Saturday, November 29, 2008

26 Days To Go

We have changed our background in honor of the upcoming holiday. You like? I like. Being that the holiday season is a time where we reflect on things we are thankful for and gifts in general I am always forced to consider the gifts that I treasure in my life. As is the tradition this time of year I will be naming them in the form of a list:

1. Knowledge of the truth

2. Knowledge that Christ was made a sacrifice so that I could be saved from myself.

3. The right to choose to be optimistic in a world filled with trials and the ease of pessimism.

4. Knowledge that Heavenly Father loved me so much that he allowed me to meet and marry Anna Marie Nancy Knapp even though I will have to work until the day after forever ends to repay him. She is a saint. I mean that with all of my heart. I don't know anyone with a greater capacity to love and forgive on all this earth. She deserves more than what I am but Heavenly Father in all of his wisdom knew how much I needed her and will ultimately be able to justify the multitudes of blessings she will receive for having been my eternal companion. I love you.

5. Marlowe for making me a Daddy and for giving me good sense and proper perspective.

6. Little Mason for helping me to want to try to be more patient.

7. The BANNING BOYS.

8. Life's challenges including (even especially) those that were completely avoidable...or in other words those challenges that I brought on myself.

9. ALL of you. If you're reading this post it's because our paths have crossed and somewhere along the way we decided to stay in touch. Thank you for being our friends. And finally...

10. Chili Dogs. Don't laugh. It's not funny. On Black Friday Mason, Randy and myself left at 4:45 am to check out the day after Thanksgiving sales at Wal Mart. I mentioned that Anna had told me that Wienerschnitzel would be opened at 5 am. We laughed. I joked, "Who would eat a chili dog that early?". Me, I guess. I didn't even know that I needed it but I could not get the thought of a chili dog out of my head. I was going to sneak over to get one when Randy pointed out that he couldn't find Mason. We walked to the van and he wasn't there either. We turned towards Wienerschnitzel and I felt a tear starting to form in my eye. For there was my faithful friend Mason in his XXXL red and white striped shirt that could have camouflaged 500 Where's Waldos, sipping on a large diet coke and waiting for his pastrami dog. We were brothers in hot dogs that morning. I joined him and ordered a chili dog, no cheese extra mustard and washed it down with a lemonade and Pepsi cocktail. Some moments bond people for life. This was not one of them. It was just funny that we ate hot dogs so early. The end.

TAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! You're it. Let us know what 10 things you are grateful for.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Our Blog Page Just Got a Whole Lot More Entertaining

So, as most of you can see, my husband has been posting some messages on my page. At first it was just temporary because he had a few things that he felt would get looked at more on my page that he wanted to share with as many people as he could. Well, the good news is.....he has decided to officially join forces and just have one blog between the two of us. His old page is no more. You will know he is posting by all the comedy or lots of great music and such. I will most likely be posting about the usual: kids, family, and life. Like I said, his will probably be a lot more entertaining than mine. If you need a good laugh please check out the post just previous to this one. I was cracking up, almost crying, and it's only 6 am.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Speechless...

Is what you'll be after you view this. There truly are no words. Please share your thoughts.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

On the other hand...

Sorry for the misleading words in my last post. To make up for it I thought that I would introduce you guys to someone on the extreme opposite end of the musical spectrum as our Korean friend. If any of you don't know this about me I am very passionate about music. Good music rather. I define good music as anything that is pleasing to YOU. Great music however should transport you from where you are listening to a place of elation and melodic bliss. Anything well structured with a creative rhyme scheme on top of a jazz chord or two usually does it for me. Two words: Mario Biondi. His voice is amazing. His voice is deep. Deep as in profound and also as in low. He makes Barry White sound like Michael Jackson. He's an Italian from Parma and sings in English regularly. This one might actually change your life...musically anyway.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Life will never be the same...

No tricks this time. This is Mese. We live in a day where a multitude of technological advancements afford us the opportunity to share experiences faster than ever. Something extraordinary happens at 2:00 and a friend on the other side of the world can know about it by 2:05. I have been lucky enough to have experienced something that has literally changed my perspective on life and now I feel a profound urgency to share it with the people that I love. Please watch this video as I am sure that it will burn into your core and you will NEVER EVER be the same. Please share your experiences with us as way of thanks for you will be grateful for having seen it.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Halloween and Homemade Costumes





This year for Halloween, we were forced by a lack of funds to get very creative with costumes. Marlowe and Mason dressed up as Dora and Diego. I had fun studying exactly what they wore and what color their clothes were. Using our local thrift stores, Wal-Mart, pieces of costumes from past Halloweens, and some paper and a marker, we were able to come up with everything we needed for about ten bucks. Mese's costume, Mr. T, which he came up with the morning of, was a huge hit at the family Halloween party. Somehow he always does that. Every year he has no idea what he is going to be, but at the last minute he comes up with something amazing. His costume was very budget friendly too and, yes, that is his real hair. It was a lot of fun. Thank you Darcy Patterson for the pictures.

Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones