Free At Last! Free At Last!
May 21, 2010 by Ryan Elledge
Now we can quit our jobs and pursue our passions! I am so thankful. Thanks, Nancy!
Quick Trip – Not the Convenience Store
April 24, 2010 by Ryan Elledge
First, let me say that when you sit back and really think about it, it is truly amazing that at this precise moment in time, I am riding in the passenger seat of my vehicle, traveling at 80 MPH, and typing on a computer which is plugged in and connected to the Internet. The technological advances in my 38 years have been amazing. Even more amazing is to think about what has transpired over the past 92 years of my grandmother’s life. Truly amazing the things she has witnessed.
On Wednesday evening at about 8:00 pm CDT, Rebecca, Spencer, Braelyn, Brody and I set out on a top-secret trip to Casper, Wyoming to pay a surprise visit to my 92 year old grandma, who was just recently put into a nursing home, and to my mother, who had it not been for my grandma’s situation would have been travelling through Overland Park this weekened to visit us. We drove all night under the cover of darkness, leaving shortly after Braelyn and Brody visited my mom via a web cam session before “going to bed”. Well, they did go to bed, but in the car seats of our vehicle.
We drove all night, stopping three times for gas and beverages, and we arrived at my parents’ house at 6:30 am MDT on Thursday morning. Our 11.5 hour trip concluded with me placing Brody in his car set under a blanket with a sign reading “Please take care of our baby. God Bless.” I rang the doorbell numerous times and ran around the corner. My pops answered the door (he was the only one to know we were coming) and hollared at my mom to come help. After a short look of shock, she realized that the baby left on her doorstep was her grandson… and soon the rest of us came around the corner. Surprise number one: complete success.
Surprise number two came later that day, when Spencer, my dad and I went to visit my grandma. She, too, had no idea we were coming. She was very excited to see us, too, and I was impressed with how good she actually looked. She is in the nursing home after suffering a fall a few weeks ago, and they found her heart rate to be down around 42 beats per minute. Better news came that same day when doctors confirmed her heart rate was back to normal, and they say if they can get her kneww rehabilitated, she can get out of the nursing home and into assisted living. That would be a great outcome.
Braelyn and Brody got to spend some time with Grandma as well, as we visited with her several times over the last few days. Today’s visit was the best — her spirits seemed better and she looked really good. We sat outside and visited, snapped some pictures of her and the kids, and had a great time. I am so thankful that we had the ability to get back and see her, and I know she was thrilled to see Braelyn and Brody again.
Now, after spending a few hours back at the baseball park watching the Casper Oilers come up short (quite a bit short, I might say) against the Gillette Roughriders, we are back in the car heading home. If all goes well, we’ll be in Overland Park at about 9 in the morning. A day of recovery on Sunday, then back to the normal grind on Monday.
Always nice to be able to spend time with the folks and my oldest sister and her family. And seeing my grandma, especially as good as she looked today, made the 24 hours we are spending in the car well worth it. Now, hopefully my parents will get to come out our way in a couple of weeks for their makeup trip, and Brae and Brody can get a little more attention from the grandparents.
Now I am going to put this technology to use and watch a movie. Or maybe take a nap, since I’ll be in the driver seat soon.
March 21, 2010
March 21, 2010 by Ryan Elledge
I guess later tonight I will have been on this earth for 38 years. Holy cow, that seems like a long time. The age 38 also seems old, but weirdly enough, I don’t feel that old. I definitely have a little gray in my sideburns (thanks, work) and I’m packing some extra luggage, but other than that, I don’t feel much different than in college. Ok, ok… it does take me longer to recover after a night of beverages. That does make me feel old.
Would like to start by saying thanks to all of those on facebook and who have sent me texts already a big thank you for the birthday wishes. It actually makes me feel bad, because despite what some people may think, I am not on facebook that much. Most of my status updates come from me sending a tweet, and my facebook ap on my iPhone is where I respond to most facebook things… and thus, I do not see when everyone else’s birthdays are and thus don’t go post nice messages on their birthdays. I guess I really need to start checking that facebook birthday announcement section and doing it, because it is nice to receive the birthday wishes.
