Times are changing

I love change and excitement--but there comes a time when I don't want things to change. Such as today. Yesterday as Gale and I were heading out on our Saturday night date I told her I had the feeling that things were going to change at church. Well, we arrived today at church and lurking in the sidelines waiting for me to arrive was a member of the bishopric. I am now officially out of Primary. I had the best calling in the church and it slipped through my fingers. I played the piano for primary. Let me list all of the great things about my calling (past calling that is) 1. Working with Brother Rudd--Past Stake President who is by far the best primary chorister the church has ever seen. He had the kids eating out of his hands.

2. Having my stash of treats. I was behind the piano and no one could see. So I brought my snacks, a can of pop and just chowed during primary. Happy is me--Happy is me! (primary song in case you didn't get it)

3. My wife was the Primary President. It was lots of fun to have my wife, and all of my four kids in Primary. We always had a good time.

4. The best lessons that are taught in the church are taught in Primary. It seemed on a weekly basis I was really touched and edified by the gospel principles that were being taught.

5. I really liked spicing up the Primary songs. Especially when it was spotlight time. Nothing is better than a good piano drumroll when it comes to spotlight time.

Those are just a few. Well, once Gale was released Sis Bushman was called and she ousted me before I could get the piano bench warm. But I'm not bitter----To be honest I think it had to do with the bitterness her husband feels towards me because he can't beat me at ping-pong. No matter how much he sweats, fights and screams he can't beat me (unless it is past midnight and I'm exhausted--then I am weak!).

The other big change is my two oldest daughters Chloe and Olivia. I hate to watch them grow up so fast. I want them to stay my little girls, but as I watch them grow up I am amazed at what incredible women they are becoming and what talents they possess. Must take after their mother. Who thought fatherhood of four girls could be so fun!!

Colorado ski trip

So last minute we decided to head up to Colorado and visit our friend's the Allreds at their cabin. They have been inviting us for the last two years, but the thought of a twelve hour drive with four kids never really excited me! The Orgill's solved that problem by deciding to go as well and carpooling together. At this point I was all game----everyone was leaving on Thursday and I had to teach on Thursday night so I couldn't leave til Friday morning. Gale decided to leave with the Orgill's and I would fly up on Friday morning with a free flight we had just earned and we would all drive back together. I could handle a one way trip.

Gale, the Girls and the Orgill's had a great non-eventful trip on the way up and it was fun non-stop from there on out. We snowboarded, skiied, hot tubbed, played games, read, slept (ok-the kids didn't sleep), hiked to Allred rock (think that name was made up) and ate non stop. The grocery trips ended up totaling 7 or 8 times in 4 days.

I am so glad we went. Our family had such a good time. It was nice to catch up with Darin and Lori. We haven't spent much time with them since they left Oklahoma, and we couldn't stop laughing about all the memories of the 5 years that they were here. Our favorite trip family the Orgills made for more fun and you couldn't have had a better weekend. Gale and I have decided that the Orgill's are party people. You couldn't ask for better friends to have. They are always planning something fun and we are lucky to just tag along and join in the excitement. The kids got along great and of course I dominated in Wacky-six. I think I may have to retire---it just isn't fun winning all the time! (Yes I'm rubbing it in.)


Chloe, Olivia and Elle love to ski and Ava is begging to start, so we may have to make one more ski trip! I can't believe how good they are for only going once or twice a year. The only drawback was that all of the families seemed to have a plethora of girls and a lacking of boys (we needed to have the Cordy's there.) The dancing and music (same song) did get a little much at 11:00 p.m. It is funny to have pictures of the girls in swimsuits at a winter cabin!
And I have to mention my birthday cake. I will put a picture of the cake on. It was the best birthday cake that any person could ever have. It was seven layers and unbelievable. It was also gone in one day. Yes, I did horde. That made a very special birthday for me!

Other funny moments include:

1. Lori looking up the word coif because she didn't believe that I was using the word correctly. We both ended up being correct! And for the minute after when I thought I was going to cry I was laughing so hard.

2. Me flying down the slope and screaming to the lift guy to not let Easton (6 year old Allred) on the chair lift by himself. I'm thinking what an idiot the lift guy is as Easton just starts to hop on the lift by himself.

3. All the adults getting ready to leave after sacrament meeting (yes we went to church) and the girls all wanting to stay for sunday school. (They saw a cute boy and wanted to stay--too bad he was under twelve and still in primary and not old enough for their class)

4. Karen disappearing during Sunday dinner and leaving Richard to burn the noodles. (Yes he went to medical school and residency and he still can burn noodles.)

5. Late night card playing with the adults. Made us feel like we were 15 again. Couldn't remember the last time I laughed so hard.

6. Gale playing Wacky six--she is so territorial (she always has to be in the middle) and she still doesn't win. I still love you...

Thanks again to the Allred's for inviting us and to the Orgill's for driving the trip with us. I have attached some pictures and will attach more here soon when we get them from the other families!

In the Studio

Chloe and Olivia are having the time of their life recording their first song. Chloe wrote it and Chloe and Olivia both sing and do the harmonies. It has been so much fun to build it from scratch. We have some great people working with the girls. Thanks Ryan and Eric! You guys are really talented!

