The Search Is On!

This place would be perfect!

Emily and I are looking for a small furnished apartment/lakehouse/cave to rent in the Kosciusko County (Winona Lake, Warsaw, Syracuse, Nappanee, etc.) area. 

I'm currently planning on being in the area from March 14 to April 15 and would like to bring my wife and new baby along while I'm on business.  (Plus there are a lot of people in up there who need to meet Ady!)  We have quickly realized that Ady needs a lot of stuff.  We have also realized that due to the stuff (and a general distaste for long term hotel living) we would rather not move in and out of a hotel every week.  Therefore we are look for something a little more permanent (by permanent I mean a 5 week stay).  Basically a place where we can stay for weekends if we want and leave our things. 

We pay great rent and will give a security deposit etc.  Anyone have any leads or ideas?  Comment or email me by clicking here.  Thanks in advance!

Dad Post: The Grammy's

I'll admit straight off that this post has little to do with Ady's recent activities, growth spurts, or cute faces.  So if that's what you're looking for stop reading now.  Probably not worth your time.  You will most likely just come away thinking "Dan, I think you've actually lost it this time" which could very well be true. (But not like these people)  Sometimes it takes a little "crazy" to make life interesting right?

Oh the Grammy's.  With a young daughter in the house I'm starting to think about what I will and won't allow her to watch and be influenced by.  Overall I considered the Grammy night nearly a complete waste of my time.  Lady Gaga disturbed me, Justin Beiber dismayed me (because I was actually very entertained), and the rest of the show just distracted me from anything productive.

So there's no way I will encourage/allow my daughter watch this kind of thing right? Or is there a level of creativity and a breadth of music I want her to be exposed to at a certain age?  Emily and I both were involved in music and we hope that our daughter at least has an appreciation for it (yes Emily, even classical music).  At least an appreciation that goes beyond being able to sing along with the most recent hit song on the radio.  I guess at some age it will be appropriate for her to watch and appreciate.  Unfortunately at the rate things are going I'm also going to have to give her a sex ed. lesson before she will be able to understand what/who is performing.  While the Grammy's probably aren't appropriate for a three year old I think I'd like to be able to expose her to different genres and artists in the home rather than her being exposed through friends at school. 

So my question is this. As Christians we are to be "in the world but not of the world".  Does this include watching (and even supporting through the purchase of music) artists such as those profiled and awarded on the Grammy's? Are the Grammy's something I want my daughter to watch?  If not are there aspects we can learn from and appreciate? Parenting is hard and I haven't even had to do anything yet (teenage girl years are still a ways away).

Random Sidebar: Sorry Emily, I have a new band crush, Mumford & Sons.  (Former band crushes include Relient K, The Fray, Snow Patrol, Sufjan Stevens, and Owl City)  A four man Indie Folk band from England gave a performance that caught my ear and reintroduced me to a song that I can't get out of my head.  I discovered the group a while back while watch CoolTV (yes, that broadcast channel that only plays music videos).  I all but forgot about them until their Grammy performance.  Banjo, tight harmonies, and lyrics that can get a guy thinking (I may investigate them in a future post).  Their music is an aspect of human creativity and thought that I hope my daughter has an appreciation for.  People who think and ask why, who create, and who want more than just face value from the this life.  Aren't those the attributes God created us for but in a worship context?

Aunt Post: The Cool Aunt

I've decided to be the cool Aunt. (No offense to Sarah)

So... Ady is pretty awesome. I am currently babysitting while mommy and daddy are out for Valentine's Day!!! Which at the moment consists of sitting on the couch, watching rugby on TV, and letting Ady sleep. But I should enjoy it while it lasts, cause I hear that 7 pm is her usual "unhappy" time.

So I'm not near as cool as Dan and I don't know how to make surveys and ask deep questions. But I have been thinking that I'm going to have to work really hard to be a "cool" aunt. I remember going to visit my aunt at college. It was something that I looked forward to every year... Grandma and Grandpa usually took me to see her for my birthday. But I shall be graduating in a little over a year and then I will have to find something else that will make me a "cool" aunt.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!!!

Aunt Steph

Dad Post: Success!

Emily took pity on me and agreed to help me find an outfit for Ady's first superbowl party.  For our first official outing the whole family headed to Once Upon a Child (can I get some cash for that little endorsement?) and took a look through what seemed like miles and miles of little people clothing.  You'd think that a store can't fit that much into 2000 square feet but when you can hang four levels of clothes on each side of each rack things really start to get overwhelming.  Admittedly we had all of our success on the boy's side of the aisle, but I think we maintained her femininity just fine.

Sunday morning we took Ady to Sunday School so our class could oohh and aahh over how cute she is.  I think Emily had been waiting for that day since she found out she was pregnant.  As planned by the Big Man Himself our Sunday School lesson was on Proverbs 22:6 and our teachers went over some practical application on raising children.  The thoughts brought up have really got me thinking.  Look for a post with some of those thoughts in the near future.

Sunday afternoon we rested up for our big night.  It was superbowl time!  We were attending a party with our Sunday school class so we loaded up Ady, some crackers & dip, our biggest TV, and the superbowl boxes game I drew up.  If you know me at all, anywhere there is a group of people I'm always happy to turn things into a competition (even if there's no skill involved).  Ady had a great time!  She got to be held pretty much every minute of the entire game only cried a little when the baby got slammed against the window. (see sidebar for video) Also, I have decided that Ady has baby crushes on both the eTrade baby (I call him Frank) and Mini Darth Vader (MDV).  Her parents are leaning more toward Frank since we think he may have a more stable work and financial future.  MDV may be a little old for her (and slightly dim witted) but he also seems very imaginative and funny.  So I guess the jury is still out on the baby crush.

Overall the first weekend of outings was a great success!  Be thinking of Emily this week as I am spending my first time out of town since Ady was born.  It's not that I really did that much anyway (Emily rocks at Mom-dom) but I know she liked to at least have me around just in case.

Final Note: I'm holding off on the nickname poll for right now since I have all these great pictures I want to post.  Can you tell me which one is your favorite?  Vote in the picture poll!

You Want Pictures? - Take Two

  
      Can You Say No To This Face?                          A Timeout Already!?!

  
     I'm So Cute In My Sunday Best                                It's Game Time!

Dad Post: Dad Needs Help!

Sorry, this is a quick post.  I'm working on something longer for next week. 

The readers have spoken (I may or may not have voted from multiple computers) and unless something drastic changes in the polls, Ady will be wearing "Something Cute - Football Themed" to the superbowl party tomorrow night.  Unfortunately Ady's mother has stated that if Ady is going to wear "Something Cute - Football Themed" then I have to find it tomorrow. And I completely stink at shopping in general, let alone shopping for tiny girl clothes.

Any ideas where I can look for a tiny football outfit? Any kind of direction or suggestions will be better than what I have now (ie. nothing).  Cheerleader outfit (tasteful of course), tiny jersey (not Colts, just general), just a shirt with a football on it; I'll take whatever I can find.  Anything!  Worst case scenario I'll have to bust out some old nasty sweatbands.  Believe me, nobody wants that.  I was also trying to figure out how to do eye black, but that might be going a little to far (it would be so cute!!...please someone help me justify it)  So in the end I really need your help!  Suggestions???

PS. For all the concerned mothers and grandmothers out there, Emily has already stated that no matter what I pick out Adylyn has to wear some sort of a girly headband/bow.  It is not my intent to just dress her up like a boy.

Bring It Ice Storm!

You think that ice and snow and a house without power can stop me from looking awesome? Not a chance.