E's Blog

Holiday Review

2007-12-31T22:04:00.001-08:00

Before we begin the journey into 2008, let us reflect on where we have been. Here is a quick review of the holiday season of 2008.

Cade understands that the holidays can be stressful and a large undertaking. A lot of work goes into making Christmas a special time. Cade knew when to call in for help with constructing Christmas.

Gunny has a killer set of tools

We started off the festivities with a small dinner party with some freinds. The Schwartz family lives right next door to Gary and Sue Becker, and Cade loves to play with the kiddies. They all came over early in December, and a great time was had.

They look harmless enough

We waited to visit the Big Man until it was quite close to the Big Day. Last year, Cade was a deer in the headlights when sitting on Santa's lap. But this year, Cade was ready. He was quite happy to sit with Santa, and had no fear. In fact, he was so at ease, that Cade immediately reached over and grabbled a candy cane. The boy does love his treats.

"I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle."

After visiting Santa, Cade managed to ride on a choo-choo train and view wildlife in its natural habitat. Mix in a breakfast at Ruby's, and we are talking a full day.

When it came time to open gifts on Christmas morning, Cade was prepared. Headbands and wristbands were handy to help him work through the many gifts to open. But, he had so many gifts, that we actually had to pull some back. We have a little stash that we can mix in throughout the year. For special occassions like when he actually goes big potty on Elmo, if you know what I mean.

Olivia Newton John would be so proud

We were very fortunate to have not one, but two world-class photographers in the house to document the Christmas morning festivites. Chris and Jessica combined to take some great shots (which were stolen and displayed on the previous post).

Here is the behind the scenes secret on how they capture the shots:

Step 1: Distract/amuse the two year old by waving wrapping paper in the air

Step 2: Have the subjects in your sights

Step 3: Snap the finished product

One of Cade's favorite gifts was his rocket launcher. Since we have been having very nice weather, the day after Christmas was spent playing with it. Headbands were part of the required uniform, of course.

Serious Hang Time. Very Serious

Houston - we have liftoff.

At halftime, we have Goldfish. Orange slices will come in a few years.

It just goes to show you that kids can be happy with only minimal financial input. You don't need electronics that cost hundreds. You need Wal-Mart specials that cost under $1.00. The flute - 87 cents. The centipede - 87 cents. Both are big hits.

part Kenny G, part Yanni, and part Ron Burgandy

It was a wonderful holiday season. Good times. Good times. But it is now time for the new year. 2008 will be eventful. The family will grow with the addition of a little girl. The LA Marathon looms in March.

My resolution: Do everything in my power to get the Chiefs to the 2009 Super Bowl.

And keep this boy smiling.

Christmas in the RSM

2007-12-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here are the very best photographs from the Christmas-palooza in the RSM. I say the very best photographs because I am poaching all of these from [b]'s blog. I can't find the stupid connecting cord for my little camera (which is the crapped out back-up camera anyway).

As a result, the play-by-play review of Christmas Day that was promised in yesterday's post will have to wait. But these images taken by Chris http://www.beckersblog.com/index.cfm and Jessica http://jessicaclaire.net/ (Chris' special lady friend) are 400% better than anything I could have captured. Call it a Christmas blessing.

Opening a big dump truck. It came with mini, plastic boulders. Cade and I played hockey with boulders today.

While Chris was snapping this, Jess was right behind him throwing wrapping paper. The distraction was very amusing to Cade. Nicely done, Jess. Nicely done.

Wrestle Mania XVI.

Cade received a few plastic animals. While we were going through the sound effects for each, Cade offered a "moo" for the elephant.

Cade sure loves his Bammie and Papa.

The last two were taken on Christmas Eve. Cade loves bouncy balls.

Chris just discovered that Cade loves to knock down towers. Even if Mike Brady was the architect, Cade will demolish it.

Whenever the my photos get downloaded, there will be a more detailed Christmas commentary. Of course, the pictures may not be usable. We will then just go to the Martin Luther the King holiday posting.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T15:50:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I wanted to take a break from the "Christmas Story Marathon" on TBS to wish my family and friends the happiest of holidays.

Here is the Christmas card photo. For the six people who check this blog, you already have received a hard copy of this snapshot.

Yes, I clap for myself

Check back tomorrow for a play-by-play of Christmas Day!

Top 10 Christmas Songs

2007-12-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

An important component of the holiday season is the music. I am not talking about Christmas caroling. We are not in a Dickens story, thank you.

I refer to the glut of songs out there praising chestnuts roasting on an open fire, riding in a one-horse open sleigh, and running over grandmothers. And beware - there is a lot of terrible stuff out there. My Christmas gift to you is to offer you only the finest musical compositions. I am going to channel my inner Casey Kasem.

Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars

I am providing you the Top 10 Christmas Songs of All Time. Let’s count’em down.

#10 - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

A nice toe tapper to get things started. You know it is a good tune when Macaulay Culkin can scare off Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci with it in Home Alone.

#9 Linus And Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio

Is he really going Charlie Brown? Oh, yes. And we will revisit the Original Soundtrack from the legendary "A Charlie Brown Christmas" before this list is over. The "Linus and Lucy" song is a piano tune that basically is your Peanuts theme song. It is also featured in "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." I have become reacquainted with these classic cartoons because Cade has requested one or the other on a daily basis since mid-October.

The song is timeless, and you have to play the air piano when it is on. That Schroeder is a musical genius.

#8 Jingle Bell Rock - Hall & Oates

Hall & Oates make the list not as much for the actual song (which is a solid version of Bobby Helm's original Christmas favorite), but for the cheesy video. The Jingle Bell Rock video was early MTV. Back when MTV played music. I am not ashamed to say I really like Hall & Oates and their blue eyed soul music, but their videos reek of the 80's. Composed of Duran Duran, Def Leppard, and Michael Jackson, bad 80's videos are my childhood.

#7 Let This Be Our Prayer - Celine Dion and Andre Bocelli

Two powerful voices come together on this one. It is really a beautiful song. I have seen the song performed in person a few times (although never by these two), and it is quite impressive. One complaint, however. Am I crazy, or is this tune very similar to the Beauty and the Beast song with Celine and Peabo Bryson? Anyone?

Of course, Celine is "the greatest singer in the world."

#6 - Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid

Again, revisiting the formative years. I loved this song. Bono, Sting, George Michael, Bananarama, and Boy George? Forget about it.

This was the original "raise awareness" song. Bob Geldof's mission to give relief to the victim's of the Ethiopian famine in the mid-80's started the trend of singing for a cause. Following this force of nature, we had USA for Africa / Live Aid, Farm Aid, and then recently, Live 8. But this was the Grandaddy of Them All.

#5 Just Like Christmas - Low

You may not have heard this one. I found it on a random Christmas compilation cd. It kind of has a Garden State kind of vibe to it, but a little more upbeat. Although not a traditional holiday tune, and a bit off the beaten track, I highly recommend it.

#4 The Hanukkah Song - Adam Sandler

I have checked with the judges. The songs on the Top 10 Christmas Songs do not have to be about Christmas. An interesting technicality. There is however a quota on Hanukkah songs, so Driedel did not make the cut.

This could be the funniest song ever. Sandler remixes it every few years, and I look forward to each one.

