There isn't much to say today, except - Happy Fat Tuesday!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Hard Hat Required
Rangers Ballpark is under going some major improvements. It’s fun to look out the window at work and see the progress. It makes me wish Opening Day was tomorrow. The warmth of the sun kissing your skin as you soak in the sounds of spring baseball in Texas.
The crack of the bat, the sound the ball makes as it smacks the glove of the first baseman, and the loud “out” called by the over-excited umpire… then the boys of summer run off the field to step up to the plate.
Oh to see Josh Hamilton at the plate and watch with wide eyes as the ball seems to float out of the yard, then to watch the kids chase after it on the batters eye grass.
Secretly, I’m one of those kids. A few weeks back, on a beautiful, warm Friday afternoon in January, Hamilton was taking BP (batting practice for those non-baseball people). He was crushing them out of the park. With no one in the stands, I only had to compete with my co-workers to snag a home run ball hit by this power hitter. After a few runs for a ball, I finally got one. I was like a kid in a candy store; all excited, slightly hot from the run, and with a smile from ear to ear on my face.
I love baseball, more importantly, Rangers baseball.
Only 46 days until Opening Day.
(following 4 pictures from Monday - February 16)
The crack of the bat, the sound the ball makes as it smacks the glove of the first baseman, and the loud “out” called by the over-excited umpire… then the boys of summer run off the field to step up to the plate.
Oh to see Josh Hamilton at the plate and watch with wide eyes as the ball seems to float out of the yard, then to watch the kids chase after it on the batters eye grass.
Secretly, I’m one of those kids. A few weeks back, on a beautiful, warm Friday afternoon in January, Hamilton was taking BP (batting practice for those non-baseball people). He was crushing them out of the park. With no one in the stands, I only had to compete with my co-workers to snag a home run ball hit by this power hitter. After a few runs for a ball, I finally got one. I was like a kid in a candy store; all excited, slightly hot from the run, and with a smile from ear to ear on my face.
I love baseball, more importantly, Rangers baseball.
Only 46 days until Opening Day.
Pictures of Hard Hat Areas (thank goodness I don't have to wear a hard hat at work.)
(following 4 pictures from Monday - February 16)
Manual Out-of-Town Scoreboard is getting a face lift. Here you can see where the outer wall has been removed. A video board will be installed soon. If you look above the Armitron sign - the black and yellow lettering- you can see that the dot matrix board that was there last season has been removed. (The wall is a lighter color where it used to be).
Here you can see the addition of a brick wall which will allow for more seats (third base side). Rangers Ballpark Trivia - the brick you see is the original brick from the building. It was saved after the ballpark was completed.
More brick additions on this side of the field (first base side).
The brick addition behind home plate. You can also see the scaffolding just below the lower suite level. This part of the ballpark fascia will hold the LED ribbon board that's being installed.
(following picture from Thursday - February 19)
Update on the former out-of-town scoreboard: the metal columns have been removed in preparation for the new video board to be installed. In this picture, you can see where the dot matrix board has been replaced by a new LED board. (What was a light strip on the wall is now dark black).
Check back for more updates.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Weekend Wrap-Up
Beer Slushy – Friday Night
This weekend, Craig and I hung out with our family. Clint, Craig's brother, came in town to blow off some steam from his turbulent life. On Friday night, Doss, Molly, Craig and I met Clint, Carole, and Blue at a BBQ joint in Saginaw called the Texas Pit BBQ. It was an odd little place where you order and pay for your food in the back, but you bought your beer at the bar.
Anyway, they had the coldest beer I’ve ever had. And I’m not exaggerating. I had a Blue Moon Beer Slushy. They keep their beer mugs in dry ice on Friday and Saturday night so your beer is extra cold. It’s so cold, it turns to ice! I can’t wait to go back there for another beer… yumm-o. While the food was good, I wouldn’t go back just for the food.
Sorry for the fuzzy image, it was taken on my phone, but it’s the best picture of the night.
