Well today was my first day back to work after my two weeks off with the new baby. She's so cute. The other kids are doing well with her, it's pretty cool. Work is new to me, since I got this new job. New cube, new responsibilities, new atmosphere, new coworkers, new stresses... It should be fun.
My two weeks off was pretty productive, I conqured a good number of the things that I wanted to get done. I started big with fixing up my rock garden. It was a two day job and I got a lot of help from my kids. They got two new Justice League movies out of the deal. I also got our new microwave put up. This was a big feat as it was installing a new plug and hanging it over the stove. It looks nice. The garden got weeded and tilled, since there isn't anything growing in it besides weeds, it was pretty easy. Overall it was a fun productive two weeks. I'm glad to come back to work, but I will miss the days with my wife and kids. It was a fun time.
Now I'm looking forward to my vacation that starts Thursday. I love taking time off.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Family Reunion
This weekend is the scheduled of our bi-annual (hope I got that right, every 2 years), Philbrick Family Reunion. I look forward to this trip because it is a camping trip with my Grandma and Grandpa and we usually get to see all of the aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Since it is at the East Canyon resort, we have camping as well as tennis, mini-golf, swimming pools, horse shoes, volleyball, baseball/softball, and a variety of card, board, and dice games. The kids look forward to this as well.
I'm so excited. I'll get to see my mom as well as some other suprises. It'll be an exciting weekend.
Since it is at the East Canyon resort, we have camping as well as tennis, mini-golf, swimming pools, horse shoes, volleyball, baseball/softball, and a variety of card, board, and dice games. The kids look forward to this as well.
I'm so excited. I'll get to see my mom as well as some other suprises. It'll be an exciting weekend.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Mason's Tattoo
Just wanted to share a picture. On Monday, Mason had a tattoo on his head. This is one of those removable tattoos. Why he put it on his forehead, I'll never know but wanted to show the pic from today. Anyway, here it is....
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Random Thoughts
It has been a while since I've posted last and thought it time to put down in words some of the thoughts that I have had recently. As I was trying to pick a topic to blog, I realized how jumbled up my brain is and how in need of some mental housecleaning I need to do. Its almost as if someone took the deck of cards that is my brain, and shuffled them and then scattered them in the wind. Nothing like a rousing game of 52-pickup when its your mind that is the deck. Anyway.....
There are so many things going on in the world around us and in our daily lives. Work, family, entertainment, spiritual growth, mental growth, etc. Each subject demands so much attention that it tries to take away our attention to other things. We spend our lives running constantly from one place to the next. Spend too much time on spiritual growth, you miss some opportunities on family. Spend some extra hours at work, you lose some of your much needed liesure time. Its a vicious circle and each can be a major distraction from the others.
Finding a balance between all of the subjects of our lives becomes difficult when you realize that there are only 24 hours in a day and some of that time is needed for rest, eating, transportation and/or preparation. (Preparation to include grooming, washing, dressing, etc.) Chores around the house need to be done. Chores in the yard are being neglected. The family needs to spend time together. So many times we say, "I'll get to that as soon as I can." "If I can get this stuff done, I can then concentrate on these other things."
We put off so much to put out fires that we never find the time to make an appropriate balance. There are those out there who are willing to offer advice and help but their advice and help is in areas that they think you should be spending time. So much to do and so little time.....
How do we focus on what is important and how do we know what that is? How can we balance our lives to find an appropriate amount of time for everything? What sacrifices do you make to accomplish other goals?
For example, you can either do "A" or you can do "B". Both you very much want to do, but how do you choose? Which is more important? Which is going to give you the maximum amount of benefit to your happiness and your live as well as the lives of those around you?
Sometimes, A and B are linked in such a way that you want A and your partner wants B. (By partner, I am refering to spouse, kids, or whomever else your life is entwined.) When do you say that A is the way you are going and when do you give in to allow B to happen to make your partner(s) happy? When do you consider your own personal growth vs that of your partners? So many questions... So few answers....
I guess this was my little gripe about having to make so many decisions. Sometimes you just want to sit and tune out the rest of the world but you can't. Sometimes you just need a break to recharge your batteries. Maybe that's where I am. I need to recharge the batteries.
