I love gifts...

There are some people out there that are real givers. The act of giving to them is just as rewarding, if not more so, than the act of receiving. My wife is one of these people. I believe she really does love to give people gifts. I, however, am not one of these people. There is nothing that gives me true joy like getting something. It doesn't matter how small or large, it is the thought that counts for me. This is why Christmas is so fantastic for me. It is me getting gifts! How fantastic is that?

This Christmas was absolutely fantastic. I got all sorts of gifts that I really wanted. Some of my favorites are the book, "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" which is absolutely fantastic. I also received the DVD of the entire "Firefly" TV-series. I also received some workout equipment that I am excited about. The other highlight would be ramps, and an oil wrench so I can actually change my own oil. I am going to be a MAN! Whooo Hoooo!

Now I have one more Christmas to attend and am looking forward to it. Horray for Gifts!

Christmas Gifts - Take 1

Being it is very close to Christmas, I thought I would write about a couple of my most favorite Christmas gifts ever the next couple days. I guess I will start with the straight razor, badger hair brush, and shaving cream. I received this gift almost 2 years ago, and decided there is really nothing better then shaving "old school". The process I use every other day takes a bit more time, but I think is well worth it. I start by boiling some water, then pouring it into a ceramic cup. I then hang my badger hair brush in to the water to soak up as much as it can while I take a shower. When I'm done showering, I shake out excess water from the brush and begin to create my own shaving cream. (This is one of the best parts, because the different smells from the different shaving creams are excellent. Sandlewood, Citrus, Almond, etc...it's whatever I feel like that day) Then the other part I love so much is putting this nice, warm shaving cream on my face and head. It is amazing the difference between the crap coming out of the can and a nice warm brush. It is then on to shaving. It takes about 3 passes to get all the hair of and my head/face nice and smooth. This isn't a Mach3 where you press as hard as you can and only use one pass. There is only 1 razor (as opposed to 3 per pass) and if you press too hard, there will be blood. When the entire process is complete, I rinse my face/head with cold water, then use a nice Bay Rum aftershave for a good old man smell.

I think the reason this was such an excellent Christmas gift is because it is a gift that I really wanted, but couldn't really justify the up front cost. After receiving the kit, the blades are only about $0.20 ea (which I get 4 shaves with) and the shaving cream is probably $20 a container, but that lasts about 6 months or more. It is also very relaxing to do, and the feel and smell is just fantastic. I have way less ingrown neck hairs and it is just wonderful to have a process to follow in the morning.

Last Night

Not a lot to say today. Last night I took the boys over to a friends house while Karri had his wife over to watch "White Christmas" with the girls. They had homemade hot chocolate, popcorn, and puppy chow and watched the movie. The sad part is, Karri was getting things ready for the evening before the boys left and Dylan asked when we were going to have a "guys night". I told him we were, just at somebody else's house. He said he meant a "real" guys night. I asked if he meant when we would make homemade hot chocolate and such and he said, "yes". I laughed and told him that wasn't what guys did. Guys hang out and eat pizza...not homemade hot chocolate. He was pretty disappointed. I think that makes me the saddest, because his entire life revolves around food. It is the only questions he asks on a regular basis. Anything about, dinner, desert, if he can have more before desert, whatever. Karri and I are trying to teach him to eat healthy and intelligently, but I am afraid he is going to be 300 lbs before he graduates high school. I'm not sure what we are going to do with him, but I need to figure out something before his bad "habit" gets worse.

Weight - I maintained from yesterday which I feel pretty good about. I am also pretty excited to get my weights for Christmas...I hope Karri got them for me. She also made the comment that she is going to start getting up with me in the morning to work-out as well. Not sure how I feel about that...but that is a story for another day.

The Funeral

Last Friday, I sang at a funeral. It was quite a sad affair overall, and even I got emotionally attached for a little while. It was for a 21 yr old man that my family watched grow up, so it was truly a sad day for the entire family. Really, my only issue with the service was the time it took to get over. For a non-catholic service, it was 2.5 hrs long. The first hour was the time it took for each family member to do the eulogy, then the next 45 minutes turned into open mic night at the Apollo. They actually let the audience tell stories as well, even giving them the microphone. When I die, don't EVER do this. EVER! There was then a "message", I sang and then it was over. When talking to Karri about this, she gave me a little insider information (her sister died a couple years ago). She said that the family wants the funeral to last a long time, because it is really the last time the body of the deceased is still with them. After the funeral, it goes it the ground and you will never physically see them again. This is good info to have, but still, lets try to shorten things up next time. The only real advantage to having a super long service is it allowed me to become emotionally detached so I could sing better. I sure hate choking up during a song, so I had that going for me.

Weight - 210.6 Down 2 lbs from yesterday, even though I still ate like an idiot last night. I decided to to care all that much until after Christmas. I may even stop weighing the next couple days, but we shall see.

Nebraska Weekend #1

We just returned from the first of two trips to Nebraska this month. This trip was originally traveled to visit Grandma Joyce and Silent Bob for their Christmas Party. What really happened is we got the first snow of the season and didn't make it to Grandma's house. We could have made it (Mom and Dad were only 20 minutes away) but Karri "can't" drive in any weather condition other than sunny and dry roads. After driving 35 mph for an hour and a half, I told her to turn around. It ended up still being a fun day. The entire family went bowling (Markie brought the hammer and bowled something like a 172 to kill us all) and took all the white elephant gifts and did our own exchange. (Which was nice because we didn't have to worry about what Kim brought). Sunday, we went to the Christmas Cantata at ALC and listened to the choir sing "Night of Miracles". I was actually really impressed. It could have been the best I have ever heard the choir sing. The chorale part was well balanced and on pitch, with each part holding their own. The only downfall was a couple of solos were pretty darn bad. I won't name names, but Mark can if he wants to. The also got to spend time with Mark and Krystal, which was nice. Karri also volunteered to help with wedding details sometime next week, which she is excited about. I don't care, as long as I don't have to help. I didn't help plan our wedding, so I sure don't want to help with someone else's. On the way home, Karri had to drive through fog. Not thick fog, just enough so you could only see about 100 yds ahead. So what should have taken us 6 hours, took about 9. My goal for pretty much the entire way home was to not yell at my wife for driving 40. I spent a good majority of the time reading my Kindle and installing new apps on my phone. No fighting happened and the weather cleared up around Julesburg, CO so we could talk the rest of the way home after that.