Happy Gilmore can bring it

We have been working with Cade on this one. He has "O.J. Simpson, not a Jew," down pat. He struggles a bit with, "But guess who is. Hall of Famer Rod Carew. He converted." Cade will soon master it, and you can look for it on YouTube. April and I feel it is important to teach our son critical skills that will prepare him for life. Nothing is more crucial than Adam Sandler lyrics.

#3 Christmas Time is Here (vocal) - The Vince Guaraldi Trio

As promised, we would be coming back to "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The melancholy "Christmas Time is Here" (vocal) is one of my all-time favorites. The children's choir type thing going on is great. And it is not like a professional choir. It is more like your grade school choir. I love that.

I note that this is the vocal version. There is also the instrumental version as well (which is also stellar). The entire soundtrack is great (available at a Starbucks near you, by the way). It is very mellow, and heavy on the piano.

#2 The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

Perhaps this is the standard for all Christmas songs. This song just exudes Christmas. The opening of "Chestnuts roasting on open fire," conveys everything about the season . It puts you in the holiday mood. Nat King Cole is money. He has one of the top voices, ever. You just can't go wrong with The King. In fact, it is an upset of sorts that it is not #1.

Which brings us to...........................

#1 Donde Esta Santa Claus?

What?

No, this is not a misprint.

Donde Esta Santa Claus. Doesn't it roll of the tongue? This is my newest favorite song. This is a Spanglish tune, in the same vein as "Feliz Navidad." But way, way better.

A guy named Augie Rios originally recorded this thing back in 1958. The version that tops our charts was done by Guster - an indie rock group from Boston. They apparently tour with Barenaked Ladies from time to time. But I have heard no other song from them beyond this gem.

This song is so catchy. When you start off the thing with, "Mamacita," it had better be good. When you have Santa call out his reindeer with the names "Pancho, Pedro, Pasty, and Pesky," it had better be good. And trust me, it is awesome.

I made a copy of it for the Spanish teacher at my school. I thought it would be a mooey bueno addition to the Espanol curriculum. I am guessing there is little to no educational value to it, but, c,mon. It is good, clean, fun.

So on Christmas Eve, we will be saying, "Donde Esta Santa Claus?"

That is the list, people. Learn it. Embrace it. Love it. If you have any suggestions or arguments, leave a comment. Sorry I did not place a "Long Distance Dedication" in the middle of the list. I do have a list of "Also Receiving Votes." But, I am choosing to keep them to myself.

A Travesty

2007-12-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

Baskin Robbins and I go way back. When I was just a wee lad in St. Joseph, MO, my family would go to the Baskin Robbins on Frederick Blvd. After Little League games, after church, or on a hot summer night, Baskin Robbins was the perfect treat.

My favorite flavor was Daiquiri Ice. From day one, this pale blue sherbet concoction was what I ordered. While my sister went with the Mint Chocolate Chip, I stayed with the Daiquiri Ice. Through my adulthood, I never wavered from the D.I.

Sometimes it was difficult to find. Baskin Robbins would put my flavor on hiatus, calling it a "seasonal flavor." Whatever. It would soon enough creep back into the 31 flavor rotation.

That is until tonight. My wife wants a little yogurt. She is a Golden Spoon junkie (and five months pregnant). They are having their annual $3.99 quart sale. So, for the second time in three nights, I head over to the Golden Spoon.

A tasty treat, no doubt

After picking up the quart of 1/3 Chocolate, 1/3 Peanut Butter, and 1/3 Heath Bar, I decided to make my own dessert stop. The pit stop is made at the RSM Baskin Robbins (it's totally empty, save the one employee talking on the phone). I ask, "Do you have Daiquiri Ice?"

"Yes," the guy replied.

"Sweet sauce. I need a quart." If April is getting a quart of yogurt, then I am getting a quart of the best ice cream on the planet, dammit. He puts it into the carton, and I am off.

I get home. I do the ice cream dance for Caden. He is now excited for some ice cream. There is no apparent problem with the fact that it is the middle of December and it is raining out. We start the "Cream! Cream! Cream!" chant. All is right with the world.

Now here is where The Travesty part of the story kicks in. I take the first bite of my Daiquiri Ice. It is wrong. It is not the right flavor. It tastes almost soapy to me. Something is amiss. I look at the color. It is a pale green. It is not a pale blue. I hear Leo Getz in my head.

You know what they do at the drive-thru

I have lime sherbet. The Baskin Robbins guy is wicked retarded. I specifically asked for Daiquiri Ice. He gave me lime sherbet. I debate. It is only a five minute drive back to the store. I get in the car (but before I left, I scooped a smidge more for Cade. He apparently likes Lime Sherbet).

I return. Same empty store. Same guy on the phone. I say, "You gave me Lime Sherbet."

He replies, "Yes. Lime Daiquiri Ice."

It is then I realize the apocalypse is upon us. Baskin Robbins has changed the one holy thing in this world. The Daiquiri Ice that I have grown up with has gone the way of New Coke.

Probably the worst disaster in marketing history.

Here is what we are left with:

Lime Daiquiri Ice: Created in 2007, we blend lime ice with a splash of rum flavoring for a refreshing delight

More like a refreshing piece of poo. Why would you tamper with perfection? Blasphemy. A travesty. This will not stand.

I don't know what my actions will be at this point. Does anyone know the CEO's phone number? Apparently, Baskin Robbins is under the same umbrella as Togo's and Dunkin Donuts.

I think that is your first problem right there. Put down the 6" turkey and avocado and return Daiquiri Ice to its rightful place on the throne of all ice cream flavors.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A quick p.s. -

After a thorough and painstaking research project I have found this:

My husband's favorite Baskin-Robbins item is the Daiquiri Ice. Unfortunately, the last time we were there, we learned that the recipe had changed. It is now LIME Daiquiri ice, and has a LOT more lime flavor, and is WAY too tart. The recipe below is pretty close to the original Daiquiri Ice. It is a very refreshing dessert for a hot summer day.Hope whoever reads this tries it and enjoys it.

HOME CLONE VERSION OF BASKIN-ROBBINS DAIQUIRI ICE(this is NOT Lime Daiquiri Ice)

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp imitation rum extract
1 tsp citric acid powder – you may need to go to a health food store or online for this, but it is a necessary ingredient
1 drop green food coloring.

Heat sugar and water just until sugar melts. Remove from heat and add citric acid. Stir until dissolved. Let mixture cool until lukewarm, then add rum extract, lime juice and food coloring. Refrigerate until chilled. Churn in an ice cream machine for 25 minutes. Spoon ice into freezer-safe bowl, and move to the freezer for an hour before serving.

Note: The recipe only makes a little over 2 cups, so you may want to double the ingredients.

MSG URL: http://www.recipelink.com/msgid/1427264

The Ultimate Christmas Gift

2007-12-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

For those of you still searching for the perfect gift, you can now stop. Just go to http://www.joe-college.com/catalog/. Normally, I would never endorse a site that caters to University of Kansas fans, but there is an exception to every rule.

Joe-College.com specializes in t-shirts that celebrate KU, and take shots at all rivals of the Jayhawks. Currently, they have a plethora of shirts that mock Missouri's less than desirable Cotton Bowl game.

