Truly a Family Company

Life is going extremely well for us. Jenelle recently accepted an offer to work at SC Johnson in the Global Communications department. She will be writing articles for SCJ's internal paper and doing several other editing and writing tasks.

There are many reasons to be happy about this. The pay is better, the hours are normal, and the convenience factor is through the roof. Since she won't start at SCJ until the 12th or so, it's tough to realize how great a benefit this will be.

In other news, I'm working on several computer-related projects. I'll save the details for a later post, since we have to go get a Powerball ticket. :)

Lots more photos!

Here is a handy list of all of the Christmas-related photo albums:

Decorations (updated today)
Isaacson Christmas
Comande Christmas
Immediate Family Christmas

Christmas Letter

By the way, these are all easily accessible from our home page.

Jenelle and I adventured out on a MAJOR shopping trip today. Why? I'll explain more soon. Enjoy the holidays!

TotallyWiredTonight

At around 6:00 p.m. tonight, I got an aura, which is a sign that I'll soon be getting a migraine headache. I have some medication which I can take to make the pain less severe. However, the medication contains a LOT of caffeine. Knowing this, I took only one pill instead of the usual two. The migraine was not intense at all. The only problem is that I'm still wide awake at 10:20 at night. Jenelle is already in bed since she has to work at 4:30 a.m. I don't have to work tomorrow, so I can sleep in. At least I'm not as wired as this guy.

Here are some pictures of the Global Business Process & Technology Holiday Orchestra and Chorus, also known as GBPTHOC. It's basically a bunch of SCJ employees forming a band to play holiday music at a December all-department meeting. It was tons of fun.

There's also some big news on the job front. I'll explain more in a future entry.

Isaacson Christmas 2003

Pictures from Sunday's Christmas party are right here. Enjoy!

I missed a birthday and an anniversary on the 21st:
Happy Birthday, Grandpa Milt!
Happy Anniversary, Eric & Gina!

Glad tidings we will bring

I apologize for not writing in almost a week. Jenelle and I have been busy visiting family, buying presents, sending out Christmas cards, and doing lots of other holiday chores. I also haven't been able to do a couple of the iMovie projects on my list -- the Thanksgiving trip and the praise band concert on Sunday the 7th. It might not be until the 27th that I can start some of those tasks, but I guarantee I'll get to them eventually.

Also coming soon: Pictures from the Thursday performance of the Global Business Process & Technology Holiday Orchestra and Chorale performance (also known as GBPTHOC). Someday I'll explain why the name is that long. :)

Yup, a real tree

Today was a very busy day for us. We bought a Christmas tree and are starting to decorate it. You can watch the entire process here. There's only five photos in the album so far, but I'll add more as we continue to decorate.

Speaking of photos, I added this album earlier this week. A bunch of people from my group at work spent some time assembling food boxes and sorting donations at the Racine County Food Bank. I'm not in any of the pictures because I was the one taking them, but I thought you still might enjoy a look.

I should have said this yesterday: Happy Birthday, Uncle Dan!

Holiday Hugs

Many of you will be getting a Christmas letter from us in your mailbox. As much as I'd like to think that we'll remember everyone, there's a chance you won't get one. So, here, in all its glory, is the online version. I'll be putting a link to this from our main site in the very near future.

Still need something for me for Christmas? I added a few items to my list. Make sure to check with Jenelle before making a purchase. The odds are that some of these items have already been bought, wrapped, and tagged. :)

Happy Birthday, Andrew!

Not all pain is gain

I don't know why, but I think this site is hilarious.

Pictures! Yay!

Thanks for your patience. Now accessible from the family section of the web site are two new photo albums. One is from Thanksgiving 2003, and other is from Christmas 2002, which I should have put up a LONG time ago. Enjoy!

Early Bird Special

Jenelle and I went to Kohl's at 5:45 this morning to get $15 off anything in the store. When we arrived, the line was so long that we feared a repeat of the Meier & Frank trip on the day after Thanksgiving. However, we did both manage to get a coupon. After Kohl's, we went to Panera Bread, Boston Store, Target, JoAnn Fabrics, Michael's, and Best Buy. No, we're not quite done shopping yet. :)

Tomorrow is another big day. I have a "gig" playing in the Our Savior's Lutheran Church Praise Band during the Advent Festival there. Show up around 10:30 a.m. if you want to watch me play. I'm planning to have the event filmed for those who won't be able to make it. I'll let you know how it goes.

Pictures from Oregon online soon. Give me a few more days. :)

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel

With just 22 days until Christmas, I feel like I have a million things to do. Jenelle and I got back from Oregon on Monday night. I hope to get pictures up on the web site (which I haven't updated in quite some time) later this week. There's also lots of other administrative tasks on my to-do list, but I won't bore you by listing them here. Another busy day lies ahead, so it's sleepy time for me. But before I forget...

Happy Birthday, Amanda!

Or-uh-gun, not O-ree-gone

Jenelle and I are getting ready to head back to Wisconsin tomorrow. Tonight, Jenelle has been going through some old boxes of stuff from her childhood years. All of it is so cute! We're bringing some of the extra-special items home with us, and her parents will be shipping a box or two.

Happy Birthday, Mom! I forgot to mention it to her when I called her earlier tonight. However, we did remember to give her her present before we left, so I don't feel too guilty. :)

Once we get back, I'll make an update to the web site, which I haven't done for quite a long time.

Thanksgiving With the In-Laws

It's been a great day here in Portland. We just finished having dessert, which was blackberry pie, pumpkin pie, vanilla ice cream, and brownies. Yum. The turkey and all the fixin's were also quite delicious.

