Leg-A.C.-y

I was asked once, "what things, about you, did you get from your dad?" I remember a few of the things i told them... "my hands," every time i see my hands, i think of my dad. They look the same, i think it's the knuckles. They even feel the same... i remember they would always feel kinda flat and solid... i don't know if that makes sense...

I got my silly nature from him for sure. I don't think it would be possible for that to ever escape our blood line. Pa-Paw Duck was the SAME way. Just goofy sometimes... I know i got that one.

The ability to make a good omelet. Lindey and I have really been enjoying that one. I think there are 2 things that make a great omelet. A really hot pan, and whipping the eggs. I think i may have one after i finish this blog.

There are tons of other things that my dad has inadvertently passed on, but the reason for my blog this morning is simply the ability to figure things out. This week it falls under automotive conundrums.

My Jeep, of 7 years, has had this little problem where the A.C. fan seems to short out. The compressor seems to work fine, but there is nothing blowing the cold air out unless i'm driving and the vent is just open. Since moving to Houston it's been off and on, just like it was in Dallas... but a good working A.C. is a very important thing here, especially as the summer months get closer. I used to be able to lightly tap the A.C. controls, on the dashboard, and the problem would be solved... but sooner or later, it would short out again and there i would sit... hot. (Lindey thinks it's all in my mind, that if i know the air isn't on, i will get hot even if it's 30º... she may be right)

Yesterday i did what i remember my dad doing many times as i was growing up. I started taking the car apart. See, there were some years where we didn't have what we have now. My brother and I may not have known much about it until later, but let's just say there were multiple jobs being worked just so we could make it each month. For that i'm very thankful... but during those times, a budget for car repairs wasn't even close to happening. So, Dad did it himself.

I remember many trips to the library so we could check out the mechanic's book on what ever car we were driving. 77' Buick, rebuilt 78' 280z, the old mini-van.... you name it, we checked it out. Then, home we went to figure out what was wrong with the car. That's where i learned to change brakes, change the oil & filter, spark plugs, thermostat... dare i say.... rack and pinion (12 hours we'll never get back). Of course dad did most of the work... a lot of my time was spent holding a flashlight, or running into the house to get us a glass of tea. Sometimes it was a quick fix, and sometimes it would have to be left until tomorrow, but almost every time we figured it out and found a way to fix it. I guess we figured that it was working before, it's not working now, something must have broken or worn out... if we look over it long enough and figure out how it's supposed to work, we can figure out why it isn't working. So we did.

And almost every time, his hands were in some tight space under the hood, one of those knuckles would scrape something on it's way out. That's when we could tell that we were finished. Somehow a part of his knuckle was always sacrificed.... and today.... my knuckles.

So, thanks Dad... for the many lessons on how to just figure it out. It's been a little while since i've worked on my own car so when i was sitting in the front seat of my Jeep yesterday, with the dashboard outside on the driveway, i thought back.

I've found that not everything can just be "figured out", but with most things if we will just look back at how something works, recognize that it's not working now, and be willing to sacrifice some time and a few scraped knuckles while we work on it... it can be fixed. It helps to have the manual handy.

Maybe i can pass this on to Espen. Even if we have the resources to take it to the shop, or call the repair man, I think we'll spend some time our selves under the hood. Maybe we'll figure it out, maybe we won't, but some day when he's in my shoes... maybe he'll remember like i did. Maybe it will help him figure things out sometime. Maybe it will just be time spent under the hood for no other reason but "time."

So... i figured out why my A.C. wasn't working. I fixed it... but maybe the reason it wasn't working was so i would get to remember what i just remembered.

r

Catch up

Here are a few recent pics of Espen.
He is now grabbing his feet and rolling over. He also laughed the other day for the first time from his belly. Ryan was talking to him in a silly voice and he really liked it. We'll put that video up soon. We weighed him the other day and he was 14.8lbs.
He's growing really fast it seems; every time he wakes up from the night, he looks different or older or something. I think we'll keep him.

-L

Fun with Daddy's mac

It looks like Espen has been playing with Photo Booth.

Dallas Daze

Lindey and I took a trip to Dallas this week in order to get the best nanny in the world back to her house. Lydia has been staying with us, but if you keep up with our blog, you would know that. SO... what's a trip to Dallas without a trip to visit everone we freaking know in Dallas. It's kinda been a long day today, but we LOVED every minute! Last night we came in and went to Lindey's parents and had dinner and grandparent time. We left there to come to my parent's house, only 15 minutes away, where we are staying while in town. Of course we are just "the ones who drive Espen around".... he's really who everyone wants to see.