Weight - 212.6 Up 5.0 lbs from when I weighed in on Friday. Oops. I not to worried about it, I expect to be down a few lbs next week due to not having to travel, then possibly back up over new years. I am going to try and be more aware of what I eat the next couple weeks, but not fret over it. I'll begin to hit it hard again the first of the year.

Christmas Shopping 2010

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Karri / Adam shopping experience. It was (as always) a very enjoyable trip. Here are some highlights...

1. Karri Christmas Present - So this marks the first year that there will be no major surprise between Karri and myself. She picked out her own gift this year. I am a little disappointed because I like to see the look on her face when I pick out something amazing that she really loves. I am also very glad because I hate the look on her face when I pick out something crappy. The real reason she got her own gift is because it was a pair of running shoes and a work-out outfit. Just to make sure everything fit and she liked the style, she picked it our herself. I will be getting a couple iTunes gift cards and some workout equipment.

2. The Vans Store - While looking for gifts for myself, I decided to go into the Vans store. I LOVE the look of all Vans clothing, shoes, and accessories. I wasn't going to buy any clothes yet, due to my not being down to my goal weight, but I thought that perhaps I could get myself a new pair of shoes. (Because I LOVE shoes). So we walked in and Karri said the look on my face was priceless. I walked from the front of the store to the back, then just turned around and walked out of the store. I was devastated. I pretty much just proved to myself that I am no longer cool. I can't get away with wearing anything in my favorite store anymore (unless I want to look like a 32 year old trying to act like a 20 year old again). I am not exactly sure when this transformation happened, but I am pretty sure kids were involved. It was, truly, a very sad experience for me.

3. Lunch - We ended up going (to my wifes chagrin) to a German brewery called Gordon Biersch. Karri was VERY upset that we didn't continue our 10 year tradition of eating at The Olive Garden because that is one of her favorite restaurants, but she took one for the team and went somewhere else. I, personally, was very excited to eat there because I have wanted to since we moved into the Erie area. Now that we are gone, I thought my chances were slim, but hooray for opportunity. I digress. So we met Jon and Stacy for lunch and had an absolutely wonderful time. The food was good, the beer was 100% German (following the German Purity Law of 1516) so it was amazing. I had a black beer that was as light as a pilsner. It was absolutely amazing. (Side note - the reason we didn't go to Olive Garden is because Stacy hates chain Italian restaurants. I found it entertaining that she ordered a Pizza with water for her lunch. Good thing we skipped the chain Italian place)

All in all, a wonderful trip and I am very excited to do it again next year.

Weight - 207.6 Up 0.4 lbs from yesterday. I could have been the Cajun Boil (I think the sausage is what got me) or the smothered chicken enchiladas for dinner, but I'm not worried about it. Still below my goal weight of 208 for the week, with a few days to go.

Safety Awards

Today the good folks at Colorado Energy Management here in beautiful Brush, CO celebrate 3,000 days at the ManChief facility with no lost time accidents. We are also going to celebrate over 2,000 days at the Brush facility without a lost time accident. As an award, there is going to be a Cajun boil along with a gift ceremony. I have been excited for the Cajun boil for about two weeks now. I don't know what it is, but shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn and a whole lot of seasoning just does something to really make me smile. The issue I ran into today was my office mate doesn't seem to agree with me. She came in complaining about how she was going to McDonald's because she is allergic to seafood. (How she ate the crab legs at the Christmas party is beyond me...this is true because I was sitting right next to her). She also went on to say that "everybody" would rather have steak instead of this stupid Cajun boil. I told her not everybody, because I am tired of steak for every celebration and would rather have this. She then changed her statement to, "only a handful of guys want this". I then told her that everyone I talked to was pretty excited. She just looked at me with the 'ol evil eye, said, "Well, to each their own", and stormed out of the office. It should be a pretty pleasant day today...maybe she will stay in the warehouse? We are also going to be receiving North Face jackets today. Each employee got to select their own jackets from the North Face website (there was a pared down list for CEM folks of about 20 jackets) and that is our safety gift. I chose a $300 coat that I am very excited to receive. There are days that I really love this company.

Weight - 207.2 Down 1 pound from yesterday, but who knows how that is going to turn out tomorrow. Karri made a test recipe of a donut from Dunkin' Donuts that they no longer make, and they were amazing. So I had one of those this morning, then a Cajun boil for lunch and chicken enchiladas for dinner. Lets see how self-control holds out today.

Christmas Ideas

I've decided that we are going to start a new Christmas tradition in my family next year. We are going to pick a different country every year and follow the traditions of that country instead of doing our own thing every year. So it will take a little research on my part, but what a fun experience it would be to "do Christmas" like someone else each year. I go the idea yesterday at my daughters Christmas program. They did different songs from each culture and had a little power point on the differences in each country. For example, in Spain & Mexico, they don't give out presents until January 6th because that is when the three wise men showed up to give gifts to Jesus. So I would like to follow food & gift customs. I also learned in Wales they have a caroling competition. Just beware, I will not be afraid to drop the hammer on some Christmas Carols. I almost have Karri on board, so that is the goal for next year.

Weight - 208.2 Down 3.6 lbs from yesterday. I guess there was a lot of garbage in my system that had to be eradicated. Maybe my goal from yesterday is doable after all?