Both of Jenelle's brothers are here -- there's eleven of us altogether. I'm taking pictures and video, and I hope to make a film of everything when I get back. I've been itching to do another iMovie since I made the 2003 Italian Festival movie earlier this year.

I've got to get back to socializing, but rest assured everything is going very well here in Oregon.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Nick!

Green Light

For those who might not be aware, my dad was in the hospital from Thursday around 5:00 p.m. until today around noon. The cause -- a tiny perforation in his stomach that caused a slow blood leak, most likely from something he ate. Everything has been repaired, and he's back home now and doing very well. Jenelle and I went grocery shopping with him this evening. It's a wonderful blessing that he has recovered so quickly. He might even be at work on Monday, which would elicit a major "Wow" from anyone who saw him on Thursday.

Here's a PDF file of one of the police report pages from my fender-bender on Thursday the 13th. I'm unit #2.

Want to be different?

If you're a male between the ages of 18 and 25 and you want to stand out and be different from other young men, I have the best idea for you. It doesn't involve getting a crazy haircut or tattoos or strange-colored clothing. You don't have to jump into freezing water, dive off a cliff, or follow a popular band around the country. You don't have to distance yourselves from your loved ones. All of things have been done before.

If you REALLY want to stand out, your course of action is obvious. Become a member of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. Who knows? Maybe I will.

Quote of the Day

Jenelle just said this:
"You smell good. What did you do?"

My Christmas List, My Christmas List

Those of you who are dying to know what I want for Christmas, I finally have put a list online. If I think of some other things that I want, I'll add them. There shouldn't be a lot of people who need to buy for me anyways, now that the gift-craziness on both sides of the family has toned down.

If there's something on here that you're planning on getting for me, you might want to e-mail Jenelle and make sure that no one else has already bought it for me.

After you do that, e-mail me and tell me what you want for Christmas. I have ideas for some of the people who read this, but not all. :)

Have fun!

That'll leave a mark

I was involed in a little fender bender on Thursday morning. The driver of a 1995 Cadillac Deville failed to yield the right of way while making a left turn. As you can see from the photo, the damage to my car is minimal. The greater blessing is that no one was injured. I'll scan the police report sometime next week so that all of you curious readers can have a better idea of what happened.

Howdy Folks

First, some housekeeping:

Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Jeff! Jeff is a college friend now living in Missouri. He got married in January.

Friday: Happy Birthday, Grandma Iz!
Happy Birthday, Uncle Gary!

It's tough to figure out why I haven't made a blog entry in a while. Life has been very good. I'm back doing "normal" projects at work and enjoying what I do. I'm endeavoring to practice my guitar more, which I'm also enjoying. Jenelle is still as wonderful as the day I met her (actually more so). I guess the only explanation is that nothing as funny as the Muto's pizza incident from October 18 has occurred, so I haven't felt the need to write.

The latest Isaacson family outpost will be opened in Houston, Texas. My cousin, Todd, got a job down there and will be starting shortly before Thanksgiving. Way to go, buddy!

Tomorrow night will be nice -- I'm volunteering as a blackjack dealer. I enjoy this job because it's great fun AND it reminds me of the futility of winning money through gambling. They don't build those places on winners.

Tastes like homemade... Because it is!

The reviews are in. This is an excellent pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Pie

Jenelle is becoming quite the amazing wife. She "slaved" in the kitchen yesterday evening making a pumpkin pie. No shortcuts -- we steamed a pumpkin and bought all of the individual spices. We're going to try it later when my parents come over to look at our wedding pictures.

Oh yeah, that's right. We got our professional wedding photo album in the mail today. Looking at the pictures evokes all of the emotions you might expect from someone who's been married for a mere seven months.

I'll let you know about the pie. :)

Happy Halloween!

Here's my costume! Those of you who aren't sure of who I'm trying to be, check out the "Fun" section of the links on the right. :)

Deck Wash for 19 cents

Planning to clean and seal our deck, Jenelle and I went to Home Depot a few days ago. We bought some deck wash for $3 and some premium deck sealer for $25. We used a 10% off "pocket peeler" coupon, so our total with tax was $26.43. Not bad. We paid for it with a debit card.

After a phone call to the condo association president, we discovered that all of the phase 3 decks (including ours) will be stained in the spring. So, there's no point in us sealing it right now. We decided to keep the deck wash and return the sealer.

I went back to Home Depot after work. I set the receipt and the sealer on the counter, and I was on my way in minutes. I checked the amount credited to the debit card. $26.24. Huh. Interesting. It seems the clerk didn't subtract 10% when entering the credit. Assuming Home Depot doesn't contact us about the error, we just got a bottle of deck wash for 19 cents. Perhaps the computer system only alerts the clerk if the return amount is greater than the cost of all of the items on the receipt. I have no idea what's going on.

But I'll bet that the deck wash is worth what we paid for it. :)

It's Gettin' Dark Early

Jenelle and I had steak for dinner tonight. She did a great job preparing it (with the help of Saran Cutting Sheets. We also had crescent rolls and red potatoes. Yum!

In other news, it's nice that Northwestern finally won a football game at home. The added bonus is that the 'Cats victory was over Wisconsin, which means I won't be singing the Badger fight song at the family Christmas celebration.

For some reason, my calendar program didn't remind me about Jeri's birthday on the 21st (the same day as Randy's). So, Happy Birthday, Jeri!

