Twilight Dad

WARNING SPOILER ALERT... IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK TWILIGHT AND YOU ARE PLANNING TO, STOP!

Chrissta and her friends, my mom, sister, sister-in-law and just about all the other ladies I have talked to have read these books. (Sorry Jill, I know you aren't a fan). So I thought I would see what all the excitement around Edward and Bella is. I know I am risking loosing my man card, but I read all three of he existing books, and to tell you the truth, I feel bad for Jacob, I am disgusted with Bella, and sort of indifferent about Edward. (I do think I have a crush on Alice though, and would like to hang out with Emmit and Jasper.) So there. Oh, and I thought a book about vampires in Washington was a little far fetched, but NO you have to add Werewolves too? MAN. I would have been OK with all these monsters, but there just was not enough vampirey stuff for me. Instead it everything was dismissed as a myth and that was it. What a cop-out. Where is the garlic, holy water, coffins, fear of crosses and holy water, and can't be in the sun?

I will say that I did loose sleep staying up late reading the stuff, and I will see the movie and yes I will probably read the next one.

Thank you Chrissta...

This has been a crazy two weeks for me. It started on Monday afternoon with a drive to Dallas for a dinner meeting, then two more meetings in the next day in Dallas. Followed by a drive to Houston, then meetings on Wed and home that night. The next morning, Chrissta and Madi went to the Alamo for the fourth grade field trip, I some how was able to get the rest of the kids where they needed to be for school - on time, then to work... WOW not sure how she does it every day! Then off to work for a full day of meetings and stuff. Then home to collect Xander and Natalie. Then to the school to gather up Chrissta and Madi. Phew...


Thursday was our 16Th anniversary. So we did what every couple does, went to dinner. (We took the kids and went to Subway - Romantic I know.) Then home to work on a presentation for a meeting in Waco the next morning. Again dripping with romance.


Friday did end with us taking the kids to Auntie Sarah's (thank you Sarah and Reagan!) for a sleepover for the night and all day Saturday. It was nice and low-low key. As it happened some good friends of ours had a baby so we went to visit them in the hospital. Sure these things don't seem too fun, but we spent time together and had a great time.

Monday it all started again. No travel required this time, but helping some of the folks at work get ready for a trade show in Las Vegas. Followed by going in early and staying late almost everyday working on some projects for the upcoming release of our next version of software. Lots to do and so little time.

Chrissta - thank you for the best 16 years of my life! and for putting up with me - you are the best.

Easter Thoughts and Memories

So I don't really think of Easter as a 'family' day, and still tend to struggle a bit with really getting into the Easter Basket, special meal thing. Chrissta on the other hand comes from a family that I would say is the polar opposite in terms of celebrating holidays than my family. Even after 16 years I still can't seem to get it - sorry Chrissta and thanks for putting up with me. This year I seem to be a little more reflective for some reason.

So today is good Friday, and we went to a special program at church. To many religions this is nothing new per se but as far as I know, we The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, don't formally have a church service on Good Friday. This was not the case for me as a child. My Grandparents, both deceased, were very active members of the Zion Lutheran Church in Camas Washington. One of the very fond (now, because I think I thought it was painful as a kid) memories that I have of them is going to the Good Friday service with them, where they would go through the last week of Christ's life. Then we would spend the night with them, as we did on most weekends, and get up the next day and go back to their chapel sometime in the afternoon and decorate the cross for the Sunday service. As far as I know they donated all the flowers, which were fresh and very spring looking, and their time to do this. Decorating this cross was no small feat. It was covered in flowers. This Cross was massive and it made the Camas paper every year, and it seemed like it took hours for them to do. But they did it with reverence and diligence. Even when we weren't there it seems like we got pictures of their hard work.

Tonight as a sat and listened to the music in the program it took me back all those years ago and I started to think of all that time we spent at my grandparents Church. The program this evening was moving and I found myself reflecting on my own feelings of Christ. Which are, I know that he lives, I know that he is our savior, that he knows and loves each and everyone of us, He suffered bled and died for us. He overcame spiritual and physical death for us. He is our advocate to the Father. He provided the way for us all to return to our Father that we all might live together forever. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved - He alone can take the pains of sin away, His atonement is an infinite atonement, it applies to all who will partake.

There have been many people in my life who have helped my beliefs grow to which I am forever grateful. But after some deep thought, I think it was my grandparents', who believed in Christ differently than I did, example in fulfilling their duty with respect and reverence that helped the most. Which is the most important message - He did this for us all.

Back to Life....