Anyway,thanks for the talk. I think it helped put a few things in perspective. Even if the actual issues weren't discussed here, they light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little bit brighter.
There are so many things going on in the world around us and in our daily lives. Work, family, entertainment, spiritual growth, mental growth, etc. Each subject demands so much attention that it tries to take away our attention to other things. We spend our lives running constantly from one place to the next. Spend too much time on spiritual growth, you miss some opportunities on family. Spend some extra hours at work, you lose some of your much needed liesure time. Its a vicious circle and each can be a major distraction from the others.
Finding a balance between all of the subjects of our lives becomes difficult when you realize that there are only 24 hours in a day and some of that time is needed for rest, eating, transportation and/or preparation. (Preparation to include grooming, washing, dressing, etc.) Chores around the house need to be done. Chores in the yard are being neglected. The family needs to spend time together. So many times we say, "I'll get to that as soon as I can." "If I can get this stuff done, I can then concentrate on these other things."
We put off so much to put out fires that we never find the time to make an appropriate balance. There are those out there who are willing to offer advice and help but their advice and help is in areas that they think you should be spending time. So much to do and so little time.....
How do we focus on what is important and how do we know what that is? How can we balance our lives to find an appropriate amount of time for everything? What sacrifices do you make to accomplish other goals?
For example, you can either do "A" or you can do "B". Both you very much want to do, but how do you choose? Which is more important? Which is going to give you the maximum amount of benefit to your happiness and your live as well as the lives of those around you?
Sometimes, A and B are linked in such a way that you want A and your partner wants B. (By partner, I am refering to spouse, kids, or whomever else your life is entwined.) When do you say that A is the way you are going and when do you give in to allow B to happen to make your partner(s) happy? When do you consider your own personal growth vs that of your partners? So many questions... So few answers....
I guess this was my little gripe about having to make so many decisions. Sometimes you just want to sit and tune out the rest of the world but you can't. Sometimes you just need a break to recharge your batteries. Maybe that's where I am. I need to recharge the batteries.
Anyway,thanks for the talk. I think it helped put a few things in perspective. Even if the actual issues weren't discussed here, they light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little bit brighter.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
A New Baby, A Renewed Respect
Well Keighlee Jo joined our family last Friday. It was kind of fun and hectic hence the reason this blog is being written today. Just got to lazy really to do it. So I decided to write it today. Plus I've got some good pictures now. I just wanted to say that she is a dang cute little girl.
We are having a lot of fun with her here at home. The kids continually ask to hold her. It's cute. So there is the new baby part of the title, moving on the the renewed respect part now.
I have always known that my dear wife is a wonderful person. Watching her go through the birthing experience once again gave me a renewed respect for her strength and love for having a family. She is the most amazing person I know, truly a hero of mine. She is my queen and I know that I could not of found a better woman to be the mother of my children.
We are having a lot of fun with her here at home. The kids continually ask to hold her. It's cute. So there is the new baby part of the title, moving on the the renewed respect part now.
I have always known that my dear wife is a wonderful person. Watching her go through the birthing experience once again gave me a renewed respect for her strength and love for having a family. She is the most amazing person I know, truly a hero of mine. She is my queen and I know that I could not of found a better woman to be the mother of my children.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Having a Baby
Here we are in the hospital waiting for the baby to come. Chels is doing well, a little sore but that is from all the little needle pricks to get the IV in. She's doing well and we will keep you posted.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Woah, What a Day
Ok, so I can't believe that it is nearly 4:00pm. Today has just zipped by and now I am ready to head home. I finished up a web report for the directors of our IT group today and that was a big win for me. Yay, me! Anyway, I thought about doing my top 5 favorite things today, like my top 5 novels, top 5 songs, top 5 albums, but now it seems that I may have run out of time. I am actually waiting to see when my ride is going to be hitting the road so I'll work on it until he comes. So here it goes, and I might not get all of them done but it will be a start, espically the top 5 songs and albums. So I will start with books.
Tracy's Top Five Novels:
I did novels because then I'd be able to get away with not putting Green Eggs and Ham. My favorite book of all time is probably the Book of Mormon, it's a good read, if you haven't read it I'd suggest it.
Now while that list is numbered one to five, those books aren't in any particular order, although I think if I had to choose a favorite of those five it would be Sons of Fortune I think.