I hope you took advantage of the sale at Dairy Queen yesterday. We still have ten buster bars in our freezer. :)

Homecoming

Tomorrow is the first Northwestern Homecoming weekend for which Jenelle and I will both be alumni. The big football game is against Wisconsin at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. A note for my parents: You don't have to tape it. :)

In other news, I got my Newsboys Adoration songbook in the mail today. The neat thing about it is that it lists every note exactly as it is on the recording. The only trouble is that a lot of the songs are very difficult to play. Of course, reading the music gives me a new appreciation for the band and anyone who makes a living playing music. In any case, I have some serious practicing to do.

Question of the night: How come the smallest size of coffee you can get at Starbuck's is called "tall"? Anybody know?

Insert Clever Title Here

I should have said this yesterday: Happy Birthday, Uncle Randy!

The past few days weren't all that exciting, but I have been getting some important things done (updating the church web site, for example). I wish I had another story like the Muto's Pizza incident to share. However, I will share a few small bits from the past week or so:

I hope all you Wisconsinites had a chance to get out and enjoy the weather on Monday. I managed to play three sets of tennis. The strangest thing was that we broke a sweat clearing leaves off the court. It's not supposed to be warm when you do that.

I discovered last week that Floral Art is no longer in business. It was the place that I frequented whenever I wanted to buy some flowers for Jenelle. I managed to find another place, but I don't know if any place will ever be able to match their convenience and quality.

The Dairy Queen on highway 20 is having a half-price sale on Sunday. Jenelle and I plan to stock up on Buster Bars. Yum.

I rented the movie TRON over the weekend. It didn't do all that well at the box office, but I must say that the digital effects are pretty good for 1982. Did you know that the Academy did not give them a Oscar nomination for special effects because they felt the producers cheated by using a computer? My, how times have changed. The movie reminded me of the work done by the company that my brother works for, Hornet Animation. Obviously, Hornet's work is much more advanced.

My mother asked me to put together a Christmas list. Just so you know -- I'm working on it. :)

Pizza for Isaacson

Last night, it was my turn to pick what Jenelle and I would get for dinner. As you might have guessed, I chose to order pizza from Tenuta's, one of my favorite places. I called them twice and got no answer. Since it's only five minutes away, I decided to drive over and find out what was going on. I learned that Tenuta's has been CLOSED since October 6 "due to the loss of our lease". Major bummer.

After weighing our options, we decided to order from a different pizza place in Sturtevant, called Muto's. We called in our large cheese with 1/3 ham & black olives and went to pick it up about twenty minutes later. Our order was under the name "Isaacson". Keep that in mind as you read the details to come.

As we were leaving Muto's, Jenelle and I had the following conversation:

"Jenelle, I smell onions."
"Yeah, the whole place smelled like onions."
"I wonder if they gave us the wrong pizza."
"Nah, it's fine, let's go."

As we pulled out of the parking lot, we happened to notice Uncle Jerry pulling in. After a friendly wave, we made the turn onto Durand Avenue, and then to 90th street. I was still pretty sure that I could smell onions, but we didn't want to open the pizza in the car.

After a bit of confused discussion, we didn't know what to think. Then, Jenelle put 2 and 2 together.

"Wait, our order was under ISAACSON, right?"

Yup, that's right, we got Uncle Jerry's pizza. As I turned around to head back to Muto's, Jenelle called Aunt Nancy on our cell phone. Sure enough, they ordered a large pizza with cheese, sausage, mushrooms, and onions. As we got back to the parking lot, Uncle Jerry was just about to leave. We made the switch, confirmed that we had the right pizza, and headed back home.

So, two people with the last name of Isaacson, perhaps the only two families in Sturtevant with that last name, happened to order pizza from the same place at nearly the exact same time. I was surprised that no one at Muto's confirmed our order when we arrived or even mentioned that there were two orders under Isaacson. They still don't know they messed up, and probably never will. Heh.

We enjoyed the pizza, but we agreed it wasn't as good as Tenuta's. I don't know exactly how they lost their lease, but I hope they get it back real soon!

Precious Moments

I should have written this two days ago: Happy Birthday, Laura!

Today was another busy day, but I think I should write about the weekend before I forget!

Every second with my family was absolutely priceless. On Saturday, we got to spend a lot of time with Andrew, Holly, and Ella. You might be surprised to learn that I held her for quite a while. She was sleeping for most of the time, but that doesn't mean it was easy. :)

It's amazing to see the glow in Andrew and Holly's eyes as they take care of her. We were also blessed to see Ella roll over by herself for the first time! We didn't get it on film, so Andrew got the camcorder in hopes that she would repeat the feat. All she did was spit up. Oh well, better luck next time, I guess.

Grandpa Tom and Grandma Pat were nice enough to babysit so that Andrew, Holly, Jenelle, and I could go out to eat and see a movie that evening. Though we didn't do anything really exciting, I wish that I had more opportunities like this to interact with my brother and sister-in-law. I didn't notice it growing up, but Andrew taught me quite a bit about this great big world we live in, and I bet I could learn a lot more if I had the time (and we weren't so far apart). In any case, I did my best to treasure the time we did have to share, and I can't wait until they come to visit in December.

On Sunday, the wedding ceremony was certainly the quickest one I have ever attended. However, that did not cut down on the amount of joy in the room. Yolanda was overflowing with cheer and excitement with every step she took toward Ed. The vows were somewhat relaxed, but the solemnity of the event remained.

