she finally loses a tooth

Toothless Zoë

Zoë finally lost her first tooth. Since the beginning of the school year, nearly a year ago, she’s wanted to lose a tooth. Why? Because all of her friends had lost a tooth. Not just her friends, but EVERYBODY in her class. Seemed a little dramatic to me, but you know how little girls can be…DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA! So finally, about a month ago, she had her first loose tooth. With all the excitement of Christmas morning, she told us all about it. She even wanted us to feel how loose it was. What she didn’t know was that it would take just over a month to finally fall out. Or in her case, get twisted out. Apparently, one of her friends told her to just grab it and twist it. So she did and it popped right out. “It didn’t even hurt”, she said. So congratuations to Zoë for the lose of her first tooth. But this isn’t the end of the story.

With a lost tooth comes a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Pretty typical happening for a lot of families, right? Anna and I figured we’d sneak a dollar or two under her pillow when she fell asleep, but then that all changed when Zoë mentioned that her friend got a Webkinz AND $5 from the Tooth Fairy. Hmmm…Houston…we have a problem. I wasn’t about to go out and get her a Webkinz just because her friend, who is obviously spoiled by her parents, got one. It was time for Plan B. As luck had it, Anna had recently purchase a small book, a tube of lip-gloss, some fingernail polish, and some hair clips. Since we didn’t want to completely ruin Zoë’s idea of the Tooth Fairy, we decided these little gifts would be perfect for the “special” first tooth. (We made a point of explaining that the first tooth lost was the special one where you get a special gift.) So when Zoë awoke, she was quite pleased w/ her gift from the Tooth Fairy. It wasn’t a Webkinz, but then again, she loves books. Hopefully this doesn’t happen again the next time she loses a tooth. She’ll be sorely disappointed, because I don’t plan to make this the norm.

easter sunday 2009

It’s oddly strange to be celebrating Easter in our own home. Most years we travel to my sister’s house for the holiday. This year Cam had to server breakfast at church to help raise money for the summer mission trip, so we weren’t able to make it to my sister’s house. I was bummed at first, but then it dawned on me…this was our first holiday in our new home.

Anna and Cam got up early and made it to the church by 6:00 am to help serving breakfast. Zoe and I slept in until 6:30 am before we had to prepare for church. To Zoe’s surprise, the Easter Bunny had come and left a basket right outside her door.

Easter church service was excellent, as always. Of course we’ve only made it to Easter service twice in the last 8 years. Again, this is because we’re not here to go…we’re typically in Kansas. After the service, we sat at Cam’s table, where he served us breakfast. The eggs, pancakes, and sausage was very good, and the money we left in the basket will go to a good cause. Cam was doing an excellent job of serving in the name of the Lord. As much as he complained about having to get up early and serve breakfast, I think he actually enjoyed the experience.

After church, Zoe and I stopped by my favorite coffee shop (Roasters Coffee House) and had a quick cup of coffee. After wishing the manager a Happy Easter, we headed home to see if Anna was working hard on one of my favorite things about the holiday…Easter Dinner.

Anna was cooking up a storm when we got home. The menu was quite excellent. Spiral Ham (honey glazed), garlic baked mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, fresh rolls, carrots & celery, wine, and carrot cake for dessert. The house smelled wonderful.

As we gathered around the table to enjoy a wonderful meal, I turned on some light classical music (courtesy of Iowa Public Radio), and started the fireplace. We gave thanks to the Lord for a wonderful meal, and we enjoyed our first Easter dinner together in our new home. It was really nice.

The remainder of the day will be spent in a food coma, watching some TV with the family, and enjoying leftovers for supper. It’s very peaceful here today, and I’m making the most of it.

Happy Easter to you and your family.

- the UB

did you miss me?

Blogging is one of those things I could take or leave, and of late, I’ve been leaving it. I honestly didn’t intend to take the last month or so off from blogging, I just couldn’t find the time – and when I did have the time, I didn’t have the ambition. I think this largely had to do with my mood. Life can be hectic at times, and the last couple months have been exactly that.

At least things are coming to a sustainable pace. We’re in our new home, and only days away from throwing a housewarming party. That doesn’t mean we’re completely settled, it just means we’re as close as we’re going to be before Spring gets here.

