2008

I can't believe that another year has come and gone. I can remember being a kid & my granddad telling me to enjoy being a kid because it will go by quickly. At the time it seemed to go by very slow, but it seems that it has gone by quicker & quicker each year.

2008 was a good year for our family. My little girl Callie was born in December of 2007, but has really "grown up" this year. She went from just laying in my arms, to crawling & now WALKING. Went from making goo goo sounds to now saying Da Da. My 4 kiddos are the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't know how I got this lucky to have such a wonderful wife & 4 great kids.

The job is going good @ Sam's Club & I really enjoy it here in Iowa. The downsides are that our church is so small. I am used to going to a church with a congretation of 400+ members. We have 150 here. I just wish we could make some close friends here. I feel like all I do is work. Another downside is that it is SOOO dadgum cold here. Back in Oklahoma we seemed to of had 3 months of cold weather. Here it is 5-6 months of just bitter cold. I don't like the cold!

Another thing is there isn't any really good place to eat here. Sure we have Outback, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden & Red Robin. But, I want more! No good BBQ Place at all. I am used to TexMex Mexican food. Here it is all authentic. The best place is Azteca which is actually not bad. I just am used to more places to eat. We need a mom & pop hamburger joint like Johnnies or Ron's. We need Taco Bueno, Arris' Pizza, Hideaway pizza or Coney Island!

Some good things about living here are I love my job, I love the spring, summer & fall. I love the fact that we are so close to so many different places we have never been to. We have been to the Malls of America in Minnesota, Been to Chicago to shop & watch the Cubs, Been to Milwaukee to watch the Brewers & to Wisconsin Dells water parks & also had the chance to go to New York for vacation to shop & watch the Yankees!

Another great thing about 2008 is that we FINALLY purchased a home. We moved out of Oklahoma City in 200 & haven't owned a home since. We have moved & moved & never felt comfortable enough to buy a home. I love our house. I will love it even MORE when we get it all updated & cleaned out. 4 bedrooms, 2 living room areas, a full size basement ( aka Todd's Sports Museum ) perfect size for my perfect family.

Other than the collapse of both 2007 & 2008 Dallas Cowboys everything else was great. The Sooners are playing for the National Title on January 8th!

I also was able to reconnect with friends from long ago through facebook. Great thing to be a part of.

Let's hope that 2009 is just a good!

Until Later,

XX

Bedlam Game

I was in the stands on November 11^th, 1995 when OSU broke an 18 year WINLESS streak against the Sooners winning 12-0. I was only 7 years old when OSU had last beaten OU in 1976 so I had no idea on what it felt to like to get beat by “little brother”. Since that time OSU has won 4 more times & lost 9 times. I had always rooted for OSU to win every game they played unless they were playing OU or Tulsa.

I understand that it was exciting to FINALLY win that Bedlam game, but it amazed me & has since on how much trash some of the OSU fans talk. It amazes me that some of these people try to make it so personal on this message board. I know some Sooner fans aren’t any better, but you would think that a school that is being DOMINATED 79-16-7 would realize that they really have no reason to talk any kind of crap.

For the past 3 years I have lived out of state in Springfield, Missouri & now Bettendorf, Iowa & I am happy I don’t have to hear all of the bickering @ work between the fans of both teams. OSU fans bring up that they have won many titles in wrestling, golf etc…& Sooner fans talk Football. If you want to brag about winning championships were two guys roll around on the floor together then be my guest.

Now that OU has won the Southern Division of the BIG 12 the Cowboy fans are jumping on Texas’ bandwagon talking about how it is unfair that Texas beat OU blah,blah,blah. The totally agree that the BCS system stinks & we need an 8 team playoff. But, OU did what they were supposed to do & that is keep winning after they lost a game EARLY in the season.

How many times have we seen teams lose early in the year & they finish off better than the teams that lose late? Remember back in 1985 when OU was beaten by Miami & OU was the team that won the national championship because Miami was beaten in the Sugar Bowl by Tennessee & OU beat Penn State? I remember Jimmy Johnson complaining that it was unfair because he beat OU head to head. But, Miami lost that last game of the season.

It’s not the first time this has happened. OU is just playing by the rules regardless if the rules stink. Why should Texas be rated above OU? Didn’t Texas get beat by Texas Tech? OH since OU DESTROYED Tech that should make Tech automatically out of it? What is OU would of only won by one or two points would that have been different? NO it wouldn’t have.

Face it OSU fans your jealous of the Sooners dominance over OSU. All I am reading now is that OU shouldn’t be in or OU will wind up embarrassing the Big 12 by losing in the BCS game. First OU must beat Missouri. That is not a gimme game at all. I am very well aware that the Tigers could beat OU on any given night. If there were to happen then read the message boards from some of the OSU fans. They will be ripping into Sooner fans & walking around with boners for weeks because the Sooners lost.

I have read on several topics from OSU fans saying thank you to the Sooner fans who are not “rubbing it in”. But, I doubt the same will be done if OU winds up losing either the Big 12 Title game or the National Championship game.

I am prepared to be ripped by several people for making my comments, but I don’t care. I have sat around not saying anything out of respect for fans choices to voice their opinions. But, all I can come up with in all honesty is that there are several OSU fans that are JEALOUS of OU. I think that someday the Cowboys will win a BIG 12 championship in football. They are making progress. I will be the first one to congratulate them.

As a person born & raised in Oklahoma & living there for the first 36 years of my life I am proud of all 3 major schools in Oklahoma. I am PROUD to be from OKLAHOMA & I wish all of the teams well during their contest. I just can’t stand some people making it so personal.

That’s my take…now let the ripping begin!

Until Later,

XX

Isn't it interesting how just about EVERYTHING has gone to the computer now? Just recently I joined Facebook & began to get in contact with friends I have not heard from in years.

Some I went to College with @ Oklahoma Christian, some I went to High School with @ Tulsa East Central, some I worked with @ Sam's Club in Springfield, Missouri, some I went to church with back in Tulsa & some I worked with some 20 years ago!

I really enjoy the fact that I can now keep up with them by just turning on the computer & with the click of my mouse look @ what they are up to and more importantly see their KIDS!

It is so amazing how we have all grown up now. We have KIDS! I am 39 years old ( just a few more months until I hit 40!) but I still feel like I am 18 in my MIND! Man I wish I felt 18 again for my activities! Kids are the greatest thing about my life to this point. They are a spitting image of myself & my wife & they are just so dadgum cute.

My boys are great kids, but @ times they remind me of how I used to act as a kid. I can remember my mom telling me I would have kids of my own someday that would drive me nuts like I did her.....she was right! They do drive me nuts sometimes, but they are the best gift God could ever give me. My little girl is just the sweetest thing.

This is my first blog & I hope to make more. I just don't know really what to talk about. I guess we will see.......

Until Later,

XX