The Missing iPod

Dylan saved money for a year so he could buy an iPod touch. He finally gathered enough money about 2 months ago, so he bought an 8 GB iPod. This was his prized possession. He took emaculate care of it and played with it all the time. A weekend ago, he had a couple buddies over for a night. When they went home, the iPod was missing. Dylan never suspected them and we tore his room apart looking for the misplaced iPod. It was never found. The last course of action was to ask his "friends" if perhaps it got mixed up with their stuff and somehow made it to their houses. Karri and I felt horrible, but didn't want to drop another $220 for a replacement for Christmas. By the time Christmas shopping came around, we had talked each other into spending the money because D was so devastated and it wasn't his fault it was lost in the first place. This was on Thursday. Friday, Karri took the kids to her parents house so we could go to my company Christmas party that night, then Christmas shopping Saturday. At the company Christmas party, Colorado Energy went BIG with presents. They had 32" TV's, iPods, Projectors, Wii's, and a whole mess of stuff. Karri and I ended the evening with a 32 GB iTouch for Dylan. Needless to say, we were uber excited. Saturday comes and goes and Christmas shopping is complete. Sunday, we head to Elsie to pick up the kids and all we can talk about is how excited the kids are going to be with what they will get for Christmas - especially Dylan. On the way home, Dylan is rummaging through his backpack and we hear him exclaim, "Look what I found!" Yep, he found his iPod. So now Karri and I are at a loss on what we will get him. Needless to say, our excitement has just been squelched and we are stuck with a nice iPod. We have a couple ideas on what we are going to do, but we are still at a loss for Dylan. You have to love kids.

Weight - 211.8 You read that correctly, I have gained about 5 lbs since my lowest last week. This weekend consisted of eating rich foods and not exercising at all. I just hope it comes off pretty fast this week. My only major concerns for this week are a cajun boil for lunch on Wednesday because of a safety lunch-in at work, and Grandma's Christmas this weekend. No way will it be as bad as this weekend, but I am guessing there will still be a struggle. Goal for next week - 208.0

Insurance

I received a letter in the mail yesterday, stating that unless I get a Colorado drivers license, My insurance is going to be cancelled. WHAT! Why is it that I can drive from New York to California with a license issued from any state in the United States, but I have to have a license from the state my residence is? What is the big deal really? If you try and say it is because I need to have an established residence that is a bunch of garbage. I do have an established residence, that is where I sleep every night. That is also where I receive electric bills, trash bills, DirectTV bills, and any other bill I have to pay every month. I am pretty sure I can be tracked pretty easily as long as I don't forge a social security number. I don't understand why I can't just keep my current New Mexico license until it expires. Just a waste of $25.00 if you ask me (which I hope the DMV doesn't, because I may not get my license today)

Weight - 208.0 I have no idea how I gained weight yesterday. I went on a 3+ mile walk yesterday, ate within my points, and did push-ups this morning. Perhaps I am beginning my cycle? That is Karri's excuse when she gains weight for no reason.

Singing at a funeral

I just found out this morning that I am going to sing at a funeral next Friday. It is really quite a sad story, so I am glad that I am basically heartless and don't really feel emotion for other peoples' grief. Chris (or Little Chris as we called him) moved into his Uncles house when he was five. That Uncle was Pastor Ben and Brenda (whom we got to know when we lived in Ft. Morgan) Chris was moved into Ben's home because his father had left, his mom was a junky, and he had been living on the street fending for himself since he was 2ish. (My youngest son's age). Ben & Brenda took custody of Little Chris not really knowing what they were getting into, but taking him because NOBODY else would. Chris had probably seen more at 5 then some people see in 20+ years, so needless to say he hoarded food, didn't like Brenda hugging other guys (because he knew where that led), and didn't trust anyone. Ben and Brenda treated and loved Chris like he was their own, no matter what happened. Fast forward 13 years and Chris graduated high school and wanted to go live with his Mom. Of course that hit a nerve, but they allowed him to go make his own life. He reverted to his old lifestyle, was in an out of jail, and had some health problems. They found him Monday dead. I believe the official cause of death was asthma complications and pneumonia. Of course the people that knew him in Ft. Morgan are devastated and the funeral will be quite full. Nothing like singing to a full house I guess. I am trying not to sound cold and callous, because it is really quite sad, but this is also how I am wired. If I am not directly involved, I normally just don't care enough to become emotionally attached.

Weight - 206.6 I maintained yesterday and am a bit disappointed, but life will go on. I must have had 1 too many chicken nachos last night. I started my new ab routine this morning and it was pretty awesome. I thought it would be too easy at the beginning, but when I got to the end I was breathing hard. So I guess it worked?

No more politics...

I have officially given up on caring about politics at a National level. This latest "throw Obama under the bus" campaign by the Democrats is just too much. Sure he decided to side with the Republicans for the "greater good", and now he is as evil as they are? I am pretty sure, that at the end of the day, both Republicans and Democrats are equally just as crooked. There is really no way my vote can change the steamroller that is National Politics, so I am just not going to care anymore. Does picketing and voicing my option really change anything...no. From now on I am going to care about local politics only. At least at the local level, voicing an opinion will at least be heard.

Weight - 206.6 Down another pound. I did push-ups this morning until I couldn't physically do another, so that was kind of fun. I then waited a minute then knocked out my plank exercises. I also found a great ab program that I am going to try tomorrow. Yeah for not being able to laugh because it hurts.

Relationships

It is absolutely incredible to me how the ebb and flow of a relationship works. How is it that within the span of a month I can go from being so frustrated to absolutely adoring my wife? That was a rhetorical question, but isn't it amazing. I know that 95% of my relationship issues revolve around my focus and selfishness. The minute that I forget why I married Karri is the minute that things start to unravel. I am happier (and of course she is) when I love her unconditionally. I just with there was a button to press to keep my attitude in the right perspective. I can write all of this now because I am in the right place again. I enjoy "serving" my wife and doing little things to make her life easier. Now if I could only keep on keeping on, life could be so easy. For those married folks out there, or the unmarried living together (that was for my 1 reader) remember this...it is all about attitude. The minute you make the relationship all about you and you try to "fix" your partner, you are not where you need to be. The only way to "fix" your significant other is to change yourself first. Easier said than done when actually in that spot, I know.

Weight - 207.6 Down 1.4 lbs yesterday with no real reason. I didn't drink as much water as normal due to going to a buddy's grandmas funeral, so I may be a bit dehydrated. Sit-ups today and I am feeling pretty darn good.

