Ok, back at it on Wed night

So Wed night is here and Ga Tech plays Miami in football on ESPN tomorrow night. Unfortunately, we decided to sell our tickets since the logistics of Alpharetta to downtown & back on a Thursday evening were getting more complicated with a kid in kindergarten. Guess this is part of the getting old process, but getting a babysitter for 6 hours who can stay up until Midnight is pretty much impossible. Jack is not sleeping tonight but Chance is still going to be at 8pm and sleeping through the night until 6:45.

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but we went to Jack's teacher conference last week and it was about 100% opposite of Chance's as far as his interests and talents. Wants to be an art teacher. Has a strong verbal ability and likes to lead (or tell others what to do). It will be interesting raising two different kids.

One interest I have is coming up with sort of a best of breed solutions to things in life and sharing. One thing I really like is www.mint.com and the free & better alternative they have to MS Money and Quicken. Check it out if you haven't already.

Saturday night blog

Well, Jack fell asleep driving around tonight and Chance went straight to bed when we got home, so I got off easy this time. Sara is out at a Thanksgiving dinner with friends from our old church. Getting a babysitter was an option I guess but really needed some more down time. We were supposed to go to Highlands this weekend with Meg & Arthur and their kids, but unfortunately a death in someone close to their family changed schedules. Watching football and just relaxing without any kids sports this weekend is nice. Great bike ride today on the greenway although there are a lot of leaves and it was wet. The change of scenary this time of year is nice to watch, although I'd rather keep the warm weather if we could. I've been (slowly) reading a book that someone at work loaned me - Brain Rules by John Medina. I noticed that the Amazon site got another 5 star review posted for North Point's "Louder Than Creation" CD. This is still my favorite CD after several months. We signed up to go to Married Life Live at North Point with our friends Carlton & Lee coming up in Dec. Looking forward to that and grandma & grandpa Phillips coming up for Thanksgiving a week from Monday.

More catch-up - Uncle Phil with Gen Petraus in Iraq

Thank you Uncle Phil for your support of our country!

Double-take on Robbie & Corey kid picture

I'll see if I can scan in an old picture of me and my sister Corey. But just looking at this picture of Chance and Kendall makes me do a double-take on how similar the resemblence is.

Catch up posts

Here are Chance and Jack in their halloween costumes - Peter Parker and Anakin Skywalker

This is the YouTube video of Chance's first day of school back in August:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32eMsGYZnKI

Here was one of the highlights of this summer's sailing expedition. Note that raising the sails is not optional and as along as the water is warm enough, going to an island to play in the water is a requirement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SoclNAHesE

Well, the Jackets just kicked off their basketball season and I'm sitting at home for the first time in several years. It is really a progression. HAving just bought 1 season ticket in the past years, I couldn't justify the cost and time commitment with the 2 boys now pretty much needing a ticket too if they were going to go. Ideally it would have been nice to split the tickets with Sara's dad but get 2 tickets and go to half the games. But he didn't want to do that although I could have bought the whole set. Anyway, it will be good withdrawal for me and they are not looking too strong this year anyway. I'm playing a song for Jack that helps him get to sleep sometimes - Chris Tomlin's "How Great is Our GOD." Took the day off today and just tried to relax some. Ended up coming back from dropping Jack off and doing a few small items, then taking a nice nap. Went to lunch with Chance at school, then a bike ride on the Alpharetta greenway. It is really a great ride now with the extension to the Roswell greenway. Then picked up Chance and we hung out since it was raining and his tennis lesson was cancelled. I came across this information from http://http://www.dewde.com/ and liked what he put together: The Family Constitution Integrity To hold honesty as the foundation of our ethics. To always choose the harder right, as God defines right, over the easier wrong. To be sincere and genuine in our endeavors. Charity To enrich the lives of others with our time and assets. To always rebuke with hesitancy and gentleness. To keep a sense of humor. Wisdom To obtain counsel of reputable peers. To listen twice as much as you speak. To fellowship with God through prayer and study

Day 2, post 2

Well, don't expect this frequency will keep up, but might as well start strong. Ga Tech finally got its first official Letter of Intent today from Glen Rice Jr for basketball. 3 more expected to follow in the next several days. #1 in the country Derick Favors, who I met briefly at the Tech scrimmage the other day, is going to wait until spring to decide. Here is a link to the sermons from North Point Community Church in Alpharetta. If you scroll to the right until you come to the Home free, even me series with Louie Giglio speaking, and watch the 7/27 Fruitcake & Ice Cream presentation, you will probably agree that you have watched one of the most powerful sermons ever. At least I did. BTW, prayers and well wishes to my good friend Steve VanWieren and his wife Starla who are about to have a 3rd child. Brave folks they are, but living a very great example in their lives.

Note: (from Rob) I'm converting some new blog entries from a separate blog that I started since I didn't have access to this one originally.
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ok, so I've done these blogs before and never really stayed interested in posting. I tend to lurk on all kinds of sites with rarely a post. So the other day I read this article in the Wall Street Journal about memory and decided since time is just going by faster and faster these days, might as well try to record some of this stuff. I may go anywhere with the topics depending on whatever is going on. Ga Tech sports will probably come up some. Also, my family including 2 boys ages 3 & 5. Often as I try to get my 3 year old to fall asleep I'll stay in his room and use the laptop, so perhaps many of my posts will come during this time. Maybe some triathlon chat - right now debating whether to purchase a faster bike (bought the entry level Trek bike a few years ago) and my friend from work can kick my tail with his Trek Equinox. Just can't seem to bring myself to pay such a large price for something that won't be used that much. And of course, right now the economy is a big subject right now. But rather than overdo it this first time, I'll try to keep each post fairly brief. One thing I will post is the video of the opening song at North Point church last Sunday. Every week I am more amazed by what they do for the glory of God. The band played with the lady singing this live, but the video played on the screens to the side of them and it had a great effect - and very good fit to the current series on Why Worry. Well, on that same site which is of the Browns Bridge campus they have another video posted of a baptism that took place there. The baptism videos is one unique thing at North Point but this one was particular great.

trip to DC for Owen's baptism

Click Play below, wait for it to load (30 sec), click the play button to advance

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Hiking 101

Chance and Jack packed in plenty of snacks

Happy Haloween!

Bert and Ernie say "trick or treat!"

Pilot Chance

Chance flys the Spirit of Delta this summer.

Happy 4th of July from the bike parade

Jack found a puddle on Stone Mountain

pure joy.

Boys of Summer

Jack now loves the "white boat" (sail boat), and Chance is working on swimming.

Basketball fans

Like father like son...

Happy Spring!

Chance is looking forward to his belated birthday party this weekend--it's a basketball theme of course. He also started playing goalie for the Shark's 3rd season. Jack did a nice imitation of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" today. Chance saw actual snowflakes falling from the sky for the first time in his life earlier this month...at his great-grandaddy's wedding in West Virginia. The boys will be spoiled this weekend by the Florida Grandparents. What a life!

Family video

Chance accident video

Merry Christmas!

We hope you have a Merry Christmas (ref. Chance, left) and aren't scared of Santa (ref. Jack, right).