Please stand clear of the doors...

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

2011-12-31T23:48:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year from the mil10s!

Everything Old is New Again

2011-12-31T20:10:00.002-06:00

Yesterday the mil10s traveled to Canton to see all of the crafts and wares that were being peddled at First Monday Trade Days. It was great weather for walking around and doing a lot of looking. Somewhere amongst all of the stuff, we saw a typewriter. EK was pretty sure he needed one. We talked him out of it because they were pretty proud it.

You may be wondering why a ten year old would be wanting an old fashioned typewriter. Never mind that the boy has fairly constant access to multiple computers and laptops, he was sure that he needed a typewriter so that he could write super hero stories.

After contacting someone about keeping an eye open for an inexpensive but working typewriter at estate sales, we were soon contacted that there was an old typewriter available for our use! This morning we went to Baby b's and Auntie M's to pick it up.

EK was so excited to have a typewriter that he carried it all the way home. He didn't want to let it out of his hands.

The first thing that EK "had to" type was a thank you letter.

This was the first thing that he wanted to type.

Random thoughts on Christmas Eve

2011-12-25T00:00:00.001-06:00

-Tonight was the annual Christmas Eve service at oil church. It opened with Oh, Come All Ye Faithful and closed with Silent Night. These are two of mr. mil10's all time favorite Christmas songs! The service is always a nice time to concentrate on the real meaning of Christmas and to observe the Lord's Supper. I must say that this is the first year I have seen a man wearing a kilt to the service.

-At this point in the season, I guess I can give up any hope of catching A Very Brady Christmas on tv this year. If it hasn't come on yet, I don't figure it will. Yes, it includes a touching moment when everyone sang Oh, Come All Ye Faithful. Yes, those Brady kids grew up and they had their own grown up problems. I don't think everyone liked seeing them like that, but they had to grow up some time. I guess it doest help that I am a sucker for tv reunion movies. Anyway, I thought I would settle for It's a Wonderful Life, but mrs. mil10 is changing the channel. She says he does too much screaming. I thought that was just at the end of the movie when he hollers at all of the buildings as he runs through the street. "Merry Christmas, movie house! Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!" While looking for another "Christmasy" movie, she found War of the Worlds and Jaws. Come on television companies. I am sure you are not looking for a big audience on Christmas Eve, but there is probably something a little more appropriate to the season in your library. Probably. She found The Santa Clause. We're watching it again. I think this is at least the third time we have seen it since Thanksgiving.

-I think the whole hoopla over the silver polar bear Coke cans was silly. For the first time ever, Coke cans went white and silver to promote saving the habitat of polar bears. I cant say that this is something that I am that emotional about, but it was at least interesting from an artistic viewpoint, as much as soft drink cans can be interesting. Anyways, people were not happy with the white and silver cans. What was all the fuss really about? The name Coke is on the can. The box said Coke as you took each can out. Just because the can is silver doesn't automatically make it a Diet Coke. Coke caved to the whining and changed the Coke cans back to red. Hey, Coca-Cola, here is an idea: let's ditch the polar bear cans next year and just bring back the Santa packs. You know, the cute cans with the nostalgic Santas that looked like something that Norman Rockwell would have painted. Sure, some would argue that Christmas isn't about Santa. It isn't about polar bears either and I don't see Coke cans with a baby Jesus on them coming to a Walmart near me anytime soon. Can you imagine baby Jesus Coke cans one aisle over from the beer? As neat as that would be to see, I don't think it will happen. What would you do with a Jesus can anyway? Throw it away? Crush it? Recycle it? Because tossing those cans aside seems odd, would you keep them and have an ever-growing collection of Jesus cans? All of those options seem kind of weird. Santa packs, please.

-Who would have thought our ten year old would have been so into Elf on a Shelf? This was our first year to have one. Several of his friends had one this year so we got one as well. Peer pressure, I think! It has been fun to see him get up each and every day this month to find out where the elf was and what he was doing. Reading a book, hanging out in the ice box, rearranging the throw pillows in the living room, or hanging from a ceiling fan. That elf was always up to something. The bad thing is that if he comes back next year, he will have to find over twenty new things to do!

Enough for now, it is almost Christmas morning. Rest is needed for those three Christmas celebrations tomorrow!

John Michael Milton

Trotting with the Turkeys

2011-11-27T20:16:00.001-06:00

This Thanksgiving the mil10s participated in the largest Thanksgiving Day event of its kind in the country. The 44th Annual Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot draws nearly 40,000 participants each year. mr. mil10, mrs. mil10, and EK were among the many that participated in the turkey day tradition. Unfortunately Modie took ill and couldn't join us in the day's festivities.

Lots of port-a-potties for lots of racers!

When we left Home Town, Texas, the visibility was 0.

It wasn't much better in Dallas when we arrived.

The pre-race activities took place in front of Dallas City Hall.

Many people got ready...

...by donning a turkey costume...

...in order to set a new Guinness World Record

for the most people dressed as turkeys at an organized event.

Ready to race!

There were many unusual hats! It was hard to take their picture without being obvious.

On you mark, get set, go!

As you can see, the fog didn't burn off as much as they expected.

The unusual weather did provide many unique views of downtown Dallas.

Looking up into the fog.

After the race EK and mr. mil10 fought through the crowds of people

to pick up a few post-race snacks.

Our next stop after the race was Highland Park Cafeteria for Thanksgiving lunch. We were greeted by an employee serving their popular zucchini muffins to patrons as they waited in a line that extended out of the building and around the corner. Although mr. mil10 jokingly (and somewhat seriously) expected to be dining with a bunch of sad and lonely people, the restaurant was filled to near-capacity with families of all types. The couple waiting behind us in line drove from Tyler, Texas to eat their annual Thanksgiving meal at HPC. Compared to everyone else, the mil10s were considerably underdressed as we were still wearing our race apparel. However, we were not alone as we spotted at least three other Turkey Trotters dining at HPC as well.

We had a great Thanksgiving! We will probably trot again. We will probably eat at Highland Park Cafeteria again. We will definitely continue to be thankful for all of the blessings God has given to us!

Ten Years Old

2011-11-27T14:54:00.001-06:00

2001

2011

It is hard to believe that our boy is now in the double digits! Yesterday, he officially became a ten year old. Everyone always said to enjoy the time you have because it will pass by quickly. Boy, were they right! Time has definitely flown by.

Happy birthday, EK!

johnmmil10 shared an Instagram photo with you

2011-11-22T14:47:00.000-06:00

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"Too bad there hasn't been an #nba season. I kinda miss cheering for the #mavs!"

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The Instagram Team

Happy Birthday

2011-11-21T17:07:00.002-06:00

Today was an unusual day. mr. mil10 had the day off from school while mrs. mil10 and EK had school as usual.

Since EK's birthday takes place during the upcoming school holiday, today was the day for mr. mil10 to take a Harry Potter cupcake-cake to EK's school for an afternoon snack for EK and his classmates.

EK stood in a chair at the front of the room while the class sang happy birthday. He then had the job of separating each cupcake from the cupcake-cake and passing out a cupcake to each classmate. After passing out the first one, EK realized how messy his job would be. His fingers were covered in icing! If you were responsible for passing out cupcakes to everyone in your class and had messy fingers, what would you do? EK's solution was to lick the extra icing right off of his fingers! As gross as it seemed to me, it didn't seem to bother anyone else.

Happy birthday, EK--germs and all!