The Weekend

The weekend went pretty well. Karri had three cakes due to some folks (for those who don't know, she bakes cakes and decorates them...really well) and then her folks came down so she and her Mom could finish cookie weekend 2010. Every year Karri and her mom make candies and cookies to give away as gifts along with having about 12 different treys of goodness to set out during the holiday season. Needless to say, Karri spent all weekend in the kitchen, and I spent all weekend trying to get out of helping with cakes or cookies. All three cakes were completed (I even delivered two of them) and the cookies were finished. The total count of candies and cookies were 1,350 pieces. Pretty amazing.

Cole also had his 5th birthday party on Friday. We rented a couple lanes at the bowling alley for two hours and brought in pizza, cake and ice cream. The party went really well and Cole had a bunch of fun. What amazes me is how people just invite themselves to join in the party. Cole invited all of his classmates (3 out of 5 RSVP'd and showed up) along with the Graff family. Cole's classmates showed up, with parents and siblings in tow. They then stayed, bowled, and ate everything we offered. What amazes me is them staying. We didn't invite every sibling in the family, we invited the kid that Cole actually goes to school with. What makes you think it is OK for you to have a night out on the birthday child's parents? When my children are invited to a birthday party, I don't have EVERY FRIGGEN KID IN MY HOUSE SHOW UP expecting to be fed. This seems to happen quite a bit. Last year, it happened in Erie and now in Brush. I don't get that people don't respect what an invitation says, but it also confirms my assumption about people for the umpteenth time. People are idiots.

Weight - 209.0 This is a pound below the goal for this week, so next week the goal is 206.0. I am actually amazed that I lost weight with the cookie weekend happening. There were a lot of cookies fresh out of the oven that I passed up (and ate). With the company "Winter Party" on Friday and Christmas shopping with Karri on Saturday, I may be hard pressed to reach the goal next week...but I'll make the effort.

The Christmas Tree is up

I tweeted yesterday while decorating the Christmas tree that I HATE decorating Christmas trees. I may have tweeted in frustration yesterday, but the fact still holds true this morning. Perhaps hate was a bit strong of a word, but I truly dislike decorating. It may be due to the constant arguing of which child gets to put on the Styrofoam star, covered in sparkles (that makes a giant mess on the floor) that I made 25 years ago, or maybe it is how at least 3 ornaments get broke every year, which is followed by many tears, or it could be that homemade hot chocolate is made and the kids are on such a sugar high they almost tear the house down. I don't know the exact reason why, but I just don't like it. I guess I have the school of thought that maybe Christmas isn't all about decorations and gifts and sending cards to people we don't hear from but once a year. (Don't get me wrong, I do LOVE presents) I also don't think that Christmas is the only time to help out the less fortunate. This should be done during every part of the year. The focus seems to come out around Christmas time, but don't you think that the poor would like a meal during the 4th of July as well? I would like to think of Christmas as a time to celebrate the birth of Christ and just enjoy spending time together as a family when it is really cold outside. I have lots of fond memories of drinking hot chocolate after coming inside from making a snowman (or snowfort), getting done shoveling the walk and coming inside to relax by the Christmas tree, walking into the house after work when it smells of apple cider and Christmas music is playing...wait a minute. I do like decorations, I just don't want to have to help put them up. I guess I am just lazy.

Weight - 208.0 Maintained yesterday. I am starting not notice a difference in my pushups and am halfway through the plan. I am also on the full plank program and feel pretty good about it. I am excited for springtime so I can begin running again and maybe find a swimming pool somewhere.

A Sweeter Me

The highlights of yesterday include donating blood and giving my wife a rose for no reason. I'll start with the donation. I really enjoying giving blood. Not because it saves lives and truth be told I am a bit nervous around needles. The reason I enjoy giving blood is to talk to the nurses. No offense to the one Phlebotomist I know, but these people are usually a bit off. When I say off, I usually mean in a good way. They seem to enjoy life a bit more than the normal Joe. Perhaps it is because they work with blood all day, perhaps because the ones I normally see are on the road more often than not and it takes a special person to do that, but they sure are fun to talk with. Yesterday's conversation consisted of tattoo's, std's, and blacklights. I can't wait until the end of January when I get to do it again.

The other highlight just happened on a whim. I am trying to work on being a less angry father and husband so my marriage lasts and my kids actually like me. Slowly but surely I am discovering why I am the way I am and how I can change for the better. While thinking of this, I decided that since I had a couple extra dollars in my pocket, I was going to buy Karri a rose and deliver it to her after my blood donation. So I did just that. It should be know that this is something I have NEVER done before, because I look at this as a giant waste of money. A flower will die and is it really worth the $7.00 for 3 seconds of joy? Looking back now, I think it was. Karri's face was classic. I am pretty sure she was waiting for me to tell her I got fired, wrecked a car, had an affair, or something like that. Awestruck couldn't describe her face when I walked in the door. To top it off, she posted the event on Facebook and my cousin Clayton wrote, "You are still married to Adam, Right?" I may have to surprise my wife with sudden acts of kindness with no expectation of anything back in return more often. I think I enjoyed it as much as she did.

Weight - 208.0 Down 2.2 lbs since yesterday. I suggest donating blood as an excellent way to drop a couple pounds. It was obviously effective.

"Did I tell you about...."

So I share an office with the Material Control Administrator (MCA). She is nice and we get along pretty well. (This is new...she used to hate me about 5 years ago) That being said, she doesn't ever shut up and tells me stories that I really don't need/want to hear about. I put in headphones and she still talks. I don't want to be super rude, so I usually take out my headphones and turn her direction to listen. This blog may turn into random thoughts by my officemate, but I will try to keep it from going that direction. Today, however, I am going to complain.