The Dissertation

Well, the dissertation continues on! I am getting close to being halfway through my interviews and I must say that it has been the most incredible experience for me to interview these men. My topic is Men who make a career change in their thirties. I am interviewing men who left their jobs by their own choice (can't be fired, laid-off, etc). The stories have been fascinating, but more than that just getting to know these people has been a life changing experience. In interviewing these men I really see how we each create our own lifes. I would love to share some stories, but you will just have to wait for the 300 page dissertation to come (like anyone would ever read it but me and my committee and only because they have to.)

One of my best interviews was today. A 37 year old man who left his job to start his own business complete with a full house of kids and bills etc. I let him know that his name would be confidential and I would have to make up a name for him and did he have any favorites. His response--I would like to be called Chris Bray. I didn't find it very funny.

I put this post in here, because I need to keep on going strong so I can finish in the next 6 months of so. If people know about it then it keeps me interviewing and writing and hopefully finishing soon! and no I will not go by Dr. Bray--except for Ryan Bushman. He must always call me Dr. Bray--why? Something to do with my superior domination of him in Ping Pong and Pfooz Ball and maybe I will make Richard Orgill call me Dr. Bray too. Since he had to go to 10 million years of medical school and I only had to go for 4 or 5.

A sad moment that ends in happiness

I love Postum. Here are the reasons why I love Postum.

1. It is the best thing at night during the freezing Oklahoma winters.

2. Made right it tastes better than hot chocolate and there are no carbs.

3. Postum makes me tired for bed.

4. Postum reminds me of staying at my Grandma's house.

5. Postum just makes me happy

Right around December 15th we found out that Postum was not going to be made any more. We called the company (POST) and tried to find some, then went on the internet to find some but had no luck. We were POSTUM-less. It was a few dark days.

But the new year of 2008 brought some great news. We had found a place to get Postum. I would love to write it, but I can't. It's top secret. I can't give my sources away. Needless to say over 21 bottles were purchased and more are on the way. I must stockpile for the future. For those postum drinkers out there I am willing to share a hot cup with you once in a while, but I will not give you one of my new bottles. It really is the small things in life that make us happy.

Don't tell Mommy

Tonight Gale was gone and Chloe was at a church activity so it was Olivia, Elle, Ava and myself eating dinner and holding down the fort. (Gale had already made dinner, so all I had to do was put it on the plates and get everyone around the table. Can't believe she made me cut everyone's meat and have to carry the plates to the table! Her audacity! She won't get away so easy next time!)

Anyway, I had to laugh, and the more I think about it the more I laugh about our dinner conversation and Elle/Ava's bath/bed conversation. As we sat down to eat I told them that they could each have a can of pop. They didn't have to share. Ava said, "We won't tell Mommy!" I said no way, our secret. Then when the little girls were in the tub I turned the TV towards the tub and let them watch some princess show. Again, "Don't tell mommy!" I then told Ava if she let me wash her hair (if she does it herself it is a 20 minute process and lots of screaming with suds in the eyes) that I would give her some ice cream. She held out her finger and said, "Don't tell mommy". I was cracking up because everything we did we have done before with Mommy home. It really was no big secret. It just made it all the more fun if we snuck in some fun things and didn't tell Mommy! Which made me then wonder what secrets are being kept from Daddy!

Life in a box

As we get ready to put our house up for sale, we have been cleaning our house of stuff we have collected for nearly 9 years. Yesterday I was cleaning out the attic and came across my junior high, high school and college collection box. Four hours later I was still laughing, reminescing, and just enjoying sharing with the girls what I had kept. My girls loved the high school love notes from girls, dance pictures, my feathered blond hair, pictures of my first real girlfriend and date pictures! Not to mention my grades (I knew I was a good student, but I am wondering if I bordered on geek! I didn't realize I had such good grades) My worst grades were in my religion classes (Seminary) I got a C in Church History. I couldn't believe it--guess the church history bug had just not bit me yet.

As I was deciding what to keep and what to throw away. I did throw away my lifeguarding swimsuit (I thought that was the coolest job--size 26 shorts. Skinny boy---couldn't have saved a 10 year old girl from drowning with how skinny I was. But boy did I think I looked good! LOL!) I wouldn't throw away my Alta tennis team shirt. To many good memories with that--but as I was deciding what to keep and what to throw away I asked Gale, "Who is going to look at this?" I have never looked at my parents stuff or my grandparents. I think it would be fun for an afternoon, but it's not like I want to keep my parents grade reports. I then realized that the little box of stuff that I had whittled down as important and absolutely unthrowawayable. (new word) was not what was important for me to remember and for my kids to remember about me. It is the friendships I had made in high school and college, the things that I learned, the experiences that I had. It is the relationships and experiences which are of most worth to me. Not my Eagle Scout medallion, but the experiences I had getting it. (thanks mom and Charles Dahlquist--you should have it in your memory box as you really earned it.) With Gale's 40th birthday just past and a new year a head of me I think Gale and I have both realized it isn't in the "things" that we are happy, but in the friendships with both my own family and those around me and it is in the experiences that I have had. For the past few months I have wondered if I should have left my corporate DM job, the stability, the money, the free trips. But as I look back at 2007 and the growth I have had, the increased time I have spent with my family and the great things I know are ahead for our family in our new business I am at peace. One of my new years resolution--peace with where I am at. I plan on working hard for what I want to accomplish, but the path to get there for me is going to be filled with peace and happiness for where I am at, at that moment in my life.