Yeah, I'm That Dad

Everyday we are challenged with life's curve balls. Some are little and some are big. The big ones seem to get us thinking more deeply about who we are, what we represent or why we did what we just did. The big curve balls can hurt. God means business. The little curve balls aren't so bad. Usually we bounce back quickly. God is just giving you a hint that a big curve is on the way if you continue to ignore the little ones. The other day a big curve ball was thrown my direction and it compelled me to think. This curve ball challenged my manhood and my ability as a dad.

Just recently I took Emmett and Katelynn to the store to mail a package. Emmett is now 4 and Katelynn will turn 2 in about a month. Amanda was working a day shift and it was daddy day care. I love my daddy day cares. In the moment they can be stressful, but they are a blast. We were at the store (customer service desk) and the line was long. I only had one package to mail and it had to be sent as soon as possible. Katelynn in one arm and a large show case of Oreos occupying Emmett, I would be okay. Traditionally Katelynn follows her brother everywhere, so I was surprised we made it this long. Fast forward 33 seconds and Katelynn was ready to go. With 2 people still ahead of me, I had no choice. Katelynn had to go down. Being the responsible parent that I am, I asked Emmett to watch Katelynn. The great thing about Emmett's big brother watchful eye is that when Katelynn leaves my sight line Emmett lets out a scream identical to the first Wednesday of the month fire whistle sound. I felt okay with my decision. With two kiddos playing tag around the Oreo case, I was able to mail my package. Just as I turned around, the Wednesday noon siren went off and little K was MIA. Well only briefly, but out of sight line none the less. With a quick run down the produce department, I had Katelynn in one arm and boots pounding big bro following diligently. A successful trip. So I thought. As we were leaving, a woman approached me and said the following:

"You know one day she won't be there and you will regret setting her down like that. You need to be more watchful of your children."

I was in shock. My usual cynical sarcastic demeanor was speechless. I could only respond by asking her if she had kids, which she does, and then said "Merry Christmas" and walked out. She might have had a point. I am not sure. I have only been a parent for 4 years and each day is a lesson in raising children. Her comments forced me to think about my parenting style. Should I have gotten a cart and strapped Katelynn in?...good luck with that. Found a sitter? I don't know. What I do know, are my kids. I know what they can handle and what they cannot. I then started to think, you know what, I am that dad.

I am that dad that sets his kids down and tells them to stick around. I am that dad that tells his son Dora went on vacation so we can watch Diego. I am that dad that shoots a squirrel right in front of his son and tells him that the squirrel had to go because the dog broke his paw because of the squirrel. I am that dad that tucks his daughter's pants into her socks on a cold day. I am that dad that puts a onesy over his daughter's jeans because it just looks funny. I am that dad that shows his kids YouTube videos of really bad women drivers because they are so funny and the kids laugh. I am that dad that sets up a tent in the basement and pretends a large grizzly bear is attacking the tent. Yeah, I am that dad that also finds grizzly bear noises on YouTube and plays them during the tent scene. I am that dad that takes a picture of his 3 month old daughter drinking water out of the dog dish.

I couldn't think of this list when it counted the most. I would love to go back to the woman and tell her this list. And if I did, I would then follow up my little rant.

But you know what...I am also that dad that will rock his daughter the entire night. I am that dad that will sleep on his sons floor to make sure he falls asleep in his crib. I am that dad that has read the same book five times in a row because my daughter just loves Twinkle Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I am that dad that wakes up with mom six times during the night while both kids are throwing up every 30 minutes. I am that dad that shows love and compassion to their mother to show them how much mommy means to him. I am that dad that will work tirelessly to have a roof over their head and food in their mouths. I AM THAT DAD.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Heaven Bank

Not a day goes by that I don't wonder about something. I believe we are naturally curious people and often times we don't get an answer. Wouldn't it be nice to have a "Heaven Bank?" Just recently, I was watching all of the JFK specials. This year marks the 50th anniversary of his assignation and the conspiracy theories run wild across many networks. I doubt I will know what happen during my lifetime...it was the Secret Service. They accidentally shot him...follow the facts, but I do believe I will have a bank full of all the "deposits" I made over the years. For example, what happen during D-Day? Can I watch that over again? How did Hitler die? How close was I to being attack by grizzly bear during all of my hikes? What do mechanics do to my car while I am not there? These and more questions have been asked and I won't know the answers until the good Lord takes me home.

So if you think its not worth it to be curious, it is. Just wait and see.

God bless and thanks for reading.

You are Welcome

The pictures will explain it all. You are welcome.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

The Scale of all Scales

I have had a continuous battle to lose weight. There are many methods out there to assist weight loss and I have tried many. Each day I look for a way to "make it easier." One thing I am proud of is that I have gone a record 252 consecutive Monday's with the plan to diet, only to fail later that afternoon. Now that is what I call a streak.

My most recent "game plan" includes a little out of the box thinking. The trucking industry is the life blood of America. With out trucks, we would be without many conveniences. Due to the mass volume of miles that trucks put on each year, the interstates take a beating. A way to monitor this activity is done by the State organizations. They have large scales for the trucks. Occasionally they will open these stations to hold the truckers accountable. Hopefully you are following where I am going with this. Now comes the big question. Why can't we have a large scale in our kitchen? Not just a scale you step on, but a scale that is built into the floor. Yeah, now I have your attention. Imagine walking into your kitchen and instantly a TV in the upper corner tells you your weight. Or maybe the fridge locks!! Take that inner tubes around the waist!! Man boobs....gone!! The idea might be a little out there, but considering the condition of our country and yours truly...drastic steps for drastic measures.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

The Three Talents

I think we have all had times in our lives we wish we had a special talent. That time in life, you know you could be something big if only you could do "________________." I have these same thoughts day in and day out. So here it is. My three talents I wish I had...two of which are feasible, the last one...not even close.

1. Too many times in my life I have taken a vehicle into the shop and left feeling someone just took a lead pipe to both of my knee caps and a swift kick to the groin. This was when I got the quote. After the work was done, I signed up for the 10% off credit card offer, only to find out it only applies to work done under $100.00. I wish I knew all there was to know about cars. What a talent to have and save a lot of money
2. The same can be said when I take our computers in for repair. It just feels like computers are designed not to last 10 minutes after they are taken out of the box. They come loaded with so much extra junk. Junk that takes up space and slows the computer down. I wish I knew all there was to know about computers. Again, save a lot of money
3. My last talent wish would be musical. I would really like to play a few instruments and sing. I have not much else to say about this one. I just think it would be fun.  

