Some pic's I found on the net

Neosho was a great town to grow up in. I have good memories of the "Store", our family carpet business that was located in the IOOF building on the square. Here are a few pictures of that building, and the alley next to it. This is where Town & Country Carpet and Sleep Centre was located for several years. I experience a flood of memories each time I see this building. I think of the sidewalk sales, fall festivals and Christmas parades that used to annually clog the streets.

Every year the town shut the square off to traffic to hold the Annual Sidewalk Sale. I remember the Kiwanis BBQ shack smelling oh, so good when the chicken was cooking on the grill. I remember kids running around with pea shooters, and folks selling bread and pastries from their trucks. This was also a time to make some money selling carpet "squares", or samples that were from discontinued colors and patterns.

Times have changed. I would imagine the only time the square is full of people these days is during a big trial at the Courthouse. While there are still stores open for business, many businesses seem to have closed up shop. Gone are the annual sidewalk sales, the smell of great BBQ, etc... Funny, I don't miss those events as much as what happened inside the "store". I would spend days dreaming about college, reading the Grit newspaper, and looking forward to our trips to Colorado. Sometimes those days would even be punctuated with a quick trip for coffee at the restaurant off the square (can't remember the name), or ordering excellent burgers from R&W's. At least I think that was the name of the restaurant. This is also where we absently celebratated Nicholes 1st birthday. She was the first grandchild. Dad played Alabama on the stereo and everyone got misty-eyed because this little girl was growing up.

These days I still daydream about life. The location changes, but never the memories. They are good ones.

I remember a funny Eddie Murphy sketch from the 80's, where he was imitating an old lady..."Baby, it's cold out here" was one of his lines. I couldn't agree more. This picture was taken when the weather was in the relatively balmy 50's. Boy am I ready for Spring, but not before a doozy of a snowstorm. There's something fun in the air when it snows. No pun intended. Maybe I can talk Geri into a nice little ski trip after I pick up Everlie.

Ahhh, it's that time of year. American Idol. I love when the series starts, because it really shows youthful enthusiasm at it's finest...notice I didn't say talent at it's finest. It's interesting how the producers edit some contestants' lives. Take for example the punk girl wanting to be a vet. She was a bit off the deep end, but I think she had a decent voice... too strange for this competition. I also liked the story of the young mother who is doing this for her little girl who has some disabilities. It is a sweet story, but she has some great pipes.

It's too bad they didn't have American Idol 20 years ago. My vote on the male side would be Andy Crum with his guitar. Now that's talent. If you know him, let him sing for you.

I recommend you check this video out:
The Gospel According To Blaine

"I want to watch Caillou" (rewind and listen again to infinity). Oh yeah, crank the volume increasingly louder.
This chant is reverberating around the house tonight. This loud outburst instinct is like the shark that glazes his eyes during the predatorial attack. This is his singular mission. Nothing else matters but to watch that sly, bald-headed Canadian backtalking meddlesome toddler with the French name.

Benny is not going to watch Caillou. We are all smiles today (but not too euphoric to discipline our sweet Guatorean).

Life in the fast lane.
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Want to know why we are all smiles? We rec'd all the acknowledgments from the government. If all goes well, I'll get the call to pick Everlie up within 30 days. While she might be screaming when I pick her up, at least she won't be screaming for Caillou.

The finishing touches aren't quite done, but here is a video of Benny getting Everlie's room ready for her. As you can tell at the end of the video, the next meltdown will be the realization that Daddy cannot find the missing "Credibles book". That would be The Incredibles book that Benny obsesses over at nighttime.

I hope you have enjoyed the Holidays, and plan a purposeful 2008. Here are some of my highlights from this past week:

1. Cancelling plane tickets and spending time at home with my family.
2. Working on Everlie's room (pictures soon).
3. Taking Benny to the Des Peres Lodge, where he ran through the water geysers and was a tough guy in the wave pool.
4. Christmas Morning with Geri and Benny. I don't know who banged the drums more...Benny or Daddy.
5. Knocking out many things on our family To Do list.
6. Finishing the Kite Runner (what a great book). Geri was amazed that I actually read fiction.
7. Holding Jessie Gill at church. I have been wanting to do this for a long time, and for whatever reason went over to Laura during the sermon to give her a break. I truly admire their family. Not too many are willing to take care of babies that have many medical challenges and aren't long for this world like Jessie. I think he is a beautiful little boy that can touch lives if you let him.
8. Downloading this song. Hey, sometimes I like Top 40. Sean Kingston has an interesting past. While he is only 17, he probably feels a bit older. As a young kid he spent 21 days living in his Mom's car while she was incarcerated, and managed to start a nice singing career despite some obvious setbacks. Other than these facts, he and Fergie sound great together.

A Pirate Looks At 61 (with another drummer)

Jimmy Buffett turned 61 today. If he's looking to replace Robert Greenidge (trivia answer to the Coral Reefer drummer), here's your man!

Aside from the current child labor laws...he's got the look (what band doesn't want a drummer sporting a diaper and onesie), the charisma, the "it" factor. More importantly, the skills. He will also make the audience clap.

Mission Accomplished

This evening we laid low, having MiMi (ie: Amanda) over for dinner, then watching It's A Wonderful Life (while Benny obsessed over the DVD version of Frosty The Snowman...over and over, again). I ended up the evening putting together this sweet little drum set from Costco (despite it's missing a few parts), and watching a Rick Warren Christmas Special on TV, while everyone was snug in their beds waiting for Santa.

Oh yeah...Santa ate the cookies at 12:09am. Santa raved about the Sugar Cookies, but was very ambivilent about the Pillsbury Ginger Snaps. Although Santa understands that beggars can't be choosers, he politely requested Sugar Cookies and Snickerdoodles next year.

After reading Eric McPherson's most recent post (click on his blog to the right), I do understand how the actions of little kids can send you to the moon.

Thursday morning our wonderful son gleefully played with the running faucet in our bathroom. Usually not a big deal, but I was in the shower and didn't notice that the faucet was pointed outside the sink. I had to send him away....Geri has this thing about disciplining when displaying anger...I then mopped up our floor, then went downstairs. Our babysitter was wondering why water was dripping through the kitchen ceiling/wall. Again, not to display anger...I slouched my way to work, stinging from this issue and the fact that he took a marker to my headrest and door panel on the way to Avion's house the previous night.

Reminds me of Seinfeld....Serenity Now.......

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....our boy loves building snowmen, making snowballs, throwing snowballs, and finally tearinig down snowmen. What can I say...maybe we should move back to the mtns.

This other picture was taken at Mur's house on Thanksgiving. I have a beautiful family. I can't wait until the 4 of us can actually be in the same picture.

Sensing the coming snows, Benny squeezes in one last mulching before heading inside. It's never too late to earn some brownie points for Santa.