BALLOONS!!

So I know, I know…

All my big talk about blogging every day and this is where I am now. WAY BEHIND!! It makes me start to wonder if The H’s are right. Maybe blogging is dead (for the record I didn’t think I believed that). When I look at my sad little blog roll with the exception of JMG and Steph G no one really writes blogs any more. And not to detract from LL Cool Lucas but most of his blogs these days are more of snippets, clips, videos, etc…as opposed to written out posts and thoughts. That pretty much does it for my list of folks who still actively blog. I don’t know what this means for me, I don’t want to just give it up but I also find more lately that my life is busy and while I want to tell you about the things that are going on I have to also stop and think “they are busy too so why do they care”. Now that’s not an insensitive thing like I think you don’t like me I just think you have life happening for you too.

What does this all mean? I don’t know. It might mean that my promise to blog every day is dead, but you all basically knew that before I said it. I’m not giving up, I’m just not sure I’ve got a lot worth saying on here any more. I think I’ve become more of a “beer and backporch” (personal interaction) kind of guy, electronic socialization is just sort of…to borrow a phrase…MEH

Balloons!

Mommy is away overnight so it is Daddy and the girls time to party! We went to Publix this morning to pick up some essentials and came home with the balloons that you will see in the video. They LOVE the balloons.

I had a message from a friend yesterday that said “Hey man wanna go to Haiti?”…now before you go labeling me insensitive because you think that this is the start to some classless “bad time for a vacation joke” let me stop you right there and say that is exactly NOT what this is. My friend works with a mission agency every summer for his youth group’s mission trips and this same agency is currently putting together a relief trip to Haiti to help with post-quake work. Now I did have to tell my friend that “no I can’t go” but let me take just a few minutes to tell you why this was such a hard thing for me to say. I don’t talk a lot about my faith on this blog (I’m much more of a let’s grab a drink and a back porch and do that in person kind of guy) and as a “paid professional church worker” that might come as a little bit of a surprise to some. I’ve never been a “wear my faith on my sleeve” kind of guy; it’s just not who I am. I will say this and I think my closest friends probably know this about me, but if I were to describe what drives my spiritual soul it would be mission work. I have always been closest to God when serving in missions (local, domestic, foreign, etc…) and its is an integral part of who I am as a youth director, church member, you name it. I have done on and off site disaster relief work for multiple tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods and feel that is where I can be of most service to God. I have worked in Red Cross Disaster Shelters. I could go on but I am not going to because this isn’t a brag post about how great I am at helping people out (because in reality I’m not better than anyone else). The point of this is to say that when I told my friend that I couldn’t go to Haiti it pained me a little because it goes against every fiber of my mission work loving soul to say that but there are other considerations in my life these days. 1) I am not at a financial place in my life where I could just buy a plane ticket to fly down to Haiti for an undisclosed period of time, and 2) I have a family now. Now I made jokes yesterday about how much my wife would chain me to the floor in order to keep me off an airplane at all costs (she tends to have travel/airplane paranoias) if I told her I wanted to fly anywhere much less into the center of a natural disaster area. I am working through my youth group now to collect money to send through UMCOR to help out down in Haiti and I will still be taking my group on a mission trip (maybe more than one) this summer so I don’t whine to seek pity only to talk for a minute about how much I appreciate those that are on the ground in Haiti and doing as much as they can. I encourage you if you haven’t already to send support in whatever way you can. I recommend UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) where all donations go directly to relief efforts.

Sorry this post didn’t end up anywhere near where I thought it was going. Oh well! Now how about some babies and balloons?

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A Change & A Review

So I may have missed more than 1 day this past time but I’m still not giving up. I’m going to be a better blogger and by golly I’m going to do it THIS YEAR! So yeah, I changed the look of the blog because as I am prone I needed a change. Change is good right?

So with my new job came a new telephone and with said phone came a certain new technological experiment that I embarked upon. I decided to try out the Kindle App on the iPhone. My test book was Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” and let me just say I give TWO BIG THUMBS UP to BOTH the Kindle App and the book!! First things first:

-The Kindle App for iPhone: I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the whole “digital book” thing and even more so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it on something the size of my telephone. I’ve browsed the regular Kindle’s on a couple of occasions and to be honest was not all that interested. I mean when I look at that big flat white piece of plastic it just doesn’t feel like reading. There’s nothing like turning pages of a book (especially rough-cut pages) and folding back the corner of a page and holding the heft of the book in your hand. So for me traditional Kindle was not to be. But then came the Kindle App for iPhone and I AM HOOKED!! The convenience, OH, the convenience…I read “The Road” in just over a week because of the ability to have it anytime I need it. Let’s all be honest here, something that is ingrained in my Y chromosome is that as a man I read in the bathroom…face it its what we do. Well now with the Kindle App you aren’t confined to doing that just at home. You can read in the waiting room at the pediatrician’s office, in the babies room late at night when you are trying to soothe a baby back to sleep, on a solo lunch date to a certain river region Chick-Fil-A, the possibilities are endless. The books are less expensive than buying them in the store and they are delivered to you without ever having to leave the house. I’m sold!