Hugs & Kisses – Saturday Night
Craig and I love to cook together so we had a nice, quite dinner at home on Saturday for Valentine’s Day. We had a great spread that couldn’t have been more perfect.
Appetizer – Artichoke and Fontina Dip with bell pepper dippers and crunchy garlic parmesan flat bread crackers.
Main Course РAhi Tuna Steaks cooked rare with Wasabi Lemon sauce, Artichoke Risotto, Saut̩ed Asparagus, and Cauliflower with cheese.
Dessert – Molten Chocolate cake in the shape of a heart!
Drink – Estancia Chardonnay with dinner and Estancia Pinot Noir with dessert.
I’m getting hungry just thinking about it and I just had lunch!
Sunday Brunch
We tried at new church on Sunday. We’ve been going to Peace Lutheran for a few months now and we both like it but feel something is missing. We can’t put our finger on what it is, but we’re looking for something more. A co-worker told me about their church on Friday and spoke so passionately about his church that it made me want to go.
On Sunday we went to North Richland Hills Baptist Church off of Glenview and Hwy. 26. From the outside the sanctuary looks huge, but it’s nice and quaint on the inside. Craig and I both thought the message was speaking directly to us and the Pastor even said things that really apply to our lives. For example, the message was about Joy and how to be happy. The basic message I took away from the service was in order to be completely happy, I must have joy in my heart knowing that God is always there to guide me through life, even at the most difficult times. This is something I’ve always understood, but was presented in a way that just clicked.
The Pastor made comments like accept your situation, good or bad, with the joy that God is going to take care of you. If you don’t have a job, find joy in it; if your car broke down find joy in it; if you don’t like your job, find joy in it.
He said sometimes Christians will have a leak in their joy and forget to be happy with what God is giving us. The Pastor related it to a tire. If there is a hole in a tire, it will leak the air. If you patch it, the air will stay inside. Those Christians that have forgotten the way have a leaky tire and once they get back on the path to God, the leak will stop and they will be overflowing with His joy.
I really enjoyed the message from Sunday’s service, while I don’t think we’ll choose this as our home church, I feel like God wanted us to be there to hear the Pastor’s sermon.
I love the way God is so mysterious in his ways of speaking to us.
Check out this video that was sent to me, I like the message at the end.
This weekend, Craig and I hung out with our family. Clint, Craig's brother, came in town to blow off some steam from his turbulent life. On Friday night, Doss, Molly, Craig and I met Clint, Carole, and Blue at a BBQ joint in Saginaw called the Texas Pit BBQ. It was an odd little place where you order and pay for your food in the back, but you bought your beer at the bar.
Anyway, they had the coldest beer I’ve ever had. And I’m not exaggerating. I had a Blue Moon Beer Slushy. They keep their beer mugs in dry ice on Friday and Saturday night so your beer is extra cold. It’s so cold, it turns to ice! I can’t wait to go back there for another beer… yumm-o. While the food was good, I wouldn’t go back just for the food.
Sorry for the fuzzy image, it was taken on my phone, but it’s the best picture of the night.
Hugs & Kisses – Saturday Night
Craig and I love to cook together so we had a nice, quite dinner at home on Saturday for Valentine’s Day. We had a great spread that couldn’t have been more perfect.
Appetizer – Artichoke and Fontina Dip with bell pepper dippers and crunchy garlic parmesan flat bread crackers.
Main Course РAhi Tuna Steaks cooked rare with Wasabi Lemon sauce, Artichoke Risotto, Saut̩ed Asparagus, and Cauliflower with cheese.
Dessert – Molten Chocolate cake in the shape of a heart!
Drink – Estancia Chardonnay with dinner and Estancia Pinot Noir with dessert.
I’m getting hungry just thinking about it and I just had lunch!
Sunday Brunch
We tried at new church on Sunday. We’ve been going to Peace Lutheran for a few months now and we both like it but feel something is missing. We can’t put our finger on what it is, but we’re looking for something more. A co-worker told me about their church on Friday and spoke so passionately about his church that it made me want to go.
