Helping Mommy? – A Braelyn Grace Moment
February 1, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
Here is the latest Lazy Dawg Production, produced by me, Hoover Woodrow. Helping Mommy? is a Braelyn Grace Moment featuring Braelyn helping Rebecca fold clothes. Enjoy!
![[Post to Twitter]](http://www.ryanelledge.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this-small.png)
Tweet ThisEarly Morning Ramblings
January 16, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
Well, I have been awake going on the better part of an hour. That is unusal for me… I tend to sleep until 7:30 or 8:00 am most days. But, my entire house has been sick, with the exception of me and Hoover. This morning I am awake because my wife is having a cough-a-thon. Jerry Lewis doesn’t raise as much money for the MDA in his teleathon as my wife has coughed last night. Hope she gets over it, soon! I know I’ve gone through spells where I have coughed for weeks. Spencer has been home from school the last two days… I am pretty sure he’s not just skipping tests or homework… poor kid has looked like hell. And Braelyn, well, fortunately she seems to be better.
Speaking of Braelyn, she had her year-old shots and check-up yesterday. I am a bad father because I don’t remember her height and weight even though Rebecca told me. I do know she is only 30th percentile in weight (even though she’s fully-loaded from being constipated the past few days) and 50th percentile in height. I’m surprised on the weight thing…. she seems to be the “right” size to me. I am not one who wants a chubby baby! I pretty much think she’s perfect, shy the high pitch squealy noise she has been making. That is, well, not so perfect!
Hoover should be losing weight… we cut his feeding size back a bit, and in the past two weeks he’s been to the dog park (for a walk, right by my side) and on a walk or two. We’re trying to break him from being such an OCD dog. He walks unusual patterns to go outside (has for a long time) but it’s been getting worse. Though it’s been getting better the past week or so, he was having a tendancy not to come in the back door even though there is no ice. He was making us take him in through the side door, at which time he would eat. We were complying with this since he was also avoiding walking through the house into the laundry room, where his food bowl is. That probably helped his weight loss, too, until we figured out he would eat when we take him around the side of the house. Crazy dog. Fortunately, he is now again willing to go to the laundry room through the house, and he is coming in the back door again. Well, after a pattern… have to open the door once, close it, wait for him to bark again, then open it up again, stand on the patio steps holding the door and say “You may enter, your heiness”. Then he comes in. Oh, what a nutty dog. Shawn Hashmi is thinking about bringing Parker (who doesn’t slow down for anything) over tomorrow if it’s nice and let Parker run around our backyard with Hoover. We’re hoping that will get Hoover used to playing and running with Parker, so that next time we go to the dog park Hoover will actually run and play… something he hasn’t done since he witnessed a huge dog fight a year ago. Even though he wasn’t involved in the fight, it freaked him a bit and now he likes to stay right by my side at the dog park. He will run if I run (which isn’t much, I might add) or if Spencer is there to run around with. Oh, yes… my 180+ pound Mastiff is a wuss sometimes. Did I mention the dog can fart with the best of them?!?
Hosting a poker and UFC fight watch party over here tomorrow night beginning at 7 or so. Should be a good time. We’re expecting a decent turnout, which means anywhere from 10 to 30 people! You just never know who all will show up. Rebecca will be out celebrating her and Stephanie Murphy’s 35the birthday with their girl friends. I’m sure they will have a great time.
Countdown: only 4 days left till all our country’s woes are resolved! Our new savior is coming everyone; hold tight!
While not a fan of the Broncos firing Shanahan, I am pretty excited about the younggun they brought in to coach. Josh McDaniels from the Patriots. He is young (32 years old) but should bring an exciting brand of football to Denver. Hope he fares better than the other former coordinators from the Patriots who have fell flat on their face when they took over their own teams. Pretty impressed, also, that the Chiefs got some balls and ousted their General Manager after 20 years of mostly mediocre football. They, too, raided the Patriot’s closet and got the hottest name on the market for the GM… Scott Pioli. We’ll see if he has a brain outside the Patriots organization, too. First check will be whether he fires Herm the Germ as the Chiefs coach. If he does, it may prove to be a good hire for the Chiefs. If he doesn’t, well, as a Broncos fan I will be excited since they will have a much better chance of beating the Chiefs with Herm at the helm. Whatever happens, the AFC West is sure going to be a lot different next year. Thankfully the Chargers have opted to keep their moronic coach Norv Turner. While they have managed to win the division 3 years in a row (despite Norv), the last 2 years are solely thankful to the Broncos late season collapses. But they haven’t done crap in the playoffs as Turner sucks. I say let them keep Norv forever, let the Chiefs hang on to Herm and really, who cares what the Raiders do… they will remain the doormat of the West as long as Al Davis keeps kickin (which can’t be much longer).
