First Fish, Fashion and Friends

What a great weekend it was.  My oldest son (4) caught his first fish!

We had originally planned on going camping at the river, but the extreme heat advisory that was issued made me call off the trip.  Not sure I would be nominated for the Parent of the Year Award if I hauled my child off to a river slew when the thermometer was still reading 99 at 7 PM.  We instead opted for a early morning trip up the river.  It was much more about riding and swimming than it was fishing.  We headed home for a nap around Noon.  A friend invited us to his family's pond that evening and that's where kiddo became a pint-sized Bill Dance.  He caught 7 fish!  I think it ruined him for river fishing, but he had a blast.  It's a memory that I will cherish forever.

Still having trouble wrapping my mind around the jean diapers.  I'm just gonna let it go, LOL.  I'm not exactly what you'd call fashion suave.  Golf shirts and brown pants pretty much take care of my needs regardless of the occasion or social setting :)  What's that saying about those living in glass houses? ;)

The Lord has blessed me with some good friends.  I don't get to hang out with many of them anymore.  Life progresses, careers and kids come along.  We're still able to keep in touch, but I sometimes yearn for the good old days.  Is that "nostalgia" or just "getting old?"  One of my best friends is getting married soon.  He's one of the last to take the dive.  Looking forward to celebrating this happy time with him.  Many friends are entering parenthood as well.  I pray that all of them will take these two sacred duties seriously and always give 100% to making sure they are successful.  I pray that they'll also help remind me to do the same.

"Backing 'er down" and living a more simple life has really shown me that my responsibilities are few, but important.  If I can manage to glorify God and lead/provide for my family, everything else kind of falls into place.  Of course I fall short  in those areas regularly.  That's where the three F's come into play.  I Fish to clear my mind.  My Fashion choices remind everyone how NOT to dress and leaves more money for my wife and kids clothes.  And my Friends help keep me on track.

Pretty good plan I reckon.

Ya'll take it easy,

Alex

Huggies, Heat and Watermellons Galore!

Sometimes blogs take on a life of their own.  Many times they morph over time to become something far different than the original intent.  I'm not going there because I still fully intend on using this as a way to document my pursuit of a more simple life as I Back 'er Down.  However, I need to discuss a few things.  Maybe I can tie it back to the original concept at the end.  Let me preach on it.......

Huggies new denim patterned diapers have me very worried about society.  Never mind the fact that our economy seems to be on the verge of collapse and people are struggling to make ends meet.  That worries me less than the introduction of what is in essence designer underwear for babies.  Why do we need this?  Has the market shown us demand for it?  The demand at my house is an affordable diaper that the kids won't pee through.  I must be getting really old because I missed the fact that it's now cool to take your "youngin" out in public without pants on.  Not that long ago you would have been labeled "trash" for doing such a thing.  But oh, since the diaper is blue with faux denim stitches it's okay now?  I gotcha.  I just asked myself this:  If I had some denim patterned "tighty whiteys" would it be cool for me to wear those out in public?  Hell no.  If this is your thing....no problem!  I don't think any less of you.  I might laugh at you, but I'll still be your friend and I'll encourage you to laugh at me for being a stick-in-the-mud :)

They are setting up "cooling centers" up north.  Temps have climbed into the triple digits in the northeast causing mass panic and much gnashing of teeth.  Here's a newsflash:  It's July.  This pretty much happens every year.  I love AC as much as the next guy, but we've become so utterly sorry that it's pathetic.  Me included.  I need to toughen up my tubby self too.  That topic is going to make a really great blog soon.

Justin Bieber is the hip new thing.  I liked that act much better when it was Nelson.

I very much enjoyed a few days off with my family and my wife's family at the beach last week.  It was the first time that I could ever remember that I didn't absolutely despise going to the beach.  I'm a freshwater guy all the way.  This year though I was really looking forward to it and I had a pretty good time.  South Carolina has some nutty golf cart rules of which I was unaware though.  Apparently you have to insure and register your golf cart in SC.  Doesn't make much sense for me to do that as a GA resident who spends one week a year over there.  In looking over the laws I would be much better served to take my tractor next year.  I can 100% legally ride it all over the island with just a slow moving vehicle sign on the rear.  It's a thought.....

The 2010 edition of the Grovenstein Ponderosa Garden has come to a close.  Only a few hills of sugarcane remain and they will be there until the first frost.  we were able to put away a very very generous amount of snapbeans, corn, squash and tomatoes.  We still have plenty of potatoes to eat as well.  The watermellons did better than I would have imagined.  We picked over 30!  I had plenty of food for my family and plenty more yet that was shared with coworkers, neighbors and friends.  A small fall garden is on the horizon.

So I said that I would try to pull it together somehow.  Not a problem friends.  In my pursuit of a more simple life I have learned that babies really don't care what kind of diapers they wear.  You only have to find a brand that fits well and doesn't break them out in some funky rash.  I make sure my kids are dressed within our means and that they look presentable.  It's just less of a hassle when I don't care that "Mr and Mr's Smith's" kid has on a designer poop catcher.  That effort and money can be used to focus on the garden, paying off illegal golf cart tickets or on that swell new Justin Beiber CD.  It's all a matter of choice.  Whatever works best for you.

Ya'll take it easy.

Later,

Alex