I'm going to skip the songs and albums as I want to ponder them some more. Have a great day.
Tracy's Top Five Novels:
- Honour Among Thieves, Jeffrey Archer
- Sons of Fortune, Jeffrey Archer
- Speaker for the Dead, Orson Scott Card
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling
- Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
I did novels because then I'd be able to get away with not putting Green Eggs and Ham. My favorite book of all time is probably the Book of Mormon, it's a good read, if you haven't read it I'd suggest it.
Now while that list is numbered one to five, those books aren't in any particular order, although I think if I had to choose a favorite of those five it would be Sons of Fortune I think.
I'm going to skip the songs and albums as I want to ponder them some more. Have a great day.
Book Review - Speaker for the Dead
Synopsis:
Book 2 in the Ender Wiggins saga begins 3000 years after Ender destroyed the entire bugger race with the exception of one hive queen in a cocoon. Ender, because of the war with the buggers is seen as an evil person who committed xenocide. Due to his space travels, while 3000 years have passed for everyone else, only about 20 years have passed for Ender.
Another alien race of piggies have been discovered on a planet called Luisitania. One person is killed by this alien race for unknown reasons and Ender is called to speak his death. While in transit, 20 years have passed and the original caller has since cancelled the call but 2 new calls have come in.
Accompanied by the hive queen and Jane, a computer intelligence, he begins the research that will lead to the speaking he was summoned for and the secrets that will be unleashed may be too much for the community to bare. Can he save this community? Can he understand this new race and their society? Will he be discovered as the benevolent Speaker for the Dead or as the vile Ender the Xenocide?
Review:
I relly think this is a good conclusion to Ender's Game. At first, it went a little slow and wasn't sure what to expect when this was to pick up the story 3000 years AFTER the end of book 1. I was pleasently suprised to find Ender and Valentine still youthful after 3000 years. I would recommend this book to almost everyone. While Ender's Game was written to be enjoyed for 10 years and older, this seems to be more geared to the older crowd. Both have many different levels of understanding and there are so many "outside-of-the-box" concepts that it can really make you think about the possibilities. After reading this, I REALLY want to read The Hive Queen and the Hegemon refered to in the book but know that it doesn't exist.
I hope that if you haven't read these stories, that you would concider this. It was very well written and Orson Scott Card is a master story teller. Having read now 4 of his books, I can truthfully say that his sci-fi mastery and exceptional story telling make his books a joy to read.
Book 2 in the Ender Wiggins saga begins 3000 years after Ender destroyed the entire bugger race with the exception of one hive queen in a cocoon. Ender, because of the war with the buggers is seen as an evil person who committed xenocide. Due to his space travels, while 3000 years have passed for everyone else, only about 20 years have passed for Ender.
Another alien race of piggies have been discovered on a planet called Luisitania. One person is killed by this alien race for unknown reasons and Ender is called to speak his death. While in transit, 20 years have passed and the original caller has since cancelled the call but 2 new calls have come in.
Accompanied by the hive queen and Jane, a computer intelligence, he begins the research that will lead to the speaking he was summoned for and the secrets that will be unleashed may be too much for the community to bare. Can he save this community? Can he understand this new race and their society? Will he be discovered as the benevolent Speaker for the Dead or as the vile Ender the Xenocide?
Review:
I relly think this is a good conclusion to Ender's Game. At first, it went a little slow and wasn't sure what to expect when this was to pick up the story 3000 years AFTER the end of book 1. I was pleasently suprised to find Ender and Valentine still youthful after 3000 years. I would recommend this book to almost everyone. While Ender's Game was written to be enjoyed for 10 years and older, this seems to be more geared to the older crowd. Both have many different levels of understanding and there are so many "outside-of-the-box" concepts that it can really make you think about the possibilities. After reading this, I REALLY want to read The Hive Queen and the Hegemon refered to in the book but know that it doesn't exist.
I hope that if you haven't read these stories, that you would concider this. It was very well written and Orson Scott Card is a master story teller. Having read now 4 of his books, I can truthfully say that his sci-fi mastery and exceptional story telling make his books a joy to read.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Avert Tragedy... Plan Ahead
I'm struggling with a title for this blog to really indicate the subject matter of this blog. So, I'll write the blog and maybe it'll come to me.