Ok, that’s enough rambling for now. Killed twenty minutes of my sleepless morning. Great to know it’s Friday and the weekend is upon us. Gonna be another cold day here in KC, but then I think we get a warm(er) spell for a bit. Thinking positive (like I always do!), spring is just around the corner! For years and years I have turned my sprinkler system back on in late March, which is only two months away. And last year, I even had my boat de-winterized before the end of March (only because we had to move it, not because I could use it, but nonetheless, the freezes were over). I am ready for lake season… the OP Boat Show is next week. At least it will be a boat show, unlike the “sports and boat show” last week at Bartle Hall… never have I attended a more worthless event…. it was a Redneck Show, not a boat show.
Five more minutes of my sleepless morning down. That’s all, for real.
Take care and hang on! Obama saves us in just 4 days!
–RE
Welcome to 2009
January 1, 2009 by Ryan Elledge
Well, I survived 2008 and it is now 2009. 2008 was a very interesting year for me. It certainly began with a huge blessing in my life… Braelyn Grace was born on January 9th. It is hard to believe that in just a week she will be one year old! Rebecca is planning a “Princess Party” for her. Invitations went out a few days ago, though we don’t expect a huge turn out since a lot of the recipients are out of towners. In 2009, it is my hope that Braelyn will get a younger brother or sister. Rebecca and I would like to have another kid. I would certainly love to have a boy to go with my precious little girl. We’ll see what we can slip past the goalie.
From a work perspective, it was definitely a surprising year. I had no idea until a week before it happened that Gabe was leaving Aplus. He decided to do other stuff with his time. It is the first time in 9 years that I haven’t worked for Gabe. I guess, in 6 months from now, I will have officially lived in the KC area for 10 years. Very hard to believe. I am quite content here, though I often let my mind wander as I think about the places I would love to live. While I want an ocean and sun, the choices for that aren’t really that appealing to me. California is one of the bluest states in the country, and is very expensive to live. Florida… well, it is further from my family, I don’t speak the right languages, and I wouldn’t want to have to board up my house every year hoping the hurricanes don’t take it away. At least here in Kansas, you don’t have a week of prep time and departure every time a tornado is coming! I do know that I could easily live back in Colorado, either in Fort Collins or the Denver area. But with the surprising move of owner Pat Bowlen a few days ago, I don’t know how much longer I will be a Broncos fan! Anyway, I don’t see it in the cards for 2009 to move anywhere, so I guess I should spend my time being more productive instead of thinking about these things. Oh, Christmas Eve proved to me that Casper won’t be my domicile… I can not stand the wind there. I do not miss that in the least bit!
Back to work… I am still the Chief Operating Officer at Aplus.net. I love the company and the people there. But we, just like every other business, are getting hit by the economy a bit. We’ll hope that the new savior Obama gets everything on track like he promised… I won’t be holding my breath!
In 2009, I have a few goals, or resolutions, if you will. The first is to be more fiscally responsible. I have been very fortunate in my life to hold good jobs and make great money. But I started spoiling myself (and now my family) a bit too much. Gonna cut it back a bit and start cutting my debt and trying to plan for the future better. I’m going to attempt to quit buying everything I want, when I want it. May even cut back on the travel… well, we’ll see about that. Dave Matthews Band is still touring, and that calls for me to travel! Plus, it’s always great to get away to Maui, New York, etc etc etc. Another of my 2009 resolutions is to get healthier. I don’t think I am going to join a gym again, but eating better and getting some exercise is definitely on the list to do. The vet said Hoover needs to lose 10 pounds. Well, so do I. I guess he and I will have to get to the dog park or out on walks a bit more. I have a feeling he will lose his 10 before I do… we have cut him back a bit on his meals. That will save us some money, too!