If you look closely you can see Harry Potter catching the golden snitch!

johnmmil10 shared an Instagram photo with you

2011-11-20T18:02:00.000-06:00

Hi there,

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"243 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes packed and ready to ship! #SamaratinsPurse"

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The Instagram Team

Stationery card

2011-11-13T20:48:00.001-06:00

Color Me Merry Christmas Card

Create from the Heart: photo Christmas cards from Shutterfly .

View the entire collection of cards.

Tuesday Night Lights

2011-10-04T19:23:00.001-05:00

It is Tuesday tennis practice at Hometown High School. EK wasn't too excited when he found out that his team would be wearing purple shirts.

Fireworks

2011-07-10T16:30:00.000-05:00

For the Fourth of July Hometown, Texas put on a nice firework display. Everyone drove to the park or to the nearby Lowe's parking lot to watch the display. We opted for the parking lot.

Waiting for the sun to set.

Auntie Em and Baby B found us in the parking lot and came by for a quick pose in front of the camera. Could that me a Peru shirt she is sporting? She says even though it was questionable to represent another country on "our birthday," she had to wear it since she had already worn all of her patriotic clothes and it was the only thing she had left that was red.

Playing with my camera settings in the dark, I was not totally sure what setting I was using and I wasn't sure if any of the pictures would look very good. Over the course of the show I used about fours settings. About three of those settings were used accidentally.

Of the 99 pictures I took that night, many were either not in focus or caught the firework explosion too late or too early. Anyway, these were the best.

Happy birthday, America!

All in all, we were quite impressed with the display!

Firefighter Night

2011-06-21T18:56:00.000-05:00

Tonight the local Chick-fil-A was having it's weekly children's night. There is always the "buy an adult and the kid's meal is free" promotion. Sometimes there is a craft, snack, or other activity for the kids.

Tonight was firefighter night. The hometown fire department was there to show off the truck. It was fun to look over the truck and see all of the supplies they use when fighting fires. Somehow mr. mil10 managed to manage to hold his to-go cup with one hand and the cell phone in order to capture a few photos. He passed the opportunity to take a picture of the package of Marlboros that were under the driver's seat.

Taste of Summer

2011-06-19T11:57:00.001-05:00

The watermelon from the fruit stand (previous post) is delicious!

Summer Stands

2011-06-18T16:32:00.001-05:00

Bustling produce stands and farmers markets would have to be a sign that summer is here. What is better than fresh fruits and vegetables? It doesn't matter if you use them to battle the afternoon heat as an afternoon snack or serve them alongside a summer meal. Fresh produce just makes everything taste better.

Pictures from the County Fair

2011-06-18T14:07:00.002-05:00

More to come later...

Cakes to Celebrate

2011-06-12T16:54:00.003-05:00

The mil10s are hoping for a win!

Tonight the Mavs have the potential to close out this series and claim the title of NBA champions. We hope Dirk and company do their best and beat the Heat!

The time is now for eating basketball cupcakes while we get rowdy, proud and loud while we cheer for the Mavericks!

What to Do?

2011-06-09T20:11:00.002-05:00

What do you do when you have to limit physical activity? If you are EK, you watch the Game 5 of the NBA Finals while you play alongside with a Lego version! Get well soon, EK!

Pre-wraped Potatoes

2011-06-08T19:21:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Walmart for wrapping these potatoes in aluminum foil. Thanks for saving me a few minutes in my quest to quickly prepare a baked potato meal!

However, the more I think about these foil-clad potatoes, a few questions have started entering my mind.

Was this done as a deterrent for the birds that oftentimes are found flying through your store? I guess not, or there would be more produce that had been wrapped in aluminum.

I hope you didn't do it to disguise a potato that might be less than desirable. Seeing them in the pile does make me wonder how you continue to monitor the quality of the potatoes once they are wrapped. I know it must be time consuming to unwrap each potato one by one to make sure each one meets that high level of freshness that you demand from your grocery items, only to rewrap it once more if it is still deemed to be worthy. I must say that I would hate to be the person to take home a pre-wrapped potato only to see that it is covered in "eyes" that are looking back at me. It is a spud, not a science project, that I want to purchase.

Perhaps wrapping the potatoes in foil prolongs their shelf life. If that is the case, would wrapping myself in foil keep me looking better, younger, or healthier?

I would ask if I should unwrap the spud at home to wash it then wrap it again before the potato is baked, but I think I already know the answer to that question. Yes, now I have an extra step in potato prep. So much for being a time saving measure.

I don't really know if wrapping the potatoes is a new service or something that you have always done. Maybe I have just not been very observant. Regardless, it does seem odd to me. The more I have thought about these special spuds, the next time I get ready to buy potatoes I think I will stick to the potatoes that are sold by the bag--a transparent bag, might I add--or those that are sold individually.

Thank you Walmart for always making shopping interesting.

Live on Stage

2011-05-29T20:26:00.000-05:00

Tenth Avenue North is one of the mil10s favorite groups. We have never been disappointed when we have seen them in concert. Tonight was no exception.

Earlier in the day we were able to see them at a meet and greet, but it is always better to hear them in a performance. They put on a good show and gave us a good time to worship!

Time in Tyler

2011-03-14T22:11:00.002-05:00

Today we celebrated the first weekday of Spring Break by driving to Tyler, Texas to visit Kara. We started the day together at Caldwell Zoo. It was a cold morning, but we braved the temperatures in order to beat the crowds. Naturally, we were at the front of the line to get into the zoo!

This truck was in the children's play area. They loaded in like a bunch of hillbillies.

It seems that we always find an unusual animal at the zoo. This penguin was molting.

I can't remember if this was an anaconda or a boa. Either way, I am glad we were separated by a layer of glass.

Cheetahs resting.

People resting.

After the zoo, Kara directed us to Jucys for hamburgers. We learned that the junior burger is plenty of burger for one person. While you are waiting for your food to cook, try the complimentary beans. They were very good. For those familiar with hometown's very own CB's, the hamburger meat was comparable, but the buns were not nearly as greasy. While we were there we spied another Jucys patron that was eating a large bowl of bacon cheese fries. Perhaps those will have to be ordered if we make a return trip. No one in our group was disappointed with their meal.

I am not sure why my burger was upside-down for this picture.

How do you finish a trip to Tyler? After a quick trip to the mall to walk off some of our lunch, we had to make one last stop at Andy's Frozen Custard. We have never ordered anything that disappointed us. Today's treats were a thin mint concrete (thin mint cookies mixed into vanilla frozen custard) and a concrete almonds concrete (almonds and coconut mixed into vanilla frozen custard).

Luck of the Irish

2011-03-12T15:49:00.001-06:00

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

Clouds

2011-03-06T21:24:00.002-06:00

Blogging has not been happening lately. I thought blogging everyday during the shortest month of the year seemed like a really attainable goal, but it didn't happen.

Tonight I was browsing the Android marketplace and found a new-to-me Blogger app. Woo hoo! I think I will give it a test drive for a few posts and see if I find it any easier than blogging from my computer desktop. However, I can already say that downside number one has to be the lack of a reliable spellcheck. Goodness knows I need one!

Now on to this post's topic. I am not sure why am compelled to take pictures of clouds. It is kind of a sad hobby. My phone is full of sunrises, sunsets, storm clouds, and more. Let's see how easily this new Blogger app will let me share them with you.

Enjoy.

Artist's Corner: The Bunny in the Flowers

2011-03-06T20:37:00.001-06:00

EK has been busy at art lessons. The students took a break from portraits and EK came up with this watercolor painting. It is just another sign that spring is almost here!

CHARACTER:

2011-02-09T22:27:00.001-06:00

...

