It takes two to school the kids

One to organize and do it.. The other to oversee and capture it.

Not a PYJAMA Party

Well 2 days ago I started with my first class of Jiu-Jitsu at American Top Team.  Being my first lesson is mixed with other levels of students, I figured it wouldnt be a bad idea to learn the basics, but the class is mixed with a variety of belt levels.

The first lesson was torture.. The first lap around the mat jogging I thought my lungs would explode! Jogging on hard floors is one thing but on a soft wrestling mat it seems to make the task a little harder.  We then circled up and counted off 10 crunches each, while we only count 10 each.. it is still each.. so everyone does them as someone else counts off... let me state there was at least 20 people in that class... yes.. 200+ crunches .. I havent done a crunch (yet alone any major physical exercise for 5yrs), then we did the scissor kicks (the ones where your hands go under your butt and you lift and hold your feet off the ground scissor kicking)... again a 10 count each...

I could have swam off the mat through my sweat to get a drink of water. Yes I was getting a workout...

Please note this was the first 15mins of an hour long class...

The next stage of this nightmare was when the 6ft2in 260+ pound guy named Sue.... ok really his name is Bill, with a blue belt, looks at me and says.. "You are about my size !! (SIZE??? Dude I know I could lose some weight but you better mean Height or I am going to open up a can of..... lay there and get worked) we can grapple!!!"

Turns out it was ok... he is 53 yrs old in 2weeks so I had to take it easy on him... But really he is a super nice guy.  His wife and 2 teenage daughters do the same class.  Bill takes his time to walk me through some things and teach me some extra things along teh way.. (he is a Black Belt in Karate and Tae Kwon Do) and a blue belt in JiuJitsu and has been doing this stuff for 14yrs I believe he said...

Bill told me the other night (my 4th class) that I have already improved amazingly, my stamina has increased (I used to tap about 2mins into grappling) now it takes 3mins hahaha... Really though I had Bill stuck for about 3mins the other night and he admitted he didnt know what to do with how I had control with him... the problem was I didnt know what to do next as 1. Id never been able to stop Bill 2. this was my 4th class EVER!!   So we were sat in grappling mode in a stuck in deadlock with each other... until I tired and he got his arms free... rolled me and tapped me.. hahaha

I am hoping to get enough $$ together as Royce Gracie (UFC Legend) is coming to our school and you can get 2 days of class time with him.... I must also mention that our school is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school, a style developed by Royce's Father....

Good news is in 3 lessons I had lost around 14 pounds... Obviously the eating better has helped too...  Oats is a great natural body cleanser...

Also we signed up our 3 oldest kids.. KIDS MMA. it started with trying to find something for Jentzen to help him learn self control and confidence... the others wanted in.. (while I kind of feel bad that he didnt get his OWN thing to do it is a life long investment... Football, hockey etc are fun sports but why spend butt loads of money and time investing into your kids when they have a 1% chance of making it big in sport... Jiu_Jitsu however will always be something they know or can do)....

This picture has got to be one of my favorites... I am glad I caught it...

My Daily Grind

So school has started back up, its my first quarter of my final year. When I am finished I will hold 2 A.A.S. Degrees... yes TWO!! A guy who hated school growing up is in his 3rd year of school in his mid 30s (ok late 30's)

So daily I stand near this machine with Nate Roske and try to figure out how NOT to ruin a $40,000+ milling machine...


Here are a few pictures of stuff...

My work mill
My toolbox
Current program/job - make soft jaws

Suspense & Surprises

So today my good friend and I surprised our wives with a day of adventure... well the day wasnt the surprise but the events of the day were what was... they had no clue what we were doing to or for them this day...

Deb had previously blogged regarding the upcoming date day...

http://justthetwoofus.typepad.com/just_the_two_of_us/2011/07/leaving-us-in-suspense.html

So the day started with Wayne picking Karen up at around 7am and taking her and his wife (Deb) to a Nail Spa place thing in Plymouth where they were given a Manicure & Pedicure treatment.. we asked if they had a rabies-cure treatment but alas.. they didnt...

I stayed home and watched the children... aka slept till around 8:15am until one of them (usually Keira or Ava) wandered in asking to eat...

Then I met the rest of the party back at Wayne and Deb's house in Chaska where we transformed the ladies from their Mall cruising outfits, to a more safety conscious bike riding outfit.... ok we made them put shoes and a helmet on.. and I asked Karen to wear jeans as the denim mini may distract tooooo many other drivers and we may die... she is the hotness after-all....

After we finished taking pics, we jumped on our bikes... and took a 1hr or so cruise around Lake Minnetonka and the various lake roads towards the next surprise.. the best part of the day.. my part!!

this is the route for the most part...


View Larger Map

Then we ended up here... Icon Theater in St Louis Park...