I also want to keep reconnecting with friends from the past. Every since Angie Noonan died, I have been making much more of an effort to reacquaint myself with past connections. I have been pretty successful at it. Facebook.com went from something I never touched to something I spend time on almost daily. And every week, I find at least another friend from the past. Have to keep reconnecting since my 20th high school reunion comes up in 2010. Wow, I am getting old.
I am thankful that in 2008, my family remained in tact! Didn’t lose anyone, which is always a good thing. Grandpa digressed with his Alzheimer’s, and that sucks the big one. He seemed pretty good at Christmas… he loved kissing on Braelyn. I pray they come up with something to cure that hideous disease sometime soon. Grandma is doing well, but always in pain from her arthritis… she’s in her 90’s. I wish I could see her more… I know she loves spending time with people. If she could have it her way, people would be over there all the time. Dad and Stephanie take care of her and help her out with everything, but I know she’s lonely. Mom, dad, sisters, brother-in-laws, nephews and nieces are all good. Big B hopefully had his last surgery, and it went real well. I am so impressed with his strength… he is an idol/role model of mine for sure.
I was thinking about getting back into coaching baseball this year, but I think as long as I have a boat and enjoy going to the lake so much, that will remain on the back burner. Coaching and officiating basketball are definitely two passions of mine which I haven’t had the time to get back into. Someday I will… someday. I also have been thinking about refreshing my pilot’s license. I think it would be awesome to fly down to the lake a time or two, and also to rent a plane next time I am in Maui and do some aerial sight seeing. Definitely would be fun, but doesn’t play into being more fiscally responsible.
Well, I am probably gonna wrap this up for now. I have done absolutely nothing today, aside from play Saints Row 2 on the XBOX 360, and play a bit with Braelyn. She has a cold, poor little girl. She did 3 steps on several occasions today, and she sure does like to talk. Too bad she only knows a couple of words. I swear she’s getting close to saying “love da da” though… still haven’t got her to say ma ma yet. It will come, we keep working on it.
Rebecca just passed out (tired, not drunk!) next to me in bed. We had a pretty good night last night bringing in 2009 at The Melting Pot. Great meal and great company!
Hope you all have a blessed, safe and successful 2009. Happy New Year.
-RE
January 1, 2009
January 1, 2009 by Steve Elledge
Good morning all! I hope everyone had a safe and celebratory New Years Eve! Things were jumping here at our house……a little computer time, a little television – and The Mom and I were in bed well before midnight! Seemed like just another night to me. HOWEVER, I woke up this morning and realized today is the day the dreaded DIET starts! As those of you who have seen me recently realize – I have a load to take off this year and the Mexico Cruise is a mere 10 months away now. I don’t want anyone trying to harpoon me in the ocean so I better get started.
Trying to get more comfortable with Facebook! Kind of a fun tool. I have found a couple of old friends and re-established contact which has been neat. Had a nice conversation on Facebook chat this morning with Chris Bradshaw – Rebeccas brother. He is really a nice guy – she has a really great family but don’t tell her I said so! 
It doesnt appear The Elledges page is utilized very much but I kind of enjoy just sitting down here once in awhile and laying what’s on my mind out in print.
I am hoping for several goals to be reached or events to occur in 2009:
* first i would like to get over this Shingles stuff this year! I don’t know how long it can last but I sure am tired of it. I am also hoping for a healthy year for this whole crew…..that would really be nice.
* I am hoping to pinpoint my retirement date this year also. I didn’t say retire this year – I said figure out when I am going to retire.
* I would like to acquire a decent pickup truck this year – not brand spanking new but highway worthy.
* I would like to get a new paint job on the exterior of the house this year. We have a good roof now – need a good skin!
* I would like to sell the motorhome this year. It is a waste for us to have one a seldom as we use it. We can stay in alot of really nice motels on our travels and eat alot of nice meals and never spend what the motorhome costs in fuel, maintenance, storage, campground fees, insurance, and depreciation. We aren’t gone that much anyway and if we start we can always mooch off of relatives where possible!