On Sunday we went to North Richland Hills Baptist Church off of Glenview and Hwy. 26. From the outside the sanctuary looks huge, but it’s nice and quaint on the inside. Craig and I both thought the message was speaking directly to us and the Pastor even said things that really apply to our lives. For example, the message was about Joy and how to be happy. The basic message I took away from the service was in order to be completely happy, I must have joy in my heart knowing that God is always there to guide me through life, even at the most difficult times. This is something I’ve always understood, but was presented in a way that just clicked.
The Pastor made comments like accept your situation, good or bad, with the joy that God is going to take care of you. If you don’t have a job, find joy in it; if your car broke down find joy in it; if you don’t like your job, find joy in it.
He said sometimes Christians will have a leak in their joy and forget to be happy with what God is giving us. The Pastor related it to a tire. If there is a hole in a tire, it will leak the air. If you patch it, the air will stay inside. Those Christians that have forgotten the way have a leaky tire and once they get back on the path to God, the leak will stop and they will be overflowing with His joy.
I really enjoyed the message from Sunday’s service, while I don’t think we’ll choose this as our home church, I feel like God wanted us to be there to hear the Pastor’s sermon.
I love the way God is so mysterious in his ways of speaking to us.
Check out this video that was sent to me, I like the message at the end.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Groundhogs Day
This is a silly tradition that I guess made more sense back in the day, but why do we still believe that we’ll have another six months of winter when a silly groundhog saw his shadow? With things like Dopular Radar and cute weathermen like Petey – that’s Pete Delkus to you – why do we need a groundhog to tell us the future?
I quickly researched why this tradition was started. To enlighten you as well, please read the following blurb about Groundhogs day, as stated by weatherbug.com:
The tradition of Groundhog Day is believed to have evolved from a German celebration called Candlemas. In a tradition that now shadows the Groundhog tradition, if the sun made an appearance on the mid-winter day and a hedgehog casts a shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
The Candlemas tradition was brought to Pennsylvania and the rest of the U.S. by German settlers in the 18th and early 19th century.
In the past, weather was very important to people because it had more of an impact on their lively hood. For example, if the weather was bad and they were unable to tend to their crops, they could lose money.
But seriously, I like groundhogs day. Things with traditions are fun, even if they are silly and outdated.
On a different note – I’m bummed the Cardinals didn’t win the Super Bowl, but I’m happy for the Steelers. Craig and I watched the big game at Buffalo Wild Wings in Bedford with my brother, Doss, and his girlfriend, Molly, and two co-workers, Rose and Rhianna. It was Rose’s birthday! Rose and Rhianna didn’t want their picture taken, so they aren’t in either picture below.
I quickly researched why this tradition was started. To enlighten you as well, please read the following blurb about Groundhogs day, as stated by weatherbug.com:
The tradition of Groundhog Day is believed to have evolved from a German celebration called Candlemas. In a tradition that now shadows the Groundhog tradition, if the sun made an appearance on the mid-winter day and a hedgehog casts a shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
The Candlemas tradition was brought to Pennsylvania and the rest of the U.S. by German settlers in the 18th and early 19th century.
In the past, weather was very important to people because it had more of an impact on their lively hood. For example, if the weather was bad and they were unable to tend to their crops, they could lose money.
But seriously, I like groundhogs day. Things with traditions are fun, even if they are silly and outdated.
On a different note – I’m bummed the Cardinals didn’t win the Super Bowl, but I’m happy for the Steelers. Craig and I watched the big game at Buffalo Wild Wings in Bedford with my brother, Doss, and his girlfriend, Molly, and two co-workers, Rose and Rhianna. It was Rose’s birthday! Rose and Rhianna didn’t want their picture taken, so they aren’t in either picture below.
Doss & Molly
One of Maddie for good measure. This is after a long walk. She came in and passed out in a full out run and jump position.
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