-”The Road” by Cormac McCarthy-They journey of a father and son across a post-apocalyptic world is hauntingly stark and at the same time filled with such raw emotion that it was often difficult for me to put down my phone and stop reading. Without giving anything away I have to say that the book takes you on a very real journey that is written so well that it is very easy to become lost in the world that McCarthy has created. It is such a well crafted novel that I found myself wanting to be in their place and at the same time terrified of the prospect of the reality of if something like that were to really happen. I give Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” 5 out of 5 stars. Here’s hoping the movie isn’t a letdown…if (and apparently that’s a really BIG if) it ever gets released in this part of the country.

Day By (Every Other) Day

So it would seem that my goal of blogging every day has accidentally morphed into about every other day right now. I’m still striving for the every day thing but I haven’t quite developed a good routine for that yet.

We had a great weekend that was filled with the perfect amount of doing stuff and also being “lazy bones”. Yesterday was my first “MYF” in almost 2 years and just as usual things went wrong. From not having the correct adapter to use my computer with the projector to my not thinking about ordering food to feed these ravenously hungry teenagers who were at the church from 5:00-8:00 last night. Fortunately we had some nice parents who bailed us out with some Little Caesar’s pizza (I didn’t know LC’s was still around but I will say it was as good as I remember it). All in all a good night.

The girls have the crud of some form today so we will be venturing to the place that I like to store all my extra money that I can’t think of anything to do with…the pediatricians office. Our 11:30 appointment surely means we will probably get in to see the doctor sometime around Bastille Day, but I guess since I’m not qualified to fix their health issues I’ll shut my yapper and be thankful that I have a doctor to take them to. I just hope they name their new wing after me…something like “The Nick Mielke’s Amazing Baby Twins Paid for This Wing of Awesomeness” wing .

Oh well…have a great Monday!

Struggles

So I’m still struggling to be 100% with the blogging every day situation but I haven’t given up and I am still striving for the prize. As Bill Murray says in “What About Bob?” it is all about baby steps. Baby steps to the blogging, baby steps to the whatever the next thing is.

Speaking of struggles…I don’t know why it is that so many people have an issue with an Auburn fan pulling against Alabama. Rivalries work that way, they always have. I have had people try to tell me that it is good for Auburn if Alabama were to win the National Championship (which they did and it is not). In fact I even had one person try to tell me that it is good for Auburn’s RECRUITING if Alabama wins the NC. All I want to know from that person is “what color are the clouds in your world?” I mean really? I am in no way being a jerk and I have no malice in my heart when I say I want Alabama to ALWAYS lose. Its just a simple fact. I’m an Auburn fan and that is how it is, and I take no offense whatsoever to Alabama fans who feel the same way towards me. It is how it is supposed to be. It doesn’t make me a poor sport or anything else. Anyhow, I’ve spent too much time talking about this already.

And finally…my wonderful Mrs. M has put up a new video that she created of the girls playing outside. I will direct you HERE to view it (as I will not post it on my blog and take any credit because she did it all herself. Enjoy and happy weekend to you!

Blogging Day 2

So I’m getting ready to turn in for the night and I remember that I am working on a new system of writing a blog a day. I said yesterday that sometimes it won’t be much and other times I’ll have something that I think to be of some sort of interest. Tonight is one of those days when I don’t have a whole lot. Today was my first day at the new job in Prattville and it was nice. Lots to get into right away but that is what makes it fun.

As most anyone is aware right now it is REALLY COLD outside. Let me just state for the record (in case you haven’t heard) I LOVE THIS COLD WEATHER!! I feel like there is an extra spring in my step when its cold like this. I like the crispness of a cold day, the slight sting on your cheeks in the frosty air. Cold weather is where its at in my opinion. Here’s what I do know about cold weather in Montgomery right now though, don’t bother trying to buy firewood or ski hats (some would call them beanies…others would call them that other name which is INCORRECT). They aren’t available now because well EVERYONE wants them. At Home Depot today I heard an employee tell a man they have gone through 5 crates of the plastic covers you put on your outside faucets since this past weekend. Crazy!

So that’s my 2 cents for tonight!

Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag

So as always I am woefully behind on the writing of the blogs. There has been much ado about everything lately and I almost don’t know where to begin. Actually I’ll begin with the most recent and attempt to work my way backwards until at some point either a) you don’t care anymore and stop reading, or b) I have forgotten what I am talking about and just give up and lay my head down on the table.

-Starting January 1, 2010 (pronounced “twenty-ten” NOT “two-thousand and ten”…get it right or pay the price) I will be the Director of Youth Ministries at First UMC in Prattville, Alabama. This will mean a transition out of my job as Conference Youth Director which is both sad and very exciting at the same time (much more exciting of course). It will be a gradual transition and I actually will be essentially working both jobs throughout all of January and then hopefully still be used for ‘contract work’ on various things over the coming months. FUMC in P’ville is a great church with STRONG parental and volunteer support for its youth program. The church has been through some changes lately but I believe it is poised to grow and become even better than it already is and I am excited to come alongside their youth in that journey.