Today, the MCA begins to tell me that her daughter is getting her class ring. She then has to explain about every engraving and stone, what it will look like, and what the rest of the class is getting. I tried to express my disinterest by saying I never purchased a class ring and thought it was a bit silly to do so. (Side Note - I really think class rings are a GIANT waste of money. Why commemorate a time period of your life that really is meaningless. If friends are going to be made for a lifetime, they will be made, as a whole, in college. High School was petty, cliquey, and just not a experience I would ever want to cherish...maybe that was just me) Well the officemate didn't understand my lack of interest, she continued on about not only her daughters class ring, but also her class ring when she was in school. Oh well, I will just continue to smile and nod.

Weight - 210.2 Down 0.6 lbs even with fried chicken and German chocolate cake yesterday. Cole got to pick the meal because it was his birthday. Got up this morning and finished push-ups and the entire plant program...so I am feeling pretty good today.

Cole's 5th Birthday

Today is my third child's 5th Birthday. We all woke up early to open presents and he was super excited. He received a package of super hero's, some space station stuff, and a couple of shake and go cars (Batman & Joker edition). I actually think the highlight of his birthday came last night when he opened up Papa & Titi's (my folks) presents. He received a Husker Basketball Jersey w/ matching shorts, a Husker basketball, a Husker T-Shirt, and a ticket to a real Husker basketball game. There was much jumping and shouting. All was well.

I know that parents are not supposed to have favorites, but I must say that Cole is like the boy I have always wanted. He is loud, ornery, and continuously gets in his mothers hair. I like to think he is a miniature version of me. I love all my other kids, but I think boys are supposed to give you grey hair and have you worry about what they will do next. This is what I have with Cole, and I love it.

Weight - 210.8 Down 2.6 lbs from yesterday...I guess you could say that water retention was high. Started to really work on my obliques today and am going to be pushing that direction every other day. I know that aerobic exercise is the best way to get rid of stomach bulge, but since I'm losing weight anyway, anything to help the ol' love handles will do me some good.

Ah, Food.

It's crazy really. When looking back at all the holiday traditions in my family, they all seem to revolve around food. Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Dinner, 4th of July BBQ, Easter Dinner, birthday dinners, etc. etc. etc. When people come over to visit, where do we sit and do most of the chatting? In the kitchen, of course. Why is it that when food plays such a vital role in society today, we are all surprised that obesity is the biggest epidemic out there? (no pun intended) The time of hunting and gathering is way behind us as a society, but it seems natural instinct is to overeat and over indulge like we don't know where our next meal is coming from. I am just as guilty as the next guy, but it seems that it will take more willpower and a huge cultural shift to put things back in the proper perspective. People as a whole need to really take a look at diet and portion size to save their/our children from what could be a nationwide health care collapse due to complications with weight induced illness. The original serving size at McDonalds is the equivalent of a kids meal today. What has changed from the 50's that we need 3 times as much food? Besides greed and want? I am not trying to get on a soapbox here, and I have a long way to go when it comes to my children and lifestyle, but this problem is only going to grow until the issue is made public and is taken seriously. When it comes to things I am scared of in the future...this is one of the top items.

Weight - 213.4 Not a great couple days for this guy. Willpower lost out this weekend due to hunger and a loss of healthy things to eat at the in-laws. Oh well, back on the wagon from this day on.

Choosing Joy

I love Thanksgiving. The meal and the football are (of course) my favorite parts. I also really enjoy a day to talk about being thankful and truly enjoying life in general. This holiday, however, I am needing to really choose joy. I am with my nephews, who could be the most ungrateful, self-centered boys I have ever met. Normally when you show up after an extended absence, a person would make it a point to actually say hello. Not these two, whatever they are doing is ALWAYS more important then even saying hello. They also complain constantly and one of them is on the phone texting his girlfriend the entire day. (or playing video games) Usually this puts me in a pretty foul mood, but not today. Today I am choosing joy. Today is the day that I let it slide. I am not going to get angry today and try my best to not get aggravated. I hope everyone else can also do the same today.

Weight - 210.8 I am hoping to maintain the next couple days. Today I think I can eat smart, but everything my mother-in-law makes today is going to be FATTY. Then tomorrow is the Husker game in Lincoln, so it is always tough to eat good. If I can maintain, then Saturday and Sunday will still give me time to get down to my goal weight of 210 this week.

Order and Cleanliness

I am a fan of a clean house. I would even go on to say that I am more than just a fan, I am in love with it. When I walk into the house after work, the last thing I want to see is a pile of laundry, toys on the floor, and dishes in the sink. This is why I love my wife. She is also a fan of being clean. I know, a lot of people like a clean house...but how many people actually do anything about it. How many people spend a good chuck of their days making sure the floor is always swept and mopped, the carpet is always vacuumed, the beds are always made, and the house is tidy? I would say not very many. As I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate this more and more. This morning I added another layer onto my love of clean. It was simple really, I went to find my work boots. I looked in the hall closet and they were not there. At this point, I knew I only had to look one more place and I would be done looking...my bedroom closet. Lo and behold, they were right where I knew they would be. I put them there last night, but I didn't remember that. (Too many drugs as a kid = no memory) The fact I didn't remember doesn't matter, because I knew where to find them. No stress and no trouble. So my morning continues on in wonderful beauty...Ahhhh.

Weight - 211.6 Down another 0.8 lbs and feeling better and better. I love the fact I have energy all day and don't get bogged down by over eating. It took a while to get to this point, and I still struggle at times with the addiction of food...but I am getting better. Pull-ups and sit-ups today. Now I just need to find something that really works these love handles, and I will be a happy camper.

A good weekend

This weekend was pretty darn enjoyable. Karri's friend Sandy came down to visit, so Karri was in a good mood all weekend. They went to Greeley on Saturday morning, so I got to hang out with the kids, wash the dog, clean out my truck, and watch a little football. That doesn't sound like much fun, but I have been meaning to get to all of that, so I was actually pleased to get it done. The downfall of Saturday was the NU vs TA&M game. I am not usually one to blame the referees, but they had it in for NU and it showed. The referee's lost control of the game when they started taking out frustration on Coach Pelini by penalizing NU. Not a good game at all. Just ugly.

