yesterday was a good day. i really didn't get anything done, but what i was able to do, i did with my girls. when we got home from doing things i asked if they wanted to help me wash the vehicles.

i went into the garage to get get a couple things situated and got out the cleaning supplies. the hose came unwound and the faucet turned on. i had to direct them in how to spray down the truck so that the water didn't get shot into the garage. i soaped up the bucket and handed them the rags. after the majority of the truck was done, i went to work on the wheels and shined them up. next, we did the car (which didn't take too long). they got bored with washing, so they took out their bikes and rode around while i finished up.

after the vehicles were sparkled up, i went to work on washing the dog. the coconut shampoo makes him smell better and is better for his coat than other soaps.

then we had a "picnic" in our backyard and laid out in the sun for a while. my oldest daughter asked me if we could go get slurpees and i had to oblige. in honor of the simpson's movie, they had squishees with blue "woo hoo" vanilla. mmmmm, squishee.

when we got home, i laid on the couch and read more of my book, red, by ted dekker. we then had dinner, b and i went to bible study, came home and kicked it in the backyard. rin did some of the watering for me, so i didn't have much more to do later on last night. we went in, got some ice cream and watched some national geographic. i really wasn't interested in what was on, so i grabbed my book and read more.

like i said earlier, not much got done, but it was a good day.

it has been a loooooong week. a week of sickness. a week of headaches, sore throats and coughing. a week of, well, i won't go into my gross happenings of sickness. but i am feeling better. my throat has a mellow burn instead of razorblades and fire. sleep is coming faster and longer. the mornings are always the hardest. all that junk that gets stuck up in the sinuses and throat. the heavy, fog filled eyes that try to focus on the simplest of tasks. the tired feet carrying this tired body into the kitchen to make some emergen-c to cool down the throat.

i'm not 100% better, but i feel better now than sunday morning when i had this heavy weight dropped on me. thanks to all you well wishers. it is much appreciated...

last night has been the worst part of this nasty virus that i caught from my children. i wasn't able to fall asleep until after 3 this morning and my world got turned upside down when the alarm went off.

i went into work to get things taken care of, hoping that i would feel better, but the opposite actually happened. my eyes became redder and my throat more sore. i made an appointment to see my doctor to see if it was more than a cold. well, it wasn't. just a nasty cold virus that has knocked me off my feet.

what a great way to celebrate my 8th wedding anniversary to my gorgeous bride. 8 years ago today, we said our vows and haven't looked back.

a lot of things have changed in these past years and some remain the same. the birth of our three children. missionary trips to cuba and india.

here's to our 8th year babe. i love ya!

last night our hot weather turned. i was reading ted dekker's black and saw flashes of light coming through my window. this was about 11:00. while rin was getting ready for bed i kept yelling out flash sightings and thunder rolls. i contemplated if i should take shots, but i was ready for bed and i really didn't want to go outside and shoot.

after the storm got going, i decided to grab my gear and start capturing digitally but the rain soon started and the lightning and thunder was really close. i was forced back inside so i kept taking images behind glass. 1 o'clock rolled around and i decided that i better go to bed so i put everything away and crawled in between the sheets. the purple light enveloped our room and the hard rain smacked against the windows.

here are more images from the spectacular storm. enjoy...

ok, i know that this may hurt some of you out there, but it has to be said. first of all, let me start off by saying that i've seen this many, many, many times before and now, last sunday night i saw it again. my family and i were out at chili's for dinner. our server amy brought us our drinks and the chips & salsa. as we dug it, i saw it. a man was wearing socks with his sandals. doesn't that defeat (no pun intended) the purpose of sandals and, ahem, socks? this has to be one of the biggest fashion faux pas in our generation today.

i was doing some photo work and did some of my blooming orchid. here is one of them. enjoy...

yesterday turned out to be a great day in the sun. our annual 4th of july picnic brought many people out for food and fellowship. the kiddie parade had around 100 kids and the temperature soared. after we finished up with the bbq and got everything packed away, i got into my truck, looked at the temperature gauge and it proclaimed 102°f. when i got home, our backyard was a little cooler (subtract 2 degrees).

our next stop was a friends house. when we got there, the majority of the people were in the pool. more of us got in and enjoyed the late afternoon. pool wars abounded and fried chicken was consumed.

soon, the late afternoon became evening and our day wasn't over. time to get ready for the fireworks of choice. we drove out and found our place for the night. dark chocolate s'mores carried us into the night. a rocket soared and exploded. kids got excited. "they are starting!" soon the night sky was illuminated with gun powder packed tubes of colorful lights and sizes. the compression hitting in your chest. the sulfer stinging your nose. your senses soon brought you back to when you were a kid. "ooooh." "ahhhhh." "look at that." "that is so cool." "did you see that one?"

after the finale we quickly packed things up and headed back home to beat the traffic. we made much better time than last year.

here is a set of the fireworks from last night. hope you enjoy.

happy fourth

my legs burned. my feet were hot. my butt was sore. sweat was dripping down my face. my eyes stung with the salty drops dripping off my forehead. but i continued to peddle. faster, harder, longer pushes kept me going up the hills and across the flat areas. i pushed still, even downhill. my loyal steed didn't buck me off but kept on racing as we crossed each intersection as we pursued that next block.

as i rode into our parking lot, my hands left the handle bars and i stretched. my left hand grabbing my right elbow as i pulled my bicep into my throat, as if i'm choking myself. then switch hands and proceed to choke myself again with my left bicep. a deep lingering stretch. my ipod keeping me company whilst playing the soundtrack for the morning. yesh, it will be a different episode for this evenings ride.

i steer into the handicap parking, jump off the seat, lift up on the crossbar, saddle that aluminum body onto my right shoulder and bound up the front steps in one fluid motion. amazingly, i don't trip and make a complete fool out of myself. i don't need any help with that.

so now, shoes off and flip flops on, i feel good. i am a bit tired, but exercise does that. plus, i saved shelling out $2.74/g on a roundtrip drive.