I've Got a New Plan

I don't know what's in store as far as my specific model, but I will be forking over good money for an RV/Trailer/Class C in the sort of near future. I mean, I may have to wait until I retire, or the kids go to college, but maybe I'll get one sooner.





My old (last two years) plan was to buy property in Northern Arizona now, then build a cabin when I retired. But, as a good friend pointed out: I'd be more free to just take the RV wherever I wanted. Duh. What was I thinking?


Well, I know what I was thinking. I thought NorAZ would be a good "jumping off" point, if you will, to further RV adventures. It is hard to drive anywhere worthwhile from Dallas. But, I realize now, that I don't need a cabin to start all of my adventures from. Instead, I just need an atlas and a gas card. I don't mind driving, and this way I can put all my resources into a sweet travel set up instead of splitting up my expenses between land, lumber, and travel on wheels.



Sometimes I think about trying to still just travel around and home school the kids. I mean, I could really like to do this....
Yeah, just stop on the side of highway on a Tuesday in September and snap this shot. But, for now, I have a plan. My plan is to get away from it all, everyday.

Unbelievable

http://borderinvasionpics.com/

Check the videos and photos on this website. Wow. Shocking southern AZ documentation by hidden camera.

All Joy and No Fun

Lucky for me I knew having kids was going to be rough. I think most women think it's going to be "fun." neh.

All Joy and No Fun


Now, if you're too lazy er, busy to click, here is an excerpt to wet your whistle:

"This result also shows up regularly in relationship research, with children invariably reducing marital satisfaction. The economist Andrew Oswald, who’s compared tens of thousands of Britons with children to those without, is at least inclined to view his data in a more positive light: “The broad message is not that children make you less happy; it’s just that children don’t make you more happy.” That is, he tells me, unless you have more than one. “Then the studies show a more negative impact.” As a rule, most studies show that mothers are less happy than fathers, that single parents are less happy still, that babies and toddlers are the hardest, and that each successive child produces diminishing returns. But some of the studies are grimmer than others. Robin Simon, a sociologist at Wake Forest University, says parents are more depressed than nonparents no matter what their circumstances—whether they’re single or married, whether they have one child or four."

Four Weeks Away from Sedona, Arizona

...and going to slide rock... I've been to Sedona several times, and I've seen slide rock state park, but I've never truly experienced it. Should be fun to take all the kiddos.

Prom. You can't stop it. You can only hope to contain it.

Debbie, Me, Kristin and Alisa

Phil - My Dad - June 1955-March 2010

Although Phil was born in the Texas Piney Woods of Texarkana, his formative years were spent in El Paso, Texas. I recently read some notes in which he described his regret for not staying in school and getting into trouble during his teens. I have a feeling that guilt haunted him for most of his adult life.

Some people never really fit into our Western World. I think my dad was one of those square pegs that can't fit the round holes here on our part of the Earth. He didn't care much for worldly possessions. He didn't shop. He didn't need to drive a nice car - ever. He didn't seem to even care that much about money. His possessions often were disposable and lacked meaning. He cared more about saying hi to people and trying to be kind to friends and strangers than gaining any position or materials. He was really just an immensely kind-hearted soul that often got hurt or frustrated or disappointed by people. I know God has a plan for everyone. Phil was important because of how God used him. God used my dad to teach me patience, acceptance, humility, tolerance and empathy.

About the time I first remember Phil, he was married to Gwynn and had just turned 20 years old. We lived in Southern California in a tiny house behind the owner's house. Phil decided sunny California wasn't the place for him. Instead, he sold us the story of a grand city called, "Dallas" which neither my mom nor I had ever been to. It wasn't long before we were packed up and headed back to the Lone Star State chasing some dream.

After that it is a stream of visions of my dad...

Throwing the Frisbee...

Cooking...

Fishing and camping...

Phil taught me many lessons and many skills. He taught me to ride a bike, throw a football, change a bike tire, build a model car, change a car tire, and check the oil. I watched football with him on Sundays and Monday nights. I was the son he never had. He showed me the nuances of a sandwich: that mayonnaise goes on turkey, and mustard goes on ham. In the kitchen I learned to scramble eggs, chop an onion, value jalapenos, sharpen a knife and you better fill an ice tray if you use it. Arguably most important is the secret to magazine maintenance: that you must tear out all of the card-stock advertisements in a magazine before you read it so your pages don't keep flipping to them.