CHARACTER: EK and Safari Mickey

2011-02-08T22:09:00.001-06:00

Walt Disney World - 2009

CHARACTER: The Goofs

2011-02-07T22:53:00.003-06:00

Walt Disney World - 2004

CHARACTER: mr. and mrs. mil10 & the mouse

2011-02-06T12:29:00.001-06:00

Walt Disney World - 2009

CHARACTER: Stitch, EK, and Lilo

2011-02-05T12:25:00.000-06:00

Disney Cruise - 2007

CHARACTER: Pluto and EK

2011-02-04T12:00:00.003-06:00

Walt Disney World - 2005

CHARACTER: EK with Chip and Dale

2011-02-03T19:22:00.001-06:00

2005 - Walt Disney World

CHARACTER: Mrs. Mil10 and Mulan

2011-02-02T13:37:00.001-06:00

2010 - Disneyland

CHARACTER: EK with Hook and Smee

2011-02-01T13:26:00.000-06:00

It has been some time since the mil10s have participated in the Nablopomo challenge. Now that we are at the first day of the month we are starting the February Nablopomo challenge to post every day for the month. Since the topic is CHARACTER we will be going through the photo archives to find a daily photo with the mil10s posing with different Disney characters. To quote the current Disney Parks promotion, "Let the memories begin!"

2004 - Walt Disney World

2011-01-29T20:16:00.000-06:00

Today was a fun day. EK's basketball team was playing for first place in their division. It has been a good season with several heated games.

The bracket as it was before the game. Lions versus Bulls.

the mil10s came prepared with a cheering section complete with homemade posters.

It was official. The Bulls won the game!

EK wearing the championship medal.

The post game huddle.

We are the Champions

2011-01-29T13:05:00.002-06:00

EK's team won the championship game this morning!

Egyptian Art

2011-01-27T17:31:00.002-06:00

EK's piece of work from today's art lesson.

Snow in 2011

2011-01-09T19:15:00.001-06:00

I am pretty sure that I can only remember a few really good snowfalls from my childhood. Living in this part of Texas we are usually blessed with ice or "wintry mix" during our winter weather. However, now that EK has been around it seems like we are enjoying a nice snowfall almost every year! I guess some would blame it on global warming. Oh well. At least we get to enjoy the beauty of a blanket of snow for a while before it all melts and makes everything a muddy mess. The occasional school closing is nice, too (although a late start is really the ideal choice). The best part of all might just have to be having snow ice cream!

Too bad our first batch of snow ice cream wasn't very good. There was more sleet than snow collected in our bowl and the ice cream was really too icy. Go figure! It came out like a slushy.

mrs. mil10 had a hair appointment today. She tried to make it to the salon, but the first road she tried was blocked by a fire truck helping someone get their truck out of a ditch. On her second road, she started to spin. It was time to come back home. All in all, she looks pretty positive after the excitement of driving on snow and slush and a cancelled hair appointment.

It was almost a white out!

EK is taking aim and is ready with a snowball!

The second batch of snow ice cream was perfect -- just like a cloud!

The Jiggle Butt Run

2011-01-09T17:43:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a big day for the mil10s. Grams, Aunt K, mrs. mil10, and Auntie M signed up for their first 5K. Inspired by Denyse, Elizabeth, and Paige, the mil10 girls thought signing up for a 5K would be a fun motivator for exercising. The Jiggle Butt Run is a 5K run /walk for women and girls. No men allowed. The money raised benefited Safe Haven Women's Shelter.

Team Huffin' and Puffin' is now complete

Getting ready to start

mrs. mil10 picked up the team sign that was posted along the route and carried it through the remainder of the race

Cooling down after the race

mrs. mil10s race number

This race number is hopefully the first in a collection of race numbers. since mr. mil10 was only there to drive and cheer, he is looking forward to a future 5K event as well. Who knows where it could go from here!

The Werewolf

2011-01-02T22:01:00.000-06:00

Mix an old Halloween costume, a video camera, and a little imagination and this is what you get.

Part One

Part Two

For many years he has enjoyed taking still pictures. He has had several cameras of his very own. Just a few days ago his camera was used to make the Lego Star Wars video.

This Christmas EK received a Flip video camera from his grandmother. Now he can easily film whatever he desires. The past few days have been spent with him filming something and then wanting us to watch it. These videos were filmed tonight.

Maybe Hollywood is in his future!

Golden Santas

2010-12-24T09:53:00.002-06:00

Trophies from a community Christmas parade...

Snowmen in a Series

2010-12-23T13:14:00.000-06:00

It looks like we won't have be having a white Christmas in Hometown, Texas this year. This week marked the first day of winter and we had record setting highs. Who doesn't love temperatures in the eighties in December? Don't get me wrong; I am not complaining. After all, we were blessed with our fair amount of snow last winter.

EK recently completed this simple set of snowmen. Their simplicity allows the personalities of the snowmen to shine through.

Batman Snowman

Elvis Snowman

Surprised Snowman

Johnny Appleseed Snowman

The Reason for the Season

2010-12-22T23:50:00.001-06:00

The greatest man in history had no servants, yet they called him Master. Had no degree,yet they called him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared him. He won no military battles, yet he conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

Thank you, Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

How the Guys Spent the Morning

2010-12-21T20:13:00.001-06:00

EK has seen Lego videos on YouTube for a long time. Many of them recreate the movie using Legos. Many of them even use all the same audio and sound effects. For some time now, EK has wanted to make his own video.

This morning while mrs. mil10 was out, the mil10 boys played. The video shown above is actually our second attempt. We wanted to also incorporate the Star Wars theme song by John Williams, but we were limited to selecting the theme music or the lightsaber sounds. EK opted for the sound effects.

Please pardon the poor photography. mr. mil10 was the one taking the pictures while EK posed the minifigures. For some reason Legos are always difficult to photograph for the mil10s. This time was no exception as you can see by the poor focusing.

Enjoy the Lego Star Wars production of Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Vader.

To the Mavs from the Mil10s

2010-12-17T20:33:00.002-06:00

High above the fans in the American Airlines Center scrolls a message from the mil10s. You have to look closely due to the limitations of cell phone photography, but we were there! Come on Mavs, we are cheering you on to a win!

Hometown Traffic

2010-12-01T23:41:00.002-06:00

From a Galaxy Far, Far Away

2010-11-26T15:18:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday, EK! The Jedis wish you a happy birthday, too.

Tech Time

2010-11-25T13:35:00.002-06:00

Any time we are all together, there is usually someone using a cell phone. Today after Thanksgiving lunch Grams gave Modie lessons on sending text messages.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T10:43:00.002-06:00

Some argue that Christmas and Halloween squeeze out Thanksgiving causing it not to give it the recognition it really deserves. I disagree.

I think Thanksgiving is something you can't just celebrate on November's fourth Thursday. If that is the only time we take to express our thankfulness for so many blessings that have been given to us, well that is a problem. Take time to be thankful everyday. Take time to appreciate the big stuff and the little things that are so often overlooked. Probably the hardest is to be thankful even when it is not easy to be thankful.
Take plenty of time to be thankful today and every day!

1 Thessalonians 5:18--Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

The Birds

2010-11-25T10:19:00.002-06:00

The birds are here for their nightly Hometown visit. This photo doesn't really do justice when compared to the number of birds that are usually in the area.

As gross as they are, it is always fun (in a weird kind of way) to roll down the windows as you drive through the area. Maybe it is the sound, maybe it is the thought that they will fly into your car. Alfred Hitchcock was definitely onto something.