* I would really like to re-carpet a couple of floors of the house this year too – we just continue to procrastinate because of the “girls”. Don’t know how we will end up with that one.
* I would really like to find something else to do. I’ve talked alot to Ryan about this desire. Would like to find some sort of small web-based venture, or other lucrative opportunity, that I could develop an income stream from as I move into retirement. Something that did not demand a strict timeframe – maybe 20 hours a week (hours of my choice – not a set time!) I don’t want much do I?
* I would like to see the B healed and happy and possibly back here in Casper. I miss the B. That’s a fact!
* I would like to see my children and their families healthy, happy, comfortable, and secure. Guess i am just like every other parent eh? Only difference is – my children and their families are SPECIAL – and they deserve special treatment!
* I would like to see my mother and my brother maintaining good health.
* I would like to see Emmet comfortable, secure, and well cared for.
I don’t want much do i? That’s my 2009 “want” list. Anyone that can have any effect on any of that may start working on it now! LOL
* Most of all – I want to see everyone I know, as well as myself, totally Blessed by love of Christ and in service to Him! This one overrides all of the above, God Bless you all in the year forthcoming!
The Dad
A Weird But Blessed Christmas
December 26, 2008 by Steve Elledge
Where to start? What a week! See if i can recap it:
* Brandon went down to Fort collins for a Dr. appointment last week (thursday I believe) and brought Keegan (Butchie) back with him.
* I went through a bunch of medical tests to try to figure out why I was in so much pain. Was finally diagnosed and began medication for Shingles.
* Ryan, Rebecca, and Braelyn flew in to Denver on Friday, rented a car, stopped in Fort Collins and picked up Courtney, and arrived here in Casper Friday afternoon.
* Sunday I quit caffeine and one of my medications, per Dr. instruction, in preparation for a stress test to be administered at the Medical Center on Monday morning.
* Vickie accompanied me to hospital Monday, caffeine headache and all, only to learn I was a week early and the test is scheduled for the 29th! Sheesh!
* Packed Brandon’s vehicle up with clothing, desk, & futon and he headed to Fort Collins on Tuesday. That’s gonna leave a big hole in our lives for awhile – he has really been fun to have around.
* Christmas Eve started out rather confusing. We didn’t know for sure what our schedule was going to be but we all hung in there and guess what —- turned out great. Mom came over around 3, Betty & Emmett met us at the church at 4, we all enjoyed a nice Christmas Eve service then came to the house for a great Dinner with Turkey and all the trimmings, we then opened gifts and I believe that a good time was had by all.
* 5:30 Christmas morning Ryan, Rebecca, Braelyn, and Courtney in one car – Vickie, Butchie, and i in another – headed for Fort Collins. Went straight to the hospital at Loveland where Brandon was recovering from over 5 freakin’ hours of surgery on Christmas Eve.
* Met up with Wendy & Tony & Nate at B’s room and visited a couple of hours. They had “attempted” to sleep in B’s room but I am thinking they got very little actual sleep. What a dedicated and loving support group for the B – his parents are amazing, his Lecher grandparents stayed with them through the entire surgery and into the following day, and the rest of his family prayed and supported him from all over the country! I AM DAMN PROUD OF THE ELLEDGES, THE LECHERS, AND RELATED PARTIES! I wouldn’t be anything else (even if i had a choice lol)!
* We got B to his parents around early afternoon on Christmas Day – a great gift for us all and he looks really great “unwrapped”. When the Doc took the bandages off it was incredible to me!
* Vic and i drove back to Casper Christmas night so that our “girls” wouldn’t be here alone all night _ who knows what they might invent to do to retaliate? LOL
* Sooo… it’s the day after Christmas and what do I think?
* I love my family so much – every last one of them. I am blessed beyond belief. I realized that I have a remarkable and diverse group surrounding me that are irreplaceable.
* God is so good. How could anyone think that all that has happened in one week in my life is “chance”? Wow …… I am truly blessed.
