The awesomeness that is Yoda

Check him out! Thanks Rachel

Yoda is Cool!

The most awesome prize ever

So, I just won something! How cool is that! My friend, (and by friend I mean person that I have never met, but know some of the same people as she does, and decided to blogstalk her , )Rachel ran a contest on her blog. It had do with food, so I felt up to the challenge, and I won! So now I get a felt bookmark of a B-List celebrity of my choice....any suggestions? Check out her shop on Etsy too.

Ahh Novemeber

The start of fall, the leaves turning colors cold temperature, wait its not cold! I live in California!

Seriously though, it has been good so far. Today is officially the first day of a week vacation, in which Tiffany and I are going to have a staycation, and do all the fun things in our own backyard. We may go hiking, we'll probably spend a day at Disneyland, we may go to Seaworld too, and even the San Diego Temple! The world is out there! Or at least, what is an hour or two away by car.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Drumroll please....

And the winner is .....Bob! That's right ladies and gentlemen, he got a new job. His commute has cut from 120 miles round trip to approximately 2. His bank opened a new branch in Mo Val and he got a sales spot. He starts November 1, with the new branch slated to open Nov 30. Woo Hoo! The Lord truly does answer prayers, just not in the way we expect or when we want. Its not the perfect job I envisioned, but it ll do, and I am grateful for it.

Birthday

So, number 31 has rolled around! It was a good one, filled with rare extra time with Tiffany and a kickin' party with Laura, Cody, and Russell...with a Monoply game that took a turn for the worse at the end...oh well. Thanks everybody for the birthday wishes and presents...just a few thoughts on the day.

1. Love Bob's Big Boy.




2. To share a few core beliefs on this day...(Thanks Tiffany for finding this!)

http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/2010-09-20/



Seriously though, It was a good day. Wish they came around more often.

Junkyard Bob

A sight much like this one is what I saw a couple of weeks ago. For the last couple pf months, I have been driving my Corolla with a drivers seat that got progressively more broke, so eventually I was driving like a low rider even with tow or three pillows propping me up. I finally took a Saturday and went to a local junkyard to find a new seat...thus began the epic journey into junkyard wasteland!

So I get to the place and basically get told to wander and find my part and then bring it back. This is probably a square mile or so of junked cars and the only advice I get is "I think there's a corolla somewhere by the tree over there." Encouraged by this news, I look forward to getting to the tree...only to find there are about six trees around, none of which happens to have a recognizable Corolla sitting near. So, I begin to wander through what begins to feel more and more like a dark and dreary wasteland. Did I mention this was a hot summer day? Like blazing sun beating down and reflecting off rusting metal hulks? So I keep wandering, aislr after aisle, row after row, seeming to never end lost in the labyrinth like twisting and turnings of this auto junkyard, not even having a ball of string to guide me out after slaying the minotaur...oh wait different story.

So eventually I realize the junkyard is more or less organized into types of cars, and the small passenger sedan section is of course off in the far corner, the one place I have yet to look. I search with hope refreshed as I finally see familiar cars, but alas! no Corollas! I climb ovr around and through many vehicles, imagining the tales they all have to tell. Finally, at my wits end...(by this time a short journey) I decide that a Toyota Camry seat looks like it might fit and start using my hand wrench to undo the seat. Much muttering and a few scrapes later, I haul the seat out, luggin it the quarter mile back to the front, managing to only gret lost and turned around onjce on the way. and really feeling Twilight zone like as I haven't seen a nother soul in the last hour, and ge tthe seat paid for. After I get it out to my car, the junkyard guiy finally says.."So you didn;t find the Corolla? Oh you should go find the guy on the forklift. He'll show you." "Where is the guy on the forklift?" Oh, over there, by the tree." Guess what happens next. Yep, no guy on the forklift and me back to wandering the desolate dumping grounds of Detroit.

Salvation in the form of a horn and an approaching forklift!


The Mysterious forklift man appears and guides me to a car that, before it was cut in half and made unrecognizable, was once a compatible with mine Corolla! Somewhere angels began to sing, or perhaps it was simply the sound of the forklift driving away. So, I began again to remove the seat, by hand, and cursed the left handed monkey who used his right hand to locate the bolts for the seat somewhere no opposable-thumbed biped could easily reach them. I also had to fend off the attack of the forklift man, who apparently thought it was funny to stuff another car nearly on top of the corolla while I was inside.