Christmas Card 2010

2010-11-22T17:01:00.003-06:00

We have finally selected the photos for our family Christmas card. Today, we placed our order and are sharing the final design with you. Other than selecting the photos, the entire process was very simple.

Thanks to Shutterfly for the special promotion. We now have 50 cards that only cost us the shipping!

Family Wall Red Christmas Card

Shop Shutterfly.com for elegant Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Fall

2010-11-17T16:58:00.001-06:00

One of the best things about fall is seeing the colors of the landscape changing around us. EK is more interested in playing in the leaves than looking at them. Take time to enjoy the leaves of fall before they are gone.

Christmas is Almost Here!

2010-11-16T22:06:00.000-06:00

With less than forty days until Christmas, the mil10s have already started making preparations for the big day. The car radio has been set on "The Christmas Station" since they started playing nothing but Christmas music this week. Some small decorations have already been brought out of storage and put into place inside the house. The trees and all of the other decorations will come in this weekend! Tonight EK started listening to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. He will listen to it the next few nights when he goes to bed.

Christmas cards are one thing that the mil10s like put some thought into. We always enjoy looking at last year’s cards when we are unpacking all of the Christmas decorations. It is always fun to be reminded of all of the friends that shared holiday cheer.

Selecting the perfect picture for a photo card isn’t always easy. We have done the staged family photo in front of the tree. Last year’s pictures were from a recent trip to Walt Disney World. This year? Well, remember, picking the photo isn’t always easy. We have not always narrowed it down! Thankfully we have almost forty days until Christmas!

When we learned that Shutterfly is having a special promotion for bloggers, we wanted to sign up. Already a fan of their photo books, we know they make other great products as well. Shutterfly can make your special Christmas cards (http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards), wall calendars (http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars) or personalized photo mugs (http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mugs). Check out Shutterfly if you haven’t ever done so before. Let your creativity fly and make a very special gift for yourself or someone special!

Enjoy a walk down memory lane of a few of our past Christmas cards!

2001

2008

2009

Happy Birthday

2010-11-07T19:24:00.002-06:00

EK decided he needed to make something for mrs. mil10's birthday, but he felt like he needed a little help. Together he and mr. mil10 built a Lego Mickey Mouse.

You know we love Legos and all things Disney at our house, so this seemed like a perfect fit for mrs. mil10.

Happy birthday, mrs. mil10!

"Oh, the Torture"

2010-11-06T11:49:00.002-05:00

This morning it was unavoidable. It had been put off long enough. However, some free time presented itself and we knew we needed to commit. It was time for a haircut, or as EK says, it was time for torture.

Steel Bouquet

2010-11-04T19:06:00.002-05:00

Tonight I found myself in downtown Hometown and happened upon this metal embellishment on a door that appears to have gone unused for many years. They just don't make them like this anymore.

We Saw it at Atwoods

2010-10-03T12:11:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we found ourselves out and about in Hometown with a little time to kill. mrs. mil10 suggested going to Atwoods. Really? Their motto is "If you enjoy the country lifestyle, you're going to love Atwoods." They may not be looking at the mil10s as their target demographic group. However, since we are not really in touch with our country side, going to Atwoods exposes us to many of the things that we may not know about or can fully appreciate. We always manage to have a good time there and it had been several months since our last visit so we gave it a try.

I don't know if it was a special day or just a regular thing on Saturdays, but we were greeted with free bags of popcorn as soon as we walked into the store. EK was more excited about the flavored popcorn salt. Sitting next to the bags of popcorn were no less than ten different flavors of popcorn salt. Come one, come all! Step right up and have it your way. Atwoods definitely has the local movie theater beat out when it comes to varieties of popcorn salt.

We saw a heated pet bowl. Hmmm. How do you go about plugging this in, filling it with water, and not having a dog electrocute itself since it plugs into an electrical outlet? I see one of two things happening. Either we would have a hot dog when it manages to get a charge of electricity or the water bowl would manage to trip our electrical breaker. It seems like when we use our Christmas lights when there is the smallest amount of moisture in the air I am always having to go flip a thrown breaker. Am I the only one that sees the potential disaster that is bound to happen when you plug in a bowl of water? Surely we are not the only pet owners without a heated pet bowl.

It didn't photograph well, but right next to a metal tub filled with duct tape sat a container full of yardsticks. They were labeled as "four sided." As I looked at them I noticed that the yardsticks indeed had an unusual shape, but only two of the sides were printed with the numbered increments that make a yardstick so helpful. The remaining two sides reminded you that Atwoods is "America's favorite ranch home outfitters" and the "home of Ranch Pro feeds and Real Ranch work wear." Why then, I must ask, are these yardsticks billed as being four sided? Technically, it didn't have any more functional sides than a traditional yardstick.

Next to the orange soda, cream soda, and root beer, sat bottles of sarsaparilla. That was unexpected. Who knew they even made sarsaparilla anymore? If you didn't read the label pictured above, go ahead and read it now.

It really is good to know that there is nothing better than an ice cold sarsaparilla, regardless of which end of the horse I am working with. Maybe you knew this already, but that was definitely new information to me. I think I will take their word for it, but I will keep it in mind just in case I find myself working with some end of a horse in the future.

I didn't take a picture of it, but there was a meat band saw on sale for only $199. I am not an informed consumer when it comes to meat band saws, but that seemed like a reasonable price to me. Kill the meat. Then slice the meat on your own personal band saw. That sounds like a perfectly normal thing to me. We mil10s must be really missing out!

Finally, next to the check out area we found these little packages of Lil' Dude meat that caught my eye (I must have been thinking about that meat band saw). I held two in my hand so you could gauge the size of the meat snacks. There were about four or five different flavors to select from but I can only remember summer sausage and pepperoni now. For only ninety-nine cents you could have one of these packaged meats. When I did a little googling I did find a Flickr photo that shows them priced at only eighty-nine cents. I wonder if Atwoods would honor the price shown there? I also discovered that the Lil' Dude Summer Sausages have their own Facebook page.

The mil10s did not purchase any of the things pictured above, but we did not leave empty handed. EK found a package of root beer flavored jelly beans (which spilled across the back seat as we left church this morning). mrs. mil10 bought a bag of peanuts which turned out to be a great snack at the park. mr. mil10 left with a peanut patty, which EK wouldn't even taste. We also bought a jar of dilly corn. Growing up, mr. mil10 thought they were fun to eat because they look like ears of corn, but closer to the size of pickles. EK probably won't taste those either.

"A Yabba Dabba-Doo Time"

2010-09-30T19:35:00.001-05:00

During this summer's road trip to California we stopped at many new places. One of the helpful websites we used to plan our trip was Roadside America. This website bills itself as a guide to uniquely odd tourist attractions. We saw several things on our trip that other guides would have considered too weird to list.

Just outside of the Grand Canyon, we pulled into the parking lot of Flintstones Bedrock City. Inside the park were cement recreations of the cartoon, including a general store, police station, post office, jail, beauty parlor, the Flintstone and Rubble houses . We called the day before our arrival to double check the hours and someone named Betty answered the phone! I wonder if that was really her name. Being the early birds that we are, we sat out on the road early that morning. Unfortunately the timing of our visit didn't allow us to stop for more than a picture in the parking lot since Bedrock City had not yet opened to the public. After all, we had to get to the Hoover Dam!

In honor of the Flintstone's fiftieth birthday, let's revisit Flintstones Bedrock City. Well, at least their parking lot.

See those Flintstone-style buildings in the background? We didn't get to go in those!

On the Hunt

2010-09-27T21:52:00.001-05:00

It is almost like treasure hunting. A quest to find a desired item. The subject of our hunt is a piece of molded plastic that is only worth a couple of dollars.

