Three swings, three misses...

Memo to MIZZOU fan:

Time to fire Mike Alden!

Your university & athletic department has become a JOKE.

1. You got played by Jim Delany and the Big Ten.

2. You got played by Mike Anderson.

3. You got played by Matt Painter.

Who is running the Athletic Department at Missouri? What a mess!



I'm sure you alumni and fans will figure it out.

Until then, stay classy!


Sterling

The Friday Suprise...

In 1994, Shauna was still in high school. I was working at night and attending college during the day. I had Friday’s off, so Friday was a planned “date night”. One Friday, I stopped by The Jones Store and purchased Shauna an outfit. I bought her jeans and a shirt, wrapped them, and went to pick her up from school. I told her that I had a “Friday Surprise” for her. She opened the packages and the “Friday Surprise” was born. The “Friday Surprise” was not a weekly occurrence, and wasn’t always clothes. The “Friday Surprise” was anything from a card, concert tickets, a cd, stuffed animal, snow globe, ice cream, flowers, and etc. The “Friday Surprise” is a memory that we both cherish. Several times a year the “Friday Surprise” returns and it always puts a huge smile on Shauna’s face. Last Friday was one of those occasions.
I love to buy Shauna purses and have personally picked out the last 4 in her collection. I surprised Shauna with a beautiful Latico bowler bag style purse. Those of you that know me, know that I found a great deal on this bag and did not pay anywhere close to the $269 MSRP.



Shauna rarely does anything for herself. A “Friday Surprise” is a unique way to thank her for all that she does for me and our children.

Sterling

Shopping at Sam's Club...

Way to go...

Marshall once again made the Honor Roll. Marshall brought home 5 A's and 2 B+'s. Marshall was disappointed that he did not have all A's. Nevertheless, Shauna and I are very proud of his academic achievements this year. Marshall will be working extra hard this quarter to achieve his goal of straight A's. When he succeeds, he will receive the Adidas F50 soccer shoes that he has had his eyes on.


Sterling

Life...

Shauna and I talk. I mean really talk! We always have and always will. Our ability and willingness to talk has gotten us through good times and bad times. Talking has allowed us to openly and honestly communicate our expectations, wants, needs, and desires. Shauna and I are almost always on the same page. We have talked about our expectations for our relationship, for our family, for how we treat others, and for how we allow others to treat us.

Through the years, Shauna and I have realized that we can only count on each other. Unfortunately, both of our so called “families” have been one disappointment after another. It truly does take more than blood to be a family. Shauna and I do not have unreasonable expectations. In fact our expectations are pretty much common sense.

1. Do not lie.
2. Do not hide things (sneak).
3. Communicate openly and honestly.
4. Treat us like more than just an option.
5. Do not talk badly about us to other people.
6. Share with us your love, support, laughter, and strength.

A relationship is a two-way street. Simply, do not expect things from us that you are not willing to do. How can you expect us to not always be mad when you refuse to treat us how we deserve to be treated?



A person can only and should only take so much…

Relationships are not easy, they take work. At some point you find yourself asking these questions…

1. What am I getting out of this relationship?
2. Does the good outweigh the bad?
3. Does this person value me?
4. Does this person ultimately value our relationship?

At the end of the day,life is about choices. Choices about what you do and who you choose to do it with. As I frequently tell our kids, make a decision and then live with that decision.

Shauna and I talk. We make decisions together regarding the people that we have relationships with. As time goes by, many more relationships will be evaluated and decisions will be made.

One thing I can say for sure is, that when it is all said and done, we are at peace with our decisions, and that my friends, is all that matters.

Sterling

My new swing...

I recently discovered that I like to swing. My brother and sister have a trampoline, basketball goal, and sandbox for outside. This time, it was my turn to get a toy. So here I am, using my new swing. Now, all I need to do is get a pair of sunglasses.


Moriah

Memories...