But here is the shirt that should be at the top of any Christmas wish list:

Operators are standing by

Please hold your venom-filled e-mails and comments. Save them. I have no use for them. This shirt is way above average because of this man:

A shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and a sensible dinner. It's that simple.

Fatter than Mark Mangino. He is the head football coach for the Kansas Jayhawks. It is beyond me that a university president would hire him as the front man for an athletic program. I expect to see him have a heart-attack on the sideline every game.

But the big boy can coach. The Jayhawks are 11-1 and in the Orange Bowl. Perhaps other coaches should hit KFC early and often.

We sent this shirt to our good pal Kelly in Phoenix. She is a proud KU grad, and now a member of the Fighting Manginos. Enjoy!

Congrats to the Franklins

2007-12-14T23:24:00.000-08:00

We received the great news that our good freinds, Adam and Kate Franklin, have given birth to their second daughter. Emmi Jane Franklin was born early yesterday monring.

The happy family

At just under 7 lbs, she really is a little bundle of joy. We hope to meet her tomorrow!

Emmi Jane

I think she is going to be another heartbreaker, just like her big sister, Kyle. Now that there are two eligible Franklin girls, the odds of Cade landing a good woman have increased.

Kyle Franklin: Big Sister and Bumble Bee.

Hooray for the Franklins! We are so happy for you.

13 Miles and Runnin'

2007-12-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

In the immortal words of Jenny Curran, "Run, Forrest! Run!"

Those look like comfortable shoes

That is what 3,286 of my closest friends and I did on Saturday during the 2007 Southern California Half Marathon in Irvine, CA. And surprisingly enough, I lived to tell the tale.

Luckily, the weather cooperated. On the previous day, it rained heavily (for OC standards). And it was a cold rain. But by Saturday, the skies cleared. And while the day started on the chilly side (it was 47 degrees as I drove to the race), the sun came out and it was quite pleasant.

Yes, I did a little training before hand. Yes, I had a little pasta the night before. But the most important preparation for the race came in the form of Body Glide.

The best $5.99 I have ever spent

This stuff works as advertised. No chafing. I say with no embarrassment that chafing was one of my biggest fears. I did not want to pull an Andy from The Office.

Andy is wearing the yellow jersey

As I predicted in the 12/6/07 post, the 4-1 method was key. Run four minutes, followed by walking one minute. After the first 3/4 mile was spent dodging and weaving through the masses, I was able to get into the groove of 4-1. I had the iPod on the "Upbeat Country Mix." Everything was moving along nicely. Nicely, until I felt a little prick in my left calf around the six mile mark. A cramp. Lovely. Although concerned, I was able to work through it. A little extra water/powerade, a bit of "goo" (a type of liquefied power bar substance), and some bananas along the route helped me soldier on.

As we zig-zagged through the city of Irvine, an unexpected foe reared its head. The Marachan factory. You know, Marachan. Top Ramen. As we passed by it, the air reeked.

I don't care how clutch you were in college

It smelled like sewer mixed in with a dairy farm. I thought I was at the Stockyards in St. Joseph, MO. It was a bit of a shock to the system to hit this stench in the middle of Irvine.

The race had electronic timers and mile counters along its route. I noticed I was keeping a solid 10 minute mile pace. This made me happy. Once I hit the eleven mile mark, I felt I was home free. Not even a minor blister on my left heel would slow me down. As I pounded out the final two miles, I switched the iPod to a little DJ Quik. Irvine was now "Jus' Like Compton."

DJ Quik = victory

I officially finished the race in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 9 seconds. But, this is a bit skewed because I didn't actually start the race for two minutes because of the huge crowd at the start. I had to slowly walk to the starting line. So, in actuality, the time is more like 2 hours, 13 minutes.

If you would like to confirm the fact that I actually finished the race, click on the link.http://http://www.schalfmarathon.com/Portals/14/New2007SCHalfMarathon.pdf

For the rest of the day, my legs felt fine, but I was just tired. But I did feel queasy. Kind of nauseous. I never threw up, but my stomach just didn't feel right. I ate some decent Mexican food at Javier's at the Spectrum later in the day, but I still felt a little off. I went to bed early. Way early. Try 6:00 pm. After about 12 hours of sleep, I was ready to face Sunday. Too bad the Chiefs weren't.

I hit the training trails again today. We had the usual SRLA run today after school. To the kids credit, they were right there again. I am so impressed by these guys and girls. In fact, two of the students played in basketball games later Saturday afternoon. That is crazy. I was thinking today's run would be a nice, easy jog after the half marathon. No. It was a five mile clip. My legs were dead. I felt like I needed the hip replacement. But I persevered. I needed to get the kinks out.

Next up, the Orange County Half Marathon on January 6, 2008. It should be good. The race starts at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, and ends at the Spectrum in Irvine.

We will see how it goes. It is all leading up to the LA Marathon in March.

Photo Shoot

2007-12-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

Due to the fact this post is dated December 9, 2007, you can surmise that I survived the half marathon yesterday. More on that tomorrow.

Today will be dedicated to last weekend's photo shoot. The plan was for the Engelken crew to be photographed at The Spectrum by uncle [b]. The subsequent photo would be placed on the ol' Christmas Card. Easier said than done.

Cade does not like photo shoots. He is no one's monkey boy. He will not hold a pose. And when we are in a fun place like the Spectrum, he is on add overload. Cade just zips from one place to the next. He loves automatic doors, and he knows exactly where Nordstrom's handicap entrance is. He makes a beeline for the little blue button that opens the door.

This thing needs to be stopped

Of course, the line for Santa is a mile long when we arrive. That eliminates the obligatory "Santa Photo Op." To work with Caden's zig-zag approach to outdoor malls, [b] simply walked in front of Cade, and took pictures unassumingly. The technique can be described as the Steve Nash Method. He was snapping the pictures behind the back, no look style.

Nash going behind the back

Taking pictures this way enabled Cade to be photographed without the burden of him having to pose. The result of the Nash Method was this:

I call it the James Dean shot, because it reminds me of this famous image:

Call me sacrilegious, but the background of Cade at The Spectrum reminds of a street scene from the NYC. And before you start to think Cade is getting way too big, know this: the hands-in-pockets trick came about because we were attempting to keep him from sticking his hands in his diaper. There you go.

We actually won't use the James Dean shot for the Christmas Card. Ironically, the one we will use was taken about 120 seconds into the photo shoot. The remaining 1,499 pictures [b] took went on the cutting room floor. I am refraining from posting the Christmas Card shot so people tremble with anticipation.

And if you don't get a Christmas Card, well............. you should not have been on my naughty list.

Running Man

2007-12-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 8th, I will be running in the Southern California Half Marathon. Yes, that was not a misprint. Half Marathon. Thirteen miles.

I have joined up with the Students Run LA program at my school. SRLA helps middle and high school students to be able to complete the Los Angeles Marathon. That's right. Kids running 26.2 miles. And it is my goal to join them.

Last year, 3,300 students ran the marathon. 90% of them finished. I like these odds. If thirteen year olds are finishing the marathon, then a former D-1 athlete like myself can finish, right? Right? Maybe.....? Li'l help, here.