I also had the best Sunday I have had in a while. We went to a new church and I just enjoyed going to a place with life. I was uplifted the entire day...which was a great change of pace. We may just have found a church home...finally. That afternoon was spent with a great friend, a nice evening walk with my darling wife, and just chilling in the evening. Peaceful and relaxing all weekend, could you ask for more?

Weight - 212.4 Down .8 lbs from Sunday and 1.6 lbs from my weekly goal. I am uber excited about being close to 210 and am going to set that as my goal for this week. The only problem with that would be being at my in-laws this weekend. Karla cooks like a farmers wife...lots of butter and cream in everything. I really need to watch what I eat this weekend, and quantity will be very lacking. I am bringing granola bars to try and tide me over....lets hope for the best.

Remake Movies

I am not a fan of remaking movies from 10 - 20+ years ago. I understand that the kids these days have not watched the awesomeness of "Top Gun" or "The Karate Kid", or even "Godzilla". I also understand the movie companies want to make money, and since the original movies did so well, they assume the remakes will do just as well. Here is where my problem lays...why can't kids just watch the original movies? Sure the special effects are not all digital and some of the acting seems a bit hokey, but there is a reason they were classics. THEY WERE FRIGGEN GOOD! My family just finished watching the remake of the "Karate Kid" and it wasn't too bad. I did have a few issues with it however...

1) The kid learned Kung Fu and NOT KARATE! Shouldn't they have called this movie the Kung Fu kid?

2) In the original, Mr. Miyagi whooped up on the kids, while in the remake Jackie Chan only let they beat themselves up (like only Jackie Chan can do). It was an entertaining scene, but doesn't make nearly enough sense when the two go to the dojo later on.

3) They moved to China. How will there be a remake of the "Karate Kid 2"?

The only part of the movie I did really enjoy was watching Will Smith's child act. It was amazing to see how much like Will Smith he really was like. Mannerisms, Voice Inflection, and so on. It was like watching a young Will Smith.

So parents...do you children a favor. Watch the original movies prior to watching the remakes with your children. Save History! (Yes, my children watched the original Karate Kid months before watching the remake)

Weight - 213.8 Finally broke the 214 barrier and still feel like I can make a lot more progress. Pushups and Planks this morning. Sandy Reikofski also came to visit this weekend so I can help her with the music program she is using for her dance recital. She and Karri went to Greeley this morning to visit Sam's Club and eat lunch with her mom, so it is just me at the chit-lens today...Good Times.

Thursday Bowling

We have started a little family tradition of going bowling every Thursday night at "Fire Lanes" here in Brush. It is a quaint little bowling alley that has eight lanes and is really clean. It is also dollar bowling from 6:00 - 10:00 with dollar shoe rentals. So between the six of us, it is only $12.00 for a good hour of entertainment. Worth every penny to get the kids out of the house for a bit. Yes, it is a good hour due to the time it takes to get Isaac and Cole to actually get up and bowl. Speedy we are not. This is also excellent practice for next year when the Rogge family travels to Pla-Mor lanes in Fairbury for our bi-annual Thanksgiving Bowling Tourney. Karri got the best of me yesterday with a 121, while I was second with a 108 (I was just excited to get above 100) then Isaac brought in the Bronze medal with an 83. (He usually just dropped the ball on the lane and I would push it.)

Weight - 214.2 Situps and squats this morning and a nice brisk walk yesterday. I think the same plan is in order for tonight and tomorrow, and as long as I don't eat to much pizza tonight, my goal of 214 by Monday weigh-in is achievable.

"The Talk"

I have decided not to number days anymore just because it is getting tedious and I am not on a day count, but a lifestyle change. Yesterday, Dylan asked me, "Dad, when you were in 5th grade, did you have to take a class to learn about your dick?" I am sure a look of astonishment crossed my face, and I said, "What!" He then proceeded to tell me that all the boys in his class have to go to a class on Friday and talk about "boy stuff" and most importantly, their dicks. After I relayed to him that there are many names to call the trouser snake, we should probably just call it our penis. He agreed that perhaps this was a good call. I remember this class when I was his age, so I am not going to be a parent that doesn't let him take the class. One way or another, he is going to hear about it during reccess or from his friends, so he may as well sit in on the class as well. I actually used this time to find out what he "knew" and to speak openly about the subject of not only hormones, erections, and nocturnal emissions, but also about sex and what it was. I won't go into details (unless requested) but my darling son was aware of what sex was, but is pretty naive about everything else. I think my favorite part was at the end during question and answer period. I just told him to ask anything that he wanted, words he heard at school, thoughts he may have had, anything. I was always strait forward and honest, I think the way you need to be.

Weight - 215.4 I guess the school lunch yesterday wasn't as good for me as I thought. The 5th graders get to invite parents for a Thanksgiving Feast at the school, so the herd made the trek and had lunch with D. I thought I counted enough points, but I guess not. Push-ups and planks today...and I'm still feeling good.

Day 16

Last night we had Chris Oden over for dinner...this has become a Tuesday night ritual, which is nice. Another good overall day, I rode my scooter into work and really enjoyed it. I am afraid that I am going to get motorcycle fever by riding something with 2 wheels and an engine, but that is a chance I am willing to take. It is a really freeing feeling to be in the open air, and you get a good sense of how beautiful the day is. It is very similar to a bicycle ride, except the effort isn't there. This makes me excited for summer time when I don't have to bundle up so much and can really enjoy it.

Day 16 - 214.8 I dropped another pound last night and it seems not going to Vail was a huge help on the gut. This morning was pull-ups and sit-ups, I decided not to do squats today...they just seem like a waste of time if I go walking every day. Not much to say today, so...Toodles

Day 15

Vail did not end up being in the plans for yesterday. Gene decided the roads were too bad and he didn't want to get stuck on the mountain with me, so we stayed in Brush. I was a little disappointed, but what can you do? Nothing really exciting last night, but this morning must have changed my clock time by and hour. My alarm went off like normal, so I went downstairs to do my pushups and planks. I was about 1/2 way through with my pushups when Karri opens the office door and asked what I was doing. I told her pushups and she replied, "At 4:30?" So I bounced back upstairs and layed down for an hour before I got back up and did the exercises again. It is all ok though, because I rode my scooter into work today and just loved it. This may be my new mode of transportation unless it is snowing.