The reception was also very nice, though I think the DJ was a little bit over-the-top. He was encouraging everyone to play games and do different dances and things like that. I guess there's nothing wrong with that -- until you can't sit down without him bugging you. Heh. On the plus side, he made sure everything ran smoothly with the toasts, the cake, the first dance, and the other important parts.

So, another big congrats to Ed & Yolanda as they begin to experience the truly wonderful blessing that is marriage!

Ed's Wedding

Pictures from our trip to California (Ed's wedding + lots of Ella) are up. More details soon!

Another week flies by

Let's see what I can do to sum up this week:

Monday: Played tennis after work. Won three sets. Got a great workout.

Tuesday: Drove to Evanston for the Delta Chi Alumni Board of Trustees meeting. I'm the secretary. It sounds more exciting than it actually is.

Wednesday: The evening church service went very well. Our new drummer, Matt, is so musically talented that he can tell when my guitar is out of tune better than I can.

Thursday: Church executive team meeting. We finished up the 2004 Spending Guide proposal. It's a tough process, but we all feel much better now that the first step is done.

Friday: Getting ready for another exciting weekend!

I'll have some much more interesting things to write about on Monday. Trust me. :)

Where'd my photos go?

I should have posted this yesterday: Happy Birthday, Aunt Lisa!

The Walk for Diabetes was a lot of fun. My parents joined Jenelle and me, and we got lots of great pictures. However, when I imported them into my mac about ten minutes ago, they disappeared into oblivion. I think that happened because I was updating the system to version 10.2.8 at the same time. This bugs me quite a bit (just ask Jenelle, who has to endure my frustration), but you can be certain that from now on, I won't try to import photos while doing anything else. I apologize to those of you who were looking forward to the photos. In any case, "Team Isaacson Walkers" raised almost $200 for the American Diabetes Association, and no computer glitch will change that.

The AIDS Walk last week was also fun. It had far more people than any of the other three walks, which you might be able to tell from the pictures, which I successfully put online here. Jenelle and I walked ten kilometers and burned quite a few calories. As far as snacks go, the only thing that had at the rest stops were boxes and boxes of protein bars. We tried one -- they didn't taste very good. There were two short periods of rain, and it was never pouring that hard, so we just kept on walkin'.

I'm now going to watch the rest of the Cubs game with Jenelle. Maybe make some popcorn. Good night, all! :)

This week went fast

First of all, it's time to catch up on a few birthdays. Everyone deserves to see their name appear it red when it's their birthday.

Four days ago: Happy Birthday, Hunter!

Two days ago, my nephew, Lucas, had his second birthday. He's the son of Jenelle's brother, Jeff, and his wife, Josie. Happy Birthday, Lucas!

Okay, I feel better about that. The next thing I need to do is share some more details from the walks last weekend.

The UCP walk (also known as "Joe's Run, Walk, and Roll") was a blast. Jenelle and I both got t-shirts just for particpating. This was the fourth walk for which we signed up. After I heard about it on the radio, I had to quickly change every reference in the THREE walks site to the FOUR walks site.

Shortly after registering, I located Danny and D from 105.3 The Fish. After gathering up the confidence to approach them, I greeted them and introduced them to Jenelle. I got a great picture (right here) and shared some basic information. I don't think this was a big deal to Jenelle, but I was loving every moment because I felt like I was talking to celebrities.

In any case, I learned that Danny and D would be "strolling" at the back of the pack, and we were welcome to join them, which we did. I first thought that there would be a lot people doing this, but there weren't all that many. This gave us the chance to learn a lot more about them and tell them all about us. I told them all about my efforts in the church worship band, the joys of our marriage, and plenty of other things along the 5k route. We finished the walk in just over an hour. In an amazing coincidence, Danny crossed the finish line at 1:05:30. Wow.

Jenelle and I stayed a little while for the after-party in the Hart Park building. We didn't win anything in the raffle, but we still had fun. We thanked Danny and D for the fellowship throughout the day, and D mentioned that he'd give a "shout out" to us on Monday morning. I didn't actually hear it, but I didn't need to. It was a wonderful experience to meet two brothers who both let their light shine before men (Matthew 5:16).

Next post: A recap of the AIDS Walk.

Hunter's 2nd Birthday

I just added pictures from Hunter's second birthday to the family section of our web site.

Jenelle and I both had a lot of fun at the party. A lot of people from Eric's AND Gina's side of the family were in attendance. Isaacsons, look out, because there's finally a family that can rival us in terms of the amount of partying that we do. :)

After most of the people had left, Eric and Todd put Hunter's new big wheel together. Shortly after the final bolts were in place, we went outside for Hunter to try it out. He appeared to enjoy it, but he didn't want to use the pedals. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and propelled himself forward. This works okay, but we all know he could go much faster with the pedals. So, I endeavored to teach Hunter how to use them. After putting each of his feet on the exact center of each pedal, I moved his legs in the circular motion to get the big wheel moving. I figured that he would get it after I did this for him a few times, but he still wanted to do it his way. Jenelle and others laughed with delight as I grew somewhat frustrated in my attempts. However, the laughter multiplied by a factor of ten when Todd got a tricycle out of the garage. This tricycle was just a bit too big for Hunter, and (obviously) a bit too small for Todd. The picture tells all. :)

Anyway, we didn't get Hunter to use the pedals on his own, so I resolved to making sure he didn't roll out into the street. I was successful in that effort. I was glad to help Eric and Gina do some of the Hunter-watching so they could relax. Shortly after Jenelle and I left the party, she complimented my skills and said that I'd make a good father. Awwww. Those of you eager for Jenelle and me to have kids -- remember that patience is part of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Two days, about ten miles

I am thankful for all of the great times we've had this weekend. Both of the walks were lots of fun, especially Saturday's walk for United Cerebral Palsy (more on that in a later entry). Check out photos from each walk here. Jenelle and I also got to skate with the church youth at Skatetown, and then we gathered with congregation members, young and old, in the church cellar for a pizza party.