A Lego Spartan warrior.

This past Friday night the mil10s made a run to Target. If Target is good for something, it is having something that you really didn't intend to buy, but once you see it on the shelf, you just can't think of leaving it there. It must come home with you. That is what happened to us. Unbeknownst to us, Lego is now selling mystery minifigures. We found the small packages almost by mistake. The thought of buying one of these mystery figures appealed to us, so we thought we would give it a try.

When EK opened the bag, he found an explorer complete with a magnifying glass and binoculars. There was also a check off list that pictured each of the sixteen figures in the series. Each of the pictured figures was very interesting and not one that you would typically find in a normal boxed Lego set. You could see the gears in EK's head start to turn, but in fact we had all caught the fever. We knew we would be doing this again. But when?

The next day we found ourselves at hometown's Walmart. Low and behold, they also had the mystery minifigures. This time we were not content with simply picking a random package off the rack. Instead we carefully held the packages and would try to feel the peices inside in order to hopefully identify a unique piece. EK was hoping for the Spartan pictured above. We handled each and every package to hopefully make out a spear or shield. No such luck. EK left that morning with a man with a serape, sombrero and maracas. mrs. mil10 found the witch. After all, it looks too much like Wicked's Elphaba to pass up.

"Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?"

It was later that mr. mil10 read online that the minifigure packages actually have a bar code unique to each figure. Also, by using the cell phone's bar code scanner app, one could easily tell the contents of the package without having to guess or try to blindly feel the contents. Oh, this was interesting! What was a mil10 to do? Go right back to Walmart! The only difference is that this time we would know ahead of time exactly what we would be buying. On our second trip of the day we left with a vampire and a karate kid, but no Spartan.

That same night mr. and mrs. mil10 had the pleasure of seeing Matt Maher, Addison Road, and Tenth Avenue North in concert. Since we arrived early and had time to kill, we found ourselves at Target once more. Thanks to the bar code scanner app, we were able to use the few minutes we had to scan several packaged figures, but once again we came up empty handed in our quest for a Spartan.

Sunday found a cool front blowing in. We thought it was perfect weather for Taco Stew, but we didn't have all of the ingredients. A quick run to the store was needed. Sure, we could have quickly gone into hometown's grocery stores. But since we had already been to Walmart twice the day before, we decided to go to another Walmart. A fifteen minute drive south and we were in a new Walmart. Unfortunately, they didn't carry the mystery minifigures. Bust! At least we had Taco Stew to look forward to when we returned home.

So if you need the mil10s anytime soon, we might just be making trips to random stores so we can pop in and use a cell phone bar code scanner to find out the item inside the mystery package. We may have found a way to work around Lego's intended mystery, but for us there is still plenty of fun in the hunt! We will find you, Spartan. We will find you.

Ready for the 80s

2010-09-18T11:14:00.002-05:00

EK is ready for an 80s afternoon. Neon, painted jeans, sunglasses and a mullet.

One Boy in One Big World

2010-09-14T20:38:00.001-05:00

Students in EK's grade at school put on a short performance entitled One Big World tonight at school. EK decorated an Australian flag last week to wear during his time on stage. The point of the program was that although we are many different people, we must all come together in this world we share. The last song was "We are the World." Although the mil10s didn't shed any tears, there were several parents that did. Let's zoom in on EK while he stands amongst all of the other children.

Thanks for smiling, EK!

Nerf Wars

2010-09-07T19:02:00.002-05:00

Who doesn't love a round of Nerf wars after dinner? It doesn't matter what kind of day you may have had because you are going to have a great time and feel better after a little friendly fire!

Labor Day

2010-09-06T20:54:00.004-05:00

Labor Day is a welcomed holiday at the mil10 house. After the rush that comes along with the start of a new school year, Labor Day is a time for much needed rest.

We celebrated in typical mil10 fashion by cooking on the grill (bbq chicken, grilled corn on the cob, green beans and potatoes, baked beans, and corn bread). This year we also had grilled cinnamon-sugar peaches with angel food cake. We even put the angel food cake on the grill for a nice toasted effect. We served it with ice cream. It was a hit.

EK didn't care for the music today. All of the songs we played during lunch had something to do with "work." mrs. mil10's napkin was borrowed and used along with his own as a makeshift ear plugs.

All in all, it was a relaxing day with the family. What's not to love?

A Lesson Learned, Again

2010-08-29T20:13:00.000-05:00

Now that I am at a point in life where I have been driving longer than I haven't, you would think accidental near-misses with family members in the driveway with the front or back end of a vehicle wouldn't be happening. You would think.

Earlier this weekend we decided to make a quick Friday night run to the mall that I won't mention by name (but I will let you know that we affectionately call it "the gangster mall") to purchase a gift and eat at El Chico. Excited to be home, I suppose, mrs. mil10 went to the back of the car to get the package. Surprisingly the back door would not open. EK was getting out of the vehicle. He, too, realized something wasn't quite right. Where was mr. mil10? Standing in the grass. mrs. mil10 quickly realized the car was actually rolling towards her and not just settling into place like a car sometimes will when it is put into park. mr. mil10's quick reflexes enabled him to jump back into the driver's seat and properly put it in park. mrs. mil10 was now out of harm's way. Modie, who had been sitting in the back, was now saying, "Just turn it off. Just turn it off." All was safe and thankfully no one was hurt in the mil10 driveway. Yes, you should always put the car in park before getting out of the car.

Although the event only lasted a few seconds, it kept us laughing for a significantly longer period of time. Probably because we should already know the importance of first putting the car in park before getting out of the car. You see, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred.

Several years ago, when EK was just a small baby, the mil10s were in the truck and needed to quickly run into the house to get something. It should have been a simple task. However, as mr. mil10 walked in front of the truck, he realized that it was actually coming towards him. I could say that it narrowly missed crushing him between the the other car that was parked in the garage, but that would be a little dramatic. I could say that mr. mil10 lunged towards the oncoming truck and stopped it in its tracks with a hearty body block, but that would also be a little dramatic. I could say that mrs. mil10, being alert as she sat in the backseat with the small babe, quickly leaned over the driver's seat and threw the truck into park. I could say that because it was true!

That is twice that mr. mil10 has gotten out of the vehicle without putting it in park. Thankfully, no one was hurt either time. However, you should still learn from the bad examples and make sure you put your car in the correct gear!

BTS 2010

2010-08-23T20:56:00.002-05:00

Being in the school business, BTS (back to school) is just one of the many acronyms the mil10s are familiar with. AR, BOY, EOY, TPRI, ARD, RTI, IEP, TAKS. This is just a few, but we know them all!

EK stopped in front of the fireplace for the annual BTS pose with his "backpack with one strap" before eventually going to his third grade classroom. Third grade already. Oh how the time flies!

Shopping

2010-08-13T13:23:00.001-05:00

This is how EK preferred to spend his time during our back to school shopping. I can't say I blame him.

Smile!

2010-08-08T15:08:00.001-05:00

Just a quick photo of EK. Sometimes the simplest pictures are the best.

Fun Times are Here

2010-08-04T16:59:00.002-05:00

Is there anything quite as fun as spinning in a chair at work while they test the security alarm? Probably so. But all I got to do was spin around in a chair at work while they tested the security alarm.

Hotter than a Ham Sandwich!