So there you have it. Next I need a car that has a broken computer. Then I can sing while I fix it.

God Bless and thanks for reading. 

The Power of Accountability

Allow me to preface this blog with this statement: I am GUILTY!! What I am about to discuss is an area I really stink. I am the last one to preach about this topic. But I figure if I shed some light on the issue, maybe I can guilt myself into better habits. So here we go.

Think of the last time you were eating in public with a group of people. Ever notice how everyone is eating PERFECTLY!!! With the exception of family gatherings, I am the worse. This past weekend, I attended a work conference and the kind folks hosting the conference provided a sandwich/salad buffet. Everyone in the room had more green on their plate than a vegan during Thanksgiving. I began to look around the room and noticed a few "larger" folks, yours truly included, were eating a well balanced meal. On top of that, we didn't go back for seconds. Questions started to pop in my head. How huge is accountability? Or guilt? I wouldn't mind having a well toned individual by my side each day. Our environment shapes us.

Now comes the guilt trip. Imagine the impact accountability would have in all of our lives? Not only for health reasons, but spiritual as well. Often we forget Jesus is by our side day in and day out, yet we continue to disappoint Him as well as ourselves. There's accountability looking you right in the face. Time to take action.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Side Note: No intentions to be on a high horse about this issue. We all need help.

Thoughts and Prayers

The other day I received an email from our church asking for prayers. I didn't give it much thought and clicked "delete." Then it hit me. You just blew off someone in need. Someone needed your prayer. What is wrong with you. It was more important to click delete than spend 10 seconds asking God to be with the unwell and the family. This occurrence reminded me of something. 

Have you noticed lately how often the saying "Thoughts and Prayers" have been used? I fully understand this is a blog and it is impossible for me to hear you say "Yes, Tyler, I do," but it's happening a lot. Unfortunately it is happening because a tragic event has happen. I think the expression is great. We should hear it more often. We should hear it if something awesome happens. "Hey man, you got the job promotion! Thoughts and Prayers my brother!!" Those days are probably long down the road.

We do hear it a lot on the radio and TV and when it is said, are we doing what is asked? More importantly, are those who say it doing what is being asked? Think about it. "This just in, a plane has crashed into one of the World Trade Center buildings. Our thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families."

It's important we take "thoughts and prayers" seriously. It's important we spend time with God praying for those in need and their tragic situation. Don't click "delete!!!"

God Bless and thanks for Reading

Low to be High

Life is full of "highs" and "lows." When we are down, we find a way to make time to pray, read and focus on life more intently. When we are up, we have it all figured out. Each of us have had many highs and lows in life. Some have had more than others, but we each have our stories. Luckily for me, I have a healthy family, both intermediate and extended. Nothing tragic so far. Luckily for me, God has blessed me with an income to provide, a body to use and a mind to apply...still a full head of hair and no grey.

When the lows do hit in life, they stink. But how great would the highs be without the lows? I believe this is an area, in many of our lives, we forget to remember. When the lows hit, it's important to remember how great life really is. Life's little trivial issues become irrelevant when compared to those who are in greater disarray. Yes, lows will hit, but when they do, remember its only a stage. A stage God is using to prepare you to grow and become closer to him.

The other day I was talking with a colleague. He noticed I was having trouble standing still. Eventually he had to ask why and I explained I was going through a little back issue. As I began to explain my back problems, I noticed a man, in voice hearing range, with only one arm. Immediately I could hear God: "Tyler, pipe down, he has it worse." That moment hit me hard. I wrapped up the back explanation, thus this blog, and was reminded there are many lows in life. More than likely someone has hit worse than you. Life is good. God is great.  

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Sunday Morning Traffic

I've always wondered what it would be like if traffic on a Sunday morning were similar to traffic during the work week. Imagine church parking lots across the nation the size of Wal-Mart parking lots. Would there be Christian road rage? "I have a 9am Sunday school class...but you go first!" Driving to church on a Sunday morning is painless and effortless. I think it would please God greatly to see his children flocking to church in mass groves.


 Now imagine if God gave us a warning. What would happen if God said everyone must come to church this Sunday to hear an important message. There wouldn't be a soul at home or at work. I believe every non-believer would be in a church pew. Shouldn't we assume this will happen? Shouldn't we start to prepare?

Matthew 16:27   For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Lessons Learned as a Parent

As noted in a previous blog, I like top 10 lists. SportCenter's "Not so Top 10" is one of my favorite. As I spend some of my days in the car, airport, plane or fishing with Aaron Schauer, ideas start to pop in my head. Lately I thought I could share my top lessons I have learned as a parent. Before parents out there with older children say the words, "Son you have no idea the lessons you are about to learn," it's okay...I know there is a long road ahead. Before we start, my children are four and a year and a half. I only know lessons learned up to this point:

1. A touch lamp is the perfect bedside lamp to have. It's hard enough waking up at 3am to go grab a drink from the fridge. Add darkness and your thigh or toe will pay the price. Bedside lamps are easy to turn on and require zero coordination. 
2. The Jeep stroller with rubber wheels is a must. We take our children to various locations with different landscapes. Having a stroller with big rubber tires makes walking along sand, snow or rough terrain very easy. It's worth the extra money.
3. It's not your fault. When Emmett, our four year old, was born we were convinced he possessed all of our negative personality traits. Even worse, we thought our parenting created his "less attractive" personality traits...then came Katelynn. She was the complete opposite. Order was restored...we are not bad parents. Every child has their own unique personality. Although both kids have short tempers...that Amanda. 
4. Speaking of short tempers...that last statement was a joke. I have a short temper and I see it in my kids. It's amazing how much kids absorb. When I see my negative personality come through my children it is absolutely heart breaking. I think this is most difficult part of parenting. Trying to act as the responsible, noble, and professional parent is practically impossible, but it should be the one we focus on the most. 
5. Because kids can absorb information so quickly and efficiently, teach them!! We read a lot to our kids. To see what they take away from story time is fun to see. I can't stress how important books are to children. It starts the day they are born.
6. Manners: There are times I am rough on my kids. Some parents may think I need to relax, but growing up  my parents didn't tolerate disrespect. We were told repeatedly to use our manners when speaking to people as well as listening. Please and thank yous go a very long way. 
7. Exposure: Amanda and I are believers in exposure. We want our children to take family vacations at an early age. We took Emmett on a 10 hour ski trip at six months.Want to test your marriage? Take your high strung six month old on a 10 hour road trip...good luck.
8. Just relax...break the rules. One thing we had to do on our our road trip is unbuckle Emmett to calm him down. This is only an example of the many "rules" we as parents will have to break. Just because its a policy doesn't mean it's right. They say now we have to have our children rear facing in the car until they turn 2...yeah right. Good luck with that.. Don't let your child sleep in your bed...sure, I would rather sleep 6 hours rather than 2. One day I would like to pop in on those who made these rules and catch them breaking the "rule." Justice will be served.
9. Build tolerance. This one is probably controversial. Growing up, we were "groomed" to get through sickness...be tough. Today, my siblings and I rarely get sick. Is there a connection? Probably not, but we are definitely not complainers. 
10. Kids are survivors. We don't give our kids enough credit. They are resilient and will persevere. I am horrible at this, but let them work through an issue with another child or sibling. They will figure it out.

Bonus!!!

1. Stages: Life is all about stages. Some day the finances will fall into place. Someday the kids will no longer sleep in your bed. Some day you will sleep through the entire night. Some day you will be able to go back to the gym and lose the extra 30 pounds you put on because you have zero discipline and "have no time" to exercise because you have zero ability to wake up at 5am. LOL....some day your kids will be all grown up and you will wonder where has the time gone. You will wish they were little kids again. You will wish life was as easy as it was when the kids were little. You will want to do it all over again.

Life is too short. This is the day that the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Let's Hold Back the Praise

When it comes to those in the spot light, I don't understand why are they raised to saint hood when they decide to speak a positive message? Society is expected to hold onto their every word. They are all of sudden considered the "go to" person with knowledge and insight. When they do good, we praise them for their heroism and sacrifice. Maybe well deserved, but I believe it's gone too far.

We are forgetting there are many individuals breaking their backs making a difference in this world. I know I will forget some people, but let's not forget the teachers, pastors, police, fire fighters, nurses, doctors, businessmen and many many more. Just because someone has not been in an article in the local paper, on Sports Center, in the latest blockbuster movie or reports the local news, doesn't mean they are the only ones making a difference or have a positive message. We all can make a difference.

30 Years From Now Top 10

Life is full of top 10 lists. From top 10 pet peeves to top 10 reasons why we choose not to exercise. Regardless, top 10 lists are never ending. Lately I have been thinking about a top 10 list I could do. Most of my life I question things. It doesn't take much for me to be cynical. Usually my cynicism is followed by sarcasm. As I was watching morning cartoons with my kids, I started to question a few things. So here it. The Top 10 Questions About TV I am wondering 30 years from now.

1. Did Doc McStuffins ever become a doctor?

2. Did Social Services finally crack down on Captain Hook? He has to be in his mid-forties and he is harassing little kids. That can't be right.

3. Was there a lawsuit from a passenger on one of the Chuggington trains? Have you seen how much those trains move around? If there was a person inside one of those trains, it would be horrific.

4. Did Jake, Izzy and the Coconuts kid ever find their parents?

5.  Did Goofy turn on Mickey for never letting the show be about someone else?

6. Was there a name change for Brother Bear and Sister Bear? I mean, they were the only ones called that. Everyone else had a name.

7. Did Pete, from Mickey House Clubhouse, ever become a famous comedian...by far the funniest character.

8. How did Percy last from Thomas and Friends? The way he talked had to bring him trouble...and he was a wimp.

9. Did the conductors from Thomas and Friends ever grow a backbone and take over the train they were conducting? They just stand back there while the trains get into trouble.

10. Did Lucy, from Push and Pop book, even pass the 5th grade...ever? Really, you don't know the difference between a farmer and a guy in a balloon?

Well there is my cynicism at its best. All in good fun.

God bless and thanks for reading.

It's not as bad as you think...

I've been motivated. Ever since my brother-in-law took a month off from blogging, I kind of followed suit. August/September is a really busy time for me and I apologize for the lag in blogs. Work, moving, fantasy football, travel, moving, church, moving, school, cabin and kids take a lot of time in September...oh yeah, we moved. But thanks Brian for the kick in the toosh.

I have a list of topics that I have been storing up, so hopefully the entertainment will increase. So here is the latest:

Ever been to a big city? How about renting a car or driving your own car through a large city? For those of you residing in any town within 1000 miles of Fargo cannot say you have...with the exception of the Twin Cities. Think back of the time you had to drive through a big city. Feel a little awkward? Feel like everyone on the road automatically assumes you were dropped in the middle of their interstate or downtown? Feel like they know you just came from Fargo, ND where people complain about commuting more than 10 minutes? Don't feel bad. It's not as bad as you think.

Over the past few years,  I have traveled through a few large cities...i.e. Las Vegas, San Diego and the Twin Cities. Every time I do this, I always feel like every car around knows I have no clue what I am doing. I am waiting for a large semi to rear end me and send me to the side of the road with every other tourists. But I don't think its that bad. Yes I know I am driving like a 4'7" elderly women traveling 35 mph in a 65mph....I don't want to miss my exit!! If I miss my exit, then the wife gets mad. I'll take a rear end from a semi any day than trying to work through being lost in downtown Las Vegas.

Next time you are in a big city and not quite sure where you are going. Don't feel bad. Get there safe. 

God bless and thanks for reading.

How to Survive Watching TV With Your Significant Other

Every once in a while Amanda and I get to watch a few TV shows at night. The kids are in bed and we get to treasure an hour or two together. Although we appreciate the time together, we struggle finding the common show we both can agree to watch. I, being a sports/history guy and Amanda enjoys a good Friends or Grey's Anatomy. Being the comprising husband that I am, I will try to enjoy Amanda's shows with her...I say this tongue in cheek. I am horrible at watching Amanda's shows with her.