But wait, there's still more. We went to Eric and Gina's house on Saturday (in between the UCP Walk and the roller skating party) for Hunter's birthday party. I don't have pictures of that online yet, but they'll be up later this week. I have a great one of Todd showing Hunter how to ride a big wheel, which you have to see to believe. :)

If I wasn't totally exhausted, I would write more tonight. I'll certainly be taking the time in the near future to share lots of stories from this busy but super-exciting weekend. I'll take a weekend like this over a weekend of doing nothing 100 times out of 100.

Customer Service Doofus

My manager has a feature on his personal web site called "Customer Service Doofus", which describes a funny conversation between him and a cashier. Here's one from me:

--------------------------------------------
Jenelle and I visited Toys R Us this evening, shopping for gifts for our nephew Lucas and our cousin Hunter, both of whom have birthdays coming up.

We approached the checkout aisle with our merchandise. After a quick greeting, the cashier asked, "Can I have your phone number?"

This is a growing phenomenon in the retail industry. After having been asked for my zip code at the Gap earlier this evening, I was somewhat wary of granting this request. So, in hopes of understanding more about this need for information, I responded to the question with another question.

"What do you need it for?"

The cashier quickly responded, "It's for our mailing list."

My desires for clarity stifled by this cryptic reply, I had no choice but to make another query.

"You need my phone number for a MAILING list?"

"Yeah, if you're listed."

I could tell by the sound of the cashier's voice that I had reached the limit of her understanding of the process. Seeing that customers were beginning to line up behind me, I ended the conversation with the safest way out.

"I'd rather not divulge that information."

The cashier entered "999-9999" or something like that, and the rest of the transaction proceeded normally.

On the way home, Jenelle and I thought of some funny replies that you can use when a cashier asks for your zip code, phone number, or some other bit of personal information:

"Sure, but only if I can have yours."
"But I just met you."
"Sorry, I'm taken." (Raise left hand and show off ring)
--------------------------------------------

I know that this story isn't all that funny. However, I hope that regular weblog readers (i.e. Mom) will enjoy reading it for a change of pace.

Have a good night, all!

CROP Walk - Sep. 21

CROP Walk pictures are up!

Walk 1 of 4 complete!

The CROP Walk in Mukwonago went very well. I have several pictures, and I'll be putting up a photo album very soon. I'll be sure to write more about it as well when I get the chance.

In other news, congratulations are in order for our friend Susan and her husband Mike, who got married on Saturday. Here's a picture of the bride and groom, and here's one of Jenelle and Susan. After learning about Mike at the wedding and the reception, we think Susan made a great choice, and we wish them all the best in their new life together.

A pleasant autumn evening

Two days late again -- Happy Birthday, Dad!

Tonight, after watching Survivor, Jenelle and I went for a walk around our condo buildings. There's a gazebo in the center courtyard. We went in one and re-enacted the "I am 16, going on 17" scene from The Sound of Music. Cheesy, but fun.

With only a few days before the first of the four walks, I have raised nearly $500! Thanks to everyone who has supported me in this endeavor, both financially and spiritually.

Jenelle and I are attending a wedding in Lincolnshire on Saturday. We both know the bride, Susan, from our days at Northwestern. She was one of the people on the Campus Crusade Drama Team, of which Jenelle and I were also members.

Tomorrow is yet another busy day at work. I've been on a "big project" since Labor Day that doesn't end until late October. I'm spending a lot of time each day in meetings. I'm learning a lot, but it can sometimes be difficult to stay focused as the afternoon wears on.

So, I'm off to bed to get energized for another great weekend. G'night!

Highlights

Check out this movie of Ella. She is apparently a Vikings fan. More on this story as it develops.

I should have said this two days ago: Happy Birthday, Aunt Gail!

I did okay on the tennis court today. I've noticed that my backhand isn't nearly as good as it was back in high school. Maybe my playing buddies will read this and purposely hit to that side. That's okay. I need the practice.

On Saturday, Jenelle and I watched NU lose to Miami (OH), went shopping at Banana Republic, J Crew, The Gap Outlet, The Gourmet Chef, Steinhafel's, Woodman's Market, and Target. Can you tell that we both have full time jobs? :) Actually, we didn't spend as much as you might think. We're both fairly frugal. Jenelle is a great clothes shopper in that she only buys stuff that looks really cute on her.

Only six days until the first of four walks. Let's get fired up!

The Princess is Resting

Jenelle must have had a busy day at work this morning. I'd ask her about it, but she's still asleep. She usually sleeps until I get home from work, but sometimes she needs a little extra beautyrest. That's okay with me. We'll be energized for the weekend.

Things are going pretty well with me right now. At church, things are going great with our new pastor, Tracy Langerud. Do you know that I belong to a denomination that ordains female pastors? More info here. I could talk a lot about what the bible says about such a practice, but I'd rather keep these blog entries short.

I'm thinking of radically changing the "look" of this weblog. Do you like the orange accents? They're starting to bug me. However, as long as I'm keeping busy with work and church and planning for the upcoming four walks, I will happily keep it the way it is.

On a slightly scary note, here's the reason why there is a slim chance I'll permanently reside in the southeastern United States.

