My how the time flies!

Well, after a lot of planning (mostly by my beloved), I took the family down to Disney World for a vacation. With limited time, because I am trying to catch up on so much here are a few quick points...

1) Pay close attention to the times of all parades in each of the parks. I don't care how (not) crowded it is, these always draw crowds - and they make it very hard to move around. On the flip side... the wait times on most rides drops WAY off! ;-)

2) I highly encourage everyone to plan, plan, plan. Even though we had to rearrange our plans, knowing which rides were maybe a little scary (especially for DS2 - my Aspergers, or Aspie) was very helpful. Also knowing what rides might be closed. Also, unless you abszolutely have to... don't go to the sit down resteraunts all the time. A lot of the 'counter services' had about 75% of what the sit downs did, for a pretty good bargin. Also, my beloved and I split most of our meals. We saved a LOT of money this way.

3) One of our friends had warned me about the pin trading thing (as he and his family went about 18 months ago), but I was not fully prepared for what it was all about. For the most part I kept my kids away from this 'experience', but one can hold back the tide only so long. :) One day we all went to the Indiana Jones "Stunt Spectacular", but for some reason this freaked out my little darling, so being the dutiful father I am, I took her with me to wait outside until the show was over. She was crying so hard (and this was only five minutes into the show), that I walked over to a nearby vending area (these are all over the park BTW) to just try and distract her. Well, she saw the Princess 'starter' lanyard and four pins, so I bought it for her (I also bought her a 'Belle' pin because she is her favorite princess - and she had a Princess breakfast with her the day before). Well, DS1 kind of caught on and he asked for one too. He was a little more genaric in his choices, opting for one that showed all four of the theme parks, and a pin of his favorite ride - The "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror". (I later bought him one for "Expidition Everest" because we rode that together - twice). Finally I caught some interest in it, but my desires were a little more specific. I wanted a "Tron Pin". Unfortunately, we travelled to Disney about 6 weeks too late. :*( That has not stopped me though... As soon as I got home I went to eBay and sought out what might be available. Since then I have purchased this beauty -->

What can I say... I am a geek. I also bought a pin lanyard, not to display pins on (although the Tron one might find it's way), but to use for my ID badge at work.

4) Make sure you try and see it all, or at the very least know that it may be impossible to see it all - slow down, enjoy what you can. It really is an amazing place. The details they put into everything. The building exteriors. The decorations that adorn the wait lines for the various rides... we deliberately went during a 'non-peak' week, and there is a (very) small part of me that regrets that we did not have longer waits for some of the rides. I am one who likes to look and read things, but there just wasn't enough time.

5) There is something at Disney for pretty much everyone. From the Dumbo ride, to a Carousel, to live shows, to interactive features (the Laugh Floor was great!), to roller coasters, to just scenery. And they do a great job of keeping it clean. I saw families with little babies and toddlers having a great time, and I even rode a bus with three elderly people (a husband and wife, and a mother of one of the two) - they were all there having a good time.

6) If God so provides (the only reason we went this year was because it looked like I was going to be deployed, and my beloved really wanted to make sure she had a trip to remember for the kids - in case I was not at home), I would love to take the family back down. I'd really like to take just a time for just me and my beloved (probably when the kids are grown). It is very expensive (although there are some great deals to be had so shop around), and there are a lot of better ways to use the resources God has provided... but it was a highly memorable journey.


And in other news...


I was able to catch about half of this weeks Heroes episode. Hiro suprised me... I have had nightmares (as a kid) about what he did to 'Kensei'... I still like the Hiro charecter... but what he did disturbed me.

I am about 75% of the way through last weeks 'The Unit' episode and I must say... I am liking Bob (aka "Cool Breeze") more and more as this show goes on. I am interested in seeing how he deals with his troubles. Although the Chaplin (CPT Lantz) has only made two appearences - but I am liking him as well.

The WV Mountaineers really embaressed me while I was on vacation... *sigh*, but then again, they seem to choke when on the national stage. They had two bowl appearences where they choked both times... it will be interesting to see what they do this year.

Well, I am going to wrap this up before it takes until tomorrow to complete. I'll probably have more to say about my trip in the coming days.... but I will leave you all with the one pin I was most desperate to find for my own collection - even more than the Tron pin... God bless...