Recently during one of our relaxing nights together I had an epiphany...I rarely use the word "epiphany" in my everyday language, but I just finished a graduate course of very educated authors writing in a very complicated way and feel the need to pass the pain onto you. So back to the epiphany. We were watching Friends and a commercial came up. My Atlanta Braves were riding a 12 game winning streak and I wanted to check to see if they pulled off number 13. I changed the channel to ESPN and the bottom ticker brought me great joy when I saw the Braves won....then it hit me. Why not have a sport ticker at the bottom of Friends!!!! You heard me men. This is the best of both worlds. How do I get this idea to the corporate heads? More importantly, can I profit from this idea?

This is probably as far as I will go. Feel free to take this the next step. Moral of the story...men and women can work together, we just need to get creative.

God bless and thanks for reading

Why Me??

Have you ever had the moment in life when you ask yourself "why me?" This occurs about every 2-3 weeks for me. I don't mind when it does. It makes for perfect blog material. As long as no body gets hurt, why not...right?

Today I had a "why me?" moment. We had just arrived home from an overnight trip to Grand Forks with Aaron and Julie.  When we got home, we unpacked, ate lunch and went upstairs to wind down for naps. While we were upstairs, Brody, family dog, began barking. Didn't make anything of it, since Brody has the intelligence level of your average baseball sized rock. Eventually I had to go downstairs and soon discovered why Brody was barking. In front of the house were two young girls. Girl A was standing on the boulevard and girl B was driving a car. Normally not a big deal, but girl B was practicing her parallel parking. Again, not a big deal, BUT she was practicing with our car as the stationary car. Initially I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I asked Amanda if I was dreaming. I couldn't believe they thought this was a good idea.

There were three factors that put me in shock and also panic for the 1998 Honda Accord. First, why was the girl standing on the boulevard? It is a lot easier to teach someone how to parallel park when you are in the car with them. Second, they were girls and they were young. I feel confident saying this because my wife has admitted men have better spacial awareness. They can drive a car in reverse without turning their heads...women, not so much. Third, they were foreign. Okay, that sounds bad. Statistically foreign drivers struggle driving in America. I don't know how to explain this further, but a foreign driver can be scary. Add these elements up and the odds were not in my favor.

I decided to approach girl A and voice my concern. She was awesome and responded politely. She did state that they could to their parent's house and practice there...um YEAH!!!

God bless and thanks for reading.

True, Kind and Necessary

I have no clue where this came from, but I have it on my list of "future blogs" and I feel it's important to share. When it comes to talking about other people there are three questions we need to ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? I think this is important when talking about others when they are not present. Too often gossip floods our conversation and I for one am not exempt.

God bless and thanks for reading.

Firewood: Men are Obsessed...at least I am

I love firewood and I think a lot of men love firewood too. What is it about the collection of wood for a guy? Many women have asked this question, along with many others and we men don't know the answer. I have yet to have the honor of owning a house with a fireplace or wood burner. Our next home (we move in August 30th!!) has neither, but I plan build a nice outdoor fire pit just to collect wood and burn it and then collect again only to burn it.

If you come across a man that has firewood you will notice two particular traits. First, the stack of wood is perfectly organized. All logs will be neatly stacked. Good luck getting a guy to dust the inside of the house, but if you asked him to split wood for 4 hours and then stack the wood in a neat pile, then you have a laborer. Second, the stack of wood will be large enough to survive 47 North Dakota winters. The stack could possibly get down to 32 winters, but more than likely the man will find more wood.

Regardless of your sex, we all enjoy a nice fire. Whether it is along the shore of a lake, deep in the back-country or in the comforts of our homes, the snap, crack and smell of a fire can't be beat. So raise your drink of choice, and salute to fire!!

God Bless and thanks for reading.

I have kids to feed!!!

I thought about adding this story with my previous blog post (click here), but your time is valuable and if you are like me, you read blogs in the car. Oh come on, the ad campaign is "don't text and drive" not "don't read a blog and drive." The below story actually took place the same time I was at the West Acres Mall with Emmett and Katelynn earlier this week. I hope you enjoy:

After my run in with Deputy Dewy (if you don't know who Deputy Dewy is, then you need to click the above link) I took the kids to the large funnel coin spinning thing. Emmett loves to watch pennies, nickels and dimes make the long journey down daddy's dreadful mall attraction. Katelynn enjoys this feature as well. Her challenge is to hit the coins just as they come off the ramp and force them to instantly slide down...Emmett strongly disagrees with her enjoyment. Post funnel coin thing, we went to the pet store, tortured fishys in a large fish tank and continuously pulled Katelynn from trying to walk into Spencer's Gifts.

After we hit our attractions, it's time for free samples. I would like to consider myself a sampler expert. I have considered bringing multiple outfits, but with two kids, samples are easy and plentiful to come by. The key with the sampler is to convince them you have no idea they are providing samples. I like to stroll by pretending to struggle with my kids. The sampler sees dad in distress and has no choice but to assist with extra samples.

On Monday we had a different experience. This particular sample was a grab and go. There was not an employee handing out the sample and all mall customers were on the honor system. Except for Dorthy. I am not sure her name was Dorthy, but as I approached the sample spot, Dorthy arrived the same time. I was riding a wave of momentum. Deputy Dewy and I just went toe to toe and now I had another match. Dorthy arrived and started to go to town on the samples. She was ambidextrous!! She had a good technique and would squash a Super Bowl party. After she cleaned 1/4 of the plate I felt compelled to say something. "Sorry mam, but I have kids to feed. Are you almost done?" Dorthy abruptly turned and looked at me and gave me the look of a mother bear protecting her cub. She didn't speak but her actions told me she wanted one last dive and she would be done. Dorthy took her last dive and managed to drop her last piece into the marinara sauce. She took one last look at me, another look at the staff behind the counter and went for it. You guessed it!! She put her finger licked fingers in the sauce, pulled out the bite and savored the moment. At this point I was happy for Dorthy and I think Dorthy was happy too. She was on cloud nine.