Want more hits? Have a baby

Andrew and Holly's web site (link at right) has 300 more hits than ours. It probably has something to do with the fact that they keep putting up more pictures of their oh-so-adorable daughter.

Of course, Jenelle and I haven't done much with our site lately. I think we're still adjusting to Jenelle's new job. We appreciate the extra income and benefits, and we also are thankful for older people who can help us figure out what benefit plans to sign up for (thanks, Dad!).

We watched a lot of football over the weekend. We attended the Northwestern game on Saturday -- Air Force barely won, 22-21. Then there's all the NFL action on Sunday. I am in two football pools this year, but I don't seem to be making much effort researching the winners. I'm not even sure how I did this week. Maybe I should check that out.

So, as you might have noticed, I'm having trouble keeping this weblog exciting. Hmmm. Send your suggestions my way.

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE FIRST OF FOUR WALKS! Yeah!

What big eyes you have

Tomorrow, my niece Ella will be one month old! Congrats to her and her proud parents! :)

The Weekend -- A Summary

Okay, it's time to share more details about the weekend.

On Saturday morning, I made breakfast for the four of us (Me, Jenelle, Dave, & Amanda). Actually, Jenelle made the batter for the waffles, so she made a major contribution. We also had "maple honey" bacon, which was a nice change of pace from regular bacon. :)

Jenelle unfortunately had to work in the afternoon/evening, but we took advantage of the situation. Jenelle gave us all a tour of Fox 6. We saw the weather deck and the newsroom. I stood in front of the green screen and pretended to be Phil Connors from Groundhog Day. I also met Ted Perry!

On the way home, Amanda, Dave, and I came back over the Hoan Bridge and saw a lot of the activity going on by the lakefront. After a stop at Culver's, we went to the Mars Cheese Castle. We finished up the night playing a game of Trivial Pursuit. I won. :)

We had lots more fun on Sunday. We went to my cousin Ed's engagement party in the afternoon, and watched How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days in the evening. Our final weekend activity was a game of Euchre. Dave and I lost a close match to the ladies. Jenelle and I really enjoyed playing cards because we hadn't played since our college days. Little known fact -- Jenelle and I got to know each other A LOT by playing cards together. I really liked to admire her from across the table. :)

After giving Dave and Amanda plenty of SCJ products to keep their homes clean, they headed back to Kansas on Monday afternoon. I am glad that they came to visit. If you're reading this, thanks so much! One of the reasons their visit was so nice is that their recent engagement reminded Jenelle and me of our early courting days.

I think that's enough rambling for now. Since you're reading this, don't be afraid to send me or Jenelle a note and let us know how you're doing!

Yup, I'm still here.

There's a ton of things that I'd like to share about this past weekend, which was busy but also relaxing. I don't have time to share everything now, but I would like to congratulate Jenelle's friend Amanda and her boyfriend Dave on their engagement! Amanda and Dave drove up from Kansas to spend some time with us this weekend. Here's a picture of them at the Mars Cheese Castle.

I have to get to work now, but you will definitely be hearing from me within the next few days. I hope you're enjoying the four-day work week! :)

Cleaning up the House

Labor Day Weekend is upon us. The local news stations all have lots of information about the big Harley Davidson celebration. Jenelle has to work on Saturday to help cover it, which is a bit of a bummer, since one of Jenelle's friends is coming to visit.

I'd usually be a bit more excited about having an extra day off of work, but it hasn't set in yet -- perhaps I'll be more jubilant about it when I don't have to wake up early on Monday. :)

I've added a "Fun" section to the links listing on the right. The first link might be unfamilar to you -- it's a site with cartoons and other neat stuff. I've been spending a decent amount of time browsing it lately.

Party on!

Three Weekends, FOUR Walks

After hearing about Joe's Run, Walk, and Roll to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Wisconsin, the three walks page has become the Four Walks site! I'm thankful to everyone who has contributed to one of the causes or just sent a message of encouragement. I really appreciate it!

Gotta make a few adjustments

We're slowly but surely adjusting to Jenelle's new work schedule. The most important thing is that she really enjoys what she does, and I know that she does a great jorb at Fox 6.

We're finding that we have to a bit more disciplined in keeping the place clean now that we're both working full-time. I'm sure that the place will be spic-and-span by the time Jenelle's friend Amanda and her boyfriend Dave come to visit this weekend.

Finally, I'm adding a fourth walk to the three that I'm already doing. I'm in the process of updating the web page. You blog readers will be the first to know once it's ready.

Big gulps, huh? Alright!

I don't know why, but I've been really thirsty lately. It must have something to do with the hot summer air. And I'm not the only one -- Hunter was so thirsty that he had some of Grandpa Milt's root beer at Gina's birthday party yesterday.

Jenelle couldn't attend last night, but she was present at the Chancery with several family members on Friday. After dinner, we embarassed Gina with the standard waiter/waitress birthday singing.

I'm off to get a glass of water. Well, see you later!

Working, Wal*Mart, and Weekend Fun

I'm leaving for work at my usual time tomorrow (around 7:15 a.m.), and yet I'm not the first to leave! That seems so strange to me. I better get used to it!

Jenelle and I usually shop at Jewel, but we sometimes go to Wal*Mart because their selection of frozen pizza is much better. So, we went there tonight. What surprised me is the number of food items now available in unnatural colors. We're used to green ketchup by now, but how about green syrup? I'm talking the color of Ecto Cooler. We also saw pringles in a whole bunch of different colors -- orange, red, blue... weird. Jenelle says, "All that artificial color can't be good for you."

