More little things I love...

New White T-shirts...
My Dad's Jokes...
A spring day...
First day of Baseball with all the kids and their families...
A full tank of gas...
Walking into my church...
being called Uncle Joey by my three Nephews...
playing backyard Football...
playing my acoustic guitar...
the feeling of accomplishment at least once a day...
talking with old friends...
Pizza Hut with my family...
the taste of a freshly cut Pineapple...
and, laying down at the end of the day knowing that everything is as it should be...

Worth Watching . . .

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.”

Author Unknown

One Step Closer...

It was a WILD day...Very busy and also VERY productive...Days like this when I am exhausted...I just remember --I am one step closer to my goals...I dont share my goals much...But I'll give you a peek at a small part of one of 'em....Obviously there are other goals that are much more important---But this is one that was easy to blog about...

I am aiming for a boat about this size...parked in my own slip...in the Gulf... with all my computers and video/film editing gear on it...and a house not too far off...That way, I can work on the projects I want to work on, take a break whenever I want, Invite my friends and family and my grown son down----untie the boat and do a little Amberjack, Mackerel, Grouper and Snapper fishing--and just set my own pace....

And one very important ingredient---smile and laugh a lot...

PS...I'll still blog from the boat---Its just that pictures I put on here will be a lot prettier..Ha

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
Gail Devers

“People only see what they are prepared to see.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Laughter and Kids...

"Children learn to smile from their parents."
Shinichi Suzuki

"Humor helps us to think out of the box. The average child laughs about 400 times per day, the average adult laughs only 15 times per day. What happened to the other 385 laughs?"
Anonymous

Focus on the Road Ahead...

"You must remain focused on your journey to greatness."

Les Brown

"The immature mind hops from one thing to another; the mature mind seeks to follow through."

Harry A. Overstreet

Sunset . . . February 25th

"Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal.”

Elbert Hubbard

Back in time...

Well, it was a rainy day yesterday and I decided that after Oneal and I got all of our errands ran and I had some work to do, that we would tackle the day a little different.

We did a couple of things that I remember doing when I was his age...First we went and bought a model to put together..that is one of the things I used to love to do....O picked out a Corvette 327 engine to put together...and we built it on the dining room table...He did most of it--I just helped a little...Pretty cool...

The second thing was to borrow the "Andy Griffith" DVD's I got my Dad for Christmas...That is one of the shows I remember watching when I was little...we watched several episodes last night and he loved 'em...His favorite ones have Opie and Gomer Pyle in them...He laughed a lot and we both fell asleep in the living room.

It was a very good rainy day...Old School style....

“Sometimes we're so concerned about giving our children what we never had growing up, we neglect to give them what we did have growing up.”
Dr. James C. Dobson

“Children are not casual guests in our home. They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.”

Dr. James C. Dobson

Sunrise..February 25th

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
Robert Brault

Advice from Pickle...

This is a comment from an old post that Pickle (Linda) wrote to O'Neal, concerning girlfriends....I thought it was great and definitely worth posting again...

From a woman's point of view
Need only to be kind
Want only to be a good citizen
Be the man who is known for only saying good things about other people
Make your promises based on how you would want to be treated
Don't have a girl just to have a girl
You already have the looks
You will get the attention
You already have the intellegence
You will have victory in your life
When it comes to girls, let them find a good friend first
Pick the one that will be your friend through the tough times
And one who you can laugh with

WOW....

What a beautiful day---

Clean truck, Windows Down, Great Weather...

No Blackberries at the top of the mountain...

On this last trip...I changed some things about me. It was the first time in as long as I can remember, I left my Blackberry and all the business calls and emails that comes in on it-- in the room and turned off..Now thats a huge deal for me---but I realized that I dont make this great big world stop or turn by whether I answer an email or my phone..My business continued ...money was made..and I got to relax and enjoy my self...I did have my personal cell phone, in case of an emergency...but for 4 days...I did not fight any fires, worry or try to organize anything except how to ski down big mountains without killing myself...So it set in motion something I brought back with me...a more relaxed approach..enjoying myself a little more.