It was a funny moment and one I will never forget. I wish I had a moral of the story moment, but this is just good old entertainment folks.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Tyler Tracy vs. Mall Security

I just started reading an excellent book titled: The Me I want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You. Click the title for the Amazon link. The book is by John Ortberg. I am always looking for a good read and happen to come across this book accidentally. My family and I are staying at Amanda's parents house over the summer and Amanda's dad had this book laying out. I read the first chapter and I am hooked. Lately I have been struggling with personal identity. I think we all do. I found I was getting frustrated with my characteristics/personality/habits...again, I think we all do, but after reading the first chapter, this is the only chapter I have read so far, John Ortberg paints a very clear picture: You are who you are because God made you how He wants you to be. Those are in my own words. Mr. Ortberg managed to put it 24 different ways over 12 pages, but I got the point. So this leads me to my story and thus the title of the blog: Tyler Tracy vs. Mall Security.

I took Emmett and Katelynn to the West Acres Mall Monday morning. It was a great day to be outside, but sometimes it feels good to change the environment. The kids and I go the mall weekly and our routine rarely changes. First thing first, daddy has to grab a coffee from McDonald's. After McDs we travel over to the new and improved kid's play-land. Emmett and Katelynn love the new kid's zone. Compared to the last one, you don't hear a liquidy squishy noise as you walk on the carpet or check your child's diaper frequently because you believe she may have gone to the bathroom only to realize it's the smell of the room you are in. We enter the room and the kids go crazy. They run off to play. I find a spot for the stroller and then head out to find the kids. Unlike the other parents in the room, I am actually playing with my kids instead of spending time on my phone...sorry, slight jab at modern day parenting. Five minutes go by and Deputy Dewy enters the room. He instantly notices I have a coffee inside the precious new and improved kid's playland. Here's how the conversation went:

Dewy: "Sir, is this your stroller."
Me: "Yes it is."
Dewy: " Sir, we have a no beverages policy in this room. Only water bottles are allowed."
Me: "Oh, well we just got here and I was planning to play with my kids. I won't touch it until we leave the room."
Dewy: "No sir, you can't have the beverage in the room at all. Only water bottles."
Me: "I understand where you are coming from. I am asking you to make an exception considering I won't touch the drink until we leave. Currently the coffee is in a cup holder and won't go any where."
Dewy: "Sorry sir, no exceptions. Only water bottles."

At this point, I was thinking if he said water bottle one more time...

Me: "What happens if the water bottle spills on the floor? Isn't that bad too?"
Dewy: "Water bottles have a cap."
Me: "Not when you are drinking it."
Dewy: "Sir, are you going to remove the drink?"
Me: "I think I have a chance yet, so no."
Dewy: "Sir, if you don't remove the drink then I will have to ask you to leave."
Me: "Do you understand that this policy is not correct? I understand where you are coming from and realize you are doing your job, but don't you think there should be an exception?"
Dewy: "No sir."

At this point, Katelynn came crying over and we left. My brother in law (Brian Stroh) did a blog about policies and how they sometimes just don't make sense. Click here for more details.

I walked away with two thoughts:

1. Just because its a policy doesn't mean its correct. My drink was harmless and was not going to cause any trouble. Just walk away Dewy.

2. We are who we are. God has designed us to be specific human beings. I have tired relentlessly to counteract certain personality traits I carry and it's hard. It doesn't make it okay if they are used in a negative way and I probably should have backed off, but I couldn't resist. I wanted to debate with Dewy. I had to win.

God has bless me with a personality and characteristics only specific to me. I am very thankful for who I am. It is up to me to make sure I don't disappoint God with my actions.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

The Ultimate Sun Tan Lotion

I love how God makes my mind think. I am trying to stay as humble as possible, but God has blessed me with a gift of "out of the box" thinking and I love it. There are only about 2 people that truly appreciate my ideas. We have some awesome conversations. Most of my ideas fail to complete the full clock rotation. What I mean is an idea needs to start at noon and make it all the way around to midnight. If this can be accomplished, then the idea is a good idea and worth pursuing. My ideas stop around 3:17pm because there are about 25 "what ifs"  that don't justify the idea.

This is idea probably falls around 2:34pm:

What if swimming pools had a built in sun tan lotion? Let's say you take the family to the local pool and can't wait to wear the kids down. If your family is anything like mine, from the time we leave the house to the time the kids actually get in the pool, 30 minutes have gone by. Of that 30 minutes, 15 is spent putting on sun tan lotion. Parent tip: strap kids in car seat and then apply sun tan lotion...mid evil and cruel, but it works. Anyway, imagine not having to put on sun tan lotion? Just tell the kids to jump in!! Pools with a chemical design to block the sun's rays would be brilliant. Let's take this a step further. You can also buy the product and add it to your own small pool. Ah man, cash in the kid's college, sell the cars and say good by to Amanda's retirement, this is a gold mine.

I am sure many of you (I am not sure how many actually read my blogs and thank you to those who do) have many points to make as to why this is not a good idea. I would agree with all of them. If anything can be taken from this blog, is to think outside of the box!! Don't be afraid to talk about something so pointless and ridiculous. Make someone laugh and who knows, you might have a million dollar idea someday.

God bless and thanks for reading.

Blog Reference...please read

I've provided a link to my brother-in-laws recent blog posts. I love it and hope you do too. As people of the church, we tend to be too critical. This blog encourages all Christians to open their arms and graciously serve all people.

http://viewofthehill.blogspot.com/2013/06/healthy-church-shopping.html?showComment=1370442182579#c5098160542486000387

Facebook "Likes"

I used to be a strong opponent of Facebook. I thought it was an intrusion of privacy and a large social psychiatrist chair. I still believe this to be true, but Facebook has also taken on an additional identity. First, I have control over whom and what I see, but more importantly, they have allowed organizations, institutions, companies, non profits, artists, magazines, books, authors, sport teams, athletes, and many others, to promote their cause and/or news. It's great to see how others are doing. Facebook has opened the door for conversations when I meet the individual later. But Facebook is even better to keep up with an organization and etc. No longer do I have to search or keep tabs on an artist and when will they come out with their next album. They tell me via Facebook. No longer do I have to look for a good TED talk. They tell me via Facebook. Although Facebook has its negatives, Facebook is a great avenue for information.

I am always looking for additional "Likes." What are your top 5 "Likes?" I enjoy the following:

1. TED talks
2. In Touch Daily Devotional
3. Bleacher Report
4. Honest Trailers
5. Dave Ramsey

God bless and thanks for reading.

Chunky vs. Creamy?