The mission of Students Run L.A. is to challenge at-risk secondary students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providing them with a truly life-changing experience: The training for and completion of The City of Los Angeles Marathon. At VdMMS, we open up the club to any student interested. It is not limited to "at-risk" students. There was a student on my special education caseload who finished last year. It was amazing to think that my sixth grade student was able to complete a full marathon. I stated I would treat her and her cousin (who also ran) to lunch if they finished. Sure enough, Taco Bell was on me. I figure 26.2 miles was worth a couple bean burritos with no onions.

For me, Saturday will be a big test. The run is in Irvine. I have not run thirteen miles in my life. In fact, I subscribed to Val Kilmer's way of thinking in Real Genius. When asked if he still runs, Chris Knight (Kilmer) responds: "Only when chased."

But, so far, so good. I am progressing nicely for the March marathon. We have run 7.5 miles as a group in our training runs after school. I have also mixed in a ten mile run on my own. So I have that going for me. Which is nice.

The key will be the 4 to 1 technique. Run for four minutes, then walk for one minute. It really keeps you fresh, and allows to keep a solid pace for longer runs. The run in Irvine should be fairly flat, which is welcomed. There are some pretty large hills around Vista del Mar MS, so we train on tough terrain. I am not a big fan of hills. It will be nice that the longest run of my life will be flat. One thing not working in favor is the weather. It should be wet and cold on Saturday. That is no bueno.

Check back on Sunday to see if I am still alive. My guess is that I will be posting from bed.

Best Game Ever

2007-12-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

Scrabble is great. Cranium is great. But there is an even gooder game on the market:

Loaded Questions.

This is the most fun you can have with a board game. The laughs come early and often when you play this game. Straight comedy. The more politically incorrect, the better the game.

We came across this game the night before Thanksgiving. Sue and Steve Holcomb (shout out to Olathe, KS) brought it with them to Missouri for the holiday weekend. Excellent call. We had a great time playing it, and April purchased at The Target today.

The gist of the game is a question is read, and you have to answer it. The questions are pretty open ended, and leave a ton of room for interpretation. The person whose turn it is attempts to guess which player wrote each response. A sample question would be, "What would you not do for a million dollars?" I personally try to be funny and sophomoric in my answers.

We broke out the game tonight. The contestants were April, myself, Chris [b]ecker, and Jessica Claire. The game occurred after a nice little dinner party thing at our house. I am happy that April's parents and grandmother left before the start. It got a bit scatological, to say the least. But, great googly-moogly, it was fun. I laughed so hard there were tears in my eyes. Really. FCC regulations prohibit me from posting actual responses from our game.

Although this won't fit in a stocking, I recommend Loaded Questions as a stuffer. Better yet, get this before your holiday gatherings start. It is a sure-fire hit for friends and families.

Thanksgiving in The Missouri

2007-11-24T21:55:00.000-08:00

I'm back. The Thanksgiving holiday vacation is over. Game on.

It could be considered suicide to travel across the country with a two year old. But sometimes, it just has to be done. Come April of 2008, we will have two little people to deal with. There is no possible way April and I are lugging multiple kids on a plane. So, with great fear, we made the journey back to the Missouri land for Thanksgiving. While some would call Missouri a "fly over" state, I prefer the label, "Holy Land."

Oh yes, we blazed a trail

I really wanted to bring Cade back to the Midwest so my family could see him before he gets too big. Since we had a week off for the holiday, this seemed like the best opportunity to travel.

The journey started off on Friday, Nov. 16th, at 4:00 am. We were out the door at 5:00 am. Our Midwest Airlines flight left on time at 7:25 am. The big man did quite well all the way through. The only hiccup was when we had to check his stroller and Thomas the Train bag at the security gate. He cried and yelled while the TSA put his things through the metal detector. Otherwise, his new DVD player, along with Clifford the Big Red Dog (5 disc set) kept him fairly happy.

Thank you, O Merciful Clifford

The trip was divided into two legs. The first leg was St. Joseph, MO. That is where my dad lives. He is on a farm just outside of town. Cade had a great time visiting with his Papa Ron and Grandma Val. Practically minutes after emptying out of the super Kia rental (aka "Missouri Car"), we were rolling in the fall leaves. Good times. However, more fun was spent with all my dad's animals. Currently, there are seven horses, three dogs, and approximately six cats. Only two cats are allowed inside. Cade bonded with Molly and Coal, the inside kitties. Cade was also a big fan of Max, the pony. I think he loved Max because he is not too big. Every morning, Cade would say, "I Feed Max."

Touring the farm on "The Pug"

Cade & Coal

coming up for air

Papa Ron, Cade, & Max

Breakfast is served

We managed to swing over to Corning, KS (population 167) for a pre-Thanksgiving extravaganza. My grandmother, Pat, has lived in Corning for..........I could not even tell you. Ever since I was as tall as Cade, I would make the trek to Corning to see my dad's side of the family. This year, we all met at Terry and Elaine's (uncle and aunt) for food and football. It was so nice to see everyone. Cade got to meet his great-grandma Pat in person, an uncle, two aunt's, and a handful of fantastic cousins.

The skyline of metropolitan Corning, KS

Grandma Pat and Cade

While the big people were eating, watching K-State lose, and catching up, Cade managed to sweep the floors with a swiffer thingy, play on the slide, and nearly kill himself by walking on the tarp covering the pool. Of course, Cade wandered onto the pool on my watch. He was chasing a ball, and he forgot the fifteen hundred warnings instructing him to stay off the tarp. I was hoping nobody noticed, but the entire Engelken/Rethman clan viewed the debacle. Lovely. Parent of the Year.

sliding down the prairie

Ella, Kristen, and Jessica Rethman with their little cousin

While still in the northern end of the state, we managed to see my step-brother and his family. Scott, Karla, Roy, and Rex are all doing quite nicely. Scott and I watched the Chiefs lose, and the boys managed to take advantage of the good weather and hit the swings. Roy had on his Dante Hall jersey. You have to respect that.

Cade and Roy: Two Wild and Crazy Guys just swinging

Before our time was up for the first leg of the Missouri tour, I managed to mix in a visit with an old pal: Todd Walter Meierhoffer. We grew up together back in St. Joe, MO. Our parents literally threw us together in the same crib when we still in diapers. April, Cade, and I caught up with Todd at his parents' house. Rhonda (Todd's mom) actually got a little misty thinking back at how we used to play together. Now, Todd is your friendly, local undertaker. No kidding. He is in the family business: Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.

Todd, Scott, and Michael Meierhoffer.

The second leg of our trip took us to southern Missouri - to the city of Neosho. That is where my mom and step dad are. We wanted to break up the nearly four hour trip by stopping for lunch in KC at The Plaza. There, Woodie and Martin Howgill treated us to a lovely lunch. Woodie is one my mother's nearest and dearest pals.

But it was after the lunch when the trip's Sports Center Top Play occurred. The Howgills, thankfully, were spared one Cade's most unbelievable blowouts in history. When I say blowout, I mean his diaper could not hope to contain its contents. We were walking along the streets of The Plaza, when Cade began to slow. He said, "So many poo-poos." I thought he was only repeating what I had said to him earlier that morning, because the ground at my dad's is peppered with horse droppings. Unfortunately, I did not fully comprehend.

As The Plaza has a handful of busy streets, I scooped Cade up to help us across one. I then smelled a soiled diaper, and we quickly saw a Barnes and Noble that would have a bathroom. After setting Cade down upon entering the store, I then realized the gravity of the situation. I was covered in poop. My shirt was toast. My left arm was thundered. I turned to April and said, "April!"