For those of you that don't know, I work part-time at Albertson's as both a cashier and a night-time manager. Last night, I was the manager. This week, I don't want to be there at all because Smith's is closed all week.
The information that we have is that Smith's is remodeling and was to be partially open during the remodeling. Well, rumor has it that someone did something that caused a part of the roof to collapse and so, they have been closed all week as of last Saturday. They will re-open this Saturday but in the mean time, we are getting a lot of thier shoppers during their crisis.
Add to that problem that we are understaffed to begin with because we cannot find any qualified candidates to work as cashiers. So, we are able to be just busy enough for our normal shopping business but with the Smith's closure, we are just frantic.
Anyway, I'm not going to go into a lot of the supervisorial details but needless to say, at the end of the night, I have a LOT of work still to do. We are usually very excited to close and lock the doors right at midnight and last night was no exception. Exhausted, I hurriedly locked the door at midnight and then about 10 after, walked out the last customer. So, now we get to the reason for the blog......
Standing outside is this girl who tells me that she needs to buy bird seed. First of all, who buys bird seed at midnight? Duh!!! I told her we will re-open tomorrow morning at 6am. (It's actually the same morning because its after midnight but that's more of a technicality.) Anyway, her comment was, "Well, you just lost my business."
Oh my goodness!!!!! I'm so freakin' heartbroken... Woe is us!!!!!!!! Ok, now that there is a bit of dramatic sarcasm, I'm over that. I just found it very funny that someone would be so conceited that to think we are just going to say, "Oh, so sorry miss... I know we closed 10 minutes ago and our hours are posted on a BIG freakin' sign on the front of our building but we can't have your birds go starving, now can we... Let me rush you right in and help you get that right away!!!! Albertson's paying me overtime is so worth the purchase of BIRD SEED!!!" Sorry, that was more sarcasm again, right?
What gets me is she probably feels we owe her something because she came to shop at our store. I'll bet 10-to-1 that if the roles were reversed, she would have no problem telling someone that they were closed under the same circumstances. Not to mention, I'M NOT ALBERTSON'S! I only work there and they pay me a small wage to do so. Just as you work some where and they pay you a wage. You don't own the company and neither do I. I work for a living just the same as you and you don't get that we are all trying to work together. Be kind enough to acknowledge that the posted hours are when we are going to be open.
The only time I have ever made exception or will make exception is for medicine for a small child. Everything else can wait until morning. Better yet, PLAN AHEAD! Got pets? Make sure that when you fill their little food tray, that if you use the last, go to the store at a reasonable time within the next 24-hours and life is great? Don't have 24-hours worth? Shoulda thought about that when you did have 24-hours worth. Hello?!?!?! Doesn't take much.
So, now that I got that off my chest..... Back to the title.
For those of you that don't know, I work part-time at Albertson's as both a cashier and a night-time manager. Last night, I was the manager. This week, I don't want to be there at all because Smith's is closed all week.
The information that we have is that Smith's is remodeling and was to be partially open during the remodeling. Well, rumor has it that someone did something that caused a part of the roof to collapse and so, they have been closed all week as of last Saturday. They will re-open this Saturday but in the mean time, we are getting a lot of thier shoppers during their crisis.
Add to that problem that we are understaffed to begin with because we cannot find any qualified candidates to work as cashiers. So, we are able to be just busy enough for our normal shopping business but with the Smith's closure, we are just frantic.
Anyway, I'm not going to go into a lot of the supervisorial details but needless to say, at the end of the night, I have a LOT of work still to do. We are usually very excited to close and lock the doors right at midnight and last night was no exception. Exhausted, I hurriedly locked the door at midnight and then about 10 after, walked out the last customer. So, now we get to the reason for the blog......
Standing outside is this girl who tells me that she needs to buy bird seed. First of all, who buys bird seed at midnight? Duh!!! I told her we will re-open tomorrow morning at 6am. (It's actually the same morning because its after midnight but that's more of a technicality.) Anyway, her comment was, "Well, you just lost my business."