Only one political paragraph today, but I just have to do it. Sadly, my mom shares her birthday with the worst act of terrorism against the US in its history: 9/11. I fear that after today, I will share my birthday with the anniversary of the Obama health care plan passing (no thanks to a bunch of special favors) — something that we will all pay for over and over again. Oh well, March has sucked thus far (work issues and weather), might as well add that to the mix. End of birthday political rant.
It was so cute waking up this morning and lying in bed. I could hear Braelyn out in the kitchen practicing saying “Happy Birthday, daddy!” Too, cute. Of course, I heard her practice it yesterday, too, but it is awesome to hear over and over. Probably the best birthday present I could ever get (second place would be the HC plan failing today). So when I came out of the room, there she was, watching Chicken Little and she said “Happy Birthday, Daddy”. Awesome….
Had Brody been born three days later, he and I would be exactly 6 months apart. Yep, my “little” boy turned 1/2 last Thursday. He is growing fast… likes to make noises (he’s grunting/talking right now) and he always has a smile on his face. I have been extremely fortunate to have two awesome babies… only cry when there is good reason to. I hear Braelyn over coloring me a picture right now… in fact, here she comes to show me. She just brought over a little spiral notebook with the most awesome one color crayon scribble ever! Other parents should be jealous… Her artwork is multiplying. At daycare she painted three pictures for the first time, and they will sell for millions!
While I referred to March as having been a crappy month thus far, some good has happened. I reconnected for an hour plus on the phone with Robert Conley, who I grew up playing baseball with and who I roomed one year in college with. He also helped me coach baseball. The next night (and well into the morning after), Casey Peterson and I met up for dinner, drinks, and who knows what else. I hadn’t seen Casey in almost 20 years, since we graduated high school. I also just got back from Oklahoma where Spencer and I had a guys trip (sorry, Brody, maybe in a few years you can join) to watch some NCAA basketball and some Oklahoma State baseball, where Dusty Harvard is the starting center fielder. Dusty (@dharvard24 on twitter) played center field for the Casper Oilers the last year I coached, and he’s the last player I coached still playing college ball today (as far as I know, anyway). He is off to a solid start, and hopefully he’ll get drafted again this year. The Cowboys were supposed to play 1 on Friday, 2 yesterday, and 1 more game today. With the weather, they ended up playing a double header on Friday and cancelling yesterday. I bet they cancel today, as well. Anyway, Spencer and I headed home a day early, in the snow, just one day after wearing shorts and a t-shirt to a 70+ degree double header.
The weather this winter has sucked. Global warming my ………
Well, I am going to go help Braelyn color a bit and get Hoover outside. Thanks again for all of the birthday wishes. I will try and do better checking out whos birthday is when on facebook and sending messages back.
Thirty-eight down, hopefully many more than that remain…
–RElledge
A Salesman I would Buy From…
March 3, 2010 by Ryan Elledge
Thanks to Shawn Hashmi for sending me this bit of SpAm is KoOl:
I took a Cadillac Escalade out for a test drive today. The salesman sat in the back seat describing the car and all its wonderful options.
The seats were of particular interest. He explained that the seats directed warm air to your butt in the winter and directed cool air to your butt in the summer heat.
I stated the car must be a Republican car. Looking a bit perplexed, he asked why I thought it was a Republican car? I explained that if it were a Democratic car, the seats would blow smoke up your ass year round.
The Great Open Debate
January 8, 2010 by Ryan Elledge
Thankfully we have that open and transparent government of change we heard so much about.
Merry Christmas
December 24, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
I guess it’s only Christmas Eve right now, but nonetheless, Merry Christmas to you. I hope you and your family have a safe and joyous Christmas Eve and Day.
In just a few hours, Rebecca, Braelyn, Brody, Spencer and I will head to a church service and then home to open up presents. While this will be Brody’s first Christmas, I really think this is going to be the first Christmas where Braelyn will just absolutely have a blast opening all of the presents, or “pretties” as she likes to call them. She understands this Santa Claus guy this year, but doesn’t quite realize that Santa is coming tonight to bring her plenty of toys and clothes. I know when she sat on Santa’s lap, when asked what she wanted for Christmas she whispered to him “can-e and toyz”. I wish I could have been there, but it happened while I was out-of-town for work. Anyway, tonight is going to be a blast, and then she’ll wake up and have another gift or two that Santa might put under the tree for her.