Work has been a little stressful these past couple months as well. You may think that has more to do with the economy,  and to some degree I guess it does. Mostly it’s because I’ve been moved to a new team. There was an opening and I was asked if I’d be interested in moving positions. The only real issue is the transition period. Instead of making a clean break from one team to the other, I’ll be slowly transitioning over the next 6 months. So that means I’ll be on both teams in a 50/50 role. That also means trying to please two managers…sounds like the perfect storm, doesn’t it?

On the plus side, I’ve missed a few days of work due to a two week cold from hell. Why is it I always catch a cold this time of  year? I just can’t seem to catch a break…but I’m not complaining. Things are still good…

Other than these few busy, non-fun things, I’ve also had a few positive things to keep me busy. I just joined a new book club for software developers in the Cedar Rapids area. I look forward to learning a few new things because of this experience.

I’ve also had the chance to work on a couple of freelance projects. This of course means higher earnings (on the side), and who doesn’t like a little extra money.

So now that I’m out of excuses, I’ll see if I can find some additional time to blog about the family, and hopefully a few technology things. Check back and let me know if you want to hear anything specific.

- the UB

my wife’s beef pizziola

A request was made for my wife’s recipe of Beef Pizziola, and she has been kind enough to share with the world. This recipe is one that was handed down by her mother, Betty, and it’s one of my favorites. But then again, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy.

Beef Pizzaiola
The original recipe:

1 chuck roast, 2-3 lbs
Unseasoned meat tenderizer
1 14 oz can tomatoes
¾ tsp oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
¼ tsp salt
Dash pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
8 oz Mozzarella cheese

Tenderize meat as suggested by manufacturer.

Cut meat into serving pieces then reassemble in the original shape in a shallow baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Try to use a dish that is a good fit for the meat (i.e. not too big).

Drain off half the juice from the tomatoes and reserve; break up tomatoes with a fork.

To tomatoes, add oregano, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Mix and pour over meat. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over all.

Bake in 350° oven uncovered for about 90 minutes or until tender. Look at meat occasionally, and add some of the reserved juice if the bottom of dish is getting dry.

When meat is tender, top with slices of mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and golden.

Serve with mashed potatoes, and use tomato mixture as a sauce over the potatoes like you would gravy.

Anna’s changes:

Omit meat tenderizer and vegetable oil. Instead of baking in the oven, place meat and all other ingredients (except cheese) in crock pot. Cook on low for about 6 hours or until tender. Add cheese and cover, until melted.

I think I’ll make Anna’s recipes a regular post, maybe one a month. So if you’re looking for some good recipes, come back and I’ll see what I can do.

Happy Eating!

- the UB

more progress

Like kids in a candy store, we can’t control ourselves, so we stop by pretty much everyday to check on progress. Today, to my surprise, the siding was finally completed and the kitchen cabinets were going up. According to our builder, all the wood should be installed by the end of the week. That would include cabinets, window casings, doors and moldings, and all the floor boards.

I’m really impressed with the siding on the front of the house – it really gives the house that mission style we’re going for. Anna is more excited about the kitchen cabinets, and I guess I can’t blame her – the kitchen is her baby. For me, it means all the cabinets that have been stored out in the garage are finally out and I’ll be able to see my garage floor again – and the garage is my domain.

I’ll leave you with a handful of additional pictures.

Doors to the Media Room

Kitchen cabinets going in.

To see more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/urbanbigfoot/NewHomeConstruction.

- the UB

destain is down

I stopped by the new house today to check on progress and I was pleasantly surprised with how the quarter sawn oak hardwood floors have turned out. The stain has the deep red tone we were hoping for. I think the color is even better than we expected and matches our cabinets and doors almost perfect.

Speaking of cabinets and doors, they’ve begun the installation of both. The doors look great. Again, we’re thrilled with the stain color and we can’t wait to see all the woodwork, including cabinets, complete.

I’m not going to waste too much time with this post, I just had to get these latest pictures up for all to see. You can checkout all the new pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/urbanbigfoot/NewHomeConstruction.

- the UB

slow and steady wins the race?

If you’ve followed any of what I’ve said about our new home construction, you might remember a date thrown out here and there in relation to when we’d be in our new home. I think I may have started with a date somewhere in the range of Thanksgiving. Then I mentioned some delays that put the date near Christmas. As Christmas came near, it was obvious that we were looking at early January. Now that it’s January, guess what’s happened again? Did you say, “another delay”? Well if you did, pat yourself on the back and shut the hell up!

