Emily's Sunsets

Emily's new passion is photographing the sunset. We have some great ones out at our new house, with a great view of them because we are up at the top of the hill. Here is one she captured recently.

OK GO, LEGO

First, if you haven't seen the video by OK Go yet, then watch this. Now, check out the lego version that someone did. It's pretty good.

Slip and Slide

Caleb has figured out the slip and slide! No more crawling on it, he gets a good run and then slides away! You can tell this happened a few weeks ago, the grass was still green and we weren't on strict water restrictions yet!

Shaun Groves I-95 Song

Tomorrow (Saturday) Emily and I will venture down I-95 with the boys heading to Cherry Grove SC for a week at the beach [so additions to the blog might be few next week]. As most people know, getting on 95 is taking life in your hands. Here is a song Shaun Groves wrote about I-95 in honor of our travels.

Riding off into the sunset

Just a sweet picture of Ben going for a ride on his bike.

A Bit of Odd Medical News

Faulty Fridge Forces Physicians to Fake a Foreigner's Follicles (I almost did all F's)

Link

Ben gets a Spare

As promised yesterday, Ben bowls a spare here. The part he loved the most about bowling was his shoes, and the videos they would play after a strike or a spare.

American Idol Cartoon - N&O

I may be a little late on this one, but I just stumbled upon this video. It is the American Idol contestants from NC.


Link

Caleb Bowls a Split

The other week we took the boys bowling with our Sunday School class. They both had a great time. It was Caleb's second trip bowling and the first time for Ben. Ben's little bowling shoes were very cute, and he didn't want to give them back (he's always loved wearing shoes, especially new ones that are real different). Here is Caleb bowling. I'll post Ben's video tomorrow.

Hat Day

I put on a hat a few weeks ago before heading out to do some yardwork and the boys wanted to have one too. We don't have any other team but wolfpack hats in this house! The first picture is us doing a spiderman pose. If you ever wonder if your kids are watching you, this picture says a lot. Caleb wants to be spiderman when he grows up, by the way.

Miss SC Teen USA 2007 answers a question

I've got a prize for whoever can concisely and clearly tell me what it is she is trying to say.

Patches the Horse

Is your pet spoiled rotten? We'll patches the horse is too. Be sure to watch the video to the end.

Meredith's New Mascot

Emily and her fellow alumni can take great pride in the fact that Meredith College has made their mascot much more daunting. No longer are they the angels, now they are the "avenging angels." They also have a new logo to go along with it. So are they like the angel of death from the book of Exodus? If so, I'd be scared to go up against them.

World Record High Dive Jump

Fast Forward to 3:30 (this video is way too long), but the dive is pretty incredible.

Mom's Advice to Music

Have you heard any of these words of advice before?

Museum with Cousin McKay

Emily took the boys to the Museum of Natural Science the other week when their cousin McKay (and Emily's parents, and Aunt Pam [pictured below!]) was in town from Atlanta. The boys thought McKay was the coolest person ever. They fought over who got to hold her hand as they walked through the museum. Ben really liked the human arm exhibit. Actually it was just a person cleaning the fish tank, but all you could see was their forearm and it looked really weird.

Wave pool in Tokyo

Can you imagine being the lifeguard in this wave pool? I think they sold a few too many tickets to the water park.

Emily Dances the Chiquita

Emily puts together her best performance in this final solo number.

Tough Commute

Do you ever get frustrated by hitting all the red lights on the way to work. It could be worse, there could be no streetlights!

Motivational Posters - part 2

Keith pointed out this site in his comments to the last post on Motivational posters. I just wanted to highlight it for those who don't read the comments section. If you make one, email it to me and I'll add it to this post.

La Cucaracha - Emily and Caleb

Dancing runs in the family. Caleb has learned some of his daddy's famous moves.

Who Am I - Casting Crowns

This is very creative. Hope you enjoy. (Shout out to my Mom for sending me the link)

Disco Fever - Emily and Ben

Ben shows how he owns the dance floor. Watch out ladies, one wink and you'll be his. (Again, you'll need the free adobe flash player)

Demotivational Posters

Have you checked out this site yet? It's full of those motivational posters you've seen everywhere, with a bitter dose of reality. Here are some I saw. If you have a favorite, mention it in the comments.

Jib, Jab, Me, and Emily

Emily and I are going to Savannah next week for a few days. To get ready for our trip down to the Charleston area, we've been working on our dance moves. Check them out!