* The week was hectic, the week was a little painful, the week was perfect because I was able to connect with so many of this amazing family .
Peace and love and God’s grace to each and every one of you.
It appears the wind has stopped – or at least died down – another miracle! Think I will go out and stack some firewood if it isnt too cold. If it is ….. I’m not too bad at vegging – still have some Gallactica episodes to look at courtesey of the B!
The Dad
Dancing elves and other things
December 12, 2008 by Vickie Elledge
Happy Birthday (yesterday) Rebecca. Hope you had a great day. We sure enjoyed the dancing elf this morning.
Brandon is having surgery Dec 24th at 7:00 am. Keep them in your prayers as this is another biggie for him. He will be staying in Colorado after the surgery for a while. Hard to travel between Casper and Ft Collins weekly for doctor appointments in January. I dont trust the roads. He is taking a leave of absence from his job and school for the semester. We plan to go down there on Christmas day when Ryan and Rebecca leave for the airport as they are going to fly out of Denver in the early afternoon.
Dad (grandpa Cookie) is staying with us for a few days. Betty went to Kansas City with her daughter. After Christmas he and Betty are going to California for 4 weeks to stay with Lynda and Fred and get out of the Wyoming cold for a while. That should be fun.
Uploaded a few pictures to Thanksgiving and Christmas 2008. Have some for the Lecher album also that I will do shortly. Nate wrestling, etc.
Well that is it for now. Have a great week-end
The mom
Alright, so Maybe I am Lucky
December 11, 2008 by Ryan Elledge
Well, really there is no “lucky” about it… I am fortunate to have found a wonderful, loving wife who accepts me (and my abuse!) for who I am. And today, she turned 35 years old. I joked about trading her in for a new model, but fact of the matter is, I don’t think I should even shop for that new model because it would be far-fetched to think I could ever find someone better than Rebecca. I guess the sad part is it took me a long time to find her. But now, I couldn’t imagine it any other way.
Her biggest concern with turning 35 was that when she runs on the treadmill at the healthclub, she now has to select a new age range on the computer! I say, lie! No need to change that dial. She doesn’t look 35, she doesn’t act 35… she’s still young and full of fun. Oh, and I would presume the talking would slow down as she gets older, so it’s crystal clear she isn’t old!
Anyway, Rebecca… Happy Birthday, I love you, and thank you for all the happiness you have brought me.
There, for the one day a year, I was nice. Tomorrow, well, we’ll see what tomorrow brings!
–RE
Only a Month Away…
December 9, 2008 by Ryan Elledge
Can you believe in merely one month, my lil’ Brae Brae will be turning one year old? Yep, today is the 11 month “birthday” of Braelyn Grace. Time has been flying by! She is growing up so fast, it is hard to believe. What a beautiful personality she has. It just makes me melt to see her smile. Giving her a bath has become one of my favorite things to do. She loves the bathtub, and she is so inquisitive. It is absolutely awesome watching her go back and forth in the tub, stand up and try to make the water turn back on then drop and slide to the other end of the tub. She just turns and smiles at me everytime she does it. Her least favorite parts of the bath are 1) holding still long enough for me to wash her, and 2) getting out of the tub. I think the girl could stay in there for hours! It is clear she is not going to be afraid of the water. She loved the pool in Maui and the one at the Murphy’s, and she enjoyed her time floating in the Lake of the Ozarks. I have a hunch she will love going to the lake.
A teacher from the Blue Valley School District came by and visited her and Rebecca this morning — I only caught a few minutes as I had a meeting to get to at 9. The teacher felt she is progressing in her development quite well, and she suspects she will clearly be walking by one year-old. Well, with that only a month away, Braelyn will be walking in no time. She is walking around tables and behind her walking toy with ease now. Good news is, at least for awhile, walking may slow her down. Let me tell you, that girl can haul when she’s crawling! From one side of the house to the other, she is there in a jiffy. We test her speed by going and opening the door to let Hoover out — she hears that door open and lickity-split, she is there. Further proof is how fast she gets to the refrigerator when that door is opened.