First stop,... the Bistro where we ordered some drinks and some light lunch

At Icon you can sign up (free) for VIP membership and then reserve.. YES RESERVE your seating up in the balcony VIP section 21+ only... woot woot... (you can reserve your seats on the normal level too - sweet concept)

View from above.. sorry bad cell pic...

Light Lunch previously ordered... the chicken burger things were amazing.. I was tempted to go back for more...

My baby ordered some pizzas thing... it was... different!!!

We saw Cowboys and Aliens... it was A-ight... as they say around the St Louis Park area... ok maybe a little south of that particular area... but there was 2 options for the VIP section.. this movie or some stupid one about a guy whos wife cheats on him so he goes out and does whatever I guess.. Steve Carroll.. so yeah DUMB.. and not really the particular theme we were aiming for by spoiling our ladies...  I thought the movie was 3D so needless to say when it wasnt I was a little pis..... upset... but the chicken burgers.. did I say how good they were...?!?!?

After the movie we jumped back on the bikes... no cruise, just a straight highway drive back to the Hardison Manor where the ladies played Dr Mario, Wayne took my bike for a ride and I well....

Made room for dinner................... NO I TOOK A NAP ON THEIR COUCH!!! not a dump!

So then Dinner it was... We took the gals to Suzettes south of Jordan.. Amazing food for a dinky little diner on the side of the Highway... the Chef had turned down a job as the Head Chef of the Sofitel chain or something years back as they wanted to dictate his cooking too much, so he started this little restaurant..

Banrith was one of my customers back when I owned Meineke... A very gentle, joyful Cambodian man who escaped a hard life by moving to the States and is living a dream...  Seriously if you want to try some fine dining with exceptional food then I recommend this place... Banrith hand makes all his sauces, puddings, etc... no bottled or microwave crap here... the prices are a little higher than a theme/chain restaurant, but the first bite you take you wont care...

Wayne can be particular about his food.. and he knows his food.. (Wayne knows food)  He said he didnt want the Caesar salad and we convinced Deb to try it.. they both stopped short of licking the bowl after... and the desserts... MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

So all in all it was a success.. we pulled it off... Shame Karen left in a car about tonight on a road trip with her sisters to visit their brother Bob in Colorado or I wouldnt have had to settle for the cherry from my dessert to complete a perfect day... hehe

Overall... fun day with great friends and the perfect wife... then I get to come home and hang with my amazing kids while Karen is gone.. I have a blessed life...

I had too...

Once Deb posts her blog I will link for her side of it and pictures...

 (cant believe I beat her.. maybe she is busy 'thanking' Wayne...)



edit: finally she posted it 2 days later
Debs Version

My Boy

Wow.. Today I have a 7yr old boy... Yeah I know yesterday he was 6 and 1 day is not a huge change but really.. He is a 5th of my age..

A few things about this kid..

Quaid has always had a spot in my heart... He is my first born... In old days that meant he got the biggest part of the inheritance... Which brings me to what does that mean... Most would think monetary or literal things... But my bigger concern is that I am giving him a greater inheritance... Am I investing the right things... Things that the world may think of as old fashioned or outdated...

Self control
Patience
Love
Grace
Wisdom
Maturity
Respect
Courtship (this one in another 8 years or so)
Old fashioned things like Yes Sir, Yes Maam, thank you and please, opening doors for people etc etc...

Funny thing is I look over that list and wonder how many of those things listed I am actually fit to teach any of my kids... I fail my kids often in many ways and they are so forgiving and it reminds me that each day is a new day to invest again...

Quaid is an amazing boy for a 7yr old... 2 yrs in a row he has won an award at his kids Awana class (like a youth group for kids)... He stacks the dishwasher everyday and is always absorbing information from everything... He has read like 2-3 book in the last week or so, and when I say books I am not talking Dr Suess but a book called Boxcar Children as an example.

Today he got a new bible and though some of the words even I struggle with, he still read thru it with gusto...




Deb gave him a Nintendo DS a while back that Karen won on Debs blog, but we didn't have games for it...

He hasn't asked about it or for it in like 2mths but last week when he was telling me how it was his birthday on Saturday he dropped some subtle hints about how he hoped he got a game for his DS... Well he got 3 games and although I think they may take a bit for him to play, when I went in to say goodnight he was onto his 3rd game...



He has really started to grasp the idea that he is like a hero to his Lil bro Jentzen, and this last week he has gone out of his way to teach/encourage Jentzen to ride his own bike without the training wheels.. In fact Jentzen now pops a little wheelie and can do skids like a dude....

Anyway... Quaid you are a delight to my heart, your spirit shines bright and your emotions you wear openly, which in your generation some may think is weak, but truly it is a rare trait and one I hope you carry as you grow to a man and raise your own family... I love you son and I am so honored to be your dad.