The Big 12 Tournament is in Kansas City this week. The Big 12 tournament brings back memories and provides the opportunity to make new ones. I remember when Shauna was a senior in high school, the tournament (Big 8, back then) was held at Kemper Arena. Shauna's mom released her from school early so that we could attend the early session games. Shauna and I drove down to the Kemper, bought tickets from scalpers, and spent the day watching basketball together. To this day, at tourney time, we still reflect back on the fun that we had that day.

The first year the Big 12 tournament was brought to the Sprint Center, I pulled Marshall out of school so that we could go together. We spent the morning in the Power and Light District attending the fan-fest. Marshall chose to eat at Famous Dave's BBQ. I remember sitting down and having "lunch" at 10am so that we could be done in time to see tip-off at 11:30am. Marshall and I talked, ate kettle corn, drank slushies, and watched some great basketball.

This year, Marshall had testing on Wednesday and Thursday, I was unable to pull him out of school to attend the morning games. When he got home from school on Thursday, I surprised him with tickets to the evening games. After walking around the Power & Light District, taking in all the fan activities, we made our way inside the arena to our seats. Our seats were located in the last row of the upper level.

During warm-ups, a representative from Phillips 66 came and told us that we had been chosen as the Move of the Game. The representative upgraded our seats to center court, 6 rows off of the floor.

We were given a backpack with special shirts, hats, and lanyards. During the under 16 minute time out, we stood up and were recognized on the JUMBO TRON.


The seats were incredible and the whole experience was absolutely amazing. I told Marshall that I am 35 years old and have never had seats that were at center-court, and 6 rows back. It truly was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

What more could a dad ask for? Special time with his son, and center court seats to MIZZOU getting drilled by Texas A&M. What a perfect evening!

Sterling


Special thanks to Phillips 66 for upgrading our seats!

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

Marshall competed in the Shawnee Mission Regional Mathletic's Competition today. The best three students in each grade level were invited to compete with eight other area elementary schools. Marshall was so excited to be chosen to represent the fourth grade from Comanche. Sterling, Sydney, Moriah, and I were all there to cheer him on.

Marshall's Team received third place honors. He received a mathletics medal and will present the principal with a trophy for the school tomorrow. We are so proud of of our son's hard work, teamwork, and determination.

WAY TO GO, MARSHALL!

Shauna

I like being outside!

It was a beautiful day today, so I got to spend some time outside.

I watched my brother and sister jump on the trampoline. I also went to the park and got to swing.

Moriah

A different take on taxes...

I did our taxes this week and thought of this...


When I was younger, I can remember my Great Uncle Joe saying that he never minded paying taxes. His philosophy was if he was paying taxes, it must have meant that he had received an income to pay taxes on. Uncle Joe took something that most of us dread and decided to put a positive spin on it.

**On a side note, Republicans need to stop complaining about the Obama budget/deficit. Republicans made sure that they got their precious "rich people" tax breaks. You have no right to complain about the deficit when you gladly added hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars to the deficit with your top 2% tax breaks.**

Sterling

It's me...

I have been talking to Moriah for a year. Moriah may only be 6 months old, but we have been communicating for a long time. I vividly remember when Shauna was pregnant, laying my head on her stomach, singing and talking to Moriah. Shauna would be trying to sleep, and I would be wide awake playing with her tummy. Moriah would respond by moving, kicking, punching, and eventually waking Shauna up. Shauna would raise her head and say, "Stop playing reindeer games with our daughter". Our late night "reindeer games" became a ritual, much to Shauna's chagrin. I would talk to Shauna's stomach, lay my hand on her, lean down and say, "It's me, your dad". Moriah would respond by kicking or pushing her hand up to where my hand was. Awesome!