We made a beeline to the bathroom. I think only one person noticed my appearance. He had that, "That guy is covered in feces," expression on his face. I peeled off my shirt, and threw it in the trash. I discovered my jeans also had collateral damage. It was a similar story for Cade. Part of his attire was totaled. Luckily, directly next store was a Gap. New outfits were obtained, so we wouldn't have to hold our breath for three hour trip south.

For obvious reasons, this portion of the trip was not photographed. Sorry for the digression.

Once we did arrive in Neosho, the good times continued to roll. The weather was so cooperative (for the first five days of the trip). We were able to spend a lot of time outside. Cade was a big fan of the leaves (again). Neosho has a neat little city park, complete with waterfalls, fish, ducks, playground, and christmas decor. Before the weather turned bitterly cold and frosty, Papa Dick even took Cade for a spin on the riding lawn mower.

playtime with Grandma Sharon

Captain Caveman

Neosho or Niagra?

Oh, yeah. Neosho.

"I'm an excellent driver."

Watching Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving with Grandma Sharon.

We had several days of solid cooking from my mother. Fresh, homemade, doughy delicious cinnamon rolls, and big breakfasts were on the menu. This was above and beyond the Turkey Day spread. It was a week full of tasty morsels.

We spent a full week in The Missouri. Friday to Friday. Roaming across the country with a two year old can be taxing. The travel day home was a killer. We were spent. Three hours to get to the airport, a three and half hour flight, and then another hour to get from LAX to the front door. Energy was in short supply on the return trip.

Not even Super Spiderman slippers could perk up these super heroes.

We had a terrific time on our trip. Thanks to all of our gracious hosts. It was wonderful to see everyone. And remember, you will have to come visit us from here on out. Our suitcases have been burned.

7 Distinctive Facts

2007-11-14T21:03:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed in the comments section (and judging by the number of comments, you haven't) that my good friend Kam "tagged" me. This means that I now have to list seven distinctive facts about myself. Here we go:

Fact #1: Carl's Jr. was the Arnold's of my teenage years.

On "Happy Days," everybody went to Arnold's to hang out. Even the guys who were too old to hang out with high schoolers were there. In Turlock, California (the key to the San Joaquin Valley, by the way), we had.......Carl's Jr.

Oh, yes, the home of the Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger and criss-cut fries was where we congregated on Friday and Saturday nights. The parking lot was full of cars. The Carl's was situated in a long, inter-connected strip mall, and the entire lot was full of cars. We would head there after football and basketball games. Sometimes we would eat, other times just chat. Often times, we would meet at Carl's, and then figure out where the real party was and head out. CJ's was the glue that held the social scene of Turlock together.

This is not the actual T-Town Carl's Jr, but it does look strikingly similar

Fact #2: The Hero Worship of George Brett.

I grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri - approximately an hour north of Kansas City. My formative years came during the glory days of the Kansas City Royals. They made the playoffs practically every year, went to the World Series twice, and won the World Championship in the magical year of 1985. The mainstay of the team was George Brett. My hero.

I wanted to be George. I think I still do. He was a first ballot Hall of Famer. It is unconfirmed he walked on water, but I think it did happened. I recieved a great biography of George the year he was inducted in Cooperstown as a gift(it was placed in a place of honor in Cade's nursery). April and I went to his restaurant on the Plaza in KC, and we came away with the souvenir t-shirt.

The classic lefty swing

I think it is almost unfortunate that George is probably best remembered for the Pine Tar incident. My favorite Brett moment is Game 3 of the 1980 ALCS when he went third deck off Goose Gossage.

Brett calmly approaching the umpire after being called out for too much pine tar on his bat

Fact #3: I drink Diet Mountain Dew for breakfast

I won't lie to you. Diet Mountain Dew is by far the best beverage in the history of liquids. It can just be consumed at any time, any place. If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times: DMD is the nectar of the gods.

My breakfast consists of a power bar of some sort, and the DMD. Hey, some people get their caffeine fix from coffee. I prefer my pop. I guess it would be more socially acceptable to have a $4.00 Mocha Light Frappacino with no whip every morning (which would not necessarily be a bad thing), but I am that secure with my DMD.

Fact #4: Hootie Rules

Everyone has their own personal tastes and preferences when it comes to music. My brother-in-law is beyond a die-hard U2 fan. A guy I work with loves The Police. I get that. I respect that. But Hootie and the Blowfish is head and shoulders above all other recording artists. You heard me, McCartney. I have seen them in concert multiple times, therefore I say this with 100% certainty.

Darius Rucker and the boys

You can try to convince me otherwise, but you would be wasting your breath. Look through the music archives and you won't find a better song than "Let Her Cry." #1 All-Time. Top of the Charts. Just throw in Cracked Rear View, put it on song #3, and thank me later.

Cracked Rear View

Fact #5: My Favorite Writer is........ Bill Simmons?

Shakespeare, Hemingway, and Faulkner? All hacks. Bill Simmons puts them all to shame. Do you really think that the first three writers mentioned could create entire columns based upon the Cobra Kai from the Karate Kid? Only Bill Simmons can accomplish this feat.

Simmons is known as the Sports Guy, and he writes a bi-weekly coloumn for espn.com. He blends sports with pop culture refrences. He specializes in dropping characters and quotes from 80's and 90's movies in his coloumn, which is right up my alley. My only knock on Simmons is that he concentrates too much on the Boston area sports teams. He is a New England native and die hard Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics fan. But at least he admits it. If I was a big time writer for espn, I would be doing the same thing for the Chiefs.

Fact #6: My Better Half really is my better half

I am so lucky to have married April. She is the best thing to ever happen to me. Beautiful and smart are just the tip of the iceberg. I love her so much, and she is the best mother to Cade. It is unbelievable to think it has already been 6 and a half years since we have been married. The time really does fly.

The Big Day (8/12/01)

April does such an outstanding job at making our house a home. It has been quite a large undertaking with our new digs in RSM, and her vision is really taking shape. And she makes great homemade salsa.

Christmas 2006

Fact #7: I am THAT Dad

I wouldn't go so far as to call me a "Little League Dad," but I have no problem in steering Cade into the world of sports. He knows the Angels quite well, and has become a Kansas State fan (he loves Willie the Wildcat). He is just now starting to catching a ball, and is able to throw it back. Unfortunately, he is right handed.

Celebrating the kickoff to the 2006 NFL Season

April rolls her eyes, but I have supplied him with various jerseys. Chiefs.....check. Wildcats......check. Angels.......check. I even find random Target and Old Navy shirts that have Tigers and Bulldogs on them (for Pacific and Turlock High respectively). Even though Cade has shown more talent in the musical arts (you should hear him sing Sandler's The Hanukkah song), he will be putting on all sorts of uniforms in the years to come.

This happens every time the Chiefs lose

Two favorite things: 1) the Angels shirt 2) Popsicles from the Ice Cream Man

Although I didn't play soccer, I was an orange wearin' Tiger. Cade is just 16 years away from being a UOP Diaper Dandy

This Bulldog logo from Target is a dead ringer for the THS Bulldog. You gotta love the "Tarjay"

This was Day 1. Granted, the lid was courtesy Uncle [b], but the precedent was set.