(Note: You'll need the free adobe flash player to watch this [and future installments in the next few days]. You can download the player here, just click on the "get adobe flash player" button. It only takes about a minute to install]

Presidential Commentary - N&O Style

Here is a political cartoon commentary done by the News and Observer. It takes a jab at everyone.

Link

Car Wash

The boys helped me wash Emily's car the other day. Ben played with the hose the whole time. He ended up washing Caleb more than the car, and Caleb didn't seem to mind (He'd complain, but then come back for more).

Pachelbel Bedtime

Have you ever been there?

VBS

Caleb went to VBS at his preschool last week and here is a picture from the closing assembly. They learned lots of songs with hand motions that Caleb loved. He made a bead bracelet that week that he is still wearing today (two weeks later). Ben liked the bead bracelet so much that Emily went and got some beads at the store and they have made bracelets for Ben and just about everyone else they are going to see.

Foot Guitar

This is in honor of Michael and his guitar class at the Seminary.

This guys is really overcoming his obstacles. Pretty amazing.

Simpson's Family Portrait

Emily simpsonized our whole family the other day. I took the pictures and put them together and came up with this family portrait. She definitely did a better job than I did on the simpsonizer machine. Unfortunately you can't see some of the details she put into the pictures like Ben's band-aids and boo-boos.

The Ubergeek Bible Translation

Finally, a Bible translation for that computer Geek in your life.

Manualist Plays Bohemian Rhapsody

Wayne's World turned this song upside down, but after watching this I will never think of this song in the same way. What a rare talent!

This Church Is Onto Something

I read this blog this morning and was amazed at how counter-cultural this church is being. Read the blog and look on down at the comments and you will see more details about the building campaign they are undertaking. Before you tune me out, you have to understand that they aren't building a building, but an outdoor church amphitheater, because it saved millions of dollars, and that allowed them to use that money to aid the poor and suffering. The church leaders actually pared back the building campaign because they didn't have a peace about spending that much money on themselves.

Here is the church's website that explains their building plans a little more. So the question is, would you be willing to sit in the outdoors for church in exchange for someone who doesn't have food or medicine to get their needs met? Which do you think is a higher priority for Christ? Seems like a pretty small price to pay to me. (Granted, this week would be a little hot, but maybe we could just relax the dress code a little during the summer. You know, do it for the children. Attendance at the 8:30 service might go up during the hotter months!)

I love the park idea too. The question is often raised, if you church ceased to exist would the community notice or even care. Most churches are islands, but this church is intentionally integrating itself with the community. Developing that park on the church campus would expose people to the church and give the church an easy pathway to community outreach and ministry.

Tiny Toons - Plucky Duck

This short cartoon reminded me of Ben. He is in a bossy stage right now. It's funny though. Yesterday he motioned for our friend Michael to come over. When Michael did, Ben told him "Don't touch my food" (referring to his unfinished rice crispy treat at the table). Ben then went up two more steps and repeated to Mr. Michael, "Don't touch my food." You Gotta love two year olds.

What happens if you talk with your phone in a concert?

Pretty Funny

Dog Revival

"The poker-playing dogs, immortalized in the famous painting by Cassius Coolidge, announced last week that they have repented of their former ways and have replaced their Friday night poker game with a Wednesday night Bible study. Laddie, top dog of the study group, hopes that their new painting, “Dogs Reading Scripture” (seen above), will make them role models for other dogs caught in the vicious cycle of canine gambling. Says the collie leader, 'Our next goal is to stop drinking out of the toilet.'"

Source

College Dorm Room Prank

Waterguns

Caleb got a new water gun for his birthday, and boy is it a whopper. It shoots four streams of water at once, or you can break it down into four separate water guns.

Friday Morning Tunes

Here's some nice guitar music to ease you into the weekend.


Andy Mckee - Rylynn - The most popular videos are here

Simsonize Me (Link Fixed!)

Have you simpsonized yourself yet? It is a great marketing idea, but seems a little generic. Here is what Andy Simpson would look like. I think it could also be my brother, my cousin, or just about any male with brown hair that I know. Don't I look youthful? For some reason my goatee didn't come through even though I marked it. Anyway, give it a try if you're interested. Maybe you'll have better luck than me.

Simpsons Theme on Guitar

In honor of the movie, and the newly created Andy Simpson character.
This is pretty incredible!

