hurley burley

We made our first Craig's List purchase a few months ago and it went really well. To be honest I had never purchased anything online from an auction or even anything less than a major ecommerce clearinghouse. We ended up driving about 30 min to save perhaps $200. I don't remember the exact amount, but it was well worth it.

The only problem is that we purchased this Burley near the end of winter.

So we didn't get to drive it around for about two months it seemed. Finally it got warm enough and we took the girls for a spin. I was so fun. It was easy to steer with them back there. I could hardly notice them unless I was on a major incline, and then it was not that bad.

Well worth it, and ton's of fun.

Escape

This is just based on a recollection that I had a few days ago. This last year we got the Wii
I was excited to play the Legend of Zelda game after I saw the cover art. However I had never played an RPG game before, and besides Super Mario world, I have seldom had the dedication to actually finish and win a game. (Contributing to this may have been that the SNES was my most recent Gaming system purchase.)

But I borrowed the game from a friend actually finished it last year. IT took about 7 months of playing late a night when the kids were in bed. (A little too scary for them)...

It was really fun though. And the Wii based game play was unbeatable. Swinging the sword, firing the slingshot. IT was grate.

Prais Songs for little hearts

Little Lil' moved up to the bigger nursery this week and they gave us a sheet explaining some things about it. One of them was a list of some songs that they will be singing in the nursery.

I think that she may know most of them already from the Veggie Tails sing along's that she sings with her sister so much.

But now I think I decided that I want to learn how to play them on the Guitar. (hopefully they aren't too difficult to play:)

And thankfully there aren't too many of them!

• My God is So Big
• Good is So Good
  
• Jesus Loves Me
• Oh, how I love Jesus

There are some others that I don't know if I have ever heard, I will work on these and maybe the Kids can teach me the others!

Speek up for those who cannot speak for themselves

I received a letter from our compassion child today. JA is from Honduras and is one year older than our oldest. This verse was on the bottom of the back of the page.

If you have never received a letter like this. The top half of the letter is written in the native language by the child or their parents, then the lower half is translated into our local Language.

The full verse says,

• 8. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

• 9. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

It just struck me. I don't think that we are doing that, we are just sending a little money their way, not that much to us, but we wanted the kids to have someone to think of other than themselves. See the world as a little bigger. But I guess that is the calling.

I hope they take it with them when they get older.

Two things everyone should watch

These are two things that everyone should watch/hear regarding Martin Luther King Jr.

I have a dream speech

The Mountain top speech which was given the night before he was assassinated.

Our Boy's All Growed Up

This is for Lefty, Righty and the Stuff.

"Our boy is all grow'd up"

Caleb and Missy had their baby today!!!! So exciting.
I just can't wait to see the little bundle of Joy, oh and Caleb's baby too :)
(Look for the details from the family I am not posting the out here)

Way to go Missy! Now Caleb Owes you big time.

Guitar Lessons

Well, I can't claim that I will ever have any sort of mastery over Guitar. But I did get to live in a house just off campus once where everyone but me was a musician.

During that time I was inspired to buy a guitar. One of our friends helped me find a nice acoustic for cheep. I never really learned how to play, but I did learn a few songs by reading Tab's and how to play a few cords.

SO... Cara said that I should try to learn how to play if I really am interested in it, which I am.

She sent me these three links to online guitar lessons to try to shake off the dust before I go all out and realize I hate it.

I liked this one most but then the theory became too much. The first three lessons were really good. Getting to know how the scales work on the strings could be really helpful though if I could be disciplined enough about it. I did really appreciate the beginning theory though and learning the Cowboy cords. Now I can pick it up and with my sheet of paper sound like the Guitar is being played even when I am not playing a specific song.

This one just seems intimidating because when you first come this video is showing someone play this cool slick.

Not sure about this one yet. Haven't really had time to evaluate it.

Skillet Comatose Tour

Nothing beats getting to go to a concert for a band that you love a the last minute...

Skillet was just stunning live at 3*. Thousand Foot Krutch was ok in c0ncert, but Skillet was really grate. It was fun to go hang out with my buddy Will. I think this is the first concert I have been to since 5Fe went under.

I also have to give mad props to my wife for taking the hit for me on a night when I usually hang out with the girls. With less than 24 hours notice she stepped in and let me go see her favorite band without a second thought.

I love being out at 3* in Minneapolis.
I would attach a picture but... for some reason the Cell Phone pics didn't show up so well from in the middle of the mash pit.

Rock on.

Challenges & Opertunities for Humanity

If you haven't yet herd of it, check out this site featuring the greatest challenges facing the world today (which engineering has an opportunity to carry forward).

You can access them here

Here is a quick preview

• CHALLENGES FACING HUMANITY
  Make solar energy affordable

  Provide energy from fusion

  Develop carbon sequestration

  Manage the nitrogen cycle

  Provide access to clean water

  Reverse engineer the brain

  Prevent nuclear terror

  Secure cyberspace

  Enhance virtual reality

  Improve urban infrastructure

  Advance health informatics

  Engineer better medicines

  Advance personalised learning

  Explore natural frontiers