2010-08-02T19:54:00.003-05:00

One summer at youth camp we had a camp pastor that used the expression "hotter than a ham sandwich" to describe the uncomfortably hot weather. That was the first time I had ever heard anyone use that saying to describe the heat. This may or may not have been before the days of an air conditioned worship center at our camp facility. I can't remember for sure because every memory of camp involves sweating. Anyway, back to the ham sandwich. I can't say it is an expression that I have ever heard many other people use, nor have I tried to incorporate it into my list of commonly used phrases. Even when searching for it on google to see if anyone actually uses the expression I only found three references, one of which was on a blog written by a fellow Texan. This afternoon was different and I found an appropriate setting to use the saying.

August in Texas is usually known as a very hot time of year. Since we are currently going through a little heat wave with near record highs several days this week, I was expecting it to be pretty hot when I stepped into my truck this afternoon. However, I wasn't expecting the thermometer to register quite so high. I think today would be a good day to say it is hotter than a ham sandwich!

116 degrees, even if from the slightly inaccurate truck thermometer, is just too hot for a vehicle that has been sitting in a parking lot!

2010-07-05T17:56:00.004-05:00

EK attempts a handstand at the hotel pool...

NOW: Bags

2010-06-30T21:45:00.001-05:00

Bags.

Would that be bags as in suitcases? Maybe bags as in swollen or puffy eyes from too little sleep? Actually it refers to both.

This morning mr. and mrs. mil10 awoke to find their eyes giving away the fact that they had stayed up much too late. Amazingly, mrs. mil10's eyes looked considerably better although she, by far, had the smaller amount of sleep. Here's hoping that tomorrow finds us looking a little more rested.

Tonight we can say that our bags are packed and ready to go. That really makes me want to sing. Our suitcases are ready for a little road trip. Updates will be forthcoming.

As for the daily posts of NOW, I hope you have enjoyed the daily happenings of the mil10s. Now you know what we were doing on the very day of the post. As for this NaBloPoMo challenge, I guess I can say that it is NOW in the bag.

NOW: Lights Out

2010-06-29T23:15:00.004-05:00

DEAR FELLOW TRAVELERS:

I am sorry for the temporary blindness and slight discomfort that resulted from meeting me or being followed by me on the road tonight. I do not make it a habit to drive around town with my bright lights, or high beams, on. However, tonight it was simply unavoidable. When faced with driving at night with a choice of only high beams or no beams, I hope you will understand my choice in using the blinding lights. Since the problem is more than just a case of a bad bulb, the garage is ordering a part that will once allow both headlights to work correctly. Since the part is on back order, it may be a few days. In the meantime I will try to keep all driving at nighttime to a minimum. When it is absolutely necessary to drive around town after nightfall, I will try stay off of the main roads or only drive when there are fewer people out and about. So you don't have to flash your lights at me anymore--I am aware of the problem and am working towards correcting it. Thank you for your understanding!

--BRIGHT LIGHTS, NOT SO BIG CITY

NOW: Vampire Bites

2010-06-28T20:45:00.004-05:00

It seemed like an easy task. Make cookie dough using red food coloring. Add sprinkles. Bake. Add Snickers candy and icing.

However, it was just a little bit more difficult. After making on batch of dough from scratch, we decided that one batch would simply not be enough. We opted to do a second batch using the "quick" version of using a pre-made package of sugar cookie dough. Let's just say that using the pre-made sugar cookie dough just didn't give the desired result. Those cookies looked more like a red gremlin ears than pairs of lips. We gave EK one of the cookies from this batch, but he politely excused himself from finishing the entire thing.

The cookies made from scratch cooked like real cookies and even smelled good coming out of the oven. We'll find out how they taste tomorrow.

The finished product.

We made a cookie snake with the last portion of homemade cookie dough. EK said it tasted strange when he ate it. I told him it tasted like a gingerbread cookie. I don't know if it was supposed to, but I am going to blame that on the cinnamon.

mrs. mil10 will have a fun time watching the new Twilight movie with her friends tomorrow night. Let's just hope the cookies add a nice element to the evening instead of leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouth! Of course we could always make our other vampire cookies again!

NOW: Pack it In

2010-06-27T22:20:00.001-05:00

This weekend we packed in the activities. Over the three day weekend we went to Dallas, shopped, watched a movie, and ate at several of our favorite places. All in all, it was busy and we accomplished a lot. We may not have really done anything out of the ordinary, but we did have good times with the family!

NOW: Feeling Full

2010-06-26T21:30:00.001-05:00

An evening of eating out leaves a full (and messy) feeling when you eat as much crab as EK did tonight!

NOW: Out at Dusk

2010-06-25T21:18:00.002-05:00

NOW: I Wonder as I Wander

2010-06-24T22:08:00.000-05:00

I really wasn't wandering. I was walking with purpose. Tonight was the first night since Father's Day that I was able to use the Nike+iPod device to help track, monitor and provide feedback for walking.

The small sensor (left) goes in the shoe and the receiver (right) connects to the iPod. Then a friendly voice tells you how you are doing on your exercising. "You are halfway there!" "100 yards to go!" "1.5 miles complete." After my walk, the data (speed, distance, etc.) is sent to a website and I can track all of my walks. I am already looking forward to using it more!

As I was walking through the neighborhood tonight (all the while hoping the lightning would not get any closer than it already was) I noticed something strange. Three, count them, three houses were using TVs in their garages. Now in our old neighborhood, there was one house where the owners did the same thing. But there it was because the older man used the garage as a shop and watched TV while he was working in the garage. In the all of the garages tonight they were just sitting there in chairs watching TV. Sometimes it was someone alone, sometimes it was more than one person.

Now I started wondering? If I wasn't working in the garage, why would I find myself watching TV there? Is there anything on TV that becomes that more enjoyable because you sit next to your car to watch while you are in the garage? Are there no extra hookups in the house so they resorted to using one in the garage? My home builder did not put a TV connection in my garage. Was that an upgrade or a do-it-yourself addition? Does having a TV in the garage help with resale value? I would not think so. Are there more homes in the neighborhood watching TV in the garage and I didn't see them? Are they on the cutting edge of a trend that has so far eluded the mil10 home? Is watching TV in the garage one of those things that you should not knock until you have tried it? However, I think from having to eat too many meals in garages during family get togethers that I would have enough basis to form an opinion that TV viewing in the garage would be slightly less than desirable.

I really do wonder why someone would enjoy watching TV in the garage instead of from inside the comforts of their home, but not enough to try it myself!

NOW: Wednesday WOW Night

2010-06-23T22:27:00.000-05:00

Tonight was WOW night! We don't usually have a specific night we call WOW night or a particular occasion that justifies the term, but we'll use it to describe tonight.

The mil10s decided to eat at a local popular Tex-Mex restaurant tonight. Try to contain your surprise. You always manage to see a few people you know while dining and tonight was no different. While we were sitting in our booth, a couple stopped to say hello. Just a quick chat really. One of those how-are-you-doing-how-old-is-he-now-wow- he-has-grown-look-at-that-blond-hair conversations. It had been a while and it was good to run into them again. Later, our waitress told us that the couple we had been talking to a few minutes ago took care of our bill for us and we wouldn't owe anything for our meal. Wow! What a surprise.

After dinner, Grams came over and kept EK while mr. and mrs. mil10 made a spur of the moment trip to the movies. Tonight's movie of choice was "Knight and Day." It was a fun movie with plenty of action and a few surprises. It might just make you say, "Wow!"

Finally, the mil10 blog fell short of blogging every day this month. Yesterday was a miss, mainly due the exhaustion that resulted after a day of painting the office. Thanks to the help of three other people, we can now appreciate the front office and its new coat of paint. My legs, on the other hand, still do not appreciate the fact that I spent so much time climbing up and down the ladder. Since Monday's post showed up twice due to a technical glitch, I think it all evens out in the end. Right?