I am a very driven person..driven to succeed at everything...and I am still driven with a little different approach...not at 88 mph...but a comfortable 65.

No..Its not a Mid Life Crisis...

But on our way back from skiing, I did take the boys by the National Corvette Museum...Cade and ONeal loved it...It was very cool.. awesome cars--the red 55 is a beautiful car---My favorite is the top one--I got to drive one exactly like it when I was about 17...lots of power and beauty...

Like riding a bike...

“The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles. A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.”

Sloan Wilson

We got our "SNOW" on...

Well --we are officially back, and took a brand new mountain this time---Perfect North Slopes...What a great place and we had a great time...there was only one thing missing this year for me and O'neal --and that was Cade's family---But his Dad is doing well after the accident and our families already have plans for going twice next year... The boys skied for 2 days and then took snowboard lessons and boarded all day Sunday...They both did great at it...so here are a bunch of pics--we ate BIG, skied a LOT, and slept GREAT in a new hotel...Here you go...

Valentines Day...

Cool...

What a great week so far and it is only Tuesday...

got some great news...and on top of that--

I'm getting ready to hit the road to ski for a few days...

R and R...baby...

I am extremely blessed...sometimes I dont know why---but I will take it just the same...

One More...

This is also one my favorites---this is how you make a statement!!!

Another great Valentines Banquet

Well, We went and had dinner at the nursing home with my Mom's Mom--Nana Brooks...she is doing good and has actually put on a little weight...and Mom is taking real good care of her.... The entertainment for tonight was a Willie Nelson impersonator--(My Dad) He did excellent--and an Elvis Impersonator...It was GREAT...

Ive always been an Elvis Fan....this dude was good---at one point he came back --got down on one knee and sang to my Mom---Very Cool...SO here are the pics of the family I love...and here is a clip of Elvis at his best--the '68 comeback special (and one of my favorite songs)...Enjoy.

Little things I love..

A good laugh...
Sunday dinners with my family...
My son telling me he loves me...
Riding out into the ocean to do some fishing while the sun comes up...
The feel of a freshly starched shirt...
The taste of a steak right off the grill...
A childs laughter...
A clean vehicle...
Getting the go-ahead on a new project at work...
Snowskiing at midnight...
Putting on the Ipod under the helmet and climbing on the dirt bike and riding with my son...
The feel of a good workout at the gym...
The feel of being appreciated...

Having a goal and the ability to reach it---(Only 10 more years)

Morning Quotes...

What a great morning and the start of a great week...

“Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a Lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle... when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.”

“Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening.”
Mahatma Gandhi quotes

"If you are going to win any battle, you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do... the body is never tired if the mind is not tired
General George S. Patton (American General in World War I and II, 1885-1945)

Confidence...

There is a part of me I am really thankful for...Confidence...I believe in myself...now I dont all the time, but about 95% of the time---I feel like I can take on and accomplish anything put before me.

It's not arrogance at all--dont get those confused..

Arrogance is a negative...confidence is a positive...it is a combination of hard work, opportunities, support and belief.

I tell Brent at work this all the time" If we had a big enough budget and enough time---we could build a space shuttle". Thats not arrogance ---thats knowing that we could figure it out, and back it up with the determination and the hard work to see it through....

“When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.”

Author Unknown

"Confidence is the key to great acts of courage".

Author Unknown

O'Neal and his "Dream" Jeep

Waking up...

Over the past few months, I have been waking up in a funk...But not anymore...I woke up this morning like I used to--ready to go, motivated, smiling and feeling good...I have got some good stuff to accomplish today at work..then a great weekend...so get out there and do some good stuff and feel good about what all you have been blessed with....

Another great one from Micheal...

Countries are conquered and civilizations lost over "identity." Show me a man with no identity and what have you shown me is someone with no beginning, no future and most certainly, an unrecognized end.

Closure . . .

Once you get peace about something--its a great feeling.

We carry things around like a backpack full of bricks...Ive heard it forever---and I have needed to be reminded of it.

"Let Go and Let God"...It works---but you have to be willing to before He can work...Life is tough sometimes--but we have to be tougher...