Moriah loves music. When Shauna was pregnant, I made numerous mix cd's of Rockabye Baby music that we played while we slept. Rockabye Baby takes rock music and then turns it into lullabies. Moriah's favorites were/are Guns N Roses, Metallica, Journey, and Bob Marley. As Moriah grew in Shauna's stomach, she became more and more responsive to the music. We eventually had to stop playing the music at night, because Moriah would be up "dancing" all night and not sleep. A pregnant wife on no sleep was not good for any of us.

I cannot explain to you the joy that I receive from walking in a room, Moriah seeing me, and then her face lighting up. Sometimes, out of habit I still say, "It's me, your Dad." and she just smiles and laughs. Other times, I don't even get a chance to get it out, because as soon as she sees me she says "Dad" and my response is always the same, "Yes, I'm your Dad".

I'm the richest man in the world...


Sterling

Valentine's Day

Turtle, I love you!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Nala

Website of the week...

Just in case you were wondering what Speaker Boehner has accomplished.

www.whenarethejobs.com



When the jobs numbers came out last Friday, Eric Cantor, the number two Republican, tweeted this, “Today‘s jobs report reveals far too many people remain out of work. That‘s why all our efforts are centered around jobs.”

That is hilarious, considering that the majority of the House's committee meetings this week were regarding abortion.

Sterling

Super Bowl Sliders

We made sliders for the Super Bowl. Everyone had their own creation.

Marshall - I tried 2 different sliders. I made a chili-cheeseburger slider. However, my favorite slider was a Goober slider. The Goober slider consisted of a hamburger patty, a fried egg, bacon, and peanut butter. (Pictured above) Yummy!

Sydney - I made a slider with cheese, ranch, and cucumber.


Shauna - I enjoyed the Jalapeno and cream cheese slider.

We had so much fun creating sliders that we decided to make this a Super Bowl tradition.

I'm 6 months old...

Snow, snow, snow...

This is what Overland Park looked like at about 1pm on Tuesday. There was about 4 inches on the ground. It was still warm enough for the kids to enjoy using their sled. Moriah was swinging in the window enjoying an afternoon nap. I had a moment to enjoy the beauty. I got a big eye full, when I noticed a handsome young man starting to work on our driveway. He had on his Carharts, a stocking cap, and receiver gloves (as always). He was looking so hot and the best news of all is he's mine! After all this time, I am still hopelessly in love with my irreplaceable husband. Shovel in hand, I stood out there waiting to fend of any other on-lookers. When all was said and done we had 12 inches of snow, and we are on our 3rd snow day in row.

Shauna

Best Birthday Ever....Part 2

I had a very specific birthday request this year, I wanted fried calamari. The closest and best place to get that is Cinzetti's Italian Buffet in Overland Park, KS. All day, I looked forward to eating calamari. We drove to Cinzetti's only to discover a sign on their door that said they were closed due to the bad weather. Well, at 5pm today there was NO bad weather. There was nothing falling from the sky. NOTHING! So why did they close? What a terrible way to run a restaurant. I would understand if there was ice or lots of snow on the ground but there was neither. So, no calamari for me! Instead, I chose to go to eat Chinese at Fire Wok. Fire Wok is a small family operated restaurant and they were open! So a big thumbs down to Cinzetti's, I will never eat at your restaurant ever again! We had a great dinner at Fire Wok, and then we went home to open my presents.

For my birthday I got some video games that I wanted, the Flat Stanley book series, electric guitar lessons, and I got the home and away Kansas City Wizards Jersey's. I do not like birthday cake. Every year, Mom makes me dump cake instead. The best gift of all came about 8:30pm, we got a text that school is cancelled tomorrow!


Marshall

Best Birthday Ever...part 1

I love to celebrate my birthday. Tonight was awesome. My Grandma Pat and Pappa John gave me my birthday present. I got an electric guitar and amp! I was so surprised when I got it. I immediately opened the box, tuned it, and started to play. I'm not very good, but I know that with practice I will get better. I think that I look really cool playing my guitar. The louder the better, you know?