New Years resolutions, life changing events, high school reunions, all good and valid reasons to lose those extra pounds. There are all sorts of special dates that say we are going to start. I was thinking today about upcoming celebration and what it represents. Many people have there ideas and thoughts about Easter. I think I am going to use it for a re-birth for myself. I know I have been talking for the better part of a year about losing some weight.

Tonight I had a thought, and I think its a good one... here it is. You know how sometimes when you are sitting on the couch watching your favorite show or just watching nothing? and the thought comes to you - 'Man ice cream sounds good', or 'I could really go for some chocolate' and my favorite 'MMM Mighty Fine is only 12 miles away...' What do you usually do? I personally go for it, what ever the craving thus my very large self. Well tonight I noticed my self thinking I should get up and go for skate... Then I started reflecting, this actually happens lots, I remember thinking 'I should get up and go for a walk' or 'I should get up and go to the gym'. Now if I got up and reacted the same as I do with the ice cream or Mighty Fine I would be much thinner... So I am resolving to do that. I will reverse the urges. When the ice cream urge hits, sit. When the walk move urge hits act... simple. RIGHT.

Larry bearing the sweet ride, watching Eric and his boys skate and most of all watching Benson turn into quite and Athlete has really made me want to do better.

I am committed to start over. I have renamed the blog and look forward to this new process.

And the quiver grows

So if you look to the right of this post, you will find link to LongBoardLarry, one of the best longboard skatebord builders in the industry. A little something about the 'Larry' in the longboard title. He has been my friend since my first day at Sprague High School, Salem, Oregon in 1984... We were unseperable - we shared a locker for all 4 years, ate lunch together daily, hung out in the summers, got in all sorts of trouble through the years, walked at graduation together, we were in the MTC together, I was there there when he met his future wife, we were each others best men and to top it all off - Benson was born on his birthday. We have been through a lot together and have made it. His parents were a profound influence on me.

This sounds like a eulogy, but I assure you that he is still alive and well, I know this as he spent last weekend with my family. We hung out and caught up on old times, and just picked up on where we left off. I had a great time, and I hope he did too.

I did get another board to add to the quiver. I have to admit that I am not a brave soul, but I am learning and will practice, so that the next time we are together I can keep up with longboard Larry and Eric... Here is a pic of the boards:


I know that these are supposed to be ridden, but they are so cool, and works of art that I hate to use them for what they were meant to used for. I am getting over it, and am less bothered when they get scratched. If you happen onto this blog and would like to get a board he is one of the best builders out there, and I am rooting for him to make it big. This is a fairly new industry, and Larry is in a great position. Good for him. One if the things I have always admired about him, is that if he sets his mind to something he does it and does it well...

Best Age Ever?

Have you ever been sitting around chatting with the guys and or girls, or just pondering while driving or what ever, and thought to yourself 'self if I could be any age, I would be....'

If you have what is it? If not I think I have the answer. Its 4. That has to be the best age ever. Here are my reasons. Most of these come from observations of the resident 4yr old in the Hinze house, Xander.

1. No school or work - you get to hang out in the morning and watch cartoons until your brain turns to mush and not have to be anywhere, and the days you do need to be somewhere its a treat.


2. Sponge Bob is the center of universe - your whole day revolves around a yellow absorbent animated cartoon character whoe lives in a pineapple under the sea.
   
3. Pants off = happiness - when Xander gets sad or tired, he takes his pants off and life is good and its OK. People come over and Xander is in his underwear nobody cares. infact there is something cute about a kid in Scooby Doo underpants. They come over and I am in my underwear and there is a problem. Nobody wants to see that. Can you imagine, your having a tough day at work and all you need to do to make you happy is to take off your pants? I think I am going to start.


4. Cheetos and Sprite is an acceptable breakfast, lunch and or dinner. We all want to do it, but know better. And if we get caught we deny that we are eating chips and diet coke for a meal cause we 'know better'.


5. Magic, Santa, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy all real. Need I say more?

Oh, I don't know

I have been doing some thinking lately, I actually think a lot. But my brother - law and good friend Eric is sort of the inspiration for this post. They have been going through some struggles, as we all do, and his comments on how he is tired of always looking for the silver lining. I understand completely and may I add that when crap happens there is nothing worse than when someone says - "there must be something to learn" or "there are many things that could be worse" and my all time favorite is the one up-manship that tends to happen when we face these trials. When all you really need is someone to say - yeah that really sucks, lets go.... (insert activity here) Or just be a friend, share a beverage and listen.