Seven facts were requested, and seven facts were delivered. I feel that we are all now so much closer. Peas and carrots.

The Cats Will Rise Again

2007-11-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

You would think this would have been a terrific weekend. Veteran's Day allowed for a 3-day vacation. The weather in OC has been outstanding. But, sadly, this weekend turned sour. And quickly.

The Kansas State-Nebraska game Saturday morning absolutely killed my weekend. To put this in context, it was not easy growing up a K-State fan. Sports Illustrated did an article in the '80's calling K-State "Futility U." It was deemed the worst football program in the nation. The Wildcats went 4-40-1 from 1984-1988. This was a difficult pill to swallow. My parents went to Kansas State. My grandfather played for the Cats back in the 1930's. And I was raised on the Cats. We would take trips to Manhattan, KS to watch games. I had K-State t-shirts, sweatshirts, posters, and socks. Yes, socks. But it was tough rooting for a loser.

For years, this was the mascot, Willie the Wildcat. Lovable: yes. Intimidating: not so much

Throughout these lean years, Nebraska was always piling it on. In fact, Nebraska beat K-State 29 straight years. That is over a generation of blowouts. Not even Britney has been a train wreck for 29 years.

Nicely done, Brit. Nicely done.

But things started to change when Coach Snyder was hired in 1989. Immediately, he shook things up. Willie took a backseat. Snyder replaced the friendly critter with a logo that inspired the Wildcat Nation: The PowerCat.

With the addition of Snyder, and the PowerCat in 1989, K-State made the most dramatic turnaround in college football history. Sports Illustrated called Snyder a miracle worker. The Cats suddenly went to 11 consecutive bowl games, and even made Martin Gramatica a star.

Automatica Gramatica

During this reign of excellence, Kansas State broke the drought against Nebraska. The Huskers could not even defeat the Cats in Manhatten during an eight year span. Nebraska fans complained that KSU was running up the score during a big win. Life was good.

The Dali Lama

Big Hitter the Lama

Which brings us to this year. Coach Snyder retired two seasons ago, and the Cats have been up and down. The glory days may be gone, but we have beaten Texas two straight years. As for Nebraska, they are in complete disarray. Last week, Kansas scored 76 points on the Huskers. Their much maligned coach has his head on the chopping block. Their starting quarterback is hurt. An easy "W" for the Cats, right? Wrong. Nebraska decides to show up on Saturday, and drops a 73 point bomb on the Cats in Lincoln. 73? Is this 2007, or 1987? Holy schnikes.

Kansas State is now in jeopardy of missing out on a bowl. That is no beuno. They need to beat either Missouri or Fresno State to become bowl eligible. Missouri may be a tall task, and going to Bulldog Stadium in Fresno could prove to be difficult. I would be happy with a split. But would a 6-6 (3-5) record be attractive to any bowl? Texas Bowl? Insight.com Bowl?

Even if this season ends without a bowl game, there is one future Wildcat who will be rooting on the Purple and the White:

Caden. He is standing on the K-State stool that belonged to Paul Fairbank, who played end for KSU during the 1930-31 seasons

Thanks J-Dog Nuz

2007-11-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

Several posts have been dedicated to the various projects undertaken here at the RSM abode. A special note of thanks was given to Gary Becker, the father-in-law / Schneider.

It was then pointed out to me that additional shout-outs are due. This makes perfect sense, because this was a definite team effort. And, more importantly, my skills in the home improvement arena are.......limited. April does not trust me with a power tool. Although she does have a masters, knowing that heavy machinery and I are incompatible does not require an advanced degree. For example, it was a cause for celebration when I successfully replaced my car's taillight.

First and foremost, Jaren Nuzman deserves major props for his crown molding skills. He has the knowledge, the skills, and the tools for just about any job. We have utilized his handiwork on both the condo and this place.

The master in action

This man would be jealous of J-Dog's expertise

Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

Examples of the crown moldings

It is amazing how quickly Jaren can put the crown up, even with all the angles.

Just a snippet of crown in this little nook of the kitchen (pre-backsplash)

Living room crown

The two master craftsmen admire their labor.

And to think Jaren will work for salsa and touchdown taco dip. And a little Cake Batter from the Coldstone.

The Splash is Back

2007-11-06T17:05:00.001-08:00

The backsplash is installed! Very nice. The tile we chose is actaully made of bricks recycled from old buildings. This brings a little color into the mix.

The company in charge of the backsplash told us that our brick was such a new product, that supply was limited. Our shipment might not be ready until December. But, luckily, we got the call last week. Installation city.

We are now inches away from the completion of the remodel. We only have to add some decorative items on the countertop and some window treatments. And when I say "we," I mean April. I am asked for only a token opinion, which is what the good lord intended.

Up close and Personal

The brick and the granite

Bon Appetit

The whole picture

Just waiting for Spaghetti-o Surprise Dinners

Too bad it will never be this clean again

Ghosts of Halloween Past

2007-11-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Cade is becoming a pro at the whole Halloween thing. To witness his domination of the night of the living dead, you can scroll down to the Halloween post. But it was not always this way. He has had years to perfect his trick-or-treating techniques. It is crazy to think that this was his 3rd spooky adventure. So let us revisit where we have been:

2005: Year of the Dragon

No, it is not Bruce Lee Roy, but it is a spooky dragon.

The whole Halloween experience was a little overwhelming for a 5 month old. He was a bit of a dragon in the headlights.......................get it?........dra..........c'mon people.

Luckily, Cade had his family to help pull him through that trying first Halloween. Which brings us to Halloween Numero Dos:

2006: Swashbuckle City

Johnny Depp has got nothin' on this pirate

This kid will break down your door, loot, and pillage

After dragons and pirates we find ourselves in 2007. See the below post for the King of the Jungle.

Halloween 2007

2007-11-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

We did not have a cowardly lion on Halloween night. Caden Paul had no troubles during his trick-or-treating adventure. He really had a great time. We stuck to our neighborhood, which is so kid-friendly. Although we only went through half of the neighborhood, Cade's Spiderman candy bucket was FILLED. It seems our boy had zero problems going for seconds at each door. Being the little charmer that he is, the neighbors indulged his sweet tooth with a smile.

Uncle [b] tagged along and took some great photos. His are marked with the beckersblog.com [b] logo.

Our little horeshoe cul-de-sac was the perfect place for the Little Man to roam. The people were so nice, and there were more than a few lawn decorations. This kind of thing makes me wonder what Christmas will be like.

Casper.....Caden. Caden......Casper.

The smoke effects were inspired.

Taking a break on the Pumpkin Wall of Fame

As I mentioned, Cade showed no shame during his candy grab. As he would reach into candy bowls, he would say, "There you go!"

schmoozing for the double dip

The kids in our neighborhood are just tremendous with Cade. They are so sweet. We really feel we moved onto the right street.

Cade's very first stop of the night: right next door

This is Noah filling up Cade's bucket. Cade always wants to go and see Noah.

And speaking of kids, Cade did not go solo last night. He had a hot date: A Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. Our friends, the Runyans, brought their daughter, Gracen, along for the fun.

I think I heard Cade say, "How you doin?"

Cade had a wonderful time. He was even in such a good mood, he did not complain after we limited his candy intake to one lollipop.