Brody will get his share of goodies, too… he just won’t really comprehend since he’s only a few months old. Next year I am sure he’ll grasp it, as I am quite certain his big sister Braelyn will explain it all to him once the tree goes up next November.
The biggest question I have is will Santa be good to Spencer? I suspect so, since Spencer has been, for the most part, a good little boy this year.
It will most definitely be a quieter Christmas… just the 5 of us, plus Hoover and Sophie. It will be sad not to experience it all with my family or Rebeccas, but that is what living in different parts of the country do for you. Rebecca’s family is scheduled to come up tomorrow for Christmas lunch, but those plans are in jeopardy as Old Man Winter plans on making an appearance tonight. Actually as I sit here in my home office and look out the window, I notice the wind has picked up (making me feel like I am back in Casper), it is drizzling rain and approaching freezing. Supposed to turn to snow after 5pm tonight, and they say we’ll get anywhere from 2 to 6 inches of snow. It will, most likely, be a White Christmas. They say that there hasn’t been a Christmas Day with 1″ or more of snow accumulation since 1969 here in the Kansas City area. That is crazy to think about. Sure there has been snow on the ground on Christmas Day, but actual snow fall on Christmas Day, not since 1969.
Crazy to think that this year is almost done… and a decade, as well. Just think, ten years ago we were all wondering if the world was coming to an end with the Y2K issue. Now, the same thoughts go through our heads, but it’s the government we need to worry about, not some potential computer hiccup. Yep, thanks to Santa Reid, a crazy version of health care reform passed vote this morning. I still hold out hope that the Senate and the House won’t get a compromise, but seems likely they will. Funny to think that Santa Reid has clauses (yes, pun intended) in there to prevent any future congress from removing parts of his bill. At least we can all be thankful that this congress knows so much more than all others before them and that will come after them. Thankfully, I am sure the courts will probably not allow some of this garbage.
Man, I guess it’s sad that I can’t even post a Merry Christmas blog without going down the PoliTICKS me OFF route. Sorry folks.
Anyway, to you and yours, have a Merry Christmas. I hope the real Santa Claus brings you everything you want.
Peace.
–RElledge
DMB, Vegas, the Wife and a Birthday
December 23, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
First, happy belated birthday to my wife Rebecca. She turned 3X last Friday (Dec. 11), and we spent her birthday and a few days surrounding it in Sin City. While what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, I will share a bit.
On Thursday and Friday, we enjoyed two Dave & Tim shows. This was the first time Rebecca has experienced Dave & Tim… and the two nights were awesome. We heard Angel from Montgomery, which was the first time Dave or the full band has performed it since August of 2001. That was a nice surprise. On her birthday, we heard Rebecca’s two most-desired Dave songs: Crash and Satellite. Yep, she walked down the isle to the riff of Satellite when we got married, and we enjoyed our first dance as a married couple to none-other-than Crash. We also heard a new, never-before-played song by Dave: After The Gold Rush. Dave played it on piano. When he went over to the piano, I was certain he was playing Out of My Hands, but no… he had a surprise for us! It was awesome. Dave said he screwed it up, but since it was the first time ever playing it, who was to know? The concerts were definitely great. I wish I had been at the Saturday concert, as I would have gotten to hear A Christmas Song, which was the one song I really wanted to hear. Oh well, we enjoed Mystere, the Cirque De Sole show. Second time I have seen it, but the first for Rebecca and Eli & Heather Bowman, our friends who joined us on the trip.
Ok, since I am often asked, that makes my 68th Dave show. It may actually be a couple more than that, but I think I have captured all that I can remember on DMBAlmanac.com’s website. Click that link if you want to see the exciting stats of my shows.
On Thursday, we had a wonderful… and I mean WONDERFUL… dinner at Prime, a steakhouse in the Bellagio. Our table overlooked the fountains. While expensive, it was a great meal no doubt.