I'm finally back to my "OLD" self....it's been a while...but Im kinda glad to see me again...

On a roll....

“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.”
Josiah Charles Stamp


“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say”
Martin Luther quotes

Almost Time...

I never thought I would like it a lot.

Maybe do it one time and thats all, because I'm a warm weather --coastal fishing kinda person...

but once a year --this is the thing to do--I LOVE IT...so in a few days---its back to Paoli Peaks to have a lot of fun...we go and pretty much stay out on the slopes for 3 entire days---its relaxing and loads of fun...and with my schedule lately--I need a break...and there is no better way to do it---so Im gonna load up the kids and go hit the slopes---I am ready...

http://www.paolipeaks.com/default.php

Quote...

"Sometimes rejection is God's way of protection."
Pastor Les Bowling

Try...

I hate to fail---but I have in one area...But there is one thing I have learned from it---I was trying to please a person...and you cant count on another person for your happiness---it has to come from within...

Sometimes what you give isnt enough--and to some people it will never be enough---But if it is enough to you and you can sleep at night---You have done all that you can with the abilities given to you...

“Try and fail, but don't fail to try.”

Stephen Kaggwa

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”
Dr. Seuss

Best I have Seen in a long time...

I got this from Michaels Blog----He found one of my all time favorites---Make sure you watch it 2-3 times to catch all the stuff...

From Dad...

Dad sent me this link about Tiki Barber ---Its not so much about a car but--what he has accomplished and the wisdom he has at age 31....

http://www.mycadillacstory.com/index.html?jumpVideoIndex=tikiBarber_retire

Secrets Of a Champion...

From Pastor Rob at the Men's Brakfast:

The Secrets of a Champion

“I press toward the mark for the prize, of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 3:14)

You don’t succeed because of what you are, but rather what you are willing to become. Only an average person attempts to get what a champion has without having to do what a champion has done to get it. Your circumstances have nothing to do with who you decide to be. Winners and losers are not separated by different skill, but rather different decisions. Below are secrets of every champion:

1. Champions get knocked down. They just don’t stay down. It’s not what knocks you down that changes you. It’s what makes you get back up that does. Winning is not the result of not failing, it’s the result of not quitting. Your success will only be as significant as what your recoveries have taught you. God doesn’t use the perfect. He uses the recovered. (Ps. 37:24)

2. Champions never wait for others to make a change. You will have to be angry enough to change something, or you will be passive enough to tolerate anything. Idleness is the result of waiting for God to speak when He is waiting for you to move. Those who can only discuss problems usually cannot remove them. (Prov. 13:4)

3. Champions leave legacies, not tragedies. Your life is the classroom for the next generation. Burnout will be the result of not teaching others to do what you insisted on doing yourself. The next generation will either repeat your integrity or your dysfunction, depending on which one you practiced more of. The only thing worse than failing is not helping others to succeed. (Deut. 34:9)

4. Champions finish. Creativity starts a goal. Endurance finishes it. It would be better to complete something achievable than abort something difficult. Anyone can be productive when they have the answers. Champions can be productive when they don’t. The difference between finishers and quitters is finishers are consumed with their goal; quitters are consumed with what others think about their goal. (John 17:4)

5. Champions Make Improvements, as fast as Losers make excuses. Decide to be a Student of life. Always be teachable. Invest in yourself, your desire to improve never exceeds your personal development. What book are you reading right now? (II Tim. 2:15)

Wassup....

Well it has been a while since my last post...Work has been wild...but good...lots of stuff being accomplished...O'Neal and I have been busy with basseball and conditioning camps...I have been hitting the gym about 4 times a week... and we have been having Pay-Per-View guy nights at my house--Wrestling last weekend and last night UFC...and tonight --the Super Bowl..all the guys come over bring their kids and we eat and watch the stuff on the projector on one huge wall in my living room...LOTS OF FUN...

So life has been great...and in 2 weeks its back to the slopes for about 4 days of skiing---I am really ready to go...so I said all that to say this---I am extrememly blessed, and I dont ever take it for granted---you try not to either...

“The person who can bring the spirit of laughter into a room is indeed blessed.”

Bennett Cerf