The Spoils of Victory

I thought this was kind of fun. I took the one on top. The end result is on Uncle [b]'s blog. Check out the full and unfiltered blog at http://www.beckersblog.com/index.cfm

Thanks Arnold

2007-10-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

We were a little worried that the cancellation of two school days due to the wildfires would lead to extra days in June. But, our worries were alleviated, thanks to this man:

Since Gov. Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency due to the fires, the two days missed were not counted against our attendance figures. This means our school district would not miss out on monies tied into student attendance rates.

Thank you, Governator. Thank you.

The Remodel: Part Deux

2007-10-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

Now April has the proper area to make my turkey pot pies.

It has been suggested that the kitchen is the most important room in a home. It is where families and friends congregate. Holiday dinners are created, ham and cheeses are grilled, and Skittles are stored. If there was ever a room to make sure you love, it is the kitchen. That is why the kitchen overhaul was so important to us.

The kitchen remodel was painstaking, expensive, but in the end, worth it. Although we are still not quite finished (we are waiting for the backsplash), we have a functional and above average kitchen. It is light years better than the space that existed when we moved in.

Here is the kitchen during the era of the previous owners:

We wanted the company doing the remodel to come in during the escrow process, but they wouldn't come out for measurements until we actually took possession of the house. So the actual tear down didn't occur until late August.

Time for takeout

During the process, there was no working kitchen. We moved everything into the living room. We cooked with the microwave and toaster oven, and used paper plates. The biggest drawback of being without a sink was trying to wash Cade's sippy cups. Also, we used the toaster oven and microwave at the same time, resulting in a blown fuse. That was below average.

The kitchen cabinets were made in Canada, and then shipped to our garage. They sat for a day before installation.

These guys really worked hard. It was two solid days of construction.

AND NOW......................THE REVEAL

We became the best customers of Best Buy. New stainless steel appliances are nice, but we discovered how difficult they are to keep clean. I don't know who keeps leaving the miracle whip smudges on the 'fridge handle. It's a mystery.

The granite was done by Corbin Custom Tile Inc. out of Corona. They also did the granite in our condo. Good people. The plates in the platerack were an anniversary gift. We haven't actually eaten off them yet, but I am sure the quesadillas will taste even more bueno on them.

The double decker dishwasher is great for washing small loads - like sippy cups. Spiderman, Elmo, and "Cars" cups can all be washed when needed. Our boy does like his beverages.

The glass corner cabinets have a little lights inside them. Since it is late October, we have the nice fall motif going on. But come mid-march, are we talking little green people?

April found this table at THE LOFT in Ladera Ranch. I thought it was too big, but it is perfect. Why do I question her judgement? I just end up looking wicked retaaahhded.

The chandelier is from Pottery Barn. I do miss the function of the ceiling fan, but the new light fixture looks great. The Dude says it really ties the room together.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............candy corn

With the kitchen nearly done - the backsplash will be brick and hopefully completed in approximately a month (give or take) - it is time to focus on the family room. A house can only be a home with 50" of HD gloriousness. Tuesday is the magic day. Best Buy had better come through. Check back to see if Best Buy will be loved, or dead to me.

"Snow Day"

2007-10-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

My good buddy, J-Dog Nuzman, and I were talking yesterday about snow days. We were thinking back how, after a good snow, we would be glued to the tv. Prayers would be sent up in the hopes our school would be closed. Instead of school, there would be sledding, snowballs, and hot cocoa. Aaaahhh, good times. Good times.

This conversation took place due to the cancellation of school for the past two days. The Capistrano School District decided to shut down as a result of the wildfires. The air quality was just too poor. So the snow day was reincarnated.

Since we wanted to be indoors, the family ventured a bit north to the South Coast Plaza. The lure of Z Tejas and the carousel was too strong to ignore.

Cade and Bammie at the Z Tejas

If you haven't tried the shrimp tostada bites at the Z Tejas, you are missing out

Cade sticks with his usual french fries and chicken strips. Double-fisted on the fries. Nice. April reported that Cade burped about five hours after eating. He then proceeded to announce, "Mmmmmmmmmmmm. French fries. " That's my boy!

Carousel smiles

Hi, everyone!

Cade does love going up and down on the escalator.

While April was shopping for his future sister, Cade was content with a lolly and crayons at Baby Gap.

As you can see, the Snow Day was really Cade's Day. He even mixed in some quality time with Ashlan (who lives next door to Bammie). You can't blame Ashlan for being all over The Big Man. She's only human. It's the Cadester we're talking about.

The Remodel: Part I

2007-10-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

When April and I purchased our home in RSM, we did so with the idea of making major renovations. Since our Aliso Viejo condo did not sell (thanks real estate market), we pulled some equity from it, and plotted some big league home improvements on the new digs. We figured the remodeling should start as the escrow docs were finalized. The keys were handed to us just after the 4th of the July, and the games began.

The games are still ongoing. It has been project on top of project. Flooring, carpeting, paint, the entire kitchen, and a family room fireplace removal have all been tackled. This does not include furniture, appliances, and electronics.

We are now about 3.5 months into the process. A little blood and a lot of sweat has been shed. It is always fun to do a little before and after comparison. Almost the reveal on Trading Spaces, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Designed To Sell........fill in your personal favorite home show here.

The first thing we did was put some new paint on the wall. We went with a neutral, earth tone. For part of the house it is a lighter beige, and in parts that receive more light, we put a darker shade of beige. The next thing we did was put in the new flooring. There is new carpeting for the upstairs loft and bedrooms.

The photo on the left is the before master bedroom. This was how it looked when we were looking at the property. Notice the flesh colored carpet, and the mint green on the walls. On the right is the after master.

Photo on the left, the before living room/entryway. It is the view as you first walk in the door. Again, the photo on the left was how the place looked during the previous ownership. The photo on the right is the after.The entire downstairs is now covered in a porcelain tile that has the appearance of hardwood. Since we will have a young boy prowling these floors, we did not want to worry about nicks in a real hardwood. The tile looks great, and is so durable. The new flooring has a distressed look to it. We are quite pleased with it.

In addition, Mr. Gary Becker, the father-in-law extraordinaire, put in the superb baseboards. He has been so helpful in the sprucing up of this house - and the ol' condo. Gary is our Schneider.

Schneider's handiwork

We have also tried to do a little gardening. The biggest little project we have done with the yard to date is the planter in the front yard. The photo on the left is the before. You can kind of see the overgrown patch blocking the porch. On the right is the after. We planted two little topiary trees and a smattering of flowers. Most of the plants are still alive, by the way. The grass is still alive as well, but it is being attacked by the crab grass weed stuff.

I'll post the more exciting remodels in the next day or three. The kitchen transformation has been fairly dramatic.

The Fire

2007-10-24T19:15:00.001-07:00

As most of the world knows, Southern California has been besieged by wildfires. It has been quite eerie this past week. From Santa Barbara to the border, it has been a series of flames. Our home in Rancho Santa Margarita has been relatively safe up to this point. But we are within view of the flames. Just to our north, the Santiago Canyon Fire continues to burn. The fire started in Irvine, it has crept south to the Foothill Ranch/Trabuco Canyon area. As I write, I can see the flames on the hillside. It would take a lot for the fire to actually reach our house, but we have been thinking about the possibility of evacuation. We were starting to plan what necessities should be packed in a moment's notice. Luckily the Santa Ana winds have died down, and the fires are not spreading as quickly.