-We had a WONDERFUL Christmas spent with family, friends, and our sweet wonderful babies. We managed to balance the Christmas season just right so that there was the right amount of travel to see family mixed with being home to begin starting our own traditions with Harper & Lily. We went and saw Christmas lights, we drank good coffee, and spent time with friends. It truly was the best Christmas ever. I can’t wait to do it all again this year.

-The beginning of Christmas week Laura and the girls were out to do so some shopping at Eastchase and ended up getting in an automobile accident. Fortunately for all the humans involved no one was hurt, unfortunately for the vehicles involved the news was not quite so great. Laura’s Jetta was hit by an elderly lady driving a Suburban that was doing about 30 mph and since it was a glancing blow the damage was not nearly as bad as it could have been had she been hit head on. The damage however was significant enough that the battery had to be disabled and the car had to be towed off to be repaired. She is currently rolling around town in a Chevy HHR (which feels a lot like driving either a) a vehicle from MarioKart where I feel like there should be a gorilla seated right behind me throwing turtle shells at people, or b) some new version of the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters). It will be nice to get the VW back soon!

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As predicted this blog was originally started 4 days ago and left to “draft” and here I am not attempting to finish it. I know I had other things I was going to write about in my backwards timeline of the holidays but now all those things have left me. So here is where I am and where I will leave the rest of this post for the time being.

-We visited FUMC Prattville today for our first Sunday morning worship experience and I am every excited to be apart of that family and serving with their other very talented staff and ministers as a community of faith. Starting tomorrow I will be working both of my jobs through January and will see me doing a good bit of back and forth between Interstate Park and downtown Prattville.

-You all know about the very inspirational journey that a certain JMG is on with his weight loss. I want to be the first (even though I guess I’m not really first since he’s been at it for a while) to say I could not be more proud of him for his hard work and excited for him about the bright future that is ahead of him. One part of his “lifestyle change” that he has been really faithful to has been his blogging every day. In this new year I am taking inspiration from him and am going to make it my goal to write a blog post every day. It might not always be the most in-depth or interesting post but it will be an exercise in writing (something I love to do) and also discipline of keeping this blog lively. Because I would like to take the opposing stance of my dear friend Mr. H whom I believe to be utterly brilliant but I do not believe that “blogging is dead” (a note that both he AND his Mrs. could take and get back on the wagon).

Wake Up!

Just a little video for you to enjoy on this Thursday. This is typically what wake up time is like at our house, plus a quick shot of the girls playing before heading to the babysitter’s house. We’ve been slacking a LOT on videos lately because our video camera broke but thanks to Lukesha (prounounced lou-key-sha) we are borrowing their Kodak Zi8 for the holidays so we can document all the fun. Enjoy!

more about "Wake Up! on Vimeo", posted with vodpod

4 Years Ago Today

It is unfathomable to think how much I have been blessed in ONLY 4 years. A beautiful wife, two amazing baby girls, the best friends anyone could ask for, family that keeps things interesting but always loves, a sweet little dog, a home that truly feels like home, and so much more. All that in JUST 4 years. I can’t wait to see what is to come in the next 4, 40, and 400. Thank all of you for being a part of our lives, but most all of thank you and I LOVE YOU to the beautiful one who got it all started…Mrs. M!

Spinach Gratin

Well I won’t call this my “grand return” to blogging because I’m sure I have many more substantial things I could write about right now but a recipe to keep you, dear reader, still checking this I thought I would suffice until I get to my point of freedom on Wednesday.

During Thanksgiving we went and spent part of the afternoon at Mrs. M’s parents house and enjoyed a non-traditional Thanksgiving feast of standing rib roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, and spinach gratin. The spinach gratin was the dish that I contributed to the meal and it was a first go recipe as well. Its not usually that big of a deal for me to try a new recipe but when it is a part of the main meal at Thanksgiving at someone else’s house it becomes much more of a big deal. Below you will find the recipe that I used (found online somewhere) as well some step by step photos (as requested by a certain Mrs. McF). I don’t know if you like spinach that much but if you do it’s a pretty good dish. My one recommendation might be to half the recipe because 3lbs. is a LOT of spinach…I mean seriously a LOT. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 tbs. butter

4 cups chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups milk

3 lbs. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 15 minutes.

Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring for 2 more minutes.

Add the cream and milk and cook until thickened.

Squeeze as much of the liquid as possible from the spinach (I used cookie sheets and some clean old hand towels)

and add spinach to the sauce.

Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the spinach to a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyere on top. Bake for 20 minutes (425 degrees) until hot and bubbly.

Serve hot.

This last picture is a shot of my entire plate at Thanksgiving dinner (Check out that piece of meat? What is this the Flintstone’s?). Also the green bean casserole is the Alton Brown “Best Ever Green Bean Casserole” recipe and it most definitely lives up to its name. Check it out HERE.