So today we took a drive north. First, stopping at Highland Park Village to visit with Dragan and Elissa (i'm not even trying to spell their last name), whom we haven't seen since August or September. Then, while Elissa had to work, Dragan joined us for a lunch with Chris and Lindsay at what might be one of the best italian places in Dallas, Patrizio's. Though, the people who are usually there are probably my least favorite type of people in the world.... usually full of plastic people. But today it was quite empty... and quiet. So it made for a great lunch with great friends.

From lunch, Chris and Lindsay joined us for drinks at Starbucks.... where we talked about everything, but mostly Subaru. After an hour or so there, Lindey and I fought a little traffic on our way to Plano to see friends, Caleb and Aina, where we wandered around Willow Bend mall for a while before dinner at PF Changs. This dinner may or may not have included the great wall. And we may or may not have had the world's most intrusive, annoying waitress... AND they may or may not have skipped their child birth class just to hang out.

in all, the day was a success.... friends like these make long drives and no sleep well worth it. Friends who are just friends, who understand what it is to live and enjoy life. They don't judge, they don't have anything to prove, they don't hide, they just ARE! I highly recommend that everyone get at least one set of friends like these. We are blessed to have been with three sets of them today. Thank God for REAL friends... who don't over use the word "Real."

The only down side of our day is that we only took one picture, and it was taken when Lindey and I got back to my parents house and sat down to relax on the sofa. (see above)

comfy,
ryan

A visit with Lydia....

We had a wonderful time yesterday taking Lydia to Galveston. Lydia, my sis, has been staying with us for 8 days and she has to go back tomorrow....Its been so great having her here! She's not only funny and easy-going but she has been awesome with Espen. Espen seems to enjoy her. She sings to him and talks with him, and he'll talk back. I think I've only had to feed him. She offers to carry the baby seat to and from the car, she volunteers to change and burp him, she'll go up and get him out of his bed when he wakes up. What are we going to do without her? So yesterday we spent the day in G-town and it was so much fun! We took pics by the ocean, we went to the Strand (old-town Galveston), went to an Olde Sweet shop (called the candy factory), we took a ride on the ferry from Galveston island to the mainland and back. Then the very last thing we did was have dinner on Seawall with our friends after the sun disappeared. It was truly like we took a little vacation. We can't wait till Lydia comes back again!

Well, it's Thursday and i'm at rehearsal. I got hear a little early (as one should) so i could set up and be ready. So i'm sitting here while the vocals go over their parts for a bit. I'm sitting right in front of the drum cage, so when i lean back on the wall it feels like Logan's foot is going through my back... I like that feeling. Here's a picture of me, and there's one of logan. He's here early too. So, off to rehearse now. Oh... I'm getting my "Axe Trak" this weekend... no more having to play direct. Now i can have an amp on stage and not kill everyone's ears. YAY!!!!!!! TONE!!!!! FINALLY!!!!

ryan
(my first post)

Trip to D

I told Ryan that he can blog on this site whenever he wants but I love doing it so much, he really never gets a chance.

Espen and I went to Dallas a few days ago--just the 2 of us. He's a great traveler and it was a breeze taking him here and there. We stayed with my parents but he also got to see his Poppy and Gigi and cousins one night. When we go to Dallas there is always so much to do and we run out of time doing it all. I went to Dallas for my good friend Aina's baby shower so we arrived a couple days early to see Lydia perform in a benefit concert held at her church....she was incredible! I got to get my hair done by Nash my stylist, i went shopping with bro connor, visited my Grandparents (Nana and Baba) it was so great having brunch with them and for them to see Espen, and I also helped my parents out with their class that they teach at a bible college in Dallas.
I took a couple pics of my G'parents with Espen and I love these so much.

the End. (more later of course)

Royalty Sits on a Green Throne

Espen loves sitting up....he wants to pull up and out of his car seat. If he's laying too far back sitting in a lap he will pull forward. He's getting stronger at this...he'll have great abs! This is our solution to his wanting to "sit up but my head is too heavy for this" situation--the Green Throne.

(3 months and 3 days old now)