Eli told me on the trip that they say you should walk 10,000 steps a day for health. I am healthy for the next few months based on our excursions in the bitter air in Vegas.
Well, that’s enough for now. Happy Holidays… and by that I mean Merry Christmas… to ya’ll out there (sorry, Obama… America is a Christian country, no matter what you say). Excited to see what changes 2010 will bring… 2009 has been a somewhat up-and-down year for me. Definitely up from a family perspective, mixed on the work side of things, and down on some other items which aren’t exactly things I want to post about. I am just thankful I have a great job in this economy, have the most awesome baby girl in the world, was blessed with the birth of my son this year, my step-son is doing better in school and is an awesome big brother to Braelyn and Brody, and my wife is the best (wrinkles and all!). I am also blessed to have such a great family and for all of my friends.
Here’s to a great 2010, including another “change” in Washington DC that will hopefully offset some of the change we’re seeing from the current mess in the corrupt capitol.
Peace.
Website Update… In Progress
December 23, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
I’m currently in the midst of doing some spring, er… winter, cleaning here on RyanElledge.com. Changing the theme of the website to ithemes.com’s Builder theme. I have some work to do but will have a chance to continue updating over the next few days, I hope.
Also migrating to a new server. I have moved most of the sites off my old, sluggishly slow server, but for some reason saved my site for the end. The website is over but will have to work on getting my gallery migrated over the next few days, so sorry mom, the pictures are down for a short time. Hopefully by Christmas I will have them up and running here on my new super-duper fast server.
It’s a work in progress but seems to be going faster than the Royals and Chiefs progress, so I guess it’s good enough for the pros.
Merry Christmas, all.
-RElledge
Quick Politicks Me Off Moment
September 23, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
All that keeps going through my head right now is the Saturday Night Live Weekend Update skit on Really? With Seth and Amy.
I mean, REALLY? It’s now ok for Massachusetts to fill a vacancy by an interim appointment now that the late “great” Ted Kennedy is dead? Really? It wasn’t okay in 2004 and 2006 for then Republican Governor Mitt Romney to fill vacancies with interim appointments, but now in 2009 it’s okay for a Democrat governor to do so? Really? I guess this is the change promised by Obama… Really… interesting… really.
I would love to hear from the left how this is right….
–Relledge
In God We TrustNo tags for this post.
Brody Carlen Elledge
September 20, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
My boy, Brody, is home. At just over 2 days old, he’s making quite an impression in the house. Braelyn has done well with him, but time will tell how well she will adjust to a prince invading her princess territory. But, so far so good!
It truly is quite amazing to experience bringing a human being into the world. Now, I don’t pretend to know what Rebecca went through for the past nine months, but I can tell you the scariest minutes of my life have been the minutes where Braelyn and Brody entered the world. It is such a relief when you first hear the baby cry and the doctors give the all clear signs! Then, it is nothing but joy.
Rebecca was a champ in both the delivery of Braelyn and Brody. I’m sure she was with Spencer, as well. I will admit that I got a bit more brave this time, and watched the whole thing instead of staring at the heart rate and contraction monitor like I did with Braelyn. And yes, I even cut the cord. I must say, it is an amazing thing to witness. As for Rebecca and I, we plan this to be our last one. Heck, I am too old for this!
Brody is very healthy and is doing well. He definitely sleeps a ton, but mixes in some feedings every couple of hours. His cry, despite what some of the pictures in his gallery may lead you to believe, is pretty quiet. As chaotic as it gets around here, he may need to turn the volume up a bit just to be heard. I am only hopeful though that he will grace us with sleep at night. Braelyn has been absolutely a great baby… only two or three real bad nights in her 20+ months with us. I hope Brody falls in her footsteps! Then again, he may make us pay… time will tell but I am keeping my fingers crossed!
Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes and congratulatory remarks over on Facebook and Twitter. It is much appreciated.
While I will head back to the office this week, Rebecca’s six weeks or so of vacation begin. Yeah, right… I know! She will definitely have her hands full. She is a terrific mother. I, as well as my kids, am very fortunate.
Have a great week, and here’s to wishing my father safe travel back to Wyoming tomorrow. I wish he could stay awhile longer, but duty calls….
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