Day 15 - 215.8 Yesterday I saved up a lot of points for dinner thinking I would eat out, but since I didn't go to Vail, I ate really well at home. I am really excited for a drop of 1.2 lbs and continue to get motivation every time I get on the scale. My overalls (for scooter riding) also fit extremely well, because normally they are tight. I am seeing progress, and it is good.

Day 14

Official weigh-in day today. The goal for this week was 218.0 and I came it at 217.0. The new goal for this week is 214.0 (another 3 pounds) and I hope I can do it. If I stay in town instead of going to Vail, I believe I will be victorious, but if traveling it will be much harder. I say if because according to the gentleman I am traveling with, the mountains are supposed to get a foot of snow and 60 mph winds. If we are going to leave, it will be around noon - so I guess we will find out if we are going soon. Dinner with Graffs went well last night, we had nachos and they were delicious. The company was also very enjoyable. I believe I overshared an experience with them, but I think they just come to expect about anything if it is coming out of my mouth.

Weekend #2

Yesterday I weighed in a 217.0 while today it was 218.2. I did go over 6 points yesterday, but really think it was the soda I had. The Husker game yesterday was a lot of fun. I happened to sit by Jessica (Phillips) Slechten (I think that is spelled right). I went to Hastings College with her and it was a lot of fun to actually catch up with somebody from HC that joked of the HC advantage like I did and was NOT judgmental of me dropping out early. I also sat next to a lady that actually knew where Wiggans, CO was. Pretty small world all the way around.

Tonight, we head back from Elsie to Brush so we can meet with the Graffs by dinnertime. I am definitaly looking forward to that..I just hope I can eat right so the weight doesn't look too bad this next week. I am in Vail on Monday - Wednesday, and it is always tough to eat well when traveling.

Until tomorrow!

Day 11

Yesterday the highlight of the day was my wife surprising me with a new CD of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack". I am super excited. I had never viewed the RHPS before, so a we Tivo'd it and then watched it about a week ago. I have been singing the songs ever since. In fact, if my diet goes as well as planned, I have two things I want to do. 1) Go to a live showing in Denver and dress up as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, and 2) Perhaps join a theater group and be a part of the cast. I'm sure this is just one of my part time obsessions, but for now...at least it is a goal.

Day 11 - 218.0 So I am down about a pound, and have reached my weekly goal weight of 218, so I need to at least maintain this weekend so I can reach my goal weight for next week of 215. This may be a little tougher then I want it to be, because tonight we travel to Elsie because tomorrow Dylan and I are driving with Tim and Alex to go to the Jayhawk vs. Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Should be a good time. NU should hammer Kansas, so I am looking forward to it. Then Sunday we drive back to meet the Graffs for dinner (nachos). Maybe I won't eat breakfast and/or lunch that day.

Day 10

So for the last couple days, I have actually awoke with an exemplary attitude towards life. I'm not 100% sure why this has happened, but I sure am glad it has. The only things that have changed the last week is me 1) "working out" in the morning, 2) Starting this diet, and 3) I have began to have a little "quiet time" in the evening before going to bed. I am focusing on becoming a better father, husband, and man in general. My guess is this time is what is pushing the attitude, but I really don't want to dwell on on to much and just let it take its course. I have, in the past, tried to push God into a timeframe and it doesn't work...so this is where I will leave it. On a lighter note, I got my scooter (moped) working again yesterday and am going to start driving it to work...as soon as I find my coveralls. (Cause, baby, it's cold outside)

Day 10 - 219.0 I am guessing that I should have only had 1 sloppy joe sandwich last night instead of 2. Still, I am down 0.4 lbs and close to my weekly goal of 218! This morning was sit-ups and squats and I am feeling good. Waking up in the morning is not really a big deal. I am a bit tired right when I get out of bed, but when exercise starts - I am wide awake. I do struggle to get through the sit-ups though...it is TOUGH. It feels good!

Day 9

So yesterday it started out as a pretty pleasant day. The weather was nice, I had a project I was working on, I knew I got to come home for lunch while Karri went to the lady doctor. So I made it home, and the appointment went a bit longer then I expected, but it was OK because I caught up on a few episodes of Chuck and House. I then drive back to work and get about 90% done on my project. All is well. Then I walk outside....and it was friggen snowing and cold. I remember in the past, the first snow of the winter was exciting, but not this year. This year it means that it will now continue to stay cold. I am tired of cold. I don't like it anymore. I guess New Mexico spoiled me in that aspect....you never shovel snow and it is only chilly for 1 month of the year. I became a bit depressed with the snow, but will fight through it.

Day 9 - 219.4 I got on the scale and became very exicted for the day. I finally broke the 220 barrier and am still working on going down. After my pushups and planks, Karri showed me a weigh-in sheet from August that had me recorded at 218.0...that kind of stole my thunder a bit. I thought this was the first time I had been under 220 in years, but that just shows how awesome my memory is (it was the drugs). So now the goal is to be under 215 in around 10ish days....I think I can do it!

Day 8

Yesterday was a pretty enjoyable day. Work was uneventful, but Karri and I went on a nice walk which I think ended up being about 2.8 miles. We decided that this will be the time we can air our grievances with one another (if there are any) so we can keep the lines of communication open. It also gives us an opportunity to take the dog for a walk, since I have basically stopped running in the morning. We had tacos for dinner (yum) and then went to the new owl movie at the theater. It was called Legend of the Guardians. Cole fell asleep about 1/2 way through, Isaac whined about his nose hurting - he is getting a cold, while Natalie & Dylan enjoyed it. It was only $2.50 a person to get in, so well worth it.

Day 8 - 220.2 I am very close to breaking the 220 barrier and am really exicted about it. Today was a squat / sit-up day and my abs are still a bit sore. It is a good feeling though, so I am not complaining about it. Today I have a few things to finish up at work, then Chris Oden is coming over for dinner and hopefully bringing a batter charger so I can get my scooter up and running for good. It may be a chilly ride in, but I am looking forward to getting my "hog" working again.

