride". OK first of all when did Pimp become an acceptable word? The scary thing is that today being a pimp or big pimpin' is now seen by the younger folk to be a cool thing.

Well that is not my main reason to post but it still does have to do with the show. I was watching an episode and saw the stupidest thing that went well over the top. I know there have been many things placed within the cars on the show that went completely overboard and plain useless.

This particular show had them putting small TV screens within the headrest.

I know what your thinking "Toebee what is stupid about that?"

Yes, putting TVs in headrests is nothing new.

No, not the back of the headrest for the passengers in the back seat to enjoy but in the front of the headrest. When is he going to use them? Does it not hurt your noggin when ya put your head back to "rest".

OK OK OK I know! There is one instance that i guess placing the screens where they did is not a bad thing. This may be the first mother in history of cars that does not mind ridin in their kids car. For centuries mothers have been telling us kids (I am a 36 year old kiddo and still hear it) that they have eyes in the back of their heads. She has to be stoked to ride in his ride.

Also quickly there is a commercial on these days that tells us that a certain vehicle brings the family together. One of the first shots has the family within a mini van with the adults in the front seats (mom must be watching a video with her eyes in the back of her head) and three kids sitting in their chairs watching Videos and one playing a video game. Each with head phones on. So how does this bring the family together? Physically yes, but are they actually "together" as a family?

Detour

Can I direct your attention to our family blog? I have uploaded an article from Dallas' newspaper comcerning the unfortunate passing of my wifes Uncle Neal. I knew him as a quiet man but a great and strong man.

Pleasure to have met you and to have known you Uncle Neal.

http://abtstra.blogspot.com

Disappointing "style"

Even though we as a family had a great Christmas and a very happy New Year I was left a bit disappointed. Unfortunately this was not the first time this type of thing has happened to me. I know it has happened most likely to you as well.

We were visiting Hot Springs to visit my wifes Grandmom, Aunt and Uncle and a few other of her family members. It was a great time away from Big D but yet again I tell you I was a bit disappointed.

The first time that we were in Hot Springs we visited "Smokin in Style", an establishment that I was looking forward to visiting once again. It is a BBQ place, I know I know there are so very few BBQ's here in Texas. I was impressed to find a great BBQ place in Arkansas! I especially liked their potato salad that they have to offer. Just before we were to depart we found out that it was closed between Christmas and New Years. So no go for us this vacation, maybe this summer when we make it back it will be open for us to try once again.

Why do they do that? I know it is nice to be off and to give their employees a nice time for vacation, but what about my vacation? Can I not have a nice vacation as well?

Also on a vacation to Milwaukee I tried to frequent the best Deli in the World "Jake's" but it as well was closed. When ya eat your way thru vacations as I tend do it gets a bit frustrating since ya have to try to find some new place to go to. Ugh!

Well HAPPY NEW YEAR!