The new date, and final as far as I’m concerned, is January 26th. After seeing the progress made over the last week, I feel absolutely confident that we’ll be in by this date. Our builder, Ben Heath of Heath Construction, has assured us that he can complete the job by January 26th. Ben has done a great job on the house, and we’re very excited to get moved in. I know I’ve complained a few times about the delays, but in reality, I completely understand delays. As a software developer, I understand how seemingly small things can cause enormous delays. I’m just thrilled at the results of the process – all the fine details are coming together.

Yesterday they stained the hardwood floors and put the first coat of sealer on. This morning they’ll add the final coat of sealer and by the end of the day, we’ll be able to walk on the new floors. I’m excited to see them completely finished.

The interior doors and all the woodwork are being installed over the next week. This includes the kitchen, bathroom, and wet-bar cabinets – all details that start to bring the house together. I’ll upload more pictures in the next few days as the details start to appear.

- the UB

the top 5 list of 2009 new year’s resolutions

It’s that time of year again, time for the “Top 5 List” of New Year’s Resolutions. Since my flaws run deep and wide, I need a list of 5 to scratch the surface. So here it is folks, the “Top 5 List”:

1. More Family Time

Work and family can be a real juggling act some days. My wife and I both work during the day and we spend a good portion of our evenings carting our kids around to athletic, church, and social events. This year I’d like to make more time for family events. Simple things like a family night to watch movies or play board games, to more adventurous outings like hiking the local trails and camping.

2. Make New Friends

It’s easy to get comfortable in my own little world. This year I want to spend more time networking and meeting new people who have similar interests.

3. Make Exercise More of a Priority

I need to stop finding excuses not to exercise. I pay for a gym membership, so this year I’d like to start using it more regularly.

4. Be More Organized

It’s not that I don’t know how to be organized, I just lose the drive to do so. This year I’d like to focus on keeping my calendar up-to-date, my inbox free of excessive email, and organize all my news feeds. Since I spend a great deal of time in front of a computer, if I start w/ a few simple organization tasks, maybe organization will span into other areas of my life.

5. Help Out More Around The House

I’m not ashamed to admit it – my wife does way more around the house than I do. Sure, I mow the lawn and fix things when they break, but she does most of the cooking and cleaning – the day to day tasks. This year I want to share more of the load around the house, like cooking, cleaning, and laundry.

This year, my list was published in an article by Jamie Kelly of The Gazette. You can read the article here: http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081231/NEWS/712319994/-1/rss01&rssfeed=rss01

- the UB

company christmas parties

The Holiday Season is upon us, and the company Christmas parties have come and gone. Our department of 80+ employees had our party at Touch of Class here in Cedar Rapids. They cater a nice meal, provide an open bar, and give away some nice gifts. We keep it pretty mild, so to speak. The White Elephant gift exchange can get pretty crazy, especially when there are so many nice bottles of wine and booze to unwrap and steal. Then we break out various card and board games to finish off the afternoon…yes I said afternoon, as we bail out early (half a day to be exact) so not to conflict with other engagements. All-in-all, a very nice and low-key event.

Now Anna’s company Christmas party…well that’s a different story…

Anna works for GoDaddy.com, and anyone who has heard of GoDaddy.com has probably heard about their Super Bowl commercials at the very least.  Bob Parsons, the owner and President of the company, is not a guy who knows the meaning of low-key. On the contrary – he’s the guy who pushes the threshold, goes over-the-top, makes a lot of noise…I think you get the picture.

Let me start by saying Bob knows how to throw a party. He did not disappoint this year to say the least. The Christmas party was held in Phoenix, AZ – not far from where their corporate HQ is located. GoDaddy decided that instead of throwing several satellite parties for all the other locations like Iowa and Colorado, he would instead fly all the employees and one guest out to Phoenix to partake in one spectacular event at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix. GoDaddy picked up the air fare and hotel expense, and we were responsible for all of our other meals and miscellaneous expenses. Pretty cool, eh? We certainly thought so, and we jumped at the chance to get away for the weekend, regardless of how exhausting it may be.