Are you a chunky or creamy? I grew up both. Our family always had a chunky peanut butter and creamy butter container available. I enjoy chunky, but didn't like the peanuts getting stuck in my teeth. Creamy is great, but feels too simple. Since I got married, creamy has been...well...cream of the crop in our house. Amanda prefers the creamy option and I am too cheap to buy two containers...until one day I had an idea. What if there could be both a creamy and chunky container? Go with me and I will show you where I am taking this. Imagine a container with two lids. A lid on top and a lid on the bottom. At the middle of the container would be a barrier separating the chunky from the creamy. The two would never mix and here is the kicker. Because peanut butter doesn't move when tipped upside down, both the creamy and the chunky would hold their position, thus you would avoid a large chunk of peanut butter stuck to the lid. Imagine the savings!! I understand this would be difficult for the family that has 2 chunkys and 3 creamys. Eventually the creamys would be waiting for the chunkys to finish their half. But talk about a socialistic grocery option. Equal and everyone wins!! Probably too crazy since the big peanut butter companies have not come out with the idea yet, but one can dream.



In addition, how come Drew Brees, Quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, is not the official spokes person for Fabreeze? They are missing out.

God bless and thanks for reading.

Help Wanted

There's nothing more dangerous than a man and his thoughts. I don't know a lot of men on a personal level, but the ones I do know like to think. If given the opportunity to ponder, we men can come up with some crazy ideas. I usually have a few times per week where I am forced to think. This will occur when I have a long drive, time on a mower or fishing. Logically, my summers are packed with deep thought. I am assuming the men who built America: John Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, and etc spent a lot time cutting grass or fishing. Of course Henry Ford had many road trips.

My latest thought came while I was mowing. I thought it would be great to have a personal assistant. Not just "business" personal assistant, but a "life" personal assistant. How many times do you hear a song and want to write it down...cue Life Personal Assistant. Let's just call this person LPA. Need a grocery run or a few phone calls made? LPA is there. I am talking about a person that wakes you up in the morning, forces you to work out, do your devotion, provides breakfast and flat out checks your email. There has to be a few ground rules. First, LPA doesn't get involved with the kids or the Mrs. We can't get too lazy! LPA is a fill the gaps in life so time with family can be had.

Before you label me as lazy and effortless, my LPA's first and foremost responsibility would be to keep me on track and busy to succeed in the game of life. This leads me to my second ground rule: my LPA will make sure I spend time with the Lord, time with family, eat healthy, exercise and sacrifice time/money for those in need. My LPA allows me to get more done in life in a shorter amount of time. This may sound too "American," but I would embraced it and do it for good.

What would your LPA do?


God bless and thanks for reading

Bartering Wife

In case you are wondering, the picture is suppose to represent "bartering." Why bartering you ask? Well my wife has become the bartering machine. It took six plus years, but she finally has come to the "entrepreneurship" side and decided to start making some keesh...or cash for those of you wondering. I am not sure how this started, but Amanda spends more time on Craigslist than Pinterest...well not really, but you get the idea. Recently Amanda sold an electric powered car for $25!! So proud of my girl. There are great sites out there for moms. Facebook has a page just for moms to barter back and forth. It looks like the many fights we have had over "junk" around the house is starting to pay off for old hubby. Great job Amanda!!

God Bless and thanks for reading.

What happen to arriving early?

I try to go through life not worrying about pet peeves. I have many and at times can complain about them excessively. As I advance my professional work life, I have been blessed with the opportunity to manage people. Manage can be a loose term and I, at times, prefer to "lead" people, but that is another blog. Besides four way stop signs and those who throw cigarette butts on the ground, employees that either show up right on time or a little late drive me crazy. Remember the saying, and I might not have it correct, "Five minutes is on time, on time is late and late is unacceptable?" My college professor taught me this phrase and I do everything possible to follow it. Granted, there are times I show up late. Any of you with young children understand. When I am going to be late, a text or phone call is a must.

So if you are the individual that likes to show up right a starting time or even a little after, then you won't be an employee under my lead very long. If you are the employee that shows up 5 minutes early and asks what can be done, then we will get along very well.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Summer's Official Fruit

We are only 3 weeks into the "nice weather" season and already our family has consumed three watermelons. We are watermelon extremist. Amanda and I love it and Emmett and Katelynn have followed suit. There is something about the fresh juicy hit of flavor that hits the sweet spot on a hot day. It's odd watermelon doesn't have a different name. Other fruits have a distinguishing name to them, but watermelon is a melon that is loaded with water, but flavor too...go figure.

Imagine being the person who discovered watermelon? According to Wikipedia, watermelon is native to southern Africa. What a day it must have been for the lucky chap that found this big green ball. Walks over to it, probably dropped it and then took a bite. The rest is history.

Hopefully this summer, you can join the Tracy's in watermelon enjoyment. We do about one a week and love every bite.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Transparency Not Always a Good Thing

We have all been there. At a public restroom and life's demand to relieve thyself must be met. 99.9% of us would rather be in the comforts of our own home, but we have no choice. Now there are some public restrooms we can tolerate. Your local forth floor public library or maybe a nice Baptist church. But on the flip side there are public restrooms we wish to never encounter. Gus Town and Pump just outside the North Dakota border or the outhouse 12.3 hiking miles in at a State Park. Regardless of the destination, we cringe knowing what we are about to put our tooshes through.

I can tolerate the butt to plastic commitment, but there are two components of public restroom use I cannot stand. First, what is up with transparent toilet paper? If I can see through the toilet paper...that's not good!! This only means I use more and A LOT more. One day I would like to grab a roll and go to the managers desk and ask if they would put this in their own home. Second, how come the toilet paper dispenser has to be down by my ankles? Does your business serve a lot of hobbits? I can see the logic. If the dispenser is that low then the "consumer" can only pull down so much toilet paper. What really happens is that I pull 28 single sheets and eventually there is a large mess on the floor and a soon to be plugged up toilet.

Often times we get caught up in saving a penny here or a penny there and we forget about the customer. There are goods and services in life it doesn't pay to go cheap and toilet paper is high on the list. Let's throw in bread, underwear, diapers, shoes and steak for good measure.

All I ask is serve your customers well and take care of their tooshes!!

My wife requested I go back to some "funny" blog posts...here is my attempt. 

God Bless and thanks for reading.

