Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Friday, May 11, 2012

How To Raise Kids Who Don't Follow The Herd

Grandma Sara and Brooklyn
What better gift to give your mom on Mother's Day than to tell her something you've learned from her, I ask?

"Brian, how about an iPad or something.  Wouldn't that be a better gift?"  Well, maybe, but this is cheaper, so here goes.

One of best lessons I've learned from my mom is best illustrated from something that happened in 8th grade. 

Monday, September 13, 2010

What I'd Tell My 1990 Self (Part 2)

You are just starting your freshman in high school, but your wife-to-be is just starting her freshman year of college.  Well played, young Brian.

Stop trying to make your main goal in life trying to hit a high percentage of the 10 Commandments or trying to be better than other people.  Just allow the Holy Spirit to live through you, you know, that whole Galatians thing.

Beware of Jacob Lytle. He's like a human Cheshire Cat.  Sure, he's got that big smile and it seems like he's helping you, but he's really just trying to get your head taken off. 


Junior year, don't try to learn how to drive a stick on the same day as the prom, because it is really embarrassing to be sitting in front of your date's house, trying unsuccessfully to put your dad's car into reverse, and then having the car die about 5 times that night, making you late everywhere (seriously, nothing happened!).  By the way, Jacob Lytle, I'm taking your future-wife-who-you-don't-really-know-too-well-at-this-point to the prom. So there. (But seriously, nothing happened.  Our future wives become friends and everything.)

Actually, go ahead and try to learn how to drive a stick with your dad.  It makes for a good embarrassing story with the car dying on the highway and all.  Plus, you've only got 19 years left with your dad.  Make them count.

Ask teachers and coaches what it will take to be successful in their class and on their team.  Nobody denies you're trying really hard, but its better to try hard in the right direction.

In about a month, your friend Tim is going to make what he thinks is a sucker bet with you, but you correctly pick the biggest upset in World Series history, with the upstart Reds not only beating but sweeping the heavily favored, roided-up, defending World Series Champ Oakland A's.  Tim will then deny the bet was official. He still owes you $4.  But not to worry- 20 years later another group of upstart Reds will sweep the heavily favored, roided-up, defending World Series Champ Yankees.

Just know that even though you're repeatedly getting turned down for dates right now, some day you're going to marry a tall, gorgeous, blonde haired, blue-eyed southern California girl who really loves you.  Not bad for an Indiana farm boy.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

She's Got A Latin Temper


I know my daughter Syd is supposed to be half English, half Italian, but I'm guessing she leans a little more toward passionate than austere.

Bookmark and Share

Friday, June 18, 2010

The Proposal (Happy 9th Anniversary!)


Here is the story of how I proposed to Krista. I’m secretly a romantic, and I love to create the over-the-top moment.  For my proposal to Krista, I really wanted to make it a special surprise.  Now, she knew I was going to propose- she’d already picked out the ring she wanted online- so the only surprises I could control were how and when, not if.
My plan was to propose to her at Nanny Yi and Pop Pop’s house (now my aunt Starr and uncle David’s house) in Elkhart, IN on Thanksgiving Day, 2000.  Even though the house is on one of the main streets, Pop Pop had made the large backyard into a Secret Garden of sorts. 

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Playing Catch- A Father's Day Story

Note- I had some friends who said this story (especially the 'playing catch' part at the end) really helped them in their relationship with their dad, so I'm putting it up here again for Father's Day.

(From January 15, 2010)
My dad died today. Heart attack. He'd just turned 60 on Christmas Eve. We went over to his house that night after Christmas at Grandma's, for our Christmas/birthday celebration, with his daughter, three sons, the married one's spouses, and a lot of grandkids. 'The Incredibles' was on the TV, the kids were all laughing and playing with the self-inflating whoopee cushion, 'Pee-paw' (my dad) had gotten for Christmas.