She had a great time spending a few nights with her Grandma and Grandpa Bradshaw this weekend. With Rebecca out-of-town on a “girls’ weekend” (I guess Brae doesn’t yet qualify for a girls’ weekend), she went to Harrisonville and hung out with the grandparents. They had a blast with her and said she was an angel … except for the 42 minutes and 7 seconds that she was alone with grandpa while grandma went to Sunday Mass.
I definitely missed her this weekend, but what a joy to go pick her up and have her melt in my arms as I woke her from her nap. She is so special. I can’t believe how much joy she brings to my life. And in just one more month, she will have been on this earth for a full year. How exciting.
Before her birthday, though, we get to mix in her first Christmas. As much as she loves getting into things, I have no doubt she will absolutely go nuts opening presents and checking out everything she, and everyone else, gets. It will be nice for her to get to see my side of the family again. I know they are all looking forward to a week of Brae Brae.
Well, Happy 11 Months, Braelyn Grace. A lot of excitement coming up over the next month or so. Are you ready? I’m sure you are.
–RElledge
A Long Overdue Saturday Morning Update
December 8, 2008 by Ryan Elledge
Well, it has most definitely been awhile since I have actually taken the time to sit down and write a blog post. Sure, you’ve been overwhelmed by insightful twitters, but I guess it’s time to spill the guts in an actual blog post. So, in no particular order, here it goes….
* My grandfather (mom’s dad) has taken a few spills, of late. Alzheimer’s Disease is apparently progressing pretty rapidly of late. Sad to think about how the mind can go. Definitely wish they could come up with a solution for this horrible disease. It’s one thing what it does to the person with it… it’s a whole different thing for those who love the person and those who have to take care of him. I am excited for Christmas when I will get to see grandpa again. I’m sure it will be hard to see him digressing first hand, but I can’t wait to see him anyway. I am so thankful that lil Brae was able to meet grandpa while he was still pretty well with it. It’s sad to know that she will never know him as the wonderful grandpa I know him as. If you haven’t seen them before, I have some really good pictures of Braelyn and grandpa somewhere in my gallery — I think it’s under the Places > Casper section. Grandpa definitely enjoyed meeting her.
* Haven’t heard much about how my grandma (dad’s mom) is doing. I spoke to her right before I went to Maui. I need to call her again. I know she loves catching up. She is over 90 years old and still chugging along. She has arthritis pretty bad (has as long as I can remember) and it really took a toll on her this past year. But, no news is good news (or so I hope) so I presume she is still doing much better. I hate that I “think” I am so busy that I don’t take enough time to keep in better touch with her. She, like grandpa, is a wonderful person. I am so lucky to have a wonderful family.
* Speaking of family… this year we are spending Thanksgiving with Rebecca’s family and we head to Casper for Christmas. Always nice to spend time with both sides. I must admit, I am a bit apprehensive over Thanksgiving this year. Rebecca estimated some 40+ family members there, in some little town or area I’ve never heard of or been to before. I’m all for family but this sounds like a madhouse! Just kidding. My other big fear is that we’re having fried turkey. I have never had fried turkey before. Now, everyone who has tells me it is awesome and really good. But those who know me know that I am a pretty safe, picky eater. And, Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite dinner of the year. So, I find it risky that my turkey is in jeopardy of not something I will like. Oh well, as I told Rebecca, we’ll be stopping at Boston Market on the way back if I don’t like it! Good news is I probably will like the fried turkey. It’s just an unknown for me right now.
* Braelyn is growing up so fast. She is close to walking, close to standing… and she likes to get into everything. It is really fun (for me) to watch her doing the “naughty” things where Rebecca will yell “No, Braelyn…” only to be followed by a much louder and more stern “BRAELYN GRACE, I SAID NO”. This is often followed by a little slap of the hand, a heartbreaking look on Braelyn’s face, then Braelyn going right back to doing it again! It is fun to watch. Rebecca tells me I need to smack her hand. Um, no thanks. I’m gonna be the COOL DAD! My little Princess does no wrong. Some new pictures of her are uploading as I type.