I once again made the trek with a seat to the front of the wasteland, and traded the other seat for this one, got gouged on the price of two bottles of water, and made it home, to collapse in bed before spending another hour in the garage late that night installing the seat...with the help of my lovely wife, and more cursing at left handed monkeys. But now, I am low-rider free!

Amazing me

So, I actually did some home repair today! Our toilet flapper had broken about a week ago, so top avoid having to flush it by hand anymore...gross I know....I actually did the repair myself! I know most of you are saying no big deal, but for me, my strengths definitely do not lie in being a handyman. So, even if no one else is, I am impressed with myself!

I hate waiting

Today, I walk out after a tolerable day at work, and find this.

So, I fill it up with air and go to the world of Marts on the Wal. Sure no problem we can patch it...wait you have no tread blah blah blah state law blah blah blah 2 seconds.

I think..." I don't care goober! Fix it so I can go home.!" I say something much nicer though, and walk inside, waving off my friend who followed me there, only to be told they don't have my tire. Now, I know my 2002 Toyota Corolla is a rare and exotic vehicle, so I completely understand.

Five minutes later after deciphering instructions o a nearby Pep Boys, the only place still open as it is now 6:00, through mumbling and a thick accent, I get told to go inside and ask the guy there if he can help me cause the other guy is going home and apparently can't be bothered.

I go inside, and wait. and wait. and wait. That should have been a clue as to the rest of the evening. Eventual;ly they decide they can help, and have my tire, (Hallelujah!) but it will be around an hour and a half. Left with no option if I actually wanted to get home, I waited. I browsed the Barnes and Noble nearby, taking note of the tripe that is popular literature for the most part. And then, guess what? I waited.

And waited.

Then, waited some more.

At 9:15, I walked out of Pep Boys with a car that I can drive, and an hour and 12 minutes later,( a new record) I make it home.

Not a fun night, but I did learn patience, and waiting, and trust in God. And, that may even make it worth the bigger balance on the credit card.

Things you learn from your house being broken into

1. Lock all the doors and windows.

2. Lock all the doors and windows.

3. Lock all the doors and windows.

Seriously though, you learn again that it is all just stuff. Things can be replaced, or at least remembered, and one can eventually forgive the thieves, and hope they needed it really bad. You also learn to push down that perverse satisfaction when you hear that they may have been caught.


You also relearn the most important thing ever is my sweet wife and the eternal bond we have. Nothing trumps that.

I love you Tiffany!

Rental Children?

We are "renting" our nephew Aaron today...what better way to try children out than renting them first? his is actually making good on a Christmas present promise to spend time with him. We already successfully rented his older sister and brother over the last few months. We plan to go see lots of planes and maybe even some trains. Maybe we can even start our own rental children business.....

Magical Memories

As many of you know I work at the happiest place and we are encouraged to make these things that disney calls Magic Memories. Basically, it's when you do something for a guest that they did not expect. usually it's happens when you give them a plush or give them some "fastpasses" to help them out with thier day. But sometimes a Magic Memory can mean as much to you as it does to the guest.
Today I met a little 4 year old girl name Gina (name has been changed). She was so sweet and she was there celebrating her 5th birthday that would be coming up in a week or so. I decided to search through some books that we have for guests to look at and give her one. I found the perfect book it was called, Ms. batsy's Kindergarten. I walked up to her with the book in my hand and sat down next to her. I told her that since was going to be turning 5, she would probably be going into kindergarten soon and I wanted her to not be afraid. She said thank you (like all little girls do) and she told me that she wanted to turn off the t.v that she was watching and read it now. I asked her if she would like me to ask her mom to read it to her, she nodded her head "No."
I asked her if she wanted her aunt to read it to her.
She said, "No'
Well, " i said, "who would you like to read it to you then?"
she looked at me shyly and pointed to me.
I was slightly taken a back, but how could I say no to this sweet princess. we read the story while her mother watched us with a big grin on her face. I could tell, that like me, she wanted to remember this tender moment.
After, we finished the story Gina came up to me and asked me to sign her book. can you imagine me, signing a little girls book. I'm going to be part of her memories of disneyland.