View from our driveway

The Santa Ana winds were unbelievable. There were gusts over 100 mph in some areas. While the winds were not that extreme in RSM, they were still howling. Sunday night/Monday morning was unbelievable. We woke up to some substantial debris.

Our yard needed some restructuring after the Santa Ana winds

The air quality has been well below average. There are ashes flying in the air. It smells like a giant campfire. Today in my San Clemente classroom, I could smell the Camp Pendelton Fire. The kids were complaining, and they would walking around campus like little banditos with shirts covering their mouths and noses. As a result, the school district has just canceled Thursday's classes for the entire district.

Afternoon sky

Now that we have tomorrow off, two questions remain:

What will April, Cade, and I do? (South Coast Plaza? The Shops at Mission Viejo? Clifford the Big Red Dog marathon?)

Will this "Fire Day" (as opposed to a "Snow Day") have to be made up at the end of the school year?

Pros vs. Joes - Photography Edition

2007-10-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

I have been attempting to gain a few nuggets of wisdom as the years pass. One of the important life lessons I have learned is that you get what you pay for. If you buy a pair of cheap-o shoes, chances are they will fall apart quickly. But if you spend a couple extra shekels, you can purchase a well crafted shoe that will last for years.

There is a point to this story. The moral of this tale is that if you want solid photographs, you need to hire a great photographer. If you want crapped out photos, take them yourself. But there is a third option: you can marry the photographer's sister. I chose the final option.

Below, there are two photographs of the same moment in time. Mr. Caden Paul, sitting on a handful of pumpkins. Two photographers captured the moment. In this side by side comparison, can you tell which picture was snapped by a person who does it for a living? You make the call:

Of course, the photo on the right was taken by Uncle Becker - THE PROFESSIONAL. I can't believe how I lucked out when Chris became my brother in-law. I could have been stuck with a Cousin Eddie type. Chris has been there to document special times in our lives - from our wedding, to holidays, to the birth of Cade. He has given us the most beautiful photo albums. They are seriously priceless. Due to the wildfires, we were talking about the items we would walk out the door with, and the albums from Chris were #1, and the important documents/papers were #2. (editors note: I can't recall if April or myself took the somewhat blurry photo on the left.

Also, I should mention Chris is a great person, not just a great photographer. It is always good, clean, fun going to Angel games, movies, and watching countless football games with him. He always says that we are brothers from another mother.

Here are the other great shots captured by Uncle [b]. You must remember that Cade was a reluctant model at the patch. I think he was hungry, and a bit overwhelmed by all the activities at the patch. So it was a herculean achievement to get any useful shot.

Cade running to get Skittles. Yes, we bribe our child with candy.

Pumpkin Family

The Troy Aikman of the camera lens.

To reiterate, if you want to posses memories that are priceless, hire a quality photographer, or marry their sibling.

The Patch

2007-10-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

It was quite an adventure yesterday. We attempted to return to a great pumpkin patch at Irvine Park. A large group went last year, and a terrific time was had with trains, picnics, and pumpkins. A repeat performance was planned, and Uncle [b] was along to document.

Unfortunately, mother nature did not cooperate. The Santa Ana winds were in full force, causing numerous falling trees. There might as well have been a giant moose at the gate saying, "Sorry, folks. Park's closed." Since the park was shut down (good thing....more on that in a minute), we went to a different patch at the Laguna Hills Mall.

To put it mildly, Cade was not the most enthusiastic model. April, Chris, and myself were reduced to bribing Cade with Skittles for a good shot. We tried to get him to smile for the camera, but here is the reaction we received:

But once he warmed up, Cade was a little more at ease. Who doesn't like driving a tractor?
He even managed to have a seat on a couch of pumpkins.
Cade was a big fan of the petting zoo.
Notice the top left corner of the goat picture. You can see the orange haze of the Santiago Canyon Fire. It is one of the dozen or so major fires in Southern California. The crazy thing about it is that we were in that exact same area approximately 30 minutes before it started (or rather deliberately set). Irvine Park is just minutes away from the fire. If the park had been open, we would have been in possible danger.

After the pumpkin patch, we settled upon Island's for dinner. As soon as Cade put some french fries in his belly, the ol' charmer came out. Apparently, we should have eaten before going to the pumpkins. There might have been some more funny faces from the Little Man.

Check tomorrow for some above average photos of the pumpkin patch. I will pilfer some shots of Uncle [b]'s blog. Or you can go to the blog yourself: www.beckersblog.com. You can see the difference between weak sauce, crapped out photos and the real deal.

Nine Times

2007-10-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

Nine times. Wake up and smell the coffee, Mrs. Bueller.

The Chiefs have beaten the Raiders nine straight times. With today's 12-10 victory in Oakland, Kansas City is now alone at the top of the AFC West standings. First place. If the season ended today, the Chiefs would be in the playoffs. Why can't the regular season end today?

I can't believe the Chiefs are in first. If you watched the HBO series "Hard Knocks," you would not have fathomed this. I put the Chiefs at 4-12, awaiting a top five pick in the draft. Amazingly, KC already has 4 wins, and own the tie-breaker against the Bolts. LJ has back-to-back 100 yard games, and the rookie wideout, Dwayne Bowe, looks legit. Of course, I am completely jinxing everything with this post. But, as of this minute the Chiefs are in first. Check the standings:

2007 NFL Regular Season Standings
AFC West

Kansas City..............................4-3

Denver Broncos.........................3-3

San Diego Chargers.....................3-3

Oakland Raiders........................2-4

But perhaps as inspiring as the first place Chiefs, is seeing Priest back on the field. After two years on the sideline, #31 has returned. His 8 yard run for a first down was clutch late in the 4th. And there is no way he went out of bounds on that play. He was tackled in bounds, and the clock should have kept running. Although Jim Nantz mentioned he looked in bounds, CBS didn't bother to show the replay. That could have come back to haunt KC, but luckily Dante showed why he is with his 3rd team in three years.

Return of the Jedi

Who cares if this is a year old? It is still exciting when the Chiefs win.

All victories are hard fought, and come with a price. When Huard threw the 58 yard completion to Bowe, I lept off the couch. But when the shoestring tackle happened, I threw my hands up in the air in disappointment. Unfortunately, the ceiling fan was going, and there was a collision. My initial thought was I broke my thumb, but it was not that serious. I rubbed some dirt on it. I am listed as probable for next week. A game time decision.

Playing with pain

The Debut

2007-10-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the inaugural posting of E's Blog. This site will be dedicated to all things Engelken. My name is Matthew Engelken, and I hope to share bits and pieces of my life with my family and friends.

I live in Rancho Santa Margarita with my wife and son. April and I have been married for six years, and our son, Caden is two. We do have a scheduled delivery in April of 2008 (at this time, we are 80% sure that the delivery will be of the female variety). Most of the postings will deal directly with our comings and goings. Cade will receive the lions share of publicity. We will see how he deals with sharing the spotlight come next spring.

Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs will warrant much coverage on the blog. Tomorrow is an important day for us (yes, I said us). If KC continues the dominance over the Raiders, the Chiefs will be atop the AFC West standings.

With minimal fanfare, let the blog begin.