We flew out on the Friday evening before the party and arrived in Phoenix around 1 AM Central. All of the employees were staying at the new downtown Sheraton Hotel, which was very nice. It was way fancier than anything I would have stayed if it were on my dime.

On Saturday, we took it pretty easy during the day. The weather was perfect – low 70’s and sunny. With all the stress of building a new home, Anna and I wanted to enjoy the day w/o any real plans – just do whatever – or nothing at all.  So we traveled out to get a cup of coffee and a quick bite to eat. Then at about 10:30 AM, we wandered over to a nearby movie theater to see a movie. I don’t think I’d ever been to a movie theater at 10:30 in the morning before that day. We saw “Four Christmas’s”, which was funny and entertaining as well as perfect for the season. After the movie, we ventured back to the hotel and decided to sit next to the pool and read for awhile. Again, a very low stress activity that we enjoyed very much. The rest of the afternoon was more of the same…leisure, lazy, lounging…etc, until it was time for the party.

The party was like no other I had ever been to. It was in a baseball stadium for one. All the seating was on the playing field, right on the dirt and turf – pretty cool. As we walked in, you could see all the seating from the main deck around the stadium. You could see all the catering stations, seating, the bar, and the stage.

We made our way down to the field to find some seats at a table close to the bar and the food. There was music playing over the sound system as people filtered in over the next couple hours. There were hors d’oeuvres and drinks available, and there were all sorts of games around the perimeter of the field. Around 7 PM or so, the food was ready, and it was awesome.

The rest of the night was comprised of 3 entertainment acts, prize giveaways, a laser light show, and some fireworks. The entertainment was a comedian, Sinbad; 38-Special, and Joan Jett. Sinbad was hilarious, but our favorite part of the night was Joan Jett performing. She can still rock…I was very impressed. I just wish I could have caught one of her guitar picks.

Bob gave away loads of cash and prizes throughout the night, but as usual, Anna didn’t win a damn thing. She just isn’t lucky like that. The only real luck she’s had in life was meeting me

I hope Bob does this again next year. It was a great little getaway for us, and definitely the best Christmas party I’ve ever attended.

You can view more photos online at http://picasaweb.google.com/urbanbigfoot/GoDaddyHolidayParty2008AZ.

- the UB

2 hours of bell ringing

Our family has been very fortunate over the years, and during the holiday season especially, we like to find ways to give back to the community. We always give a gift to the “Giving Tree” at church; we donate a gift to “Toys for Tots”; and we give to the United Way. This year, my Kiwanis Club, the Hiawatha-CREW Club, decided to volunteer time to the Salvation Army as bell ringers, so Cam and I signed up for a 2 hour time slot. I wanted Cam to know that giving money isn’t the only way to be charitable – that volunteering one’s time is just as integral in helping others as writing a check for a cause.

I wasn’t sure how Cam would react to the idea of standing in 20-degree temps (with a very cold wind) ringing a bell for 2 hours, but I really wanted him to be a part of this tremendous volunteer effort – an effort the Salvation Army started back in 1891. To my surprise, Cam really enjoyed the experience. I was very proud of him for his spirit and eagerness to help. Even when his toes were freezing and he could hardly feel his fingers, he kept ringing the bell and saying, “Thank-you, and have a nice day”.

The experience was very uplifting for me, especially with the downturn in the economy. I was amazed at the generosity of the people who walked by. Many people would dig into their pockets for spare change, but many would go out of their way and deposit anywhere from a few dollars to $20 or more. It was a great example of the true spirit of Christmas.

Cam and I have a new found appreciation for the good people who volunteer their time to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. It may seem like a very small and insignificant thing as you pass one of them by as you enter the warm department store, but when you’re standing out in the cold, fingers and toes frozen, you realize how much of a sacrifice each individual has made over the years. One of the neatest things that happened that day was when a woman came up and bought Cam and I a cup of hot chocolate. She wanted to thank us for our contribution – and I think that made a huge impression on Cam. I know I’ll never forget it.

If you’re looking for a way to give back this Christmas season, and maybe you don’t have the resources to donate monetarily to a charity, I say to you, get out and volunteer. There are many great charities in your community and all of them need volunteers. Ringing the bell for Salvation Army is only one way to help…there are food banks and shelters that need extra help this time of year. Reach out and lend a hand…I guarantee you won’t regret it. In fact, I bet it’s an experience that you’ll never forget.

- the UB