I love Magical moments like these they remind me why life is worth living.
People say that everyone anymore is out for number one, most of the time that might be true.
but I think that maybe all the world needs is a few more magical moments to remind us , that there is hope, and how powerful one kind moment can be. So, anyone that is out there reading this (bob) go out and make a magical moment for someone else. Let them know that you were thinking of them. Share a little love...there's a song in there I know it.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Grand Californian Stay

So, back in March Tiffany and I got to stay in the Grand Californian Hotel-where she works-because she had won a contest. It was awesome! They upgraded us to one of their presidential suites, and treated us like royalty! Besides being huge, having its own kitchen, and three or four bathrooms, an office, a huge TV, a patio with a view of California Adventure, it was awesome in every sense of the word to boot!

Enjoy!

RAM in a thicket

Just thought I'd share....My computer works now, thanks to more RAM, and yes I did it myself! Okay I'm done.

April Already?

So I know April is already half gone, but better late than never. :)Life has been good for us, especially as I realize how good. The good moments in every day are often overlooked, and really dwarf the occasional negative ones. So, life is good, and smile!

Here are some random pictures for your enjoyment.



This is Lake Perris...which we live right in front of. We'd have a lakefront house if it wasn't for the mountains. :)

No, she's not shooting me, this is a birthday present of Tiffany's.

Rachel and Spencer came down, so I met them and Laura and Cody and all the kids at Disneyland one morning. Sadly, I couldn't stay. It was fun to see them though!

And, the everpresent Mugsy. We love her mostly, and tolerate her sometimes, like when she chews cords to electric blankets. :)

All is well is Laneyland, so till we blog again...

Happy St Patrick's Day

So I departed from the traditional dyed green grilled cheese to a lovely meal of corned beef cabbage provided by my lovely wife. It was really good.

Other than that, we haven't been up to much. I'm still looking for a closer job and Tiffany is still with Disney. We love all our friends and family and welcome visits anytime.

Happy St Patrick's Day to everybody!

TV B Gone Part Deux

So, it has been interesting to adjust to the quiet in the house. I admit to a certain longing to plop on the couch and turn on the noise, but then I find a good book or actually sit and talk with my wife. (Shocking I know.) In fact, I now find myself wondering why it took as long as it did. I have even found time to read the scriptures more.

I say found time...but the time was always there. I just wasted it before. I have come to realize more and more that my life is all about perception...which can be a nasty word-just ask Tiffany about Disney perception. But, as I focus more on my Savior and less on myself, I find more peace, I find insights from passages of scripture I have read may times before, and I find a renewed focus on the important things in life. I also find more communion with the Holy Ghost. Of course, that I usually manage to drive away in the next moment of imperfection, but I am finding more and more of those fleeting moments. God is good. He lives and He sent his Son to earth for me. They truly did appear to Joseph Smith to restore Their Church, which is directed under Christ by a living prophet today, Thomas S Monson. The Book of Mormon is true. This I know not of myself, but by the Spirit.

I wax a tad philosophical, but there it is. All from no TV. Who knew?

TV B GONE

Yes, we did it! No longer able to stomach paying lots o moola for cable every month, we canceled it effective Wednesday! There have been some withdrawal moments, but it is amazing what gets done and the extra time we can actually talk to each other! We'll let you know how it goes.

Long time No Blog

So, I have been horrible at updates. In the spirit of being horrible, I will skip the time frame from the last post and simply say the holidays were full of good food, big drama, good family, and more good food.

In more recent news, at the end of January we made good on a CHristmas promise to let our niece spend the weekend and have some quality time with us and the princesses @ Disneyland. ( We made the same promise, minus princesses and Disneyland to her two brothers. ) So here are some pics from our adventures.

We were all monsters.



We got in line for Monsters INC only to have it break down . So we had fun waiting in the queue for it to start again.
One of the many princesses we saw that day.
We had a great time, and Tiffany and our niece Madison even won prizes! Madison got a stuffed duck she promptly names Terence and Tiffany won a stuffed Dumbo. (No. not me. :) )
Madison even got picked to dance in the High School Musical Show! It was a fun day, and a fun weekend.

We have done more like celbrating Tiffany's birthday, but more on that later. Goodnight!