NOW: Monday Movie Night

2010-06-21T20:04:00.001-05:00

Right now the mil10 guys are having Monday movie night on the couch!

NOW: Monday Movie Night

2010-06-21T19:59:00.000-05:00

Right now the mil10 guys are having Monday movie night on the couch.

NOW: Father's Day

2010-06-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

Father's Day came a little early this year. On Saturday, mrs. mil10 and ek made mini "grills" with glowing embers and hot dogs made with brownies, icing, and hot tamale candy!

Today started a little later than the average Sunday morning. Since we went to Saturday night church last night, we decided we would sleep in and make it just in time for Sunday School.

Before heading out for our usual Sunday morning stop at the doughnut shop, EK and mrs. mil10 presented mr. mil10 with gifts (Nike + iPod Sport Kit, picture frame, and a book). After church, we went out to eat with Peeps, Meems, and Modie.

Later that afternoon we went out for a matinée viewing of Prince of Persia. It was the second time for EK and mr. mil10, but the first time for mrs. mil10 to see the movie.

All in all, it was a fun day with family!

NOW: Closing out the Season

2010-06-19T21:05:00.002-05:00

We closed out the baseball season with an end of year party today. The team planned a day at a lake for fishing, swimming, and camping. If you know the mil10s, then you know that is not how we usually spend our free time. We did, however, go and had a great time. It was a fun way to wrap up a great season. Go White Sox!

mr. mil10 decorated the cupcakes. This is about half of them. It seemed like cupcakes, cupcakes, and more cupcakes.

First thing on the party agenda: swim. Here they are venturing into the water.

mrs. mil10 does not understand why mr. mil10 likes to take pictures of signs.

We sat under a shade tree while the players and coaches swam. Sitting there, listening to the waves come on shore, it almost sounded like sitting on the beach. The roar of the waves just wasn't loud enough though.

EK really liked being thrown into the air.

Standing on the bank of the lake.

When not swimming, the boys took turns riding bikes.

Look! Another sign leading to the fishing pier.

"2010 Tri-County Baseball League. Coach Pitch Division. First Place"

On the way home, mr. mil10 commented that there must have been some debris on the floor mat. Then he thought there must be something stuck to his shoe. He was thinking along the lines of a rock or something sticky. Look closely and you will see the hook that was in his heel. Thankfully it found the shoe and not someone's bare foot.

NOW: Ready or Not, Here We Come!

2010-06-18T22:37:00.003-05:00

At least we were ready to see the movie.

We had free passes to see a movie at Studio Movie Grill. We thought today would be a great day to go see Toy Story 3. The person at the ticket counter said our passes were not good on opening weekend. We would have to wait until Monday to use them if we were going to see TS3. Instead of opting to see another movie with our free passes, we decided to go ahead and pay for our tickets so we could see the final chapter in the Toy Story trilogy on opening day.

Since we were watching the movie at Studio Movie Grill, we had to order food and drinks. Sometime after the drinks arrived, but before the food was served the previews started. However, there was one small problem. There was no sound. Well, there was some sound. Put an index finger in each ear to plug the sound. Now momentarily remove your fingers, only to immediately reinsert the fingers into your ears. Hold it. Hold it. Again, momentarily remove your fingers, but then immediately reinsert your fingers. That is what is sounded like while the previews played. Soon our food arrived, but not the sound. The short (cartoon before the movie) started and played in its entirety without sound. The technicians continued working the the booth above us, but were unable to resolve the problem. When the actual movie started playing without sound, we really knew we were headed for trouble. Eventually the movie was paused as they continued to work on the sound. Now at this point we should have been about 30 minutes into the movie. The manager said that they would be unable to show Toy Story 3 due to the technical difficulties. Bummer. But, he said the food was on them and they would be refunding the cost of the tickets. As a bonus surprise, we were given movie passes to come back to another movie at no cost. Thank you, Studio Movie Grill!

So let's review: We didn't use our passes. The tickets we bought were refunded. The food we ate was given to us at no cost. We also received another set of free passes to come again. Not a bad deal. In fact, despite the hassle of it all, it seemed like we still came out winners. What were we to do now? Easy. Drive to another theater and see the movie!

After a short drive down the road, we were now ready to see Toy Story 3. Sure our passes didn't work here, but we already had a free lunch! Now, on with the show!

NOW: Reading

2010-06-17T22:32:00.000-05:00

It may be summer, but EK has spent about thirty minutes every day reading. Tonight EK read on his own for thirty minutes. He was reading a chapter book from Hometown's public library.

After EK finished reading by himself, mr. mil10 read to him from another library book. Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, written by Phil Bildner and illustrated by C. F. Payne, was an enjoyable read that explained Shoeless Joe's quest for the perfect bat as he journeyed from amateur baseball player all the way to playing in the majors. Written in a kid-friendly format, it left the more rigid biographical details to the afterward. You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy the story so go check it out--we have to return it to the library tomorrow!

NOW: What's for Dinner

2010-06-16T17:56:00.003-05:00

One of mrs. mil10's coworkers was selling meals as a church fundraiser. Chicken flautas, rice, refried beans, salsa (all from scratch!), and chips from Hometown's tortilla factory.

I actually didn't eat the Colombian chocolate bar. It was actually brought back from South America by Aunt K as a gift for EK.

NOW: Home-cooked

2010-06-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

It is not everyday we have a home-cooked meal at the mil10 house. In fact, it is really rare when we do cook at home. I'll be the first to admit that we we eat out much more often than others, but when find ourselves eating at home, it is something that usually does not involve the stove or oven.

Tonight was an exception. Whole-grain spaghetti with meat sauce, warm garlic bread, and sweet tea. Mmmm! Of course the sauce may have come from a jar and the garlic bread came may have been from the frozen food section. The sweet tea just might have come from a local restaurant. Nonetheless, we used the oven and the stove tonight.

We'll just call that a home-cooked meal!

NOW: County Fair

2010-06-14T21:09:00.003-05:00

Tonight we ventured to the county fair. I suppose since Hometown is the county seat, we are fortunate to have the county fair close at hand!

EK entered several pictures in the creative arts contest again this year. Last year's entries can be viewed here. EK's artwork this year consisted of several paintings, one piece that utilized markers, and one photograph. This year, he was at the youngest end of his age category. However, each entry still received a ribbon. In all there were five First Place ribbons and one Excellent ribbon. Way to go, EK!

"My Dog Savy"

"The Cobra"

"Fourth of July"

"Awkward Indian"

"The Fat Chick"

"The Mighty Minotaur"

Today is also Flag Day. At the fairgrounds a Flag Day ceremony featured local citizens, the mayor, and the Elks club. Not only did we say the Pledge of Allegiance, but sang "The Star Spangled Banner" and "You're a Grand Old Flag." Despite the hot conditions, it was a nice ceremony.

The music was lead by HTBC's own Steve Payne!

Hometown's mayor. "I shook his hand," EK reminded us.

The Elks presented a visual and oral history of the past American flags.

"You're a grand old flag,

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You're the emblem of

The land I love.

The home of the free and the brave."

Thanks for the memories, county fair! See you next year!

NOW: Family Movie Night

2010-06-13T22:28:00.000-05:00

In preparation of Friday's release of Toy Story 3, the mil10s spent the evening watching Toy Story I and II on television tonight.

During one point EK decided that he wanted his Woody. Little did we know that it would result in an ongoing search over three commercial breaks. Have no fear, Woody was found at the bottom of a toy box.

