Devil's Haircut

We had not had the dogs of ours groomed in awhile and their hair was in really bad need of being cut. So We finally made an appointment for them to get their hair cuts today and all the other grooming needs they provide for the dogs.

From work I called Amy about 3pm and asked if they had called her to see if the dogs had been ready yet and she told me she already had them at the house. So I ask if they look OK. We had been skeptical of trying out a new place...which we ended up doing anyway. She tells me Bugsy looks fine...just really skinnier since they cut his hair off.

Not too bad...but yeah...he looks really skinny!

And then she said I would have to be the judge of Rupert's cut.
Geez...what you think if you were told that?
Well here's what I found when I got home...

Some kind of lion hair cut maybe...?
Oh my I could not keep from laughing at him. Well next time we will have to be really specific when we take him to the groomers office to get groomed. Given this is only the second time we have had to take him to the groomers but I guess we should had stuck with our initial groomer for Rupert. He's the one who has to live with this thing.
Poor little guy...I almost don't want to walk him so other dogs don't point and laugh at him
...or other people point and laugh at me. Ha!
But alas it will grow back and there is comfort in that.
I've been telling Rupert this all night.

Misty Mountain Hop

Sorry It has taken us over a week to post since our ski trip. We had a blast with the whole family! Salt Lake City is such a beautiful place and I hope everyone gets to go there at least once to see the majesty of the mountains there...winter or summer. We actually did not take many pictures on the mountain because we forgot our camera everyday but the very last day we were out there. So this first pics we took of ourselves on the ski lift. We held on to the camera so tight in fear that it would fall into the powder beneath us.

And we managed to get the pics taken. They are just a little too close up...so I made them small on here. Amy's glasses look massive and my neck has disappeared.
Lovely pictures these are!



Then here's some action shots from the mountains. They are on the easy slops so don't go thinking we are really good skiers...because we are far from being decent skiers. We rented Snow Blades instead of skis this year. They are a little over half the length of regular skis and have the feel of ice skating or roller blading on the snow. So much easier to control and keep your balance than skis. I also had read that when you hit powder the snow blades tend to "submarine or nose dive" into the snow. Actual quotes...so we made sure to stay clear of the powder...but Amy lost control and hit some powder and in the second picture she is actually taking my picture after having her snow blades did a nose dive into some powder.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well...we depart tomorrow morning for Salt Lake City for our annual ski trip. We won't be back home till Wed. the 14th of next week. I don't know when we'll be able to check email, myspace, or much less post a blog. It almost feels like we're going back to the past of the information and technology age.
Trips like this make me wish we had a laptop.

OK see everyone on the other side!

Christian Brothers

The blog title is the title to an early Elliott Smith song out of dis contempt for Christians that he had come in contact with. Some of the lyrics say why should He shake their hand for fake concerns.
How many times have you asked someone how their day was, they replied "Fine" but with not a "fine" look on their face and you figured it was good enough response and walked off. So the question is...was that question of ours of actual concern or just to be nice and save face?

I posted the lyrics to the Derek Webb song last night after I was going to post kind of a frustrated post about Christians and the Church. Just at how I hate that there are so many negative connotations that come with being a Christian in today's society. We are seen as more of judgmental and point fingers than to show love and grace. Are we so wrapped up in traditions that we can't freely love all as Jesus did in his day.
All of this talk comes from so much deep down in me that makes me frustrated so sorry if none of this makes sense.

My friend Jason reminded me last night about some of this so I had been thinking about it all night. But why do so many people say...
"I love Jesus, but I hate the Church"
Isn't the Church who Jesus died for?
Where did the Church go wrong? Sure I believe there are a lot of churches with the right purpose and drive for their church body. But why aren't we all unified with the same goal?

There's not much you or I can do to sway everyone to be a better Christian but I can challenge every Christ follower that I know to make a more grassroots approach to showing God's love for our neighbors. I had set a few goals for myself with the start of the new year about doing things within myself. But there was that selfish being in me trying to just deal with me and my family. But I have set a new goal that I hope shows love to our community of neighbors. Help me by keeping me accountable to that goal.

-Isaac

T-shirts (What We Should Be Known For)

words and music by derek webb

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
at anyone whose sin looks worse than ours
who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bare

they’ll know us by our picket lines and signs
they’ll know us by the pride we hide behind
like anyone on earth is living right
and isn’t that why Jesus died
not to make us think we’re right

when love, love, love
is what we should be known for
love, love, love
it’s the how and it’s the why
we live and breathe and we die

they’ll know us by reasons we divide
and how we can’t seem to unify
because we’ve gotta sing songs a certain style
or we’ll walk right down that aisle
and just leave ‘em all behind

they’ll know us by the billboards that we make
just turning God’s words to cheap clichés
says “what part of murder don’t you understand?”
but we hate our fellow man
and point a finger at his grave

when love, love, love
is what we should be known for
love, love, love
it’s the how and it’s the why
we live and breathe and we die

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
telling ‘em their sins are worse than ours
thinking we can hide our scars
beneath these t-shirts that we wear

Free At Last

IT IS FRIDAY!!!

Amy got to sleep in today b/c she did have to be at work til 10 instead of the usual 8am schedule for her Fridays. So that was a great way to start of the day for her.

I only have 3 hours of work left. Today has gone by so slooooow so when closing time rolls around it will be a sweet escape. Speaking of have you guys heard the new Gwen Stefani single "The Sweet Escape" man talk about a catchy tune! I don't even know what the lyrics say so I don't endorse those...ha! Just the music...great tune to groove to.

So this is my last Friday to work for the next 2 weeks since we will be gone on our annual ski trip next week. And I am super pumped! Salt Lake City...here come the Llanes. You have been forewarned.