The second surprise that my grandparents had for me was taking me to the Comets' game. We ate hot dogs, nachos, and had Sierra Mist to drink. This was my first time to see a soccer game inside. I was shocked at how fast and exciting the game was. At one point the ball flew out of bounds and landed right by me. Even though the Comets lost, I still want to go again. Mom & Dad, how about season tickets next year?

Marshall

The REAL State of the Union

Memo to the President:

Time to wake up to what reality really is!

1. Gas prices are $3 a gallon. When you took office it was around $1.78/gallon. That was not the change I voted for.


2. You said last night that you do not want the tax cuts for the rich to be permanent. Well...you were the one who made a deal with the devil to extend the cuts in the first place. Now you have second thoughts? You should have ended them when you had the chance!


3. EDUCATION...You want the US to compete with China. Really??? How??? Federal stimulus money for schools is expiring. The new proposed Kansas budget reflects that school districts stand to lose $107 million next year and $85 million the year after. Also, base state aid to public schools could drop by $232 a student, nearly 6 percent. School districts are in a total free-fall. Schools are being closed, class sizes are increasing to potentially 30 kids in a class, and teaching positions are being eliminated. So your "I want our students to compete" talk is just that....TALK!


4. JOBS JOBS JOBS...last month the unemployment rate went up in 20 states. A year-over year 0.6 percent decrease in employment put Missouri third-worst among states in percentage job loss last year. Missouri's jobless rate was 9.5% last year. How about putting Americans back to work? Jobs that disappeared in the Bush era are not coming back. Americans are still out of work! Companies still receive tax benefits for jobs that are OVERSEAS. Here is a crazy idea....put Americans to work and see how the economy responds.


5. Health care is still unaffordable, still unavailable, and still being run by the big drug companies. You have done NOTHING to combat this issue. Your health care bill is worthless and does nothing to control out of pocket costs to Americans.


So, on the issues, the real issues, you have done NOTHING! Zero, zilch, nadda!


Sterling

3 for 3

All 3 kids went with Dad, Daddy, or Dadda first.

Sterling

Crock Pot Creamy Potato Soup

I experimented and finally perfected my Creamy Potato Soup Recipe. Reheats very well.

Crock Pot Creamy Potato Soup
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed chicken broth
2 cups water
5 large potatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1-2 cups cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (added immediately before serving)


Directions

1. Add onion to slow cooker, stir in chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt, dill weed, and white pepper. Cover, and cook on Low 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally.
2.In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and half-and-half. Stir into the soup along with the evaporated milk and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Cover, and cook another 30 minutes before serving.


**When serving I added chives, cracked black pepper, small bacon pieces, and more cheddar cheese to each bowl.**

I also enjoyed a few red pepper flakes in my bowl.

Enjoy!

Sterling

Time flies...

I was cleaning/organizing my external hard drive this morning and found myself looking at old pictures of the kids. Where does the time go? Wow!



Sterling

Regress, Stay Stagnant, or Evolve...

As human beings, we have a choice as to how we are going to live our lives.

Regress...We return to making the same decisions, mistakes, and actions that we have made in the past.

Stay Stagnant...We continue on the current path that we are on and do nothing to better ourselves, our relationships, and our lives. The status quo is clearly acceptable.

Evolve...We constantly grow, learn, and change. If we as a people are truly evolving we learn from our past mistakes and set out to not repeat them. It does not mean that we will not make new mistakes, it simply means we are not as apt to repeat the past ones.

Sometimes, the people that are in your life help to influence the decisions and actions which decide whether you regress, stay stagnant, or evolve. These people could be parents, friends, co-workers, a spouse, and etc. I have discovered that in my own life, in order to evolve I have had to say goodbye to people that had once played a big part in my life. I came to the realization that I have to be more than just an option.

I deserved more, needed more, and ultimately demanded more.