-- Post From My iPhone

Thoughts I ponder!

Standing at work waiting for the process to finish.... And my mind wanders to things like this...

* I have two girls who will get married..... I'm gonna have to pay for that!!!

* When they get married will my family be able to come??? Can I afford to bring them over?

* Wait.... I have 3 gorgeous nieces... Bwahahah Anth has to pay for 3 weddings... Oh crap... That's 3 trips back home at $1-2K Per ticket and if we take all the kids that's 6 tickets each time... Sorry Nieces but God has called some to stay single...

* 2012 we plan to take a trip back to Australia... This time though we are looking at staying North of where I lived... 2hrs North.. So visiting old friends may not happen.. But I should shouldn't I?? Somedays I say why bother... Virtually none of them stay in touch with me as much as I don't with them!!! This one is still in the air!!!

* I may be good looking but Im fat... Hahaha yes I am at least one of those... And that is changing..

* I know I am getting old when it has taken me 4 weeks to mostly recover form falling in the Church parking lot... although I did it with such grace and style.. Shame no-one saw my effort... How do I know no-one did?? Because I jumped up so damn fast and moved to the side of my car, all while looking around to see if ANYONE saw... I was kinda torn on joy or sadness...

* How can I be better?? at everything... Being a Dad, a Husband, a friend, a Christian.... total sum of everything...

* How come I have all these Ideas but never the drive to accomplish them?

* How should I measure success... Look at my possessions?? because some would think I was super rich if that was the case.. but no I still want more and usually the things others have... toys toys toys.. my weakness (being cars, electronics, bikes etc)

* Do I really have No regrets in life??  I know I have some things I feel I could've handled better but do I regret anything?? cause after all I am who I am because of those things?!?!?! hmmmm maybe I do thinking deeper about things...

* Will I ever re-pursue the call of God on my life...??

* Will I ever be a good machinist??  Guess it starts where I am at now....!

* Will I ever live back in Australia with my family???  This is one that tears at my soul/ my heart/ my mind a lot!!

I am sure there are many more thoughts... but... another day..

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Me and my Buddy

His name is Jentzen..

His nickname is Buddy...

Used to be called Dash (from the incredibles)

I love this kid.. He has such a soft heart.. Cares for people.. Loves to pray... And has a really really fun giggle...




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Kids and things they say..

Last night we had the Wingers over for dinner.. Jared is from New Zealand so I guess in a twisted way you can say we are comrades (Even though Aussies are better in every way)...

Anyway... We had all eaten dinner (4 adults and 8 kids) and it was dessert time.. The kids had theirs and were all playing in the toy room, when Lil Miss Keira comes climbing onto my lap trying to smooooze my apple crisp & ice-cream..

Me: You've already had dessert go away!

Keira: No I havent, I haven't had yours...

Then later as they were in bed and I was giving them a kiss good night,

Me: leaning in to kiss Keira

Keira: go away (pushing me off)

Me: that's kinda mean Keira

Keira: go away... PLEASE!!!

How does one argue with that logic from a 2 year old????







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The fairy and the Asylum Seeker

A beautiful fairy appeared one day to an asylum seeker claimant outside the Welfare Offices.


'My good man,' the fairy said, 'I've been told by Julia Gillard to grant you three wishes, since you've just arrived in Australia with your wife and seven children - all costs to be borne by the Australian Tax Payers.'

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.

.

The man told the fairy:
'Well, in Sri Lanka where I come from we don't have good teeth, so I want new teeth, maybe a lot of gold in them.' The fairy looked at the man's almost toothless grin and -- PING !!! The Asylum Seeker had a brand new shining set of gold teeth in his mouth!

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.

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'What else?' asked the fairy, 'two more wishes to go'.

The Asylum Seeker refugee claimant now got bolder. 'I need a big house with a three car garage on the Gold Coast with eight bedrooms - and a Gold Visa Card in each room -for my family and the rest of my refugee relatives who still live in Sri Lanka . I want to bring them all over here.

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PING ! - In the distance there could be seen a beautiful mansion with a three car garage, a long driveway, a walkout patio with a BBQ, and a sparkling swimming pool and a BMW, full of his nephews playing their music.

.

.

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'One more wish left for you', said the fairy, waving her wand..

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.

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The Asylum Seeker refugee claimant really decided to go for broke now and said "I want to be Australian with Australian clothes instead of the rags and shawl , and I want to have white skin like the Australians.'

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PING ! - The man was transformed, wearing worn out Stubbies shorts, a dirty Bonds T-shirt and a greasy terry-towel hat.. He had his bad teeth back and the mansion had disappeared from the horizon. 'What happened to my new teeth?' he wailed. 'Where is my new house? Where's my Visa Gold Card?'

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The fairy said 'Tough luck. Now that you are Australian, you're entitled to sweet f*** all like the rest of us".