This weekend should be a nice combination of relaxation and partying. My cousin Laura will be coming in tomorrow evening, so we'll be going out to dinner with her, my cousin Todd, and perhaps some other people.

Somebody deserves a mention because she turns 21 on the 21st. Happy birthday, Gina!

Promotion By Attrition

Okay, it's time to share the big news!

Jenelle, who previously worked part-time on the weekends for Fox 6, has been promoted to a full-time position! Her new schedule has her working Monday through Friday from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m.! This will definitely change our lifestyles a little bit, but I think it's for the better.

So, go right ahead and e-mail Jenelle to wish her all the best in her new position. Woohoo!

Walking, Weather, and Breaking News

I have received six messages of encouragement from the Three Walks page. I'm very thankful for those!

You'll notice that the weather is no longer functioning properly. There's supposed to be an image that displays the forecast for the next five days. It was showing up blank. Apparently, my mom clicked on it and a pop-up ad for a "free trip" came up. This is NOT the kind of thing I want family and friends to deal with, so I'm making it out of order until I can find a weather sticker that works.

Finally, there's some exciting news on the horizon. I can't give you more specifics for another day or so, but I assure you that it is something that Jenelle and I are very happy about. Sorry, it has nothing to do with babies. Stay tuned to the blog! :)

It's official!

For dinner tonight, Jenelle made salmon and steamed carrots. She used the Aroma Health Grill and the vegetable steamer, both wedding gifts. We can now state with certainty that we have used all of our electrical appliances that we received as wedding gifts. Wow. That took long enough, eh?

In other news, I updated the main site with links to the Three Walks page in hopes of getting a few more hits. I think that after I e-mail friends & family AND create a TextAd on wilwheaton.net, I'll get a few more visitors. I don't necessarily need a lot of donations. However, it would be cool to get lots of encouragement letters.

Happy Anniversary

Tomorrow is my parents' 30th anniversary as well as Andrew & Holly's 2nd anniversary. Congrats to you both!

This weekend was a lot calmer than previous weekends. I spent most of Saturday hanging around and catching up a few house-related things, specifically cleaning up the guest room. We have guests coming at the end of August, so I'm planning to have the room much more organized by then.

Today, I cleaned up the music area at church, which had papers distributed all over the place. I now have all of the contemporary music neatly organized and alphabetized in one binder. If we ever have a guest musician, things will be easy to find for sure!

Finally, Jenelle and I just got back from Grandma & Grandpa's condo, where we had pizza to celebrate my parents' anniversary. That was a great time -- I even had the chance to help Grandma with some computer things, which I really enjoy doing.

That's about all for now -- before I close up this entry, check out a picture of my parents and me that sometimes appears on the SCJ intranet site. SC Johnson is truly a family company!

Three Weekends, Three Walks

On September 21, September 28, and October 5, I will be participating in three different walks to support three different causes. The CROP Walk raises money to fight world hunger. The AIDS Walk is to support AIDS research, and the Walk for Diabetes benefits the American Diabetes Associateion.

I have put all of the information together on one web site for easy access: Check out the "Three Walks" site now! I plan on using a few different methods to promote the site and raise awareness of my hopes to make a difference in the community and the world.

You can use the links on the site to join me in one of the walks or to make a donation, but you can also contact me directly if you like. I'm sure this won't be the last time I talk about this in my blog!

Blackout!

My thoughts and prayers go out to those without power tonight, including my family in Ohio. It's a bit scary that an entire section of the U.S. can lose electricity like this. I hope everything is restored back to normal operation soon.

Back in Wisconsin, I'm working on a new web site that explains something I'll be doing this fall in an effort to make a difference. More on that very soon!

Turn it up, the Guitar

At church tonight, we nearly had to do all the music "unplugged" because we couldn't find a key for the sound cabinet. We managed to locate it about five minutes before the service, and we were able to get everything ready in time.

I enjoy playing the guitar, and I should really devote more of my spare time to practicing. I've been playing for over a year and a half, so I'm pretty competent, but there's no way I'll progress if I don't practice some more challenging songs. So, feel free to check up on me and ask, "How much are you practicing your guitar?" the next time to see or talk to me. :)

Links links links

Since today wasn't all that eventful, I'll take this opportunity to mention that I have several sites linked in the right-hand column, including the ever-popular site belonging to Holly and Andrew. :)

If you have a site you would like there to be a link to from this page, e-mail me, or just click the "Get on this list!" in the appropriate section. Good night!

Tennis, Anyone?

If it's a Monday evening and the weather is warm, chances are I'm playing tennis with some friends from church. Even though all of them are significantly older than me, I get a great workout. They're all very good at hitting the lob shot, which means I have plenty of running to do! Getting some exercise on Monday is a great way to start the week. I guarantee it will help keep you energized.

In other news, I've added a "Local Weather" section to the right side of the blog. I couldn't decide whether to put it above the links or not. You're welcome to give me some feedback on that. Later!

A Gathering to Remember

Wow. What a weekend!

The picnic yesterday was quite a big event -- so big that I didn't get a chance to make a blog entry! We arrived at Franksville Park at about 10 a.m. Jenelle had to go to work at 2:30, but I stayed around past 9 p.m. Here's a photo of most of us (taken after Jenelle left, but before Dan arrived).