Simply put...I choose to evolve! I want to be a better man, father, and husband. I now surround myself with people that truly care about me, my goals, and my life. If I can evolve as a person, learn from the past, and be the man that I am capable of being, then I can say with no reservations that I serve a purpose on this planet. I refuse to take up space, serve no purpose, and contribute nothing to society. The world has enough of those kinds of people!

Sterling

I'm sick...

Today, I was sick and stayed home from school. My dad took care of me. He made sure that I rested and had a lot to drink. My stomach was hurting, and I was sick. Dad made me "sleeping bags" for lunch. We cuddled on the couch together and watched Glee. I love Glee because they sing and dance. I take dance classes and love to sing. My favorite Glee episode is the episode with the Lada GaGa song Bad Romance. My second favorite is when they sang Sweet Caroline. I am a gleek and so is my dad. He is always singing and dancing.
I am starting to feel better and that makes me happy because I hate missing school. School is so much fun.


Sydney

Moo, Baa, La La La La!

Moriah likes when I read the book Moo, Baa, La La La La to her. She laughs and points at the pictures. Moo, Baa, La La La La was my favorite book when I was little. Mom and Dad read this book to me over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. I love reading to my sisters.

Marshall

Snow Day

SNOW DAY! SNOW DAY! SNOW DAY! This is the chant that is recited when school is cancelled due to snow. The kids cleaned their rooms, wolfed down breakfast, and were outside sledding in record time this morning. Moriah sat in her Bumbo and watched the snow fall. Marshall and Sydney were busy taking turns sledding down the hill. Snow days are celebrated in our house and we are all hoping to celebrate again tommorrow morning.

The Turtle Garbage Plate

I can cook! I love to cook, always have. Everything that I make has my own unique flair. Whether it be a cheese-ball, cheesy potatoes, house burgers, pancakes, baked ziti, enchilada's, soups, and etc it all has my own personal touch. I am a firm believer in trial and error to reach perfection. Where is the fun in following a recipe? I make each item my own. Which leads us to my Garbage Plate...

The simplest way to describe my Garbage Plate is that you take eggs (scrambled), and add anything else that you might have in your fridge. I love to have breakfast for dinner. Eggs are an easy meal that with very little effort can be jazzed up to go from ordinary to "eggstraordinary". Sorry, that was corny but it fit pretty well!

I have experimented with numerous ingredients. To date my most unique Garbage Plate consisted of eggs, cheese, and leftover Stove Top stuffing. Yes, stuffing! It was delicious. Imagine the confused looks that I got when I put that on the table, but as always the plates were returned to me empty after the meal. I will happily continue to cook, experiment, try new things, and have fun in my kitchen.

Sterling

Playoffs?.....Good luck!

The Kansas City Chiefs are in the playoffs........WHO CARES?

Does anyone truly believe that the Chiefs are going to do anything in the playoffs? The 1990's burned me out on getting excited for playoff games. I expect them to do what they have done the last 17 years. NOTHING! The Chiefs no-showed today versus the Raiders. Next week will be the same result. So good luck Matt Cassel, maybe you will remember you are an NFL quarterback. Good luck offensive line, there is a game next week might wanna show up. Good luck defense, you gave up 350 yards and 31 points to the Raiders with Jason Campbell as their QB, I'm sure you will have it fixed by next week.

So to all of you fans who purchased playoff tickets ranging from $47-$147 enjoy the game. I know what to expect...but apparently some of you have forgotten that it may be "The New Arrowhead" but the same ol' Chiefs play there!

525,600 minutes

Year in Review

Fire Wok in Mission

Our family has a favorite Chinese restaurant. We love Fire Wok. Fire Wok is located in Mission,KS and offers a super buffet for lunch & dinner. The kids love their crab Rangoon and lo mein. Shauna and I enjoy the numerous chicken choices that the buffet offers. Fire Wok keeps their food hot and fresh. Nothing that they serve is old or been sitting out for hours like most other Chinese establishments. The staff is constantly replenishing the items so the food is served piping hot. Fire Wok supplies Coke products which is another huge plus for us. After, we have gotten our fill of Chinese we all partake in the Belfonte ice cream. They usually have 3 choices and you scoop your own from 10 gallon tubs. (I love the Mint Chocolate Chip) MMMMMMMMMM!

