New Van and Free Stuff

So most of the family already knows this but last weekend we got a new minivan. Julie is very excited. So are the kids. We feel like we got a good deal and while this van doesn't have every convenience of the modern world it is very nice. The nicest thing about it is that we are no longer a one car family. Leaving my family stranded while I was camping was too stressful so we went ahead and got this.

My random thought for the day is to comment on the influence of free stuff. We had a training at work the other day and afterwards they gave us 'homework'. I would have done it under normal circumstances but then they offered a $25 gift card to the team that finished first. Well, I was sold. To add to the motivation, I was responsible for the majority of the task which meant that free stuff for other people was on the line. Well, this morning I turned in the work for the team and we were first. Now I just hope it was right so we get those gift cards. Well, it made me think about all the crazy stuff I have done for free stuff. T-shirts in particular can make me do crazy things like run a 5k. But I have my limits. I won't wait in long lines for free stuff. You put large crowds in lines for a long time for free stuff and the nasties come out of the woodworks. I have enough issues with people without putting myself around them when they get rude and mean. But I'll save that for another post and keep this one happy.

Thank-you everyone for your comments. It has been so fun to read them. Keep posting!

Glasses and Scouts

This blog was created with the intent on giving me a place to put down some of my thoughts on the things that happen. However, for my 'first' post I want to just show off my cute daughter and her new glasses. My daughter and I both got glasses this last week. I have actually worn glasses for most of my life so I just got new ones. However, these are the first glasses for my daughter. She is so excited. I don't know what inspired her enthusiasm but it is cute. I was worried that the kids at school would damper her excitement by making fun of her but so far everyone is being pretty nice.


So my wife's family is really into scouting. Actually, it's not that they are crazy about it, it's just that they are almost all Eagle Scouts. A few years ago my wife's family had a family reunion/birthday party for her grandmother at which they had a court of honor. If you haven't ever been to a court of honor, at one point they have all the Eagle Scouts come up and form an 'Eagle's nest'. Well, let's just say that I was one of a few males left sitting in the crowd and those others were just not old enough to be Eagle's yet. But no worries, I made a choice to not be a scout when I was young and I don't regret it one bit. I know that scouting has it's good side but I also have other thoughts that my wife has told me I am not allowed to say in the presence of her family. Anyway, she has always said that I will have my chance to be a leader in scouts so that I can learn to appreciate it. Well, a couple of weeks ago she got her wish because I was called to be an assistant scout master of the 11 year old scouts. This last weekend we had a overnighter and to say the least it was interesting. It turns out that 11 year old boys can't do anything except play in a fire. Actually, they are very capable but whenever we asked them to do anything it was "But I don't know how." Some were eventually willing to try and were usually successful. However, some never would try and whined and cried at every thing. It was sad to see what city boys these boys were. So as a result I have decided that it is my quest to make sure my kids are not afraid of nature touching them.