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.

And she disappeared

Emma Arrives today

Today Emma arrives from Australia for 10 days I believe of what one can only explain as a climate shock.

Yesterday I found a bunch of CDs with ok pictures from when I was her Youth Pastor back in Australia... Can't wait to poke fun of her when I show them to her hahaha


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Vegas - A Story for another time..

So here are some vids

Bellagio Fountain

Nascar Event on Main Street

Kids and their Ingenuity

Kids sledding on the little hill out back

Quaid Sledding

Q&A Snowboarding on a piece of Siding...

Machine Class

Well the last couple of weeks I have been using a Lathe.  It has been fun.  I just today finished of my hammer project.  I think what is most fun about this course is you are making something that is useful, and will be used in your career.  Unlike the stupid Project Management course that has wasted the last 2.5 months of my school life.  Seriously... who uses Gantt charts??

here are some pictures of my hammer:

The handle and head are made of Stainless Steel.  The inserts are made of Aluminum, Copper and Nylon.

.

Guess I need clearer pictures...

Project Management

WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME!!


only a few more weeks of this dumb class

A brilliant letter

Thought you might like to read this letter
to the editor of a British national newspaper. Ever notice how some people
just seem to know how to write a letter?.
Written by a housewife, to her daily
newspaper. This is one ticked off lady.


'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't
we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our
shores in July 2002, and in New York Sept 11/2001 and have continually
threatened to do so since?


Were people from all over the world, not
brutally murdered that day in London , and in downtown Manhattan , and in
a field in Pennsylvania ? 

.

.

Did nearly three thousand men, women and
children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't
they?


And I'm supposed to care that a few
Taliban were claiming to be tortured by a justice system of the nation
they
come from and are fighting against in a brutal insurgency.


I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden
turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on
9/11 and 7/7. 

.

.

I'll care about the Koran when the
fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere
belief of which is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan


I'll care when these thugs tell the world
they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed
through
his gurgling slashed throat.


I'll care when the cowardly so-called
'insurgents' in Afghanistan come out and fight like men instead of
disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques and behind women and
children.


I'll care when the mindless zealots who
blow themselves up in search of Nirvana care about the innocent children
within range of their suicide bombs. 

.

.

I'll care when the British media stops
pretending that their freedom of speech on stories is more important than
the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home
to hear about them when something happens.


In the meantime, when I hear a story about
a British soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain
information,
know this:


I don't care.


When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in
the head when he is told not to move because he might be
booby-trapped, you can take this to the bank:


I don't care.


When I hear that a prisoner - who was
issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and 'fed special food' that is paid for
by
my taxes - is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you
can
absolutely believe in your heart of hearts:


I don't care. 

.

.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that
sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, believe me!!
you guessed it ......


I don't care!!


If you agree with this viewpoint, pass
this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the
people responsible for this ridiculous behaviour!


If you don't agree, then by all means hit
the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't
complain
when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great
country! And may I add:


'Some people spend an entire lifetime
wondering if they made a difference in the world. 

.

.

Our soldiers don't have
that problem.'


I have another quote that I would like to
add, AND.......I hope you forward all this.


Only five defining forces have ever
offered to die for you:


1. Jesus Christ


2. The British Soldier.


3. The Canadian Soldier.


4. The US Soldier, and


5. The Australian Soldier


One died for your soul, the other 4 for
your freedom.




YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY
SEEM TO FORGET ABOUT ALL OF THEM.


AMEN!



GIVE THIS LADY A STANDING OVATION. 
SHE HAS INDEED TICKED ALL THE BOXES

I'm 63 and I'm Tired

This should be required reading for every
man, woman and child in the United States of America , Canada and Australia
New Zealand .. 

"I'm 63 and I'm Tired"
By Robert A. Hall


I'm 63. Except for one semester in
college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between
jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite
some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in
sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my
job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy,
there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired. 

I'm tired of being told that I have to
"spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of
being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if
necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. 

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a
"Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim
men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of
Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian
and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for
girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of
Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah,
because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to. 

I'm tired of being told that out of
"tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money
to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America and
Canada, while no American nor Canadian group is allowed to fund a church,
synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance. 


I'm tired of being told I must lower my
living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts
have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the
damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and
stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? 

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes,
entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent
mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think
their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of
entitlement, rich or poor. 

I'm real tired of people who don't take
responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame
the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems. 

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to
be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people
are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter. 

Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam
veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.

Now what??

Now the family has returned to the Mother Land... NOW WHAT??


guess back to life as usual...

more posts to come soon with some pictures etc.. but meh.. no-one reads it anyways..

Simeon.. sorry about the shaky viewing.. but its a phone video haha

Ava riding

Ava attempted the fiddy bike again for the 2nd time....