I don't know if our chihuahua Savy was too happy that Woody was found. EK attempted to prop Woody atop Savy for a ride across the living room. It was not successful, but Savy was very patient through the whole process.

We are now ready to see the latest chapter in the Toy Story franchise!

NOW: Wicked

2010-06-12T17:10:00.001-05:00

Just as good seeing it the second time!

NOW: Home, Sweet Home

2010-06-11T21:51:00.000-05:00

As fun as it is to travel, it is always good to be home. Tonight mr. mil10 returned from a work trip in Austin, Texas. Upon his return, the mil10s went to see The Karate Kid. It was a good movie, and in some ways improved upon the original. However, in some ways, you just can't beat a classic. We finished the night with a meal on On The Border's patio.

It is good to be home with the family!

NOW: Movies at a Bargain

2010-06-10T19:22:00.006-05:00

Tonight mr. mil10 passed as a "student" at the movie theater.

All the movie for only part of the price! What's not to love?

NOW: Sights on the Road

2010-06-09T23:53:00.001-05:00

It is always fun to travel. Hitting the open road can help one to experience new sights and adventures. These are two sights from today's ride in the front passenger seat.

Driving in the rain really makes it dificult to take in any new sights. In addition, it can make it hard to appreciate those things that are more familiar. The Czech Stop, for example, should have been a destination this morning, but concentrating on driving in the rain was more important. Maybe we'll have fresh baked goods on the way home.

The second picture is of a man that shows us how to multitask. Driving. Smoking. Reading. Breathing quasi-fresh air through the hole that used to be a back window. My cell phone doesn't have a zoom lens and I didn't want to be really obvious that I was taking his picture. Hopefully you can see all that he was doing.

Enjoy the open road and take time to enjoy the sights!

NOW: Baseball Tournament

2010-06-08T17:24:00.001-05:00

Tonight is game one of EK's baseball tournament. It has been a good season. We have won many of our games, although the exact number escapes us right now. At times the games were heated and some plays were disputed. If you ask me, and no one did, some people take it way too seriously. We, however, are just here for the athletic opportunities for EK. Ha ha.

Play ball!

NOW: Lego Time

2010-06-07T22:39:00.000-05:00

Tonight EK and mrs. mil10 spent two hours watching Expedition Great White on the National Geographic channel.

EK thought he needed a Lego ship so he could hunt for sharks (or a Lego shark man). He worked with mr. mil10 to build the ship above. Just like the ship on the show, his has a moving platform.

It must have passed the test since he wanted to play with it all night!

NOW: Backyard Catastophe

2010-06-06T19:53:00.000-05:00

The pictures are from Memorial Day. The events happened tonight.

It was supposed to be a chance to spend some time in the backyard. The tiki torches were lit. EK was going to play in the water sprinkler. mrs. mil10 was going to read on the hammock. That was the plan.

mr. mil10 watered the flowers on the porch.

While the sprinkler watered the new plants in the flowerbed...

...EK ran through the water.

mr. mil10 thought he would go sit on the hammock with mrs. mil10. Bad idea. The hammock is a bit weathered. It has been in our backyard for a few seasons. Just a few days ago we both sat in the hammock, but not today. When mr. mil10 joined, the ropes of the hammock began to snap. Snap. Snap. Snap. It is amazing how a few broken ropes render a hammock totally useless!

At least EK got to enjoy playing the the sprinkler.

NOW: Eating Out

2010-06-05T21:12:00.003-05:00

The setting was a peaceful as it looks.

Tonight we had the pleasure of meeting a few friends from church at a restaurant that was new to us. It specialized in seafood and even had an area for fishing.

Before everyone arrived the mil10s kicked back and sat in rocking chairs on the oversized covered porch. Even though the temperature was nearly 100 degrees, it was still very nice and comfortable.

As an appetizer we enjoyed beans, corn fritters (more like cornbread than the corn nuggets I was hoping for), and a little tomato relish. mr. mil10 and EK shared the crab legs and fried shrimp meal. mrs. mil10 ordered the pulled pork served on a toasted, buttered bun. Good food with good company makes for a great night!

After eating EK was eager to fish. A friend helped EK with baiting and releasing the fish he caught. In all, he caught ten. We think one of the fish was actually the same fish caught twice, but we are still going to call it ten!

NOW: Sweet Tea Goodness

2010-06-04T21:11:00.000-05:00

Tonight mr. and mrs. mil10 enjoyed a sweet tea goodness. No, it's probably not too good for us, but it does taste so good on a hot summer day (yes, I can call them summer days now!).

Our favorite sweet tea would have to be from Chicken Express. mr. mil10 is picky about tea, because it usually tastes like boiled grass. Even if it is boiled leaves, it does not have to taste exactly like it. However, you can always count on Chicken Express to have great tasting tea!

Do you have a favorite place for sweet tea?

NOW: Almost There

2010-06-03T23:53:00.000-05:00

The mess that is spreading in the Gulf of Mexico has been on my mind today. Before I left for work today I saw where the journalist on Good Morning America was broadcasting only a short stretch from the pier on Pensacola Beach. Just about a year ago the mil10s spent summer break resting on that very beach. In fact it was because we liked our visit in 2008 so much that we decided we would return again in 2009. Oil could soon begin washing ashore. Reports say that the oil sheen is only 4 to six miles offshore at this time.

Right now I'll have to remember our visits to Pensacola Beach before the oil came ashore. The fun we had. The beautiful beaches. The friendly people. Eating out.

I can even look at the sand and shell collection that we made with what we found on the beach and brought home.

Right now I will have to think about how nice this destination was and hope for the best for the "world's whitest beaches."

NOW: Almost Here

2010-06-02T23:34:00.001-05:00

"'Twas the night before summer, and all through the land,

children were dreaming of sugar beach sand."

-Anne Margaret Lewis, Twas the Night Before Summer

Summer begins the moment school ends. Since tomorrow is the last day of school for EK, it is also the start of summer! He has had another great year and it is fun to see the progress he has made throughout the year.

Tonight we can dream about the fun things we will be doing during our time out of school. We'll make the most of the time we have because it will be no time at all before we will find ourselves going back to school for another school year. For tonight, though, we won't think about that!

NOW: Fashion Statement

2010-06-01T21:01:00.000-05:00

EK decided to wear socks with his flip-flops when we visited Uncle Justin's house tonight.

It made me think of the days when we used to wear socks with our sandals when we were in high school. By the time this particular fad came into play, we had long since passed the days of "tight rolling" our jeans and I am pretty sure we had stopped rolling up our t-shirt sleeves. Seriously. What were we thinking? Try rolling up the sleeves on every shirt you wear for the rest of the week and see if anyone notices you. They might just think you are a trend setter.

Back to the story at hand... We popped into Uncle Justin's house for just a minute. When he noticed EK's particular fashion statement, he took him down the hall and gave him something--his very own pair of tabi (足袋), Japanese flip-flop socks! His new socks are complete with a picture of a person wearing a kimono and an umbrella. Don't ask me why the person is frowning. EK sure wasn't. "These really are more comfortable than normal socks and flip-flops," he said.

Thanks, Uncle Justin for the new socks!

Please Stand Clear of the Doors is back for another month of daily blogging! Nablopomo's theme for the month is NOW, so I feel pretty confident that it is a topic that I can write about pretty easily. See you tomorrow!

All Dressed Up

2010-05-26T16:54:00.002-05:00

EK is ready for fifties night at church!

Little House on the Prairie, the Musical

2010-05-22T13:52:00.002-05:00