Our family would highly recommend Fire Wok to anyone that is searching for high quality and reasonably priced Chinese food. The atmosphere is fun and the staff is very friendly. We are so happy to have added this to our rotation of places where we dine.

www.firewokmission.com

Fire Wok Restaurant
5818 Johnson Dr., Mission, KS
913-543-3256

Sterling

Presents, Grit, Food, and Kobe....

We had a wonderful Christmas this year at the Hammett house. Marshall woke up and discovered that Santa had brought him a hamster, which he promptly named Astro. Moriah got sock animals, stacking cups, and building blocks. Santa got Sydney 4 hamsters, but hers were the toy Zhu Zhu kind. Sydney spent most of the morning playing with her hamsters and the princess castle, ballroom, and carriage that went with them. We exchanged gifts with each other and had a great time trying to guess what we were about to open. Every year, we buy each other movies and then spend the week after Christmas watching them as a family. This year was no different. I got The Expendables, Get him to the Greek, Family Guy Volume 8, and Eastbound & Down. Shauna got The Blindside, Modern Family Season 1, and the Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 1&2. Marshall received The Karate Kid, Avatar, and Despicable Me. Sydney loved opening up Toy Story 3, and Barbie Christmas Carol.

After the craziness of opening presents had died down, we went to see True Grit at the movie theater. Seeing movies on Christmas day is a tradition that Shauna and I used to have before we had kids. It was nice to get out of the house and relax in the comfy theater seats.

Even though our day was half over, we still had much to do. We told Marshall that we could have our meal and watch his precious Lakers & Kobe while we ate. Our Christmas meal consisted of ham, Turtle Mac & Cheese, green bean casserole, Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, peach vodka & Sprite (for the adults), and dump cake for dessert.

With the kids put to bed, Shauna and I snuggled up on the sectional to watch one of our new movies.

We reflected on our day, the addition of Moriah to our family, and how the best gift we received was the quality, "happy family" time that we all enjoyed today.

I truly have everything that I could ever want or need inside these four walls.
Sterling

It's good to be King...

For Christmas this year, I bought Shauna a new bed and mattress. We had been discussing for awhile moving from a queen to a king. After much discussion and research we decided to purchase a 12" memory foam mattress. Of course, a new size bed meant new sheets, new comforter, and new mattress pad.

For the record, we do not intend on regularly using the extra space that the king provides. Shauna and I barely used the entire queen. We always seem to "spoon" or curl up together. In college, we managed to find a way to cuddle & spoon on a twin. Our first mattress when we got married was a full and that did just fine. In 1999 we upgraded to a queen and had plenty of space for us. Occasionally, we have a family movie night in our bed. We invite the kids to bring blankets and join us, that's when it got too crowded. The king will be perfect!

Shauna loves the new bed....so bottom line...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Sterling

Family?

Dictionary.com defines family as...

1. a. a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family.
b. a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family.
2. the children of one person or one couple collectively
3. the spouse and children of one person
4. any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins
5. a group of persons who form a household under one head, including parents, children, and servants.

A family can be and should be much more than that! Families spend time together. Families love each other, support one another, and much more. How can you be a family if you do not spend time together? I am not saying that a couple should not spend time alone. If anything, Shauna and I went through a stretch of time where we did not take enough time for just the two of us. We were so focused on being a family and teaching/showing the importance of family; we let our marriage take a backseat. There is a fine line between having some "couple time" and constantly dropping your child at a babysitter so that you can take trips, attend events, and etc. It would seem to me that finding the balance between "couple time" and family time is the key to a well rounded family.