Today was also very busy. At church, we extended a call to someone who could very well become our next pastor, but I won't say any more about that until the candidate responds. I got a chance to go golfing in the afternoon with Dad, Todd, and Uncle Dan. I shot a 60, which isn't too bad for my first time out in quite a while. Finally, there was a cookout at my parents' house in the evening, which was another wonderful opportunity to spend time with family. I even got to play some pool.

So, the weekend is just about over, and it's time for me to get ready for work and the events of the week that lies ahead. This time is always a bit of a downer -- you spend hours upon hours having fun with relatives, and then we all have to go back to our daily routine. The last time I felt like this was the day after our wedding reception at Roma Lodge about four months ago. On that day, it was tough for me to say goodbye to my brother, and it was especially tough for Jenelle (and even me) to say goodbye to her parents.

It's just God's way of reminding us how precious each moment with loved ones can be, and to treasure them always.

Family Fun Weekend

Another exciting weekend is in progress! This afternoon, I participated in the first annual SCJ IS softball challenge (also known as FASCJISSC), and I had a great time playing softball with my co-workers in the Information Services department. Jenelle even got to play a few innings!

Most of tomorrow will be spent at Franksville Park for the big Isaacson Family reunion. Our family will be looking cool because of the amazing t-shirt design that Jenelle worked on. The shirts came out great, and we managed to get Ella's name on them as well!

There's a meeting on Sunday after church in which our congregation will vote on extending a call to a new pastor. As president, I get to chair the proceedings. There should be a lot of interesting discussion that will really show what is on the hearts and minds of the people of Our Savior's. It won't exactly be "fun", but it will certainly be enlightening.

So, I'm thankful for another weekend in which I get to spend time with my work family, my "real" family, and my church family. It's better than staying at home all day!

Baby Ella

Remember how I said that Andrew and Holly were well-prepared for Ella? Well, Holly has managed to get pictures of her up already! Ella is adorable. Simply adorable.

Celebrate good times, come on!

Ella isn't the only family member born in August. I have a cousin whose special day is today. Happy birthday, Eric!

It's a girl! (Well, we knew that already)

Announcing the birth of my niece, Ella Joy Isaacson, on August 5. Eight pounds, twelve ounces, 22 inches long. A big congratulations to Andrew and Holly! As they adjust to the increased level of happiness and excitement in their lives, let's continue to keep them in our prayers.

There is something about the night...

I've been listening to it for over a week, but I still enjoy the catchy rhythms of Los Flores, a newly released song by Bleeding Charity.

To give it a listen yourself, go here and click on "Music" on the top menu bar. The link to the Los Flores MP3 is near the top of the page.

And the winner is...

Those of you who check both our page and Andrew & Holly's page know that the hit counters are very close in number. I just checked them myself -- our page is at 999, while Andrew & Holly's is at 1003. So, congratulations to Andrew, Holly, and their soon-to-arrive daughter for winning the race to 1000! :)

Benches and Houses

I had carryout pizza from Tenuta's for dinner today. In the area where you wait for your food to get done, there are two park benches consisting of wooden bars held together by a rickety metal frame. Whenever I sit in one, I wonder if I'm going to be the one to break it. (Jenelle says "I don't trust them.") I sat down, and nothing happened. Still, maybe I should suggest they get some new furniture in there.

Anyway, I just heard some news my buddy Jeff Austin in Missouri. He's the one who got married in January. He and his wife Jennifer signed a contract on a house. Congratulations, you two!

Luke 13:10-17

After a slight delay due to a power failure, I have successfully updated my church's web site. If you're reading this AND you happen to be a member at Our Savior's AND you'd like to help out with keeping the site up-to-date, send me an e-mail -- I would very much appreciate your assistance. :)

Picnics & Festivals

Jenelle and I had a great time at the SCJ picnic. It's tough to have a bad time at a place where there's free popcorn, snowcones, soda, beer, cheeseburgers, sub sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken wings, cheese curds, donut holes, lemonade, fresh fruit, and probably some stuff I'm forgetting.

Tonight, I visited my work buddy Jim at the St. Joseph Festival. He is a faithful servant, working three hours tending bar. He even bought me a drink. What a guy.

Rachel knows how to fly safe

There's a picture of my cousin, Rachel, on the Baby B'air Flight Safety Vest main page. The picture is from over a year ago, but you can see her on the left side just below the red line that says "FLY SAFE". Cute, eh? :)

Happy August

Jenelle and I have a busy weekend ahead. In addition to Jenelle's usual work commitment, there's plenty of things to keep us occupied. I'm getting the oil changed in the Alero this afternoon, and we're going out to the Corner House for dinner this evening. We also plan to visit some family and show off the movie I made from last weekend's Roma Lodge Italian Festival. Tomorrow is the big SCJ picnic. Sunday will also be exciting, as the members of my church get to meet and greet a candidate who could become our next pastor. The forecast calls for plenty of rain, but I'm hoping to spend a decent amount of time outdoors while the summer warmth is still with us.

Anticipation

My brother and his wife are expecting a daughter any day now. They have all sorts of neat information about it here. My brother called me on the phone last weekend, and I had to ask the obvious question, "Is Holly in labor?". He mentioned that a lot of people seem to be asking him that question when he calls them up. So, I pledged not to ask him about it again! :)

It sounds like Andrew and Holly are very well-prepared for the bundle of joy that is about to enter their lives. I'm keeping them in my thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks ahead.

The Inaugural Entry

Well, I've decided to join in on the latest internet fad. I've just created a "blog" that makes it pretty quick and easy to post news, thoughts, and whatever else I like. I don't have much more to write today EXCEPT a message for my buddy, Adam. Happy birthday, A.W.!