I don't blog here anymore

For Christmas, I promised Sara that I'd blog once a week for a year. My new blog is at http://in-stead-y.blogspot.com/.

This says it...

I thought this article articulated the way I've been thinking about this election, thought I'd share it. Big fans of either candidate won't like it, but it definitely reflects where I'm at with it. http://www.patrolmag.com/times/922/how-shall-we-then-vote

Le Jardin

I got the garden planted a few weekends ago.

This year, we've got basil, sugar snap peas, pole beans, 4 kinds of tomato, 3 kinds of bell pepper, a cucumber, brocolli, and a watermelon (not actually in the garden). I have a little room left where I think I'll plant one more cucumber and some lettuce. Also planted some asparagus, but don't think we can expect anything from that for a couple years.

Here are some pics of the baby version of this year's garden.

Okay, so I cant get the dang picture button to work, so just imagine a bunch of dirt with lots of little plants in it.

My new grill

Okay, so I've had my eye on this grill for the past 2 years or so, and I tended to make a point of looking at it when I would go to Menards or Lowes. Well, a month or so ago, we (the fam) made a trip to Menards for mulch, and I told Sara I just wanted to take a quick look at the grill.

She told me I should just buy it. I hesitated. She insisted. Said it could be an anniversary present, father's day present, and a party expense for our BBQ for Caleb's b-day. I lost the will-power to resist, lugged it, and the side fire box into 2 carts, and brought it home (after paying for it, of course).

I promised Sara I'd make a post about it, so here it is.

I'm loving it. It's my first charcoal grill, and it's a beauty. Huge cooking surface, barrel shape. But the real kicker is that side fire box that allows you to smoke, doing "real BBQ."

So far, I've done ribs, tips, chicken breasts, aspargus, potatoes, baked beans (they tend to fall through the cracks in the grill grate a lot), and burgers. This weekend, I'd like to try smoking a whole chicken (on the grill, that is).

So, if you are reading this and want to come over for some 'Q, please do...I'm still learning, so I don't make any promises, but I love to have an excuse to practice.

Encouraged

Tonight, we had a mentor gathering at our house. It's the first time we (Sara and I / the mentoring program) have ever done something like this. I BBQ'd, we all just hung out and got to know each other more, and spent a good chunk of time praying together for each other, for our mentees, and for the Austin community. Ever since we bought this house, I've dreamt about it being a place where we could build a sense of community with other folks, praying together, and encouraging each other. Tonight I got to see that happen for the first time, and I'm encouraged by it.

I got nothin to say

Sara keeps asking me to post something, but I'm going through a season where I really don't have a lot to say, and I'll leave it up to Sara to keep peeps updated on what's happening in our life.

Sorry 'bout that.

Leave a comment...

....if you want Dan to post something. I've been bugging him for weeks. :-)

Sara

Skills

J'ai un mal a la tete

Today is the 15th day in a row that I've had a headache.

Yes, I have a doctor's appointment.

My theory is that it can be attributed to lack of sleep. Caleb hasn't been sleeping well lately; neither have we.

It's annoying. I feel like my thinking is really cloudy, too.

That's all I have to say about that.