Oh my goodness!!!!! I'm so freakin' heartbroken... Woe is us!!!!!!!! Ok, now that there is a bit of dramatic sarcasm, I'm over that. I just found it very funny that someone would be so conceited that to think we are just going to say, "Oh, so sorry miss... I know we closed 10 minutes ago and our hours are posted on a BIG freakin' sign on the front of our building but we can't have your birds go starving, now can we... Let me rush you right in and help you get that right away!!!! Albertson's paying me overtime is so worth the purchase of BIRD SEED!!!" Sorry, that was more sarcasm again, right?
What gets me is she probably feels we owe her something because she came to shop at our store. I'll bet 10-to-1 that if the roles were reversed, she would have no problem telling someone that they were closed under the same circumstances. Not to mention, I'M NOT ALBERTSON'S! I only work there and they pay me a small wage to do so. Just as you work some where and they pay you a wage. You don't own the company and neither do I. I work for a living just the same as you and you don't get that we are all trying to work together. Be kind enough to acknowledge that the posted hours are when we are going to be open.
The only time I have ever made exception or will make exception is for medicine for a small child. Everything else can wait until morning. Better yet, PLAN AHEAD! Got pets? Make sure that when you fill their little food tray, that if you use the last, go to the store at a reasonable time within the next 24-hours and life is great? Don't have 24-hours worth? Shoulda thought about that when you did have 24-hours worth. Hello?!?!?! Doesn't take much.
So, now that I got that off my chest..... Back to the title.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Red...
| You Are Apple Red |
 You're never one to take life too seriously, and because of it, you're a ton of fun. And although you have a great sense of humor, you are never superficial. Deep and caring, you do like to get to the core of people - to understand them well. However, any probing you do is light hearted and fun, sometimes causing people to misjudge you. |
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Weather
Ok so as most of you know I am here in Decatur, Illinois. Its in central Illinois. We have been here for a little over 2 weeks and we have had some interesting weather. It rained the first few days and it was not bad. Still kinda cool and what not. Then it heated up fast. We went from 60 degrees to 90 in like 2 days. But the glorious thing about the middle of the US is that they have this wonderful stuff called humidity. Ok so we do have it in Utah but we have nothing like this. It is around 80 degrees here and with the humidity if feels close to 100. But really thats not the worst part. The worst part is now when it rains there is a mist that stays in the air. Seriously you walk out and there is dew on the grass mist in the trees, mist in the air and its still hot. Its almost like when your camping in trees but usually its cool there here no. So today I wake up a little late so I decide to order pizza. I was tired cuz Jaxon decided to freak out at bed time (he's teething and he sucks at it). Then about 1-2 hours into my lovely sleep we get one of the loudest craziest thunder storms I have ever heard. Rained like mad and the thunder was one right after another and sounded like it was right on top of us. Very crazy. Anyhow... I order pizza papa john's of course and they won't deliver because I don't have a local phone number so I have to go pick it up. Now here is where we have issues. We live in a apartment and our neighbors across the hall are of another ethnicity. Not sure what but their is a stench coming from their apartment that basically smells up the entire hallway and then at the end of the hall we have in home smokers and it seeps out as well so basically It smells so bad you have to hold your breath if you don't want to throw up. Opening the doors to the building won't help because we have yet another stinky problem. We I guess are in the Soy Capital of the world or something like that. Basically they have a very large soy plant here and on one of my ventures around town I drove by it and ugh. Even filters can't keep the smell out. Well I am sure you can guess it. When you mix heat, humidity, soy, ethnic food, and cigarette smoke it is the worst combination of smells and will make you gag if not throw up. One of our guys have cuz of the hall way. I can say thank goodness for central air and a towel at the bottom of our door. I did put a very good plug in air freshner in the hallway that sadly is doing nothing. It is the same kind that I can drop a few drops in my Hyla vacuum and it makes my entire home smell good. Lets just say it is not helping much in the hallway. The combo is just to potent for it.
I guess what I am getting at is be greatful for good clean air. And if you produce stinky air. Be kind bathe, clean your home and air things out. There are other people in this world that would like to keep their food down when the go out. And as far as stinky cities well I found one of the stinkiest....
I guess what I am getting at is be greatful for good clean air. And if you produce stinky air. Be kind bathe, clean your home and air things out. There are other people in this world that would like to keep their food down when the go out. And as far as stinky cities well I found one of the stinkiest....
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