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It’s hard enough to go on vacation with 2 boys under the age of 4, but when you get the experience of flying out of a small airport at 7:45am and can’t sleep the night before it becomes an adventure… We’ll see how our adventure goes we leave for Pop-Pop’s in Arkansas this morning. The bad thing is not only did I sleep badly but so did Jane.

Wish us luck and there will be some building going on while we are there. I know we are at least going to be putting up a rain barrel system…

Fathers day always used to be a day when I hung out with my dad and did all kinds of fun things. Now it’s my turn to spend the day with my boys and my dad. My dad has always been one of closest friends as all of my friends found out my dad being well older then most dads he never shows his age. My dad will be 78 this year and some days doesn’t act a day over 21. (sometimes 18) All the time I have folks come up to me and say “Man your dad is awesome” I always reply with “yep that’s my dad.” my dad immigrated here from Norway in 1954.  He grew up and was a teenager in German occupied Norway.  A few weeks ago when I got a new HDTV we sat and reflected on some of the things that he had seen throughout his life. It was a very surreal moment for me and  it reminded me of how lucky I am to still have him around in my life. I get the pleasure of having him live around the corner and he gets the pleasure of seeing his grandson’s as often as he wants. It’s funny how things repeat themselves my mom took a picture of me playing legos with my FarFar (Norwegian for Fathers Father) and my dad was in amazement. I now get to live that same experience with my kids. I get to see him do things with them that just amaze me…

So to My dad “Happy Father’s Day I love you!”

Today is Mother’s day, which is both bittersweet and fun for me. See I have my wife as a mom, and her mom, so I do get to have some fun. On the other hand I lost my mom in 1997 before I was married and before I had my boys. She would have loved to known them and watch them grow. My wife is a great mom to the busy builders. She gets to stay at home and nurture them and watch them grow. So last night we had a nice quiet dinner out and today she gets to sleep in. That’s what she asked for, I tried to get the boys and go get her presents but she said no. Later today we will take the boy’s over to her mom’s (AKA. nana) and let them spend some quality play time with Nana. they got the pleasure of putting them to bed last night, but I thought they might like some play time.

So to all the mom’s in my life Happy Mother’s day.

Well after a few “yucky” weekends the weather has turned beautiful and sunny. The boys and I got to do a fun project yesterday. My mother in law’s deck only had a railing around it so we were constantly having to watch the boys to keep them from falling 6 feet and goto the ER. Well she managed to salvage 30 1×1’s that we could use for the railing to keep boys and Jack Russell’s from going over the edge. So in trade for building the slats and mounting them Jane and I get a night out without kiddo’s and having to put them to sleep first.

Dad Hard at Work Before After

Of course i had my helpers who played and helped so hard that nobody made it thru the bedtime stories. Thanks ma.

For more pictures and information click here.

The wife sent me a text message yesterday morning saying your not gonna believe what your boys have asked for this morning. They asked to watch this old house or “builders” if your Emmett. They chose to watch DIY network over Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go all morning long.

The Apple doesn’t fall from the Tree in this DIY house…

My best friend and his wife welcomed their first child a baby girl into this world On saturday. Isabella Gray was born Saturday January 5th at 7pm weighing in at 7lbs and 21 inches long. Isabella we can’t wait to see you soon. I found out from my grandmother today that my brother and his wife are pregnant with their 3rd child. Well if things come in three’s I’m ready to find out who’s next…  

In 1999 I joined the masonic fraternity here in North Carolina. After 9 years i have worked my way through the ranks of officers taking a year off to spend more time with my boys in the evenings and help out around the house. One of the core values of masonry is that it will never conflict with your duties to god, your family, or your country. On the death of one of my best friends and mentors in the lodge I was spurred into returning to my lodge when one of my friends asked me to mentor him as my friend had done for me. 

This year I was elected master of my masonic lodge. I am following in many years of family heritage as my grandfather and great grandfather and probably their fathers and grandfathers before them had done. I can trace it back at least that far on my fathers side of my family and on my wife’s side it goes back into the 1800’s. My wife and children were all in attendance as was my father, and my mother and step father in law. It couldn’t have been a better gathering to show my masonic heritage. I was given two very special gifts that evening , the first being my wife’s grandfathers apron to wear at my installation and the second being my best friends diamond masonic pin.

This year as master of my lodge I am going to attempt to educate people on what masonry is and it’s ties into religon, family, and civil duty to your fellow man and community. Many people have this belief that masonry is a cult or satanic organization, which is not true. People are more familiar with the shriners hospital and the associated charity for crippled and burned children, all shriners are masons first.

As the year goes on I will post updates on how my lodge is doing and what projects we have accomplished in our community to help our fellow man.