Yes Jay, it is critical you know HOW TO CORE A STRAWBERRY...

...WITH A STRAW!!  I mean...I've always wondered about it..

We spent a little time with my folks last week over the 4th of July weekend and it's always a great visit!  Lake fun, lots of laughs, tubing and always good food and catching up..

THIS TIME THOUGH, I learned a valuable life skill...HOW TO CORE A STRAWBERRY WITH A STRAW!

My guess is there are millions of you who know how to do this already, but this was my maiden voyage in learning the art. I think you'll especially like the crazy (sound effects) guy making the "PLOP" sound in the recliner in the back.  THE GOOD NEWS IS...that caliber of talent runs throughout the family!

Take a look:



Y'all be good!

D-Tower in Downtown OKC! NICE!

Up D-Tower

FINALLY!...got to go out with my girls to look at lights and take them to dinner last night!!

We started in Downtown OKC at Devon Tower.  I'd have to say that Devon Tower is pretty incredible to stand next too.  It is, very literally, "larger than life" and is a great place to see, especially during Christmas. 

Big Steel

Downtown OKC's "Downtown in December" still produces the ice skating, snow tubing and other very cool activities...but having the D-Tower to visit is an added bonus! I was told recently (and I recall a newspaper article too) that the company that decorates NYC's Rockefeller Center was hired to decorate for Devon this year. So, this is a must see during Christmas break.  (Don't you wonder what that cost to get done...)

My ladies!

Pretty good lights downtown but nothing like the Chesapeake Campus at 63rd / Western. Those lights are just incredible! Check out this video I took a few years ago...since then it's even better.

Large P-Cones

Ended up eating at Upper Crust (pizza) later last night too! It's basically on the Chesapeake campus at the Classen Curve. Seriously good pizza!! Even saw Bob Barry Jr (local sportscaster)...and the door to the "Dough Room"!

For Bankers Only

My pics are from our visit last night to Devon! Those pine cones are massive and dangling from the center of the tower. And those ornaments were rather large too.

Merry Christmas friends!

It was a Happy Thanksgiving...SEE!!

Just a few pics from today's food and fun. The day was really gorgeous and it was literally raining leaves as the Fall breeze blew in the cool front late this afternoon.

Great to have all of the cousins together, they do enjoy each other.

I hope your family enjoyed a wonderful day!

You..."Can't stuff this.."

Thanksgiving is a special day.  Are you going anywhere this year?  Wherever it might be, please travel safely!

The food, family time and great football games - all good stuff!  Throw in all of the Christmas movies that start this week and "BOOM!", its a very full (and filling) few days.

Then there is the whole black Friday thing.  Gads, we might even go stand in line EARLY on that day ourselves or maybe even Thanksgiving night??  I thought we would get wiser as we got older...

Anyway, our family is very thankful for so many things.. Our entire Family, Faith, Community, Church Family, You and the list literally goes on and on and on.

I hope you have much to be thankful for too!  Write it down and keep a list in your pocket...it's always good to reflect on such things.

Ran across this video and it rekindled great memories from my days in Ada High School..  While the melody is the same, the lyrics have been adjusted a bit.  Enjoy and may the song stick in your mind like it did mine!

Hi, I'm an IMPACTAHOLIC!

Impact.

We all have an impact. Right?

Positive, negative, good or bad.

I wonder sometimes about mine.  As a husband, father, friend, subordinate, supervisor, member, follower and the list goes on and on.

When you think about it, we have like this continuous process of impacting others all day long... 

We are all impactaholics!

Just think about these areas of impact and how we influence others:

• actions we take, 
• things we watch and read,
• posts we make, 
• jokes we share,
• topics of discussion,
• how we rail against (any) politician,
• how we talk about our spouse, kids, employer, pastor, assistants, etc.
• lack of action or inaction..
• the list never ends.. 

So, how's your impact...


Check these links for LECRAE..and REACH RECORDS.

Our OKC Thunder game!!

I'm still laughing about it..

I got the family and some friends OKC Thunder tickets on (last) Monday night. We purchased seven.

We had a great time together with friends and the kids...but a series of things are still very humorous about that particular night.

FIRST: I should have known the jig was up when I learned our seven tickets were actually 2 on one corner of LOUD CITY (326 row P) and the other 5 in the total opposite (312 row P) side. This was literally the farthest distance across the entire Chesapeake Center.. Initially I was miffed, but I just laughed in the end.. We got to visit at halftime...

SECOND: Since when does Durant miss three pointers and get stuffed? THE NIGHT I TAKE MY FAMILY.. The number 1 team in the West - and they get beat by the Memphis Grizzlies? Really?

THIRD: I have heard about the cool half time shows at the Thunder games for a long time.. Dunkfests, Rock Stars, Heroes in the military, dancing Thunder Girls etc. WELL NOT ON THIS NIGHT! Wouldn't you know...the night we go to the game they (and I'm not kidding) had a jazzercise demonstration? HUH? The entire court packed full..

I have laughed every day since just thinking about my ONLY Thunder game ever attended...

Distant seats...
Thunder loss...
Jazzercise at halftime...
Hey, at least I got parking for $6 bucks!






•from an undisclosed location..

Kohl's has a nice tee of KD!!