Day 6 & 7

Day 6 - So I weighed in on Sunday morning at 220.0, so needless to say I was pretty excited that in .1 lb I would be seeing 219 point something. The family continued our trend of "church shopping" and went to a Lutheran church in town. Two things struck me when sitting through service.

1. Where are all the kids in this town? Do any of the them go to church? During the kids time (it is a Lutheran thing) there were 2 children besides mine that went up. I counted a total of 7 children in service yesterday....and 4 of them were mine.

2. It is truly amazing what your brain keeps as important. If attending a ELCA Lutheran church, a green worship book is used. This book hasn't changed in years, and yesterday I proved it. I didn't even need the book at all, I had the entire service memorized from when I was a kid. The kids would ask me what was next, and I could recite everything back to them without even looking at the beat. No wonder nobody goes to that type of service anymore....not a lot of intrigue.

Day 7 - 221.0 Yesterday night we had some friends over, and I didn't even follow a semblance of a diet. So I am giving myself the goal of 218.0 in 1 week. I dropped 4 official pounds last week and think I can drop 3 this week. Push-ups and plank excersises this morning so I begin my week a weakling again.

Day 6

On to the weekend. I got an extra hour sleep today before heading downstairs to do my sit-ups and squats. Yesterday entailed a pretty good day. Friday is movie night at the Rogge household so, as always, we made pizza for dinner. I actually watched what I ate on a Friday and only had 2 slices of pizza and stayed right at my point allotment for weight watchers. After pizza, we popped some popcorn and watched Toy Story 3. The kids loved it.

Day 6 - 221.0 As mentioned earlier, I did stay on my point schedule yesterday, so this really annoys me. I woke up this morning at least wanting to see 220.something. I guess this is added motivation to eat right today. Off to start the day...consisting of flag football, seeing my brother, and honey-do lists!

Day 5

So yesterday was a pretty good day. I had work (of course) but then went to flag football practice with Dylan. The head coach was busy and couldn't be there, so I got to run practice. Not to sound like a braggart, but this could have been the best practice of the season. We actually worked on pulling flags on defense (the first time all year) as well as plays the team is going to actually run in the game this week. Amazingly enough, the kids didn't get to make up their own plays and argue with each other the entire practice. Brilliant! I really do enjoy coaching and trying to help the kids understand the game of football as a whole....now if we could only tackle...

This weekend should be a lot of fun. D has his final flag football game of the season this weekend (starting at 9:00 am) and Matt, Shae, and Miles have decided to come down to watch the game. It is always nice to have a brother around, so I am really looking forward to that. Then it is off to clean out my garage so I can actually park my truck inside before the snow starts to fly. Sunday we are going to meet up with the Graffs, which always is a great time...so all in all, it should be a pretty enjoyable couple days. (I hope I can stay strong diet wise)

Day 5 - 221.0 So yesterday I stayed on course and dropped 0.6 lbs. My goal is to get to under 220 by Monday, so that means I really need to be smart this weekend. It may be tough with dinner on Sunday, but we'll see

Day 4

Well, yesterday went well until about noon, when Karri, the 2 littlest and I went to Little Bamboo to eat lunch. 22 points later I walked out with only a few points left for dinner. Needless to say, I went a bit over in points yesterday and this mornings weigh in proved it.

Day 4 - 221.6 I am now up .4 lbs from yesterday, but not really stressed out about it. A couple bad decisions yesterday, but I never did eat myself completely stuffed. That is a minor victory that I will take. I did squats and sit-ups this morning, and with sore legs and abs it was a pretty decent workout.

Day 3

So yesterday went OK diet wise. The family went to Mr. James Graff's house to celebrate his 32nd Birthday. Karri made him a German Chocolate Cake, so I had to have a little piece and a celebratory beer. My abs were pretty sore all day, along with my upper pecs from push-ups on Monday.

This morning consisted of push-ups and plank exercises. I just hope I notice a difference in strength in six weeks...because right now, I feel like the biggest wiener on earth. On a happy note, I am down another 1.8 lbs!

Day 3 - 221.2

Day 2

So, it's day 2 and I am still sticking with the program. This morning consisted of Squats and Sit-ups. The squats went pretty well, but the embarrassment set in again when doing sit-ups. Holy Crap am I fat. I also am a bit sore from yesterdays push-ups, but nothing serious. There is just the knowledge that muscles are being used that haven't been used in a while.

Day 2 - 223.0 lbs. I somehow managed to lose 2 lbs yesterday. I'm sure it is the combination of the stomach shrinking, and peeing out the beer from the weekend.

Time for a change.

So I have been talking about starting a diet for around 6 months now. It is time to start. I have motivation and just need to start doing something. So I have decided to start a 6 week lifestyle change. Every morning, I am going to get up and do something physical. A few push-ups, sit-ups, plank exercises, pull-ups, walking the dog....something. I am not going to go all gung-ho and kill myself, this is a lifestyle change and I want it to be something that I will stick with. I am also going to begin eating right. I will begin tracking points via weight watchers and will stick with it. I am also going to try and blog about each day....something to keep me motivated.

So, Day 1....225.0 lbs. I knocked out some push-ups and planks. My arms are sore already this morning. It is actually quite embarrassing how weak I am. Wowzers.

And we're off again....

So the Rogge herd is moving again. Due to numerous circumstances, the Rogge family of 6 will be moving to beautiful Brush, CO. It is only 1.5 hrs from Erie (our current hometown) so we can still make it back to visit family, friends, and Rever.

All in all I am excited for the move. I am basically a gypsy at heart, so another move is like an adventure for me. I am a bit disappointed to leave Jon in Broomfield, but we will still get to see him and are already making plans to do so. Another highlight is that we have already lived in Ft. Morgan, CO about 8 yrs (and 2 kids) ago, so there are already friends there. In a way we are moving back "home", so things could be worse.

Until the next move or motivation sets in again...

Adam