A Crazy Meant To Be

The past few weeks have been crazy for the Tracy household. With the recent interest rates to borrow money so low and a persuasive realtor, Amanda and I decided to sell our home of 5 years. It's been a great starter home and will be for another young couple, but we were finding we had a few wants/needs on the list and found a home we hope will fill those gaps. In order to speed up the selling process, our realtor suggested upgrading the hardwood floors and adding an egress window downstairs (addition of a 4th bedroom). In return, the home value would go up and should appeal to more buyers.

Starting on a Wednesday, I started the hardwood floors and painting of living room walls. By Sunday, I was done and the photographer came on Monday. Tuesday morning the house went live and we had 12 showings over the next 36 hours. Wednesday evening the first offer came through and it was too good to pass. Oh yeah, we signed papers to buy our other home on Monday as well. It was a crazy week, but blessed in so many ways. Lots of family and friends helping along the way to make the process easy. The biggest blessing though didn't occur during the past week.

Two years ago, I was hired by the North Dakota Highway Patrol. As a family, we were moving to Grafton, ND. Our home was on the market for 3 months and didn't sell. You can probably argue the market had little demand, and this is true. The bigger blessing was from God. We believe God wanted us to stay in Fargo and continue our purpose within this community. We believe there are bigger things coming up for Amanda, the kids and myself and we are going to help others in many ways. Trying to sell our house during those 3 months was a very stressful time, but this time around God showed his awesome glory and we are so happy to move, yet stay in Fargo.

God's amazing power is so easy to see when the good times are good, but I think we grow as Christians immensely when we can recognize his glory during stressful times. We all know who those people are in our life. Aspire to be like them, because they are so fun to be around!!!

God bless and thanks reading.

Intentional Gesture

A lot times we donate our time or help some in need because we have been asked to react. When is the last time you purposely set out to help? Looking back, in my life, I can't think of a recent example. Most times I receive a phone call, say yes and chip in my time. Too often we don't make it an objective to go out and help someone in need. I hope to show my family in the near future the importance to set aside our personal time and intentionally help someone in need.

God Bless. Thanks for reading.

Tip of the Day

I had a teacher in high school that gave the perfect words of advice. Considering this was all I can remember learning from him, even though he taught Economics, World History, Accounting and etc, his advice still rings today: "Don't study something you already know the answer to."

I try to apply that to many other functions in my daily life. It could be decluttering the house, reading a blog or jobs around the house. Regardless of the situation, if you know the answer or haven't used the item in the last year, save yourself the time and study or keep something you will use.

On a side note:  Thunderstruck by AC/DC sometimes is just the perfect song to start a day.

God bless and thanks reading. 

Points of No Return - Blog reference

Please check out my brother-in-law's latest blog entry: Points of No Return. This is a great blog post in regards to Christians current stance within our culture. As Christians we tend to become defensive and even aggressive. We like to express what we are against rather than share the awesome news of Jesus Christ. Little Johnny gets teased in school and we put him in home school, when Little Johnny could be an excellent messenger of God to other children his age.Great points View of the Hill.

God bless....thanks for reading.

Morning Priorities

My mornings have a nice routine. If I am lucky, the kids sleep into 7am. If I am really lucky, Amanda wakes up with the kids, closes our bedroom door, feeds Brody and goes for an early morning walk with the kids. It's unfair to consider this an option and probably more naive. Life with young kids and a dog is active and personal priorities have to go out the window. But there are personal priorities that cannot be ignored. Besides exercise and good eating habits, we should prioritize time with God. Now don't assume I am the example to follow. The point of this blog is to not follow my example.

Each of my mornings consist of letting the dog out, feeding the dog, breakfast for the kiddos, read the paper and grab the phone for the latest social media updates. This morning I noticed a bad habit. I enjoy my smartphone. The conveniences are endless. First thing each morning I use it to check the weather, fantasy football/baseball, Facebook, blogs and lastly my devotion. Strongly recommend Charles Stanley's In Touch devotional. As I got to the devotional this morning, I thought it myself, "why are you checking this last?"

Often times we get stuck putting worldly pursuits in front of God's. I am guilty and many of us are. Something to think about next time we have some free time with our smartphone.

God Bless...thanks for reading.

Sherlock Holmes

If there are any Sherlock Holmes fans out there, then I highly recommend BBC's Sherlock. Click the link for the wikipedia breakdown. I enjoy how they take modern day technology and apply it to the life of Sherlock and Dr. Watson. I am a huge fan and love the books. I have only been able to see the show via Netflix. Once you start one episode, you won't be able to stop.

God Bless and thanks for reading.

Old Man Sandwich

 Aaron Schauer and I have this wager with our wives. If we reach our goal weight by the end of May, then we get to go out and buy shotguns (hunting), but if we don't, then our wives get cash of equal value. Our wives are amazing bakers and could easily sabotage our mission, but they also are sick of seeing their husbands with the extra weight. They have been great support. So far so good. Since Christmas I am down 16 pounds and have another 12 to lose by May 31st. In order to reach this goal, I need to workout and this brings me to my unique story.

Wednesday this week I went to the NDSU Wellness Center to workout. I like to go during the late morning. A lot of the students have class and access to a machine is easy. There are little to none negatives about working out at this time of day until this last Wednesday.  About 5 minutes into my workout, an older gentlemen steps up to the elliptical next to me. Not a big deal, but then he had a fan. His fan was positioned opposite of me, but pointing at him and then me. First, I don't like fans blowing on me during a workout, but more importantly, I don't like fans blowing the smell of a 70 year old man who clearly forgot deodorant and had been working out prior. Don't get me wrong. I smell when I work out. I sweat and release smells only POWs would appreciate, but I don't blow my smell to other people. I was only 5 minutes in and I didn't want to switch. I decided to suffer through it and continue. Enter old man number two with a fan. No joke, two minutes later, old man number two takes the elliptical on my other side and he too has a fan. I was being sandwiched. That was the last straw. Second old man must of have applied BenGay to 90% of his body and he too decided to blow his fan in my direction. It was time to pack up and choose another machine.

I guess there are times God puts us in situations we are not comfortable with. How we handle those situations determines our character and sometimes sense of smell. 

God Bless...thanks for reading.