I believe that quite frequently people have children because that is what they think they should do. Some people have no desire to be parents, real parents. See...a parent should provide more than just a roof, food, and etc. A parent has a responsibility to make memories, teach, love, support, discipline, and instill values in their child. Being a parent means sometimes not doing what you want but doing what your child wants or what is in their best interest. There is no place for selfishness in a family. You can not play parent when it is convenient to you! Should you really be a half-ass guardian of a child? You either are totally committed to raising and shaping that young person or you aren't; there is no in between. It is pretty cut and dried.

I am disgusted by people who pretend to be "parents" and portray a family when they are the furthest thing from it. Having the financial means to be a parent does not necessarily mean that you should be. I am a part of a FAMILY! My family makes memories, has traditions, and Shauna and I truly enjoy spending time with our kids. My heart goes out to the children who know no true "parents". Guardians who, by their own choice, will not put up a tree, establish Christmas traditions, or be at home for Christmas. Christmas morning their child will not wake up at home and see presents from Santa.

As much as I might like to, I cannot save or change the world...I am fully aware of this. All I can do is continue to take care of my family. I will strive to be the best husband and father that I can be. I will not always succeed but can guarantee that I am and will remain dedicated to being a "real" parent! My kids deserve and expect nothing less.

This Christmas as you celebrate with your family and hopefully make memories, remember those children who are not as fortunate. On paper, it may look like those children are better off being with their current guardians, but are they?

Is he?

Absolutely NOT!


Sterling

Coming soon...

Year In Review video coming 12/31/10.

Join us for a look back at some of the memories our family made during 2010.

Stay tuned!

Sterling

My life has a soundtrack...

My life has a soundtrack! I am very versatile when it comes to the kinds of music that I listen to. Certain moods call for certain genres. Some songs I enjoy due to their great rhythm, other songs speak to me through lyrics. Occasionally, a song comes along that has a perfect beat, awesome lyrics, and describes exactly how I feel. I have added a play list to the right hand side of this blog. Inside this play list you will get a glimpse of where I have been, how I feel, and the soundtrack that is my life.

The song below couldn't be more PERFECT! Right, Shauna?


Sterling

Narnia

I didn't think the third Narnia lived up to the expectations set by the first two. I was disappointed in the amount of action the movie had. I missed the old characters. I didn't enjoy the new character either. I was also sad to see the mouse go. I liked the idea of the green mist and the seven swords, just wished they would have done more with it.

I give the film two stars.

Marshall

Making Cookies, Christmas Cookies

Every year, we have many special traditions we share with the kids during the holidays. We decorate the house, look at lights in pajamas, go ice skating, and and so much more. One thing that I really enjoy is baking with the kids. Today we made over five dozen sugar cookies. We cut out, baked, and frosted the yummy treats. Even Dad got involved. I just had to stop this year and take in the family being together and having Moriah with us. I am so thankful for my family. I cherish the memories we make as a family. I look forward next weekend for two of the season's favorites at our house , Marshall's Famous Pretzels and Sydney Chocolate Chip Cookies. I wonder what Moriah will want to make with Mommy when she gets bigger?

Shauna

Fire Pit

Usually, Shauna and I put the kids to bed and then we go enjoy a nice fire, a few drinks, and conversation. Tonight, the entire family took advantage of the nice weather. We all sat around the fire talking about our day, roasting marshmallows, and drinking hot chocolate. It was simply quality family time. The fire pit has been a new addition to our home, and we foresee many more nights spent around the fire creating memories.


Sterling

Change?

I voted for Barack Obama in 2008. He will NOT be getting my vote in 2012! What a huge disappointment. The final straw for me was the tax deal he cut with Republicans. He campaigned on repealing the Bush tax cuts and then extends them? What? Good idea, it will only add 900 BILLION dollars to the deficit. It is insane to continue to give the top 2% tax cuts.

So far in his presidency he has....