* So, in case you didn’t get the alert last week, my house got toilet-papered pretty good. I thought we were good at TP’ing as a kid…. boy, was I mistaken. Apparently TP’ing has evolved, too. It now comes accompanied with thousands of rubber bands dropped on your sidewalk, driveway, in your lawn, and strapped around your door handles so you can’t open it when you get “Ding Dong Ditched” — those are the words Spencer calls it. I have some pictures of the TP job being uploaded right now in the gallery under Pictures of the House. Check them out… I know Spencer plans on retaliating. I will pretend to know nothing 
* We had a little scare this past week with Rebecca. She started having some issues that lead her to believe that she was pregnant and miscarrying. Fortunately, tests by her doctor said that wasn’t the case. It was a pretty scary thought, I can tell you that. I know my good friend Shawn and his wife lost a baby earlier this year… I just can’t imagine. Rebecca is doing much better now, thankfully.
* Work is different than it used to be. Gabe stepped down a few months back as the CEO of Aplus.net. He served a brief stint as our CSO (Chief Strategy Officer), but that didn’t last long. He decided to devote his time to other projects and moved on at the end of last month. Our new CEO is a good guy and I enjoy working with him, but I would be lying if I said things were the same. Oh well, I am surrounded by a bunch of friends and good people at Aplus.net and do, for the most part, enjoy my job.
* I’ve watched with great interest the news post-election. I find it humorous a lot of the appointments that Obama is making. His really strong words about bipartisanship and no lobbyists being allowed in his white house have softened since election. The “new government” with all this change doesn’t really look like it’s going to be taking on much of a “new” look. His first priority (a lot of first priorities were mentioned in the campaign) of getting Gitmo shut down doesn’t look like that’s going to be quite as easy as he “thought” it would be. Caution is being thrown around now by the liberal media about how there are just too many questions as to what to do with the people at Gitmo. Really? Hmmm, sounds like a familiar problem. I do also go back to a much earlier blog post I made about all these people publicly lashing out at the treatment of these prisoners… we all want these people detained, and whatever tactics need to be used to keep us safe and get information should be used. Some are just afraid to say it. I am reminded of Jack Nicholson’s words “You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall” — how true. But, only when the cameras aren’t rolling, right? I suspect the only nutjobs in the US who really do care are the ACLU. Ah, let’s move on….
* Guitar Hero is fun. Spencer wants to get the drums, mic, etc. to add on. I think we probably will. But I do need to be reminded that I need to practice my real guitar. If I would spend the same amount of time on it as I do on Guitar Hero of late, I could probably be a Tim Reynolds in no time. Heh, probably not. Sounded good, though.
Well, I guess that’s good enough for now. Hope all out there are doing well. I’ll catch up more frequently (hope that’s not an empty promise). Until then, catch ya on Twitter and Facebook. Facebook has been nice on reconnecting with friends from the past, which is something I said I really wanted to do this year, especially after learning of Angie Noonan’s untimely death. I do consider my goal to be successful. While a lot of my age crowd isn’t on Facebook, more and more are joining every week. It’s awesome to read about what is going on with them. I think I will make an effort to make my 20th reunion, which is less than 2 years away. Holy cow.
Oh, and one last thing… I can’t end a blog without at least once mentioning by Big Dawg Hoover. He is a bit stinky right now, but I love that dog dearly. He is so fun (and lazy). Today was a day to have our sheets cleaned. Hoover loves those days, cuz he gets to get up on the bed and sleep in with me. Damn dog takes up more of the bed than Rebecca does. Luckily I am trained to only need one point five feet wide section of bed… since that’s all the wife allows me to have. Haven’t ever figured out why we have a huge bed.
Peace,
–Relledge
My Baby Girl is 10 Months Today!
December 8, 2008 by Ryan Elledge
Hard to believe, but in two short months we’ll be celebrating Braelyn’s actual birthday! But today was her 10 month birthday/anniversary/whatever you can call it. She’s saying “Da Da” quite a bit, and of late she has developed this really cute rocking her head side-to-side. Rebecca calls it her “Stevie Wonder” move. Rumor has it that the big dawg might have some video footage of it coming to a YouTube.com account near you someday soon.
That’s all for tonight… just a quickie saying happy 10 months to Brae Brae!
Peace,
–Relledge
-
Random Photo