When I reflect on what we had in common, I now realize the one thing we both cared about: food. Seriously. Just days before he passed away, I left the hospital late after visiting hours concluded and stopped at the grocery store. It really hit me that night how sick he was, and I think I realized that he wasn't going to make it. I found myself slowly going down each isle with my buggy while every can, bottle, loaf, seasoning, and sauce reminded me of Dad. I thought of how he recommended such and such, and how many times he'd come over and made gravey for me or made a rue for me. That's when it hip me: our relationship was groceries. Our love language was food. Maybe it was that I often went with him to the grocery store, or perhaps it was all the cooking I watched him do, yet most likely our relationship was that way because I loved all the food he cooked. Either way, I'll miss his culinary expertise forever, and thus, his love.

Phil loved his big Blaylock family down to the smallest baby. The phone calls on Sunday from his sisters would put a spring in his step. He bragged on his neices and nephews and their kids whenever he had a chance. And, you should have seen Phil with his grand kids. He was so sweet and gentle. It made me smile for him to get that unconditional love from my girls. Scout and Brooke would both hug and kiss him, and he'd just have such a big smile while he hugged them back so softly.

God loved Phil like he loves each of us; unconditionally. Phil's work here on Earth was done on March 18, 2010. Before going to Heaven, he was a servant to his mother while she was ill in the hospital. He was a servant helping Gwynn, care for my granddad and Richard while they were ill and subsequently passed away. Fortunately, Phil was able to see and hold and hug all of his grandchildren. He obtained sobriety for almost the last two years of his life. He was a Christian, and had been to church several times with us over the last year. In my opinion, Phil's life had many valleys including debilitating mental health, poverty and addiction. Perhaps the valleys outnumbered the peaks of his life. Still, he fought the good fight, he finished the race and he kept the faith. I'm just at peace now knowing he doesn't have to suffer in his broken body in this world any longer.

Like I said, I don't think he was ever meant for life on this Earth.

To see the amazing video my sister made Click Here

313 What?

Can you hear me in your headphones?

White Sands New Mexico Circa 1982

I found this little gem while going through my dad's belongings this week. Here we are in the famed White Sands National Monument where you can bake on the sand like a little weenie in a biscuit. I remember a couple of trips to White Sands; my parents thought it was really awesome. And I guess, it sort of is. Gwynn and Phil liked to take us to lots of cool places, and my mom would always follow the visit up with the same quip, "Not bad for poor people."

On this particular trip, I remember some sandwiches out of ice chest being consumed, then lunch was followed with either card board or garbage bags being used to slide down the giant hills of sand. Of course, pictured below is mom and dad and me and charlie. Yes, I look like a boy with a dorthy hamill cut. Just go with it. No, my sister isn't wearing shoes. We did a lot of non shoe wearing. My mom and dad were what i like to call, "free spirits" ok?

I also remember I was able to get a souvenir: a paper weight with a scorpion in suspended animation in the sort of amber-tree sap sort of way. I had that paper weight until at least college. If you are wondering, "why white sands?" Well, my family drove from Dallas, TX to California every summer. We always stopped in El Paso to see my granddad. Often, we'd do excursions around that area. I guess mom was right....for poor people, we didn't do too bad.

This Is How We Camp....Now...

Scott and I took the girls to Tyler State Park for about 24 hours of fun. Before kids, we would have stayed several days with lots of late nights and naps. But, one night seems just right at this point in our lives. In a Texas State Park, you don't need a fishing license. It's free. Scout LOVED fishing. Scott was really patient with the girls even when Brooke drowned the bait (worms). The picture below is of my morning coffee brewing....

Brooke's "fishing pole."

Christy brought Cale out for a couple of hours to visit. Brooke enjoyed playing with him at the camp and on the playground (and even in the fire pit).

Night Crawlers anyone...?

Scout casting...

Camper is kid friendly...

Christy...

My prized pony...

Scout with her new fishing pole and fishing hat (from WalMart, duh)...

We are gearing up (practicing ) for our big week long camping trip in June in Flagstaff, AZ. We may have to get back out to Tyler for more "practice."

Biggest Snow in North Texas Since the Alamo

I don't know what that title is saying, but I have just really enjoyed watching "real" snow fall and accumulate. I see how people up north need mudrooms too. We have kids boots, mittens, hats, etc, etc all over this house with water puddling. First pic from yesterday and the 2nd two are from today. I got to use the 4 wheel drive today for the 2nd time. I had to dust the cobwebs off the shift knob.