1. Signed a worthless health care bill. Every American can get health insurance but at what cost? Completely worthless!

2. Not done anything to bring back the jobs that Bush shipped overseas with tax breaks for corporations.

3. Done nothing to help reduce the price of gas. Gas prices are currently at $2.86 and inching higher everyday.

And so on...

Once again, we have a President who is ignoring the middle class. We have a President who is focusing on the wealthy and big business. You are not helping the middle and lower class by extending unemployment benefits. Creating jobs would be helping those people! DUH!!!!

So much for "change"....

&

GOD HELP US ALL if Caribou Barbie gets elected in 2012.


Sterling

It's Time

I have put off my Christmas rant long enough...so brace yourself.

Christmas is NOT about spending STUPID amounts of money on presents. Christmas is NOT about having a certain number of presents under the tree. You cannot make someone love you with gifts(well, no one that is worth loving & being loved by). To many people either spend ridiculous amounts of money on Christmas or put absolutely no thought in the gifts that they give people. Why is it so hard for people to find a happy medium?

1. You can NOT replace spending time and making memories with your child. Spending hundreds of dollars on your child and getting them everything they ask for does not make you a good parent! One day of presents does not erase a year of sub par parenting.

2. Stop the no-thought gifts. If you feel obligated to buy a gift and fulfill that obligation by just pulling something off of a clearance shelf, then please just save your money.

As adults we have a responsibility to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is an opportunity for us to show compassion, thoughtfulness, unselfish behavior, and love towards others. The "Christmas spirit" should live on throughout the entire year.

I have been to hell and back. There was no "gift" that got me through the tough times. A gift cannot hold you on a bad day. A gift cannot laugh, cry, love, listen, and talk to you. Material things may fill your home but they will never fill your heart!


So this Christmas season as you spend money, buy gifts, and make a list for what you "want" for Christmas, I would suggest that you stop to remember what it is that is truly important. All of us have the capability to change someone's life and make it better. Our actions and emotions are the real gift this holiday season! With that being said, what is it that you truly "want" for Christmas?

Sterling

Like Father, Like Son...

I recently had to purchase basketball shoes for Marshall. That purchase brought up memories of my days playing basketball. When I was a freshman, I needed shoes for the upcoming season and dad told me that he would give me $60 towards my shoe purchase. A brand new place called the Sports Castle opened in downtown Kansas City. Dad and I made the trip from Harrisonville to the Sports Castle, during their grand opening, to shop for shoes. I purchased a pair of white and grey Nike basketball shoes for $60. I wanted the Jordan's but decided that spending an extra $30 was not necessary.

As many of you know, I am an expert deal finder when it comes to shopping. When Marshall was little (toddler) I was able to find him Jordan's for the same price as cheap Wal-Mart shoes. I saved his Jordan's (about 10 pair) and they are now on a shelf in the basement. He likes to go down and look at his shoes from when he was little. We discuss the different styles and he is very aware that Michael Jordan was the greatest to ever have played the game.

This year, I told Marshall I would spend up to $40 on his basketball shoes. He was very patient and looked online, in stores, at the Nike outlet, and Adidas outlet. Marshall wanted Jordan's but realized that the odds of him finding a pair at his $40 "allowance" was going to be difficult. He did not give up in his search and lady luck smiled at him! His shoes are pictured below...they were purchased for $39.99!

Sterling

Tangled

First of all, I was so excited that finally we have a green eyed princess represented. I have green eyes. Second of all, I was so excited that she has long blond hair. I have long blond hair. Okay, not as long as Rapunzel, but it is long.

Now to the movie, the movie was a four star success. There is always a good animal character in every Disney movie, this movie is no different. The lizard and horse were hilarious. The chase scenes were very interesting. I laughed so hard every time anyone got whacked in head with Rapunzel's frying pan. I can't think of a part that I didn't like.

It is a must have when it comes out on video.

Sydney