Verse for today:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Day 11 of 12

I am dragging this morning. Each morning seems to come just a little bit earlier. This daylight savings thing is really wearing on me. The "fall back" thing... isn't it supposed to give us an extra hour of sleep or something!?! - lol Since my body's internal clock is still working off of the old time system it still wants to wake up at it's normal time - but I am in effect going to bed one hour later. And the kids 'internal clocks' are also still set - so they are in effect getting up earlier than they need to... thus dealing with tired cranky kids while trying to get them to do their homework is wearing on the old nerves as well. But it's all good. We are coming into the 'Holiday stretch' where there is practically an extra day off every day of the week until sometime in February (I'm just kidding, but there are a lot of them between now and mid-February) - that, along with the vacation I have to "use or lose" should make up for the rest. :) But back to me being tired. I've been so tired this week that I've taken to drinking one 12oz Mt. Dew in the afternoon. This is really counter productive because, 1) it upsets my stomach a little, 2) the residual affect of the super-caffine they use keeps me up a little later at night, thus making me more tired the next day. It's reminded me of the months after DS2 was born. I was commuting over 100 miles to/from work, plus helping my beloved with DS1 and DS2. I was drinking 2 20oz Mt. Dew's a day! Soda in general is not really good for you, but I think Mt Dew is on a whole other plane. I love the taste (not as much as Dr Pepper, but that's a different story), and I do enjoy the extra energy that I get from it - but I can feel the after affects from it too. Last night I finally caught up on this weeks episode of Heroes. I think I am 'addicted' to this series. I am really getting into this show. I had suspected some of what was going to happen to Hiro, not the 'betrayal' of Kensei - but how the 'travel back' would end up. Also, this 'Adam' - I was all over that. Still, there are so many twists and turns it has really kept my intrest. Claire's dad... man that is a hate-love-dunno-hate kind of deal going on there. And the graphic novels on-line! Very gripping... some really good additional info there. Some of the charecters have "switched sides" (i.e. 'good' or 'evil'), but heroes like Hiro have pretty much remained 'true'. Over all it feels like the charecters are pretty human. There are times when it feels like the writers are hurrying things along - like Kensei's turn from drunkard to "hero" (but then it makes more sense after this last episode), or the relationship between Peter and Caitlin feels rushed. But then, these episodes are not like '24' - they do not 'flow' from hour to hour, but they can jump from day to day, or even weeks. My beloved does not like this series so I don't think it will be on any wish list, but I am really enjoying it so far. I mean, who did not dream of being able to fly, or run really fast, or do some other kind of super-human feat? Verse for today: Luke 13:22-30, ESV He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

HTML, part II - and a snipet about "Heroes"

Well, even before Susan was kind enough to remind me about how we can either allow others a chance at a blessing (by serving others, even if we are not in need), or we can squelch it - I contacted a friend of mine. I asked him if he does that kind of thing for fun, which he does. I just need to make the time to go meet with him and we can sit down and talk things over. Who knows, maybe I can have a spiffy page like my "blog friends" Susan and Linda. :) I have been keeping up with Heroes and The Unit again this year. With all the stuff going on I rarely watch the shows live any more. Especially because my beloved does not like Heroes - it disturbs her somehow. I've especially enjoyed Hiro and his journey through Feudal Japan (a real surprise, eh?). I'm not sure how many people would have known that "Kensai" means "sword saint", but the charecter is anything but. I do not want to give anything away one way or another. But it has been interesting that several charecters have been in New York - again - after some kind of disaster like occurance. The story is definetly ramping up for another kind of showdown next Spring. The Unit is fun because of my interest in Special Ops - especially military style ones. The producers have done a pretty good job in keeping costs down, while keeping the story lines interesting. I've especially enjoyed the season 2 cliff hanger, and the season 3 opener. Like the guys in dark suits and sunglasses would ever play fair. ;-) Those two shows, along with any NFL game I can get on the tube, is pretty much all I'm willing to watch on TV anymore. Just another rambling blog entry... Verse for today: Proverbs 1:1-7, ESV The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Misc. thoughts...

No man is worthy to succeed until he is willing to fail. No man is morally worthy of success in religious activities until he is willing that the honor of succeeding should go to another if God so wills.

I have subscribed to the "Tozer Daily Devotional" by Literature Ministries International, and it has been useful in pointing out things to think about. The quote above has been useful in my life of late. Especially in regards to my walk with the Lord. Although it is probably not directly recognized as such, it has really helped me re-evaluate my walk with the Lord - and my motivations. That and a few other things. :) Last night was pretty fun. "Transformers" was a fun popcorn munching, sci-fi, special affects, movie. It was pretty cheesy in place (ever hear a robot space alien 'preach' about the nobility of man...?), but over all it was fun to watch. Big Mama - to answer your question... I've only seen the 'Heroes' season premier, it was a lot like last years start. It was setting up the 'players' in their plot lines. Not much else going on. I have this weeks episode DVR'd and hope to get to that later this week. Between that show, 'The Unit', and any and all football I can watch, my TV time is pretty much taken. lol Verse for today: Psalm 94:10-15, ESV He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge— the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath. [1] Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.