Boston Marathon Tradegy

The Boston Marathon bombing is a tragic event. Unfortunately I am not surprised. I feel non immune to the possibility of a tragic event taking place where people congregate. This is our life and there is no sign of bombings or shootings going away. What can change is the way we raise future generations. We need to show young boys they are loved. We need to show the next generation they have a father and mother supporting them and loving them all throughout their years of growth. We need to show future generations that God is the answer and there is no other way to happiness. There is too much hate in our world and our self destruction will continue.

God bless. Thanks for reading.

A Large Plate of Crow for this Guy

Our family recently recovered a direct hit of flu and "shoots." Shoots involves dispersing internal body specimens via the rear. It was quite the adventure. Refer to last week's post: Parenting at its best for Emmett's entry into sickness. Amanda followed directly after. Emmett threw up early Monday morning and actually recovered quickly. His determination to continue his pursuit to accomplish 10,000 steps per day wasn't in jeopardy. Amanda got hit hard and was out for the count Tuesday. By Wednesday it appeared all was well and we thought we could jump back to routine, despite uncooperative weather. Katelynn and I appeared to be in the clear...so we thought. Repeatedly Amanda was frustrated neither Katelynn or I got sick. I reminded her that I have "strong like bull" genes and more than likely Katelynn got my immune system too. History has been in my favor. I rarely get sick and when I do, it will only last for 24 hours and I am good to go. Since Amanda and Emmett were better and I didn't get sick, I thought it was safe to start the family genetic bragging. I even went as far to brag in front of Amanda's parents!! Well Thursday at 1:16am the Lord struck down with all his might. I can remember waking up at 1:12am and thinking I should have kept my mouth shut. I will spare details of the first upheaval. Let's just say I didn't hit the toilet completely. I would have needed one of those large coin funnels you see at the malls in order to avoid hitting the floor. To make matters worse, Katelynn threw up on me later that morning. We did throw out an old couch because of Katelynn, so a little good came out of that. Moral of the story. The Lord works in mysterious ways and it's best to keep your mouth shut...good luck trying to tell an Italian/German/Irishman that.

Although all of us were hit hard with the flu, we got a lot of family time together, threw out a couch and I lost 4 pounds. All in all a good stretch. Here is a question: How come our dog never got sick?

God Bless. Thanks for reading. 

Parenting at its best...

Jack Bauer: "The following takes place between 4:37am and 4:39am"

If we have any "24" fans, you will understand the above statement. If not, well the following takes place between 4:37 am and 4:39am.

4:37:05am: Emmett wakes up next to Amanda and Tyler coughing and spitting...strong stench in the air.

4:37:08am: Tyler takes Emmett to the bathroom, Amanda gathers the comforter and rolls into a ball to protect the rest of the bed from the smell of puke.

4:37:45am: Tyler hands off clean Emmett to Amanda and Amanda hands off comforter to Tyler. During the exchange Amanda and Tyler exchange behind the back high fives.

4:38:01am: Amanda puts Emmett back in parent's bed, cue Matrix slow motion of Amanda sprinting down the hallway to the kitchen to grab Emmett a little juice.

4:38:14am: Tyler takes comforter downstairs to analyze the damage. He analyzes the situation and calls time of death at 4:38:19am. Comforter couldn't be saved.

4:38:25am: Amanda gives Emmett juice and Emmett falls asleep.

4:38:27am: Tyler throws away comforter, starts a load of laundry for Emmett's dirty clothes and saves orphan cat that he saw outside the window.

4:38:45am: Tyler gives a kiss goodnight to Amanda and Emmett and goes to bed.

4:39:00am: Crisis conquered. Tracy's go back to sleep.

Thanks for reading. God bless

Flying 101

I really enjoy traveling. I could sit in an airport and watch people for hours. The thrill of getting into a car that is not 10 plus years old or staying in a room where its okay to leave a mess when you leave, satisfies the inner American me. My work has changed over the past few weeks and allotted me the opportunity to do some travel. Nothing major. A few trips to Montana via air. Over the last 15 years, I have flown at least 20 times and during my last trip I thought I could share a few traveling tips I have learned. I will post this blog to Facebook and would appreciate any traveling tips you may have. These will be airline trips only...no road trip suggestions.

1. Wait: I have found it works best to wait and board a plane. Airlines don't care where you sit on the plane. With my 6'2'' 225lbs frame, I need space. By waiting for the plan to load, I can be last and possibly chose a seat up front or an entire row not occupied.
2. Headphones: There are some days I enjoy talking and there are days I want to be shut out from the world. Days I travel through airports I prefer to be shut out. Pop on the headphones and not a soul will talk with you.
3. Differentiate: Have a black piece of luggage? When it comes time to grab your luggage, do you have a tough time knowing which is yours? I wrap a bandana around mine and know exactly which piece is mine.
4. Move: The body can take its toll sitting on a plane for 2-4 hours, eating snack food at airports and lack of sleep. Get up and walk around between flights. Great way to get exercise.

Well nothing special, but I hope these tips will some day help you make your travels easy. Best of luck and enjoy your next get-a-way.

God Bless and thank you for reading.

Take a Stand!! No More Movies

Isn't it tragic we pay so much for movies? And this is coming from a HUGE movie buff. I love movies!! I could watch movies every night before bed and probably all Sunday afternoon. With that said, the price to see a movie in the theatre is outrageous. Tonight I needed to pass the time (I am Great Falls, MT for those of you wondering how can he "pass" time with two kids, an out of hand golden retriever and wife just begging to cuddle) and I decided to go see a movie. The movie was the latest GI Joe installment. It wasn't that bad, but I should have waited to rent. Regardless, after $9.50 admission and $11.00 for a small popcorn and soda, I am $20.50 down. What can be done? Well, actually nothing. It's a fight we will not win. As long as people keep going, the prices will continue to go up. I for one need to tail back and just buy a bigger TV.

Thanks for reading. God bless.

Paying it Forward

During a business trip I sat down at a restaurant for a late dinner. I ordered a burger and salad bar and waited patiently. The meal was great and I was pleased to be satisfied by a great meal after extensive travel. When the time came to pay for my bill, the waitress informed me that my meal had been paid for and also gave me a note. The note read "have a great day."

I will never be able to meet my angel. Thank you for your generosity. I will pay your kindness forward. If you have an extra $5-10 in your pocket, pay a for a meal at McDs or DQ. It's a great feeling having your meal covered, but its even better to pay for another's.