Tiny marbles - Pellets

Our neighbors have moved out of their house, but their son used to come out and shoot his pellet gun in the back yard. We've found a few pellets in our yard, and Ben and Caleb thought they were really neat ('tiny balls' as Ben would say). We ventured over into their unoccupied lot and found a ton more. The exciting part for the boys is the variety of colors that we have found. Ben's favorite are the clear green kinds (like a marble). The downside is that I'm just waiting to fall down after slipping on these marbles and our hardwood floors.

Vanishing Door Act

Boy would this make parking at Wal Mart a lot easier!


http://view.break.com/332251 - Watch more free videos

Jesus of art vs. Jesus of History

John Piper addresses the portrayal of Jesus in art here. I understand his point, but I don't think I agree.

Jesus came to Earth and became fully man, and in doing so he fully identified with us. His humanity should be enough, but for many its not and they want a Jesus that looks more like a mirror. The Bible is clear that in God's kingdom there is only one race, the human race. I think Jesus would want to see art that embraces the truth about him and acknowledges the oneness of the human race, not our differences. It seems like this would be a powerful force to break down racial barriers, but we are using it to solidify them instead. (I would also worry that people might try to change more than just the skin color of Jesus in order to make him more acceptable to a new culture.)

Why can't the truth, that Jesus was a Palestinian Jew**, be enough. I prefer the true Jesus, the Jewish looking Jesus, to any blond-haired blue-eyed gentle and mild Jesus, but maybe it's because I have neither blond hair or blue eyes.

What do you think?

**Incidentally, here is a Discovery Channel recreation of what a first century Palestinian Jew might have looked like. "Using the latest forensic and historical discoveries — and a computer — scientists have reconstructed the image of a first-century man who lived a life similar to and was around the age of Jesus."

New Baseball Pitch Invented

Try this pitch in your church softball league!


http://view.break.com/320293 - Watch more free videos

Putt Putt

This summer has been difficult at times for Emily. Caleb's preschool is really expensive in the summers because it is only offered five days a week (he usually only goes 3-4 times a week during the school year), so we could only afford to send him a few weeks here at the end of summer. So Emily had to use the "preschool budget" in other ways, like taking the boys to putt-putt (which was actually free until Caleb turned 4). Here are some great pictures from that day. The boys had a blast!

Keanu Reeves and Teddybears

I guess everyone has to start their career somewhere.

Pimp My Stroller

Tetris - American Style

This is the coolest way to learn your American geography. Statris!

The easiest level gives you the states in the right direction with the name. The medium level makes you turn the states in the right direction (that can be very tricky up in the northeast). The hardest level doesn't give you the name of the state, and you also have to turn it the right way (a few states were very frustrating). Post your times in the comments.

Link

Gumby Needs a Bath

This pizza joint is a favorite of every NC State grad. The Pokey stix and ranch dipping sauce were incredible. The pizza was edible, and cheap. You always knew it was dirty in the kitchen, but you tried not to think about it. Emily and I did carryout a few times, and the place was a roach trap. We kept going back though, even when it would make our stomachs ache. Well, the inevitable has happened, they got a 70.5 on their latest sanitation grade. That's just one roach away from a D. I've never seen a D on a restaurant in my life. Here' s a picture of my college suitemates striking a pose with one of their classic larges (some of you remember the name for it).

Link

NEW LOST Orientation Film- Station Six, The Orchid

For all the Losties out there. This was played at Comic Con yesterday.

Pirates of the Sandbox

The other day Caleb and I played Pirates in the sandbox, stealing each others treasure and taking it back to our pirate island. Pirates, Spiderman, and Transformers are big in our house right now. Don't underestimate the power of Hollywood over the toy isle at Target!

Modern Day Missionaries

My friends Ben and Jenn are coming home from Africa today. They have been on a mission trip with their church in Winston Salem (Calvary Baptist). A cool thing their group has done is blog, podcast, and post daily pictures while they are away on their trip. It has been really cool to find out what is going on directly from the people there, without having to wait for the "recap service" three months after they get home. It also helps remind me to pray for them. If you want to check out the site they set up just for the trip, go here. Here are some pictures of the missionaries in action!

T Ball

These pictures are the inspiration for why we got Ben a TBall set for his birthday. Brian and Katie came over and brought a whiffle ball set and the boys ate it up. Ben carried that bat around and thought he was king. Give Brian some credit, he could have lost a finger substituting for the tee like that.
You'll also notice the Bocce ball set on the ground. Ben LOVES to play bocce ball. He's always running to the back door telling us he's going to play some bocce ball. He just can't wait for his turn to throw the ball again. Caleb is surprisingly good at bocce ball too.

Car Explosion

Check out the shockwave.