ADA Bound..

Taking a road trip to ADA, OK today. Thought maybe I'd give you a play by play as the day progresses. Yea, I know, I can feel your excitement thru my phone as I post..

NOPE, I am not driving today.. My oldest daughter is behind the wheel.. Interesting though, this drive to (and from) Ada is something I did many times at her age..

Going thru OKC.. Get back with you later..

Happy New Years 2012

It has been a great 2011 and we just wanted to wish you and yours a very HAPPY NEW YEAR'S IN 2012!!

Not sure what the year for holds for us but we are so looking forward to it.  We've been blessed over the last 12 months and face new adventures this year!



Happy New Years! Now go eat some black-eyed peas!

-from an undisclosed location..

Sunrise..

Got up to a great sunrise today! Just caught it out the back door! Thanked the Lord for this one too!

It's worth your time EVERYday to see if today's sunrise is better than yesterday's.

I've gotten to where I'll take pictures day after day. And as you might imagine..my photostream is full of incredible sunrise (and sunset) pics.

Isn't it interesting that many of the best things in life are totally free? Sunrises, sunsets, walks with my family and even faith and much, much more!

But.. there are "costs".

I suppose you could also do nothing..and there's a "cost" associated with that too.

Here's to the "best" things!

-from an undisclosed location.

Tis the Season.. to be worn out!

Now it's full throttle into the Christmas season and the multiple  levels of fun that come along with it.  Family, friends, busy-ness, lights,  traffic, cooking and the added stress of gift buying and crowd  surfing.

Most of us go through the season and end up feeling like we've run wind-sprints.
Haven't you awaken in mid-January saying, "BOY, I LOVE CHRISTMAS BUT I AM GLAD ITS OVER - I WAS SO WORN OUT.."

Just take a minute and take a breath.. Go see the lights.. Go grab an ice cream with your family or coffee with a friend.  We always enjoy watching White Christmas or Elf and really just hang out together AS A FAMILY.

Come visit the lights in El Reno's Legion Park.. (below)



Whatever you do..life is way too short to get to January 15, 2012 and be thankful Christmas is over.  I love reflecting on Luke 2 and the birth of Jesus.  And in a world that won't admit it.. He is the reason we celebrate this special season.

Blessings and Merry Christmas to you!

My Thanksgiving was great.. Yours?

Some of my infamous family..

I had a great time over the last few days with family and friends enjoying the long weekend over Thanksgiving.

My daughter even reminded me that we had seen everyone in our immediate/extended family except for my sister from SLC!  Missed you Miles!!  (OK, TX, CA, AR) 

Especially good to see Jack and Peggy from Ada..the man just had to crappie fish everyday. 

Crappie Fish Fry!

So, while it was a few good days..  It would have been great to see them all. Thankful for all we did get to see. Since it was these people (family) that helped to make me what I am today.  I suppose this is a positive/negative..ying/yang thing.  They gave me the good, the bad and the ugly.

While in Hot Springs we did a special project.  I know many of you have talked about doing it over the years - most have not had the guts to take action though.  So, in honor of you..and our desire to "live large" we created our first "Thanksgiving Shake".  you can watch the video and see what I mean.  And like it says.."please don't try this at home"..  No telling what Christmas holds..

 

You know you've wanted to do the same thing for years..  

I really hope you had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed visiting with friends and family.  We sure did.

I am so very thankful.

KC Baby!

Had a great trip to Kansas City, MO over Christmas weekend!

No bad weather, actually HAD snowflakes fall on Christmas Day and enjoyed seeing my family (brides side).

One of the best things about driving to KC (in addition to my copilot and passengers) is being able to drive through THE FLINT HILLS of central Kansas.

Over about a 30 mile stretch of I35 from Cassoday, KS to Emporia, KS it's nothing but beautiful rolling prairie land! I totally recommend the drive anytime of the year!

As I looked across the rolling hills it made me wonder what it must have been like when the settlers came across this stretch of prairie?

Likely a big sigh of relief..

I'll just have to research more I guess.. 

jay

The dreaded TEST!

I just really dislike them.. TESTS!

It doesn't really matter how old I get..  taking tests is always a non-fun event..  I have my first round of testing tomorrow after a week of economics, fed policy, credit risk management, marketing and a few other topics.   Yes, it sounds exciting I know!  It should be short and sweet and almost over before it even starts..  We shall see how it goes very soon.

But as I study for this actual "test" it makes me think about another "test" I wasn't necessarily planning for this week.. Being away from my family for about 14 days.  Sure, some of you, many of you think it might be a good break from "life" as you know it..  I, too, thought it would not be such an ordeal.  However, not holding my wife, my girls for an extended time has proven to be something I miss dearly.  All the motions we go through at home EACH and EVERY night.. getting them to bed and finally time (maybe) for us to share even a bit of our day...  It is missed dearly.   

It makes me think of all those soldiers overseas and the distance of time and space between couples, their kids and their home.  Those folks are my heroes for sure.. They truly sacrifice so very much so I can live with such incredible freedom and peace..

Thankfully, I am home soon. 

Since Sunday this week I have been in Madison, WI on the University of Wisconsin campus attending the Graduate School of Banking or GSB-Madison.  And there is another week to go.... more on Madison later!